Weekend Open Thread
Ex-PH2 was asking for an open thread since last night, but she didn’t send me any pictures, so again I get to pick the picture for the weekend. That’s me on day one of Zero Week, at Jump School fresh off the bus from Fort Polk, LA – it was March or April 1975 and all I was thinking about when I posed for the picture was Victory Drive. 4 weeks later, I was raking in that big $55/month for hazardous duty pay. A six pack of Michelob (premium beer back then) was about $1.50 – do the math.
Category: Open thread
Aww, cute! Reminds me of me, sitting on the edge of the main cabin in the mighty SH-3 with fins and mask, for my first real SAR jump.
Three slaps on the shoulder, JumpJumpJump!
Good times. 😉
I do not know a lot. I admit this. My ignorance sometimes outweighs my passion and judgment.
But I do know one thing for sure: The phony and felonious Commander Phil Monkress at All-Points Logistics works balls.
$1.50 for a 6-pack of beer? Those were definitely the days, my friend!
Well, I was at the grocery store getting stocked up on B/S chicken, and stopped by the movie section, where I was offered a choice between 35 Hopalong Cassidy movies in a two-disc set, or the entire 2nd season of Maverick.
Both of them cost a little more than I wanted to spend, so I opted for ‘And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself’ instead, which cost $5, about a third of current movie ticket prices.
So because I have lost some weight by cutting out the starchy stuff for several months, my belt buckle now goes to the 5th hole in the belt without even an effort and I feel I could maybe start running again without detroying my poor old knees. Any suggestions, anyone?
Believe it or not, if its safe to ride a bicycle in your ‘hood, do so. Excellent cardio-workout, too. Start with a five minute ride and work on that for a few weeks then increase the time by five minutes for a few weeks, ect. No knee damage unless you collide with an object..
PH…….if you. Have bad knees, running is not a good idea. You need low impact cardio. I use a Bowflex treadclimber, half a hour or forty five minutes five days a week. I weigh about the same as I did during my Army days.
I do lots of power walking and hiking, MUCH easier on your knees and almost as much benefit as running. I do Slow Burn Fitness for my resistance work, very effective, takes a lot less time, and avoids repetitive use joint injuries. Don’t buy the book, Fred Hahn has the videos out on YouTube.
I’m going to push the keto diet again. Eat steak and butter, lose weight and be healthy, you can’t beat it. We had stuffed hamburgers pan-fried in bacon grease the other night for dinner. To. Die. For.
Walking definitely, will take along my oaken hiking staff. Trails are pretty flat where I go, although there are some with dips and hills. The fishing lake is about a mile around, and I will have my camera along for the hike.
All I did in regard to diet was stick to good food, like roast chicken, carrots, onions and red potatoes, and if I wanted sweets, I had chocolate, raisins, and nuts as snacks. Cheese, veggies, fruit, etc. I don’t know how it happened. It simply did, so I’m going on with it.
But I think it started when I sprained my back and couldn’t do anything except sit in the rocker and drink hot tea with milk in it, and write with a hotebook held over my head. And a lot of soup instead of heavy meals, and the occasional bit of ice cream or ‘bad’ food, which I lost my desire for. I don’t even like diet soda any more. Ice tea, hot tea – much better.
I may take up snowshoeing this winter. No reason to not do so. I have insulated snow boots, ski-quality thermals, -40f ski jacket – I’m up for it.
I will follow all suggestions. Doing crunches and leg lifts before I get up in the morning. I’ll let you know when I can do pushups without misery again.
All DIEters, Attention ON Deck I need to gain 25 pounds back. I am down to 135and my Aunts say I look straved. I just cut down on the amount of food intake. One medium plate per meal. I have always had trouble in gaining weight. So, help Please. Joe
Do you want muscle or fat?
Eat bigger helpings, Joe, maybe second helpings, but exercise to turn it into muscle.
I’m bad. Steady 1.75 lb weight gain per year since retirement. About a 30 lb gain. Didn’t seem like a lot at first but it slowly added up. They’ll have to split my uniform to put me on display.
@ Ex-PH2:
Now that the laws have been changed up there in your area, are you going to start wearing a concealed pistol when you exercise outdoors?
I’d feel a whole lot more comfortable if I knew you would.
Personally, I think all of society would be a whole lot safer, more civil, and more responsible if EVERYBODY wore a loaded concealed firearm on their person, all of the time, everywhere they went.
At least, take a dog with you for company.
You do have a dog, don’t you?
John, I have pepper spray and a Swiss Army knife. I’m more worried about coyotes than I am about people. And I have a 360 alertness when I’m hiking.
Not worried about trip wires, punji sticks or homemade claymores around here. 😉
A small diameter Phillips screwdriver or an ice pick can do wonders in “taking the fight out of an attacker”, it causes massive amounts of pain to them via a stab to their arm, buttocks, or thigh, just sayin’, Ma’am!
@ Ex-PH2:
What is “B/S chicken”?
Is that anything like Soylent Green?
Can we get it in cases of surplus MRE rations?
In our mess hall at supper, I had Parmesan chicken with angel hair pasta and garlic bread.
Mmmmmm, boy, but that there was plumb larrupin’!
Coconut cream pie for dessert.
It was delicious at dinner, but by supper, it was ruined, and tasted awful.
John, it’s boneless/skinless chicken, packed in bulk packages.
Thanks.
That’s usually how they serve it in our mess hall, except for when they’re fried chicken or barbecued chicken.
That’s also what I get from Domino’s to dip in their barbecue sauce while watching TV.
And you thought Domino’s only delivered pizza!
Ex-PH2, I think it would also be a perfect term to apply to the posers who pretend to be SEALs, Rangers. or other badasses, but washed out of Basic if they ever served at all.
B/S Chickensh!ts? Oh, I agree.
$1.50 for a six pack. I remember my first tour of Germany where we had .25c beer machines in the barracks. CQ’s job was to keep the dependent kids out after dark.
What I liked about being stationed in Germany was the bratwurst und brotchen, with that special German mustard that I haven’t found here in the United States.
Taking a big, fat, hard to squeeze out Giduck! John Giduck – the turd with a face!
Duck walk, people!
Walking.
Rough.
I thought I saw Commander Phil Monkress’ profile in a pile of shit I was picking up this morning.
I have a dog.
I’ve almost lost that duck walking race on numerous occasions.
Nice dial of death.
R/N 616 in the Rock.
I remember buying 24oz cans of beer out of the vending machines at Gordon for $.25 a pop. Couldn’t have beer in the barracks however. 😎
I had my AIT at Fort Gordon, United States Army Southeastern Signal School.
Attended church in Augusta.
We had beer vending machines in the barracks at Bragg. Worked just like a Coke Machine and $.25 got you a Hamms.
And people give me crap for drinking non-frou-frou beer. Hamms. Oly. Schaffer. Buckhorn. Ugh.
Then again, in Guam I stuck with Aussie beer as much as possible. American beer was cheap back in the early 90’s ($5/case for Bud/Coors/Lite) but after sitting out on a hot ass pier/dock for a few weeks it all tasted skunky as hell.
Jonn…An intense lookin’, hard ass nails troop there. Thank you for serving! Thanks also, for TAH!
Dang it! Meant Hard “as nails” troop there. Darned fingers. But hard ass troop works too. 😀
I went to jump school in 1981. When we signed in on Sunday night, one of the Black Hats asked who knew where the (insert club name here) was? A few raised their hands. He said the rest don’t need to know because 5 of your class was in a fight there last night and not starting training. My number was Charlie 109, C being for Cadet. Not much liked by the Black Hats but the guys treated the worst were the “Leg Rangers.” They got their asses kicked!
class 43-70 graduated from the university of gravity at fort benning ga 44 years ago today.
tomorrow is national airborne day. those paratroopers in the test platoon definet
ly had brass balls
Joesph you graduated on my birth day. Thanks for your service.
joseph…44 years puts you close to my era. Thanks for serving brother.
class 43-70 graduated from the university of gravity at fort benning ga 44 years ago today.
tomorrow is national airborne day. those paratroopers in the test platoon definet
ly had brass balls
How about having a WEEKEND OPEN THREAD on a Tuesday – – – ,
You know, just to sort of confuse everybody?
Just so no one forgets – – – ,
Tuesday is “SOYLENT GREEN” day!
Be sure and get your weekly ration of Soylent Green while you still can, before the food riots start.
I wonder if there’s a shortage of Soylent Green in Ferguson, Missouri?
I just might celebrate it with some ham instead, because of Charlton Heston.
On this date in 1989, absolutely nothing worthy of mention happened in my life.
Long ago,in a land far,far away,on this day,I got my cherry popped.
Claw did you celebrate with a Black Label or did you go with the warm Fresca?
I think I may have had an actual Budweiser or two. A couple of self administered Band Aids and a few back slaps and I was good to go. The reason I can remember the date is it falls on the the same day as my wife’s birthday. Nothing better than blood and beer to bring a Indiana farm boy into manhood.
“Mabel, Black Label, Carling Black Label Beer” Oh the memories.
Cuss and discuss – – – ,
On this date in 1977, the famous “WOW!” radio signal from somewhere in Outer Space was detected by the Big Ear Observatory at Ohio State University.
The intelligent radio transmission lasted 72 seconds, and originated in the constellation of Sagittarius.
It was detected by one antenna, but did not appear on a second antenna.
Since then, there have been no other intelligent radio signals received from Outer Space.
I’m one of millions of volunteers who use home computers to analyze data collected by the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (i.e., “S.E.T.I.”) and farmed out by the University of California at Berkeley.
I also volunteer my computer to help analyze data collected for the Einstein Project, which detects quasars – – – or something like that.
I ain’t Einstein – – – it’s my computer that does all that stuff.
…probably had Verizon Wireless
Drag Racing Maniac…Ha Ha. I retired from Verizon, a crap company. I had started with the old GTE, a fine phone company. I remember when the company motto was, “We want to be the easiest company to do business with”. Then comes Verizon, who’s company motto is, “We’re not happy…till you’re not happy!”
Haven’t been too many intelligent signals from Washington DC lately either.
A white T-shirt in that picture at the top.
That dude must be old…..
It’s what I was issued in Basic Combat Training.
When guys received orders for Viet Nam, they were issued OD jungle fatigues, jungle boots, OD green T-shirts, OD green boxers, OD green hankerchiefs, and OD green bath towels.
Prior to leaving for Viet Nam, you received one week of RVN Training, learning about booby traps and ambushes.
They taught us not to toss a grenade into a cardboard hut, and then lean against the wall for protection while the grenade exploded.
Sir, it was meant as a jest in humor.
But you are funny.
I love the history.
I hope you are well and continue to feel better.
John… I remember the Vietnam training. Basically, it was worthless. Being a 11B, I learned on the job. As for for od boxers and T shirts, we didn’t wear them. PH-2 will like this we went Comando. Then the OD towels, we called them sweat towels. Wrapped them around your neck and shoulders, so the ruck straps wouldn’t cut into your shoulders so much. Take the ends of the towel to wipe the sweat off your face. That’s where the term sweat towel came from.
Yeah, I saw film of some of the guys with those towels around their necks over there. When did the bandana around the forehead start? Or was that just the movies/TV stuff?
I never used or saw the bandana thing except in the movies.
Same here. Never saw any “doo-rags” being worn in our I Corps AO by the regular troops.
Yes, lots of guys, including me, did that to keep sweat from dripping into our eyes.
But, of course, we were just lowly enlisted men, and we did a lot of stuff that officers and senior NCOs would never permit.
For instance, back in the States, when marching in formation, if no officers or senior NCOs were around, we would sing the Mickey Mouse Club song, or when passing the WAC barracks, or any WACs, we’d do the, “Count Cadence, Delayed Cadence, WAC Cadence, COUNT!”
https://flic.kr/p/23HoPh
https://flic.kr/p/23CYue
https://www.flickr.com/photos/writesong/sets/72157600591053018/
GT, watch your mouth that almost 3 yrs after my med retirement from the Corps. How could we be so young back in the day. I look at our servicemen Today and think they are too young. Joe
My apologies, sir.
Will stand by.
John the Marines were required to turn into the landury our t shirts and skivies and they came back green. RVN training was 30 days at Camp Pendleton. Then flown to Oki and then to the RVN. Once at Da Nang the assignments were made. Joe
GT, watch your mouth that almost 3 yrs after my med retirement from the Corps. How could we be so young back in the day. I look at our servicemen Today and think they are too young. Joe
Time to make people feel old.
I was just turning 4 years old when that picture was taken.
My father was in Germany with the “Seven Steps to Hell” during Vietnam.
🙂
Nah… Only kinda old. Since we are about the same age.
My e-mail to 6 Flags Great Adventure:
Now that you have beclowned yourselves by denying a disabled Veteran and his family admittance to your facilities because of a shirt, be advised I will never darken your doors, and speak loudly and at length to all my v-e-r-y m-a-n-y military friends about your shabby treatment of one of our own. Idiots. AW1 Ed United States Navy, Retired.
Their robo-reply:
Greetings from Six Flags Great Adventure!
“This message is just to confirm receipt of the comment you recently left on the Six Flags Great Adventure website about the park dress code. Your message is being forwarded to the appropriate department at the park and we will contact you as soon as possible (definitely within seven days, but usually much sooner).
Thank you for your message, and have a great day!
Sincerely,
Six Flags Great Adventure”
Eat shit and bark at the moon.
AW1Ed
Dress code? Now, I could see them requiring closed shoes on some of the attractions, but otherwise, what?
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/15/new-jersey-vet-says-military-t-shirt-led-to-denied-entry-at-six-flags-amusement/
That’s not a T-shirt.
It’s an athletic shirt or a tank top.
In the United States of America where I was raised, folks had better manners than to go anywhere in public dressed like that.
But, all the old standards of courtesy, civility, and decorum have long disappeared.
I have a theory about why that happened, but I doubt I can effectively state my personal opinion in this forum (and/or almost any other Internet discussion forum), since any honest expression regarding race is a forbidden topic for Caucasians.
Were you wearing your CADRE shirt?
To hell with them.
I bet Commander Phil Monkress at All-Points Logistics can slide in for free (taxpayer-expense) by claiming his SEAL, LEO and Native American “credentials”.
Take that “Faker 6”.
Phildo owns the plate.
AW1Ed…You da man!!! Good for you. You can bet you ass if his t-shirt had read “Allahu Akbar”, he would have been escorted to the front of the line.
Ft Bragg, June 1963. 82nd Airborne. 2LT. Base pay: $222.30. Housing: $110. Subsistence: $47.88. Jump pay: $110…and don’t bust my balls…I don’t know why officers got $110 and EM got $55…we’d all splat the same and it was usually an NCO Jumpmaster. Hondo told me earlier that this was corrected later….good….should never had been that way.
How in the hell can I remember those numbers, down to the penny, all these years later?
Moma they are crazy. Jump out of perfectly good plane or helo to find out if their chute was packed correctly,NO THANK YOU. Grandson Lance is a leg Ranger Medic will the Black Hats think twice before haressing him. HINT=lost cards etc. Joe
IF (and that’s a really BIG “if”) I remember correctly, I think I got $68.00 a month when I began my Basic Combat Training in December 1967.
I remember combat pay in Viet Nam was $65.00 a month, and all pay earned in Viet Nam was tax free, plus our mail home was free.
Viet Nam was a good deal if you had a good job and didn’t get killed.
In addition to your National Defense Service Medal (i.e., the “Firewatch” ribbon!) you automatically got two (02) medals just for being in Viet Nam, i.e., the Republic of Viet Nam Service Medal and the Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal.
Little did we know that another decoration would also subsequently be awarded to all personnel serving in the Republic of Viet Nam, i.e., the Republic of Viet Nam Cross of Gallantry, with Palm, Unit Award.
The really good thing about being in Viet Nam was the paid round trip vacations!
I went to Israel, Japan, and Australia, in addition to going home for Christmas.
Shucks, on that trip to Israel, I completely circled the globe.
Thank you, American taxpayers!
I remember back around 1996 or so right before I left my last boat (sorry, not as a bitter E-4 or E-5) that Sub Pay was something like $255, Sea Pay was $350, SDAP (nuke pay) was $275, and throw in Base and BAQ/VHA if you were lucky enough (ha!) to be married and live off base.
And yet my greedy as hit the door because someone waved a bigger check in my face. Sometimes, as I tell the kids, I don’t miss the Navy, but I sure miss the people.
Well, most of them, anyway.
SEXY – then and now
Tomorrow morning, a group from the Armed Forces Retirement Home is going to attend the formal official christening of a brand spanking new United States Coast Guard cutter.
Unfortunately, I’ll be too sick to go anywhere, so that’s another event I’ll miss out on.
This is for Sergeant Lilyea and his buddies!
29 March 1974
Class 33
45th Company
4th Student Bn TSB (ABN)
Hey, does anyone remember the Post bus from Benning that went to the Bus Station in Columbus at 12th St and 4th Ave?
Right next door was a place where you could sell a pint of your blood for $15.
Just enough for a night on the town!
Wow!
I only got $5.00 and some cookies for mine.
We missed remembering something this last week. Well a series of events that happened over the last week in 1945.
August 6th 1945 and August 9 1945 Atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. August 14 Japan surrendered. It would no be until the first week in September that the war with Japan ended officially.
I wavier on if dropping them was the right thing to do. I know that they ended the war and ultimately saved countless lives on both sides. But at the same time it brought in a new era and new fears. Like most of you I have lived my entire life in a world where a mad man could cause the destruction of all living things. Where insane ideas like mutually assured destruction have a very real and sinister place in our lives.
I wish we had remembered the dropping of the Bombs. God help us if we ever completely forget…
I,for one,am glad that the bombs were dropped. There is a good possibility that I would never have existed. My father was a PFC Browning Automatic Rifleman assigned to G Co,390th Inf Regiment,98th Inf Div which was slated to be part of the assault forces for Operation Olympic,the invasion of Japan. Remember,the government had already manufactured/pre-stocked 500,000 Purple Hearts just to cover the anticipated casualties for that operation. Odds are if the operation had went forward,there are a lot of us here now who may have never seen the light of day. Just my own personal opinion.
IIRC, none of the casualty estimates went past the first 30 days, and none of them took Navy casualties into account.
The reasoning for the latter (woefully mistaken) was that the Japanese had no more aircraft for kamikaze attacks, and that their Navy no longer presented a viable large threat.
Scant comfort to the folks like those on the USS Indianapolis. Also keep in mind that the Iwo Jima campaign took nearly three months, and estimates there were also well below actual figures.
Nah, 500,000 casualties is way low.
Finally, consider that the US was quite nearly spent out, and that the civilian population had enough of war, much like the civilians of today. A quick end not only would have saved countless lives, but untold money that the US really didn’t have, as well as support for the war which was already waning.
I remembered.
I sent an e-mail reminding everyone (and may have posted it here? I can’t remember) to celebrate it as a national holiday, as the United States of America still holds the exclusive record of being the ONLY country in the entire world to ever successfully wage a thermonuclear war against a foreign power.
Made in America by Americans.
Tested in Japan on Japs.
JRM, that reminds me of a couple of my favorite Harry Truman quotes: “Carry the battle to them. Don’t let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive. And don’t ever apologize for anything.” and “Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.”
Minor point, JRM. The weapons used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not thermonuclear weapons. Those were fission weapons. Thermonuclear weapons are fusion weapons.
The first true thermonuclear device wasn’t exploded until 1 November 1952 on Enewetak Atoll in the Pacific. That was the Ivy Mike test.
I have no qualms about being made in America and tested in Japan.
I have MAJOR qualms about using the pejorative word “Japs.” And no, it is not merely a contraction for “Japanese” and cannot be compared with “Brits” for British.
The term “Japs” *IS* a pejorative today.
Yeah, I’m touchy … my father-in-law attacked Attu as a field artillery officer; my mother-in-law did train with bamboo spears (in addition to being a 2nd degree in naginata) to counter American paratroopers. However, my mother-in-law will be the first to tell other Japanese to “SHUT UP” about “poor Japan being atomic bombed” — she reminds them that they started the war.
With that said, I would encourage people to use the term “Japanese”instead. I can understand British & American former POWs who suffered terribly under Japanese while interned — to them I can give a pass. But WE who did not engage the Japanese foe have no excuse in this day and age …
[/rant]
Thank you for listening.
The bombs were the only way Japan was ever going to surrender. They were too proud of people and we’re not going to back down.
Think about this way, if Germany had developed and deployed the bomb via the America Bomber.
A megalomaniac saved the world by delaying the introduction of the ME 262 by 2 years to make it a fighter – bomber.
By the way, I was one of those with the finger on the button in the early 90’s before I re-classed to Military Police.
My first MOS was 13N, Lance Missle Crewmember and I was assigned to the 3/32 FA BN, at Camp Peri in Wiesbaden, Germany.
My unit was distinguished by being the only Lance unit in the Army that trained exclusively with the 10 megaton Battlefield Nuke warhead and was also the only 4 X 4 unit. That meant we had 4 Launcher Platoons and 4 Reload Platoons.
We got axed in the SALT II treaty and the 3/32 FA was deactivated. That’s when I re-classed and worked as a Corporal in the Ft. Sill Confinement facility. Back then you had to be an NCO to be able to work in the military prisons.
Ohhhhh and before I forget. The dumbass megalomaniac thought it was a good idea to poke the Bear in the east, while still fighting in the west, just like Japan did when she poked the Dragon at Pearl Harbor.
The more I learn about Japanese culture the less I understand it.
I know dropping the bombs was the right decision for that time. I know that before they were dropped Japan had vowed to fight to the last person and i have no doubt they would have.
Agreed 100%! Japan was prepared for total war and were going to fight in Japan as they did on Okinawa.
We did the right thing.
Japan refused to surrender after the first bomb was dropped.
If they had surrendered, the Nagasaki bomb would not have been dropped.
The emperor had the whole no prisoners, no surrender culture and history of Japan behind him. Surrender was something he could not conceive of doing.
I’m not sure you can really understand the Japanese mindset at the end of the war, unless you lived it.
That said, I don’t believe the Emperor had much say after “Honor” needed to be regained by the Japanese Military after several major battles were lost by them.
Yamamoto was said to basically say that he would run wild for 6 months all over the Pacific, but after that, there are no guarentees.
After that the Code of Bushido took over influenced all future Military descions.
Japan is a Samurai culture, and it’s military personnel regard themselves
as Modern Samurai.
The Japanese motto of the Second World War was “Rape all, Kill all, Burn all” if you want to read a sobering book about the Japanese in the Second World War. Read the Rape of Nanking!
Personally, I’m sick and tired of Japanese revisionist history. They offer no apologies for that time. It’s glossed over in their history books.
So, I guess the term Japs, does not bother me much.
Do we still have those 10MT thingies? Just wondering. Might need them some day. 🙂
Last I knew, the warheads were moved from Mainz, to Ft. Sill and we’re still in storage in guarded bunkers in 93. 🙂
When I was there back in the mid-‘Seventies, there were some sort of nuclear munitions stored in a special, secured building at Fort Hood, on one corner of the Post, going towards Central Texas College and Copperas Cove.
I never entered that building (no one was allowed in, unless they worked there), so, I really don’t know anything about it, nor can I verify anything I may have been told about it.
You can just about bet on there being similar types of munitions, experimental or otherwise, at Dugway Proving Grounds, Utah, where, subsequent to my Honorable Discharge from the United States Army, I was employed by the Department of Defense Police.
Dugway Proving Grounds, a closed, “Top Secret”, high security (we had orders to shoot to kill) Post, exists primarily for laboratory and field testing of chemical warfare agents, while also maintaining a research facility for biological warfare agents, and storage of radioactive waste.
Not every anniversary of military or historical significance is mentioned here in a new article each year, Enigma4You. Last year, we did discuss Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As you point out, we didn’t this year.
And the year before that:
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=31348
So, I am flat on my painful bad back, recovering from Big C surgery and not looking forward to second Big C surgery second week of Sept.
Tomorrow I am OCONUS for the next week on bidness.
With all of that, I still had time to celebrate the life of Elvis last night. Tonight I am wearing my Blue Suede Shoes to the local pub.
Nothing further …
Oh one other thing:
He is not, never was nor will he ever be a Genuine or Honorary CPO. PERIOD!
@ MCPO NYC USN Ret.:
Get well soon, Chief.
“The Big C”?
Is that cancer?
I had to think about it for a bit before realization dawned.
I’m fixing to be scheduled for surgery on “The Big C”, which in my case, means, “Cervical Spine”.
So, that’s what confused me.
Hey, since you’re currently flat on your back after escaping from the horse pistol, do you ever read the “JOHNNY OPTIMISM” comic strip?
Here’s the URL:
http://johnnyoptimism.blogspot.com/
It’s published on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
It does not stand for “candy” that is for sure!
@ MCPO NYC USN Ret.:
Here’s a series of my homemade amateur video recordings of ME (!) performing a few favorite hits by Elvis Presley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLB00AA6DC8168F710&v=Uch783EkYx4&feature=player_embedded
Get well, soon!
Master Chief, I am sorry to hear about your surgery. I will keep you in my prayers for a swift recovery and the best outcome for your upcoming surgery as well. God bless you Master Chief.
Thanks Sparks. The prognosis is good but the scars are big!
But I am damn ugly, the scars may actually improve my looks!
Do get well. Someone has to fire off the boilers.
Prayers up, Master Chief. Eight bells, all’s quiet, and I have the watch.
Shimming out for Jesus!
@ MCPO NYC USN Ret., Et Alii:
“the scars may actually improve my looks”
______________________
A basic difference between guys and dolls!
Females are embarrassed by scars, and cover them up.
But, us guys do just the opposite!
We proudly FLAUNT our scars, advertising, publicizing, and showing them off to anyone and everyone, and making up war stories to explain them (i.e., “You should see the other guy!”).
I hope you feel better Master Chief. Thanks for putting up with a certain unnamed douchebag so the rest of us don’t have to do it as much.
God be with you, Master Chief! Kick the Big-C in the Ass as you do with all other enemies who are in “your lane.”
Because I tried to be a macho man and pull a trailer up the driveway by hand, I’ve been fighting a bad back for a couple of weeks now, but seeing what some of ya’ll go through puts my little aches and pains in their rightful place.
Rest easy, all of ya.
Get well, Master Chief. Prayers for a swift recovery.
We have an old saying out here in Iowa when things get out of hand,
(Quote) “THE BULL CAN STAY, “BUT THE SHIT HAS TO GO”
Keep it going guys, make your parents proud.
Where the tall corn grows
That’s a pretty good saying!
I’ll have to remember that.
I was driving through Iowa, and stopped to visit the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elkhorn, Iowa.
Have you ever been there?
My biological mother (I was adopted), an Albertson, was Danish, as both of her parents came from Denmark.
Here’s the URL:
http://www.danishmuseum.org/
I like, “Not my circus. Not my monkeys.”
😉
@ AW1Ed:
I like it, too!
That’s ANOTHER one I’ll have to remember.
Picture caption: Where will you be when diarrhea strikes?
FatCircles0311…If past performance is the best indicator of future outcomes, then…I will be in my car, MILES from the closest latrine, with NO toilet paper and only an oil stained rag in the trunk and the shirt I’m wearing. Not fond memories I’m here to tell ya.
That is when skivvies and socks end up coming in real handy.
Going commando and sockless is generally socially much more acceptable than shirtless. (smile)
Hondo…did that too. It was bad though, I mean an order of magnitude worse than usual and the socks and skivvies were all used up and I was still…going. Then I had to decide, pants or shirt? No brainer at the time. Ah, good times, good times. If I can’t laugh about it then I gained nothing.
On your caption though, I couldn’t imagine being in the “go” jump position and having to…go.
No recipe but here’s a hot tip. Every weekend for almost the past year I have been building fence and setting gates out in the sticks of NE Texas. Every Monday morning for the past year I have discovered poison ivy on my body somewhere. Well, someone told me to try Ban Roll-on. Last Monday I had a small patch of it on my forearm….I rolled some Ban on it and never gave it another thought all week. It works real good….like a poison ivy eraser.
I had B/S chicken the other day too.
Cut the spine out of a chicken, spiced it up, laid it flat on a cookie sheet, put butter pats under the skin, then in the oven to roast until it came up to temperature and the skin was crispy.
Ate most of the crispy skin right away.
The next day or two ate the meat that was left was eaten and then threw away the bones.
So, after I was done eating there was no skin and no bones.
My favorite German Chocolate Cake recipe that I always make for special occasions. Have all ingredients at room temperature, preheat the oven to 350 fahrenheit, grease and flour three 8×2 inch round cake pans. Whisk together: 21/4 cups sifted cake flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt Combine in a small bowl and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth: 4 oz. sweet baking chocolate 1/2 boiling water Stir in one teaspoon vanilla. Beat 2 sticks of unsalted butter in a large bowl until creamy, about 30 secs. Gradually add and beat in 1 and 3/4 cups of sugar until light and fluffy (generally takes between 4 and 6 minutes), then beat in four egg yolks one at a time. On low speed, add the melted chocolate and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with 1 cup of buttermilk or sour cream in two parts (personally, I prefer sour cream). Beat everything until it’s smooth Using clean beaters, beat in a large bowl on medium speed until soft peaks form: 4 large egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar Proceed to gradually add one 1/4 cup of sugar on high speed. Fold one quarter of the of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. Divide the batter equally amidst the pans, spread evenly with a spatula, and bake until a toothpick in the center comes up clean (30-35 min, 25 to 30 if you use 9-in. pans). The obligatory Coconut Pecan Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of heavy cream or evaporated milk (I like cream), three egg yolks, and 1 stick of unsalted butter cut into little pieces. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and the mixture bubbles around the edges. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove the from heat and stir in 11/3 cups of flaked sweetened dried coconut and the same amount of chopped pecans. When the cake is cooled, stake the layers on top of each other,… Read more »
In other news, my dad let me drive his lexus around the upper deck of a parking garage; it was my first time driving anything bigger than a golf cart.
Me and my cousin went shooting at the Sunnyvale Rod and Gun Club; he has an M1A in 7.62 (I enjoyed shooting it for a bit but honestly couldn’t recommend it because it’s so damn heavy and expensive, both the gun and the ammo) and an AR in 5.56 that I enjoyed much more. I did alright, but I need to get me some of that military shootin’ edumication before I can compete with any of you.
And of course, I’m trying to kick my Lyme Disease and figure out exactly which pills I’m supposed to take since I have the most unspecific and disorganized doctor in the living universe.
Oh, and my sixteenth birthday was a little more than two weeks ago when we were in Ireland 😀
Hope you’re all doing well.
HSSoph, pin the doctor down about medications: which ones to take, when to take them, in what order, with or without food.
If he won’t be specific, ask the pharmacist, and also ask about side effects, especially if there is any possibility they may react badly with each other.
NEVER EVER TAKE PILLS JUST BECAUSE THE DOC TOLD YOU TO DO SO. ASK QUESTIONS.
Aye, that’s good advice. I trust this particular lady because she treated me when I had it years ago as well as my mom and sister. She’s a damn fine doctor as far as diagnosing and prescribing goes, she’s just one of those people with no executive functioning skills (I’m another, truthfully).
@ HS Sophomore:
“Oh, and my sixteenth birthday was a little more than two weeks ago when we were in Ireland”
_____________________________
Oh, I do envy you for being sixteen years old and visiting Ireland!!!
There’s something about the Irish (and the Scots, too!) which seems to naturally appeal to Americans.
It’s all so perfect for Hollywood.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
And many more!
Thanks, JRM. It was my first time; definitely a beautiful country. We were in Connemara and Galway. It was great, but I’d never live anywhere but the US.
Oh, thanks for pointing me toward that movie. I’ll have to watch it.
And on to the question that we have pondered all week, the one that holds us in suspense as we sleep at night…
What is the latest news on one Daniel A. Bernath?
Not your concern what the lastest is!
You have been asked to stay clear …. Now do it!
MCPO…….you represent all of us in this litigation. Where can I donate to help your wallet!
Bernath is a turd.
HS:
FULL STOP!
I am not going to tell you again!
You have NO CLUE!
STFU.
Don’t refer to me ever again!
You are costing ME money.
STFU!
Out!
HS,
This is not Jonn’s issue. It is yours, so have your family attorney contact me and we can arrange a pro rata share.
‘Till then STFU!
OUT!
And that means no resonse required.
Jonn,
I think you’d do us all a big favor if you would just SHIT can this HS Sophomore from our blog, he’s still not drive behind the ears and don’t know shit from sugar.
Hey Master Cheif,
Don’t let this joker get under your skin, he’s still has alot to learn.
Is he not HS Junior yet?
Easy, Sam. We were all that way once, many centuries ago.
Sam,
He is not under my skin, he is in my wallet and has NO idea what is going on.
He needs to go away! Now … For the last time!
OUT!
We need to get the tournament going.
A lot of anger, a lot of frustration, a lot of posers.
We all need stress relief.
I second that. Don’t need to include certain individuals in it. Just do the tourney.
Probably will need some extra industrial grade soap for the seeding committee, to boot.
They will be wading in a world of true slime and shit and may need to bathe frequently while undertaking a very daunting task.
They might also need some penicillin as well.
But we will cross that bridge when we get to it.
Bernath has already won. Let’s be frank here!
MCPO, I realize it’s your dime, but don’t you think you were a little harsh for jumping on the kid? When shortly thereafter, you post this?
Fwiw, doofus out west is still an asshole and a fraud.
No he wasn’t harsh at all. IMO there are people that cant take a hint unless they are slapped in the face with it.
There are may of us here that are up to our necks in this bullshit. Now I am going to speak my mind because I have a few things to say.
Stolen Valor is wrong period. outing these fakes cost. I and many other have had our good names smeared, families attacked, businesses attacked ect. I have not said anything that I am not willing to defend. But others think its a damned game. They talk the shit but when it comes time to back it up they run and hide.
They want to know the latest, well the latest is this. You want to know? Put your real name out there, get served and get a lawyer, plan on having several thousand dollars to find out the latest. If you aren’t willing to do that then shut the fuck up.
The things I have said time and again is that there are real people on both sides of this. These are not characters out a book. This isn’t a soap opera. I can honestly say that there is not a day that has gone by in the last few months that i have not had to devote at least part of it to dealing with this bullshit. I am not alone in that at all.
This costing us very real money. Amounts so large that it would leave many of you that “Want to know” fucking stunned.
Rant over.
As always you are free to disagree or agree but I am with MCPO stay the fuck out of it unless you are willing to put your money where your mouth is.
HS you have a good insight at times. but you need to learn to shut up. You are a smart kid but you have crossed a line on this shit more than once.
Agreed. And thank you!
Couldn’t say it better myself. Email me if you want to chat.
Harsh, not at all. And my comment above is spot on!
While I probably wouldn’t be that harsh a first time, 1-this ain’t the first time, 2-you have to understand the people (multiple) who we’re dealing with here.
Not to go into details, but they’ve done things which no rational person would do, attacked in ways even the mafia considered distasteful, and have put my family and other under incredible (and unnecessary) stress.
To have the process of justice endangered by someone who wants to be “in”, I say this: you want nothing to do with this. Ignorance really is bliss in this case.
@ MCPO NYC USN Ret.:
“Let’s be frank”
________________________
You’re planning on stealing Frank’s identity?
I don’t want to be Frank, but I do enjoy having a frank, slowly grilled over hot coals, and served on a toasty bun with mustard, chili, and cheese.
Weren’t there some Franks in the Holy Roman Empire?
“Frankly, my Dear, I don’t give a damn.”
Oooooooh, what he said!
Tsk! Tsk!
This will be my first tourney. I’ve heard it oft mentioned in TAH lore, but I still don’t know exactly when it is or how it normally works. Could you enlighten me?
What is the status on this one?
Definitely our hottest poser (in my opinion).
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=39021
Anyone missing a personally owned vehicle?
http://news.msn.com/us/us-service-members-complain-private-cars-missing
So… Maybe our cops need these. Instead of MRAPS?
https://www.youtube.com/embed/tjPUGMJ86E0
IMPRESSIVE!
Supper enroute from Domino’s!
2 Small (10″) Hand Tossed MeatZZa Feast®
1 40-Piece Boneless Chicken, 5 BBQ sauce
1 2-Liter Barqs®
4 Side Icing Dipping Cup
2 2-Piece Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes
Claw;Sparks;……I’m really excited, I won the auction on a M274 mechanical Mule on Ebay. Check it out!
No I have to figure out how to mount a M-60 on it I’ll be set
3/17,GREAT!!! Now just figure out how to mount a little davit/cherry picker on it for a free hand bungie cord M60 and you’ll be good to go. Don’t use a pintle as nobody ever liked the “Pussy Post”.
@ 3/17 Air Cav:
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Boy, am I ever envious!
3/17,Hell, I have it figured out for a davit. Go to a local muffler shop,pick out a nice (used)piece of exhaust pipe,have them put it the pipe bender and make a nice arc out of it. Weld a pipe plug on the overhang end and thread an eye bolt into it. On the base end,weld a four hole mounting plate. Buy a can of OD Green spray paint and WALLA, one each Free Hand M60 Mount.
Either that or just go full bore. Get yourself a nice,used,surplus 106 Recoilless Rifle to mount on it. You’ll be the envy of the neighborhood./sarc
Hell Claw, why don’t we go full bore, and just mount a quad fifty!
I love Army guys, we couldn’t shoot for shit, but we sure liked to pull the trigger!
Well, a turret mounted quad 50 would require a power source. The extension cord would kill ya.
Gas powered generator on the Back?
That is awesome!
3/17 Air Cav…Way to go, way to be my man! I envy you! I am jealous now. Where you gonna park the Mule?
Sparks…..Where I live sits on rather steep hill. There’s about 1.5 acres. I plan on using it up on the hill. Transporting tool, plants and prob. Adult beverages. Just not Black Label, or Fresca!
Will prob. Park it on the hill under a cover.
Where do you put the gimbaled adult beverage holder thingy?
GD…..you empty out the attached ammo can of ammo. Place your Fresca or Black Label beer in its place, ice it down and your good to go.
If you want a testimonial on Fresca or Black Label, ask Sparks or Claw! They are definitely in the know on that subject.
You definitely lose fire superiority, but you feel good doing it!
Just make sure none of the Fresca cans are leakers as that shit will eat through the bottom of the ammo can faster than Alien blood would.
CLAW131…Roger that. I can’t believe what Fresca can do to metal and then I drank it! That’s why Carling Black Label was my preferred beverage.
Sounds like you guys have it all figured out. The main objective is to never have to say, “Hey y’all, hold my beer”. Nothing good ever comes from it. The mule looks like a beast. I think some gensets have the Hercules engine as well. I am in the vicinity of Red River Depot if you over need help w/ parts procurement. I don’t know people, but I know people who know people and I am a good scrounger.
GD, the same thing applies to helicopter pilots. When you heard one say over the intercom,”Hey,Joe,Watch This Shit”,nothing good will come out of it. That was when I pulled out my machete or the 24 inch screwdriver and got ready to give him a good thumping on the back of his helmet.
Claw…..Never did have pilot pull that watch this shit. However I do remember a pilot named Jones, who just terrible he’d grip that stick like he strangling a chicken. Real white knuckle stuff. Rumor had it that he had crashed twice both times his fault. Why they kept him on flight status I’ll never know
I only had to fly with him once. We were flying a visual recon at dusk, around the compound at Phu Loi. We used a little Ranger helo for this job. Just him, with me in the rear free handing a 60. The flight lasted about a hour. Never so glad to get back on the ground in my life. What a shitty pilot!
3/17, I don’t remember any of the pilots doing that during actual mission flight ops. It was only like when we were at the compass rose after a 100 hour PE or first thing in the early morning as we were getting out of the revetments on the way to our first lift of the day. When everybody was feeling a little frisky and we all knew it was a running joke.
Claw…..Ah yes, remember that time we’ll. pulling out of the revetments first thing in the morning. Everyone full of piss and vinegar!
“all kidding aside are we clear and untied”
Thanks GD……my recent purchase of the mule, I have not had it shipped yet. It’s in Utah.
What I need is a seat frame. It has a after market something. Looks like. A boat seat frame. If your boys know of one laying over in the corner. I could use it.
Being that the top speed is about 30 mph. I would like it to look good when I visit Claw. Prob take me about 30 days to get there. Going 30 mphq
I’ll put the word out for seat frame.
It’s generally a green copilot who says “watch this shit. I explain to the trainee(copilot)This is my helo and I only loan it to them for the mission as I wave my big Bowie knife around and the pilot quickly grabs the controls back. Joe
I was just sitting here drinking the last of my morning coffee and listening to my favorite internet radio station,when who should pop up with the latest episode but: Buck-buck-buck-buuuuuckaaa-Chicken Mannn-He’s everywhere! He’s everywhere! I’m sure there’s a few of we older commenters who can relate. Ahh,AFVN,your little touch of home.
Claw……I remember it well. Some times I still say it. My wife wonders what the hell I’m talking about when I say it!
I remember sitting back in the gunners well. Flying nice and high and listening to AFVN.
My favorite song during that time. “we’ve Got To Get Out Of This Place If it’s The Last Thing We Ever Do”
3/17,Yeah, Eric Burden and the Animals. The Viet Nam theme song. And it was still used by a lot of bands for a good many years for any of the overseas service areas. Well,stateside too. I played it on my little Walk Man with speakers while we were at the Fort Irwin NTC for various rotations.
Ah, Chickenman. Brings back memories for me, too. Was just old enough to catch the end of that one in the early 1970s.
If you’re a fan (and want to spend some coin), the complete collection is allegedly available online. Google “Dick Orkin Chickenman First Episode” for the site. Pricey, but perhaps worth it for fans.
And in keeping with the above,
Hondo, I had already heard all the episodes while driving the farm tractor cultivating/baling hay/plowing/etc, in northern Indiana as WCFL Radio from Chicago was the original broadcast station for them. Yea,we had a radio mounted on our tractor. We were “rich” compared to some of our neighbors.
Just sitting here watching “Battleground” for the umpteenth time, contemplating the universe. May be time for another pot of coffee.
OWB, same here. Those 327th GIR “Glider Riders” sure lived the Life of Riley compared to the Airborne side of the 101st. James Whitmore as SSG Kinney was one of his better roles. Enjoy your day.
Published on Aug 13, 2014
Hamas displays victims of Israeli “aggression” in white burial shrouds. If you look closely, you can see some of the bodies make themselves more comfortable while they think the camera is not on them.
OK. Arrived at my OCONUS location. Very hot, humid and sultry!
If you see any locals running through the ville with sheets stained of excrement, blood, and or vomit… get back on the plane!
Oh, noes!!!!! The aliens have unleashed allgetout upon us!!! We’re doomed!!!! Doomed, I tell you!!!
Nice capture of a meteor in daylight, though.
Yes, that’s all it is, probably nickel-iron. Hit the atmosphere just so, and if it were nighttime, we could see it breaking up as it goes. Cool!
@ Ex-PH2:
Thanks for that explanation.
Having never seen a meteorite during daylight, I was wondering what that could have been?
There you go again!
You think this is a game …
STFU!
There you go again giving me the urge to binge drink by responding to my attempts to apologize/fix the problem with vague platitudes, insults, and not contacting me in private after multiple explicit invitations.
I haven’t received an Email.
I would have replied if I had. If you see this then try again to send one
wesley_wilson@me.com
My mistake; I forgot the underscore in your email address. Should be in your inbox now.
Let me net this out for you:
STFU!
Full Stop!
End your interest in this situation now.
No response required!
Then binge drink away. YOU NEED NOT CONCERN YOURSELF WITH THIS.
/EOM ALLSTOP NOTHING FOLLOWS