My boot camp division actually did march in formation during Milwaukee’s 4th of July parade. So we weren’t too bad at it really.

I still treasure the sound of disappointed children when I expertly avoided stepping in a pile of horse shit.

Lol, yes I do!

I’m not saying they weren’t intentionally out of step (I definitely would have been) but based on my experience also in the military, as well as high school marching band, many people suck at it even after weeks of practice and my band director cared way about it than any NCO ever did, either in boot camp or beyond. They taught us how to align left and right, and how to march around a corner in formation. We did that until the end of boot camp and then never again. We got our asses handed to us for all kinds of minor infractions, but never once did I see anybody get even scolded for being out of step.

Frankly, it used to drive me crazy.

No worries dude, it doesn’t feel like you’re jumping on me. Maybe they were just way more lax about it in the Navy. When it came to marching, in my experience they barely gave a fuck.

One thing that seems pretty telling to me, and isn’t really being mentioned, is that I didn’t see any of them in dress uniforms. Weren’t they all in camo?

Oh yeah? Prove it!

I know that’s what I’d have done.

What Trump wanted far exceeds marching in step. But even just that requires regular practice, which the US military simply does not bother with. Exceptions being a few ceremonial guards.

I know this from experience. Perfect formation marching must be drilled constantly. The US military does not waste its time with it because it is useless beyond Basic Training.

I agree that they clearly didn’t want to be at his stupid little parade. Yes, they half-assed it. It just blows my mind that Trump clearly expected pageantry when our military has never once put on such a show.

The American military doesn’t train to put on parade theatre for a despot. No high stepping, no elaborate formations or movements. None of that pointless bullshit. If you see a military parade from NK or China achieving dazzling perfect performances, while impressive, that’s all it is; a visual performance. All they do is practice for those events. Those are not uniforms. They’re costumes. Those are not soldiers. They’re a dance troupe. These are completely different skillsets. Soldiers don’t need to know how to dance perfectly in formation. They storm the objective, execute the mission, and get the fuck out. You might as well send a marching band into combat, because that’s all they would become.

It’s funny how they want to force the US military into performing flamboyant pageantry, while also kicking out the gays.

They have sonic weapons. They run over people with horses and armored vehicles.

Gotta clean and sterilize them.

Green lasers. Everybody should have one.

Plenty of kids in need of adoption.

There was definitely a time when nobody pretended their favorite stick was a gun.

I have people who love me.

Exactly why I stopped so using it so quickly.

So who is skimming the money for Trump’s real gold decor and spray painting cheap crap gold instead? Corruption spreads from the top.

If it’s been said to a Russian troll once, it’s been said a thousand times now. Ukraine’s constitution doesn’t allow for elections during a state of war.

But how can Russia jam waves of bodies into an electronic hole?

There are rumors that the deaf are able to make good use of text based technologies.

Oh spare me your judgement. My plate is full, and none of it is wasted. I described a thing I would like to do if I had the resources that some rich Lambo owning prick has. I get a bunch of suggestions which are not that thing, none of which I requested, and some of which leave me dubious. I do not trust charities not to enable rich pricks to hoard Lambos. I’m weaning myself off the internet, not seeking new ways to engage with it. I wasn’t soliciting for piddly little ways I could sit on my ass to be a better liberal. I was lamenting the sociopathy of those who have such resources, despite zero hard work, yet waste them.

I’m already doing all I can for the environment. What I normally go do is break my body daily in the field in one of the few trades where fighting climate change is central. That’s where most of my time and energy go right now. That’s why I chose this career. Considering the way this world is going, I don’t expect to live long enough to make the difference I intended.

Look, I know you mean well. Thanks for suggesting an eco-friendly search engine. Hopefully they take data security and anonymity with the seriousness we all need these days. Hopefully it’s not just another slush fund for some billionaire’s spoiled brat. But regardless, your suggestion probably doesn’t fit my wants and needs.