This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Pointless blather

  • Army Patrols Columbus Georgia

    Nah, it’s not the imposition of martial law… it’s something else?

    Military patrols start Friday night in downtown Columbus

    Starting at 10 o’clock Friday, two senior non-commissioned officers from Fort Benning will be on courtesy patrol. The soldiers will be wearing arm bands that read, “Courtesy Patrol.”

    Okay whatever happened to the MPs? Or in my case the Shore Patrol?

    Does Fort Benning not have an MP contingent working with local law enforcement?

    I’m sorry, the concept of a Courtesy Patrol seems strange to me. Or maybe silly? Doesn’t it evoke odd images for anyone else? If I saw the Shore Patrol striding purposefully in my direction I’d be concerned… The Courtesy Patrol, not so much.

    [Edit to add] A coupla comments have pointed out the Courtesy Patrol is a good thing. Reckon my inner geezer is showing some, but I STILL think it sounds odd.

  • Men and Women are Different – Who Knew?

    Spotlight on Better Uniforms for Female GIs

    WASHINGTON — Imagine U.S. combat troops and aviators wearing body armor that fits so poorly that it’s tough to position a weapon to shoot, combat uniforms with knee pads that hit around mid-shin and flight suits that make it nearly impossible to urinate while in flight.

    For many female troops, it’s just another day on the battlefield as they wear clothing and protective gear designed primarily for men. Each of these issues is now getting some attention from the military.

    Why is this still an issue? Did someone in the Pentagon just now discover the difference?

    I know about bureaucratic inertia, but this is just silly.

  • Incentive!

    Akin to something out of Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” some branches of our military are providing a path to citizenship for those who serve.

    Army, Navy add citizenship option to boot camp

    FORT JACKSON, S.C. – Military service has long been one route to U.S. citizenship. Now the Army and Navy, in need of specialists and language skills in wartime, are speeding things up by allowing recruits to wrap up the process while they’re still in basic training.

    It means a change in a no-visitors policy during boot camp, to allow federal immigration officers access to the recruits. But military officials say it’s a well-deserved break for volunteers who otherwise would have to slog through the bureaucratic ordeal during deployments around the world, often far from U.S. embassies.

    The military route is not a short-cut for foreigners abroad to get into the U.S. Only legal immigrants can apply, officials stress, and they must complete five years of honorable service or chance having their citizenship revoked.

    I think I have mixed feelings about this policy myself, but it seems a fine idea on the face of it. There’s a hint of PC multiculturalism in there as well that troubles me some.

    There’s a long and storied history of immigrants serving with distinction and honor, and our military has long used incentives to retain or recruit folks in certain specialties… but is THIS policy a step too far?

  • I Dunno Quite what to Make of This?

    Two confessions: I don’t remember where I first saw this so I can’t properly attribute that source, and a cursory search suggests this is real but YMMV.

    Myself, I can’t figure out if this a parody, satire, or the ravings of a lunatic? Still, as a paranoid, I have little doubt that this idea is high on the wish lists of many of our fine citizens.

    Repeal the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

    Over the months since the Tucson massacre, not much has happened in Washington to address the problem, which is Too many guns, Too easy access.  Inaction is understandable.  They’re all afraid of the big bad NRA and the gun netherworld behind it.  There is another reason:  following Justice Scalia’s Supreme Court opinion in the Heller case, extended to all other jurisdictions under the McDonald opinion, all gun control is now in doubt.  There is only one way to solve this problem and that is to take it head on:  Repeal the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

    Mr. Barkley  ESQ, says he is running for Congress in California. There’s link to his campaign(?) website in the above article.

    Here we have a detailed plan to legally undo part of The Constitution. No more scatter-shot efforts here and there, but a head down charge.

    On the plus side; it IS an open and public agenda. A clear target, if I may?

    Regardless, I decided to put this ‘out there’ as a tentative heads up.  Maybe one of the TAH readers can figure out if this is legitimate, or if I simply missed the punch line? Wouldn’t be the first time!

    UPDATE: Mike Barkley (or someone claiming to be him) has confirmed this to be NO JOKE in the comments below.

  • A puzzle! Maybe YOU can be a congresscritter?

    If you can figure this out I’d sure vote for you.

    This is via Drudge and I suspect most readers/commenters here have seen it, but it begs many questions that the TAH gang might be able to explain. I sure can’t!

    The super rich pay a lot less taxes than they did a couple of decades ago, and nearly half of U.S. households pay no income taxes at all.

    I highlighted the kicker.  Of course the tax exempt AP is trying to make a different point.  Those damn rich people and all that.

    Speaking of work… half of the U.S. household have no income? Seems to me either a bunch of folks are not working, OR they’re simply taking advantage of the same sort of things The Rich do?

    I’m a disabled Vet, and I’m paying a mortgage. OUR household pays Federal Taxes… What are we doing wrong?

  • Ramps…

    Just a note from the hills of WV.  Jonn will not likely get any of this since he’s a carpet-bagger.

    But this time of year two thing light up MY life.

    The first is the humble ramp. This is a simple sort of flora that will clear your head. Consider every non-pepper spicy thing you’ve ever eaten, then add The Ramp. I dunno if  it’s just a local thing, but I do know that over several decades here  only a very few non-hillbillies knew the name.

    Earlier today I was enjoying the scent of the wild onion. The Ramp is simply indescribable to the uninitiated.

    Then there’s The Morell.  Poems have been written about this one.

    So, spring means something here on my geezer ridge.

    YMMV

    A few ramps and a few Morels in a skillet with a bit of real butter will change your life. If you can find them?

  • Er, um, mumble…

    Bob Dylan to rock Vietnam in special concert.

    The iconic American folk singer and songwriter was set to play a special concert in the former Saigon on Sunday evening, where he’s expected to belt out some of his classic anti-war tunes, nearly 36 years after the Vietnam War ended.

    Dylan’s music during that tumultuous era helped define a generation, touching thousands of young people who took to the streets demanding that Washington stop the war in Vietnam.

    Maybe he’ll have Jane Fonda as a go-go dancer too?

    Added:  Rather than attempt to reply in the comments, I choose to amplify here.

    Whatever Dylan’s personal beliefs might have been a fact is that some of his music became anti-war anthems. However, much a like a gun and it’s wielder, there can be a disconnect of note.  He DID have the option of standing up and decrying their use had he chose to do so.

    Come you masters of war
    You that build the big guns
    You that build the death planes
    You that build all the bombs
    You that hide behind walls
    You that hide behind desks
    I just want you to know
    I can see through your masks.

    You that never done nothin’
    But build to destroy
    You play with my world
    Like it’s your little toy
    You put a gun in my hand
    And you hide from my eyes
    And you turn and run farther
    When the fast bullets fly.

  • It was approved and things that go with it.

    My recommendation for my Combat Action Badge that I was out in for was approved. I got the memo and permanent orders this Wednesday. Also because my S1 managed to get my ERB updated just right before I was going to to the Soldier of the Month Board this past Thursday, I was able to wear it. It added a big boost of confidence and I was able to win the board, making this my third board win out of six tries. It might be something to do with finally getting it after waiting for almost three years to get it.

    So on Friday I was wearing my CAB and someone asked why I never wore my badge before. I explained that it was newly approved as of March 18th. Someone asked if they did a ceremony and I told them no. So before I knew it I was told that they were planning something for me at the end of the day safety briefing. So when the time came I was called up in front of the clinic and talked about how I won the SOM board. He also made a point to talk about the CAB and why it this is means a lot. Also he made a comment that he expected to see me as a NCO in the near future. Oh course if anyone knows me I am not that great of a public speaker so I was blushing like crazy. I also had my wife Christine in front of everyone and gave me a chance to publicly thank her fore everything that shes does for me and gone through because of me.

    Also later I ‘Earned” my CAB by having previous badges winners put on my CAB without the damnits. Yep it hurt a lot ,but I would felt like something was missing if I had not gotten that. They had to pull the CAB out twice because it stuck to the skin.

    Good Times.