Holiday Greetings

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The sponsors and I would like to wish you a happy holiday season as we thank you for tuning in. Don't miss next year's installment of your favorite entertainment, and please don't drink and drive.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my family for being so familial, my friends for being so friendly, my girlfriends for being so girly, and my fans for being so fanatical. Thanks to you, no one can stop me now! (Except maybe a traffic cop.)

Solar System - Earth

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Things you don't know about the Solar System

I've always found space fascinating, and among my first books was a book about astronomy. It was just a small, general guide that had a number of interesting facts about the solar system and the stars and galaxies. This was 1980 or before, and we've made a LOT of discoveries since then, and I've kept up on it, partly thanks to Ars Technica, the Science Channel, and NASA.

Today's topic: the third rock from the Sun, known to the locals as Earth.

I'm working on it!

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I've been pretty busy lately, what with the holiday season causing an increase in work, and I've got all kinds of other stuff going on. I've got one buddy building a new business website for me, and a couple others doing some proofreading on one of my books, I've discovered the secret to eternal life so I'm trying to get that, I've got most of the old content from the previous renditions of my site transferred, and I'm doing my part to help about half a dozen people reach for their dreams like I've done. This is just the beginning, of course. So don't worry, I'm not going to forget to stop by here once in a while. I've actually got a lot of exciting stuff going on in my life now, and keeping this site/blog updated is a part of that.

Just for starters, I've got a series of articles on space, travel, and fiction brewing, a tiny portion of which I've already got posted. I expect to get the rest of my old content up by the end of the year, and in January I should have a little time off... if my students don't need me!

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to everyone!

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How to Talk Like a Trucker

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After national talk-like-a-pirate-day became ridiculously popular, it was only natural that national talk-like-a-ninja-day would be commissioned.... except, no one knows how ninjas talk! They're just so dad-gum secretive. So instead, we've commissioned national talk-like-a-trucker-day, which is to be celebrated on October 14th, which coincidentally is the day I got my CDL.

To help you talk like a real trucker, I've gathered together some of the slang and jargon I've heard and used over the years. Read on!

Hey baby, what's your sign? (Updated!)

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Astrology. Anyone grounded in the real world shudders at the absurdity of it, and yet, women eat that stuff up as if it really means something. I understand why, of course: it's the childish desire to shed all responsibility for oneself, to put the blame of failed relationships on someone else instead of taking responsibility for ALL your actions (conscious and unconscious), and what better scapegoat than something that doesn't care? It's unfortunate that we as a society encourage this kind of destructive and self-destructive behavior, rather than insisting that people act like adults. Some do, but not the majority.

But I'm not here to rant about society, I'm here to tell you that the sign you think you are is probably not true! (Okay, I'm doing this article because I haven't had time to find something really neat about the physical Earth that most people don't know, but I suppose this will do just fine, since the reason your sign isn't the one you think it is is because of Mother Earth not doing what the ancients thought she was doing. (And ain't that just like a woman?))

More Stony King performances

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Stony just sent me a link to several of his performances for our listening pleasure. Thanks, cuz!

Click here to check them out!

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Brain Dump!

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Okay, I just loaded some of the content from previous renditions of the site onto here to see how they look and how well the blog functions. At some point I'll try to get pictures posted too, but until then, you'll have to use your imagination. I've got a lot more stuff to add, and since my helper isn't exactly helping, I'm looking for another one. You guys have no idea how hard it is to find people who are at least marginally computer-literate AND who have free time to help you out! Those of you who rely on a friend to fix your computer for you, be thankful for them.

In other news, right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere in Texas. I'll tell you all about it...

What you should know about the military before you join

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“Here you are all equally worthless!” - R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket)

Whether you’re thinking of joining the military or trying to talk someone out of it, the least you can do is get the facts and make an informed decision. I spent 6 years in the Navy, which is 6 years longer than most people serve their country. Some of those days were good, some were bad. Some, I'm going to talk to you about, so listen up; there will be a test.

Space Links

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Over the past few months, I've unveiled a few facts about the Solar system you don't know and might not be able to find from casual looking. This month, I want to give you some resources to look up some of this stuff, and to answer the questions that I'm intentionally not answering for you. There's a lot of cool stuff to know.

Did you know that it was because of studying Venus that we discovered the possibility of a runaway Greenhouse Effect? Did you know that the Sun has recently started doing some really strange things? Did you know that, even though the universe is about 14 billion years old, and that nothing can travel faster than light, it's 93 billion light-years across?

Railroad Tycoon 2 Untold Strategies

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There are a lot of strategy guides for Railroad Tycoon II out there. For those of you who still play Pop Top’s “Railroad Tycoon 2” game, and want to know how to be a better player, and don’t want to read rehashes the same old strategies repeated endlessly in everyone else's guides, I created my own huge personal strategy guide for Railroad Tycoon II and jam-packed it with tons of gamer-goodness!

I originally wrote it not long after getting out of the Navy, in 2001, and have added to it and updated it several times over the years because I still play it. As a result, it is probably the biggest, bestest game guide for Railroad Tycoon 2 anyone’s ever made. On top of giving you the best strategies for whipping up on Railroad Tycoon 2's butt, I've also cleared up a lot of misconceptions about the game, and even offer a few suggestions on how to perfect the game, just in case someone were to decide to try to turn the best railroading game ever made into an even better one. (That’s right, I consider RT3 and Sid’s Railroads to be steps backward.)

Want to build track efficiently? Want to operate your railroad efficiently? Want to break the other players and keep your railroading dream financed all the way to the Gold Medal? This is the guide for you!

And how much will this cost you? A lot less than you'd pay anywhere else. First, go to our More in Sanity Facebook Page and hit the LIKE button. You can read some of the articles the More in Sanity team has linked up for you if you want. Second, Click here to read the best strategy guide ever made for Railroad Tycoon II, or any other topic. Third, leave a comment below to let me know you liked it. And fourth, bookmark http://rt2p.mopjockey.com/ and check back now and then for updates. The best strategy guide does still receive improvements now and then, so kep up with them.

And if you'd be so kind, please ask your friends to LIKE the More in Sanity Facebook Page too. And now that I have Twitter, you can Follow me. And don't forget to visit the Hawk and Badger Railroad for scenarios. Thanks a bunch!

If you don't have Railroad Tycoon 2 yet, I can help you out with that, and it's dirt cheap. The Platinum Edition is the most up-to-date version released, and has has everything you could ever want. I've also linked up a few other such games, including the Eagle Games boardgame, plus a couple other games for comparison if you really want to see why I prefer RT2.

Want to share this great guide with someone? Here's the link: http://rt2p.mopjockey.com/
















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More articles which will interest or entertain you:
My high-scores are Better than Yours
10-4 Good Buddy!
Civilization 5 Got Blasted
You Might not Know how to Drive

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Webster's Rejects

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Do you remember the unusual word definitions from Reader’s Digest, Boy’s Life, and Cracked many years ago, published as if they were jokes? One of these magazines referred to such definitions as “Daffynitions”, others used some other name, but really, these words have been around for a long time, long enough that Noah Webster, author of the first dictionary, considered and rejected them. I have collected these for many years, and I now unleash them all on an unsuspecting public.

I originally created this around 2000, and posted it on my site a couple years ago. I occasionally find new words that need to be added, but there are plenty I don't add. I don't add the thematically-based ones, like "Log-on: add wood to the fire, Log-off: remove wood from the fire, Mouse: a critter that eats your food" etc.

Click here to go right to it!


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Games I Play - Civilization 4

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Civilization 4 is an awesome computer game, and I say that not just because it's really cool to play, but also because it's so FREAKIN' HUGE!!!

I don't get much chance to play it any more, but back when I did, I was pretty good at it, and I was also a regular on the CivFanatics forum, as TheDS. (I still occasionally stop by there to see how everyone's doing.)

I wrote a couple good articles on how to play the game, one entitled My Religious Experience, and the other entitled How to Pop your Borders Quickly, plus a number of useful mod suggestions to the game that might make it better. (And lets not mention all my sarcastic comments over the years, okay?) And fairly recently I finally got around to releasing my Reference Sheet from Hell, which is the most complete set of reference information available for Civ4 and its Beyond the Sword expansion.

Then back in June (2009), my buddy Dan Quick of Apolyton fame asked me to cohost his podcast show and I couldn't say no, seeing as how I'm a big fan of Civilization 4 and know a lot about it. (PSST! It's Episode #71!) For those of you who are interested only in my brand of general mayhem, and/or want to hear me tease poor Makahlua half to death, the first few minutes and the last few minutes are non-Civ-specific and most entertaining. Dan puts out one of these programs every other week, and he's got about 3 years he's been doing it now. I was invited to do another one a couple weeks ago, but unfortunately I couldn't make an appearance. I might make one in the next 4-6 weeks, though, but no promises. Thanks, Dan, for the opportunity to be a part of this!

Trucks trucks everywhere! Part 1

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“30,000 pounds... of mashed... bananas” - Harry Chapin

Driving a truck isn’t for sissies. Most of you know that intellectually, but few of you appreciate it in your gut. What I’d like to do here is three important things: first, give you an appreciation for what it’s like to be a truck driver; second, help you if you want to be a truck driver; and third, provide a few useful resources to existing truck drivers to help them do their jobs better, safer, and with greater job satisfaction. Plus, the unwritten guarantee that we’ll entertain and educate!

I've got a few articles for you, and today's is about what it's like to BE a truck driver. Read on!

Solar System - Venus

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Things you don't know about the Solar System

I've always found space fascinating, and among my first books was a book about astronomy. It was just a small, general guide that had a number of interesting facts about the solar system and the stars and galaxies. This was 1980 or before, and we've made a LOT of discoveries since then, and I've kept up on it, partly thanks to Ars Technica, the Science Channel, and NASA.

I'm going to present a few curious things to you about what surrounds you that I'll bet you don't know. It's time to discover the hottest planet: Venus.

You Might not Know how to Write in the English Language

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 Things you Might not Know

In my travels about the Earth, I have uncovered various truths. It seems there are a lot of people out there who aren’t aware that they don’t know how to drive, or that they don’t know the value of a dollar, or various other Earth-shattering problems. To help regular folks find out if they know this or not, I created some questionnaires so my friends and fans could find out if they are afflicted with these dangerous or inconvenient problems. We’re all often blind to our own problems, right? So take these tests to find out yours.

Solar System - Mercury

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Things you don't know about the Solar System

I've always found space fascinating, and among my first books was a book about astronomy. It was just a small, general guide that had a number of interesting facts about the solar system and the stars and galaxies. This was 1980 or before, and we've made a LOT of discoveries since then, and I've kept up on it, partly thanks to Ars Technica, the Science Channel, and NASA.

I'm going to present a few curious things to you about what surrounds you that I'll bet you don't know. It's time to discover the planet closest to the Sun and therefore the hardest to observe: Mercury.

You Might not Know the Value of a Dollar

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Things you Might not Know

In my travels about the Earth, I have uncovered various truths. It seems there are a lot of people out there who aren’t aware that they don’t know how to drive, or that they don’t know the value of a dollar, or various other Earth-shattering problems. To help regular folks find out if they know this or not, I created some questionnaires so my friends and fans could find out if they are afflicted with these dangerous or inconvenient problems. We’re all often blind to our own problems, right? So take these tests to find out yours.

Solar System - Sun

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Things you don't know about the Solar System

I've always found space fascinating, and among my first books was a book about astronomy. It was just a small, general guide that had a number of interesting facts about the solar system and the stars and galaxies. This was 1980 or before, and we've made a LOT of discoveries since then, and I've kept up on it, partly thanks to Ars Technica, the Science Channel, and NASA.

I'm going to present a few curious things to you about what surrounds you that I'll bet you don't know. Let's start with the giver of all known life: the Sun.

Stony King - 2009

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Many famous and interesting people have had brushes with me that served to skyrocket their careers to new heights. If they hadn't met me, chances are you never would've heard of them. Sure, many of them were famous before they met me, but that's just how awesome I am: I can improve your career before you've even met me!


I've known Stony King all my life: literally. That’s my cousin, and we consider each other brothers. Stony has only recently started his singing career, and that's why I say I've met him in 2009, but he’s always had the fire in him as a great singer.

You Might not Know how to Drive

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Things you Might not Know

In my travels about the Earth, I have uncovered various truths. It seems there are a lot of people out there who aren’t aware that they don’t know how to drive, or that they don’t know the value of a dollar, or various other Earth-shattering problems. To help regular folks find out if they know this or not, I created some questionnaires so my friends and fans could find out if they are afflicted with these dangerous or inconvenient problems. We’re all often blind to our own problems, right? So take these tests to find out yours.

My high-scores are Better than Yours

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I used to play a lot of games; not so much any more, but I've still got a few scores I brag about. A few years back, Text Twist was all the rage, and I did pretty good at it, as you can tell by reading this site. Me and the written word seem to get along pretty well. There was this penguin-batting game I got a great score on too. I've got a few other games you'll find interesting and want to play, so I'll share with you some information and whet your appetite and we'll see how well you can do at them. Read on!

Ken Severa - 2002

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Many famous and interesting people have had brushes with me that served to skyrocket their careers to new heights. If they hadn't met me, chances are you never would've heard of them. Sure, many of them were famous before they met me, but that's just how awesome I am: I can improve your career before you've even met me!


Ken Severa is a comedian best known in the Chicago area, and one of his major routines is an impression of famous Cubs’ commentator, Harry Carey. After parting with my original gaming group back in 2002, I joined two new ones, one of which had Ken as a member.

My Travels - Florida

"I've been everywhere, man, I've been everywhere!" - Johnny Cash

Not literally - at least, not yet - but as of this writing, I've been to 42 US states, 2 US territories, 11 countries, 4 continents, 2 oceans, and 7 seas. I'm going to take you to some of the places I've been, in no particular order. Sometimes this will be a place I just was, and sometimes it's a place I haven't been to in a while.

Next up: Florida. (Big surprise, huh?)

Nikie St. Giles - 2000

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Many famous and interesting people have had brushes with me that served to skyrocket their careers to new heights. If they hadn't met me, chances are you never would've heard of them. Sure, many of them were famous before they met me, but that's just how awesome I am: I can improve your career before you've even met me! 

I had no idea who Nikie St. Giles was when I met her, all I knew was that from the moment she walked up the ramp and onto my ship's quarterdeck, I was interested in her. A friend snapped a picture of us. As far as I know, I'm the only person who got a live picture with her that day because our XO wasn't very nice to her and made her leave.

Christy Brinkley, Terry Bradshaw, and many more - 1999

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Many famous and interesting people have had brushes with me that served to skyrocket their careers to new heights. If they hadn't met me, chances are you never would've heard of them. Sure, many of them were famous before they met me, but that's just how awesome I am: I can improve your career before you've even met me!

Back in 1999, a few days before Christmas, Defense Secretary William Cohen put together his third annual USO tour and filled it to the brim with stars, who put on several shows for those who were on duty in southern Europe. The biggest names among them were Christy Brinkley and Terry Bradshaw, but there were a lot of them. I was aboard the Bataan for one of those shows and got to meet several of the people involved.

My Travels - Indiana

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"I've been everywhere, man, I've been everywhere!" - Johnny Cash

Not literally - at least, not yet - but as of this writing, I've been to 42 US states, 2 US territories, 11 countries, 4 continents, 2 oceans, and 7 seas. I'm going to take you to some of the places I've been, in no particular order. Sometimes this will be a place I just was, and sometimes it's a place I haven't been to in a while.

First up: Indiana.

Joan Jett - 1999

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Many famous and interesting people have had brushes with me that served to skyrocket their careers to new heights. If they hadn't met me, chances are you never would've heard of them. Sure, many of them were famous before they met me, but that's just how awesome I am: I can improve your career before you've even met me!

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, known for such awesome tunes as “I Love Rock n Roll” and “Bad Reputation”, visited the Bataan while it was docked in Haifa, Israel, in the early part of December.

To much fanfare, they gave a helluva performance that could be heard from anywhere on the ship.

A quick trip to her website reveals she committed a major no-no while on tour in Jerusalem. Don’t tell anyone!

TrueFacts about Lacey Chabert

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Hit the LIKE button for me!

If you don’t know who Lacey Chabert is, you’re not worthy to be on the same planet as she is; GET OFF!!! (Or... you could just look her up, and then you’ll be allowed to stay.)

I don’t wax poetic very often, but when I do, it’s always for a good reason, and Lacey is a very good reason for anyone to do anything. But this time, I've really outdone myself, and I pissed off Chuck Norris to do it! So before Chuck gets his revenge, I've released this list for all to see and enjoy.

After a year of intense investigative work, I uncovered a lot of interesting stuff about Lacey Chabert, and the work continues. Some of these items are rather incredible, but unlike the so-called Chuck Norris "facts", all these items are:

TRUEFACTS ABOUT LACEY CHABERT

Leyland French - 1995

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Many famous and interesting people have had brushes with me that served to skyrocket their careers to new heights. If they hadn't met me, chances are you never would've heard of them. Sure, many of them were famous before they met me, but that's just how awesome I am: I can improve your career before you've even met me!

Next on my list is Leyland French, owner of the McRaven House in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Leyland was my mom’s favorite employer, and giving guided tours of the house was her favorite job. I got to meet him back in around 1995 or so and get a tour of the house for free! (It pays to have connections!)

Beatdowns Inc.

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Have you ever been in need of a serious butt-whoopin'? Have you been a massive drain on society? Are you the scourge of the civilized world AND the internet? If so, you are uniquely qualified to participate in our pilot program for our new product, from our new company, Beatdowns Inc. Our product is revolutionary, and comes in many varieties to suit every taste and need, and can be customized to your exact specifications. We also guarantee 100% satisfaction; if you aren't completely satisfied that our product has filled your needs, we'll return to do the job again until we get it right. What is this miracle new product?

Where I've been

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"I'm just a-wandering on the face of the Earth" - the Moody Blues

I've been a lot of places, and I'm NOT an army brat to justify it. Even before I had a driver's license, I'd been to 11 states, and been in international waters (which is outside any country). I'm constantly amazed at all the cool places I've been, things I've done, stuff I've seen, and people I've met, and in the coming months, I'll be sharing some of what I've discovered with you.

In the meantime, I'm going to show you on the map where I've been, and as my travels expand, I'll be updating these maps, so check back here once in a while.

My travels have come in four broad phases: before I got a driver's license, after I got it but before I joined the Navy, after I started driving a truck, and the fourth phase will be after I stop driving a truck, a point in time that is rapidly approaching.

Being in the Navy did wonders for allowing me to travel the world. I was a bit hesitant to go on my Med Cruise in 1999-2000, but fortunately nothing bad happened to us. God must've been watching over us, because it was very quiet over there for the coming of the new millennium. I got to do a few things that are generally not possible, or dangerous to do, because it had quieted down for a little while.

Being a truck driver has likewise expanded my travels throughout this great country of ours. Before then, most of my travels were between Indiana, Florida, and Mississippi, with occasional detours to go see something interesting. Since then, though, I've been throughout most of the states I've been in, to most of the major cities, and I've traveled along around 80% of the interstate system, with a considerable number of states in which I've driven every mile of interstate they have.

In the future, I intend to visit every state, territory, and national park in the Union, every continent (though I don't like the cold, so my visit to Antarctica will be short), and possibly every country, though as there are a lot of disputed areas and new countries, some of them will have to settle down and play nice before I'll grace them with my presence. I also plan to sail every sea and ocean.

Enjoy the maps, and enjoy the journey!

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Ronald Reagan - 1985

Many famous and interesting people have had brushes with me that served to skyrocket their careers to new heights. If they hadn't met me, chances are you never would've heard of them. Sure, many of them were famous before they met me, but that's just how awesome I am: I can improve your career before you've even met me!

The first famous person whose life and career shined because they knew me is someone that EVERYONE has heard of: President Ronald Reagan.