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What's The Last Book You've Read?


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Was reading the following manual today,

 

Liquified Gas Handling Principles on Ships and Terminals

(White & De la Vega, 1986)

Chapter 10.5.8.

 

Abandoning of Ship

"This is not a decision that can be incorporated into planned procedures. Suffice it to say that only general guidelines can be given; much lies upon the judgement of the master and the aggressiveness of the situation at hand..."

 

 

I have this constant unnerving feeling that if I do not deliberately seek out danger and gamble long odds with storm and disaster, they themselves will seek me out, and ambush me on their own terms and timing at that. I suffer the insecurity that if I enjoy and bask upon my achievements and my laurels one moment too long, then fate will take them away; so I must keep fate itself on the defensive, distract it by my ceaseless and remorseless taking of what is not yet mine. Instead of defending my various fortunes, I'd better off going out my fortress and getting even more.

 

Those patriotic, heroic, and hardworking enough can cope and defend entrenched positions against all comers (especially us pinoys; witness Bataan and Corregidor). But at best, defense merely delays defeat. To counterattack successfully, especially against overwhelming odds, we need another breed; we need to enlist the traitors from other side, the corrupting spies, the devious gunrunners, the devil may care bullies, the souless conjuring magicians. And we need the most demon-blooded pirates we can find -to lead properly and to lead well these best, worst, and craziest of our lot, to charge with them side by side in the sleepiest hour of night, and under the most complex cover of deceit. And that is how we finish the fight.

 

Defense may win battles, yes, but not wars.

 

"It is when most quiet that the Enemy draws nearest" - let the stupid enemy learn that Jesuitic wisdom all over again. We learned it long ago.

 

LC

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