Chillicothe contracts with Ohio company for Korean War memorial. Ohio company hires Savannah, Ga., company for design and production. Savannah company hires company in Egypt to produce stone … Or maybe in India.
What was not hired? Anybody who knew what the hell he was doing.
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/disgraceful-korean-war-memorial-is-a-historical-photosh-1583055137
Found at fark.com.
Friday, May 30, 2014
This is the most we’ve had since we eradicated it
What?
“(CNN) -- The number of measles cases in the United States this year has risen to 288, the highest number for one year since the disease was eliminated from the country in 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.”
Uh … The USA eliminated measles in 2000. This year we have the most cases since we eliminated it. Begs question: How many cases in 2001, 2002, etc.?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/29/health/cdc-measles/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
“(CNN) -- The number of measles cases in the United States this year has risen to 288, the highest number for one year since the disease was eliminated from the country in 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.”
Uh … The USA eliminated measles in 2000. This year we have the most cases since we eliminated it. Begs question: How many cases in 2001, 2002, etc.?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/29/health/cdc-measles/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Thursday, May 29, 2014
A good pitching line
Cam Bedrosian, minor league pitcher this year in the California League: 5 games; 5 2/3 innings pitched; 1 hit; 2 walks; 15 strikeouts. That works out to 17 outs; 18 batters faced, and he struck out 15.
As of today, Bedrosian has pitched 17 innings in 16 games for Arkansas; given up 5 hits; 4 runs; 3 earned runs; walked 6 and struck out 28.
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=592135
As of today, Bedrosian has pitched 17 innings in 16 games for Arkansas; given up 5 hits; 4 runs; 3 earned runs; walked 6 and struck out 28.
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=592135
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Sharpen your pitchforks and fire up your torches!
Power to the People!
“There is a kind of peasants’ revolt going on, a jacquerie. From Dublin to Lublin, from Portugal to Pomerania, the pitchfork-wielding populists are converging on the Breydel building in Brussels – drunk on local hooch and chanting nationalist slogans and preparing to give the federalist machinery a good old kicking with their authentically folkloric clogs. There are Greek anti-capitalists and Hungarian neo-fascists and polite German professors who want to bring back the Deutschemark. They are making common cause with Left-wing Italian comedians and Right-wing Dutch firebrands and the general slogan is simple: down with technocracy, down with bureaucracy, and give power back to the people!”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/10855860/European-elections-2014-This-is-one-peasants-revolt-that-Brussels-cant-just-brush-aside.html
At maggiesfarm.
“There is a kind of peasants’ revolt going on, a jacquerie. From Dublin to Lublin, from Portugal to Pomerania, the pitchfork-wielding populists are converging on the Breydel building in Brussels – drunk on local hooch and chanting nationalist slogans and preparing to give the federalist machinery a good old kicking with their authentically folkloric clogs. There are Greek anti-capitalists and Hungarian neo-fascists and polite German professors who want to bring back the Deutschemark. They are making common cause with Left-wing Italian comedians and Right-wing Dutch firebrands and the general slogan is simple: down with technocracy, down with bureaucracy, and give power back to the people!”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/10855860/European-elections-2014-This-is-one-peasants-revolt-that-Brussels-cant-just-brush-aside.html
At maggiesfarm.
New army uniforms
The Army has selected a new camouflage pattern, according to sources who “refused to comment on this story, expressing reluctance to get ahead of the service’s announcement on an issue that remains under intense Congressional scrutiny.”
“Congress, in the 2014 Defense Authorization Act, directed the Defense Department to rein in uniform spending and adopt a camouflage utility uniform or family of uniforms across all services. It has forced the Army to take a closer look at existing camouflage patterns — particularly those of its sister services, mainly the woodland and desert versions of the Navy and Marine Corps combat uniforms.”
http://www.armytimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014305230076
No, no, no. Army Times has it all wrong. MSG Henry Knox told an acquaintance, “Each soldier, sailor, marine and airman/person will be provided 2 linen hunting shirts, 2 pairs of overalls, leather or woolen waist coat with sleeves, 1 pair of breeches, a hat or leather cap, 2 shirts, 2 pair of hose, 2 pair of shoes.” Also, “The heavy regimental coat reflecting its common color will be worn in battle no matter the heat.”
http://www.history-of-american-wars.com/Revolutionary-War-Uniforms.html
“With this combination,” Knox said, “every service member-person will look just like every other service member-person, and Congress will be greatly pleased at having saved a gazillion dollars while reducing the pride each service formerly attained with specific uniforms.”
Story at fark.com.
“Congress, in the 2014 Defense Authorization Act, directed the Defense Department to rein in uniform spending and adopt a camouflage utility uniform or family of uniforms across all services. It has forced the Army to take a closer look at existing camouflage patterns — particularly those of its sister services, mainly the woodland and desert versions of the Navy and Marine Corps combat uniforms.”
http://www.armytimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014305230076
No, no, no. Army Times has it all wrong. MSG Henry Knox told an acquaintance, “Each soldier, sailor, marine and airman/person will be provided 2 linen hunting shirts, 2 pairs of overalls, leather or woolen waist coat with sleeves, 1 pair of breeches, a hat or leather cap, 2 shirts, 2 pair of hose, 2 pair of shoes.” Also, “The heavy regimental coat reflecting its common color will be worn in battle no matter the heat.”
http://www.history-of-american-wars.com/Revolutionary-War-Uniforms.html
“With this combination,” Knox said, “every service member-person will look just like every other service member-person, and Congress will be greatly pleased at having saved a gazillion dollars while reducing the pride each service formerly attained with specific uniforms.”
Story at fark.com.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
A National Guard story
After the initial incident I said to SFC Porter, another platoon sergeant, “Nothing like that ever happens when you or I are around.” A while later I thought, “Of course nothing like that happens when you or Porter are around. Your guys would never do a thing like that; they were raised better.”
The company was at Fort Hood, three days before the end of Annual Training, individual platoons going through a four-kilometer long obstacle course. The course was not four kilometers of one obstacle, but a series of obstacles – go over, under or through this one and then move dismounted to the next obstacle.
The final obstacle was low crawl under barbed wire while an M60 machine gun fired overhead. The course was not dangerous or long, 30 or 40 meters wide. The M60 was on an elevated concrete platform and the gun locked in place, no elevation or depression or traverse possible. The gun fired about 10 feet over the obstacle, which meant somebody could stand up and jump up and down and not be hit. Maybe if somebody tall enough stood right in front of the gun and stuck his hand straight up and jumped up – maybe his hand would be hit.
For some reason, Porter’s lieutenant was with a group from another platoon. When the group was about halfway across the low crawl, SP Fumbducks stood up and said, “---- this ----“ and started walking to the far side. The M60 stopped firing. Porter’s LT yelled at SP Fumbducks. “Get down! Get down!” SP Fumbducks said, “---- you.”
The LT then ordered Fumbducks to complete the course. Fumbducks said, “---- you. I’ve got a knife and I know where you sleep.”
When returning to the company assembly area, the LT reported the incident to the company commander. The CO spoke with Fumbduck’s platoon sergeant and squad leader, both of whom were on the course and both of whom said the LT’s story was exactly what happened.
The CO went to the battalion commander, who agreed to court martial SP Fumbducks on a charge of threatening a commissioned officer. But not right then. A little more than two days remaining in AT, equipment and vehicle cleanup and turn-in, road march back to home station, etc. and so on.
The next month’s drill was at armories, thoroughly clean and inventory and store equipment. Logistical difficulties getting everybody concerned to battalion HQ, etc.
Next drill was at Camp Maxey. All the battalion together, no problem convening a court martial.
After daytime Saturday training, with platoons back at the company assembly area, Porter and I saw the CO standing beside his quarter-ton. He was not happy. We went over and asked about the court martial. The CO became almost white-hot mad.
“Not guilty,” he said.
“What!!”
In the two months since Annual Training, SP Fumbducks’ platoon sergeant and squad leader had decided their soldier had not threatened the lieutenant. The lieutenant was wrong. SP Fumbducks had not said “---- you,” nor, “I’ve got a knife and I know where you sleep.”
The board decided not to believe the lieutenant.
Porter and I both were speechless.
The CO then said the battalion commander was considering recommending SP Fumbducks for OCS.
“Then,” he said, “the battalion commander asked about the rampant racial prejudice in this company.”
“WHAT?!!!” Porter and I said.
The CO nodded. “I asked him where he had heard that, and he said from SP Fumbducks.”
That platoon was a detachment of the Company, with its own armory more than 60 miles from the Company armory. The small Northeast Texas town was close-knit, with not too many branches in family trees.
SP Fumbducks ETS’d a few months later. His squad leader got 20 good NG years about the same time and retired. The platoon sergeant later transferred to a tank company in Dallas. Porter’s LT went active duty. The battalion commander later became brigade commander and then somewhere in division command. Our CO commanded two more companies, but was relieved after a couple of months at the third company. He said the battalion did not show good judgment. “It took them three company commands by me before they decided I was incompetent.” A month after his relief, a tank battalion commander called and said, “I need a good S1 and I hear you might be available.”
The company was at Fort Hood, three days before the end of Annual Training, individual platoons going through a four-kilometer long obstacle course. The course was not four kilometers of one obstacle, but a series of obstacles – go over, under or through this one and then move dismounted to the next obstacle.
The final obstacle was low crawl under barbed wire while an M60 machine gun fired overhead. The course was not dangerous or long, 30 or 40 meters wide. The M60 was on an elevated concrete platform and the gun locked in place, no elevation or depression or traverse possible. The gun fired about 10 feet over the obstacle, which meant somebody could stand up and jump up and down and not be hit. Maybe if somebody tall enough stood right in front of the gun and stuck his hand straight up and jumped up – maybe his hand would be hit.
For some reason, Porter’s lieutenant was with a group from another platoon. When the group was about halfway across the low crawl, SP Fumbducks stood up and said, “---- this ----“ and started walking to the far side. The M60 stopped firing. Porter’s LT yelled at SP Fumbducks. “Get down! Get down!” SP Fumbducks said, “---- you.”
The LT then ordered Fumbducks to complete the course. Fumbducks said, “---- you. I’ve got a knife and I know where you sleep.”
When returning to the company assembly area, the LT reported the incident to the company commander. The CO spoke with Fumbduck’s platoon sergeant and squad leader, both of whom were on the course and both of whom said the LT’s story was exactly what happened.
The CO went to the battalion commander, who agreed to court martial SP Fumbducks on a charge of threatening a commissioned officer. But not right then. A little more than two days remaining in AT, equipment and vehicle cleanup and turn-in, road march back to home station, etc. and so on.
The next month’s drill was at armories, thoroughly clean and inventory and store equipment. Logistical difficulties getting everybody concerned to battalion HQ, etc.
Next drill was at Camp Maxey. All the battalion together, no problem convening a court martial.
After daytime Saturday training, with platoons back at the company assembly area, Porter and I saw the CO standing beside his quarter-ton. He was not happy. We went over and asked about the court martial. The CO became almost white-hot mad.
“Not guilty,” he said.
“What!!”
In the two months since Annual Training, SP Fumbducks’ platoon sergeant and squad leader had decided their soldier had not threatened the lieutenant. The lieutenant was wrong. SP Fumbducks had not said “---- you,” nor, “I’ve got a knife and I know where you sleep.”
The board decided not to believe the lieutenant.
Porter and I both were speechless.
The CO then said the battalion commander was considering recommending SP Fumbducks for OCS.
“Then,” he said, “the battalion commander asked about the rampant racial prejudice in this company.”
“WHAT?!!!” Porter and I said.
The CO nodded. “I asked him where he had heard that, and he said from SP Fumbducks.”
That platoon was a detachment of the Company, with its own armory more than 60 miles from the Company armory. The small Northeast Texas town was close-knit, with not too many branches in family trees.
SP Fumbducks ETS’d a few months later. His squad leader got 20 good NG years about the same time and retired. The platoon sergeant later transferred to a tank company in Dallas. Porter’s LT went active duty. The battalion commander later became brigade commander and then somewhere in division command. Our CO commanded two more companies, but was relieved after a couple of months at the third company. He said the battalion did not show good judgment. “It took them three company commands by me before they decided I was incompetent.” A month after his relief, a tank battalion commander called and said, “I need a good S1 and I hear you might be available.”
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Let's hear it for AT&T!
In a grocery store a couple of weeks ago my wife decided to use her Very Intelligent Phone to access a recipe on the internet. The VIP refused to connect to the internet.
My wife called the AT&T tech support number. A woman answered. My wife explained the problem – she was in a grocery store and her VIP refused to connect to the internet.
The AT&T support person said, “Why do you need to access the internet?”
Although at first surprised by the question, my wife replied, “Because internet access is part of my plan. Because I am paying for it.”
The AT&T person said, “No, I mean why do you need internet access right now?”
There are all kinds of responses to that question, the most logical: “Because I want it now.”
My wife is a calm and kind woman, though, so she explained she needed to look up a recipe.
“Oh,” said the AT&T phone answerer. “Wait just a couple of minutes and log on to your email and click the link that says you are connected.”
It worked, but AT&T might want to check some of those “Your call may be monitored …” things.
My wife called the AT&T tech support number. A woman answered. My wife explained the problem – she was in a grocery store and her VIP refused to connect to the internet.
The AT&T support person said, “Why do you need to access the internet?”
Although at first surprised by the question, my wife replied, “Because internet access is part of my plan. Because I am paying for it.”
The AT&T person said, “No, I mean why do you need internet access right now?”
There are all kinds of responses to that question, the most logical: “Because I want it now.”
My wife is a calm and kind woman, though, so she explained she needed to look up a recipe.
“Oh,” said the AT&T phone answerer. “Wait just a couple of minutes and log on to your email and click the link that says you are connected.”
It worked, but AT&T might want to check some of those “Your call may be monitored …” things.
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