Huh. I knew "troop" mean a bunch of soldiers, like platoon, but I thought when the news said "three troops were deployed" that they really meant three *groups of soldiers.* Why would they deploy three people? Deployment is kind of a big deal, isn't it?
Tell me more good stuff about me.
Kaylee ,'The Message'
Spike's Bitches 45: That sure as hell wasn't in the brochure.
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risqué (and frisqué), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
Zenkitty - Dec 15, 2009 4:44:17 pm PST #3844 of 30000
Every now and then, I think I might actually be a little odd.
Hil R. - Dec 15, 2009 4:46:33 pm PST #3845 of 30000
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
I think I've more often heard "three troops were killed" than "three troops were deployed."
Zenkitty - Dec 15, 2009 4:48:06 pm PST #3846 of 30000
Every now and then, I think I might actually be a little odd.
You know what I just realized? You can't completely destroy something by decimating it. If you literally decimated a big bunch of somethings, and then decimated what was left, and then decimated it some more, eventually you'd end up with fewer than ten somethings, and you'd be required to, say, massacre instead.
-t - Dec 15, 2009 4:49:13 pm PST #3847 of 30000
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration
It's like the Zeno's paradox of destruction.
tommyrot - Dec 15, 2009 4:49:22 pm PST #3848 of 30000
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
You can't completely destroy something by decimating it.
That's right.
I wonder if they made soldiers who wanted to decimate take math classes....
Hil R. - Dec 15, 2009 4:49:55 pm PST #3849 of 30000
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
If you literally decimated a big bunch of somethings, and then decimated what was left, and then decimated it some more, eventually you'd end up with fewer than ten somethings, and you'd be required to, say, massacre instead.
Well, that depends on if the somethings are discrete or continuous.
tommyrot - Dec 15, 2009 4:50:54 pm PST #3850 of 30000
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
Well, that depends on if the somethings are discrete or continuous.
Good point.
But if you decimate something enough, eventually you'd need a particle accelerator to do further decimation.
§ ita § - Dec 15, 2009 5:01:22 pm PST #3851 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
You can't completely destroy something by decimating it.
Can you completely destroy something? How are you defining complete and destruction?
You can effectively destroy some things by decimating them, I'm sure. Perhaps not an Apple laptop, if you're Israeli airport security. But other things. But complete destruction is a tall order at the best of times.
sj - Dec 15, 2009 5:18:38 pm PST #3852 of 30000
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
Burrell, quick recovery~ma to you.
Stephanie - Dec 15, 2009 5:20:16 pm PST #3853 of 30000
Trust my rage
Hmm, I think in the Army, troop=soldier. I mean, I see what you all are saying but in the Army context, troops are the soldiers, not groups of soldiers. I always assumed NPR and such were borrowing the Army usage.
Speaking of troops, Joe and I had dinner with two war widows, both moms, ages 20 and 27. I enjoyed having dinner with them but feel so sad for what they have been through.