Weekend open thread

| February 23, 2018

February 23, 2018

The Best Nest

An African golden weaver shows off its handiwork in the Rift Valley, Kenya. Male weaverbirds create intricate nests to lure in female birds for mating season.

Category: Open thread

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Commissioner Wretched

First!

Roh-Dog

Congrats!

Commissioner Wretched

Many thanks, Roh-Dog! I think I got in by about ten seconds.

Graybeard

Good job, CW!
Hope you have a great week as the Official TAH WOT First!

Roh-Dog

First!

Roh-Dog

First, Happy Birthday to a fine American Submariner, Scuba Steve. He earned some special navy guy medal for diving a shit tank on a very expensive metal tube in a very strategic location.
Second, I probably coulda taken top spot if it wasn’t for Ms Loesch… I cant even read words without seeing that beautiful woman speak in slow mo.
Have a GREAT WEEKEND YALL!
Long live the Republic!

Roh-Dog
ChipNASA

Third First

Graybeard

Fourth and Goal!

Graybeard

OK, I’m in for Fifth – a nice Scotch would be good.

rgr1480

You’re tied with me for fifth.

“Your honor, I’ll take a fifth!”

Graybeard

And I duly present for your approval the current state of the 2018 TAH Stolen Valor Race:

Still in a strong first and widening the gap, we have 20 phony SEALs, 12 with prior service, 50% overweight and one severely underweight, one took his lie to he grave, one claimed to be an LEO, and two as other criminals.

Tied for 2nd place we have the Rangers and Marines at 6 each.

Phony Green Berets/SFs have fallen slightly behind at 5.

Then we have:
4 phony ‘Nam vets
3 phonies claiming unearned awards
2 claiming combat/deployments
2 claiming to be Army officers
2 claiming AF positions (pilot & TACP, 1 each)
and tie for last with one (1) each:
Navy UTD,
Navy EOD.

In the new scoreboard for the Good Guys we have

Heroes (Folks who make me go YES!): 19
Saving the World: 9
Gone off watch: 30

And that, folks, is the state of the scoreboards as of this WOT.

OldSoldier54

OUTSTANDING, Brother!

I like the compare/contrast with the Good Guys!!

Good thinking.

Graybeard

Thanks.

rgr1480

With apologies to “The Wizard of Oz”

Ding-dong, Bernath is dead! The disbarred lawyer, the lawn-dart warrior
Ding-dong, the bastard Bernath’s dead!
Wake up, all veterans, drink some beer, then piss on his bed.
Wake up, the bastard Bernath’s dead!
He’s gone where his plane did go
Below, into the earth, below,
yo ho! Let’s open up and sing, and ring the bells out
Ding Dong the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low
Let them know the bastard Bernath is dead.

The Ghost of Daniel Bernath’s Bunghole

Oh c’mon, how about a reverent toast to his dearly departed bung? I had to put up with more of his shit than any of you!

rgr1480

Quit being an asshole. ( )*( )

And your breath stinks.

(^__^)

SFC D

You’re not special. Just another unemployed asshole.

MCPO NYC USN Ret.

NH Sparky would say he was our BITCH!

NHSparky

And a douchetool.

Been a hell of a week.

A Proud Infidel®™

They say that often one is not appreciated until they’re dead. Bernath is dead, and I appreciate that.

OldSoldier54

Fool brought it on himself.

Still can’t wrap my head around how this guy could live with himself.

SFC D

Bernath wrapped his head around the control column

11B-Mailclerk

Apparently, he was -not- able to live with himself.

MCPO NYC USN Ret.

In the end he knew how close we were to the full reveal of his past, he could not live with himself anymore because the “Chief’s Mess” held all cards.

I believe committed “Self Murder”.

rgr1480

MCPO,

When do we get the AAR?

Still waiting …..

Thunderstixx

There is no doubt in my mind that was a deliberate crash.
The only good thing I think this moron ever did was to avoid other people and only take himself out.
I believe that he wanted to go after the depth of the mess he got himself into finally became apparent and he had a “Come to Jesus” moment when he was in jail and felt that an airplane crash would be the best way that he could not take others out.
Perhaps a little bit of humanity finally worked its way into that thick skull he has been carrying around for however many years he has occupied Planet Earth.
It is my opinion that he felt going out in an airplane would be the manner that would invite the least speculation regarding a suicide in a public arena.
So, with that in mind I will hope that he finds the fame he sought for so long and relief from the chaos his life turned into after pissing so many people off…
It’s only my humble opinion and I only want to say this to remind people that he is facing a higher court and the ultimate hanging judge.
If nothing else good about him can ever be said, at least he didn’t blow his nut and go out with a firearm in a crowded venue like so many others have done in the past few years.
RIP to a very tortured soul…

MCPO NYC USN Ret.

I think you meant:

“Rest in pieces”.

Hack Stone

Hack Stone has access to the preliminary NTSB report on the demise of Not An Honorary Chief Petty Officer Daniel Bernath, and their conclusion is that he would have made it if only he drank a Red Bull before leaving the flight line. Over.

rgr1480

Cuz……. “Red Bull gives you wiiiiiiings”
???

Wilted Willy

WTF happened? I didn’t see the WOT until now?
oh well, congrats to all but me?

Graybeard

To give an AAR on things mentioned on the last WOT:
Our Favorite Son-in-Law had his pacemaker successfully installed & recuperating and feeling better already – save for certain lacerations incurred in the process.
My doctor announced during my biopsy that he is greatly optimistic, given what he was seeing on the sonogram while he was working.

I appreciate the prayers and thoughts of all involved.

OWB

Ahh, Good News Friday! Great report, GB. Happy for you and your kin.

Will add that I had a nice report from my surgeon this week.

Graybeard

Great, OWB.
Simple things like that can really cheer us up.

MrBill

Good news!

sj

Fantastic on all counts

Wilted Willy

Great news GB! I understand what you are going thru and I wish you well! Be glad to talk to you anytime if you have any questions? Take care and my prayers will be with you and your family!

HMC Ret

I got good news re my cardiac echocardiogram. Punch line is my EF (ejection factor) was high so I AM NOT suffering from heart failure. This disease often has few or minor symptoms: some SOB (shortness of breath) being a primary symptom, as well as fluid retention, etc.. This is all coming about during my sleep apnea workup. I’ve had three sleep apnea overnight studies and still they are unable to determine why I am not responding to the various pressure, etc. being employed. I had a lung CT as part of the workup, the thinking being I had some issues in that area. That came out normal except that they discovered an abnormality the size of a grain of rice. It was described as being one mm in size, that’s pretty damn small. I’ll have another lung CT in a year to see if the culprit has grown.
Overall, I have been blessed beyond my expectation. I’m better than I deserve to be, per Dave Ramsey.

Wishing the best to all of you, even you posers. Rarely do I wish ill health on anyone. I’ve seen far too many with poor health/disease to wish it upon anyone.

Graybeard

Glad to hear it, HMC Ret. May they find something minor to correct that will help with the sleep apnea.

And may God continue to bless and keep you active and serving those around for many more decades.

OldSoldier54

Thank You, Lord Jesus.

The King of all the kings of men,
The Lord of all the lords of men.
The Prince of Life.

Graybeard

Amen!

SFC D

Great news GB, BTDT and prayers sent!

SFC D

Present! Top 10?

AZtoVA

Still can’t break the top-ten, let alone make a ‘podium’ finish.

Pineywoods NCO

Not first…but that’s ok. I beat Denny “too chicken shit still five years later” Chevalier, again.

Wilted Willy

AND LET’S NOT FORGET,
TONIGHTS NEWS FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED,
DANIEL BERNATH IS STILL DEAD!!!

The Stranger

You forgot to say “OVER”!

OVER

Graybeard

And Daniel A Bernath is rolling OVER and OVER to get an even distribution of the Flames of Torment.

(((OVER)))

Wilted Willy

AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER!
OVER AND OUT!!

HMC Ret

Top TEN!!

LC

This is too stupid not to share:

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/patriarchal-race-colonize-mars-just-another-example-male-entitlement-ncna849681

I personally know a woman who is studying engineering and astrophysics and hopes to help humanity colonize other planets. Who knew she was part of ‘the patriarchy’?!

dusty1

Australian scientists looking for signals from life forms from outer space had reportedly found some microwave radio signals, they studied them for several years and they always transmitted at the same time on the same wave length so they figured they must be from an intelligent being or life form.
Then they worked out the radio signals were from the microwave oven operating in the morning tea room next door.

OldSoldier54

HO-LEE BAT GUANO, BATMAN!

Miss Bianca, you are one Looney Tunes chick.

Nice catch, LC.

Devtun

In the top 20.

LC

And Greitens, whom I mentioned a few weeks ago, was indicted yesterday. He, of course, is blaming a ‘reckless liberal prosecutor’, who, I dunno, made him cheat on his wife? And made the woman he cheated with claim Greitens took a nude picture after tying her up and threatened her?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/02/23/indicted-missouri-governor-blasts-reckless-liberal-prosecutor.html

I’m all for giving him a chance to defend himself from the accusations, but I’m also for personal responsibility for one’s poor choices.

Perry Gaskill

I’m torn, LC. I’ll grant it’s naughty for people like Greitens and former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry to be keeping nekkid pics around like so many topless trading cards.

On the other hand, it’s arguably better than in California where the only thing that can arouse Jerry Brown is when he gets a choo-choo boner.

OldSoldier54

His lack of character, speaks volumes about his personal integrity … ie, he has none, and therefore is just another RINO. If this is how he treats his wedding vows, to be faithful unto death, his every word is as worthless as Bernath’s character.

Hang ‘im.

Sj

When is the DRG change of command ceremony? Hear the incumbent is medically retired.

HMCS(FMF) ret

Medically and physically retired… six feet under!

Am I to assume that the PuRpLe SuItEd QuEeFiNg AsScLoWn is “running” the DRG now?

A Proud Infidel®™

At least UnTiL He GeTs ArReStEd again and then he’ll be JaIlBirD *SLUUUURRRRP!*41!

Friend

Verified that Assclown is now topdog with Cryer as his bitch…

Taking applications for new members for the DRG after Beneath bite the big one via pilot STUPIDITY.

Searching for Bernastys cock in the Bonita crash site on weekends.

Bernath is dead with no announcement, memorial, military funeral.

Only remembered as “A fart in the wind”

OVER

The Stranger

Top 50!
Happy Weekend, everybody.
I’m going to be doing homework all weekend so I can graduate with my 2nd Bachelor’s this spring.

MrBill

The Army Reserve has a concept called “Ready Force X” designed to increase readiness in units. https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2018/01/24/3-star-army-reserve-looks-at-capabilities-manning-for-ready-force-x/

Sounds like a great program. I wonder if the name is someone’s idea of a prank, though. Say “Ready Force X” three times fast and you’ll see the issue. I saw one guy on Facebook comment “I’ve been Ready Force X since I was 13!”

It reminds me of the story of how the Wgasa Bush Line at the San Diego Wild Animal Park got its name. In that case the people who named it were in on the joke. It’s an entertaining story – https://www.snopes.com/business/names/wgasa.asp

HMCS(FMF) ret

LOve the story of the Wgasa Buh Line… epic!

Claw

Slipped over to the Brigade Commo shop yesterday (Thanks for all your help, sj) and swapped out the old Whiz Wheel. It had been definitely showing its age due to the squealing noises during operation and the faintness of the worn off letters.

So, the RTOs at TAH Name Scrabble (Home Version)®™ are now in possession of an all brand new KAL-55B and in future posts it will be referred to by the proper noun nomenclature of “KAK Wheel”.

Thank You for your time.

Sj

Remember the commo guys motto: it’s the other end that is out. Always the other end!

Claw

I’m just waiting for a few of the people out there to do a little Google-Fu research and find out that a KAL-55B is/was a real deal old school piece of equipment.

If I had the ability/know-how to post a picture of one, I would. But, Alas, I can barely turn a computer on and off, let alone post a link./smile

rgr1480

I cannot translate URLs into images, but:

Obverse:
http://www.campx.ca/KAL-55B-1.jpg

Reverse:
http://www.campx.ca/KAL-55B-2.jpg

AW1Ed

Allow me:

kal55b_1

Side B marked FOYO, so in an abundance of caution I’ve omitted it.

rgr1480

Thanks!

rgr769

Thanks for the pic. Don’t think I have seen one of these since I left the Viet of the Nam. We didn’t use the whiz wheel in SF, we had a completely different crypto system and communicated in morse code in special message formats by blind transmission broadcasts.

Claw

The KAL-61 maybe?

Slide Rule type of Tactical Authentication System/Device.

Maybe if we talk real nice, AW1Ed will post a picture of it to jog the old memory banks.

Perry Gaskill

We used a PRC-77 with a secure-voice device. The encryption code was reset daily with a gizmo that changed a pin register. The process took less than five minutes, IIRC.

Ex-PH2

Morse code? Wait a minute! That drunken buffoon DRF crank Dumbass Witless ‘n’ Wandering has insisted that it was Morris code he was using while he was over there in the Viet of the Nam, following lurpers around in the boonies.

I realize he’s nearly completely off his nut, but still… he was there… somehow.

Sparks

Oh my goodness! Haven’t seen one or really thought of it in going on 50 years! Thank you guys!

Claw

My Thanks go out to both rgr1480 and AW1Ed for picking up the slack on posting links/picture.

Much Appreciated.

SFC D

Sometimes its sunspots. Or solar conjunction. Once in a while, it’s operator headspace and timing. And the number one reason for outage (RFO) is…

Excessive air in the generator fuel/air mixture.

rgr769

Do you make your own paper code pages to clip into the Whiz Wheel, or is there just a standard sample page you use?

Claw

Nope, I have to use just a standard sample page now. But its all laminated up and protected from coffee spills and popcorn butter.

The one SOI extract with the 31 days of pages that I managed to slip off post with (stuck in between pages one and four of my retirement DD214) wore out a long time ago./smile

26Limabeans

Wow, I haven’t seen one of those in long time. Do you have the instruction manual?

OWB

Whaddayamean ?have the instruction manual? He wrote the @(*% thing…

Wilted Willy

In case any of you love the A-10 Warthog as much as I do, the Smithsonian channel is running an hour long show regarding the magnificent aircraft at 1500 hours on channel 1477 for you Comcast customers. I can’t believe they want to scrap the beautiful airplane. I don’t think there is another plane out there that can take the kind of abuse the plane can and remain in the air! I hope you A-10 lovers get a chance to watch!!

LC

Speaking of planes taking abuse, here’s a fascinating little story about Abraham Wald and the ‘Statistical Research Group’ in WWII. It deals with a mission to reinforce the armor of planes, and how it was done:

https://medium.com/@penguinpress/an-excerpt-from-how-not-to-be-wrong-by-jordan-ellenberg-664e708cfc3d

Maybe not quite as awesome as the pure bliss of a ‘BRRRRRTTT!’ blast from an A-10, but it surely brought back a lot of air crews that otherwise would’ve been shot down.

GDContractor

Let me guess. He banned all airplane assault weapons?

11B-Mailclerk

If I remember this right…

They studied all shot-up planes upon return, mapping all hits.

They built an aggregate “where hit” for each type.

They then determined that the best way to make the planes more survivable was to armor all the places where lots of hits intersected anything essential, fuel, engines, crew, structure, etc.

The hero of the story threw the bullshit flag. He pointed out that the hits were -all- on planes that -survived-, thus -all- were ultimately non-fatal.

The planes that -did not- come back were never surveyed. Zero -recorded- hits.

So the genius answer was, look at all the places that the stats said “zero hits”, and included anything essential or fatal, and armor -those- no-hits recorded areas.

No planes hit -there- ever came back. None.

And is that not a “genius!” Moment?

Sgt Fon

since today also happens to be the Iwo Jima Flag Day, here is a little history of one of my Heros growing up:

“Manila” John Basilone
http://www.marineswwii.com/john_basilone.php

My other was Sgt John M. Stryker (John Wayne) in the Sands of Iwo Jima. cornie yes, but beloved by me still!

My name is Stryker, Sergeant John M. Stryker. You’re gonna be my squad – a rifle squad. Three of us have seen action: Corporal Dunn, Charlie Bass, and myself. You’re gonna learn from us. In boot camp, you learned out of a book. Out here, you gotta remember the book and learn a thousand things that have never been printed, probably never will be. You gotta learn right and you gotta learn fast. And any man that doesn’t want to cooperate, I’ll make him wish he hadn’t been born. Before I’m through with you, you’re gonna move like one man and think like one man. If you don’t, you’ll be dead. Now, you guys have had a nice, easy day. I hope you enjoyed it because it’s the last one you’re gonna get for a long time. You joined the Marines because you wanted to fight. Well, you’re gonna get your chance, and I’m here to see that you know how. If I can’t teach you one way, I’ll teach ya another. But I’m gonna get the job done. Any questions? That’s all

MCPO NYC USN Ret.

41nd!

Suckas!

A Proud Infidel®™

About 46rd and Honorary First once again.

A Proud Infidel®™

Liberal SNOWFLAKES, here’s one that went nuts mistaking a Noweigian Flag for that of the ANV (Army of Northern Virginia).

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/both-have-crosses-so-norwegian-flag-mistaken-for-confederate-flag/

OWB

And these idiots both reproduce and vote.

A Proud Infidel®™

Not to mention the same Millenials who were eating Tide Pods®™ last month are now the ones we’re supposed to listen to about Gun Control according to the TARDO media.

Mason

OMG. How frakking dumb some people are.

Is this why I get chronic headaches?

Ex-PH2

Yes, and they fact that the Confederate battle flag doesn’t look remotely Norwegian doesn’t occur to these maroons.

I think they should all be encouraged to NOT have any children… ever.

OldSoldier54

One can only hope, Ex, one can only hope.

rgr769

Further proof progtardism is an incurable mental illness.

MCPO NYC USN Ret.

A CNN producer probably called the offended party and said, “there is a Confederate Flag flying in your neighborhood, please tell me how bad this makes you feel and how the Republicans and President Trump are to blame for the continued existence of this symbol of slavery, hate, white privilege and economic bondage”.

11B-Mailclerk

“Huh?”

“Our interviewee grunted in agreement…”

rgr1480

Hey all!!!! Here’s a hero for your tame Friday!

“…An 88-year-old British military veteran tapped into his decades-old training to reportedly save a young woman from five knife-wielding thugs…. He said he was sent on intelligence missions to Egypt, the Middle East and Germany. After leaving the military, he served as a bodyguard to Doctors Without Borders in Nigeria….”

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/02/22/korean-war-veteran-saves-woman-from-knife-wielding-thugs.html

Graybeard

Good story!

OldSoldier54

Dang!!!

Mr. Nixon made my weekend!!!

Great catch, Brother.

Gersch Kuntzman’s Pussy

Yoo Hoo SARC! I’m wet and ready for you stud muffin! Kisses!!! 💕

11B-Mailclerk

…ew….

Atkron

In other news I bought my very own Remington 870 Express 12 Gauge last weekend. (Wally World has great prices)

I figure it might be time to pass down the same make and model 20 Gauge (heirloom) my wife’s Grandparents gave me, to one of my boys.

They should have it, it belonged to their Great-Grandfather.

AW1Ed

I have a Mossy 500 in size 12. Thing is such a maintenance whore- I had to replace the plastic safety tang with a steel one. I think now she’ll be good for the next 100 years or so.

Graybeard

Cool.
I ran some tests on my latest batch of reloads. Found that the bullets someone gave me 30ish years ago need some shaping to the nose to chamber correctly. Otherwise,they hit where I aimed.

Ran some practice with my new Mossberg 88 security shotgun – getting plenty of pellets on target at 70′, need a longer gully to go any further.

Also ran the Dot Torture test and thoroughly humiliated myself. Work to be done.

Frankie Cee

I just saw a graphic with an excellent idea:
one way to stop school shootings.
Place 3 armed veterans in every school.

That will damned sure help.
The school shooters will see a veteran with 3 arms and freak out.
The school might need to have some counselors handy for when the students see a three armed veteran. That could cause nightmares for life.

OldSoldier54

😛

Holden Magroin

The dubious Adam Appel formerly of Anchorage, Alaska but now residing in Pahoa, Hilo, Hawaii wants you to donate to his “Street Medic” charity

https://adamappelemt.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/evidence-shows-adam-appel-does-not-appear-to-be-a-licensed-emt-in-hawaii/

Adam Appel isn’t even an EMT

Holden

Mason

And we have a Harvard Law graduate saying that arming teachers will result in teachers shooting black kids.

http://dailycaller.com/2018/02/23/harvard-law-grad-armed-teachers-shoot-black-students/

Guess that ole ivy league education ain’t what it used to be.

UpNorth

That ole Ivy League edumacation hasn’t been what it used to be for several decades now.

OldSoldier54

I know. Can you imagine, paying all that money for a piece of toilet paper?

UpNorth

Imagine a piece of paper that proves that you came out of college dumber than when you entered? And at a great cost to get dumber.

A Proud Infidel®™

Do Hahvahd grads get a free lobotomy with their degrees?

11B-Mailclerk

Entrance requirement.

fsckity fsck

John Giduck – the turd with a face!

AverageNCO1

ALCON
I need some help for a possible Stolen Valor case I’ve been working on. I’m looking for anyone assigned to the 5th Squad/15th Cav when the unit was still assigned to Fort Knox in 2003.
We’re dealing with a guy causing problems at my old college. His DD 214 shows he was in Iraq for a few months in 2003 while assigned to the 5/15th. The problem is that it is a traning unit was did not deploy during that time frame.
I’m trying to get in contact with someone who was with this unit during this time frame. I’ve sent requests for info from official channels but they are going slowly. I’m hoping to find someone who knows/knew the person in question. If you think you can help let me know here and we can figure out a way to exchange info.

Holden Magroin

Their official history is here: http://www.benning.army.mil/armor/194th/5-15th/content/PDF/History.pdf

“[I]n March 1987, the 15th Cavalry
Regiment was reactivated at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The Squadron, as part of the 1st Armor Training Brigade, was charged with the mission of training 19D Cavalry Scouts”

Nothing about deployment to Iraq.

Holden

MCPO NYC USN Ret.

Holden His Groin gives POC info for command below.

Contact Senior Enlisted Leader or Command SGT Major direct.

Do not contact PAO they will refer to JAG.

Tell Senior Enlisted Leader or Command SGT Major what you need without giving away name of your target.

Aussiepusser

Speaking of the African continent (not Kenya though), Capetown, the second largest city in South Africa, will run out of water on May 11th.
Bloody hell!

Sapper3307

Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink!

D

Was watching We Were Soldiers this weekend, and thought about Hondo’s post here: http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=65876

It appears there was an update to the story that was never mentioned here that I can find: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/07/23/army-to-keep-icon-awards-unchanged-despite-discrepancies.html

Sparks

Kind of funny, or not. I just started a movie and the opening splash screen gave the Piracy warning. Five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for Piracy. For a twelve year old movie at that. But the humor I saw was the last tag which read, “PIRACY IS NOT A VICTIMLESS CRIME”.

I thought really? Stolen Valor we are told by many IS a victimless crime or not even a crime at all.

But copying a 12 year old movie is somehow I guess, depriving the already wealthy Hollywood elite of their just deserts, to the tune of five years in jail and a quarter million dollars fine.

Of course those who have given their blood, limbs and lives to defend our country must not expect their just deserts to be defended in so many people’s opinion. And certainly in not such a defined and vigorous manner either.

Goes to show what’s important to some folks and what’s not.

SMH

OWB

Yep. We must prioritize things properly. But only the special people get their priorities mad into a law.

OWB

Just watched the replay of the Women’s hockey team. Wow. And like the curling men, they were singing the national anthem loud and proud.

2/17 Air Cav

Here’s one of those happy stories. It involves a Veteran. If you take two mins to read the story, you won’t regret it.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/02/15/army-veteran-honors-wifes-memory-by-giving-away-flowers-at-retirement-home.html

OWB

Nice. Very nice.