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I suspect this was run of the mill theivery. I'm ready as anyone to pounce on the antiwar crowd (as a former Army recruiter) but I didn't see anything that would indicate that "peace protesters" did this. No slogans mentioned or anything like that. I think the target was the TV and who knows why a thief would pick up a flag, but crooks by definition are kinda stupid.

posted by XBradTC on March 29, 2008 11:22 AM

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Hope they rot in hell. Just my $.02

posted by sandman6actual on March 29, 2008 7:27 PM

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XBradTC, you're too kind. Cincinnati suburb, same same terrorist wannabee. Probably had his che t-shirt on for "good luck".

posted by John Cunningham on March 30, 2008 6:37 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Slowly wending its way into the 21st Century, the Great Hall Echo goes *visual*...

posted by BillT on March 29, 2008 7:38 AM

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... and the horse.

Cheers

posted by J.M. Heinrichs on March 30, 2008 12:32 AM

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We had a working dog that frequented our TOC that was involved in a lot of air assault operations and they had "doggles" for him. Honest to God that is what they are called, "doggles".

posted by Outlaw 13 on March 30, 2008 11:36 AM

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typical Chem geek; shows up clueless at the TOC wearing spaz-glasses....

..and i bet the poor pooch gets stuck doing the monthly USR.

posted by MajMike on April 1, 2008 8:38 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Argghhh! your name is not brevity...
LMAO

posted by AFSister on March 28, 2008 11:45 AM

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My Cuss-O-Meter rating was 5.2% because I prefer innuendo. LOL I am not bothering with the verbosity test since I know my severe ADD keeps most of my stuff brief.

posted by Maggie on March 28, 2008 11:50 AM

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innuendo??

this isn't gonna turn into another breeches and thongs post, is it?

posted by MajMike on March 28, 2008 12:24 PM

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Why do we need rulez? Why can't we function like wild animals in the pristine and noble natural environment which will provide us the ultimate socialist utopia where no war, starvation, or discomfort could reach?

posted by Ymarsakar on March 28, 2008 2:17 PM

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Because when I didn't have any Rulez, this place was fulla war and discomfort!

This is Farnham's Freehold!

Hmmmm... that brings up an idea for a sign along the road up to the Castle Moat.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 2:22 PM

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I'll take the blame. I have a lot to say and you all are the only ones who listen (read) most of the time (well, when you're not skimmin' and passin').

I can't help that I'm a blog emoter.

posted by kat-missouri on March 28, 2008 2:28 PM

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Nounacity is sensed as a conjunction between it's non-presence and it's lack of immediacy.

Cheers

posted by J.M. Heinrichs on March 28, 2008 3:05 PM

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JMH - it's a Friday afternoon and you made me *think*.

Stop that.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 3:12 PM

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Samantha Allen’s 'road kill' is a good song. She has a good voice and her work is professionally studio mixed. Her lead guitarist has some great licks (I assume it’s Greg Young ).

Somebody could Wikipedia her up and give her more exposure (and I’ll stop before the thong thing starts).

posted by Ledger on March 28, 2008 8:16 PM

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I have 0% cussing and the posts are 63% shorter than average. Of course 0% cussing is easy when there's hardly any posts.

posted by Trias on March 28, 2008 9:02 PM

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Good thing no one here has Tourettes. The Cuss-O-Tastic would be a couple of ticks higher.

Still, I could cuss in Spanish or Italian if you wish. Doubt the Cuss-O-Tron would understand.

posted by Boquisucio on March 29, 2008 9:10 AM

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You don't want to listen to what they say. The gods instruct the computer to use temptation to test us. Your best case senario is to recapture your innocence and strive for purity:::Flanders in on the Simpsons FOR A REASON!!! Barring that you need to think and interperet their clues yourself and stop listening to the inaccurate senarios they feed you.

Children go to "heaven". They must behave apprioriately, think correctly and be genuinely god-fearing. Their innocence is their superiority, reflected in the favor in which the gods hold them.
Religions teach that old people to go to heaven when they die. They don't. Old people are reincarnated. It's children who go to heaven.
Children are discounted by adults in society. This is nothing new, for adults have always minimized the wisdom of children.
The gods corrupt people as they age, use trust-building tactics and soon these adults view the children as ignorant, yet to understand the god's system. Ironically, quite the opposite it true:::
The wisdom the gods impart to children, either through their innocence/purity or (religious-based) educational pursuits, are the gods sharing the truth with their most favored people. They teach children to have faith. Understanding the god's geographical clues hurts people because they illustrate negative things.
It's the children whom the gods teach the right way for it is the children who still have a chance.

Females are better people than males
Historically the role of females was as enforcers of decency. Men have god's disfavor and enagage in behavior damaging to themselves and their families. Women who adhered to this crucial role helped the men understand and avoid inappropriate behavior while enhancing decency in their domestic environment. These women sacrifice to help the disfavored:::They are like Jews, scattered throughout Europe to help the misled Christians.
Many disfavored groups embrace "paternalistic superiority" and believe the men are "entitled"::::;If Italian women tried to enforce decency the men beat and raped them.
The gods subsequently used this Italian charecterisitic to corrupt other morbidly disfavored groups, legitimizing this and other associated behavior.

Forgiveness:::Some Meditereanean preaches the virtues of "forgiveness". I guess. It was their kind who fucked up Planet Earth.
The Jesus who preached forgiveness was evil, the same Jesus backed by the god's powers via miracles.
"Eye for an eye makes the world blind." Oh, no::::"Eye for an eye" conditions people and forces them to behave appropriately.
One goal of the Iraq War was to eliminate Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein was an OUTSTANDING leader for the disfavored Iraqis. He kept the peace among the grossly disfavored which, once US pullout is complete, may never be achieved again.
If Saddam Hussein was assigned American urban ghettos the blacks whom resided there would become decent, and their children would have a real opportunity to ascend where none exists today.
"Forgiveness" is yet another dynamic of Christianity which is preditory.
This current environment where the gods punish evil covertly enables the perception of evil rewarded and the indecnecy that results produces a planet which is not sustainable.

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There is one geographic clue I have not addressed in years:::Uranus, a planet tilted 90 degrees on its axis. I have stated in years past that I think this is yet another geographic clue offered by the gods, this one suggesting the fate of planet Earth, that tectonic plate subduction would be the method of disposal:::Earth’s axis will shift breaking continental plates free and initiating mass subduction.
Undesirables will either perish in the government marijuana erradication program "gone awry" or be the recipients of reparations granted by the US government because of it.
Or both.
I believe the New Testiment battle of the Anti-Christ and the Second Coming of Christ will ocurr in subsequent years SPECIFICALLY because these people will be distracted with the money during the event.
When the Earth's axis shifts people will be cast into outer space with gold cards in hand.
I think this was foreshadowed on an episode of the Simpsons where Homer and Bart are on the disfavored ship and eject, only to experience a sense of euphoria, expand then explode in the vacuum of space.

Recall I recently brought up the possible Manifest Destiny-positioned Chinese invasion of the United States (west coast) upon economic abandonment by their clone host tools (economic destruction and deterioration.mp3). They have mentioned this in years past.
Newspaper just made a curious change where they combined the sports and business sections, and to properly read the business section you need to read "backward". Like Asian languages.
Tariffs. The gods are instruct their tools to defend open free trade, as they will to the bitter end. The gods have a script and they need economic (d)evolution sufficient to justify what they have scripted for our future, so they use their tools to adamantly defend this concept of fair trade::::The time for tariffs has long since past.
Recently they have stated that the Chinese are holding US paper. Some patriot W is, selling US debt to communists. Perhaps the invasion will be a way to "redeem" these bonds after they've fallen into default.
Incidentally, the Chinese recalls (lead-based paint on toys, toothpaste, etc) may be in preparation for this invasion, a tactic esuring a percentage of disfavored affected will fight to the bitter end.
I've recently stated how the gods will use the Japanese as role models to the Chinese as China becomes increasingly Westernized. Expect a cultural movement celebrating Japanese culture in decades prior, much as we witnessed in the west in the past.
If we do witness a Chinese invasion on American soil don't be surprised if the very same tactics the Japanese employed on the Chinese will be used on us. Lack of empathy is a dynamic the gods will find important in the context of justification, niggers:::
I've recently stated how the gods will use the Japanese as role models to the Chinese as China becomes increasingly Westernized.
Feedback II.wav
Recall how Americans so frequently laughed at the French for their lack of military response when confronted by the Nazi army. To resist would have been suicide. Their reaction was appropriate. The opposite would be one as we witnessed in Vietnam. These are morbidly disfavored Asians and take great pride in their resistance. The gods DO use their pride in resistance by positioning in appropriate temptation, ensuring minimal sucess.
If events transpire I recommend you respond like the French and not like the Vietnamese. If this is a west coast event it may not have serious effect but if it is nationwide the United States will lose over a hundred million in the South and midwest.

It doesn't matter. McCain doesn't have a chance. Osama's too good. The debates will be one-sided. He has a better chance against Hillary. I can get into the explanation that the gods only use their power to hurt the disfavored, but you've already heard it. Consistant with this, expect gas to climb to $4 if not $5 this summer, ensuring the election is delivered to the wrong candidate::::They've used the price of gas to punish the people for electing the wrong person. In addition, public response to recent poor economic reports ensures conservative behavior, another factor which is intentionally damaging to McCain's chances.
IN 2000 you didn't have a choice, and they sent this clue very nicely with proceedings surrounding the election (just like the 2008 Democratic candidate due to Superdelegates!!!). But 2004 was different. In an ironic twist it will be just the opposite this year, where the gods use the price of gas and run-down economy diverts you TO their prefered candidate. It's ocurring intentionally for this purpose.
You idiot redneck political types are the chumps here. 1998::::Something for everybody. Clinton's impeachment was for people like you. ANYTIME the kids support a candidate it is a RED FLAG, and they supported Clinton in 1992.
It is VERY important that you think clearly::::::::It's important you differentiate between your thoughts and when the computer thinks through you. They've led many into Damnation with this tactic.
Both Clinton and Osama have redwhite&blue campaign signs. John McCain's is blue and white.
McCain's our man.
After 2003 John McCain stated his opposition to the war. Despite this pro-war "party line" he must adhere to as the Republican candidate I'd like this used during the campaign. Without it he is finished.
"McCain's a dinosaur." So was matchmaking. So was decency.
People don't understand this issue. They see Osama and think he's the best candidate because he's appears to have more favor. Never look for consistancy, for Artificial Intelligence is infinitly dynamic:::They make W sound like an idiot when he speaks for a different reason. Also, "sumbling" and "idiot" likely have separate meanings associated. Sorry. It's not supposed to be easy.
The gods have their plan and they aren't going to allow any "do-gooders" interfere with how they intend to proceed:::When they put forth good they create tactics to play off the public's misconceptions::::Make him stumble over his words, etc. The gods send this clue in the Situation:::I'm trying to help people and they ruin my delivery to ensure the number of people who are receptive is minimized.
Don't forget::::The gods will create the perception of favor then corrupt the disfavored with it. My example is Mormons who have the appearance of favor. The gods use this to corrupt the others, even use it to enhance the ranks of LDS. And if any of you LDS think that "We've changed." can look to the Catholic Church as the roots of Christianity to help you understand.
Yes both candidates are clone hosts. Yes the gods will switch them out to justify them being good or evil, depending on how the script reads. But much as I explained this "multi-dimentional" thinking is not for you. The gods use this as a corruptor. They'll sell this, lie to the disfavored and use this as temptation.
"Your child is Hitler. Fuck him over." is just one example:::If you don't do the best you can for your children the gods will punish you.
This is the life into which you've been placed. This is the life on which you will be judged.

In case you are still interested in the god's Planet Earth theater, favored redwhite&blue is a MAJOR player, and their favor is significant to justify not only the destruction of my life but the destruction of the Final Prophet and Planet Earth as well::::
Favored redwhite&blue is the true enemy of the people. I suspect consistant with this they are positioned responsible for the environmental deterioration that the repression of alternate technologies has wrought.
The gods put their positioning into place and then enforce it:::Christianity, Manifest Destiny, Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis, 1906's New Roman Empire. I suspect World War II's Nazi ideals of "Aryan superrace" is another example of the gods getting their tools into place for the theater that will be the Apocalypse.
Because of their status as enemies of the New Roman Empire the germans are going to be positioned as the destructors, similar to how they were portrayed in World War II.
Don’t be surprised if favored redwhite&blue turns out to be the Anti-Christ and leads the Fourth Reich, fulfilling this positioning and proving to the world the destructive nature of this economic system. This may not be exactly how their script reads, but the god's have a BIG SURPRISE like this to spring on the disfavored, and it will contain an insult like this as a clue NOT to watch this theater::::::Expect they will fulfill some contrived positioning foreshadowed in WorldWarII:::Some American plays the role of hero and emerges as the Second Coming of Christ for this final scene.
Who will it be? Italian? Look for at least the mother to be Italian, consistant with matrilineal descent, allowing the New Roman Empire to claim the Second Coming of Christ. It’s all just theater. The gods don't admit any of this because people woudl freak, especially as we approached the big day.

People may say “How can they poisiton favored redwhite&blue in as the Anti-Christ?” It may be consideration. Don’t forget:::They prey on enemies of the Roman Empire out of respect for their Manifest Destiny superiors.
The gods positioning the Italians gave it to him for his loyalty. They gave it to him for his efforts to defeat alternate technologies/energy sources, ensuring the people would be delivered to the point of desperation.
It’s all theater. The gods position it that the New Roman Empire is dooling out the “big prizes”, and Anti-Christ is a big role. Likely the gods position it as it buys him immortality in the context of this absentee-Christian god positioning. The “help” of this “back hand” is the gods positioned that he needs this to achieve immortality because of all the evil he engaged in during the course of his life, building his organizational empire.

There is a issue with timing and the beginning of construction of disfavored redwhite&blue's center, one where this company looks bad.
I personally believe the favored redwhite&blue is the element of favor necessary for my failure, for if it were just the disfavored redwhite&blue involved the gods would have let them fry and we would have had a full-blown prophet event, one where our “absentee Christian god” emerged and revealed themselves.
In addition favored redwhite&blue had to maintain appearances. Disfavored redwhite&blue is Italian and was VERY involved in the 20th century's ugliness.
My life was destroyed becuase the gods had to create unrespecability in the context of positioning. Evident by their easily-discovered evil, disfavored redwhite&blue wouldn't have cared if I was respectable or not, for they were involved in great evil against the respectable.
Favored redwhite&blue is why I am fat. Favored redwhite&blue is why I was sedintary, for if I were respectable the gods wouldn't have been able to position favored redwhite&blue into the Situation. Because of their ethnicity they get the priveledge of looking good. This is one reason why they got that prior knowledge and constructed their center before the Situaiton began::::Favored redwhite&blue is the TRUE Enforcer.
Incidentally, in the course of this Situation the gods made many movies, using daily events in my life as inspiration. One of note:::Unhappy about the god's behavior in the context of this event, while in favored redwhite&blue's facility I looked at their mascot and flippantly declared::::"Why don't you make a movie about these things?" Two years later ____ came out.
They won't admit this because favored redwhite&blue has to maintain their reputation based on integrity, any creative claims countering this truth were attemtpts to protect this, for this movie was unseemly and was very telling about the direction the gods were taking the people.
And, as an added bonus they had their scapegoat without actually compensating him!!! Welcome to the pathology of the gods.
In case you are still interested in the god's Planet Earth theater, favored redwhite&blue is a MAJOR player, and their favor is significant to justify not only the destruction of my life but the destruction of the Final Prophet and Planet Earth as well::::
Favored redwhite&blue is the true enemy of the people. I suspect consistant with this they are positioned responsible for the environmental deterioration that the repression of alternate technologies has wrought.
The gods put their positioning into place and then enforce it:::Christianity, Manifest Destiny, Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis, 1906's New Roman Empire. I suspect World War II's Nazi ideals of "Aryan superrace" is another example of the gods getting their tools into place for the theater that will be the Apocalypse.
Because of their status as enemies of the New Roman Empire the germans are going to be positioned as the destructors, similar to how they were portrayed in World War II.
Don’t be surprised if favored redwhite&blue turns out to be the Anti-Christ and leads the Fourth Reich, fulfilling this positioning and proving to the world the destructive nature of this economic system. This may not be exactly how their script reads, but the god's have a BIG SURPRISE like this to spring on the disfavored, and it will contain an insult like this as a clue NOT to watch this theater::::::Expect they will fulfill some contrived positioning foreshadowed in WorldWarII:::Some American plays the role of hero and emerges as the Second Coming of Christ for this final scene.
Who will it be? Italian? Look for at least the mother to be Italian, consistant with matrilineal descent, allowing the New Roman Empire to claim the Second Coming of Christ.

This entire event was something special, and consistant with segmentation they lied to different disfavored based on their chances :::Saved or The Damned.
To The Damned I am an enemy of the Roman Empire, someone to be destroyed and used, and if the disfavored found that acceptable it worsened their lot, costed them hope and was a clue any recovery would be a very tough road to hoe.
The saved saw other clues, boss, natural calamities, and it gave rise to me as a possible historical figure. The gods offered clues that neither "savior" nor "new king of Earth" was possible, for Christianity positioning is going to be fulfilled and Earth has to die.
I don't think we were ever talking about Second Coming of Christ in public circles, for this would have implied The End and that would have compelled people to freak. But in the context of private positioning, perhaps to clone hosts in The Beast, certainly to me, there may have been some connection::::
Jesus of course was Jew, and they positioned this was a competition, reasoning "Since the Jews got Jesus they get this too.", and that's why I was hired by the Jew. Expect this was a way to enhance the theater among the disfavored.
So positioning states by delivering me to these New Roman Empire monsters they knew I'd get fucked, and in the process forfeit this historical role, to the Jews, perhaps an Italian, for Italians granted "charity wealth" to Jews for planning/implimenting WWII and the Holocaust.
In light of this "New Roman Empire", since Christianity's HQ is in Rome expect the Italians played some part in this historical, religious context.
They suggested this event may already may have happened. If so this was the FAKE battle of good and evil, FAKE battle between the Second Coming of Christ and the Anti-Christ. They suggest the phoniness about it which was communicated to the disfavored telepathically was a clue. Ironically, this Situation is the REAL battle of good and evil, me vs. the gods.
When the REAL battle of the Second Coming of Christ and Anti-Christ occurrs it will be theater, a staged event, and the Second Coming of Christ will "lead out" a pre-selected group, all of whom sign on to the god's Christianity positioning, ironically incurring evil by participating and limiting their time in the process.
Italians:::"(We're all that. We deserve Second Coming.)" And they're going to get it.
The Boot will fuck you yet again::::People know Jesus isn't the son of god, yet this is what the Bible dictates as requirement to be saved.
Those whom the Second Coming will "lead out" will be a pre-selected group. But the "hangers on", people who think they will be included by claiming to be believers will be disappointed. They will be mislead, left behind, The Boot's final victims on Planet Earth.
This is unimportant, irrelevant, because much like the creation of the perception of "savior" around Jesus to distract from his original purpose the gods used their tools to create this theater around me to prevent the disfavored from learning what I teach:::The Boot has fucked the disfavored twice, once when they ruined life in the 20th century, again when they were used to CHEAT you out of the Final Prophet.
The gods use their tools to impliment their script then punish them for falling for temptation. Welcome to the pathology of the gods.

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Life used to be hard. People had to walk a mile to draw water. There was no refridgeration or canned foods. Now life is easy, but only in terms of life's "basic necessities".
The "salvation" dynamic is quite the opposite:::We paid for our easy lives with our very souls.
Life IS hard now. The gods have used their clone host tools to create the perception of evil rewarded (Italians, Japanese, etc) and then corrupted the disfavored with it. (Expect Asian Westernization is met with a European-style short memory span, allowing the gods to use their historical enemy, the Japanese, to corrupt Asians as they used the Italians to corrupt us).
Before life was easier, more simple, innocent, pure. Employing these temptations ensured corruption is EXTREMELY difficult to overcome, a tactic which progressively ensures fewer disfavoreds repair their relationship with the gods.

14 domesticable animals in the history of Planet Earth. None for Africa. In effect the gods were telling blacks:::::"Eat dirt."
Get a clue::::They don't like you. They're playing you for chumps.
Blacks have forgotten their history. Italians preyed on them in the 20th century. They were slaves. The gods sent Pharroh in to rape, pillage and plunder.
Jews have had a difficult history, but they developed empathy. As a result they tried to help the disfavored with 1492 exodus from Spain, scattered throughout Europe, etc.
Blacks would be wise to examine this and try to emulate Jewish empathy.

The clone hosting of Jesus.wav:::
Much as we saw with another Mediterreanean prophet Mohammed the gods switched Jesus (good) and placed evil within the clone host so the gods could accomplish their goals::::Polygamy/misogyny and the creation of "savior" via Christianity.
As I share:::Anytime the gods use their powers it is only to hurt you. "Miracles" are such an example. The gods only use their powers to disceive and mislead people as we all witness in different ways in each of our lives. Jesus's miracles are a clue the gods were preying upon the disfavored.
I suspect the teachings of good Jesus came in his 20s. Due to the unrespectability of Christianity, illustrated at least partially with Europe's Sheep, I wonder if we ever did get a good Jesus before the age of 30.
There is significant respectability among Muslims, and this may be reflected in the monagamous Mohammed.
Every religion offers something which help people understand::: Reincarnation (Hindu), vengeful/wrathful god (Islam), etc.
If you are afraid it is a good sign, for the gods are helping show you the right way to think. Don't forget:::The gods lie to you, tell you Jesus is the "savior" but he floated up into the sky ALL ALONE!!! He didn't save the disciples nor his precious mother. This is a clue from the gods helping you understand that you have to save yourselves.

The Holocaust was foreshadowing.
The gods established the pattern::::: the Jews sacrifice to help the disfavored understand::::
1. 1492 exodus from Spain. Spain became evil - financed Columbus, initiated missionaries, USA (dumping ground of disfavored, victimized by god), etc.
2. Spread throughout Europe as clue to Christians worshipping a false god.
3. "Quasi-Holocaust claim" contradicting boss.
4. 5. 6. 7. etc. etc. etc.
I have put forth indisputable evidence, as you see above with the Jews. The gods will never admit any of it is true, ever, especially since THE BIGGEST JEWISH CLUE IS STILL OUTSTANDING::::THE HOLOCAUST!!!!!
YOU HAVE TO DEFY!!!! The gods suggested the importance of defiance with the Holocaust:::The soldiers should have defied.
They will lie to the disfavored up until the bitter end::::This tactic will ensure they claim a HUGE percentage of the disfavored, for so many refuse to defy and this will ensure they don't go.
When the REAL Holocuast happens people will sit by idley and watch tens of millions of blacks/cholos/white trash die, people who are the way they are (abusive, abrasive, violent, criminal) BECAUSE of their disfavor, and the computer makes them like that because of it, yet another reason why empathy is so important.
The Jews showed you boss wasn't going to happen with the Quasi-Holocaust claim. They will emphasize to the bitter end that there is no pattern of Jewish clues. They do so because there is still one clue outstanding, the most important clue:::::World War II's Holocaust.
The gods established the pattern:::The Jews sacrifice to help you understand::::1492 fled Spain, scattered throughout Europe to help the misled Christians understand, the Holocuast.
The Jews sacrificed to show you boss wasn't going to happen. When the Jews offer a clue you need to listen, and the Holocaust is the BIGGEST Jewish clue ever, the clue still outstanding.

The Holocaust's clue of defiance escaped you all:::::Everyone condemnes the blind obedience of the Nazi soldiers yet repeats this same behavior in your own personal lives, complying with every request they ask, even in the case of your precious children.
ONE PURPOSE OF THE HOLOCAUST WAS TO COMMUNICATE THIS CLUE!!!! COMPLIANCE IS A MISTAKE!!!!!
EVERYBODY does what they're told, and look how bad society is deteriorated. THIS IS A CLUE!!!
Telepathic requests constitute temptation.

Much like matchmaking, much like so many social norms and mores the gods granted the people, they offered "prejudice" in the early days of this intermixing known as 20th century America.
They told you to avoid Italians and blacks for good reason::::They are SO disfavored there is NOTHING either group won't do. They will comply with every request. I know you people will too, in err, ignorant of or disregarding the god's laws, but the difference was THE GODS WILL ASK THEM!!! You had too much favor for the gods to request such damaging behavior, at least until you became indecent too.
Prejudice was good for everyone, for it ensured little opportunity for the gods to request, segregation and separation being common. It granted blacks especially more time to fix their problems and try to ascend, escaping this societal deterioration of the last 40+ years.
As the people became increasingly indecent as the 20th century wore on so did we lose this precious benefit bestowed by the gods, opening the door for evil to befall us and for fatal evil to be incurred by the morbidly disfavored.
Much like god's law in holy books, "segregation" was favor bestowed upon the people::::The gods granted favor when they "segregated" us into our own areas of the world. This favor has been reversed not only within the context that is the United States but also with immigration witnessed throughout western Europe (and elsewhere?).
Prior to civil rights blacks had their own press. In the absence of civil rights these entities would have grown into legitimate media outlets serving the black community.
Maintaining segregation would have produced economic entities which arose from within the black community to fill the demand for goods and services.
The presence of these "black industrialists" would have FORCED the gods to factor them into positioning, producing voices in support of the black community and preventing the gods from inflicting ALL THE SICKNESS WE HAVE WITNESSED IN THE last few decades::Crack babies, drive-by shootings, AIDS in Africa!!!
The fastest growing industry in the ghetto is the oldest profession on Earth.

The homosexual AIDS event happened because of their behavior in the SanFranciscio bathhouses.
Italian claim to infamy is they destroyed life on earth. Irish claim is they prey on their own family members. Which one's worse? Just as the gods targetted certain Italians for the degredation of life in the 20th century so did the do the same for the Irish, as I know all too well.
Catholicism masculinized women. You have been warned:::CATHOLICS ARE BAD FOR YOU!!!

I wonder how much the gods used the Green Bay geographic clue on the perpetually stupid Italians and used it to minimize abuses that otherwise would have ocurred?? "Sexual inadequecies of the men." positioning may have justified "going easy" on a larger population of germans in the United States. All we need to do is look to blacks, enemies of the Roman Empire who were fucked wholesale, to see unabated abuses.
The hypersexual laughing at superior life forms, ridiculing their favor.
Incidentally, they share some of them will remain "perpetually stupid". They are the Italians who crossed that line from person to preditor in the 30s, and they're going to be on Planet Earth come Judgement Day, except in a non-Italian body, due to the god's Manifest Destiny positioning of the New Roman Empire. Poetic justice.
If I were king they would be the Italians who were pushed into it, for those who thought 1906 was a good idea would already be gone::::You suck.wav.

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Hell's Angels is yet another element to emerge from Oakland, the upper incisor of TheBeast, designed for ripping and tearing flesh. One element that links TheDamned, no matter the skin color:::::Violence.

Fifth Season of Simpsons.
Moe in group therapy for general public at school. He has a thought of Moe as a child wondering why adult Moe doesn't speak with his Italian accent anymore?
They are filth. But they sent this clue when they shaped their country like a boot.
Incidentally, Italy looks like a high-heeled transsexual's boot. Don't be surprised if this is a dumping ground for select individuals.
The gods love their irony.
Moe is like the Italians whom set up the San Fernando Valley as the pornography capital that it is.

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The rebirth of the 20th century's New Roman Empire is positioned to be a clue Christianity is the one true religion, contributing to the god's Manifest Destiny positioning.
It5 also worked as a WONDERFUL corruptor with Italians, the disfavored's enemies who subscribed to this shit and intentionally paved the way for the impending Apocalypse with the social deterioration witnessed in the 20th century. This is probably where the reputation "Italians are stupid." comes from. "Don't let your daughters date Italians." is something else.
The gods offered you The Boot AS A WARNING TO AVOID THIS DANGER!!!

Just as AA meetings proves the gods will enforce their psychoanalysis positioning so does Manifest Destiny/New Roman Empire proves they will enforce their Christianity positioning.
Planet Earth will die EXACTLY as it reads in the Book of Revelations.
I was never going to save you. Nobody is. Just as they created polygamy around Mohammed so did they create the perception of savior around Jesus, designed to distract you from the true purpose of the prophet Jesus.
And now you won't listen to me either.
Due to the unrespectability of Christianity, illustrated at least partially with Europe's Sheep, I wonder if we ever did get a good Jesus before the age of 30.
There is significant respectability among Muslims, and this may be reflected in the monagamous Mohammed.

Much as with the Sigmund Freud psychoanalysis positioning the gods will too enforce their Manifest Destiny/Christianity positioning.
They created the theater by giving me things like Boss and movies and other elements of the $100 billion. Calling these entities on their evil negates the positioned support of these organizations, which is and always was the god's strategy for closure in the Situation.
They lie, say I "saved" evil Italians, whom they say would not have been going because of the evil they inflicted upon the disfavored. Fingering this Italian shit allows the gods to position wiping that slate clean::::
The gods will create the perception of evil rewarded by managing good and evil within their clone host tools then corrupt the disfavored with it.

This is all part of the god's Manifest Destiny theater, created using these clone host tools whom they rotate on a schedule based on use.
Just like Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis they will enforce their Manifest Destiny/Christianity positioning as well:::People aren't homosexual. They're not alcoholics. They're pushed into wanting it. That there are AlcoholicsAnonymous meetings occuring all across the planet proves the gods are going to enforce this lie. Similarly, the gods used some of their tools within this economic system to illustrate an "appeasement" of their Manifest Destiny superiors through preditory behavior upon enemies of this new "Roman Empire".

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Asians are the gods most favored race. It is evident in their uniformity. It is evident in their cultures.
The gods place high barriers to entry for (some) Asians into the United States. This is yet another good example of reverse positioning, for the gods are really trying to protect those whom they grant favor upon.
There are no barriers to entry for Latinos.
When white people capitalize or exploit Asians they incurr and one day will be punished. This includes Chinese buffet restaurants, so prevalient in disfavored cities and the Southern United States, for the gods hate these people and want them to incurr.

US popular culture is obsence. Intentionally. The gods are preying on the disfavored who remain, those foolish enough to participate.
The Chinese have favor and the gods allow the government to protect the citizens, but Chinese cut-off is fast approaching, for soon westernization will level this playing field as well.
This is yet another "BIG LIE" they sold to the disfavored, and it will ensure the homogination of Earth's cultures via westernization.

The gods still make effort through the Chinese government to protect the Chinese people. We hear about it in the United States, their Manifest Destiny/reverse positioning is used to label it "human rights violations", paving the way for cancer that is democracy.
Much as we saw in the United States regarding matchmaking, midwivery, female conservative dress and other topics, this tactic will slowly deteriorate this protection until China is completely infested with Westernization.

If you lived in a communisitic state your 10 year old son wouldn't be able to see pornographic images on the internet. The government would have filters in place to protect the people from this damaging behavior.
Much like alcoholism, much like homosexuality the gods punish the people with magic.
These desires you have are going to keep you out. I recommend you begin working on your problems, for if you don't and are among those who are invited to Planet (Temptation) Manifest Destiny it will be very difficult, for life is fueled by magic up there, and if you don't think right you won't be staying for long.

The gods are sending a clue Yahoo is good with this Chinese censorship issue.
The American idea of freedom is a shock rocker anally masterbating with a crucifix. This is what the disfavored are free to enjoy in this open society, and due to their disfavor a certain percentage will either be pushed into it or will comply, ensuring damnation. It's kind of like the KKK and Apartheid issue below except for whites of the modern era, or how democracy ensures a false sense of security.

Like other groups the gods have offered temptations the Chinese must avoid. There are specific temptations targetted to the Chinese, very concerning in light of god's Manifest Destiny positioning:::Exploiting the corporate establishment allows the gods to position exclusion:::
1. Piracy (movies, software, etc).
2. Gambling, very popular among Asians (unrespectability).
3.
Chinese censorship is an important benefit the gods bestowed. The communisit government protects the people from damaging media, so destructive in the West and particularly the United States:::Our 9-year-old children are free to view internet pornography, allowing the gods to justify creating disturbing pathologies with Artificial Intelligence as the children age.
These strict enviornments help the disfavored think correctly, foster fear, enabling them to have an improved relationship with the gods, the "kings with the iron fist" in the sky.
In an environment like theirs it is relatively easy to identify the corruptors among them:::Knowingly or not they actively lobby against this environment which seeks to preserve the China of old. Use these clues as you would the god's geographic clues, Italy's Boot and the Scandanavian penis, and avoid the god's tools of corruption.

As China came "on-line" industrially, favored redwhite&blue's repression of alternative technologies is being felt hard.
They are positioned to have repressed non-fossil fuel technologies (like cold fusion. "That story meant something." c.1999?). As a result China industrialization has initiated fossil-fuel power plants, dirty coal-fired plants, instead of immediately implimenting clean power sources based on these new technologies.
Without these technologies in place for Chinese industrialization we lost our chance to control the runaway warming which is now positionable. And, as you know, when the disfavored open a door allowing the gods to inflict misery they use it.
This may have been the defining moment, god's clue to the disfavored showing that the world is going to die.

You're no longer Asian enjoying this rich culture. You are Westernized.
This year China experienced the misery of climate change with the extreme winter weather:::The gods will express their displeasure through Acts of god.wav. Don't be surprised if they are communicating this as well at the United States' biggest Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco:::HEAVY rain forecast for parade Saturday night February 23rd.
After parade:::Because I used this paragraph prior to the event the gods may have been affected the outcome, minimizing the impact of the storm so my audience didn't take this warning the gods had to offer, creating doubt and reducing my credibility among the Chinese.
They're paving the way for the Apocalypse with a "leveling of the playing field" event.

Incidentally, they've shared that Asian's appearance, which one can construe as evil, has significance.
I am personally of the opinion that Asians are god's favored race. The conformity, the learned cultures all suggest superiority.
Perhaps they are used much like the germans, a people whom the gods offer a clue through their language:::As enforcer of decency.
Your abuse of resources is being bettered exponentially, maliciously (courtesy of respression of alternative technologies), and the result will be global calamity.

You white people capitalizing in China are fucking crazy (just like the insane white men who date Japanese women). You fail to recognize the historical pattern and you will suffer for exploiting the Chinese:::
- Death Valley borax mines abused the Chinese and great misery befell them.
- The fisheries on Monterey's Cannery Row exploited the Chinese badly. Cannery Row remains a rebar-studded, uncompleted eyesore for decades as a clue.
The gods are preying on you and using the evil company you work for to accomplish this. Everytime you exploit the Chinese you are losing time and priveledge on the other planets.

The favor in Korea lies in the North. Association withe United States is ALWAYS a bad sign.
The Korean war ironically was a war against the South, designed to corrupt the disfavored of Korea. I suspect Vietnam may have been justified by the war against these favored peoples:::"You want to fight? Very well. Fight these people." The Vietnamese are morbidly disfavored who will fight to the bitter end of course (see below).

There have been many changes in India over the last 20+ years, most surrounding Westenization.
Too many still don't understand Westernization is a bad thing, a way the gods abuse the disfavored and level the playing field for all, ensuring their script is justified.
My advice is to keep fresh in your memory the old ways, for the gods illustrate that "new is evil" while "old is good".
Beware their corruptors. They placed them throughout society as America emerged and became strong. Don't let them weaken your moral fortitude. The gods placed them then use Artificial Intelligence to telepathically reinforce this corruption. This is their purpose. If you can identify these individuals you can avoid them and protect yourself from a corrupting environment.
Earth is where the gods test people. People from India are lucky enough to have received "extra time" to ascend before the gods employed all these corrupting elements. This means the old ways are still fresh in your mind. Never forget them because they can help you.

They share Hindus (and Muslim from India as well) are being corrupted by money.
Don't forget my example::::Infanticide justifies Chinese Westernization. Chinese Westernization justifies an American-style "short memory span".
The Chinese and Asians knew who their enemy was. Thousands of years of warmongering engrained the Japanese as enemies of peace-loving people. However, with the advent of Westernization the gods now are corrupting the Asians, ironically using the Japanese as role models in the process.
They are becoming corrupted. They've suggested Indians are being corrupted with money in this new era. The result will be simmilar American-style abuses upon the disfavored.
Between the two countries they make up half of Earth’s population. The gods are preparing for a full-blown Apocalypse event.

Think about the changes that have ocurred in India in the last 20 years. Better understanding the destructive changes the gods implimented can help you avoid danger.

ANY GROUP WHICH EMBRACES PATERNALISTIC SUERIORITY IS GROSSLY DISFAVORED::::
1. Italians
2. Latinos
3. Muslims
4. Mormons
5. Japanese
6. The Southern man & rednecks
7.
8. Other Catholic:::Irish, Philipino, Vietnamese?? Catholic women are masculinized.
Note the incredible wealth of some of these groups. The gods are using them as corruptors.

The gods use their tools to attack the Southern man, be it alcohol, the celebration of smoking, the complete devotion to guns and resistance, and their adoration of speed and horsepower. "There's all kinds of stuff." Paternalistic superiority. Celebration of the Prohibition era/illegal bootlegging as culture. The masculinization of women. Celebration of "Stars and Bars". Their perpetual music genre. Carnivoristic preferences. The celebration of infidelity. Their head-strong nature.
The gods used the 1980s televangelist incidents to promote godlessness among these people, a blow they couldn't afford to take.
Reality check:::The gods have it out for you. At least I hope this breaks that ice and helps you understand the task before you. You should be very alarmed that the gods have chose to employ such extensive use of temptation in an otherwise rural region.
I suspect your numbers won't be good due to your grave disfavor.
The more god-fearing you are, the more religious you are about attending service, the more modest and humble and the recognition that women are your superior will all go a LONG WAY towards the gods finding mercy enough to allow help.

The Spainish were Catholic like the Italians and Irish yet I don't recall them experiencing the same clues from the gods, clues warning people of their gross disfavor (stereotypes and discrimination).
Due to Spain's phenominal destruction in Latin America with conquistadors and missionary work I wonder if the gods continually use this to corrupt the Spanish to this day? They certainly do with Latinos.
Spain did pay for Columbus, right? Expect a connection. This is a Church issue rather than an Italian issue of course.
The gods employ their "middle management" tactic, as we all witness. Expect their positioning to continue into the past::::
I've mentioned before the "seamless" transistion between Cleopatra and Julius Ceasar. Perhaps they position this as if there was contact with Pharroh and they gave management duties to Egypt, who went on to use Italy, the Catholic Church, etc. in the course of their management.
Of course none of this is true, but it was utilized extensively during the 20th century. They may continue witrh this scapegoatting, "middle management" positioning::::Milky Way quadrant, Milky Way, universal quadrant, universal. They are effective tactics, ensuring people do not become god-fearing.
Sadly, consistant with the deterioration of society, necessary for justification, today people KNOW the gods run the show, and illustrating the evil they employ on the disfavored corrupts people very badly. They think god is evil, and they behave consistant with that belief. Now we have a planet on a collision course with the Apocalypse, and the gods set it all up perfectly that now it is justified.

Cartoon in editorial ridiculing W, standing in front of a depiction of a god of fertility, for bringing his message of abstenence to a hypersexual people.
Black people are their own worst enemy. Their goodies have gotten them into big trouble.
They've shared they got something special and they threw it away. Expect this focus on their goodies to have intiated this change, however long ago.
Consistant with their methodology, perhaps there is some truth to this "You're really #1." positioning they sell to blacks. Once.

The Boot has fucked you twice, once by destroying life in the 20th century, another by costing you the Final Prophet:::The gods got their tools into position then maintain their positioning telepathically with Artificial Intelligence.
The Boot fucked blacks twice, once with the murder and destruction of these supposed “Roman enemies”, another with the “thugification” of blacks, resulting in this degenerate black popular culture/society.
I fear the gods intend to use the enemy of peace-loving Asian people, the Japanese, to inflict misery twice:::Once historically, as the warmongers the Japanese have historically been and then once again as role models, held up as the ideal to Asians, corrupted by Westernization and capitalism. The gods punish Asians for embracing Westernization/capitalism by instructing Artificial Intelligence to use the wealthy Japanese as role models for "profitable" behavior.
This is the era of telepathic abuse. Whereas before these groups "got their hands dirty" now the gods use their positioning in place to finish the job off::::::
The gods create preferences/request black people embrace the Italian "thug life".
The gods telepathically execute the elements of this theater, ensuring people aren't receptive to my message. Much as we see with Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis the gods will enforce their Manifest Destiny positiong as well.

Black popular culture has embraced the charecteristics of their victimizers:::The "thug life".
"Drive-by shootings" origins are Italian.
The gods will reincarnate sexist men as pigs.

The difference between life in Europe vs the United States is similar to life in the suburbs vs the ghetto:::
Both the US and the ghetto have increased temptations, opportunities for people to hurt themselves and the result is both are far less decent.
The United States is less decent because this is where the gods sent the disfavored, the rejects from Europe, and those foolish enough to comply and leave on request.

25 years ago they made a telepathic announcement:::::"Black people have to try harder, do better than everybody else." This means no parties, no drinking, no drugs, no sex.

Just like Malcolm X & the Black Panthers, the Che Guevara event happened to prey upon Latinos.
Among others.

Latino homosexual explosion.
Like the NewWorld Catholic Philipinos. Look for it.
They may play it like they do blacks, but I don't think I'd take great comfort in this.

You need to understand the subtle, inferred way the gods communicate to people and begin to trust it::::::
The tiger killed the Latino. Now you understand where the gods hold Latinos in their heirarchy.
And expect both Muslims AND Hindus to be ranked above the unrespectable Catholics, incidentally.
Is this a clue to try to help them understand the gods hold them in such low regard? Is this a clue to Latinos to NOT fall into the same mindset which they sold to blacks? Of course ignorant blacks think they're great. Quite the opposite it true:::The Black Panthers are part of that "upper incisor of The Beast" clue, designed for ripping and tearing flesh.
Don't be surprised if they are offering foreshadowing with this event. They may be sharing that Latinos will be very poorly represented while Hindus/Indian Muslims will take a painful hit.
Perhaps it means if Latinos don't ascend before the Apocalypse they won't be going.

I made the zoo a winter wonderland. I'd trust the relevance here.
They parked Wilma on top of the southwest part of Cozumel FOR TWO FULL DAYS for the same reason, but with far more destructive results.

Fucking indecent horse racing commericals. They disappeared but now they're back.
I kinda like the one where she smacks him after seeing the "Misty" tattoo. "Some Latinos are getting in trouble because of that." Fantasizing about how they'd beat her half to death if it were them???
Don't forget::::The gods will reincarnate sexist men as pigs. Expect they have something extra special for then men who get violent with women.

Cuban-Castro tension::::You don't want to hear what I have to say.
Either you're sell-out whores doing what you're told like other morbidly disfavored or the god's positioning has been VERY effective on you. Explanation::::
1. You are inferior to your people in the motherland. By very nature of your being in the United States this is true:::The family members with favor remained in Cuba. The gods sent each country's rejects to America then created an enviornment which preys upon them.
2. I think the gods forced Cuban communism to send a clue to the disfavored of the United States. I believe Cubans are NOT FAVORED ENOUGH TO BE COMMUNISTS and that's why the gods employed compensatory elements to make you pay for something you are not worthy of:::
a. Any culture with baseball is grossly disfavored.
b. Music is revelry. Earth is where the gods test people. Parties hurt you.
Salsa may be the absolute greatest music form on Planet Earth, and it has served not only as a distraction but an enormous source of pride, pride detrimental to a good relationship with the gods.
I have other comments about communism and its implications below. Don't forget::::The gods will reincarnate sexist men as pigs. Expect they have something extra special for then men who get violent with women.

If you lived in a communisitic state your 10 year old son wouldn't be able to see pornographic images on the internet. The government would have filters in place to protect the people from this damaging behavior.
Much like alcoholism, much like homosexuality the gods punish the people with magic.
These desires you have are going to keep you out. I recommend you begin working on your problems, for if you don't and are among those who are invited to Planet (Temptation) Manifest Destiny it will be very difficult, for life is fueled by magic up there, and if you don't think right you won't be staying for long.

Dreamcatchers. Wisdom from Native Americans.
Dreams are a bad thing. They shared this with me right before they began to increase the number of my dreams. I suspect they used this as an example that my new, vivid dreams are punishment.
I suspect the gods consider dreams bad because the alternative is an awakened experience.
Girls granted favor will receive their experience awake. Boys (and disfavored girls) will experience the gods imparting wisdom while asleep, subject to the computer making these individuals forget, as happens so frequently after dreams.

Native Americans have a problem with paternalistic superiority, among other things:::
1. NO DOMESTICABLE ANIMALS
2. Essentially eliminated from the face of the Earth
3. Warmongering tribes.
I wonder what their intent with dreamcatchers was? Was it gender non-specific??? Or was this symbol's intent specifically for the females among a disfavored peoples whose females had a problem catching their favor???

The Jews are Mediterreanean. This means they are fucked.
I don't think the Jews are the most favored of Meditereaneans. I think they just have the best religion.
Jews are HIGHLY corruptable by money. The 20th century proves this. Their role in promoting social poison in the 60s indicts them. Also I think the gods sent this clue in the movie The Ten Commandments.
Hairy is a bad sign. They say big nose is a bad sign. Both are appearance issues, perhaps can be interpreted as the look of evil upon their face.
So many Meditereanean charecteristics are clues helping people understand to avoid them, similar to the geographical clues of The Boot and the Scandanavian penis.

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You need to understand that there is a price to be paid for your cooperation within the context of the god's positioning.
They instill tactics EVERYWHERE ensuring a difficult testing procedure, for the reward is great. Signing on to this lie IS a tactic, and it will ensure a percentage of people fail. "Intentional foreclosure" and telling people it is acceptable to steal are two examples of temptations which will cause your Damnation.
Of those who succeed the gods STILL require you to behave appropriately. If you fall prey to the temptations of Planet Manifest Destiny you too will ultimately perish.
Nobody is going to "lead you out". This is bullshit Book of Revelations Christianity positioning. Because this is their positioning this event WILL occur, but only among a pre-selected group, designed for theatrical purposes only.
I won't lead anyone out. This is not what I teach. You all are responsible for your own relationship with the gods, and failure to take responsibility will result in your exclusion.

The gods want to play both sides of the coin.
It is very important the gods maintain this perception of "middle management", for if people knew management was just the gods and their computer they would become very frightened considering the carnage and what it says about their plans, and this fear would help them to think correctly.
They would be on the "fast-track" to salvation.
The gods created this environment of CEOs, kings and democracy specifically to defeat this and work very hard to maintain it.
People teetering on Damnation think god is evil and believe evil is the way. This is called "segmentation"::::They don't see the importance of temptation nor the god's role or methodology in punishment::::Ironically the gods DON'T punish evil for their wickedness. These people are not wanted and the gods don't want them to receive the feedback punishment would provide.
I hope people in Enterprise, Alabama have become "god-fearing", experiencing the wrath of god firsthand. Sadly, the gods will use tactics to ensure they don't become god-fearing, telling many of them that because the tornado was because of me they "earned" and now I have to "bring them up"::::
Because the gods scapegoat me they think I owe them all. As a result this experience goes wasted.
There are other tactics the gods use, for example telling parents their dead soldiers "ascended", "were clones", etc. All are desiogned as a tactic, ensuring they do not become god-fearing.
The gods lie freely. They will say anthing in the context of temptation. If people in Enterprise understood this they would be more likely to overcome this temptation and become god-fearing. Sadly most believe what they are told and this precious opportunity will pass without effect.
Temptation is very important. "Heaven" is an exclusive place and you can't get in for free.

The gods will use their tools to create the perception of evil rewarded then corrupt the disfavored with it.
It's important that you differentiate between your own thoughts and when the computer thinks through you.

The god's computer conducts this theater. In err you do what they tell you. So does president, CEO/BOD, Italian gangsters. Sadly the gods will turn around and use this as a corruptor:::"CEO does everything he's told and he has BILLIONS!!!"
If one of these clone host tools "comes around", realizes they made a mistake and finally musters the courage to tell the gods "No." they will get that person out and put in somebody who will tell them "Yes.". The individual who told them "No." has successfully navigated temptation. Unfortunately, punishment can be a temptation via deterrent, and the gods may choose to employ this tactic to test the candidate in their next placement.
This is a constantly deteriorating enviornment. This is one reason why they waited to reincarnate so many clone hosts from the 20th century:::
1. To use the morbidly disfavored to accomplish these important goals in this century and
2. In this abjectly corrupt, godless environement few have a real chance.
They corrupted Italians with 1906 then told these Italians it was the godfather ordering them to plan WWII, kill blacks, corrupt and destroy society. Now people know better (opening the door to other types of corruption:::Evil god), but these Italians experienced an "early cut-off" and got their hands very dirty because of it, illustrating their grave disfavor.
Before WorldWarII began the gods sold many people on clone hosting, not just Italians. This would represent a "cut-off" for the non-Italians sold on "earning" and initiated into clone hosting, for clone hosting gives the gods the freedom to place at their discretion. Many non-Italians were placed into these Italian bodies to continue the destruction of society in the 20th century, for the gods couldn't justify their involvement within the context of Manifest Destiny positioning otrherwise, Manifest Destiny being the New Roman Empire.
There is a big difference when clone hosts are evil, people who are placed into bodies by god, and when real people engage in evil. Of course the gods can minimize this culpability they accept by gaining consent prior to placement.

The gods use these preditor clone hosts tools to manage their justification and culpability::::
These aren't even real people. They abandoned their bodies, losing their identies in the process, a consequence of succumbing to this temptation.
They're just entities, brains "floating" around out there until the gods chose to place them into a body. They are sub-human, second-class citizens, inferior individuals, and should be beneath ALL reals.
These families were sold on clone hosting and got out prior to World War II. Their grandfathers and family who entered clone hosting were reals. But abandoning their bodies for this temptation carries consequences, and the loss of identity is one.
When these clone hosts have children they are not real people. As such they won't ever ascend because there was nobody associated with these bodies. There was a first placement, someone who may have been a primary (time) placement, but this is not relevant. A series of individuals were routed through that body, and after a few placements even they forget where they were, god's clue to these individuals that "earning" is a lie, since they can't remember where they were placed.
People who agree to abandon their bodies and become evil continue to incurr not only from their direct actions as clone hosts but also from the evil their original body (blood line) inflicts onothers. This is a matter of preparation, for if they sell them on "earning" before they depart the gods are justified in using these original bodies in the context of evil, ensuring they pay twice, ironically.

There is a difference between these clone hosts, so many of which abandoned their bodies in the 30s out of desperation (women) or thinking they were "earning" (men), and when the gods take liberties upon the disfavored, not placing a brain in a child until later for stategic purpose. This served as an intense corruptor for those disfavored people. The frequency is higher among the most disfavored among us (Italian, Irish, black, Latino, etc) than people that are not nearly as disfavored.
Think of it in terms of the Black War I::::The gods developed these bodies without brains specifically because they had preditory Italian trash from the mid 20th century whom they wanted to employ poetic justice upon. Becasuse of the indecency of the blacks involved the gods felt taking the liberty was justified. The result was the child that never was.

The gods get their clone host tools into place and tell them what to do, just like all you, in err. But these are not real people and their mistakes don't matter as much. They're not staying for long anyways.
Clone hosts aren't even real people. They abandoned their bodies, losing their identity in the process, a consequence of succumbing to this temptation.
They're just entities, brains "floating" around out there until the gods chose to place them into a body. They are sub-human, second-class citizens, inferior individuals, and should be beneath ALL reals.
There is a difference between these clone hosts, so many of which abandoned their bodies in the 30s out of desperation (women) or thinking they were "earning" (men), and when the gods take liberties upon the disfavored, not placing a brain in a child until later for stategic purpose. This served as an intense corruptor for those disfavored people. The frequency is higher among the most disfavored among us (Italian, Irish, black, Latino, etc) than people that are not nearly as disfavored.
Think of it in terms of the Black War I::::The gods developed these bodies without brains specifically because they had preditory Italian trash from the mid 20th century whom they wanted to employ poetic justice upon. Becasuse of the indecency of the blacks involved the gods felt taking the liberty was justified. The result was the child that never was.
Don't let them role play this Manifest Destiny theater to you anymore. Just as the Italians who planned WorldWarII thought they were telepathically taking orders from the "godfather", so do the CEOs, kings/presidents and society's elite do as their told and "take orders".
Artificial Intelligence orchestrates this entire environment.
I personally believe the gods should not be utilize clone hosting. I think they should employ temptation exclusively. Example:::::When people incurr sufficient evil, typically males in their early 20s, they die. There would be young men dropping dead everywhere. In addition this could serve as an effective clue to the others, reminding them to be good.
AIDS changed Africa. We will never see AIDS among blacks in the United States because of it.
We'll never see this. The gods would never allow such an obvious clue to be sent. WHEN the gods DID employ this tactic expect they beemed the brain OUT, kind of a "reverse clone hosting". A clue may be when a normally "active" individual falls into a quiet pattern.
How often do they use this as opposed to "variability", ie clone hosting someone good in the body to justify??? "There's a lot of Italians who are no longer with us." That often.
The gods computer conducts this theater. In err you all do what they tell you. So does president, CEO/BOD, Italian gangsters.
They corrupted Italians with 1906 then told these Italians it was the godfather ordering them to plan WWII, kill blacks, cvorrupt and destroy society. Now people know better (opening the door to other types of corruption), but these Italians experienced an "early cut-off" and got their hands very dirty because of it, illustrating their grave disfavor.
Before WorldWarII began the gods sold many people on clone hosting, not just Italians. This would represent a "cut-off" for the non-Italians sold on "earning" and initiated into clone hosting, for now the gods had the freedom to place at their discretion. Many non-Italians were placed into these Italian bodies to continue the destruction of society in the 20th century, for the gods couldn't justify their involvement within the context of Manifest Destiny positioning otrherwise.

The gods will create the perception of evil rewarded by managing good and evil within their clone host tools then corrupt the disfavored with it.

The following is an OUTSTANDING example of reverse positioning::::::
The gods used this “Manifest Destiny” positioning to create a new reality, minimizing the good things about the old world and emphisizing the bad things. Wine is one su

posted by You don't want to listen to what they say. The gods instruct the computer to use temptation to test on March 29, 2008 10:34 PM

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*Sigh* - There goes the Verbosity Stats.

posted by Boquisucio on March 29, 2008 11:53 PM

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Obviously: Catholics are EEVVIILL!

But I can be persuaded otherwise ...

Cheers

posted by J.M. Heinrichs on March 30, 2008 12:37 AM

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Geez, I'm old, male *and* a Roamin' Catholic.

*kicking errant pebble off the road to perdition*

A mumble-mumblety three-time loser...

posted by BillT on March 30, 2008 7:20 AM

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Golleeee, take an afternoon of from comment-monitorinig and look what snuck in!

Heh. Snuck? There musta been a moving van outside the blog.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 30, 2008 7:54 AM

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KAt's not the only one, John. Brevity is for the weak. But she has been killing me in length and output lately.
Oh, and Sanger counts too. He is the original rant master 'round these parts.

posted by ry on March 31, 2008 8:40 AM

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As may be, Ry - but you and Sanger have been slackers 'round here of late.

Sanger I think because he alla time wants to waterboard the subject of his otherwise exquisite rants and I'm continually throwing marbles at him to make him stop, because waterboarding is against the rulez.

;^ )

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 31, 2008 8:59 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Since this thread is empty I’ll just ask a few questions:

[Wikipedia]

Care needed to be taken with magazine loading to ensure that the .303 cartridge rims did not overlap the wrong way, causing a jam. The rounds had to be loaded the correct way, each round ahead of the previous round…

T or F?

Initial versions of the weapon were sometimes considered too accurate because the cone or pattern of fire was extremely concentrated, resulting in multiple hits on one or two enemies, with other enemy soldiers going untouched. More than a few soldiers expressed a preference for worn-out barrels in order to spread the cone of fire among several targets…

T or F?

Bren light machine gun

posted by Ledger on March 28, 2008 9:35 PM

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Ledger,

A) Surely any rimmed cartridge will jam if its rim is behind the subsequent round?

B) Depends on how well the barrel fitted. Wartime tolerances meant that some barrels were so loose they rattled. These were actually preferred by some Bren gunners as they reduced the chance of multiple hits.

But any LMG should put 3 consecutive shots in a mans chest at 300 yards.

posted by rikkochet on March 29, 2008 12:15 PM

---

� Dismissed, Soldier!

THE RESPONSE FROM LTC XXXX

Nxxx -

Let me open by saying I heartily dislike CPT (P) S.

First, because she has 'CPT(P)' in her signature block.

Second, because she's preaching about how unfair life is while soaking in her own light at an ROTC position at Xxxxxxxxxx University. I spent my entire time as a Captain in MTOE assignments ... in Korea, 10th Mountain (twice), and Fort Polk (TDA ... but 11 rotations per year ... in 'nowhere Louisiana').

Captain time in ROTC at Xxxxxxxxx University? Yeah ... she has a whole lot to complain about.

And third, because of this line (among the many): 'we are being punished ... for being better than our peers'. 'Better'? Near as I can tell, you have the no Respect, no Loyalty, no sense of Duty, no Honor, and no sense of Selfless Service ... if that is 'better than your peers', then I truly fear for your Year Group.

Here are my thoughts.

BREAK. BREAK.

To the authors -

For a bunch of BZ'ers, your math and strategic thinking skills are sub-standard. And you have a real Values crisis. Let me provide some mentoring.

These two email strings validate some of the most terrible things that have been said about BZ Officers over my twenty+ years ... that BZ Officers have a false sense of entitlement, that BZ Officers are arrogant, and that BZ Officers are elitist (in the Paris Hilton sense of the word).

BZ Officers absolutely deserved to be selected BZ. However, for every Officer who was selected BZ, there are three other Officers who were equally deserving ... Officers with the exact same level of performance, and the exact same level of potential. Any BZ Officer who doesn't know that in his or her heart doesn't deserve to be BZ.

The differences between you and that Officer to your left who wasn't selected is art and serendipity ... you worked for Ernest Hemingway, while the Officer to your right worked for a Senior Rater who couldn't write very well; your former Brigade Commander sat on the Board; the Board was looking for a particular skill set, and HRC assigned you to that position two years ago; the Officer to your left had a personality conflict with his Rater in 2005. Did any of you complain about the inherent unfairness of that process after you were selected BZ? No? I didn't think so.

Y'all would've had my absolute respect if en masse you had written to the 'Army Times' about how you felt the BZ-selection process was unfair to the Officer to your left ... but you didn't do that.

Instead, you want to write to the 'Army Times' and your Congressman about the unfairness of the CSRB process. You've earned my disdain. And so have the 'mentors' who are encouraging this Pity Party.

Here is your Retention Bonus. Historically, BZ Officers have significantly out-performed their peers in terms of selection to senior commands, and the ranks of Colonel and General Officer. I don't have the exact numbers, but these figures are in the ball-park: although BZ rates run about 5%, fully 40% of all Battalion Commanders were BZ to MAJ or LTC; and the number of Officers BZ to MAJ or LTC who are NOT selected for Battalion Command is extremely low, probably less than 10%. With the advent of masked O3-and- below OER's and universal CGSOC (CGSOC was a huge discriminator to BN CMD ... In my YG, only 1 of 23 Signal Officers selected for BN CMD was non-resident), I think those percentages will be even higher.

Your CSRB bonus is Battalion Command. And why is that important?

Well, since these emails seem solely focused on money (and not Army Values), I'll reply in terms of $$$ (as much as that disgusts me).

Last year, every single Former Signal Battalion Commander (FSBC) in the zone was selected for O6. Every one. Only one non-FSBC was selected, and he was a former Centrally Selected Division G6. Do you know how much more money a COL makes than a LTC? Do you know how much money a retired O6 makes compared to a retired O5? Do you how much money that adds up to over the course of a thirty or forty year retirement? A hell of alot more than $25K.

In 2006, Vernon Wells received a signing bonus of $25.5 million from the Toronto Blue Jays. In January 2007, Bob Nardelli abruptly resigned as chairman and chief executive of Home Depot after only six years at the helm ... the Atlanta-based company said Nardelli would receive a severance package worth roughly $210 million.

Here's a thought, write to the 'Army Times' about that.

Number of Signal General Officers on Active Duty who were not Battalion Commanders... Zero (0).

Number of Signal General Officers on Active Duty who were never selected BZ ... Zero (0).

Your CSRB is an EXPONENTIALLY better chance than your peers to lead and mold the Army of 2015 and beyond. Apparently, you think that opportunity is worth less than a check for $25K in 2007. Or, you think that the promotion board simply recognized your glowing superiority. You should be absolutely ashamed of this conversation ... except shame would require Values that I don't think you possess.

One of the biggest challenges for a BZ Officer is that they start to believe their own press, and pretty soon, we have Terrell Owens in Battalion Command. The vast majority of General Officers are deeply, deeply humbled by their position ... they fully recognize how many truly outstanding, equally deserving Officers were simply not selected to be General Officers. You've been in the Army less than 10 years, and you've already lost all sense of humility. Woe to the Army of 2015.

'Well, my mentors all agree that we are getting screwed'. Go ask MAJ Ed Murphy about how he got screwed. Oh, that's right, you can't ...because he's dead ... he was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. Go ask his widow about how MAJ Murphy got screwed.

Y'all can compare notes.

'I think we are worth it.' I think you are worth exactly thirty pieces of silver.

That Lieutenant Colonel said it better than I would have.

I should add - most BZ officers I know are stand-up people. and not sniveling self-absorbed babies.

� Secure this line!

---

Oh my god....how could she type and suck her thumb at the same time??????

Got perspective?

I love the LTC's response.

posted by Carrie on March 28, 2008 7:47 AM

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We love dirty laundry

posted by kat-missouri on March 28, 2008 7:56 AM

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with the hearty humility earned from multiple non-select notices from being "not educationally qualified", i hereby propose an elegant solution thus:

"here's yer 25k. BZ selection revoked. next assignment revised: report immediately to Johnston Atoll for unaccompanied tour; duties as assigned for Morale Support Officer (those basketballs at the gym don't hand themselves out)."

btw, in my personal experience, almost all of the BZ dudes i have met have been great guys who had crystal clear understanding of the serendipity involved in such process and nevertheless were truly great warriors... not that i was hanging out with many of them, but would gladly share a beer at the Club with them.

posted by MajMike on March 28, 2008 8:46 AM

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One more reason why I was glad to only be an NCO....and why some folks give officers a bad name even though there are good ones out there.

posted by BloodSpite on March 28, 2008 9:09 AM

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One or two, eh, BS? 8^ D

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 9:25 AM

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HOOAH MAJ. MIKE!!!!!!!!
That's EXACTLY what I had in mind; you just said it with more authority and clarity.

posted by AFSister on March 28, 2008 9:49 AM

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Wow. Well and truly spanked, there. And deservedly so.

posted by Damian on March 28, 2008 9:52 AM

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And yet sadly.. (with a bit of lateral thinking and Googling skills) according to AKO white pages, this rear echelon whiner got her O-4 for real since this mess hit the net.

posted by OlafTheTanker on March 28, 2008 10:08 AM

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In today's America, everyone's a victim competing to see who's the biggest victim of them all.

posted by fdcol63 on March 28, 2008 10:29 AM

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I fear for the future of my beloved Signal Corps. To the responding LTC, all I can say is "YOU ROCK, SIR!"

posted by SFC D on March 28, 2008 11:44 AM

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*chuckle*

My guess is that there's a crusty old NCO somewhere in this Princess's limited sphere of influence....encouraging her to "right the terrible wrong she's been done".

Classic.......

posted by R Jewell on March 28, 2008 11:53 AM

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Carrie, after reading this, I have a question for you. How does this individual suck their thumb? Please consider their cranial-rectal status, STUCK. This would explain the crappy outlook and style in writing. Just a thought.

Grumpy

posted by Grumpy on March 28, 2008 12:38 PM

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Grumpy - such subtlety! Whoosh, Flame On!

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 12:40 PM

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Lions and Tigers and Bears.... Oh, my.

With this circulating about, this LTC may have done more to help the Army of 2015 than this two-bar Captain over cammie (BZ over wine) might have done over her time to hurt it.

Semper Fi, LTC!

Semper Fi!

(I just can't bring myself to say "HUA!" just yet...but this LTC inspires the consideration.)

posted by Steve Schippert on March 28, 2008 2:20 PM

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There's three kinds of intelligences. Animal intelligence, human intelligence, and meta-human intelligence.

There is only one kind of wisdom though.

Those with meta-intelligence can manipulate and study anyone below them like humans study animal intelligence or when training dogs.

I'll leave it to people's imagination where CJ slots into.

posted by Ymarsakar on March 28, 2008 2:27 PM

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We'll turn you to the Dark Side yet, Steve.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 2:27 PM

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sheesh... "CJ" = Collossal lack of Judgement.

She's married to a Major too...$ + $ =$$$. My God, what was she thinking when she sent this out?

They must be getting a blog s-storm at Campbell because her bio and e-mail address have been taken down from the ROTC Cadre page. (Google's cache still shows it). I feel bad for her CO and the other officers in her unit.

If you want to see what a professional O-3 is capable of putting into an e-mail go read the note of thanks that Coast Guard H-60 pilot LT Brian McLaughlin wrote to his ship-driving colleague LT James Terrell on the CGC Munro after the recent Alaska Ranger rescue in the Bering Sea. It's at www.uscg.mil/cgjournal/ - It's a good read.

posted by pointyendofthespear on March 28, 2008 3:31 PM

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Pointyendofthespear,

"Thinking" ?!?! Facts not in evidence!

posted by Grumpy on March 28, 2008 4:02 PM

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Almost Scrappleface like.

Someone who just "does not get it."

I hope her peers take care of her...

posted by CDR Salamander on March 28, 2008 4:36 PM

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Heh,

Firget the S-storm CJ is weathering... Can you imagine what it must be like for her husband these days? The silence that erupts when he walks into the O-Club?

Like the man said... "I Pity the Fool!"

posted by AW1 Tim on March 28, 2008 6:50 PM

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As a (retired) Signal Corps officer, I'm just glad that the 2000lb bomb that landed on that jack@$$ Captain was delivered by a Signaleer. I'd love to know who that was...

As far as the original note that precipitated the response...what can you say? Utter stupidity.

posted by LongTabSigO on March 28, 2008 8:41 PM

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It's one thing being stupid and self-absorbed. It's another putting it in writing and another still going against the social flow and marketing your stupidity.

posted by Trias on March 28, 2008 9:12 PM

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Of course the above describes me as well.

posted by Trias on March 28, 2008 9:16 PM

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Great fun watching the green on green wordfare firefight.

I declare the LTC the winner by every possible criteria.

As for the whiney wench, there are greener pastures for those with her skill set and ATTITUDE as a political correctness Human Resources diversity bully out in the civilin workforce. Don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out!

She just set back the progress of women in the military by a number of years.

I hope her detaching OER notes the discredit she has brought upon her command and her service, so that future promotion boards do not repeat this mistake.

posted by John S. on March 28, 2008 11:42 PM

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Well, my mentors all agree that we are getting screwed. And, they all think that we should all first contact our IG, then, write to our Congressmen.

Methinks the damosel confuseth the term "mentor" with "sycophant."

As possibly do the *mentors*. Which may be the crux of the matter...

posted by BillT on March 29, 2008 7:54 AM

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Her "writing" skills would have been far better employed doing a letter of resignation.

Anyone suffering from such an obvious case of terminal anal-cranial inversion will probably earn their just reward eventually.

posted by Marine6 on March 29, 2008 10:58 AM

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Where Have All The Tigers Gone"

Cheers

posted by J.M. Heinrichs on March 29, 2008 4:09 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Glad you guys are OK, Bill!

I wish someone would rid us of Sadr soon.

posted by fdcol63 on March 28, 2008 7:16 AM

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Nooo...not the thongs!!!

posted by kat-missouri on March 28, 2008 9:15 AM

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I had a very restless night of sleep last night, but nothing compared to yours. Sheesh.
I did dream about you though. honest.
I had a dream that you came to visit me and the boys for a few days after you came home from the Sandbox. Nothing exciting, but I *did* dream about you.

posted by AFSister on March 28, 2008 9:52 AM

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Don't all the ladies dream of Bill?

Or wuz that John? I get so confused...

posted by Cass on March 28, 2008 6:56 PM

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Pictures!

I want Thong Pictures!

posted by Ledger on March 28, 2008 8:47 PM

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Reminds me a little of my wife's story about the Air Force guys at Binh Thuy airfield, back around '68 or so, who had built themselves a nice above-ground swimming pool with a little deck around it and everything. And then one night an enthusiastic VC mortarman walked a line of shells down the runway and put the last round dead-center in their pool, which did its watertight integrity no good at all.

But then I've always figured the VC would have eaten the Iraqi insurgency for lunch and been asking for seconds by 1500...

posted by Blake Kirk on March 28, 2008 9:01 PM

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I get so confused...

Cassie -- it's simple.

John is the grey-haired, good-lookin', retired artillery guy who makes fun of helicopters.

Bill is the grey-haired, *really* good-lookin', retired helicopter guy who makes fun of artillery.

See? Now let's go over "back azimuth" and "buttstock"...

posted by BillT on March 29, 2008 8:01 AM

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She does have a point though. John's the 82, and Bill's the 27.
It's a numbers game, you see.

posted by AFSister on March 29, 2008 10:02 AM

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... if John is "cm" and Bill is "in" ...

Cheers

posted by J.M. Heinrichs on March 29, 2008 4:14 PM

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No metric system at Castle Argghhh! CAPT H...

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 29, 2008 6:35 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

---

No, John, the leathery wrinkled background is *not* my skin.

I'm more of a pinkish beige...

posted by BillT on March 28, 2008 3:15 AM

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Whut's that "VPB-something" I see there? I think I detect a Naval influence, and maybe PhotoShopping, on that patch!

It is cool-lookin, though.

I am thinking about telling Lex on you.

posted by Justthisguy on March 28, 2008 4:25 AM

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Heh. I was wondering who'd be the first to twig the VPB-71 link. The Black Cats were a WWII Catalina outfit that operated in the Pacific; one of the Army IP's had a family tie to it -- google VPB-71 and click on Dave's Warbirds:

"The cat chosen by the squadron was a tough-looking customer all in black, wearing a flotation vest, seaman’s cap, cigar stub in mouth, holding a smoking Colt .45 in both paws. Colors: cat, black with white muzzle and yellow eyes; seaman’s cap, white; flotation vest, yellow; Colt .45, gray."

The mascot's accoutrements were updated, eye color changed to NVG green, Army wings added and voila!

No PhotoShopping needed. A stateside patch-maker did 'em up and the local tailor added the velcro backing...

posted by BillT on March 28, 2008 5:06 AM

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Does that cone-headed kitty also consume massive quantities?

posted by Boquisucio on March 28, 2008 6:16 AM

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You tell *me*, Boq -- the cone-headed kitty started life in the Navy, remember?

Besides, I have *dogs* -- and you don't wanna know what they consume massive quantities of...

posted by BillT on March 28, 2008 6:21 AM

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Oh, there's worse. See here:Humans apparently taste just like chicken.

posted by Justthisguy on March 28, 2008 6:24 AM

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Oh, here's the list of all the links. Scroll down.

posted by Justthisguy on March 28, 2008 6:48 AM

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Dunno JTG. Gustatus Simili Pullus, just sounds all wrong. Not that we don't taste like chicken. Who am I to know.

Its just that believe that the sentence requires an Ablative form of Chicken. Thus it should read: Gustatus Simili Pullo. I have to check my good ol' trusty Wheelock, to make sure though.

posted by Boquisucio on March 28, 2008 7:42 AM

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It'll be cool to see that patch up close...

I wonder if, since we're gonna be in the same AO and all, if the whole "Joint Operation" concept would entitle us - that is, you and me (and anyone else who can occupy the same grid)- to form another TF...

TASK FORCE ARGGHHH

Just curious...

posted by Sgt. B. on March 28, 2008 8:10 AM

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Ooooo. Sergeant B, I like the way you think!

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 8:12 AM

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Well... I'm just thinking...

Castle correspondants tend to gravitate towards the sound of the guns (it's who we are, it's how we roll...)

I'm not sure if Castle Argghhh was opened before or after we started combat operations, but I'm pretty sure ya'll never expected to have a few Denizenes actually knee-deep in the hoo-ya...

I've seen enough un-authorized patrol flags (courtesy of my dad's Silent Service days) to know that the decorations and accolades he's most proud of are NOT the ones that an Admiral pinned on his chest... The tradition of unofficial awards and such is alive and well (wouldn't mind hearing some of the TINS tales about 'em, by the by...) Up until now, my favorite is an empty .50 cal casing with a projectile on a rough-hewn piece of ammo crate and a stamped dog tag with "LCPL B[redacted] HVY GUNS PLT WPNS CO 2/6 [date redacted] - [date redacted]"

As I have more than a passing affection for Company Argghhh, I think it would be neat to have something I could show the grandkids someday:

Li'l Squirt #1: Grampa, what's 'Task Force Argghh'?

Says me: Well, my boy, there was once a forum dedicated to the freedoms granted us by our founding fathers, and the folks who contributed to it were thinkers, war-fighters, and compassionate souls who supported the fight against the enemies of freedom. They discussed pertinent issues and formed well-prepared arguements in support of these issues.

Li'l Squirt #1: Okay, but what's 'Task Force Argghhh'?

Says me: Why, beloved child, some of us were privilaged to be on the first string of the debate team...

I'm just sayin'...

posted by Sgt. B. on March 28, 2008 9:12 AM

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Hoo-Yah Sgt B. We love our first stringers!

posted by kat-missouri on March 28, 2008 9:20 AM

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Sergeant B... we can work on that.

The Castle opened July 2003, on Blogger, IIRC, and we went to Hosting Matters in September.

And no, we didn't expect to have Denizens in-theater.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 9:27 AM

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I'm just waiting for Were-Kitten's comment... :D

posted by FbL on March 28, 2008 9:30 AM

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Well, just shows what happens when ya don't keep an eye on your Warrants and NCOs... We get into all kinds of trouble... Junior officers too, I'm thinkin'...

*grin*

posted by Sgt. B. on March 28, 2008 9:34 AM

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And as for YOU, Kat, and YOU, FBL, and all ya'll G-2 folks...

Without you folks breaking it down into single syllable words for us combat arms types, we might not be as imboldened and truly appreciate the importance of the fight, so..

*humbly*

Thanks.

posted by Sgt. B. on March 28, 2008 9:46 AM

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TF Wildcat...
I like the sound of TF WereCat better, but it'll do.
ps... I WANT ONE OF THOSE PATCHES.... AM WILLING TO PAY

Who's Your Kitty!!!??!!!

posted by WereKitten on March 28, 2008 9:55 AM

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FBL,
TF Wildcat leader, Chief Sugarbuttons, has appparently requested PG COMMENTS.
Can you believe that?
How.Rude.

*pouts while swinging from chandelier*

posted by WereKitten on March 28, 2008 9:59 AM

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Something tells me that TF WEREKITTY would have mission taskings of a far different stripe...

posted by Sgt. B. on March 28, 2008 10:06 AM

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First order of business would be to merge TF Werekitty and TF Wildcat to form new TF Bad Kitty.

Primary mission would transition from training allies to hands on morale boosting.

posted by kat-missouri on March 28, 2008 10:27 AM

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This is just soooooo hard to resist... I think I need to be restrained.

Oh, Sgt. B... are those "different stripes" caused by whips, by chance??

posted by TF WereKitty on March 28, 2008 10:37 AM

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Heh. And to think I tried to get Instapundit, et.al., to link this post.

I'm thinking *that* just went out the window...

;^)

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 10:39 AM

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Oh...this was a serious post. On a Friday. How often does that happen?

"AAEAG" is almost like "ARGGHHH!"

posted by kat-missouri on March 28, 2008 10:43 AM

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Yeah, I was trying to work with that too, Kat.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 10:52 AM

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I tried, John. I did. Bill said keep it PG... and so far I don't think it's gone past PG13.
But it's SO HARD.

posted by WereKitten on March 28, 2008 10:57 AM

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Sigh. Someone needs a visit from someone else, I'm thinking.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 10:58 AM

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I'm thinking you're right, John.
*sigh*

posted by WereKitten on March 28, 2008 11:43 AM

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Sgt B, I know what you mean about the unauthorized flags. The day I left Kabul headed for home, I was summoned to the Recruiting Assistance Team office. I traveled around Afghanistan with the 'RAT Team' as they established Afghan National Army recruiting centers. I always went with the advance security team to have more photo time on the ground. And I wrote a nice article about them. Anyway, they presented me with one of their guidons. It had King RAT from the old surfer comics as the logo with all of the RAT Team signatures. It meant more to me to receive that than it did to receive the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for my tour. Although, I was already pissed because I got the DMSM instead of a Bronze Star, but that's an entirely different story. That guidon is one of my most cherished items from that tour.

posted by 1sg keith on March 28, 2008 1:54 PM

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I think you're right too, John......

posted by 1sg keith on March 28, 2008 1:57 PM

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purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.............

posted by WereKitten on March 28, 2008 2:06 PM

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Get a room, you two. This post got linked by The Tank!

And Keith - you were screwed. As were two officers I know who had similar experiences in Afstan. Both called-up Reservists. Pure BS.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 2:29 PM

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Congrats on the link, John!

And yes, he did get screwed. The reason was stupid back then, and remains stupid to this day.

posted by WereKitten on March 28, 2008 3:59 PM

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Primary mission would transition from training allies to hands on morale boosting.

Umm, you forgot to mention the whole "putting hot lead on the bad guys" portion of this garden party...

And as for:

Oh, Sgt. B... are those "different stripes" caused by whips, by chance??

No ma'am, no whips... Maybe a good tongue lashing... The stripes would be the strawberry and warm chocolate sauces...

*looking over as the PGF-17 'bot rushes up*

What? I didn't say nuthin'!

posted by Sgt. B. on March 28, 2008 9:45 PM

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A most excellent patch. Needs more bionics, so it can be elevated to a Bad Cat Robot. Or is that a tab that goes above it?

That cat, though, looks very much like one who lived on base at the Naval Research Laboratory in DC. He was properly Navy black, and an inelastic collision with a car (and tough-guy evasive maneuvers to avoid the vet-medic) left him with a permanent list to port, but he was still one tough kitty. Although a civilian, I was occasionally allowed to pet him since I knew where the itchy spot was on the jaw ...

posted by bad cat robot on March 28, 2008 10:10 PM

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Tongue lashing??!!!
ooh mmmyyyyy

I just *hate it* when that happens.... ;-)

posted by WereKitten on March 28, 2008 10:54 PM

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Dang. If I'd known that you were gonna show this off ("Hey, everybody -- Bill's coherent again!"), I'd have gotten a decent haircut...

posted by BillT on March 30, 2008 1:02 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

---

Happy Birthday BCR -

Here's a windchime for your yard to identify you as someone who messes with the enviroment and has a large carbon footprint.

posted by Maggie on March 27, 2008 9:52 AM

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Since I'm an old-fashioned kinda guy, I thought that you'd like one of THESE. This gizmo, should aid you to peramble in style out there in Ecotopia. Happy B-Day BCR!

posted by Boquisucio on March 27, 2008 10:16 AM

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Heeeey - Don't line me up against the wall; just take me to the back of the shed for a caning if you haffta.

Being involved in the bidnez, we used to come across many rusty bits of pieces. Some of the lots we came accross from old forgotten bunkers would make anyone shiver.

However, we would refurbish many serviceable although be it "shop worn" boom-boom thingies. After a thermo assay of the propellants, and Comp-B, many a-times all the old rounds would need were a change of fuzes, maybe a change of primers, and a good coat of new shiny green paint before being resold.

posted by Boquisucio on March 27, 2008 11:25 AM

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mm...Boq, seems like they weren't doing much refurbishing based on the described conditions of the ammunition.

posted by kat-missouri on March 27, 2008 11:34 AM

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The Vulgar-Bulgars and Greeks Bearing Gifts are notorious for pulling such shennanigans. The lots in questions may have been funneled through shady ginns like them.

posted by Boquisucio on March 27, 2008 11:51 AM

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The news about 40 year old, degenerating ammunition being sold to Afghanistan will have Charlie Wilson and Gust blowing great big balls of black and green steam out of their ears. This is exactly the sort of stuff they prevented Egypt (and a few other countries) from doing back in the 80's during their secret war.

posted by AFSister on March 27, 2008 12:02 PM

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One last thing... pity that I can't open the original link to that post. Where I am right now, I can't access anything ending in blogspot. If that contractor was based out of anywhere near the DC Metro Region, I'm sure to personally know the principals involved in such con game.

posted by Boquisucio on March 27, 2008 12:34 PM

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Thanks for the lovely presents, guys! Except for the solid H20; that I'm sending back COD with extreme prejudice. Now I'm off to drink a 'rita the size of my head. I'll probably see Cousin of Ninja Spider, SugarButtons -- any messages?

posted by bad cat robot on March 27, 2008 3:58 PM

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Boq...AEY Inc out of Miami, Fl

Seems like a serious "middleman" contractor who has little or no experience in the field, but apparently made some contacts and decided to make some moolah.

posted by kat-missouri on March 27, 2008 6:01 PM

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Miami, say no more.

Miami is a nexus of fly-by-night artists. Who wouldn't be able to tell you the difference between an M27 Link and an M56 7.62x39mm Rifle. All they do is rush in and close the deal. Like a pack of hyenas, they all leave in their wake a path of crumbs and bones for someone else to tidy-up. It doesn't surprise me one bit, that upon finding the item that the client required, they rushed-in and filled the order without caring to know the state of the wares. They could as well be selling Chinese TV Sets to Ghana; it would all be the same to them. Happened all the time under my watch.

The DC Area in the other hand is a hub for better established dealers, doing much of their business with Allied Military Attaches at Embassy Row/Massachusetts Avenue Corridor.

posted by Boquisucio on March 27, 2008 7:48 PM

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Whats the rifle to the right of the last Tokarev, the 2nd from the end? Looks like a muzzleloader of some kind, with an older Enfield next to it?

posted by Brad on March 27, 2008 10:51 PM

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Ok, BCR, who rescued me from a horrible digestion, here's some intellectual re-inforcement for your prudent decision to arm yer self.

posted by Justthisguy on March 28, 2008 7:28 AM

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Miami - A Sunny Spot for Shady People.

posted by Boquisucio on March 28, 2008 7:33 AM

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Whats the rifle to the right of the last Tokarev, the 2nd from the end? Looks like a muzzleloader of some kind, with an older Enfield next to it?

I should be mean and say "SKS" because that's what's next to the last Tokarev... But I won't - the rifle next to the last SKS (an Albanian version of Simonv's carbine)is a Snider conversion of a Tower 3-band Enfield, followed by a Long Lee Enfield.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 8:15 AM

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*sigh*
I forgot to look for presents last night! My company blocks all the FUN sites, so I have nothing to offer but WereKitten's wild imagination.

posted by AFSister on March 28, 2008 10:00 AM

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I should be mean and say "SKS" because that's what's next to the last Tokarev...

I thought about that but the handguard and magazine threw me off.

About the Chinese ammo story, the guy says its Hungarian in an article at Foxnews and they have a picture. I'm wondering if this guy is buying/ordering surplus ammo from gun shows and web sites and reselling it, especially with the mention of "brown paper wrappers". Wish I'd thought of that for $200 million...

posted by Brad on March 28, 2008 4:14 PM

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The Albanian SKS is SWWBO's favorite. It appears to have been made on Chinese tooling, and the Albanians not only ran the wood farther out, they made the charging handle like an AK charging handle.

They're pretty nicely made rifles, and that one shoots very well.

A lot of the 7.62x54 rounds I saw pictures of in the article looked like copper-washed "Silver Tip" ammo which is a Hungarian type. The corroded brass rounds, harder to say. Gotta see the headstamps. But yes, he certainly could be buying that ammo from US importers.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 4:32 PM

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Well, shoot, I've got ammo older than that. I feed Kynoch 7mm to my two Chilean 95s and the headstamp shows a manf date of 1938. They love it.

A FWIW observation from 25 yrs of shooting/collecting milsurps: It seems to me that that the 40s & 50s Commonwealth* milsurp ammo seems to handle long term storage better than Turk, Yugo, or some other Sov Bloc stuff. There are exceptions, of course.

*That doesn't apply to POF or Indian milsurp ammo.

posted by Gun Trash on March 29, 2008 2:32 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Dammit went to put the rubbish out this morning and couldn't... damned snipers! If i'd had a wife and daughter I would have sent them like Slick Willie.

Was late for class but it was ok, the lecturer was trapped in the admin building... snipers.

Bus was delayed so they sent us LAV's. Damned snipers on the bridge again.

posted by Murray on March 27, 2008 6:28 PM

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Politician hits bottom -- begins to dig in...

posted by BillT on March 28, 2008 4:02 AM

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Is it true shes getting Harry Stamper on staff?

posted by Murray on March 28, 2008 7:04 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

I actually got this note last week. I went and took the survey... and, um, well, let's just say I've been paid to develop surveys and this one needed some work (mostly technical issues, but some substantive) and I provided some, uh, feedback, because I wasn't going to link to it and waste your time if the thing was broken.

The feedback (multiple iterations of it) was received graciously, and some methodological approaches were defended, some changed. But I think the thing is ready for prime time, given all the problems inherent in self-selection in internet-based surveys... My last note to the survey team went thusly:

Lastly - what do graduate TAs get paid at NYU? I think I'm owed some pro-rata for being your survey proofer... and you don't want to pay me at the rate my clients do, I assure you... 8^ )

To which I got this response:

Hi John,

If I had my own research funds to disburse, I would invest it immediately in your survey proofing! This is really a good lesson in taking the time to make sure everything is polished (especially when there are 16 versions for order counterbalancing) instead of assuming that everyone involved is paying attention to all the details all the time. This importance label mistake cost us 85 observations, and I can’t believe I didn’t catch it before.

Ah well, no charge, then.

And remember - comments are turned off at the surveyor's request.

� Secure this line!

In addition to large investments made by outside entities, the associations are beneficial to the local farmers in many other ways.

Iraq's harsh climate can make it difficult to produce healthy, frequent and consistent crops. The hot, arid summers make farming heavily dependant on the rain. Fertilizers are required to make the soil usable.

The farmers have had to go without chemical fertilizers. In order to make the soil usable, farmers had to allow their soil to rest for one year after reaping crops. They would plow the land, let it lay fallow for a year, then sow the seed to allow the land to recover on its
own, seriously depleting their productivity and livelihood.

"Things like fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation systems will be cheaper to purchase because together as an organization we will buy in bulk," said Anwar Kako. "We are working together to buy sprayers and wells so that we don't rely on rain and fertilizer for better soil.
These things are all benefits of the organization."

The organization's dream is to increase the fertility of the soil to the point that producing several crops year is a reality.

The organizations began in the Spring of 2007, when local farmers identified some of their basic needs. They were unable to get fuel, fertilizer, seed or pesticide at the subsidized prices that Saddam Hussein's regime used to give them.

"We could provide them seeds, which may get them by for that day, but we were looking for a more institutional response, something that we could set up to help these farmers carry on in a more sustainable way," said Hankey.

This is just the beginning of this agricultural community, but farmers and the U.S. Dept. of State are committed to these association's causes and are working for a brighter future, regardless of culture or religious beliefs.

"We are hopeful that this country will experience the agriculture revolution that many European countries have experienced," said Kako. "As Iraqis, multi ethnicity is a part of who we are. It's the terrorists who imported all of these ideas of hatred from abroad. We ourselves are one country irrespective of our creed or our origin. I am very comfortable being a part of this association, it's a harbinger of good things to come."

Word of the organization's success is spreading across northern Iraq and several more associations are surfacing, 18 more in Ninewah Province over the last six weeks.

"We are very happy that Iraqis across the province are already reaching out to each other to find an institutional response to some of their hardest economic questions," said Hankey. "We are really encouraged that this idea is taking off. Every week we are finding out
that there are more and more farmers throughout the province who are looking at copying this model and finding that putting local cooperation into finding common responses to shared problems can help them address some of their most urgent needs."

Iraqi Sunnis, Shias and Christian members of the Brotherhood Union for Agricultural Development and Environmental Protection dig into an traditional Iraqi meal with members of the U.S. Department of State Provincial Reconstruction Team, March 20 in Mosul, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Crosby, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

� Secure this line!

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She *likes* the M9?

Heh.

And, um, like, all the guns that weren't already unserviceable were rebuilt to the later standard...

And breeches are generally good for three tubes.

Just sayin'.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 27, 2008 7:35 AM

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And breeches are generally good for three tubes.

Not mine.

*blink* *look of cherubic innocence* *blink*

What?

posted by BillT on March 27, 2008 7:58 AM

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Well you know, that you can convert any standard axle grease to a high pressure resistant lubricant by adding graphite powder to it. The recuperator will appreciate it.

posted by Boquisucio on March 27, 2008 8:24 AM

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At least somebody will appreciate it. ;)

posted by kat-missouri on March 27, 2008 10:11 AM

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i don't care how much graphite ya put in that there grease, after three tubes on one breech, there's gonna have to be some recuperating time...

posted by MajMike on March 27, 2008 12:24 PM

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Heh. Just, heh.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 27, 2008 1:43 PM

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Did someone note that the Brits were supplying the Iraqis until c.1960. The Sovs took over after the King was deposed. Thus the 18lbr could be direct from Brit stocks.

Cheers

posted by J.M. Heinrichs on March 27, 2008 4:54 PM

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Could very well be. More than one of my stoo'nts opines that the wheels were an Iraqi mod.

posted by BillT on March 28, 2008 1:27 AM

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MajMike, please, none of that here, this is not a _Naval_ Milblog!

posted by Justthisguy on March 28, 2008 4:39 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

The Soldiers of the PSD gutted the Morale, Welfare and Recreation facility and rebuilt the interior to accommodate additional phones and computer stations. Similarly, they tore out the inside of an old operations center and constructed the interior walls for a new medical aid station. All of these projects substantially improved the quality of life for Soldiers living and working on the FOB.

Roberts sees his most important projects as the ones involving protecting the troops on the FOB.

“The team revamped the guard towers’ windows, so Soldiers on duty could have a better line of site out of them,” Roberts said.

Roberts gives most of the credit for this project to one of his team leaders, Sgt. Robert Goldhor, of Boulder, Colo., and his newest Soldier on his team, Spc. Tristan Martin-Hower, of Grands Pass, Ore.

Roberts’ team also fabricated weapons mounts, by welding metal parts together in each tower so that Soldiers could better maneuver the weapons in the towers to fire.

In addition to augmenting various force protection projects on the base, the team acted as FOB Sharana’s Quick Reaction Force for about 45 days to allow other engineer units that were previously conducting the task to work on other infrastructure projects.

Roberts takes every task as an opportunity to train his men. His constant mentoring can be seen in every task the team takes on and the results they produce. Roberts saw the fruits of his labor during the promotion ceremonies.

“My proudest moments during this deployment have been seeing the guys get promoted -- Spc. Creed to Sgt. Creed, Spc. Goldhor to Sgt. Goldhor, Spc. Mirabal to Sgt. Mirabal, and Pvt. 1st Class Newman to Spc. Newman,” Roberts said. “They deserved it!”

� Secure this line!

The crowd was about twenty or thirty people. Some were veterans, families of serving members, a Gold Star family and a few interested parties. The media coverage here was not very good for the lead up, though I spoke to several people attending and they heard about the conference through various means. One gentleman, about 70 years old, is an avid reader of conservative blogs and named off an impressive list of blogs that he regularly reads including Powerline, Hugh Hewitt and the Belmont Club. Of course, I recommended the Castle and Blackfive for additional reading.

Another gentleman had heard about the event from KCCN Christian radio and still another Gulf War vet, a member of the Veterans of Modern Warfare, said he'd heard about the shenanigans up in Minnesota and decided that he had to come and support these vets. He didn't know everything about them or what they were going to say, but he believed that veterans should have the chance to speak and be heard. He believed that the Forest Lake HS incident was a "heinous failure" of our educational system and the high school specifically to not allow the students to hear this real history and what it means to serve our nation.

Bellavia later echoed that sentiment noting that we were sitting in the World War I museum and there were only two WWI veterans remaining (actually, David, I think we are down to one). Their stories, if not written down, are now forever lost to us. Our WWII veterans are also passing at a high rate daily and we will soon lose those voices, too. Who then is going to carry the story of the American Veteran when our Viet Nam veterans were shut out and shut up when they came home? We are just now really starting to appreciate their service. Bellavia, as he has done throughout the tour, continued to thank these veterans for paving the way for his generation and giving them the drive to make sure that their voices were heard.

A Viet Nam veteran, Martin Oelklaus, was kind enough to share some of his own experiences with me while we waited. I have two great T.I.N.S for the blog which I'll post tomorrow. Suffice it to say that somethings never change. One thing that he talked about and also echoed by Bellavia was "brotherhood". Thirty five years after he came back from Viet Nam, he searched the internet for the name of his friend who had come from Kentucky. By shear luck, there was only one such man in the area by that name and when he called him up, he had found his friend. He said they began talking and it was as if those thirty five years had never passed.

Our speakers Wednesday evening were Pete Hegseth, Tom Parks (of Overland Park) and David Bellavia, author of "House to House". We started out in the main auditorium, but moved to a more intimate setting around the conference table in the education room in the museum. While I was waiting, I finally saw what was under the glass roof below the tower: a field of poppies.

I've watched many of the videos of the speaking engagements and interviews, but it is even more impressive to meet and speak with these men in person. What comes across is their utter sincerity and the desire to get the truth out. Just as importantly, what you get is an immediate sense that these men are leaders and comfortable in that role.

Their approach to this conversation (and that's what it was, sitting around a big table) was three parts: information about Iraq/getting the information out; the service and the care of our veterans and honoring the service of our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with completing the mission.

Hegseth focused on the progress that had been made, the general situation before and the need to continue the mission to make Iraq successful. He included many details about his time in Samarra during the bombing of the Golden Mosque that sparked the most heated battles between the Sunni and Shia in 2006 and almost gave Al Qaida its sought after victory. He emphasized, repeatedly, that the "civil war" was over.

"the markets (in Doura) aren't just open, they are booming."

He empathized with the people that thought the war was a lost cause, noting when he came home he was convinced that we were using the wrong strategy. Hegseth had written several op-eds and emails home urging people to support their efforts and speaking about the need to change strategies in Iraq. Hegseth noted that, though he and some other units had been doing a version of COIN (counter insurgency), the effort had not been cohesive or spread across the entire nation. That meant that it could not be a success until the effort was made overall in every area.

It echoes, to some degree, Col. Gian Gentile's complaint that the pundits' idea that COIN was not occurring while his troops were sacrificing was simply wrong. But, opposite of Gentile, who disagrees that progress was based on this new strategy or the surge, Hegseth insists that it was the new cohesive nature of the approach as well as the US and Iraqi surge that turned the tide. He quoted figures that over 200,000 Iraqis had joined either the police and military or the concerned local citizens, now referred to as Sons of Iraq (SoI) in the last fifteen months.

Al Qaida was not protecting them, but was exploiting them.

Hegseth believes that there is a serious failure within the media to report what is really happening in Iraq, either in the past or today, that is harmfully coloring the opinion of the American people about our efforts there. He says that the VFF is advocating a new conversation about the war because it is imperative that we stay there and see Iraq secure and prosperous. Iraq and Iraqis are not "the enemy", but the enemy (al Qaida and various terrorist organizations) is there. They have invested much in winning the battle there and we need to put paid to their aspirations.

"No one is doing touch down dances, here, but we have changed the dynamic on the ground."

He asks that the American people join with Vets for Freedom to stand "shoulder to shoulder" and bring the war to the finish line.

Tom Parks, Chief Warrant Officer (ret) USMC, was on the drive to Baghdad in 2003 and talked about his experiences there as well as returning home as both a physically and mentally wounded veteran. He served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. He spent some time talking about the drive to Baghdad, being attacked in "Ambush Alley", not by uniformed military or even the black clad "Fedeyeen Saddam", but by "insurgents" who had either taken off their uniform or never wore one. In one incident, these "insurgents" had taken a family hostage and one had the four year old daughter held in front of him with a gun to her head.

Parks said, all he could think about was his own daughter and, somehow, he was able to shoot that insurgent without harming the little girl. The second one gave up. His point was that these fighters did not stand and fight in the open, but hid behind civilians even then. The same tactic they have been using throughout the battle for Iraq these many years.

During the same attack in Ambush Alley, Parks dismounted, grabbing an anti-tank rocket and took out a T-55 Iraqi army tank. They were taking fire from all sides, from buildings along the route. He then ran between multiple tanks, using their outside (GI) "Joe" phones to coordinate a tank barrage against enemy positions. One tank did not have a phone so he had to run back to another to get them to radio the fourth tank to move as they were directed. The entire time, Parks was under fire from AK-47s, RPGs and various other weapons. For his actions, he received the Silver Star.

Parks said that he was no hero. His hero was his wife, a marine officer and the XO (executive officer) Mobile Command Marine Reserves at Richard Gabauer (where the 24th Marines are out of). She waited for him to come home and has been there for him this entire time as he transitioned from infantry to civilian. He said that his care at the KC VA medical center has been great. Its not the rat infested, wreck that made national headlines. However, it can't do everything and we have tasked the VA with many jobs to serve our returning veterans.

There are many things that we need to do to take care of these men and women who are returning. Parks emphasized that this is not the war of our fathers and grandfathers, but a 360 degree war where men and women must be ever vigilant, the enemy does not wear a uniform and the constant stress of battle can cause lasting damage if we do not address it early on. He admits that he has his own struggles with severe PTSD and the wounds he suffered. Yet, our veterans can come home to lead productive lives with the right motivation and assistance. Parks is now the Director of Operations for APU in Overland Park, KS.

David Bellavia, SSgt US Army (ret), spoke about the need to honor the sacrifices of the men and women who have fought in Iraq. His book is now #1. While Hegseth introduced him, spoke about his fight in the house of Fallujah and Bellavia Silver and Bronze Star (with the additional potential that Bellavia will receive the Medal of Honor as the first "living" recipient of this war), Bellavia did not dwell on his own story. Instead, he wanted to talk about the people that he served and sacrificed with, some of whom have returned to Iraq even today.

His message, "Let them win."

Without a doubt, Bellavia wears his passion for his cause unapologetically on his sleeve. He delivered his part of the presentation as his want: with humor and drive. The same love for his fellow service members and the need to honor them and their sacrifice.

Some words from Bellavia:

The thing that really touched me, that really changed my life, was the embrace we got when we came home.

We have to be accountable stewards. We have to carry the message.

These are the stories we need to tell. For far to long you (Viet Nam Vets) were stifled because you were told your war was unpopular or that your service isn't appreciated. We're burning down the house.

Our whole purpose is not only to say "thank you", but "we love you."

The only thing that can keep you alive is love. ...That is what keeps you alive on the battle field and keeps the memory alive of those who we buried.

Bellavia continues to re-iterate several themes. First, that this is not "partisan" or "politics". In fact, his main demand is that Republicans and Democrats get their politics "out of our war." He continues to thank Viet Nam Veterans for welcoming them home and for paving the way for his generation. He is insistent, though, that his generation is not going to suffer the same fate as the Viet Nam veterans. They are going to speak out and speak up. They will not allow their brothers and sisters to be demonized, patronized, victimized or left to slink quietly away. He asks these vets and the American people to join them in making sure that their voices are heard.

He believes that winning in Iraq is necessary. He says that he has met the enemy face to face, smelled his breath and felt his hate. In Fallujah, he fought the "all star team" for jihad and they came to Iraq to kill Americans. He insists that there is nothing that Pelosi, Clinton or President Bush can do to keep us safe from that hatred except to fight them and defeat them wherever we meet them. It is why we must stay in Iraq.

At the end of the day, though, he believes they can be defeated. The very fact that the enemy thrives on hate and death is the key to their defeat. Such hatred cannot be sustained, cannot provide any longterm meaning to life and must either whither away or be destroyed. The thing that will defeat them is love: love for freedom, love for our country and the love of a brotherhood, "fraternity", of warriors for each other and everything they deem important.

Warriors aren't just the men carrying rifles, they are the families, the people back home who help to support their effort. He thanked those who have been supporting them and those veterans who came before them.

I asked Bellavia about his run for Congress, he didn't want to make much of it at the time, but he went back to his original point that they needed to get the word out.

I did have the opportunity to ask several more questions that I will outline in the next post along with actual recordings from the event. Actually, I can't lie, with so few present and some not sure what to ask, yours truly monopolized a good part of these gentlemen's time which I wish to thank them for and apologize at the same time. I think that they were very tired after a long day , but they stayed to answer questions when they might have gotten another hour of down time. I don't feel bad about essentially holding the rest of the audience hostage with the questions. Hopefully, they got a little bit more information from the discussion.

Those who missed it, missed a great opportunity to meet some fantastic people with great stories and a really important message.

David Bellavia signed my book after the conference. During the conference, I mentioned that I was with a milblog (not wanting to give the idea that I was a covert operative for the meda). Bellavia and Hegseth thanked the milblog community for letting their voices be heard. I wanted to share what David wrote in my book with our readers and the rest of the milblogging community because the message was not for me alone, but for all of you:

Thank you for all you do for your nation at war. All the heroes of this war DON'T carry rifles - You are one of them.

Not me. You. I came after the many who paved the way and made the community important, who really gave the milblog community its start. Frankly, I'm just a punctuation mark in the greater milblog community, thankful to be able to post on this blog and meet such great people here as well as men like those at Vets For Freedom.

E Pluribus, Unum
Out of many, one

[PS...I met Uncle Jimbo with Blackfive and have some video to post of the inside of the bus, which was sweet.]

� Secure this line!

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Heh. Brevity, thy name is not Kat...

;^ )

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 27, 2008 9:24 AM

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Bandwidth... smandwidth!
Nice job, Kat- and nice picture too!

posted by AFSister on March 27, 2008 9:52 AM

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I was able to meet these heroes at the Officers Club in Minneapolis. What an absolute privilege! (Well worth the 6 hour drive to get there.) I'm sorry the high school students in Forest Lake were denied the opportunity to interact with them. I find it hard to believe that they don't have the critical listening skills to learn from the experiences of these men. My grandchildren (aged 10, 7, and 6) certainly found value in hearing their stories.

(David also signed my copy of House to House - "Thank you for your steadfast support of our nation at war. Your patriotism speaks volumes about your character." He certainly has a gift with words.)

posted by Sandi on March 27, 2008 11:35 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

*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."

� Secure this line!

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General McPeak. Was probably the least respected Sec USAF during my career. He decided seeing white t-shirts in the dress uniform was just ugly. The decree came down to switch to v-necks in the dress uniform. Doesn't suprise that he joined the side he did.

posted by Rob on March 26, 2008 8:11 AM

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“It’s them trying to help better the people of Iraq. Everybody over here that’s dying is dying for a cause,” Saumell said.

If you are in the military today, you've decided to stay or have recently signed up in the last four years, in the middle of a war. No wonder the soldiers and marines get so ticked off at these questions. They chose to do it. They gave for a reason. They have a cause and it seems like the media and all those who don't believe are trying to take that away from them.

I'd be ticked off, too.

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 9:46 AM

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During the largest transition in the history of the AF since the end of WWII, Gen. Tony McPeak spent all his time redesigning the uniforms, all of them. In the dress blues department, the officers got "Navy Light." Remember, Dusty? I was not surprised when he retired and came out for the dark side...

posted by Oldloadr on March 26, 2008 9:52 AM

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He's responsible for that new wing thingy that looks like starship troopers badge?

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 10:35 AM

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..and as for young Ms. Harrington, i hope that she will able to somehow muddle through and eventually enjoy a cold beer on her 21st birthday, and i would be happy to supply it for her.

posted by MajMike on March 26, 2008 10:48 AM

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I think the 11yo killing the two intruders is an Urban legend.

Link here

posted by TheNewGuy on March 26, 2008 1:12 PM

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Hey..."vacuous" is a good "v" word but maybe the General should have also checked out the "Venona" data before he referenced McCarthy. None of those people were innocent.

posted by Fishmugger on March 26, 2008 3:17 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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And tomorrow ....Vets for Freedom Heros travel to Lawerence or as John calls it "the flaw on the Kaw"

What: Visit at the Dole Institute of Politics

WHEN: March 27, 2008, 9:30 am

Where: The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics (2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS 66045)

***Open to the Public***

posted by jim b on March 26, 2008 4:19 PM

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Snerk. I was going to put that up in the morning. The Dole sent me a note.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 4:22 PM

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Jim...I'll be wearing a little gold angel with a red, white and blue dress on my lapel if you don't remember what I look like. I'll see you there.

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 4:55 PM

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Great report Kat. I cannot wait until Saturday when I get to see these great men in Nashville.

GOOD JOB Kansas City for the escort!

posted by Leta on March 27, 2008 11:17 PM

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Great report Kat. I cannot wait until Saturday when I get to see these great men in Nashville.

GOOD JOB Kansas City for the escort!

posted by Leta on March 27, 2008 11:18 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

We live in a different America, the post Vietnam America. We're no longer "One Nation" under anything or anyone. We are a nation where only one part of the population believes that the government represents them and takes responsibility for its actions while the other part that did not win national presidential or congressional elections believes that the country does not belong to them while their party is out of power. Therefore, they are not responsible for its actions or its people even if the actions of their party led up to the very moment an incident occured or has been equally fond of calling on the citizens to take up arms in one cause or another.

Andrew Bacevich only had part of the equation right. America has seen its military as a tool to use more often. He refers to it as a love of military force. At the same time, since Vietnam, we have divorced our love of military force from the love of our soldiers and the love of this country. That is the danger we have yet to perceive in our nation because, when you no longer see it as an extension of our people, the will of the people, or the service of the people of this nation it becomes a tool that is dispensable along with the people in it. That danger leads to the common thought today that we can use it up, use the people up and it doesn't matter if we win or lose because its value, the value of the lives of these men and women, is diminished against political and economic necessity of one political movement or another.

In that depreciation of value of our military and its service members is the depreciation of value of our nation, democracy and freedom. What then is our nation worth? If it is worth so little, if our people are worth so little, how will we continue to survive the next century or against any foreign or domestic enemy? Is our nation also dispensable?

It is as John Edwards called it, "Two Americas". But, it's not the two Americas he imagined of rich and poor, educated or uneducated, Democrat or Republican. It is the two Americas where one believes in supporting their country and their troops and the other does not. Where one believes that a nation at war is all of our responsibility and the other thinks of the many ways it can avoid that responsibility. Where one sees being a citizen soldier and a veteran as the epitome of honor, integrity and service to our nation and the other thinks it’s a the choice of uneducated, under employed losers. That it is now a "political statement" to serve your country in war time instead of a sacrifice to defend this nation and every citizen in it.

Where a soldier cannot even return to the school that he graduated from, that helped to shape his personal beliefs that led to that service, to share those same ideas and honor because it might make some other students believe the same thing is possible or even desirable.

A soldier cannot ask for the support of his nation because it makes people uncomfortable to think they actually have some responsibility to him, to others like him and to this nation. He is now spreading "propaganda" instead of instilling a belief in our nation and its values. He is like a contagion that people fear will “infect” the young with the same ideas as if those ideas were a disease to be wiped out by quarantine and inoculation of the “correct” ideas.

There are two Americas and they have existed for over thirty years. One America believes in the United States, freedom and democracy, believes in this country as the best place to live, the better of any nation or political system and the other one thinks its a bunch of hooey that could be easily replaced by some other system, only believes in America when it does what they want or when the politicians they vote for are in power.

A soldier, a veteran, cannot ask his nation for support or speak at a local school he graduated from, but a congressman can call them cold blooded murderers on international television.

Shame on the school, shame on the parents who protested and shame on these people who think they can say what they want but should not have to hear from the very people that gave them the freedom to have their children at school, free from the fear of attacks, free from want and free to speak.

We live in two America's now. The question is: Which America is going to insure we survive another two centuries?

� Secure this line!

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Kat, i'm not seeing the connection to COL(Ret) Bacevich, or did i miss something?

posted by MajMike on March 26, 2008 2:13 PM

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Just a book he wrote and a lecture he gave that I saw, speaking about the militarization of America and our supposed growing love affair with using the military more often as a tool of our foreign policy in the last half of the 20th century. (my bad for not linking the previous discussion here).

I did disagree with him that it was a "growing" love affair in the "last half of the 20th century" at the time because history shows our use of military as a foreign policy tool growing since the war of 1812. It has simply accelerated with the growth of technology along with our demand for less casualties in the last half of the century.

My point, of course, is that he is right in some respects that we are using the military more often as a "tool" and at the same time we create a mental and political condition within our nation where we divorce the "citizen" and "value" aspect of military service from the "tool." Since the military is a tool, when it is wielded by this president or that, by this party or that, it becomes the tool of that president or party and not the armed forces of the United States. As such, people feel awfully comfortable dismissing them or avoiding responsibility.

everyone mouths platitudes about the value of the soldier's life and service, but they want them to be silent objects while we debate and ponder the worth of that life and service. Like they were simply objects or tools.

Now that they demand to have a voice in the calculation of that value, people don't want to hear. They haven't wanted to hear for a long time.

For forty years now. I have to ponder how it is that people keep signing up, raising their hand and swearing to protect a nation that continues to depreciate the value of that service.

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 2:45 PM

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MajMike - my review of Bacevich's book is here, if you want to suffer through my long-windedness.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 3:06 PM

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In the War of Ideas American Exceptionalism stands against Political Correctness, Multiculturalism, Radical Environmentalism and Transnational Progressivism. One -ism sees America as the Shining City On The Hill and raises sons and daughters willing to defend it. The other -isms view America as the focus of evil in the modern world and aborts their sons and daughters.

Sovereign Westphalian nation-states as the basis for global political organization are on the way out, to be replaced by continental Unions, NGO's, non-state actors and super-empowered individuals who are chipping away at the tasks that were once reserved as government monopolies.

"A Republic, if you can keep it."

Nothing lasts forever.

posted by Cannoneer No. 4 on March 26, 2008 7:27 PM

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ah yes, the flickering synapses of long ago (3 years) memories..

i gotcha now. thx for the reminder.

posted by MajMike on March 27, 2008 8:16 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Lovely picture.

Too bad it's a lovely picture of such a godawful butt-ugly airplane. I enjoy watching any kind of warbird in flight, whether old or modern, and especially one as successful as the Warthog. But ye gods of light and shadow, that airplane is ugly! Nothing so repulsive has marred the skies since the AF tried to turn a bomber into an aircraft carrier. Not for naught was it called the Goblin...

posted by wolfwalker on March 26, 2008 4:55 PM

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I like a copy of the big A-10 photo file please.

Thank you,

Craig B

posted by Craig on March 26, 2008 6:45 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

There are villains that this documentary wanted to ‘get’. They just happened to be VP Cheney and SecDef Rumsfeld instead of President Bush and the entire Administration. Quite honestly, this worked more like a hit piece on them than an indictment of President Bush. At their feet was laid almost all the blame for the run up to war, including claims of fudging the intelligence and ‘Curveball’, and the mishandling of the post takedown of Saddam. Rumsfeld, most heavily Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Yoo take the heat for Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, and things over which there is debate over like ‘is it torture’ and should Taliban or other insurgents be considered POWs. These are the villains. Cheney is Darth Sidious/Emporer Palpatine, and Rumsfeld is his acolyte, sort of, Darth Vader who has things so drastically wrong at every turn.

I was actually quite surprised at the treatment of just about everyone else in the current Administration. President Bush is not a villain or a war criminal in this. A weak man maybe, someone mislead by those closest to him, and dominated by Cheney but not a villain. Dr. Rice gets a mixed treatment. She’s given a ‘weak nancy-girl’ treatment in the first installment but given kudos for pushing the Administration toward the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ strategy and for taking on Rumsfeld after being made SecState. She’s given a lot of kudos for that. SecState Powell is treated like a sage who should have been listened to, but wasn’t. Surprisingly the flaws in everyone but Cheney and Rumsfeld are not taken as a pathway to denounce them as war criminals. They are portrayed as flawed, tragic, or unready for prime time individuals, but not evil. People caught up in events beyond their control or erroneous lines of thought, but not evil.

There is an assumptions underlying how this documentary’s first night unfolds that I don’t and never will agree with. One of the most prominent being the proposition that the War on Terror is solely about al Quaeda. Rumsfeld and Cheney, our villains, push for a broader conflict in the ME, or seek to satisfy some bizarre jones to attack Iraq, but the CIA wants to keep it only about bin Laden and aQ. I’ve always rejected this. Why? For the best formal reasoning read Dr. Tom Barnett’s books and blog. In a nutshell: because turning this into retributive raids or manhunts doesn’t end the threat. We did Libya, and still got attacked. Did Sudan, the infamous cruise missile diplomacy. Still got attacked. We tried the first WTC attackers in civilian court, and attacks still continued. Whack-a-mole and targeted manhunts all thru the 70’s to the late 90’s and it only gets worse. No, the solution to the problem of Islamicist ideology driven terrorism has to be larger and more complicated than simply hunting for OBL and taking down the Taliban because if that’s all it was we’d never have had a bin Laden because we did that in the 80-90’s (Libya et al.) to seemingly no effect. So, right there, I find a major flaw in this documentary. They’re pushing people who looked to the problem of int’l terrorism as a bigger problem than just bin Laden and labeling them traitors or people with, possibly evil, ulterior motives for the broader view. Since that’s a very critical assumption, underlying much of the first night’s case, it is a crippling disagreement.

The second night is by far the weakest in my opinion. It showed a real lack of knowledge by the documentarians of what Rumsfeld was trying to do. They really try to play it as strategy summed up in nine words: “Do it small. Get out fast. Screw the aftermath.” Rather simplistic, and also tosses aside what they laid out as the plan going in for the aftermath, yes, they admit that there was a post Saddam plan drawn up before the invasion, the first night (Achmed Chalabi). Something they spent a good twenty or thirty minutes on the previous night. That constitutes a continuity problem in my eyes. Honestly, Barnett does it best. Rumsfeld was right, and wrong. He had it 100% right on how small we could go to take down Iraq but was 100% wrong on the post conflict reconstruction being able to be done by the same sized force. The documentarians take the tack that Rumsfeld’s a grandstanding idiot, mostly.

The second night follows a chronology that could have been taken straight from the New York Times staff writers. It does present the first Battle of Fallujah in terms I’d not considered in the past, and bases their claims on interviews of ‘insiders’ (but not faceless, nameless ‘highly placed officials’). But, even here, it doesn’t look like they’re willing to go much outside their preset script. They deserve credit for trying a multidiscipline treatment of event, but they still take a preset position and are unwilling to deviate from it (the insurgency became indomitable after that because there were too few troops in Iraq, and it’s Rumsfeld’s fault).

By far I found the weakest bit of this whole thing was the panel of people they interviewed. It seemed stacked to me. Much of the commentary was done by some of the harshest critics. Where were the critics but not opponent type people? Did Barnett get called but turn them down? I’m not saying that they should’ve put Jonah Goldberg on there, but couldn’t someone like Max Boot or Mark Steyn---people who present cases for other rationales for doing Iraq---have been put on there? Now that would have put the real question to the people: is it or isn’t it part of a larger campaign, is the WOT only a big name for what amounts to ‘Get bin Laden!’? Some of the people they got were excellent choices. Andrew Krepinevich being one example, COLs Hammes and McMaster being others of the dozen or so out of the 50 or so people who offer commentary that are experts instead of journalists who really lend something substantive to the doc. Unfortunately the experts don’t get as much time as the journo’s and book writers do. I’d much rather have listened to dueling accounts of what happened and why between Col HR McMaster and Col Hammes or Gen Keating than listen to Ricks deride the strategy of the Gen casey tenure as ‘war tourism’.

One of the best, if painful, elements to this was the documentation of Rumsfeld’s role in ‘energetic interrogation’ implementation. They did this one well, if somewhat melodramatic. They laid they case, they showed the documents, they didn’t trot out someone un-named source. This was straight up reporting.

Worth watching. Gollum can’t give a number of ‘yes my preciousssssessss’ or anything like that on this. It is too complex for that kind of treatment. I’d watch it again. I want to watch it again. But that doesn’t mean I liked it or agreed with much of it. I know, it’s PBS, but it is worth the time.
--ry

� Secure this line!

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I think Stephen Den Beste's summary of why we went to war in Iraq is one of the best I've seen so far:

http://denbeste.nu/essays/strategic_overview.shtml

posted by fdcol63 on March 26, 2008 7:39 AM

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I also watched the Frontline piece and it is worth the time. In the theory that you have to pan a lot of dirt to find a nugget this piece should be one of a number of sources. But yes, it was more like a docudrama then a true documentory.

posted by Fishmugger on March 26, 2008 8:48 AM

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why did we go to war in Iraq? Because I said so.

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 9:39 AM

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Ryan, The bottom-line is this, I agree with "Kat-Missouri". It really comes down to this- Because, Grumpy said so." But it is equally true, NONE of us have the facts! Everything has been intentionally blurred. Therefore, we have a whole series of different docudramas, this would include the whole military-veteran blog world, including this one. I am not saying you are liars or are trying to deceive anybody. You are dealing with perceptions. Even the people who are there only see a microcosm of the whole real picture. Many could accurately say this whole blog world is nothing more than a glorified op-ed piece. In the final view, these men will answer to the old "Hag" herself, her name is History. There will be a day when all of this will hang out in the open for all to see, totally and factually, with no spin.

posted by Grumpy on March 26, 2008 12:46 PM

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You think there's no spin in History?

posted by Trias on March 26, 2008 1:12 PM

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For a fascinating read on the subject, I would highly encourage everyone to read Yossef Bodansky's The Secret History of the Iraq War.

I found it to be a thorough study on the rat's nest that was/is Iraq.

posted by Boquisucio on March 26, 2008 1:26 PM

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Historians tell only the unvarnished, verifiable, uninfluenced truth, Trias!

Don't undermine my confidence!

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 2:07 PM

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No. this war will be spun so badly in history, no one will know what's real or not, not even if they put it "all out there". Our grandchildren will look back and think we were crazy, uber-hubris near nazis that over responded to the death of a tiny number of our citizens by giving our oil hungry and imperial government the go ahead to trample on some poor nation that we had alternately wanted to blow to pieces and annex to our country for over a decade for its oil wealth under the guise of getting the people who attacked us on 9/11.

Which will also have deep caveats about the probability that 9/11 was a conspiracy by the government in order to start the war in the first place.

I want to write McMillan and demand that, under the Iraq war, when they are explaining why we went to war, they should put my picture and the words "I said so." Someone should take the responsibility and stop dumping it all on the administration like some horrifically bloody scape goat.

Helllloooo???? I hope they write in those books how the Iraq war started out with 70% support. Of course, if they do, they will write that American citizens believed Saddam ordered 9/11.

History was already written in the newspapers. You just have to marvel at the bizarre parallel universe we live in. I can't decided which of us actually went down the rabbit hole.

Saddam will be a martyr to imperial dreams.

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 3:07 PM

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As we start going down the path of history, "She" will reveal all of the truth. Kat, you are right, people will try to spin it. The old saying many years ago was, "When politicians die, they don't bury them, they just screw them into the ground." The question becomes, "Is it a right handed thread or a left handed thread?" But as we grow older, we see things differently. There was another old saying, "He who does not learn from history is condemned to repeat it, repeat it and repeat it over again until you learn." D.O.D. made a policy change to disregard history, military and other types. In truth, this is like disregarding the 800 pound gorilla in the room. This is the most arrogant moronic move a human can make.

posted by Grumpy on March 26, 2008 4:07 PM

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Somebody said "History is written by the winners" I guess nobody cares what the loosers think. At least there will be more sources for historians when this chapter is written and not just the front page of the NYT. Well...if they can make sure the Sandy Bergers of the world ain't stuffing history down the front of their pants.

I try to read different accounts so I can determine what was to have supposed to maybe happen. My father made me read British accounts of the Revolution when I was young just to make that point. Lordy but we were not nice people.

And..to get this off my chest...if it was just for oil...Canada and Mexico are next door and Chavez sits just around the corner. With what we have in country; we use very little from the middle east.

Don't go starting anything while I'm fishing in the Bahamas. I need to get back here. I promised my grand children to be out for trout season.

posted by Fishmugger on March 26, 2008 5:03 PM

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My father made me read British accounts of the Revolution when I was young just to make that point. Lordy but we were not nice people.

Nope, we sure weren't. For the most part, we refused to stand and fight unless we had an advantage in position or numbers and we had our sharpshooters target the officers *on purpose*, which was the height of Bad Sportsmanship in EuroWarfare back in the day.

We're *good* at guerrilla and counter-guerrilla warfare, whenever our doctrine doesn't get in the way...

posted by BillT on March 27, 2008 5:59 AM

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BTW, my branch of the family had combatants on both sides during that scrap, so we usually refer to it as "Our First Civil War"...

posted by BillT on March 27, 2008 6:14 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Field grader's 20-cheroot box magazine, with cutter, ca. 1925.

And I figger at least four readers will tell you that you typo'ed *hoser*...

posted by BillT on March 26, 2008 7:46 AM

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Snerk! Prolly...

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 8:44 AM

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A very Fritz Langish/Bauhaus prop indeed.

posted by Boquisucio on March 26, 2008 8:45 AM

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Well...something to do with marking or figuring elevation on a piece of light artillery?

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 9:00 AM

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[look]

[blink]

[look closer]

a whatziss that I actually know? Can't be ...

Is that the feed hopper off a Japanese Type 11 light machine gun? Took standard 5-round rifle ammo clips, stripped the rounds, and fed them to the gun. Ingenious idea, but didn't work so well in the field.

posted by wolfwalker on March 26, 2008 10:05 AM

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C'mon guys, this ones almost a giveaway...! Wolfwalker is wrong, but he's on the right track...

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 3:26 PM

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So...it holds bullets? For a machine gun?

piece on the upper right corner is a trigger?

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 5:17 PM

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Magazine loader for a weapon using a rimmed cartridge?

For a Bren, possibly?

posted by Blake Kirk on March 26, 2008 9:08 PM

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tough to tell w/o a pink quilted blankie behind it for scale, but....

i'm guessing Belgian Crap Sprayer once again.

posted by MajMike on March 27, 2008 8:20 AM

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Blake gets it right! The reveal is here.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 28, 2008 8:18 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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In truth, they will never understand, when it comes down to the soldiers on the battle field, war is about love.

Nice turn o' the phrase, kat.

At the strategic level, it might be about Mom, Apple Pie, Baseball and the Flag, but at the tactical level, it's always been about the guys occupying the same fifty-meter danger zone.

Or the same ten-rotor-disk block of airspace...

posted by BillT on March 26, 2008 1:22 AM

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I know why you went there.

Love always,
Kat

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 1:25 AM

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Ummmmm -- to get out of raking leaves.

posted by BillT on March 26, 2008 1:42 AM

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somehow, I think the leaves will be there next year. Just my super duper, public education kicking in. We learned all about the four seasons: basketball, baseball, NASCAR and football. ;)

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 1:46 AM

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Around here, the four seasons are salt, pepper, A-1 and Tabasco...

posted by BillT on March 26, 2008 2:03 AM

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Huh. I thought the Iraqi four seasons were: hot, wow its hot, holy carp its hot and carp! the mud is sucking me under!

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 2:17 AM

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"Hot" coincides with "Carp! The mud is sucking me under!" (one-sixth of the year) and "Wow, it's hot" segues into "Holy carp, it's hot!" after about a week (the other five-sixths).

Sorta like Fort Drum, which also has only two seasons: winter and the Fourth of July.

Hey, Trias -- what's five-sixths in Celsius?

posted by BillT on March 26, 2008 2:49 AM

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Are you man enough to love? I guess that does make sense in a way.

mm apple pie. I'm baking a pie atm a meat one it's been a long time. I know I'm insane because the shops sell perfectly good pies...

What is A-1?

Five-sixths in Celsius? That's 35 plus.

posted by Trias on March 26, 2008 3:37 AM

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Trias -- A-1 is a bottled condiment commonly found in military dining facilities. I've never run a chemical analysis, but it appears to consist of equal parts Worcestershire, ketchup (as opposed to catsup), garlic, salt, citric acid and Brown Dye Number 587. It allegedly enhances the flavor of a perfectly good steak...

posted by BillT on March 26, 2008 4:04 AM

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A-1 also has anchovies in it...

Here - relive the past.

Sometimes, I'm glad I spent my youth with US forces in Europe, sans TV!

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 6:51 AM

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Kat, I've resisted reading both House to House and Lone Survivor because I didn't want the mind-pictures to go with what I already know.

This post might convince me to read them anyway...

And that exchange between you and Tuttle is one of the reasons I love this place. :)

I know, I know... far too much "love" talk in this post/comments. :P

posted by FbL on March 26, 2008 7:25 AM

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...far too much "love" talk in this post/comments. :P

%$#@! -- had the perfect snark for that, but I promised...

posted by BillT on March 26, 2008 7:50 AM

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Not that I want to encourage abuse of sweet little ol' me, but I do care about accuracy. It was a "Get Out Of Typo-Snark Free card." ;)

posted by FbL on March 26, 2008 8:03 AM

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It allegedly enhances the flavor of a perfectly good steak...

Allegedly is correct. If you're steak needs A-1, it ain't "perfectly good". However, A-1 is good for steak fries, I find.

Kat, I've resisted reading both House to House and Lone Survivor because I didn't want the mind-pictures to go with what I already know.

Blows you away. I've read a lot of books in my lifetime. I do mean "a lot" and this book simply blew me away. The guy was just telling his story, but it had everything you could or should want in a book: love, hate, pride, humility, some dark soldier humor, disgust, grief, instrospection as well as super shallow moments.

A man wrote it.

The ending reminds me of the end of Saving Private Ryan when Tom Hanks tells Matt Damon's character "Earn it." I think that is where Bellavia is coming from.

Seriusly, though, do not "not" read this book because it might leave you with bad images in your mind while you're dealing with our soldiers. There are parts that you would not want to know in another life, but the way the book is written, those images will be supplanted by the feelings of love and devotion portrayed by the author.

I might even have to read the book again to get a good idea about the actual combat ;)

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 9:13 AM

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Bellavia needs to run for public office. I know there was (is?) talk of "drafting" him to run. I've not fully read "House to House" (Started it and then loaned it to my BIL to read) but you're right - it blows you away.

Bill ~ I love you, man!

posted by HomefrontSix on March 26, 2008 12:22 PM

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FBL,
Read BOTH...now!
They are both outstanding looks behind the curtain.
The perspectives and perceptions will leave you gasping for breath.

I've been back 23 months now, read both twice since Christmas.

The Blog of War and THE SANDBOX are both good books but since they are multi-author blog recaps most of us have already seen the originals when they came out. I bought em and read em simply cause my kids can read them later and understand Dad a bit better.

And I agree Dave needs to seriously think of running for Congress! Kick that IVAW Dem feller to the curb!
DS

posted by Desert Sailor on March 26, 2008 2:12 PM

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1. Sometimes a steak begs for A-1 simply to remind me of the good ol' days at my grandparent's house. Steak, thick-cut potato wedges, A-1, and corn on the cob. Oh, and an ice-cold PBR.

2. Bellavia *is* running for office- Congress. It was announced today that's going for the seat Tom Reynolds is leaving. Thing is... he's running against another Iraq war veteran, which will make things in Erie County EXTREMELY interesting....

posted by AFSister on March 26, 2008 3:04 PM

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Oh, and I second that, Desert Sailor. You simply MUST read both House to House and Lone Survivor!!!

posted by AFSister on March 26, 2008 3:07 PM

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afs ~ SWEET!!! Thanks for the heads' up!

posted by HomefrontSix on March 27, 2008 12:41 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

This was a good book. It wasn't a page turner like Bellavia's "House to House" that I just finished reading (in less than two days), though I turned the pages on this book for the sheer interest in the subject. The book is not first person accounts. It's written by the author based on interviews and collected information. In fact, the book reads somewhat like Hall's "Home of the Brave". It was a straight forward accounting of women in the military, serving in various roles in the battle for Iraq and some of their experiences.

These women included fixed and rotor wing aviators, a flight commander, public affairs, MPs, medics, nurses, doctors, long haul truck drivers, aviation boatswain's mate (air craft carrier) and several other military occupations. It gave a good sense of the types of occupations that these women served in and what might be expected on deployment.

The book did an excellent job of simplifying military terms and descriptions of occupations, equipment and weapons. I would highly recommend this book to young women or young men who might be interested in the military, but have no close association with it. I would recommend this book to the general readership here because it high-lights women in the military and their contributions that most have not heard about outside of the few women who have received specific medals.

For the most part, the book avoided being preachy about women in the military. It took the tone I believe that most of the women portrayed in the book wanted the book to take: the women were not exceptions, but a few of many who were already serving alongside their male counterparts. In fact, there were a few who either declined to be interviewed to avoid portraying themselves as the exception and many who participated who refused to make their stories about being an exception. They just wanted to tell their story and maybe inspire other young women to serve.

Such as Captain Vernice Armour, Cobra pilot and first black female aviator in the Marines who flew missions on the march to Baghdad and to support in Najaf during Sadr's first uprising. She originally dismissed the idea of being in the book, but then decided that she might inspire other young black women to strive for something more, to be anything that they wanted. Her motto: "Do what average people do, have what average people have."

At one point, Cpt Armour's Cobra has a problem with the weapon's system and coordinates a laser guided missile attack using another helicopter's laser and their Cobra's missile while taking heavy fire. That is not the thinking of the uneducated and unthinking.

Many of the women had been in combat or close to combat. Army Captain Robin Brown had her Kiowa helicopter shot down while in enemy territory, during a CAS (close air support) mission and had to use "escape and evade". Spec. Rachelle Spor was severely injured when the ambulance she was driving to the site of another attack that injured marines was hit by an IED. Her friend and fellow female medic was killed in the same attack in the seat next to her. LCpl Chrissy DeCaprio, MP and gunner, was in several fire fights while escorting convoys. Then there were Lance Corporals Kispetik and Blais who were tasked to go with some "grunts" to do cordon and search, searching women and children, but ended up in a gun battle near where Zarqawi was first injured in a JDAM attack.

Besides Cpt Armour, my two favorites were Gunny Sgt Mayo and Lt Col. Montgomery. GSgt Mayo is in public affairs and was with the Marines on the march to Baghdad 2003. Back at Camp Lejuene, the Gunny was always on AFN. During one fire fight, with Marines down in fox holes, the Gunny went to check on "my marines". As she went from fox hole to fox hole, a young Marine looked up and said, "Aren't you the lady from TV? What are you doing here?" The Gunny replied, "Fighting a war. What are you doing here?"

At another point during the march up country, with an embedd from the BBC in tow, an incident occurred that had the Gunny threatening to throw the reporter out of the truck on his head. Later, the Gunny thought, "Oh, my God! I killed a reporter." You'll have to read the book for that story. In short, Gunny Mayo was a marine Gunny through and through. I think that's what hooked me. Sort of Clint Eastwood type of Gunny from Heartbreak Ridge except not quite as leathery.

Lt. Col Polly Montgomery impressed me because she seemed like the an extremely good leader with both the operations of her combat airlift wing and with her personnel. She seemed steady and capable. Everyone that the author interviewed had nothing but great praise and kind regards for their peer or superior. She appeared to be the type of leader that many wish they could become, man or woman. She was the first female commander of a combat squadron in the United States Air Force.

In the book, LTC Montgomery came across as straightforward and not particularly dwelling on being a woman and a mother as a particular hardship. She noted that, yes, she had missed her children when she deployed, but many of her junior officers, enlisted and NCOs were also married with children and deployed. She was very balanced.

Her C130 was shot at several times with SAMs and anti-aircraft guns. During one take off, twenty minutes in, they lost an engine. Deciding to return, a few minutes from landing, they lost another engine on the same side. On a C130, that's like trying to fly a bowling ball. They made it back and landed safely with some excellent flying skills from LTC Montgomery.

Again, this is a great book if you want to read about women in the military as they truly are: simply a steady and growing part of our military operations and traditions.

If you're interested in more information about this author and the book tour, she has her own blog: Band of Sisters. Main website with additional information on the book and the women featured is also "Band of Sisters"

� Secure this line!

---

That is not the thinking of the uneducated and unthinking.

That's a perfect example of a well-trained Cobra pilot operating within a team.

To quote one of my favorite 'toon characters, "I is quietly proud" of the Inheritors...

posted by BillT on March 26, 2008 1:52 AM

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Some of us have known other members of that Sisterhood for years. I'm married to one of them, and there's no words to describe a Sunday afternoon on the patio spent with a daughter fresh from Somalia swapping *TINS* stories with her old man, comparing her war to mine.

Some of us are blessed.

posted by R Jewell on March 26, 2008 8:17 AM

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Hey Kat,

Read Band of Sisters and it is now circulating among a bunch of crochety old men that tut tutted when reports started coming in about some of the women serving. It was a good read but short. My friends seem to always gravitate toward a very special A-10 pilot, who after a very intense strafing run, and having her tail section shot up real bad, landed her plane safely and flew another day. Call sign Killer Chick.

These women should have more then a month to honor them.

posted by Fishmugger on March 26, 2008 9:13 AM

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Fishmugger - Killer Chick's aircraft.

Meet Captain Kim Campbell... Killer Chick.

I'd guess she's a Major, now.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 9:21 AM

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Yeah...I love that story about "Killer Chick".

I thought this book would be excellent for some of the folks who might be wondering what women are doing in the war zone besides patching up bleeding soldiers, sailors and marins.

I can't say it settled all the questions in my mind about the subject of infantry, particularly after I read "House to House", but it does speak volumes in real time about the subject too many folks think they know everything about.

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 9:25 AM

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that's "marines"

posted by kat-missouri on March 26, 2008 9:31 AM

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John...Great links. I've notified my friends. We lost track of her and wondered if she was still flying. Now if you could just supply a poster...

Kat,

A very good friend has a daughter who signed up for scholarship help to pay for law school. Of course whe was called up. So little Kate aka Lt Kate Assistant Battalion Ops Officer for a Reserve helo unit went off to Iraq. Her father a former Air Force Pilot and her mother a former Air Force nurse and I had many discussions about women at war. Everyone should have such discussions.

She's home now waiting for her bar results. Her husband however is on his second tour. A lot of breath holding around here.

posted by Fishmugger on March 26, 2008 9:39 AM

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Fishmugger - you want a poster?

Okay.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 9:55 AM

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John,

Thanks again. And... because some day you will need a favor...and your enemies are my enemies.

Your humble servant.

posted by Fishmugger on March 26, 2008 10:39 AM

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I've been on the lookout for a new good read, since my third attempt at "War and Peace" has me saying "Life is short, screw the Classics."

Band of Sisters looks like a good one, a veritable thorny branch with which to flog myself for being a commie in the '80s instead of serving my country.

I can't go back, so I'll proudly read about the gals who were braver than I. Thanks!

posted by April on March 26, 2008 10:52 AM

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You can still serve, Linda. Plenny of places to volunteer time and talent!

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 26, 2008 1:59 PM

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This is true, John--I do volunteer with Red Cross Disaster Services, and you're right--never too late to do something.

posted by April on March 26, 2008 2:16 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

*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."

� Secure this line!

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wow, persian specials on iraqi soil.. who woulda ever thunk it!

(oh wait, nevermind)

posted by MajMike on March 25, 2008 3:54 PM

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Kansas City, MO - Thursday, March 26/27, 2008
What: Townhall at The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial: Vets for Freedom will participate in a townhall & forum event with a book signing from the Vets for Freedom Heroes to follow.

When: 7pm March 26th

Where: 100 W. 26th Street, Kansas City MO, 64108

Open to the Public

After they got cancelled by some punk HS principal in Minn, I wouldn't miss being here.

posted by jim b on March 25, 2008 4:33 PM

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I'll be there, too Jim. Camera, digital voice recorder and books for signing in tow. See you there and big hugs to your grand daughter.

posted by kat-missouri on March 25, 2008 5:25 PM

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Dang! Loose nukes (or important parts thereof) and some people still don't trust me with a sack of flour and an open flame?

It's just not fair, I tellya!

posted by Justthisguy on March 25, 2008 10:46 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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And once again I regret living in the wrong part of the country. I would love to be able to attend a graduation, and take part in the Friday night support efforts, etc.
*sigh*

posted by Barb on March 25, 2008 1:30 PM

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I wish I could do that. What a wonderful accomplishment for anyone, and especially gratifying to see the wounded keeping their minds busy during recovery. People always think in terms of healing the body, when the mind needs just as much tending.

posted by Da Goddess on March 27, 2008 12:41 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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FbL,

This question should really be separate from "Tranforming Warrior Care", as "medical care" is too often limited to "physical" and "primary" care:

How is the Army and/or DoD going to provide mental and behavioral health care to returning veterans, especially those in very rural and isolated areas where access to a VAMC is limited?

posted by fdcol63 on March 25, 2008 10:30 AM

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FbL,

Sorry .... does that really just fall under the Dept. of Veterans Affairs now? If so, never mind.

posted by fdcol63 on March 25, 2008 10:35 AM

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Nice safe topics. I guess they lost my invitation...

posted by Jason on March 25, 2008 11:18 AM

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C'mon, Jason - did you not get the email blast Jack sent out yesterday morning?

And just because they're nice safe topics doesn't mean you couldn't have done a Helen Thomas on the Secretary...

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 25, 2008 11:22 AM

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John and Jason, my version of the invitation ended up in my spam file somehow. The only reason I knew about it was John's email (I only scroll through my spam file every couple of days).

fdcol, I think you're right about it being more a VA question. But if conversation heads that direction, maybe I can bring it up. And it DOES relate to National Guard guys who aren't near a major facility, so perhaps I can it in...

posted by FbL on March 25, 2008 11:35 AM

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I'll have some for you tonight.

posted by kat-missouri on March 25, 2008 11:46 AM

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Helen Thomas ....

Thanks again, John. There goes another lunch. LOL

posted by fdcol63 on March 25, 2008 12:25 PM

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Questions:

FRGs for National Guard and Reserve families. What is being done to bring support to the families of obviously important and critical element of our armed forces?

I understand that many groups have formed their own support networks and used the internet more effectively. But, what is the DoD and these units done to help develop the kind of support these folks need?

The dispersed nature of these forces families makes it difficult to support, but we need to try harder.

posted by kat-missouri on March 25, 2008 9:57 PM

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I have read that people who've suffered blast (shockwave?) injuries to their brains have sometimes not gotten proper follow-up care.

Maybe you could ask about that. There seem to have been lotsa folks very near to where large charges of HE have gone off who did not get hit by lots of big chunks, but had their brains messed with by the sudden acceleration etc.

I mind the descriptions in "Cryptonomicon" about what the Nip soldiers were going through, toward the end, and how it messed with their minds to have high explosives going off near to their head

posted by Justthisguy on March 25, 2008 11:09 PM

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s.

Dang truncation bug!
.

posted by Justthisguy on March 25, 2008 11:16 PM

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Thanks, guys! Great questions/topics!

posted by FbL on March 26, 2008 12:02 AM

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Okay, yes, I found my invite - in the spam folder also. Haven't had that problem for some time, damn Yahoo and its querky spam filter. I guess I missed my window, look forward to your take.

Doubt that I would have any questions other than "so how have you fixed the medical system so that it's responsive and we don't have Walter Reed and Fort Drum cases again?" and I'm sure that would be answered in his opening remarks.

posted by Jason on March 26, 2008 8:32 AM

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I know I'm late...and way out of lane.

How about asking about TMAGs (Theater Military Assistance Groups) and building structure at the Geographic Combatant Command level to support Theater Security Cooperation operations.

The intent being to to try to influence and set conditions so that we can avoid having to fight big wars. Succeed in Phase 0 so we don't end up in Phase IV.

posted by Heartless Libertarian on March 26, 2008 8:45 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

U.S. Air Force Captain Marianne Kehoe is the American hospital’s chaplain. She serves as the liaison for Senior Master Sergeant Patrick D. Porter, who is responsible for collecting and distributing donations from the folks back home.

“I have some friends in the states, Master Sergeant Barry Haan and Master Sergeant Henry Hayes, who did a toy drive and sent four large boxes of toys here,” said Porter.

Other donations come from individuals who volunteer at the hospital or from other sources on base.

Between two and three children are sent to the American hospital per month, Kehoe said. The kids come from outlying Forward Operating Bases or the Egyptian hospital, also located here.

The children arrive at the American hospital in bad shape and at the beginning are usually pretty indifferent to outside stimuli due to their trauma.

“I like seeing their personalities emerge,” said Kehoe. For example, “when Parmina arrived, she was unresponsive and not interactive at all and now she's ‘Miss Chatterbox,’ which is wonderful.”

Porter said he got involved with the hospital mission by attending Operation Care meetings.

Operation Care is a not-for-profit, non-denominational, private charitable organization comprised of military and civilian volunteers assigned to the Afghanistan Theater of Operations dedicated to providing goodwill and welfare to the people of Afghanistan and, especially, to its children, said U.S. Navy Lieutenant Sara O’Neil, Operation Care’s president.

“At a meeting, someone asked for [a volunteer] to step up and take the program so I grabbed at the chance,” said Porter, who added he works with two Army Non-Commissioned Officers: Staff Sergeant Randy Merrill and Sergeant Caroline Roman.

“Between the three of us, we get teams together on Friday [afternoons] and go to the hospital to meet up with Chaplain Kehoe, who lets us know how many kids we have and what rooms and limitations they may have,” said Porter.

Kehoe said she regularly monitors the status of the patients, because sometimes they are sleeping or not feeling up for visitors.

“I let Master Sergeant Porter know how many kids we have and their conditions so he can prep his volunteers. I also talk with the nursing staff before the visits to see if there are any special care precautions,” said Kehoe, who added visitors oftentimes have to wear a mask and gloves in order to protect the kids from germs and infection.

Porter and his volunteers do not always know what to expect when they arrive, especially if the patient is a new one.

“Most of the kids do not speak English and are somewhat apprehensive the first time they see us but are all smiles at the end. Most stay for several weeks, so they see us numerous times,” said Porter.

“The parents or guardians seem very appreciative of the visit and the opportunity to talk to folks other than the hospital people. It is an opportunity to give back to people who have nothing. It is awkward at first but you get used to the kids quickly and smiles are the universal language everyone understands.”

Specialist Karla Tyson shows Elmorad (known affectionately as 'Elmo'), an Afghan child injured in an IED blast, how to pull individual Matchbox cars out of the set just given to him at the American Hospital here at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan.

� Secure this line!

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On the even-brighter side, the warmer weather (it hit 35C at 1000) has encouraged those contractors of the female persuasion to dress in a somewhat breezier style,

What? No Pictures?

posted by Yu-Ain Gonnano on March 25, 2008 9:07 AM

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Nope, no pix. After the suicider set himself off in that chow hall south of here, taking *anything* inside (other than your weapon) is verboten.

posted by BillT on March 25, 2008 9:31 AM

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Wow an American used Celsius. This is a proud day.

I imagine the sweating had little to do with the weather.

posted by Trias on March 25, 2008 9:33 AM

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Heh. I *still* prefer Farenheit - and not just because I grew up with it... it allows for finer gradations.

Fooey on C. It ain't below zero until it's below zero in F!

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 25, 2008 9:53 AM

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A lot of the sweating had to do with the abysmal climb performance of a 135shp diesel-engined aircraft in 35C.

And I've used Celsius before. Mostly to keep the Denizennes from hollering at me to take more cold showers (and not for the obvious reason, either)...

posted by BillT on March 25, 2008 9:55 AM

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Regarding the celsius/farenheit thing, consider yourself lucky if you feel completely comfortable in one or the other.

Up here in the frozen white north (it's going to snow again today in Toronto), we're not quite sure which to use for any given purpose.

For example, I'm currently trying to get a bit healthier. Since Christmas, I've lost almost thirty pounds. I'd have to actually do the math to know the kilogram equivalent. I happen to know my height in centimetres because it was on my military ID those many years ago now, but I think of myself as five-foot-ten. If I'm working around the house, the studs are still sixteen inches apart, the ceilings are eight feet high, and the fence I'm building outside this spring will be six feet tall.

But if I'm driving down the highway on my commute, I'm monitoring my speed in kilometres per hour, and my hike or run is always measured in kilometres. I buy litres of milk or gasoline. And twenty five degrees is pleasantly hot, whereas thirty five is make-sure-you-stay-hydrated weather.

Unless I'm cooking, in which case I'm still setting the oven to 375 before I put the chicken in.

Yet another example of how Canadians remain torn between the European and American influences in our day-to-day lives...and damned inconvenient if you ask me.

posted by Damian on March 25, 2008 10:20 AM

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I'm still trying to figure out what -41 fahrenheit is in Celsius. I think my calculator broke.

posted by Fred on March 25, 2008 10:56 AM

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Whiner. Blame US for everything!

8^D

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 25, 2008 10:56 AM

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Oddly enough Fred - it's... -40 or so.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 25, 2008 11:13 AM

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Fred - -41*F is just flipping cold. No Celsius needed. Was that ambient temp or with wind chill?

posted by HomefrontSix on March 25, 2008 12:41 PM

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Oddly enough there was a similar thong situation that I noticed while stationed at Camp Taji, Iraq. AAFES could never keep Dr Pepper in stock, but there was a constant flow of assorted thongs. Actually made me wonder who the hell was buying these things...because I never saw that many women about.

One of life's great mysteries.

posted by Outlaw 13 on March 25, 2008 9:12 PM

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Fahrenheit does not allow for finer gradations. That's why fractions and decimal points exist.

And it isn't ever below zero if you use Kelvin.

-41F is -40.6 Celsius.

Actually the American system is just a muddled British system (the US altered it to Americanize it to be Not British because of of Independence) so in effect it's the Brits fault. The British system was always built on muddle in the first place.

The 10 basis system I think developed by the French SI (who hated the British dominating even the tiniest bit of culture) was probably the best thing since sliced croissant and one of the few things I have enormous respect for the French with. It's superior in it's simplicity and that really is the end of the story.

It replaced the British system in Australia and even Britain eventually and is the most widely used system across the world, the primary exception was always the US. A fact which has forced me and every other scientist or engineer and probably commerce handlers to muddle through conversions back and forth.

posted by Trias on March 25, 2008 9:48 PM

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Oh, Trias, that's just dog poo, 'specially since computers were invented. 12 is factorable by 2, and 3, and 4, and 6. 10 is factorable by what, 2 and 5?

The common gradations on English-speaking rulers are in negative powers of two; 1/2, 1/4, ... 1/64, 1/128, etc.

If it weren't for the French system, we wouldn't have round-off errors in bank computers.

The decimal system is for people who can't do arithmetic in their heads without looking at their fingers.

I suppose you think we should adopt the French Revolutionary Calendar, too?

May I remind you, that of the objects on the moon, the ones left there by humans who rode them there had the threads of their fasteners described in inches, their velocities described in feet per second, and their weights and masses described in pounds and slugs, respectively.

Oh, and it's degrees RANKINE

posted by Justthisguy on March 25, 2008 11:36 PM

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12 for what inches to a foot? How many feet in a yard? is it 12? How many yards in a mile? 12 as well?

Perhaps in your head (no cheating now) you can tell me how many feet in a chain. If that's too easy what about the number of cubic feet in a gallon? Or better yet the number of grains in a dram. And this is easy, just one unit conversions. Tell me, for the number of grains per dram, just what that's factorable by?

The common graduation on US rulers may be that but you are wrong when it comes to most English speaking rulers outside the US.

Re: blame the French for your bank errors. Do you even use the French banking system? If not how are you blaming them for the mistakes of your own system? Prove your system would never have a rounding error.

No the decimal system is for those who count on a a basis of one to ten. You know.. most people.

Why do you make that assumption? Is the calender better? Does it have worldwide use and acceptance? No. You are just letting your dislike of the French blind you.

And you should be proud of US achievements. BTW As of 1980 NASA implemented going metric. Because it's better.

And degrees Kelvin, look it up.

posted by Trias on March 26, 2008 2:26 AM

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For daily, casual use, there are reasons why the older Brit/SAS standards are sensible. Metric units are relatively-speaking, "arbitrarily" sized --- the measurement is designed by a physics person, not by associated daily uses. A yard is about the length of a man's arm. "A pint's a pound the world around", etc. By contrast, a liter of beer is too much, a deciliter too little. A half-liter is about right, but that violates the powers-of-ten metric principle, doesn't it? The average person does not have to convert in daily life -- who buys exactly a mile of yarn? Who needs to covert drams to bushels? (If you're buying a bushel of Oxycodone, you're involved in illegal activities, aren't you?) Right -- the average person doesn't really gain the advantages of the metric system for the most part -- it's only in commerce, design, and shipping that it really gets felt -- so it makes inarguable sense in any technical usage, but it's at least arguable in day-to-day life.

As to the argument that Fahrenheit does not allow for finer gradations, that shows a lack of basic mathematical understanding. 9F=5C, so you get 9 "integral" divisions in F for five such in C. Duh, and QED -- Fahrenheit allows finer gradations "without resorting to decimal points", which was the statement being made. Argue whether the difference is relevant, sure, but make your arguments make sense.

It's all moot anyway. Centigrade? Celsius? Fahrenheit? Kelvin? Rankine? Pfah! ------- Réaumur rules!!!

:oD

.

posted by OBloody Hell on March 26, 2008 5:36 PM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

*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."

� Secure this line!

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Hurriyya means "Freedom"... does it get any better than that!!!
I was reading a CNN article this morning which quotes Iraq's national security advisor as saying "This is global terrorism hitting everywhere, and they have chosen Iraq to be a battlefield. And we have to take them on. If we don't prevail, if we don't succeed in this war, then we are doomed forever....I understand and sympathize with the mothers, with the widows, with the children who have lost their beloved ones in this country. But honestly, it is well worth fighting and well worth investing the money and the treasure and the sweat and the tears in Iraq."

Well said, Mr. Mowaffak al-Rubaie! And that's exactly why we need to finish this thing the right way, so that ALL Iraqi's can experience hurriyya.

posted by AFSister on March 24, 2008 6:52 AM

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Here's the link to the CNN article- it's actually the transcript of Wolf Blitzer's show last night. The part I quoted is maybe halfway through the script.

posted by AFSister on March 24, 2008 6:57 AM

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Heh. The ultimate expression of the 18 pounder QF gun on the Mk 2 carriage with the WWII pneumatic tires and smaller gun shield.

The wheels don't look quite right, but the Finns used these guns and mebbe they used that kind of wheel.

I wasn't looking far enough back, and I admit I was focused more on AA weapons, given where you're located.

But I'm also sure I wouldn't have gotten it anyway... because all the late model 18 pounders with the armored box have taller boxes on the recuperators. Got more pix? 8^ )

So's I can add 'em to this one and this one and this one?

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 24, 2008 7:44 AM

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...the Finns used these guns and mebbe they used that kind of wheel.

So did the Sovs, and that's Russkie rubber on them thar disks. I figgered the carriage for a Mk 1, but you're the expert.

Dunno if the Brits left any souvenirs here after they pulled out, but my Most-Logical-SWAG on it is that it went from GB to the USSR, got the Sov wheels installed, got fired until the lands wore down, then was foisted off on Saddam (along with at least one MiG-15bis) as part of a Fraternal Socialist Military-Modernization Aid Package -- which would also neatly explain why all the *other* artillery I've seen here is of -- heh -- ChiCom origin.

Got more pix?

Megs of 'em. Why?

*heh!*

posted by BillT on March 24, 2008 8:31 AM

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I did not know the Russkies used this gun - but here 'tis... and the box on the end of their recuperators matches the one in your pic.

Unless that's one of the Finn guns - both in your pic and in the link above.. Britain sold 30 Mk 2 guns on Mk 2 carriages with pneumatic tires to Finland during the Winter War but they arrived too late to be used. They were used as "84 K/18" during the Continuation War of 1941 - 1944 by Field Artillery Regiment 8, 17th Division, so the one in the link might be a captured gun - and the Finns using Russian tires makes sense, too.

Regardless, she's had an interesting life to end up there as yard art.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 24, 2008 9:30 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Happy Birthday again. Have another great day :)

posted by Trias on March 23, 2008 3:32 PM

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Happy Belated B-Day, Boston Mag.

May you be able to measure your successes on this new year THUSLY

posted by Boquisucio on March 23, 2008 5:43 PM

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mmmm...you missed mine, too. How are you all situated for a get together at the steak house. I'm flush right now and am looking forward to seeing you all again.

posted by kat-missouri on March 23, 2008 5:55 PM

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Technically you made it in under the wire. In my world (which is actually a completely separate place from the world most people know and inhabit), it's "birthday week" and it just ended a few hours ago with my family party at my parent's house.

My birthday is celebrated like that of the dictator of a small island nation.

Kat, sorry about missing your birthday...when is it?

Although not everyone gets that "It's all about Maggie!" My sister Jen complained about my giant duffle bag with no wheels while we were in Vegas. So my sister Grace bought me a new suitcase with wheels and a handle. Hello???? Jen didn't like the bag. Jen though it should have been replaced. Why is Jen getting what she wants on my birthday?

Thanks for the present John.....Sailors are my favorite flavor.

Boq - I was a little nervous while your pic loaded...it took a few minutes and read "How big".

posted by Maggie on March 23, 2008 8:29 PM

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Maggie, I, too, offer my most earnest and sincere apoligies for not noticing in time.

In recompense, may I offer this gift, which looks like it was painted by someone who knows you.

Are you the gal in the middle, in the chartreuse-colored dress?

posted by Justthisguy on March 23, 2008 9:30 PM

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Since it is an open post I’ll ask you guys what you think of this experimental folding automatic pistol call the FMG9(Sp?). It appears to be a Glock with some sort of folding stock and folding magazine.

Can it really take the stress factors of, say, a micro Uzi?

See: clip of how it folds

posted by Ledger on March 23, 2008 11:37 PM

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Happy birthday woman! Were you closer, I'd buy you a mojito ;~) Gimme a few months and I'll getcha taken care of!

posted by HomefrontSix on March 24, 2008 2:22 AM

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Ledger - we discussed that gizmo in the comments of this post.

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 24, 2008 10:07 AM

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Me thinks that the puppy is non-plused about either the dress or the sailors, JTG

posted by Boquisucio on March 24, 2008 4:23 PM

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Although, I usually read all of your posts… and I do remember the miniature revolver… and I read the comments, I must have skipped over the folding machine pistol. There are not enough hours in the day for family, business, and blogs.

Oh well, I should have known John would have covered it (and the gun doesn’t look too reliable).

And, happy B-day to Boston Mag.

posted by Ledger on March 25, 2008 6:33 AM

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Ledger - amen your last.

And it's okay to ask - you got the link, right?

posted by John of Argghhh! on March 25, 2008 9:00 AM

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About time you got around to that part, Ledger!

posted by Maggie on March 25, 2008 9:42 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!

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Call me arrogant, but if I am thinking about succes I am thinking about the US, the EU, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Israel. Now tell me which off them had Islam at the base of its success.

posted by eric on March 23, 2008 4:21 PM

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I also see Islam at a level similar to old Christianity. But the old religions are dying under the cold rays of truth and disinterest and it's my belief Islam will be dead with the others before it learns to grow up. Which will take quite some time yet.

But you ask what to believe in. There are answers beyond chardonnay. Like;

Truth. Science is part of this. You'd be surprised just how much science is faith based and though not an official religion it has many true believers. One of the reasons old religions like Christianity and Islam fight it so viciously. Science, you see, is a material search for truth, though not truth itself.

Love. The old fire and brimstone Devil, Hell and Sinners doesn't work as well anymore. Now we are slowly turning to listen to love and do things of better accord rather than reacting to and being controlled by fear. Fear of god fear of the devil fear of not getting to heaven.

Thinking for ourselves. Instead of being told whom to love and whom to hate and how to conduct each aspect of our lives those with the courage to think for ourselves and break the slavery of control get to discover what responsibility is and also freedom. The very formation of the US was part of this.

I'm being perhaps a bit ethereal here but it relates to simple things like;

The "beer/merlot/latte". Wealth is very alluring and there will always be those that are drawn to discover it. Most in Islam will notice they are poor but the Enemy is rich. If they hear beyond the siren's wail of the West being rich because they are evil or that being rich is evil then they will see the obvious which is to say the West is rich because it's better.

All this is not that new just not discussed that much. Conservative Christianity is part of the reason for this. It takes a long time to move forward and the 'West' is not as far ahead as it thinks. For example, racism, women, gays, disabled people etc first to free and empower them and then to balance that power these processes aren't even over yet. We've barely seen Christianity move from Devil talk to Love talk. It's very very slow by my patience level but probably lightning fast for the old school Christians.

posted by Trias on March 23, 2008 4:29 PM

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Shoot, you don't even have to have a big human brain; I mind some conflicts I witnessed between my kitty and some big Florida lizards. They kept coming, though doomed to lose. (Kitty's mouse-intimidation techniques did not work on non-mammals)

It's a question all life forms have always had to answer, whether they had brains or not:

Just exactly would you rather die than put up with?

And, no, I'd not rather die than end a sentence with a preposition.

posted by Justthisguy on March 23, 2008 9:11 PM

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But Genesis was rather different than I remembered it. No speaking of the "Days" of Creation - the only time a day got mentioned was God resting on the sabbath….And God created Humanity in Our Image. That one knocked me a bit. Not the "oh-so-feared" gender-specific phrasing of our too sensitive to a slight age, but the "Our image" phrasing.”

I guess the preacher left out the "rib" thing also. They don’t make preachers like they used to.

You may want to kick the tires, so to speak, at another church.

posted by Ledger on March 24, 2008 12:01 AM

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I've quoted you and linked to you here.

posted by Consul-At-Arms on March 24, 2008 2:23 AM

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There's Islam, there's Islam, and then there's Islam. My stoo'nts are Shi'a, Sunni, Shi'a-from-the-Sunni-Triangle, Sunni from Kurdistan and secular. They know I'm a card-carrying Crusader and they neither fear nor hate me: "You keep talking about the Brotherhood of Aviators, but you don't make us feel like your brothers -- you make us feel like your sons."

They've all lost family -- immediate family, as well as extended -- to the terrs.

Interestingly enough, considering all the learned discourse on just *what* PC term we should use for the terrorists, the Iraqis call *all* of them, no matter what outfit they belong to, "Wahabi"...

posted by BillT on March 24, 2008 7:13 AM

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On a different note, John, I admire you and SWWBO's iron bottoms sitting through all those readings and 93 sacraments of initiation. You must have been in the Church for four or more hours. I admire your stick-to-itiveness. BTW, Catholics who want to know what the scripture actually says have to check the Bible that informed the KJV, the Douay Rheims. The Lectionary is an absolutely horrible translation based on the New American Bible which is also horrible. And don't get me started on gendeer neutrality or changing the printed words so that the ladies aren't offended. One man's opinion.

Also the readings you get at Mass are frequently truncated or split by using only certain verses. You can see that in the missalette where it tells you they are using Gen 1 3-5, 7, ll or whatever.

Congratulations on Andy and his lady. I am sure Father avoided the living in sin issue entirely as it would be contentious.

Best to you and SWWBO. Better start planning the rehearsal dinner.

posted by JimC on March 24, 2008 9:19 AM

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John - your memories from youth fail you. the KJV says, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness." In the Hebrew it says, " Wayo'mev (and said) "Elohiym (God) Na'aseh (let Us make) 'aadaam (man) b'tsalmeenuw (in Our image). This language is the rebuttal to those who would say that God made man because He was lonely. We believe the trinity always existed, so in fact, God was never alone. Thus the language in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, "In the beginning was the Word (the Living Word of God is another name for Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

But, to the meat. We have too many crowd-pleasers and seeker-sensitive "churches" in the faith, today. Political correctness and tolerance are the biggest threat to Christianity since Herod did his best to have the infant Jesus murdered. From a simple approach in logic - if you believe, then you must accept who Christ said he was. There are only two options - 1) he was a liar and a lunatic; or, 2) he was the Son of God. One way or the other. If you believe number 2, then you must believe that when Christ said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man (humanity if you must) comes to the Father except through me", He knew what He was saying. Call me dogmatic - but if he's the Son of God, all he can speak is truth; so all other religions are false religions, if what Christ said is the truth.

So - bring on the assaults - but when you (the readers) come with your arguments, simply answer the question - number 1 or number 2. Since I believe number 2, my logical conclusions can only be what they are.

Just sayin'. Cheers, ML

posted by Mike Lehnherr on March 24, 2008 10:13 AM

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96! Good Heavens - that's a lotta confirmations. I went to the sunrise service to escape sitting through 12 and 6 baptisms LOL.

Congrats to your son and his SO.

The Marine!Goth and KT got engaged when he was home on leave last month. They are still negotiating religion (though the gap between a liberal Roman Catholic (her) and an high church Episcopalian (him) is not so very wide LOL).

posted by Karla (threadbndr) on March 24, 2008 10:44 AM

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� Dismissed, Soldier!