Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
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John Hawkins of Right Wing News has been out polling the Right Side of the 'Sphere:
"If the results of this latest blogger poll on John McCain are to be believed, he still has quite a bit of work to do to bring conservatives to his side. Currently, 25% of conservative bloggers say that they don't intend to vote for McCain and only 34% say that they consider him to be a conservative. Most of the rest of the results are similarly gloomy. Read them all here..." Color me mainstream on this poll... which hasn't always been the case.
Speaking of Senator McCain:
The nation’s top federal election official told Sen. John McCain yesterday that he cannot immediately withdraw from the presidential public financing system as he had requested, a decision that threatens to dramatically restrict his spending until the general election campaign begins in the fall.
The prospect of being financially hamstrung by the very fundraising system he helped create is the latest in a series of bitter challenges for the presumed GOP nominee, who still faces a fractured conservative coalition as he assumes the mantle of party leadership.
I was briefly in the rolodexes of two CNN producers who would ask me to confirm weapons and ordnance id's - I guess being accurate was a problem. Neither of them work for CNN anymore. -the Armorer
I agree with Rob over at Sharp As A Marble - this weapon was discharged negligently. Not accidentally. And the shooter's bosses seem to agree, since they are giving him a written reprimand. But they shouldn't pull their verbal punches. There is some precision involved in accountability here, not like calling a spade a shovel. -the Armorer
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Armchair Generalist, with an *excellent* discussion of military transformation:
There has been much bloviating about "Obama's Captain" - for a sampling, run through todays posts at National Review's "The Corner." Jake Tapper took the time to call the Obama campaign, and was put in touch with Obama's Captain. As usual, the story isn't quite what either side makes it out to be.
[updated thoughts on the subject - one should also know the story is 4 years or so old... and most sane observers of the war recognize two things in that regard: One, we didn't go into Iraq with the best long-range planning we've ever done; and Two, things are better in the context of this story, even if they aren't where we'd like them to be. Of course, one reason they aren't where we'd like them to be is because the anti side wants to criticize the war using a standard (total mobilization of the population and economy, ala WWII) that no one, not even them, have suggested we do for this kind of war... -the Armorer]
*A term of art from the artillery. Harassment and Interdiction Fires.
Back in the day, when you could just kill people and break things without a note from a lawyer, they were pre-planned, but to the enemy, random, fires at known gathering points, road junctions, Main Supply Routes, assembly areas, etc - to keep the bad guy nervous that the world around him might start exploding at any minute.
*Not really relevant to today's operating environment, right? But, it *is*
The UAVs (oops, can't call 'em UAVs anymore - they're now Unmanned Aerial Systems... some Colonel got his Legion of Merit for that change...), er, um UAS's we fly over Afghanistan and Pakistan looking for targets of opportunity are a form of H&I fires, if you really want to parse it finely. We just have better sensors and fire control now.
I call the post that because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to. It's also an open trackback, so if someone has a post they're proud of, but it really isn't either Castle kind of stuff, or topical to a particular post, I've basically given blanket permission to use that post for that purpose. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone."
Look at the sheen on that Glossy "Glock". Chartruse Body with Candy Apple Red Slide, and Salt Taffy Grips. I bet it shoots real Hersheys' Kisses.
posted by Boquisucio on February 22, 2008 10:51 AM
Dude, I was just about to ask if we could eat that gun, too! I mean, wouldn't that be cool as both a spy gun and a survival tool? Fire and then eat it.
Of course, it would have to shoot those chocolate kisses or some skittles, cause I ain't eating any gunpowder taffy
posted by kat-missouri on February 22, 2008 11:45 AM
I don't like it actually, I keep thinking how kids might react to it. It's in a similar vein as the lighter story from AFSis. While I appreciate responsible gun owners would try to keep them out of kids hands the idea of making guns appear as toys is irresponsible in my view. And that, to me is the core of the US gun debate. Responsibility.
"...because the anti side wants to criticize the war using a standard (total mobilization of the population and economy, ala WWII) that no one, not even them, have suggested we do for this kind of war..."
I'm looking at this quote trying to understand exactly what you mean by it. Are you saying that both the Repugs and Dems wanted to fight Iraq on the cheap? Funny, I only remember Prez Bush saying "don't worry about the war, go shopping." Unfortunately, every military expert, from Clausewitz through Gen (ret) Powell, suggests that you go in hard, full bore, with the total effort of the country's assets behind you. A short war is a cheap war. This very expensive war, upwards of $10 billion a month - a MONTH - that has not allowed the successful end of post-conflict operations, clearly shows the failure of such a philosophy.
Tria...I think the point of the that gun post was that 1) It's not a glock and 2) it's fake. But John can clear that up I'm sure.
J...Based on the multiple "plans" presented under Democrat senators and pretenders to the presidency, John's statement would be correct. These plans have almost all insisted that the "war on terror" should have been, would have been a "police action" involving very few men and weapons, largely "covert" and would not have involved any overt economic sacrifice from the public.
thus, any idea that either a Republican or Democrat president would have engendered the American publics energies any more than it has is highly misleading.
Also, interesting that the "cost" of long, slow small wars in dollars is preferable to short, high intensity, many casualty, big wars except, as Clausewitz notes, in the waning of energies and support of the people for the war at all.
The problem, of course, stemming from the probable global impact of a very large war wherein every sort of treaty and national self interest of multiple nations becomes paramount and could, indeed, become a "global war" the likes of which we would not prefer to see.
Thus, money v. time, money v. casualties, money v. international instability.
I'm for spending the money. For now, anyway. Thus, either way, both the Dems and the Republicans would have been on or near the mark. The only issue is that I supported less than WWIV and more than spec ops and Interpol.
posted by kat-missouri on February 23, 2008 12:49 PM
Heh. J, you wear your heart on your sleeve...
But, pretty much what Kat said.
I have seen nothing from the left that suggests we should have fought, or should fight, or that they would fight, this war on a level of intensity approaching that of WWII.
I have seen that from the right, but not from the people in power.
But the Left will happily criticize any weaknesses in the prosecution of the war from a perspective of the effort put into Total War, ala WWII. That is somewhat disingenous, given that they would not prosecute the war in that fashion.
That was simply my point. I am not required to have a Right-bashing point to balance every Left-bashing point. I don't pretend to be balanced. I do try to be fair.
Trias - yes, my point was that CNN had the details wrong. It wasn't a comment on the trend. If you've been tracking my "Pretty Gun" posts, you can see I'm not a fan.
Your point is certainly valid. But I don't have to make all points in all posts, do I? Gad, they'll get even longer!
BTW, J, I was *never* been a fan of invading Iraq, and was *not* happy with the initial planning. Just to keep that straight - and have not been shy about saying so, and I do so here simply because you've chosen to lecture On War (I assume for the broader audience and I hope not because you think I am uninformed on the subject), and no, I'm not going to take the time on a blog to address every possible nuance of the subject. People will quit reading if I do. Besides, it gives you an excuse to show off your reading skillz.
I have decided that, if I ever have to call 911 to report a bloody hole I have just loudly made in myself, I will call the cause an "Un-intentional Discharge", or UD. This avoids the negligence question.
Besides, an accidental discharge is possible, as anyone knows who's handled a Charter Arms revolver. I had the hammer fall on one of those without my finger being on the trigger. A neighbor had the same thing happen with hers. The Four Rules were observed in each case, the pieces actually were not loaded, but I am prejudiced against that brand of revolver.
posted by Justthisguy on February 23, 2008 8:09 PM
Yes I saw from the link it seemed to say it was not a glock but was a functional gun. Media making a factual error? It's kinda sad we accept that as normal. News sells emotion not truth, any view of CNN or FOXnews shows that in seconds.
I was unaware of the impact of bond-buying, and disagreed on national defense.
58 of 60, 96.6%. Of course, if I were to use the "feel good" grading system to enhance my self-esteem, I'd make that a 97%, especially since the number actually comes out to 0.96666666666666666666666666666667
Your turn - unless you've already done it at Lex's, in which case you can share your score from that comment stream. Besides, you don't want to embarrass yourself by getting a less-than-perfect score the second time around, eh?
Take the Civics Quiz here. I admit, it's a good thing I'd been brushing up on political philosophy because I'm reading Jonah's Book - Liberal Fascism - which, not surprisingly, is *much better* than Cliff suggested the last time he came to fling poo.
Whether or not you agree with Jonah's premise (it's a polemic, sometimes I think a touch overstated, but mostly well done from my admittedly conservative view of things) it's an eminently readable book that presents many aspects of American political history covered in ways I never got from school, and my own penchant for studying military history did little to fill the gaps. It has been an illuminating read.
I got a 90% when I took it yesterday (at Lex's prompting). Got lucky on the bond question and disagree on national defense as well.
posted by fmr_grunt on February 22, 2008 8:58 AM
i got a 90 this morning, same on national defense and bonds.
...and i don't care if the War of 1812 was a stalemate, the mere fact that we fought them to a stalemate established US as a major world power.
posted by MajMike on February 22, 2008 9:45 AM
...and i don't care if the War of 1812 was a stalemate, the mere fact that we fought them to a stalemate established US as a major world power.
Hmmmm. Except that no one in Europe (then, arguably "the world" for all that ignores the rest) really thought so until after the SpanAm War when we finally had a true deep-water Navy and showed we could use it.
Guess I'm not quite as brilliant as you folks; since I only garnered an 88.3% (but I beat Lex!) I did, however, get the Bonds and National Defense questions right.
That is correct, it is someone else's problem. I know you are using me as an example for others *not* to follow. However, as long as there is a Rotation, there is no need for me to come around to your way of thinking.
Feel free to use me as an illustration to educate others.....I am quite comfortable up here in Boston.
I notice you are not making a case for why there were so many economic questions in a civics quiz. Civics is the study of citizenship and government. Where does the price of theater tickets come into play?
I got 56 out of 60 93.33%, saw it at Lex's the other day.
The reason the econ questions are important is because if we don't understand our economic system, and how laws or regulations will effect that system, we the people will support laws that will harm the economy, leading to more bad laws and so on.
Not knowing the basics of how our economy works is just as bad as not knowing the basics of how our political system works, the freedom of both can be legislated away before we know it, not because some evil genious hood winked us, but because we wanted to protect ourselves from the ups and downs of a free market and free political thought.
And while I was using Maggie in just that fashion - the *attitude* - her answers in fact belie her true knowledge and understanding.
The point is that the kids who will make up a large chunk of the electorate is so woefully ignorant of the underpinnings of our society, they will vote for any demogogue, of any stripe, who comes along promising a chicken in every pot, and someone else will pay the bill, and not have the tools with which to analyze the dichotomy.
Until they start paying the bills for it. And that won't be until they have to start paying off their student loans with the money left over after taxes from whatever crappy job they got in a tanked economy.
Not knowing the basics of how our economy works is just as bad as not knowing the basics of how our political system works, the freedom of both can be legislated away before we know it, not because some evil genious hood winked us, but because we wanted to protect ourselves from the ups and downs of a free market and free political thought.
Andrew, I agree on needing to know the basics. However, I think these questions went beyond basics.
John - Since I fail so woefully in this area, does this mean you buy the drinks at the next MilBlog conference?
Heh. Maggie, when I said, - her answers in fact belie her true knowledge and understanding. , I was referring to this: You answered 56 out of 60 correctly — 93.33% - in that, despite your assertions in text, you *do* know your stuff.
Of course I'll buy. The first round, anyway. You can not only outdrink me (as can a goodly number of people) you can drink me into poverty... and unlike the Rotation, I won't even score in recompense for standing the drinks!
Not unless SWWBO has changed her mind on certain subjects, anyway!
Answers to Your Missed Questions:
Question #1 - D. 1601-1700
[why did I think Jamestown was at the end of the 1500's?]
Question #14 - C. 1901-1925
[er...guess I thought women got the vote in 1929, but that was the depression; 1921...duh]
Question #36 - D. The authority of a legitimate sovereign. [dangit...I missed that one last time, too]
Question #55 - E. increased for the lower and middle classes and increased most for the upper class. [average household income did not remain the same...duh]
posted by kat-missouri on February 22, 2008 7:13 PM
PS...I think I said this last time, but someone should have offered me a scholarship by now. :)
posted by kat-missouri on February 22, 2008 7:22 PM
96.6 here, too. I missed #52 and #58. I was leading at Lex's until Steeljaw showed up.
posted by Justthisguy on February 22, 2008 8:06 PM
Um, I shoulda wrote #32 and #58. Them's the ones I missed. I have never read all of Tom Paine's stuff, and the thought of bond finances just makes my eyes glaze over.
posted by Justthisguy on February 22, 2008 11:24 PM
Kat, #1 can be confusing because the first English colony in Virginia was founded in the late 1500s. However, Jamestown wasn't founded until the early 1600s.
Apparently you focused on "Virginia" and "first founded," while not processing "Jamestown."
Aviation pioneer Frank Piasecki, inventor of the tandem-rotor helicopter used in troop-transport missions and land and sea rescue flights, died Monday (11 Feb). He was 88.
Igor Sikorski was the first American to build a helicopter - Frank Piasecki was the second. His were more interesting, in the end (sorry, Igor, but hey, you'll always have the Illya Muromets!).
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to an immigrant Polish tailor, Piąsecki worked for autogyro manufacturers while still in high school. With his college buddy Howard Venzie he founded a small aeronautical company, Piasecki Helicopter. He built a single-person, single-rotor helicopter designated the PV-2 and test-flew it on April 11, 1943. This helicopter impressed the US Navy sufficiently to win Piasecki a development contract.
We know him because Piąsecki invented the concept of the tandem bladed helos. After the war, Piąsecki received a contract to build several military prototypes and this design principle came to be used in a number of helicopters that were very successful in both military and civilian use. These include the Piasecki H-21 (better known as the Flying Banana), which entered service in the 1950s, the Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight, and the CH-47 Chinook.
Piasecki eventually left Piasecki Helicopter Co. In 1955, he formed Piasecki Aircraft Corp. to continue exploring new technology. Piasecki Helicopter became Vertol Aircraft Corp. and was acquired by Boeing in 1960. Boeing still makes the Chinook and Sea Knight helicopters.
Apparently not one to slow down, a 88 Frank was still chief executive of Piasecki Aircraft, and testing is under way on his latest innovation. Seeking a new idea to replace the tail rotor of single rotor designs like the Blackhawk, the Speed Hawk helicopter has a rear-facing ducted propeller designed to improve stability and forward speed.
The music may be a little different for the non-veterans we honor here at the Castle, but now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam, for Frank Piasecki, whose aircraft (including the Flying Banana) I've flown in, and upon whose ideas America's warriors still rely - as illustrated in the pictures that accompany this post. I'm guessing over in the Rotary Wing section of Fiddler's Green, there's a seat for Frank.
A old helicopter pilot told me Helicopters don't fly they beat the air into submission
posted by Spanky on February 22, 2008 8:54 PM
Dang! Seems like _Everybody_ gets to stop at Fiddler's Green, these days.
Is it just undistinguished sinners like me who have to go straight to hell?
posted by Justthisguy on February 24, 2008 12:35 AM
Oh, and Mr. Kaman built even weirder hellafloppers, and was that rarest of critters, an honest gummint contractor. (Which may have lost him the next contract) Did some musical innovations with the Ovation guitars, too.
posted by Justthisguy on February 24, 2008 12:46 AM
In a debate Thursday, February 21, Presidential Candidate Obama claimed that our armed forces in Afghanistan are "capturing" Taliban weapons to use because it is easier than getting weapons from the US government.
"They were actually capturing Taliban weapons because it was easier getting Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current Commander in Chief."
Dear Obama,
You and your party for one global government continue to confuse our troops with our Allies. How many times is the Democrat party going to confuse the Canadians with US troops? This time, though, you've really done it. You have confused our British Allies and their weapons issues with our own troops. At least the Canadians live on this continent.
Andrew Walker, the coroner, said the "totally inadequate" resources led to them being "outgunned by a bunch of renegades". "The soldiers were defeated not by the terrorists but by the lack of basic equipment," he said.[snip]
Asked if they could have matched their attackers if they been supplied with Minimi machine guns and under-slung grenade launchers, Major Jonathon Bristow, the commander of the patrol, told the court: "It would have made a hell of a difference. We lost the initiative through a lack of firepower and thus the Taliban had a greater weight of firepower."
I can't locate the original story on the lack of light and heavy machine guns, but it actually indicated Brit troops were using captured Taliban weapons because they couldn't get the parts (mentioned in one of the above stories) to repair their weapons.
Anyway, Mr. Obama, I realize that the campaign trail is difficult and busy, but the job of President and Commander in Chief is even more difficult. Therefore, I am providing you with a brief guide on the difference between British and US forces (pictures included):
Mr. Free Market of Free Market Fairy Tales has had a couple of articles on this subject. This situation is of great interest to him since he is a English Veteran. Check him out.
posted by DE644 on February 22, 2008 8:57 AM
Ai! And the man thinks he's qualified to be President!?
BTW, Kat, that should be "American troops wear funny hats," not "where." Just a li'l heads-up.
Yes. Already saw that as well as the multiple other "partly true, partly misconstrued". As in, the story was from 2003-2004. Up armored humvees were being sent to Iraq because that is where IEDs were prevalent and it only became prevalent in Afghanistan more recently.
That they didn't capture weapons in order to use them because they were short, but because that is what they did, etc, etc, etc.
I still believe, to a degree, that Obama brought it up because he heard the stories coming out of England and got confused over whether it was a current event of US military or not.
Further, I will relate the multitudes of posts from various others explaining exactly why and what.
posted by kat-missouri on February 23, 2008 12:33 PM
Geez, J, yer such a slut. 8^ ) You only show up if I link you, and then you shovel stuff into the comments like we hadn't mentioned it elsewhere, like the H&I today.
Humph! I'm not in your RSS reader, like you are in mine, huh?
My thoughts are that, not that the story doesn't have some truths to it, though I believe it was presented erroneously as a current issue and as if the issues stand alone (ie, capturing weapons to use because they don't have enough of their own, working or otherwise), but that, the recent problems noted by the British in regards to their shortages have been extrapolated by the Obama campaign to represent a current issue within the US military.
posted by kat-missouri on February 23, 2008 3:21 PM
Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
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Berkeley and now D.C.!
On Valentine's Day while most of America complained and blasted Berkely for their assinine actions against a Marine Recruitment Office, terror supporters in Washington D.C. occupied and vandalized a recruiting station at 14th and L Street in downtown Washington D.C. while police stood by and watched!
Funk the War storms, trashes 14th and L military recuiter [This work is in the public domain]
[excerpt}
After a loud commotion inside while outnumbered cops watched, recruiters finally managed to get protesters to leave-but not before literature and full-body length cardboard displays in the street window area were destroyed. In addition, hundreds more "Funk the War" stickers were plastered all over just about everything that would take them. By the time everyone was out it looked like a tornado had swept through the lobby.
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Bill, Neffi, Dusty! A fixer-upper for you! -the Armorer
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Heaven knows I throw enough darts online, so it's good to be able to hand out an Attaboy! as well. BZ to the prominent captains of industry who make up Canada Company, and who are handing out university scholarships to the kids of some fallen members of the Canadian Forces.
This may not sound like a big deal in the U.S., but for a country like mine that has largely ignored its armed forces for decades now, it's heartening to see the general population getting behind our men and women in uniform in a tangible way. - Damian
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Dude! Damian - when you open up the H&I to stick something in it - get it in and post it... you must have had this thing open for 30 minutes to blow away all this stuff I'm re-inserting here...!
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Heh. Not for homes with small children... or children on ADHD drugs. How long, I wonder, before someone loses a kneecap? Yes, I do believe that people will put a loaded shotgun in that rack. Heh, at the Castle, a dog mounting the mattress could cause a problem. It's an idea, though. -the Armorer
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More complications on the politics of the war - and whether or not people are listening to the "recieved wisdom" that the Dem leadership is putting out, from Kathryn Lopez at National Review Online:
A military Hill friend e-mails:
There were some interesting points in Gallup’s release this week of their poll on Iraq. For example:
This poll showed the “most positive assessment to date” of the effects of the surge. This assessment was consistent among both Republicans and independents
“
According to the poll, 43% of Americans say the surge of U.S. troops in Iraq is making the situation there better, a slight increase from 40% in late November, but up more substantially from 34% in early November. This is the most positive review of the surge Gallup has measured since it began.”
Assessment of the efficacy of the surge seems to inform respondents’ positions on timetables for withdrawal: those who believe the surge is working are “solidly against” a timetable for withdrawal
“
Americans who do not assess the surge positively overwhelmingly advocate a timetable…Meanwhile, Americans who believe the surge is working are solidly against (70%) a timetable.”
There has been a slight decrease since last fall among those who believe that the U.S. should “set timetable for withdrawal and stick to it” (now at 56, down from 60 in September); more people now say that the U.S. should “keep troops until situation gets better” (39 percent)
Most Americans are against an immediate and rapid withdrawal from Iraq. Even among those who prefer a timetable, two thirds believe it should be “gradual” and only 18 percent believe it should be “as rapidly as possible”
“All told, 18% of Americans favor removing troops from Iraq as rapidly as possible.”
Despite projections to the contrary, the Iraq positions of the presidential candidates don’t lead to a stronger position for Democrats among respondents
“Both Democratic presidential candidates, Obama and Hillary Clinton, favor a timetable, while the GOP's likely nominee, John McCain, strongly opposes one. Obama is advocating a fairly rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, which would have all troops out within 16 months of his taking office. Clinton favors a slower withdrawal, which would be complete by 2013. Thus, no candidate's position really represents the views of most Americans, but the poll suggests that currently McCain's and Clinton's positions are closest to the largest number of Americans. This is not to suggest that Americans would necessarily oppose any of the candidates' Iraq policies should they be elected president.”
Bad Cat Robot points out that even though she is employed, actually pays taxes, etc - she is worse off than the average poor person. Which begs our definition of... ."poor," methinks. -the Armorer
*A term of art from the artillery. Harassment and Interdiction Fires.
Back in the day, when you could just kill people and break things without a note from a lawyer, they were pre-planned, but to the enemy, random, fires at known gathering points, road junctions, Main Supply Routes, assembly areas, etc - to keep the bad guy nervous that the world around him might start exploding at any minute.
*Not really relevant to today's operating environment, right? But, it *is*
The UAVs (oops, can't call 'em UAVs anymore - they're now Unmanned Aerial Systems... some Colonel got his Legion of Merit for that change...), er, um UAS's we fly over Afghanistan and Pakistan looking for targets of opportunity are a form of H&I fires, if you really want to parse it finely. We just have better sensors and fire control now.
I call the post that because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to. It's also an open trackback, so if someone has a post they're proud of, but it really isn't either Castle kind of stuff, or topical to a particular post, I've basically given blanket permission to use that post for that purpose. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone."
And as always, the Indymedia crowd is hooting and hollering over how they "stuck it to the man".
Buncha morons that, if in a one on one situation would wet themselves and then run like a dog, if you ask me...
posted by Jon the Mechanic (From Germany) on February 21, 2008 8:56 AM
I may be wrong but would the general public and police have ignored such in the past? As I brought up before to AFSis i think it was, when you look at this it's the resonance of the general public with these actions which is the real problem and can and probably will spring up all sorts of this kind of thing.
I'm guessing the DC police chose not to make martyrs out of the protestors. What makes sense in small crowd law enforcement doesn't always make sense in large crowd law enforcement.
If the police had gone in with batons swinging, these guys would Heroes of the Revolution.
As it is - they look like the vandals they are - and however they are spinning this, they didn't get what the wanted - which was some nice violent confrontation with someone. The best of which would have been the recruiters.
But..., I would love to have practiced a little, "Wall-to-wall counseling" with the trespassers!
Love, ;)
ParatroopRN
posted by Alan Briley, RN on February 21, 2008 9:30 AM
Russki choppers... is it the ultimate validation of the classic Socialist/Capitalist Cold War face-off that Russki helos are now for sale out of Pigeon Ford, Tennessee?
Sheesh.
posted by Neffi on February 21, 2008 9:45 AM
Nope. No resonance here. There is a sort of Sein Fein / IRA symbiosis between these people and the political partisans in the media.
The media reports bring the troops home, end the war, etc. with pictures, too.
The unedited view of these protests shows bring the troops home, destroy Israel, end the war, destroy Israel, etc. With the power of the internet that whole view is available with unedited pictures, too.
posted by Fred on February 21, 2008 11:20 AM
WELL DONE to our friends from the northern tundra who are providing scholarships to kids of their brave and capable troops killed in the war on terror! We salute their service, and mourn your losses as our own.
I am proud to report that our state Legislature just approved free college tuition for dependents of state residents killed it the war. (We passed free tuition for Purple Heart recipients a few years ago!)
Too bad if a couple of sports scholarships have to be dripped to pay for the above.
posted by John on February 21, 2008 11:31 AM
Y'all probably already know. Major P is back in Iraq.
Cuba this, Cuba that; Cuba blah-blah-blah. Ever since one of those two megalomaniacs decided to spend the remaining days of his life planting red petunias, all we hear is Cuba-Cuba-Cuba. Well, growing-up in the Island of Tropical Breezes, you couldn’t help but hear about Cuba all the time.
We all know that Miami is the nexus of Cuban exiles World-wide. But few of you know, that my island is home to over 20,000 Cuban-born exiles, not counting their direct descendants who over the decades have been born and raised in Puerto Rico. Given that both islands share the same language, and in the case of Eastern Cubans, the very same culture, it is not surprising that many chose to settle in Puerto Rico instead of the U.S. Mainland. Cubans from the area around Santiago are almost undistinguishable in accent, culture and mores to Puerto Ricans. Cubans from around Habana, on the other hand are very different from us.
Though for over 500 years, Cubans have settled in Puerto Rico, they came in mostly in dribs here and drabs there. 1959 changed all that. The first mass wave came in shortly thereafter. Growing-up in The Island during the 60’s and 70’s you couldn’t help having a Cuban Doctor, Engineer, Accountant and/or Teacher as your neighbor. Just when the fervor of many of these exiles began to wane in 1980, the Marielitos gave their community a shot in the arm. As a result of their migration the Puerto Rican economy and culture benefited greatly. Those highly educated yet destitute Cubans came not seeking a hand-out. Instead came with a fire in the belly to rebuild where they had left; creating in their wake much needed new businesses, services and employment in The Island.
One of those luminaries, is this MAN, Padre Enrique A. Méndez, S.D.B.. One who became my greatest mentor, cheerleader, pastor, teacher and confessor. Among many things, you can “blame” him for sparking a life-long thirst for Latin and Classical Studies. You see, this priest was born and raised in Santiago Cuba in 1926. The following year this other MAN was born in a nearby neighborhood. Though their families knew of each other, their lives didn’t meet until both went to study at the La Salle Middle/High School in Santiago. From that point on, they hung-out, romped in the streets, and even shared altar-boy duties at their local parish. Can you imagine little Fidel carrying a Brass Censer all fuming behind his priest? Fidel also had a snot-nosed brother, whom Padre Méndez still refers to as Raulito (Little Raul).
Well the Castro Brothers grew-up to become leftist rabble rousers, while Padre Méndez answered to a higher calling.
Years latter, The Castro Brothers had taken over all of Cuba, while Padre Méndez became the headmaster of a Salesian High School near Santiago. That’s when this WOMAN almost had two degrees of separation with this other BEAST. You see, one of his disciples impudently made a wrong comment against Castro and his new regime. His secret police rounded him up and threw him in jail. When the school had their class picture taken, they bravely left his chair empty in a show of solidarity. Well, THIS picture almost cost Padre Méndez his life. (That’s the good Padre sitting in the middle). Once the picture was published, the secret police rounded Padre Méndez up, and threw him into a baseball stadium. The stadium served as an impromptu Stalag, where many middle class men (accused of been class enemies) were been thrown in. They all awaited for the following day´s processing through the Tribunal de Depuración – The Kangaroo Court presided by The BEAST, to rid Cuba off all “bourgeoisie depravity”. According to Padre Méndez, he could hear the firing squad do its work all throughout the night, right over the wall. What saved his skin was that one of the guards recognized him as a family friend, and absconded him to safety. With that cue, the good father left his island and came into mine.
And the rest is history. Padre Méndez took this YOUNG LAD under his wing; which decades latter led to an evening of Pupusas at a Salvadorian restaurant in Silver Spring Maryland with this FINE LADY. But don’t be to harsh on her, she’s an upright citizen in this great land. Just blame the Rican for making her rub shoulders so close to ilk like THEM .
And her degree of separation with THIS other miscreant? Just one, but that’s just another story.
It's weird, ain't it, Boq? When I was a co-op at Marshall (Redstone Arsenal) I shook hands with people who shook hands with people who had shaken hands with Adolf Hitler.
The nice old lady who used to live around the corner, and whose cat I inherited, and who poured excellent whisky, had shaken hands with Eleanor Roosevelt, who had done so with maybe Molotov, and Churchill, etc.
Didn't Fidel have a sister, or a cousin, or something, who lived in Miami for a while?
posted by Justthisguy on February 22, 2008 12:38 AM
Oh yeah, his lil' sis is now a firebrand anti-castro living in Miami. I understand that she even has a talk radio show in that market.
posted by Boquisucio on February 22, 2008 11:03 AM
...and has a *much* better take on Michelle Obama's speechifying that so torqued me this morning. BCR puts a very positive spin to Ms. Obama's oration:
Heh. Here's my interpretation, which probably would have Madame Obama's head spinning and spewing pea soup ...
Barack Obama will require you to work.
No more welfare. Poorhouses will be built, complete with corporal punishment for slackers.
He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism.
No more claiming conservatives delight in oppressing minorities/foreigners/polar bears without documented proof. Any newspaper that prints the words "only went to Iraq for the oil" will be shuttered, burned, and salt strewn on the smoking wreckage.
That you put down your divisions.
We are gathered here to mourn the passing of identity politics and affirmative action.
That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones.
You will be required to have friends with different political views than your own. If you have none, the Politburo will issue you some.
That you push yourselves to be better.
We don't care how you feel about it, what's the right answer to that math problem? Self-esteem doesn't build bridges or cure cancer. No literacy, no diploma.
Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.
Get your nose out of my business, Michelle. I am involved, I am informed. You just may not like how I'm involved and how I perceive my information. Shed my cynicism? Up to Senator Obama to show me why. Come out of my isolation? From what? Move out of my comfort zone? How droll. Push myself to be better - what, I don't get enough of that from my company, my friends, and my God? I need your husband to do that? Engage? ENGAGE? I'm already there, Ms. Obama - and you just made yourself a target to be engaged. Demand? DEMAND? Lead, Michelle. I already work 50+ hours a week at work, and 21+ hours on the blog, and then there's that whole volunteer thing I do, which at least sometimes overlaps the blog. I'm not busy enough for you? Get outta my face. I don't want you preaching to me about what to do any more than I want a Republican preaching to me.
No, I didn't take that little bit of speechifying well, did I?
Heh. Here's my interpretation, which probably would have Madame Obama's head spinning and spewing pea soup ...
Barack Obama will require you to work.
No more welfare. Poorhouses will be built, complete with corporal punishment for slackers.
He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism.
No more claiming conservatives delight in oppressing minorities/foreigners/polar bears without documented proof. Any newspaper that prints the words "only went to Iraq for the oil" will be shuttered, burned, and salt strewn on the smoking wreckage.
That you put down your divisions.
We are gathered here to mourn the passing of identity politics and affirmative action.
That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones.
You will be required to have friends with different political views than your own. If you have none, the Politburo will issue you some.
That you push yourselves to be better.
We don't care how you feel about it, what's the right answer to that math problem? Self-esteem doesn't build bridges or cure cancer. No literacy, no diploma.
And that you engage.
The Enemy. Always attack into an ambush.
There, doesn't that make you feel better? ;-)
posted by bad cat robot on February 21, 2008 11:26 AM
It does, it does indeed!
I am obviously a glass half-empty to your glass half-full!
IMHO, your hubby's Party elites and their outriders pretty much have the lock on that, m'dear. And they do a pretty fair job of putting down the smaller units, too.
Such as USMC Recruiting detachments.
BTW, hiya from the Ali al Salem LSA, kidlets. If I had an Mi-2, I'd a-been upcountry by now -- does e-Bay take dinars?
I come before you to stand behind you
And tell you something I know nothing about
posted by kat-missouri on February 21, 2008 1:10 PM
We've already got one of those here.
We're about to burn her at the stake. Take it as a warning America, socialism sucks puss.
posted by Murray on February 21, 2008 2:37 PM
I got stuck on the "Goblins" word. Armorer and Dusty should enjoy this totally unrelated video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcikXH_Cwfs
More totally unrelated, I'm making my infamous spaghetti and meatballs, just ran out of oregeno. Suggested replacement? Please!
The next time I pay attention to the 2008 Presidential campaign will be election day November, 2008!-
ANSF, Coalition forces recover weapons caches in Nangarhar
Heh. Intent matters. The picture below looks a little bit like what Castle Argghhh! did when the collection was in transit from the Auld Castle to the New Castle.
And, I'm sure, there are those in this country who would see little difference between the two, and would like to see the Castle Armory treated in a similar fashion. Of course, a major difference between the two assemblages are that the ones at the Castle are, 1. Inert, and 2., generally in better shape.
Heh. That RPG-2 and associated B4 rocket look pretty tatty. The Armorer would be reluctant to pull the trigger on that one. The same is true for the RPG-7 rounds - their booster cartridges look... dangerous. And if the mortar rounds have been stored without their fuze well covers... well, it's no wonder that sometimes the bad guy's mortars blow up when they fire them.
Still, much of that stuff can be salvaged for the explosives or fashioned into IED's.
080214-A-3325A-001 - Afghan National Security Forces, assisted by Coalition forces, recovered a suspected insurgent weapons cache near Shamakalay Village, Khogyani District, Nangarhar Province. The cache included a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, eight rocket-propelled grenade rounds, five rocket-propelled grenade boosters, two hand grenades, a mortar fuse and a stockpile of 25 mm ammunition. (U.S. Army photo)
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan citizens supplied information leading to the recovery of several weapons caches in Kot and Khogyani Districts, Nangarhar Province, Feb. 8-14.
Afghan National Security Forces, assisted by Coalition forces, recovered a suspected insurgent weapons cache near Laghurji Village, Kot District, Feb. 8, consisting of 10 anti-tank mines, three 60 mm mortar rounds and two 82 mm mortar rounds.
Another weapons cache was found Feb. 12 in Kailoaghu, Khogyani District. This cache consisted of two anti-personnel mines, a hand grenade, and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher in good condition.
The final cache, discovered Feb.14 near Shamakalay Village, Khogyani District, was the largest. This weapons cache included a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, eight rocket-propelled grenade rounds, five rocket-propelled grenade boosters, two hand grenades, a mortar fuse and a stockpile of 25 mm ammunition.
According to a Coalition forces servicemember, the weapons were in fair condition when found.
“Recovering these munitions reduces the insurgents’ ability to conduct attacks in Nangarhar Province,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, Coalition forces spokesman.
Earlier this month, residents of Fateh Mina Village, in, Lal Por District, Nangarhar Province, discovered a suspected insurgent weapons cache in the area. Afghan National Security Forces were able to secure the area and safely remove the weapons from the cache site. In that cache, 30 rocket-propelled grenade rounds and 32 82 mm mortar rounds were secured.
Insurgents frequently use these weapons to terrorize Afghan citizens or attack Afghan National Security and Coalition forces throughout the Nangarhar, said Belcher.
“The citizens of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are committed to government objectives to thwart insurgent activity in their neighborhoods,” said Belcher. “Afghan National Security Forces continue to take these weapons out of the hands of insurgents, making Nangarhar safer for residents.”
Geez, that stuff looks just as bad as the things we used to find wrapped in ponchos and buried alongside the paddy dikes. My guess is that the dudes who put that stuff there went non-combatant (in one way or another) before they could retrieve it *or* they scooted into the Border areas and became occupied with more important things -- like dodging Pak Cobras.
You'd get a kick out of the pix that MH took of the caches they found in Iraq. Virtually all of them in all-too-operable condition due to them being stored in bunkers and such.
[FbL here, with another installment in a series of interviews with the leadership of 3rd ID/Taskforce Marne.]
Wednesday morning I spoke by phone to Brigadier General Edward Cardon, Assistant Division Commander (Support), 3rd Infantry Division, currently in Iraq. In thirty-five minutes we covered a great deal of ground, focusing mostly on reconstruction, redevelopment and political engagement. 3rd ID functions as leadership for Multi-National Division—Central (MND-C), covering a band of land just south of Baghdad City from east to west, and south past Karbala and Najaf.
I began by asking BG Cardon about operations and engagements in the two weeks since I spoke to CSM Andrews. He reported that attacks remain at a rate of roughly four per day, though there were no attacks Wednesday. Their biggest activity this week has been disposing of discovered weapons caches. He said the Sons of Iraq (formerly Concerned Local Citizens) have been reporting weapons caches at such a high rate recently that it is challenging Coalition disposal personnel (EOD, etc). Among the caches have been a number of Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs, the most deadly IEDs); BG Cardon reports they have observed no direct evidence of Iranian activity, but the EFPs are “associated as Iranian.” The EFP issue seemed to neither surprise nor alarm him.
I asked BG Cardon about efforts to knit together local governance and national leadership, and how the Sons of Iraq and the challenge of the Sunni-Shia divide fit in. He said that the SOI are largely tribal, but the leaders of SOI groups participate in local councils, which are then linked to local governments, Nahia, Kada, and finally the Provinces. He gave the example of Baghdad Province, in which the Shia governor has been visiting leadership in Mahmoudiyah, Arab Jabour and Salaman Pak, which are Sunni regions. He reports that these meetings have been productive as the leaders are developing contacts and getting to know each other. Right now, the Sunnis in the area have little representation at the provincial and national level because they largely sat out the elections of 2005. However, they are anxious to participate in the elections this Fall, and so these contacts are setting the stage for future governance. BG Cardon described this--and building government from the ground up--as a grassroots action.
However, the Coalition is walking a fine line in using SOI as an organizing force for governance because participants in some areas have been showing signs of trying to organize themselves into political parties, which is a big concern. “We watch this closely….We don’t want a militia to form. One of the problems here is that every political party has an armed wing.” BG Cardon was emphatic that such things are not tolerated. “If you want a political movement, you’re no longer part of the Sons of Iraq,” which means no more money in exchange for SOI activities such as neighborhood checkpoints.
Getting local Iraqis hooked into the national government has been a big challenge in recent years, as corruption, incompetence and other barriers to effective governance have disillusioned many. However, BG Cardon reports that he has observed a shift in Iraqi attitudes toward the government in his AO since he arrived. The Iraqis seem to be a bit more patient about rebuilding and redevelopment. “[There is] a growing understanding that Iraq didn’t get this way in a day and won’t take a day to improve it. The national government is also doing a better job of explaining what is going on and how it will take time, and so people are more patient.”
Locals are showing a real desire to engage with the central government because they see it as being the source of services to their areas and having the capacity to facilitate the transfer of goods in their locale. As an example, BG Cardon mentioned that in a recently-secured area, one of the first things that was done was to bring in the Iraqi government construction teams to pave the roads, which thrilled the village. Things such as this are becoming more common because local governors are “more active in getting out and about,” developing contacts with town/tribal leaders that enable them to identify needs and spend their money more effectively.
BG Cardon said that something he’s found particularly encouraging lately is the level of private (foreign) investment interest in Iraq. “There have been more [inquiries about investment] in the last three weeks than I saw in the last ten months. There have not been very many deals completed yet, but “companies are very encouraged by what they find.” He acknowledges that people have a perception that security is still a huge issue in MND-C’s area, but says they are incorrectly “extrapolating” based on reports from Northern Iraq, not realizing that things are so much calmer south of Baghdad. For example, he reported that there is no need to wear body armor in Najaf, and described taking a private investor to visit. “Is security like this all the time,” the investor asked? “Been like this for several months,” Cardon said he replied, to the investor’s astonishment.
This is the big story that Cardon expects to become more obvious in the near future, “The real story over the next several months is going to be political and economic.” He pointed to the recent legislation passed, but also talked of Iraq’s great economic potential: “With the resources, the people, they could resume their role as the breadbasket of the Middle East.” He also mentioned opportunities to develop a strong tourist industry as the area becomes safer—Shia shrines, sites of historical significance to Christians, etc.
As he talked of Iraq’s economic prospects, he stopped to caution that things can still go wrong on the security front, but his enthusiasm and excitement about the future kept spilling over, as he discussed the potential for foreign investors who would bring industry and jobs to Iraqis. He said now is the time for business to come and take a look. “This is a country of personal engagement…. Getting here early is a good thing if you want to have a long-term business arrangement.”
[Coming up, in Part II: the nascent work of engaging women’s leadership and addressing the medical infrastructure, the State Department, and the next big challenge for South-Central Iraq.]
He [Brigadier General Edward Cardon] said now is the time for business to come and take a look. “This is a country of personal engagement…. Getting here early is a good thing if you want to have a long-term business arrangement.”
I like that idea. How do we go about conducting business in Iraq?
We need to get hooked up with a finance person that can explain about doing business in Iraq. I would agree. Does the BG have any recommendations?
I would be happy to do the interview for that segment.
posted by kat-missouri on February 21, 2008 10:46 AM
I don't have direct access to Cardon or any of the other leaders outside of the phonecall(s). It seems to me that contacting a Civil Affairs unit in Iraq would be a good place to start.
I'm headed to Pasadena for the weekend, but I'll see what I can do.
Tuesday night I heard on the news that a pilot had seen a "meteor" over the Pacific Northwest burn up on entry. Video from a Idaho national guard armory shows a rather bright, burning ball of fire streak across the sky, a brief "explosion" and then it was gone. (story and video here)
The pilot thought the meteor had hit the ground, but no one has found it yet. He described it as "suitcase sized". A scientist from the observatory said that the sky often plays optical illusions on people and size is too difficult to tell. It could be seen as far away as Montana.
My first thought on hearing about the meteor was, "Oh! Did we shoot down the satellite?" and somebody mistook it for a meteor?
Then, Wednesday, reports that we shot the satellite down...on Wednesday, after the shuttle landed, 130 miles over the Pacific. In order to keep the shuttle from being endangered by any debris. The Pentagon said:
"Nearly all of the debris will burn up on re-entry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris should re-enter within 40 days," it said.
Typical naming strategies to recover the pieces: Burnt Frost.
Who was reading the Frosted Flakes box when they came up with that?
Treats often work to get the animals to bring back pieces of the solar system and galaxy that they've chosen to hide so they can watch the two footed rolly polly folks run around all crazy like.
posted by kat-missouri on February 21, 2008 10:55 AM
Big John,
And now when my kids get asked "What does your daddy do?" They can reply "he kills terrorists and bad people, breaks things...even in space!"
posted by Desert Sailor on February 21, 2008 4:46 PM
Kat,
Just like John's subsequent post referring to "Goblins" sent me off on a totally unrelated link, so does your reference to "Meteor". http://www.vectorsite.net/avmeteor.html
Dusty would understand!
Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
*************************************** This is why I won't go back to coaching youth sports. Setting a bad example there, with the slamming of clipboards and then physically assaulting(legal term, not literal) a minor acting as referee for the game. Sports should be fun(and, boy howdy, is winning fun), but at the below HS level being that worked up isn't ensuring winning or making it fun.
So, coaches, remember that to care about winning, and thereby not destroying the fun of competition by making it all namby-pamby no-scoring affairs, doesn't mean you need to be all Bobby Knight. Sports is supposed to be fun. It's also a life lesson teaching activity when below the professional/semi-pro level.
I'd weep for the future of the profession but I think I'll cough up a lung first.
--ry
******************************************
Thanks for the image, Ry. From MoveAmericaForward.org: Gold Star Mother Debbie Lee, whose son was the first Navy Seal killed in Iraq, delivered a powerful short speech to the Berkeley City Council last Tuesday.
-the Armorer
***********************************
Heh. I got a letter with phrasing like this once:
Now I know that the Army has told you that this assignment won’t hurt your career, and so long as you’re not too interested in an OER or an end-of-tour equivalent to what you would have got in a maneuver unit, you have been told the truth.
Go read the rest of Charlie's post at Abu Muqawama. If you've ever served as an officer, this will just resonate. Remember those guys at PERSCOM/HRC - they're just here to help! H/t, Adrian T. -the Armorer
**********************************
He hesitated just a bit as he rounded a corner inside Dulles International Airport yesterday and spotted the flock of television cameras and cooing journalists awaiting him. Then, with posture erect like a soldier's, he trotted straight toward the action -- he was used to bomb blasts and gunfire, after all, so this was nothing.
***********************************
Hmmmm. Once again, I'll be voting against people/policies rather than for them. I'm not a fan of Senator Clinton, but I prefer her to Senator Obama, who thus far had been a skilled demagogic orator but otherwise a rather empty suit to be pinning a Presidential lapel pin on. Apparently Chris Mathews of MSNBC agrees:
MSNBC's Chris Matthews: "You are a big Barack supporter, right, Senator?"
State Sen. Watson: "I am. Yes, I am."
Matthews: "Well, name some of his legislative accomplishments. No, Senator, I want you to name some of Barack Obama's legislative accomplishments tonight if you can."
State Sen. Watson: "Well, you know, what I will talk about is more about what he is offering the American people right now."
Matthews: "No. No. What has he accomplished, sir? You say you support him. Sir, you have to give me his accomplishments. You've supported him for president. You are on national television. Name his legislative accomplishments, Barack Obama, sir."
State Sen. Watson: "Well, I'm not going to be able to name you specific items of legislative accomplishments."
Matthews: "Can you name any? Can you name anything he's accomplished as a Congressman?"
State Sen. Watson: "No, I'm not going to be able to do that tonight."
*A term of art from the artillery. Harassment and Interdiction Fires.
Back in the day, when you could just kill people and break things without a note from a lawyer, they were pre-planned, but to the enemy, random, fires at known gathering points, road junctions, Main Supply Routes, assembly areas, etc - to keep the bad guy nervous that the world around him might start exploding at any minute.
*Not really relevant to today's operating environment, right? But, it *is*
The UAVs (oops, can't call 'em UAVs anymore - they're now Unmanned Aerial Systems... some Colonel got his Legion of Merit for that change...), er, um UAS's we fly over Afghanistan and Pakistan looking for targets of opportunity are a form of H&I fires, if you really want to parse it finely. We just have better sensors and fire control now.
I call the post that because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to. It's also an open trackback, so if someone has a post they're proud of, but it really isn't either Castle kind of stuff, or topical to a particular post, I've basically given blanket permission to use that post for that purpose. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone."
A long time ago on a Navy gunboat far, far away; there lived a dog named Blackie. The four-footed member of our crew. Blackie had been with the ship since commissioning and had lived through combat in Vietnam, two transits of the Pacific Ocean, and a voyage to Italy. While in Italy, Blackie was ordered off the ship by our Division Commander (you know who your are.) Blackie was taken in by a Gunner's Mate on our sister ship, and lived ashore with his family. When "Gunner" was transferred back to the US, he paid thousands of dollars our of his own pocket to bring Blackie back with him. Blackie is buried in Gunner's back yard, in Walla Walla, Washington - the state Blackie was born in. Blackie was a true friend and shipmate. We'll meet again at Fiddler's Green - I'll save a cold Carlings for you.
Image! Heh! I think of the Prostetnic Vogons, with their Poetry Appreciation Chairs, with Imagery Intensifiers.
Hmm. Work with me here; Isn't Arabic supposedly the best language for poetry, not so swift at expressing precise thought? Why waterboard when you can make 'em gag and hyperventilate by reciting bad poetry at them, in their own language, electroneurally enhanced?
Don't tell the beef-headed Saxons about this, they're likely to use it on us sensitive artistic Celtic folks!
posted by Justthisguy on February 20, 2008 5:30 PM
74, when I think of Naval critters, I think of Simon of HMS Amethyst, awarded the Dickin Medal for courage under fire in action against the Chicoms, though seriously wounded, and Oscar, of Schlachtschiff Bismarck, and HMS Cossack, and HMS Ark Royal. A torpedo magnet, Oscar was. He was retired and sent to England.
By air, I betcha.
posted by Justthisguy on February 20, 2008 5:56 PM
P.s. I suppose y'all know that the kitty who premonished the deaths of all those people in that old folks' home was also named "Oscar."
Be very wary of any kitty hight Oscar. If you meet one, make sure yer will is up to date!
posted by Justthisguy on February 20, 2008 6:10 PM
So....we all know I am a girl who peeks.
I followed the link from Cannoneer No. 4....and the link in that.....and a link from there....and now I have more stuff to read.
I am overwhelmed.
I am drowning.
Somehow I doubt that damn Cannoneer No. 4 even cares what he has done to my evening.
Well, for once, Chris Matthews doesn't play footsie.
Mark it down on your calendar.
posted by kat-missouri on February 20, 2008 9:20 PM
Blackie was the first ships mascot I got to sail with. A couple of years later, I was stationed on an ocean-going salvage tug and we had a Guamanian Boonie Dog for a mascot. Master Chief Dawg. BD for short. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened to BD; as I left the ship three months before it was decomissioned. I bet he found a good home with one of the crew though.
A worthy shoot, if you've the time and can get there. I'll have the .pdfs with the data up later.
Byers, Colorado, May 2-3-4 2008
REMEMBERING THE BRAVE FOUNDATION
&
The Colorado Rifle Club
present the
1st Annual Armed Forces Memorial Match
Honoring
LCpl Andrew Riedel ~ HM3 Christopher “Doc” Anderson
GM2 Danny Dietz ~ SSgt Sam Holder
LCpl Kyle Burns ~ LCpl Tommy Slocum ~ PFC Jesse Givens
SSGT Justin Vasquez
The parents of these American Heroes will be there to present the Memorial Trophies and plaques to the competitors and to enjoy the day with everyone there.
Please come out to meet them, thank them, and honor their son’s memories.
Match limited to 100 competitors, so register early!!
Open practice 09:00 Friday 2 May 2008!
Free Coaching Available
Saturday 3 May 2008 (07:00 Show/Stats open at 06:30)
SSgt Sam Holder Memorial Trophy Match
600 yrd Any Rifle/Any Sight
Unlimited Sighters/20 rnds for record in 25 min
LCpl Kyle Burns Memorial Trophy Match
600 yrd Any Rifle/Iron Sights
Unlimited Sighters/20 rnds for record in 25 min
(All may shoot but only Iron Sight Rifle competitors can win)
LCpl Tommy Slocum Memorial Trophy Match
600 yrd Service Rifle
Unlimited Sighters/20 rnds for record in 25 min
(All may shoot but only Service Rifle competitors can win)
Sunday 4 May 2008 (07:00 Show/Stats open at 06:30)
LCpl Andrew Riedel Memorial Team Trophy Match
600 yrd Police, Military & Veteran only Match Any Rifle/Any Sight
Unlimited Sighters/20 rnds for record in 25 min
(All may shoot but only police/military/veteran competitors can win)
HM3 Christopher “Doc” Anderson Memorial Team Trophy Match
600 yrd Service Rifle
Unlimited Sighters/20 rnds for record in 25 min
(All may shoot but only Service Rifle competitors can win)
GM2 Danny Dietz Memorial Team Trophy Match
1000 yrd Any Rifle/Any Sight
Unlimited Sighters/20 rnds for record in 30 min
PFC Jesse Givens Memorial Trophy Match
600 & 1000 yrd Prone
Overall Service Rifle Aggregate Match
SSGT Justin Vasquez Memorial Trophy
Match
600 & 1000 yrd Prone
Overall Match Rifle Aggregate Match
Colorado Cup
600 & 1000 yrd Prone (Any Rifle/Any Sight/FClass)
Match costs $60.00 per shooter, which is 100% tax deductible. $20 per shooter for the team
matches. Funds go to support the Remembering the Brave Foundation.
Visit www.crci.org for directions or call David Jennings at: 303-393-1001 or Tony Stahl at 303-494-5721
I do, three. Though just telling us about it is good, and like me, I reckon you have things going on preventing you from going. If I could get there with a half-day's drive I'd be there and borrow a rifle and participate, though I pierced the paper not even once.
posted by Justthisguy on February 20, 2008 6:21 PM
Yes, John, now that I have decided not to compete you have a shot. So you should definitely enter now that I won't be there to show you up.
I'm crying here on the east coast, as I own a 1903-A3 Springfield in 30-06, an Enfield in .303 British, and a M16-A1 in 5.56X45mm. I shoot all of them open sights, and am a former Top Team AMTU Sniper School graduate. (Fort Bragg, NC.)
Airborne, All the Way!!
posted by Alan Briley, RN on February 20, 2008 8:55 PM
This is a vehicle you do *not* want to try and rush...
...from the side.
Senior Airman Travis Hummel (standing) and Airman 1st Class Adam Giebitz patrol Feb. 10 in an M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier at the Theater Internment Facility at Camp Bucca, Iraq. Airmen Hummel and Giebitz are deployed from Robins Air Force Base, Ga., and are assigned to the 886th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's quick response force. The QRF responds to issues within the TIF in which a show of force or escalation of force is required beyond the capabilities for the TIF's guard force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Jason McCree)
Those Claymore mines on the side of that M113 make that a very dangerous vehicle, and clearly only usable in a very specific situation - i.e., crowd control where the crowd contains no one but legal targets. Which is the purpose of this vehicle, as the caption notes. Not coming to a police force near you anytime soon. But something like this might well come to a police state near you...
If you want a larger version of the picture, click here.
Update: In the comments, Murray makes an important point. While the vehicle and it's mines may be scary - the guy inside is who you have to be *really* respectful of...
Update 2: The strength of blogs... someone usually knows something you don't - in this case, OldGaijin. His contribution in the comments were that the "Claymores" are far more likely to be M5 Modular Crowd Control Munitions, or MCCM's. So, I went trolling for them - and what I found likely confirms OldGaijin's information - and my reaction to the picture validates the concept:
M5 Modular Crowd Control Munition
The M5 Modular Crowd Control Munition (MCCM) is a non-lethal munition used to incapacitate large group of personnel with the Flash Bang and Impact of rubber balls. It can be deployed by mounted or dismounted troops and provides a visual deterrent due to similarity in appearance to the M18A1 Claymore munition. The MCCM can be fired singularly or in a group and has an effective range of 5 to 30 meters with a 60 degree coverage.
I used to caryy a co2 revolver when i was driving a 113.
The infantry used to delight in running up the front of the wagon and butt stroking the driver with their SLR's.
I only had to shoot two cabbage heads in the face before they worked out which wagon not to try it on.
Respect has to be earned, but fear is faster.
posted by Murray on February 20, 2008 1:33 PM
Those "Claymores" are probably (better be) M5 MCCMs (Modular Crowd Control Munition)loaded with rubber balls vice steel pellets. DODIC is WA97 vice K143. Explosive weight is .0321 vice 1.57 pounds.
[I've never even heard of 'em before - but it makes sense. I think I'd still view them as Claymores... -the Armorer]
posted by oldgaijiin on February 20, 2008 2:32 PM
M5 Modular Crowd Control Munition
The M5 Modular Crowd Control Munition (MCCM) is a non-lethal munition used to incapacitate large group of personnel with the Flash Bang and Impact of rubber balls. It can be deployed by mounted or dismounted troops and provides a visual deterrent due to similarity in appearance to the M18A1 Claymore munition. The MCCM can be fired singularly or in a group and has an effective range of 5 to 30 meters with a 60 degree coverage.
The Modular Crowd Control Munition is similar in operation to a claymore mine, but it delivers nonlethal effects to the threat by delivering a strong, nonpenetrating blow to the body with multiple submunitions (600 rubber balls). This round has a wide range of capabilities for tactical, law enforcement, I/R, and US military detention operations. In crowd control, it provides a nonlethal counterpersonnel capability that can be used to break contact, enforce a buffer zone (standoff distance), or demonstrate a show of force. This round is designed to be fired at the center mass of adult threats at ranges of 5 to 15 meters. It has a shot arc covering between 60 to 80 degrees (laterally).
The MCCM will be utilized in the ground employment. In the ground employment mode it will increase fixed site and area security capabilities against potentially hostile forces without the sole reliance of the application of deadly force and will be used by military forces to apply the minimum force necessary while performing missions of and site and area security of key facilities. The MCCM is intended to be a direct fire, low hazard munition that produces an N-L effect upon impact by incapacitating personnel through robust flash-bang and stinging plastic balls. The MCCM uses 600 PVC balls (32 caliber) set in a two-layer matrix of inert binder chemically similar to children's "glow-dough". Sheet explosive of .042" thickness is used as the propellant. The sheet is sandwiched in-between the ball matrix and a polyethylene foam layer. The balls are launched in a fan shaped distribution pattern with a maximum effective range of 15 meters. The MCCM outside characteristics are similar to that of the M18A1 lethal Claymore with the exception of the back cover which has molded raised diamonds for tactile discrimination by troops wearing work gloves, and/or in MOPP level IV and is a different color (light green). The MCCM is initiated using a blasting cap assembly and initiator supplied in the bandoleer.
posted by oldgaijiin on February 20, 2008 2:40 PM
Somebody give that TC an AirSoft .50 cal to stand behind. He's making me feel naked.
Ah, yes, Cannoneer, I mind the Ren and Stimpy cartoon about the armored paratroops.
Yup, that thing won't fly.
That aside, I've been wondering when the real world would catch up to SF. Keith Laumer and David Drake both had nasty anti-personnel weapons on the sides of the tanks in their stories.
Sometimes there ain't no infantry around to keep the pesky enemy from crawling all over yer AFV and spraying your optics with black paint.
P.s. About 100 yds away from me as I type, there is an M4 tank at the County Museum.
On inspecting it, I decided that I could disable it with my revolver if allowed to sneak up un-molested and empty the piece through the armor louvres into its radiato
posted by Justthisguy on February 20, 2008 6:40 PM
r.
.
posted by Justthisguy on February 20, 2008 6:44 PM
SNERK!!!
Hey, John, why am I thinking you're wanting one of these?? Make a cool addition to the Castle Armory....
Heck, I want one myself. Would do a good job in the traffic here around base.
posted by sandman6actual on February 20, 2008 8:41 PM
I would go for the MCCM as well. There is far too much explosive in a Claymore. I heard a story about someone in Vietnam who set up his truck with 1/4" plates for armour, with Claymores for fire suppression attached to the outside. Not realizing that an explosion was a spherical event (even though the distribution of ball-bearings is directional), he luckily tested the set up (that was meant to protect him and his crew), and blew the plates together in the truck bed. Even a M113 would suffer from claymores going off on the outside, and would be regarded as sledgehammer/nut material.
I have a few Fiocchi "Anti-crime" cartridges - 12G loaded with about 12 00-buck sized rubber balls. Ideal for the loadout of your 7-shot pump to discourage those bent on evil, but unfortunately not readily available. (1 blank, 1 anti-crime, 2 x no.7 shot and the rest BB or buck - loaded in reverse order of course.) Though the bloody government took away my beautiful (function-wise) Fabarm SDASS pump gun! Bastards.
Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
***********************************************************************
Seriously, you should be reading Roggio at the Journal every day to get the low down on the GWOT. He has another great piece about "The Sons of Iraq"
Divulging secrets of the CIA when it no longer matters or old tricks die hard: CIA set up bogus companies in Europe and then closed them because, well, they just weren't in the jihadi neighborhoods.
More on the ObamaNation: Defining Patriot Corporations H/T Instapundit The left kept telling us that dissent was patriotic and that we could not define patriotism because we would exclude people who were only concerned about the future and path of the United States. Apparently, though, they have the ability to define it. Something about how much you give the state and how much you give the proletariat...er...employees.
********************************* Castro Retires..........is it against the Rulez to say I wish it was "Castro Dead"? Well, Kevin is one step closer to his cigars....... Maggie
*A term of art from the artillery. Harassment and Interdiction Fires.
Back in the day, when you could just kill people and break things without a note from a lawyer, they were pre-planned, but to the enemy, random, fires at known gathering points, road junctions, Main Supply Routes, assembly areas, etc - to keep the bad guy nervous that the world around him might start exploding at any minute.
*Not really relevant to today's operating environment, right? But, it *is*
The UAVs (oops, can't call 'em UAVs anymore - they're now Unmanned Aerial Systems... some Colonel got his Legion of Merit for that change...), er, um UAS's we fly over Afghanistan and Pakistan looking for targets of opportunity are a form of H&I fires, if you really want to parse it finely. We just have better sensors and fire control now.
I call the post that because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to. It's also an open trackback, so if someone has a post they're proud of, but it really isn't either Castle kind of stuff, or topical to a particular post, I've basically given blanket permission to use that post for that purpose. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone."
You know there really are no new taxes here these days. Tax is such an ugly dirty filthy word isn't it? So much better with all the fees, levies and charges now isn't it?
I was non-plused when in the BBC's Scrawl Bark at their Morning News, it stated that "Castro, one of the World's longest SERVING heads of states, retires".
Funny how, those Socialist by the Thames define service. I hardly think that they would define Milosevic's reign over Serbia as service, wouldn't they?
posted by Boquisucio on February 19, 2008 11:21 AM
Castro 'retires' ho-hum.... Weekend at Bernies moment. Nothing will change until the junta and the infrastructure supporting him changes their attitudes. And, I'm sure that that crowd is just itching to give up all their special perks in the classless society, for the good of the masses don'tcha know?
On the topic of cigars, in this case Cubans. Yeah, we all want what we can't get, funny how that works. But if you are considering buying one, I have a simple answer....
"Don't".
Just as diamonds from war torn zones are considered NPC and labeled as 'blood diamonds', so too do I consider Cuban cigars, 'blood cigars'.
You are providing hard currency to the regime by purchasing Cuban cigars, you are helping to prop up, legitimize and keep the Communists in power.
Yes, the US policy towards Cuba is stupid. End the (ineffectual) embargo and let capitalism take the buggers down. The system simply wouldn't be able to cope with the free flow of information, goods and ideas.
I also have always found it rather strange that ONLY Americans cannot have an exchange with Cuba. All the rest of the world can, just not us here in the land of the free....
As regards Cuban cigars, besides their obvious blood drenched state sponsored status, in most cases, they aren't that good anymore.
Communist means of production has all but exhausted the soil, they can't keep up with the demand and are even importing tobaccos from Central America to put into 'Cuban' cigars.
You can find as good, if not better cigars made by the Cuban exiles now living in the Dominican Republic, Honduras or Nicaragua (Danny-O take note) and not have to have the guilt of a blood cigar hanging over you.
The mindset of the exiles is varied regarding Castro and what will happen after that regime finally falls. Some good, some bad, some unrealistic, some pragmatic.
Some are determined to get back what was stolen from their families by the Communists. Others are more realisitic as evidenced by a conversation I had with one such political refugee.
"What are we going to do? Go back to our land in Cuba and tell the campesinos who have been living there for almost 4 generations to get off our property?"
The cigar industry will be in a flux. Brands that are only sold here in the US, such as 'our' versions of famous Cuban name brands, Cohiba, H. Upmann, Romeo Y Julieta etc will likely disappear. The exiles brought these brand names with them when they fled, but those are mainly sold in the US because we can't get the real Cuban brands.
The real winners of the Cuban regime falling, aside from the people themselves, will be the lawyers... gag... the legal fights over naming rights, propriety information, claims to stolen property etc. will be long and expensive.
The good news is, that 5-10 years after the regime falls, the world will be able to enjoy cigars of a quality never before heard of. By bringing in modern business practices, improving the quality of the product and restoring vitality to the worn out soil of Cuba, these new cigars will be awesome!
If I was a millionaire, I'd hire a ro-ro container ship and be circling Cuba awaiting the fall of the dictatorship of the proletariat. Soon as it fell, I'd pull into harbor and start flashing cash.
How much for that '48 Packard? How much for that Dusenberg? Etc. The classic car market will swoon.
Sadly, though, none of this will come to pass as long as the Reds are running the show. After 40+ years of an obviously ineffective embargo policy towards Cuba, a new line of diplomacy, interaction and exchange is certainly warranted.
posted by Kevin on February 19, 2008 2:21 PM
Heh. Kevin makes a living selling cigars... Kat set him up for this one.
You can find as good, if not better cigars made by the Cuban exiles now living in the Dominican Republic, Honduras or Nicaragua (Danny-O take note) and not have to have the guilt of a blood cigar hanging over you.
Well said, something I've been trying to explain to my semi-cigar enjoying friends.
I was always under the impression that some of the best Marines were guys who started off not exactly as boy scouts and alterboys.
posted by big al on February 19, 2008 3:19 PM
IF you like Ashtons, try their new San Cristobal line. Where Ashton cigars were formerly only made by the Fuente family and were Dominican tobaccos, the San Cristobals are made by Don Pepin Garcia and are Nicaraguan. They are awesome smokes.
posted by Kevin on February 19, 2008 4:23 PM
Well, if free trade had precipitated free information, then how come all those lovely Euros vacationing in Cuba and trading with them haven't yet created such a society?
Or, in places like China where the internet still gets blocked to keep out info?
Futile as that seems with all the end rounds. Yet, a little island remains the same with all that? I would say that the only time the embargo lifts is when Castro is really gone and free trade agreements include all the other free flows, too. Like info and education.
Otherwise, I am in full agreement that free trade helps the flow of democracy and capitalism, even in a corrupt society. At least there you know who you can bribe to get what you want.
posted by kat-missouri on February 19, 2008 6:54 PM
It wasn't Kat, it was me and I wasn't trying to set him up, I was trying to be nice.
See what I get for that? Some crazy cigar lecture. This is why I don't often try to be nice, it never works for me.
No worries Kevin, I don't smoke cigars and I don't wear diamonds. Unless you have some sad story about child labor or slavery in Hershey PA or the Coke plant in Georgia....I'm all set.
Lesson learned...there's no making Kevin happy, so I'll stop trying.
(Cough, cough. Goodie, phlem this time and not a lung.)
Only one issue with SJS, SM-3 isn't even a proven anti-air system much less bmd. It's gone great guns in test range situations, but it's never actually been put to the only test that matters. Not to be kicking the USN, but it isn't (and thank gawd it never was put to the that test, not that I think it won't work or nothin').
Great point about responsibility though.
And, well, why have one reason for doing something when multiple works just as well?
Cuba(or more appropriately Kat's China analogy). But China has found itself greatly changed by free trade. 20 years ago they didn't give a fig about the environment. THe people were too damn poor to care. Economic success wasn't something the CCP had to ensure to keep their own necks outta nooses before Deng Xia Peng came along and moved them some what market wise to build up their military. Now, Hu Jintao and the Boys absolutely have to worry about being lynched, by their own military if not just the general populace, if they don't deliver consistent 5% growth each year. Time frames matter. Be the tortoise, not the hare.
...we did have a winter storm blow through that caused us to lose connectivity to the satellite. We got around 8 inches of snow in about 5 hours. The fluffy, heavy, wet stuff. Fortunately, it came with enough wind that it didn't build up too much on the trees, which haven't had a chance to recover from the ice storm yet.
Saturday, I did take off to get some work done 'round the Castle while the weather briefly permitted. That involved schlepping all the downed limbs from the ice storm of December and building a funeral pyre for them. It's green wood, so it took all day to burn the debris of the 6 trees in the immediate area, what with cutting them up and piling them on, and keeping the fire hot enough to burn green wood without too much smoke (it was all Chinese Elm).
Sunday, we got hit with the snow, and the temps were back in the teens. So, I worked on the Vickers guns in the basement.
I have two versions of the Vickers, the corrugated water jacket and the later smooth water jacket. I keep them (generally) in WWI configuration for the corrugated jacket gun, and WWII Indirect Fire configuration for the smooth jacket. Both are ex-Turkish guns. The smooth jacket sits in an Australian WWII tripod, the other in the original Turk tripod, which sits higher, and has provision for an anti-aircraft extension in the long leg of the tripod. Purists are gouging out their eyes already, as I've got mixed parts and bits from all the users of the Vickers - Brit, Aussie, Kiwi, South African, Canadian, and Indian, too. Part of the appeal of the gun to me is all the users, and the true interchangeability of the parts. Purists are also tearing their hair at the anachronism on the corrugated jacket gun as currently displayed... Let's see if there are any purists present who will point it out...
These particular guns are dummies made by Sarco. As such, they have thicker-than-original sideplates, and do not have the recoil plates installed. The reason for the thicker sideplates is so that the recoil plates *cannot* be installed, making it much harder to rework the guns into a shootable condition. They are also minutely longer than the original receivers, so that the locks will not come far enough forward to actually strip a round from the belt. The Vickers/Maxim locks (Vickers on the left, Maxim on the right in the linked picture) are fully capable of firing a cartridge without the cartridge being in the chamber. The firing pins on the locks have been nipped, so that they won't protrude through the lock - but since the locks can be removed, idiots and the ignorant could still get themselves in real trouble.
Another artifact of this particular ATF-approved design is that the maker didn't want to do to the extra effort to drill and tap holes for the "check lever," which is a prominent component of the Vickers gun. It served to help regulate the firing speed of the gun and to prevent the charging handle from moving too far when the gun starts to wear. Simply put, they didn't come with the guns. The guns were also missing the tripod stop (which was a Brit variation not present on the Turk guns). While all the other bits and pieces were present, some weren't in the best of shape, so I spent the day cleaning and repairing and doing some arranging in the display. I'm going to build some stepped shelves to put the gunners kits and platoon parts chest, etc, on.
So, I went digging into the bits and pieces I've been collecting for 11 years now (I started after SWWBO gave me the early version of the gun for Christmas before we got married) and spent a lazy afternoon epoxying on the check levers (after some judicious grinding off of two bosses that would have fit into the sideplate), cleaning up some rust that was starting to show through the paint, replacing water plugs that didn't have the heat resistant scales on them with ones that did. And more stuff like that. I'll behead some screws to put in the screw holes on the check lever mounting plates - because I'm too lazy to drill and tap, too.
I then swapped the WWII gun so that it faces the wall, and a visitor can see the dial sight and clinometer of the indirect fire configuration (as well as the gunner's end of the gun) and the WWI gun is facing the viewer, to give them access to that view. I then arranged a good chunk of the bits and pieces around (there's more, believe me) to add visual appeal and provide props when I drone on about the guns to unsuspecting visitors. Still plenty of work to do, but I thought I'd share a window into the slow progress on the Arms Room of Argghhh!
Oh, and if you'd like to own a shootable Vickers - there is one available right now. Aside from not being legal in Kansas (and because it's a sideplate gun, possibly not in Missouri, either - though an original would be), the price is one reason why I don't own any shooters.
Well, how about an essay on the sideplates and recoil plates, with dimension drawings. And advice on how to set up the machine tools, and what to say to the nice BATFE man?
posted by Justthisguy on February 21, 2008 12:27 AM
Cricket, Castle Chef, and her family lost Tigger two weeks ago. I asked her for a picture, but she had none, and sent this "thousand words," instead. 'Tis enough, methinks.
I have been looking for one for the past week and a half. I thought we had one or several on the desktop and the laptop, but no such luck. I have checked my camera's storage chips and nothing. And that has upset me more than I realized, because he was such a great cat and I was the one who had the pics of him jumping into the car, sleeping on Rebekah's lap, and my personal favorite; his naptime on her bed with her beanie baby teddy bear. He was so very gentle, for all that he was a redhead. He never bit or scratched anyone, and was a real gentleman. His favorite thing to do was plop in the middle of the kitchen during mealtime preparations and just watch.
He knew that if he was patient enough, he would get a bit of raw meat or some other tidbit such as tuna or even potato. He loved clam chowder...vegetables too. Needless to say, because it is rather rich, we didn't let him sample it too often. He left a couple of litters and they are all very handsome and very well bred cats just like their sire.
There were times he would pay the rent by leaving a few mice or squirrels on the back deck... and the time he left a couple of items for his mate to drag back to her kittens. He tangled with a bobcat; had a serious wound and that was when we found out he was positive for feline leukemia. We have had the other cats vaccinated.
While we waited for the vet to get ready, he sat on my shoulder, then Rebekah took him. She held him while he was injected first with the sedative, then the fatal injection. We cried all the way home. He is buried in the hobbit hole the kids dug the first year we moved here. He can see the other animals and join in the moonlight hunts.
All I have is the word picture, the memories, and a new space in my heart.
Murray, Castle Metalsmith and Trebuchet-maker to the Stars, lost his companion Jessica T. Hill, his pal of 18 years.
And Castle BarnCat, Sergeant S'mudge, has been moved from the MIA list, to Missing, Presumed Lost.
Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dancesing three sparks to the Great Hunting Ground and Tennis Ball Chasing Facility.
I had just finished debriefing CPT Mike O’Connor, my section leader, about my first flight of my first AT with the Jersey Guard. I left him in the Planning Room on the second floor of the old wooden hangar at Wheeler-Sack AAF, walked out the door and down the single stairway onto the hangar floor and promptly came nose-to-nose with – Mike O’Connor.
“Geez, Mike, how’d you get *down* here so fast?”
“Easy – I’m twins.” *leprechaun grin* And he continued walking across the hangar floor towards the ramp.
I turned around to head toward our own aircraft parking area and promptly came nose-to-nose with – Mike O’Connor. Who had just descended the stairs from the second floor.
*blink*
I glanced over my shoulder to see if Rod Serling was standing behind me, waiting to cue the theme from the “Twilight Zone,” and suddenly realized that the Mike standing in front of me was wearing a red baseball cap (as I was, since we were both in the DivArty Aviation Section) while the Mike walking toward the ramp was wearing a black (Air Cav) baseball cap.
That was in 1976, and that was my introduction to Charlie O’Connor, Mike’s twin brother.
Imagine the consternation in their old unit in Vietnam. Generally, Army policy won’t place two siblings in the same combat outfit, but Charlie and Mike wangled billets in the same Assault Helicopter Company at the same time, agreeing, sensibly enough, that they wouldn’t fly CAs in the same aircraft. And probably agreeing that they wouldn't double-team anybody with their jokes.
I saw Mike every drill and most Night Flights, but usually only saw Charlie during AT or when I had a flight up to the Picatinny Facility. I saw him only sporadically after he left the Guard, but every so often I’d get the chance to pop into Teterboro to see how he was progressing up the corporate aviation ladder. And, of course, to cadge free coffee in the pilots’ lounge. And, of course, to hear his latest non-PC-and-definitely-not-suitable-for-mixed-company jokes.
Early last week I dropped in at my old unit and found that most of the gang had taken up new digs at Lakehurst. I ran into one of the OSACOM fixed-wing guys, though, and he brought me up to date on who was where and what the latest rumor was about their next deployment.
And he told me that Charlie had pancreatic cancer. And he’d started a site to raise funds for research, called – in typically blunt Charlie fashion – “Charlie O’Connor’s Pancreatic Cancer Sucks Site.”
I started scratching out this post yesterday, intending to put it in the Spirit of America category as a “Someone You Need To Meet” bit.
I should’ve done it sooner.
Charlie died on Valentine’s Day.
Oh – almost forgot. The reason I figured it for a great Spirit of America bit was that Charlie set a fundraising goal of $5,000.
He raised almost twice that. And that's why he's grinning that leprechaun grin on his site.
Heads' up, Fiddlers Green contingent -- Charlie likes Tullamore Dew with Guiness on the side...
Therefore, now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam.
pancreatic cancer sucks indeed. We lost my dad AND my father in law to it. The odds are stacked against the Marine!Goth, which scares the bejabbers out of me.
posted by Karla (threadbndr) on February 18, 2008 10:11 AM
*sniff*
Cancer has it's own agenda, doesn't it? Damn. I'm so sorry, Bill.
posted by AFSister on February 18, 2008 10:22 AM
Just damn.
posted by HomefrontSix on February 18, 2008 12:16 PM
In the midst of many discussions about the messianic pull of Obama, I thought it was time to actually look at some of his proposed policies and, what is in many cases, half formed proposals that simply "hope" it will have the desired effect without any negative outcomes. The Powerline Blog notes Michelle Obama's speech at USC where she talks about "saving American's Soul". Based on what I've read so far, Obama appears to believe that American's are incapable of making good decisions for themselves and require the government to do it for them. Even if it means, as he repeatedly says, "some sacrifice" now.
Apparently, based on their support for Obama, a good portion of Americans are willing to sacrifice a lot and get back a little. Christopher Markowsi calls Obama's economic plan: Red Dawn II. In his economic plan, the Obama giveth in one hand and taketh away in another. The question is, how much he gives vs. how much he is planning to take away.
Another interesting point is that, without actually saying it in his speeches, part of Obama's plan actually recognizes that the Social Security system is overburdened and will be in bad shape in the near future. Like the Republicans he disagrees with in public about the condition of Social Security, his plan is to lighten the burden of Social Security by increasing the number of people who have private retirement plans. The problem is in how he plans to stimulate this increased savings. What his followers are ignoring is that Social Security cannot continue to support retiring Americans because it was never built to handle this many aging people in the system.
At least, he's "hoping" that people will have more private retirement savings while still paying into Social Security. His plan calls for raising the amount of money that Social Security will take in by raising the amount of income that will be taxed. Income that will be taxed without any return for those who are paying into it because it has a benefit cap that doesn't match those taxes. He does not mention a raise in the limit on social security benefits a beneficiary could receive. He's only guaranteeing a solvent Social Security plan until 2050. Good for some people, not so good for others or our children. But, he has a plan for them, too.
The current Social Security plan currently taxes earners on the first $97,500 (2007) of their yearly income. The plan assumes, with some accuracy, that people making over 97k (and even less) have more income to invest in stocks and bonds, will own their own homes and other property and are more likely to have private retirement plans to support them in their retirement. It also assumes that, for all the money they pay into Social Security, they will not take the same amount out in payments since such payments are restricted to $2185/mo regardless of how much is put into the system. In some cases, people do not even opt to take their Social Security benefits when they have that kind of personal retirement income. In short, these people who actually represent the upper middle class, not the wealthy, already pay more than their "fair share" and get little back.
Another part of Obama's economic program states that "wages are stagnant", but his Social Security plan actually disabuses that notion and recognizes that the middle class has, indeed, had an increase in income and he plans to take some of that back. What's disingenuous is that the 2008 Social Security plan already calls for a raise in taxable income to $102,000. What is he planning to raise the taxable income to? Without raising the benefit limit? For those folks, even in his "tax breaks" he claims are all about the "middle class" he's planning to give very little expressing a belief that they already get plenty of breaks. The question is, exactly how many people are going to have their disposable and investment income decreased taking money right out of the economy? The question is, will Obama's retirement plan for those with less incomes, investing in private IRAs that invest in company stocks, actually replace the missing investments from those who have had more disposable income and our more likely to invest?
One of his many ways of stimulating the American economy: take money out of it and put it in the hands of government.
His plan calls for automatically enrolling employees in an IRA plan:
Currently, 75 million working Americans – roughly half the workforce – lack employer-based retirement plans. Even when workers are given the option of joining employer-based plans, many do not take up the option because it requires considerable work to research plans and investment portfolios, and enroll in the plan. Barack Obama’s retirement security plan will automatically enroll workers in a workplace pension plan. Under his plan, employers who do not currently offer a retirement plan, will be required to enroll their employees in a direct-deposit IRA account that is compatible to existing direct-deposit payroll systems.
He's not really saying that Americans don't have many options right now to set up IRAs or other retirement plans outside of work. He can't say that because many IRAs offer to open a private account with as little as $100. That's if they choose to do it. That is the main problem. Many individuals making less than $30,000 and families making less than $50,000 simply do not choose to put money into a retirement plan even when it's offered by their employers.
Contrary to Obama's assertions, it's not because they are not smart enough to figure out how to invest their money. A straight up IRA account, the same that Obama proposes for these automatic payroll deductions, are very simple. They have simple investment programs. Interest is nearly guaranteed. And, deductions can be automatically deducted from the paycheck before taxes or taken out through automatic transfers after taxes that would decrease the amount of taxes paid out at time of retirement distribution.
These groups of people don't invest in retirement programs as a matter of financial expediency. They make a financial decision that they cannot afford to pay both social security taxes and invest in a retirement plan.
If anyone reads Obama's plan, no where does he suggest that these taxes be reduced or eliminated at the same time that the forced retirement plan payments are being deducted. These folks are going to get a double whammy out of their pockets that they already believe they can't afford and many probably can't. That's why they aren't investing in their own retirement plans now. As one commenter at Hot Air asked, "Can I opt out of social security"?
Here's some reality. If people invested the amount that was being taken through Social Security taxes into private investment plans, it is more than likely they would have collected interest, expect a larger return and have an even better income at retirement than offered through the government.
Though, it would be equally important to mention that many young people who work at lower paying jobs, just starting out, aren't thinking about retirement and don't plan for it even in the face of so many conversations, political debates and commercial advertisements. At least, not until or if they get further in their careers and/or make more money.
Obama's plan does not mention the amount or percent that will be taken out of each paycheck to be automatically invested in these IRAs. It's an important question. For those whom he proposes to assist, something as little as $10 a paycheck would be less than meaningless in creating a real retirement fund. As much as $30 might mean the difference between one more tank of gas to go to work to make the money necessary to pay their other bills like rent, electricity and food. Still, he doesn't say. Add on his proposed National Health Program that will also "automatically deduct" either taxes or other premiums and the "lower fifth" of America is going to find their pockets markedly more empty.
He also doesn't mention who will be managing these programs or directing their investment. While the IRAs might be distributed among established commercial plans, he doesn't actually specify. One has to wonder if anyone really wants the government to be the director of these programs' investments considering their current record on Social Security and other programs. Further, it is likely that a portion of the investments in these IRAs, under government guidance, will be expected to invest in US bonds and the like. Just another way to get poor and middle class American citizens' money without raising their taxes directly. The back door. Of course, without the details, that's speculation, but based on the Social Security program, it's almost guaranteed.
Obama's plan states that their will be an automatic increase in people saving retirement from 15% to 80%. The Obama plan expects to take advantage of the very thing that he accuses people of being right now, all be it with a smile and cheery pronouncements of "change". He doesn't actually expect Americans to change, since they haven't done so significantly to date. He expects they will remain complacent and too incompetent to actually think about the advantages or disadvantages of the program offered. He expects them to take the easy way out. The same way they elect not to invest in existing private retirement plans and the same way they choose their health care coverage.
How's that for the "Yes, we can" campaign? He's actually saying, "No, you can't, so the government will do it for you."
And, you better like it because, once the government has established such a program by law, its unlikely they will ever rescind it and very likely they will seek to expand it.
Obama's campaign says that he wants to tell people the truth about Social Security, but the truth is, he can't. If he did, people would be demanding that Social Security come to an end or, as the Hot Air commenter noted, they would be demanding the option to "opt out" of Social Security and the taxes that go with it. He knows, if that happens, there will be millions of senior citizens and people about to retire right now who will be left with a dwindling, if not non-existent, benefit to retire on after having invested tens of thousands of dollars in Social Security.
The Social Security program has an independent budget that is separate from the rest of the federal government. [60] [61]
* Since 1982, the Social Security program has had surpluses ranging between 89 million and 153 billion dollars per year. [62]
* By law, Social Security surpluses must be loaned to the federal government. The federal government is required by law to pay this money back to the Social Security program with interest. [63] [64]
* According to projections, in 2015, the Social Security program will begin to spend more money than it collects in taxes. At that point, the Social Security program will begin to collect on the money that it has loaned to the federal government. [65]
* According to projections, between 2015 and 2037, the annual shortfalls of the Social Security program will be covered by the money that federal government will pay back to the Social Security program. [66]
- Note: The above fact does not mean that the federal government will have enough money to pay back the Social Security program. Information concerning the ability of the federal government to pay this money back to the Social Security program is contained in the section: Impact on National Debt
* In 2037, it is projected that the money and interest that the federal government owes to the Social Security program will be paid in full. [67]
* Between 2037 and 2075, the Social Security program is projected to run annual deficits totaling 30 trillion dollars. [68]
* This shortfall comes to $154,000 (in year 2001 dollars) for every person projected to be paying Social Security taxes in the year 2075. [69]
* To keep the Social Security program solvent, the tax rate would need to be raised by about 50%, or the benefits would need to be cut by about 33%.
In 1950, there were 16.5 workers paying into Social Security for every 1 beneficiary compared to 2000 when there was 2.1 workers paying into Social Security for every 1 beneficiary. That means one worker is not paying for their own retirement, but somebody else's. Current population is estimated at 50% over 55 and growing substantially with the aging of the so called "baby boomers".
Between 2010 and 2030, it is projected that the number of people eligible for old age benefits will increase by about 80%. During the same time period, the number of people paying Social Security taxes will increase by about 2%
According to "Just the Facts", if socials security taxes had not been increased, Social Security would have been insolvent by 1980.
That's a truth that no candidate wants to state. Every candidate talks about "fixing" social security, but the only true fixes available are to increase taxes and decrease benefits and/or grow the working population yearly by the same number of people retiring and receiving social security or, the most drastic, enact a law that ends Social Security by a specific date and allow the American people to take the 6% taxes they pay and place them into private accounts to pay for their own retirement. Employers could use their 6% taxes to match pensions, 401k and IRA investments or to continue to fund those remaining on social security and those that require disability support.
No candidate will talk about the reality or the necessity because they know they could not get elected since the average age of voters is 45: those who are starting to look forward to their retirement. The year 2015 is only 7 years away. By 2037, these voters would be in the middle of their retirement and many other voters would be on the verge. Obama is planning for this future and hoping to direct people towards private investments without telling them exactly why they need to or how they are paying into Social Security and will not receive any benefits from it.
No president could actually end Social Security because they would never be re-elected as president. Instead, they are in favor of pushing people, through the government, to save and pushing the problem to future generations and presidents. Contrary to all current claims of the candidates. In particular, Mr. Obama, who's campaign is all about "change" and "hope" for the future.
Mr. Obama is telling people, "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"
The truth is, the only people who can save themselves is the American people not the government. Certainly not Mr. Obama. And that truth, as Mr. Obama does rightly note, is going to require some sacrifice now. He's just not going to ask for that sacrifice.
There is not much material on Obama's website about his stance on issues except that he wants to feel warm and fuzzy about everything he says, no real outlines of any specific plans, however if you have the spare time to waste and want to view his "stance" on the issues, you CAN access his website without registering and haveing your name and e-mail attatched to his campaign. There is a button lower on the page to skip the registration and still view the site, it is not as prominate, and you may have to scroll down to find it. But like I said before, there is not much of any real value to be found, unless you are simply looking for a good laugh.
posted by Chris Allshouse on February 18, 2008 12:40 PM
Obama will do this, McCain will do that.... it's all BS folks...
To turn the discussion around and to use some of the arguments posted on this blog to discredit my chosen candidate... (ahem, Ron Paul).
The President can do very little unless Congress and the Senate agree. After all, the Houses hold the purse strings and are the ones who actually enact legislation, not the Presidency. Abuses of Executive Orders aside...
(Bill Clinton Staffer; "Stroke of the pen, rule of the land. Pretty Cool huh?")
Folks here stated that the only true, honest, traditional and Constitutionally minded candidate in the race would NOT be able accomplish any of his stated platforms proposals without the consent of Congress. That his proposals to return our Federal Government to it's specifically enumerated powers would be rendered dead on arrival due to the powers delegated to Congress and that Congress would never agree to such legislation.
So, why all the brouhaha NOW over the Socialists, er, Progressives.... proposals?
After all, you DO trust Congress, the 'peoples representatives' to do the right thing don't you?
BTW.. as Obama is basically proposing to tax the United States and turn our funds over to the United Nations... who is the single candidate who would remove the United States from the UN and the UN from the United States? Hmmmmmm?
Thought so....
Reap what you sow folks and this crop is looking to be blighted beyond redemption.
And "NO" Maggie, McCain is NOT acceptable.
posted by Kevin on February 18, 2008 7:24 PM
Kev. Sounds like sour grapes. The difference here is that Paul would have had no alliances in congress due to the lack of true libertarians. He also had several fatal flaws which you choose to ignore. One being that he opposed Iraq and, in case you haven't figured it out, while many are tired of war and unhappy with the way it went, the actual invasion wasn't unpopular neither is the idea of "winning" unpopular among the right.
As for Obama, he obviously has a number of political allies in congress and particularly agreeable to some of his ideas. The only one he may have difficulty with is the NHC program. Otherwise, there are plenty of interventionalists in congress.
Paul was unelectable, period. He couldn't have brought in any centrists and would have alienated many more. He certainly would not have been able to pull in "blue dog" democrats, the few that they are, to help win enough votes in the popular and electors.
The continuing discussion of Paul sounds like the crew arguing about how they could have saved the Titanic as it was breaking up and sinking instead of helping the passengers get to the life boats.
posted by kat-missouri on February 18, 2008 7:48 PM
As I recall Che Guevara did a lot of killing but little “soul” saving. Between Dr. Guevara and Michelle Obama, I would prefer to have my soul undisturbed thank you.
No sour grapes at all. I cast my vote and my guy is still in the running. The convention should be interesting.
I was merely wondering why the arguments placed against Dr. Paul would not now also be valid for the Obamanation? Double standard methinks?
If you recall the uproar against that 'true conservative' McCains amnesty bill, McCain-Kennedy, the hollering against giving up our dollars to the UN would be even more overwhelming.
And, as a side note, I can easily visualize BOTH McCain and Obama as Captains of the Titanic. Most apt, because it's obvious that neither of them have a clue how to right the ship of state.
To continue your sea-going disaster example, My guy would be more in line with Lieutenant-Colonel Seton of the British 74th Regiment of Foot.
Look up the Birkenhead Drill and see just what 'er Majesties finest were capable of.
"To stand and be still
to the Birken’ead Drill
is a damn tough bullet to chew."
Rudyard Kipling
posted by Kevin on February 19, 2008 10:46 AM
Kat,
The biggest, to me, Michelle Obamanation seems to have received very little,if any, blogger commentary.
Mike
One shouldn’t make too much of politicians’ spouses (unless said spouses are also politicians), but if Barack Obama can find any points of agreement with his wife Michelle on the issue of terrorism, then there’s cause for alarm. Here’s Michelle Obama speaking with Katie Couric about the nature of an Obama foreign policy:
"…instead of protecting ourselves against terrorists, that we’re building diplomatic relationships and we’re investing in education abroad so that we’re making sure that kids are learning how to read as opposed to …fight us."
Your average Islamist has memorized all 77,701 words of the Koran. If there’s one thing worth admiring in the madrassa curriculum it’s the emphasis on literacy.
And if there’s one thing that should never be uttered by anyone involved with a presidential candidate it’s describing what will be done “instead of protecting ourselves from terrorists.”
posted by Mike Daley on February 19, 2008 7:41 PM
Heh. Most of the brains behind the terrorists are the same brains that are usually behind terrorism... college educated middle/upper class brains.
If cease fires in the name of peace actually produced peace the Middle East would be the most peaceful place on earth by now.
.
Mebbe it's just Clobbering Time.
.
Just sayin'
.
"The Iraqis don't want Saddam back - they want the
stability. But they want the stability without being
fed into industrial chippers."
.
-The Armorer, on Hugh Hewitt, 27 December 2006.
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Ex-Sgt Shep - a Canadian commenting on the deserters:
Time for these so-called "resisters" to go home and face the music. I don't want my tax dollars going to support these bozos who volunteered and then decided they didn't want to play by the rules they agreed to. I'd have a lot more time for them if they decided to make their stand without turning tail and without abandoning their oaths and their comrades (although I suspect their comrades are better off without them.)
We'll drive 'em to the border. You guys pick them up.
President Bush on terrorists in Iraq:
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Princess Crabby on Iraq:
" Maggie said:
"If you believed an incident such as this could change your mind then
you really weren't supporting OIF/OEF for the right reasons." " . . .
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