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.
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From Secretary Gate's speech on re-ordering Pentagon priorities today:
However, I have concluded that there are significant unanswered questions concerning the FCS vehicle design strategy. I am also concerned that, despite some adjustments, the FCS vehicles – where lower weight, higher fuel efficiency, and greater informational awareness are expected to compensate for less armor – do not adequately reflect the lessons of counterinsurgency and close quarters combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. The current vehicle program, developed nine years ago, does not include a role for our recent $25 billion investment in the MRAP vehicles being used to good effect in today’s conflicts.
I can only assume the Secretary has been reading this blog. No, really. I'm sure it was me. Oh, sure, there are some other guys, Generals and such, and some studies, etc. -the Armorer
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*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 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. Of course, now I have to call them UAS's, because someone got a Legion of Merit for the name change.Anyway, I call the post H&I Fires because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to that particular topic. Another term of art that might be appropriate is Free Fire Zone.
The very first bayonet I aquired in my callow youth was a Wilkinson P1907, and I've still got it.
As for the tulips; oy!
Apparently the English love of a finely maintained lawn lives on.
Or something.
my.
GAWD....
The Serbs make Bikini Razors?
Josh - I find that when you cross the pond lots of proper hygiene gets short shrift. I will stay here in the US where the good people from Crest, Johnson & Johnson, Tide, Febreeze, Gillette and a host of others take care of me.
Oh, and Frank - The wax doesn't actually come from Brazil. They make that here in the States too. It's just a term, like French toast or Belgian waffles. It's ok if I relate it to something you eat, right?
As far as "mowing the lawn" - Well I come from the very heart of the city......one block from the Bunker Hill monument in one direction and Old Ironsides a few hundred yards in the other. No lawns. The grass up at the Monument was maintained by the Park Rangers. So you can see what choices I'd make based on my experience.
Of course! LOL
Is that really true in the UK? Everybody knows about France, and I imagine many other continental countries follow suit, but I thought the UK was much better about that. Except for their famously bad dentistry, of course...