We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:51:48 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Castle Denizen Blake, a retired soldier who works as a DA Civilian log weenie "somewhere in the United States" is currently in Iraq, working a unit redeployment. Here's his spotrep: I've been over here in Iraq for two weeks now. I'm no longer jet-lagged, and we're starting to get work done. That having been said, we're still in the middle of a war here, so I'm reluctant to talk specifics about where we are, who we're working with, and when things are happening. The bad guys use the Internet to communicate all the time. It would be stupid to assume... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:57:17 -0600 JTG, the remains of an airplane the movers destroyed many years ago, held as evidence, now sitting long forgotten in a corner until your gimlet optics espied it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-47031 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-47031 Mon, 26 Jun 2006 06:25:51 -0600 The fasces were borne by the lictores, symbolizing their power to punish by beating with rods, or by cutting heads off with axes. There are representations of fasces in the U.S. Congress' chamber; you can see them if you have C-SPAN. Oh, JoA, what's in the Cox box beyond the battleaxes? Got some vintage TeeDees? Nah, prolly just 290s. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-47026 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-47026 Sun, 25 Jun 2006 23:21:15 -0600 I knew what fascines were, just never knew their name before. However, that word, and the term fascist came from the fasces which were an ancient Roman symbol of power. When a Consul was appointed in the Roman Republic as a symbol of his power a bundle of sticks with an axe in it was borne before the consul's column. This bundle was called the fasces and symbolized the strength of all the members of the nation bound into one with the axe for war. This later became for obvious reasons the symbol of the Fascists, but it is also contained in many US governmental signs. For example the US Naval Academy crest has a trireme flanked by two fasces superimposed over a trident and various other heraldic symbols. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46972 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46972 Sat, 24 Jun 2006 02:28:52 -0600 Well, I *did* import that really old stuff. But in it's day - it wasn't crap... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46901 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46901 Fri, 23 Jun 2006 07:27:16 -0600 Wow that really *is* old. Pre Independance old. Make me wonder what sort of crap really old countries have floating around. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46900 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46900 Fri, 23 Jun 2006 07:00:31 -0600 Like I said, Damn spell checker. Gabion it is. However, I have seen Gambion in a lot of places. There seems to be a small underground sect of gambion believers which I must have been channeling this morning. I did enjoy generating a bit of controversy, but I guess I'll just add Hesco to my vocabulary and let it go at that. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46885 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46885 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 17:22:52 -0600 some cases, really old tech.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46874 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46874 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:42:04 -0600 John, *sigh*... sadly, I am a veritable font of useless 19th century military knowleadge. Occasionaly I can make a few drinks off of it at the bar, but otherwise it's limited to impressing the school kids and teachers during my ACW seminars. However, if we lose technology as we know it, then I'm all set.....:) Respects, AW1 Tim http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46873 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46873 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:29:25 -0600 And AW1 Tim inspires the muse... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46872 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46872 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:12:22 -0600 http://mywebpages.comcast.net/avalonforge/MainTools.htm Fascine of course were bundles of small saplings and sticks given to sappers to fill in enemy moats and trenchwork so that columns of men and/or horse-drawn artillery could pass over to support an attack. Even the Romans made use of them, and they became famous later as the symbol of the Italian Dictator Mussolini's party and forver gave their name to history as...wait for it... Fascists! Respects, AW1 Tim]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46871 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46871 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:05:16 -0600 Gabion Cheers]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46865 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46865 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 14:06:47 -0600 ...and your point is? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46850 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46850 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 11:25:56 -0600 I'd have to agree with JM and JimC he would use a Gambion. They are in use today around bridge abuttments to control erosion and run off as well as re-enforcing slopes where erosion might occur. Todays method consists of a rock filled basket of iron meshwork. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46847 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46847 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 11:20:19 -0600 Hmmm, MajMike, you make him sound like a homophobic cat... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46845 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46845 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 11:07:14 -0600 1. I'd call it a "gabion". 2. I'd make it of wicker, filled with 'locally sourced materials'. Cheers http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46843 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46843 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 10:46:27 -0600 well, since he's obviously French, couldn't he just throw up a bunch of faggots into a palisade? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46837 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46837 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 09:14:17 -0600 Or as the Armorer tells me I meant it a Gambion. Damn spell checker never picks out wrong correctly spelled words. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46836 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46836 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 09:12:50 -0600 Monsieur Le Marechal Vauban would have called in a Gambion. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46835 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/06/live_from_iraq_trivia_question.html#comment-46835 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 09:05:23 -0600