Weekend Open Thread

| May 29, 2020

Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Christian Church. (holidays.calendar.com)

This Sunday, May 31, 2020, is Pentecost. This is the day that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles, disciples, and those present with them. It is considered the birthday of the Christian church. It is also the 50th day of Easter. Tempus per Annum, the largest season of the church, resumes the day after Pentecost. Enjoy your weekend.

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5th/77th FA

1st?

Roh-Dog

Done. I’m f’ing DONE!
(Low key congrats)
Have a GREAT weekend y’all!
(Get thee to a range!)

5th/77th FA

Simply the luck of the Irish today Roh-Dog. You can’t quit now. Was not even supposed to be here at this point in time. Went and did a small Memorial Service and Grave site cleanup in Honor of a Spanish American/WWI Veteran, among others. We did this one to pay respects to Gnrl Black Jack Logan who had called for the FIRST Federal Memorial to be held on 30 May for Union Service Members killed during the War Between The States. Gnrl Logan is memorialized in the Atlanta Cyclorama, charging to the sound of the guns on his Black Steed, urging his men on. A substantial number of those men lie at rest in the Marietta National Cemetery. No matter which date the “Holiday Memorial Day” falls on, there is a group of us traditionalist who always go out on 30 May.

I had just come in from checking the mail, reopened this machine, saw the WOT just hanging there, gave a 10 count and questioned my FIRST. I was amazed that I actually got number 11. This FIRST is still dedicated to our resident Chipster of NASA and the Pilots that will fly the FIRST Manned Space X Mission to the ISS.

As always, a smorgasboard of refreshment, including beverages, will be made available to all of my loyal micreanted inclusive d’weeds/weedettes, the REMFs, POGs, Ne’er-do-wells, Feather Merchants, Brigands, and hangers on. My treat, of course. We will include a Happy Birthday Christian Church Cake with Ice Cream (Blue Bunny) for dessert.

Maybe I can leave this video of the renovated Cyclorama here:

Commissioner Wretched

If last week wasn’t the coveted DOUBLE ACE, this week’s most certainly is, KoB!!!! Mega-congratulations from Trivia Land!

Roh-Dog

First!

Combat Historian

Third

Commissioner Wretched

The King of Battle is first and all is right with the world. Great setup for the last weekend of May, eh? To celebrate, let’s have this week’s misadventure into the world of trivia. Hope you all enjoy it! DID YOU KNOW…? Who was the last person to be held prisoner in the Tower of London? By Commissioner Wretched I am a creature of habit, as I suspect you are also. How much of a creature of habit? Well, if my early-morning routine is in any way disrupted, my entire day is shot. Even when the disruption is natural and unavoidable, it tends to take my day and toss it into the rubbish bin. Working in a newspaper environment does tend to not lend itself to routine and habit. There are deadlines, of course, which can’t be avoided, but apart from that Ilike it when my day goes on a routine basis. But disruptions are inevitable, and one must learn how to roll with them. I’m still trying to figure that part out, to be honest. But maybe, once I grow up, I can do it well. Once I grow up. Which, of course, I never plan to do. I may grow old, but I don’t have to grow up. So there. What I do have to do, of course, is provide you with your week’s fix of trivia. Read on! Did you know … … it is illegal for a pickle to be considered a pickle in Connecticut unless it bounces? (A little-known fact about Connecticut – the state sport is bouncing pickles.) … while serving as president, Bill Clinton (born 1946) once considered trying to have the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution repealed? The amendment limits a person to being elected president twice; Clinton said it should be repealed in the event of a world war or a terrorist attack. (Or just if you’re having fun as president and don’t want the party to end.) … the odds of an average golfer making a hole in one are 33,676-to-1 – against? (I once heard golf described as “a… Read more »

ninja

CW wrote:

“In an editorial in 1939, the New York Times predicted that television would fail.”

New York Toilet Paper Times.

Some things never change. I could have SWORN that they predicted HRC would win the 2016 Presidential Election…and that President Trump colluded with the Russians..and that Virus was gonna depolulate the United States…and on and on and on…

Project Blue Book. The ninja family is hooked on History Channel’s Project Blue Book and are looking forwarding to upcoming Season 3. BTW, so far, we give the History Channel thumbs up on the “Grant” 3 part series. Hope they do one on Bobby Lee. After all, there ARE two sides to a coin.

😉

Keep up the great work, CW. You are truly helpful in sharpening my mind for Jeopardy!

😎

5th/77th FA

On Target CW! Fired for Effect…again! Keep ’em coming for us!

A golf course is a “good impact/rifle range spoiled.”

11B-Mailclerk

I asked my CO “Sir, can I buy mil-spec ammo in town, sign out my rifle, and go to the on-base gun club for more practice?”

He seemed genuinely embarrassed to say “no”.

If we replaced every golf course on Army bases with gun ranges of various sorts, and put the budget towards ammo…

David

Fifth maybe? Mowing the yard; when it’s an 8 hour job it feels like 24.

David

The Strasbourg Cathedral took so long to build that its two towers are two different architectural styles.

Hess took off from Gablingen Airfield just north of Augsburg, Germany. Well known factoid among ASA/INSCOM folks for some reason. Can you say ‘elephant pen’?

Kissing spreads tooth decay… explains why I haven’t had a new cavity on 30 years. Been married for over 40 (insert joke here.)

Commissioner Wretched

It’s not nice to be funnier than the trivia column writer, David.

It’s easy, but it’s not nice.

Graybeard

With ya.
In this heat I’ve gotta take a break for some sweet tea every now and again.

SFC D

Present! Still first in MRS D’s heart, a although I do try her patience!

Jeff LPH 3, 63-66

11th

ChipNASA

Here Double ASS, I mean ACE KoB, congrats again.
Present and Wegmans Chocolate Chip Chunk cookies for all.
CHEERS!

ninja

Congratulations to our KoB for ANOTHER FIRST!!!

BTW…need Clean Up in Valor Friday aisle.

Looks as if we have an 11B NCO that did not read and focus what Mason wrote about a Medal of Honor Receipient, SSG Young.

Anyone have any extra buffers and Johnson Paste Wax available so I can buff an Infantry NCO off the floor?

😉😎

5th/77th FA

Tanks! Yep, I saw that earlier, right after I made my comment. I had a WTH moment, but had to buzz on out for our little service. Had planned on crawling his case when I got back, but I see what a fine, outstanding job that you did yourself, waxing the floor with him, that I backed out of the room, and beat feet down the hall. Didn’t want to get splattered. I’m not sure that it will buff out. rtr/gabn/hbtd

The Other Whitey

Finished my daughter’s Hun!

https://www.deviantart.com/yt45

And I’m already regretting the amtrack for the scene of my Uncle and his dog. 18 pairs of roadwheels on that damn thing, plus the kit has the side skirts molded integrally to the hull side pieces. Just assembling the fucker is proving to be a headache, let alone getting a believably-Vietnamese level of mud on it. Then I still need to secure a good supply of 1/35 scale M14s (annoyingly rare) for period accuracy.

5th/77th FA

Looking good TOW. Imma gonna try to attach a linky to the Warner Robins Museum of Aviation and the F100D they have on display.

Working on the display of Uncle & his K9 will keep your hands occupied until that hot wife of yours feels like body slamming you and having her way with you! 😆 Thanks for the update Brother!

https://www.museumofaviation.org/portfolio/f-100d-super-sabre/

The Other Whitey

Thanks, KoB! I’m hoping the March Field Museum opens up again soon. It’s about an hour & forty from my place, but I have a Sister-In-Law up that way. Hoping to take my kids and my nieces there. They have an F-100C in SEA camo on display outside, though it’s severely faded. The rest of their collection is pretty impressive as well, with a couple of early-jet gems like an F-89 Scorpion and an F-84F Thunderstreak.

Commissar

Do you play World of Tanks?

The Other Whitey

No.

Dennis - not chevy

I’ve got to take a moment and stop bagging my head on the table; maybe posting this will help. A neighbor couldn’t get her car to start, it would turn over, catch, and immediately flood out. I told her it smelled like her air/fuel mixture was off; she replied she had just filled her gas tank and asked if she should drain some gas out of the tank. I told her to get the car tuned; she said she had the car for 20 years and she never had it tuned and she wasn’t about to start now.
Later she came to me upset about another problem. The birds that had been keeping her up all night with their raucous singing were now silent. She was trying to warn me that it was because of the virus the birds stopped singing and what I had said about mating season ending made no sense.

11B-Mailclerk

Crazy is contagious.

Graybeard

A friend of mine share a rant about being in a tire store when the service guy asked the lady about balancing and rotating her tires for her.
She went off on him trying to take advantage of her, she knew the tires rotated as she drove. And they didn’t need to be balanced.
He tried to explain it was free, but she was having none of it.

The scary part?

These people vote.

Dennis - not chevy

They vote early and they vote often; often on the same day.

RGR 4-78

So, about 15 years ago a FD buddies wife had parked her car at a store, when she came out it wouldn’t start, she locked it up and got a ride home. The next morning after they got off duty a couple of them went and tried to get it started, could not, so they called me and I went to take a look. When I got there they had the hood up and were looking at the motor discussing what the problem was. I walked up, sat in the drivers seat, looked down and yelled at them to come look. When the got to the front windows I reached down and moved the console shift from drive to park and started the motor, I looked at the husband and said “it’s a simple neutral safety switch, stupid”. There was some frustrated head banging that day but it was not mine. 🙂

“it’s a simple neutral safety switch, stupid” this was a reference to another FD story that the husband had told for several years, and was a perfect hit.

Thunderstixx

I gave a lady an Uber ride today…
I’m not saying she was ugly…
BUT…..
I asked her to wear two masks instead of just one…….
Soooooooo…..
Here’s the funny part, she said I was the third driver this week to have her do that………

Graybeard

Out mowing the yard where I can.

We have had better than 4.6″ of rain this week. Ground is soggy but the grass is jumping up.

Hot and tired right now.

Congrats to 5th/77th – again. I guess like Trump supporters everywhere, he’s not tired of winning yet.

Nucsnipe

My county has finally been freed from down and I’m at the post enjoying some fermented corn.

NHSparky

Working has its advantages.

Unfortunately, it also has significant disadvantages, including having to deal with idiotic state edicts and eating dinner out of a box.

ninja

WHO has also changed their minds on wearing face masks…

“Healthy People Should Wear Masks Only If Caring For Coronavirus Patients, WHO Says”

https://nypost.com/2020/05/28/healthy-people-should-wear-masks-only-if-caring-for-coronavirus-patients-who-says/

ninja

For those of you who enjoy watching “America Ninja Warrior” as well as having problems with Squirrels messing with your Bird Feeder:

If you have 20 minutes to spare, recommend you watch this You Tube Video shared by Mark Rober, an Engineer, who stated:

“Squirrels were stealing my bird seed so I solved the problem with mechanical engineering :)”

It is worth watching. Not only entertaining, but also educational. I did not know Squirrels could land on their feet similar to cats landing on their feet.

Enjoy!

NHSparky

Stop…bad jock shows with bad roid freaks in spandex and mullets.

I may never eat solid food again.

ninja

Squirrels have mullets and wear spandex?

NHSparky

Correction to self. Your original post was American Ninja Warrior, vice the hokey 80’s/90’s show, “American Gladiators.”

Same roids, same spandex, different haircuts.

26Limabeans
Cameron

Any relation to the flaming squirrel used for signaling?

Hack Stone

The Flaming Squirrel, boy, does that bring back some memories. Hack was particularly impressed that The Stunning Agency would (for a fee) provide you private security as you toured third world shit holes. And until Hack read those survival tips, he never knew that you could use an orange as a weapon. Get a shot of citric juice in your opponents eye, and he can be disabled up to three seconds.

26Limabeans

“I solved the problem with mechanical engineering :)”

I could solve that problem much cheaper and more effeciently with electrical engineering.

26Limabeans

I would not be surprised if they now burn down the churches and synagogues.
It’s a leftist feeding frenzy going on and lots
of outside people are chumming the sharks.
Some of them are sharks. The Reverand Al for one.

Sapper3307

Jeremy Dewitte (Not a cop/ not LTC/not RANGER) is updated on Real World Police.

ninja

Another Phony going to his grave lying about being a Vietnam POW:

Donald Ray Liston.

https://www.memorialparkfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Donald-Liston/#!/Obituary

His widow tells the story that Liston was a POW with
Major Harold Kroske, Jr.

https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/28892/HAROLD-W-KROSKE-JR/

“My husband Sgt. Donald Liston was with Capt. Kroske in Vietnam. He was the other soldier who stayed behind so their men could leave. My husband was captured and with the grace of God he is still with us.”

There is only one problem with what his widow wrote.

Here is the REST of the story:

“1Lt. Harold Kroske was a reconnaissance patrol leader assigned to
Command and Control South, MACV-SOG. MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command,
Vietnam Studies and Observation Group) was a joint service high command
unconventional warfare task force engaged in highly classified operations
throughout Southeast Asia. The 5th Special Forces channelled personnel into
MACV-SOG (although it was not a Special Forces group) through Special
Operations Augmentation (SOA), which provided their “cover” while under secret
orders to MACV-SOG. The teams performed deep penetration missions of strategic
reconnaissance and interdiction which were called, depending on the time frame,
“Shining Brass” or “Prairie Fire” missions.”

“On February 11, 1969, Kroske’s patrol was engaged by an enemy force 12 miles
inside Cambodia west of Bu Dop and he killed several hostile troops along a
trail. Kroske then motioned the point man, Diep Chan Sang, to come with him.
There was a sudden burst of gunfire, Kroske dropped his weapon, grabbed his
stomach and fell to the ground. SP4 Bryan O. Stockdale tried to approach him,
received no response when he called out his name from twenty feet away,
whereupon the patrol was forced to withdraw because of heavy automatic weapons
fire.”

“Kroske was believed to be dead, and it was not possible to recover his body.
Because of the lack of certainty that Kroske died, he is listed among the
missing. He is among nearly 2500 Americans still missing, prisoner or
unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.”

https://www.pownetwork.org/bios/k/k040.htm

ninja

When one goes to this site, one will see that Donald Ray Liston is NOT listed as being a Vietnam POW:

https://www.dpaa.mil/Our-Missing/Vietnam-War/Vietnam-War-POW-MIA-List/

Sadly, his widow is now seeking financial help via Go Fund Me:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/sgt-donald-r-liston-memorial

If you go to the above link, please ensure you click the “Return to Fundraiser” on the top left hand corner. When you scroll down to “Read More”, you will see a picture of Liston’s Shadow Box that also includes a Silver Star, which he did not receive.

Liston is buried at Sarasota National Cemetary, samre resting grounds as DAB. Notes indicate that his headstone has “Vietnam” inscribed on it, not Vietnam POW”:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208872658/donald-ray-liston

ninja

At this site, Donald Ray Liston is listed as NOT being a Vietnam POW:

http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/loc.natlib.afc2001001.110778

Sadly, Liston’s widow, Lillian, may one day find out the truth about Ole Donald.

HMCS(FMF) ret

Any history about this site? Is it an alternative to Twatter? Never heard of it before…

HMCS(FMF) ret

Wiki calls it a “The site has been widely described as a “safe haven”[9] for extremists including neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and the alt-right”

11B-Mailclerk

In other words, it is not a hard Left echo chamber.

Yup, that means all sorts of d!heads post there. Free speech is messy.

SgtM

Am I being censored ?

Graybeard

Are you married?

If yes, then you should know whether or not she is censoring you.

A Proud Infidel®™

ELEVENTYETH and Honorary First once again.

((((OVER))))

Commissar

Can we talk about this arrest?

https://youtu.be/ftLzQefpBvM

26Limabeans

Clearly racist. I can tell what the officers
were thinking just watching it unfold.
And it took an entire platoon of club wielding
armed men to do it. That amount of force would
never be used on a white guy. No wonder these people riot.

What else did I miss?

ninja

This is gonna get interesting, i.e. HOW CNN comments on THIS story:

“CNN Headquarters In Atlanta Vandalized By Protesters After George Floyd Death”

https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-headquarters-atlanta-vandalized-protesters-george-floyd-death

HMCS(FMF) ret

“As we can see from the video, that rock just slipped out of that disenfranchised youth’s hand and hit the glass on the from of CNN Center. We’re really sorry that it was there and will fix that problem shortly”.

ninja

How CNN reported their HQ being attacked by protesters.

You can’t make this stuff up.

“Object Explodes During Protest At CNN Center”

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/05/30/valencia-cnn-center-object-explode-vpx-cpt.cnn

😉😎

HMCS(FMF) ret

“It’s a firecracker”… wonder what the fucking assclown would have said if it was one of those Antifa made nail bombs?

Ex-PH2

I saw that on the news last night.

I had no idea that CNN had anything worth vandalizing, never mind stealing.

Sapper3307

CNN, fake news.

ninja

I could have sworn Virginia’s Stay At Home Order does NOT expire until 9 June 2020.

Wonder how Doofus, AKA the Virginia Governor, will react to this?

I doubt those protestors stayed 6 feet apart.

Can’t worship in a Church with normal number of attendance, but shutting down an Interstate is ok.

Don’t know if the Mayors in the Hampton Roads area or the Governor gave the Black Lives Matter Group permission to protest, but it just does not make sense that they were allowed to do this while under the Virginia Stay At Home Rule:

“Hundreds Gather In Hampton/Norfolk In Protest Of George Floyds Death In Minneapolis”

https://www.wavy.com/news/national/hundreds-gather-in-hampton-norfolk-in-protest-of-george-floyds-death-in-minneapolis/

11B-Mailclerk

Some Animals are more equal than other Animals.

ninja

Calling KoB:

Calling Commissar:

“Gen. Jack Keane: China ‘Weaponized’ Coronavirus To ‘Destroy Western Democracies’ Economies”

https://www.foxnews.com/media/jack-keane-china-weaponized-coronavirus-destroy-economies

😉😎

5th/77th FA

Thank you ninja. And the Chinese Communists were aided and abetted by our domestic enemies. To me, this was an act of war, not only against us, but against the entire world. As a former proud member of the E-4 Mafia, I have, in the past, influenced and advised Senior Ossifers. This is not the FIRST time that they have taken that advice and acted publically on it.

Connect the dots, follow the money. rtr/gabn/hbtd

Commissar

This is asinine.

The guy is an addled moron.

ninja

Commissar,

Thank You for sharing your feedback.

Appreciate your honesty.

I guess the only way a Soldier can make General Officer is being a Moron.

😆😅🤣😂

Let’s see now…George Washington was a General Officer. Dwight D. Eisenhower was a General Officer. US Grant was a General Officer…

So I guess those of us who served in the Ossifer Corps that never made it to General Officers are not Morons.

Right?

😉😎

Commissar

I never said it is the only way.

However, the US promoting morons to general has a long storied tradition.

The primary way to make general is to be hard working, dedicated, and generally obedient to your superiors throughout your career.

Intelligence is not required. Often not even much of an advantage. Being well connected is more important.

We end up with more than our share of hard working, dedicated, and stupid generals.

The worst kind of general.

If a General is stupid it is better he be lazy than hard working.

Commissar

First, the virus was not created in a lab,

It has not been altered or weaponized in any way.

Second; the mechanism of transmission of this virus and the fact that it infects the lu gs makes it far more dangerous to Chinese citizens that Americans, or the West. Who are smokers, have inadequate healthcare, and live in much denser population centers.

Third, this virus started in a Chinese city. If you were trying to hurt western economies the plan to start the virus would not be in China, especially not Wuhan. A major city but not the hub of Western economies nor even a top destination for western travelers. It also is the location of a Chinese lab. So when western scientists inevitably investigate the virus and find evidence of lab alterations it undermines the plausible deniability to start it blocks away from the lab.

Fourth, China is absolutely dependent of the Global economy. It is also dependent on the US economy, Directly dependent. Harming the US and Western Economies harms China. Which is evident right now. The Chinese economy is severely suffering and it has only just begun to see the impact.

In fact Covid-19 is a direct threat to Xi maintaining power, which is why the Chinese government is lying constantly about the impact of this virus on China.

Fifth, China does not want a dramatic restructuring of the global economy. it is benefiting more than any other country except the US from the current global economy. A global pandemic is exactly the kind of event that could lead to a restricting of a global economy.

So, I say again; the guy is a moron.

Truly.

ninja

Commissar:

What is wonderful about TAH is that we are allowed (reasonably) to voice our opinions/two cents on topics.

Yes, we may not agree with one another, but that is the beauty of this Forum…we can voice within reason how we view situations.

Am grateful we do not all think alike. Life would be boring if we were all cut from the same cookie cutter.

Again, appreciate your feedback. Have a complete different perspective from you and that is OK.

IMHO, I really think you enjoy posting here and have seen you display your inner feelings toward others. If I am not mistaken, you were generally concerned about Ex-PH2 when she had a health issues and also sent condolences to Jonn’s Family when he left us.

We may not agree on issues, but we all bleed the same color.

Thank You for bantering with us. I enjoy bantering with you…and I look forward to the day when you write “OK, ninja, I was wrong. Trump did get re-elected for his Second Term.”

😉😎

P.S. I enjoy bantering with Slow Joe as well.

5th/77th FA

ninja, I don’t even waste keyboard ribbon ink on dippy, trying to convince him with the facts. His mind is made up, no one alive is even as smart as he is, much less smarter, and ORANGE MAN BAD! The sissy punk needs to read an original History book that hasn’t been modified by his bezerkley masters. IMO the only purpose he serves is to increase the comment count of a thread and to demonstrate how much needless profanity can be put in a comment.

I have wondered on occasion if him not getting enough love as a child caused him to become a Dippy, or if being a Dippy as a child caused him to not get enough love.

ninja

Love it when you talk dirty, KoB!

😉😎

hbtd/rtr/gabn

Commissar

“Sissy punk?”

Career Sergeant Zim is that you?

The only good bug is a dead bug.

Sapper3307

White pepper is RaZZIst
Black
Pepper
Matters

ninja

Well, what do you expect when one is covering the story in the middle of a riot while wearing a face mask?

Note to Repoters: Next time, carry a large sign that states “PRESS” and take off the mask.

Or better yet, quit reporting on these riots. All you are doing is giving publicity to troublmakers…and these folks THRIVE on attention.

😆😅🤣😂😉😎

26Limabeans

War corresspondent on the job getting shot at.
I am shocked.
Convene the Hauge!

OWB

What a beautiful launch that was. Great to witness.

RGR 4-78

Agree.

11B-Mailclerk

And very much more “Free Market” than the usual bonfire-of-the-megabucks program.

This launch is wonderful stuff to see! I recall the Moon landings.

Heinlein wrote of “the Man who Sold the Moon”

The more it is a commercial business, the less it will be a racket. And the very much harder for a zer0 to snuff it.

John Ringo wrote some neat stuff on mining metals from asteroids, using gigantic arrays of fairly small solar mirrors, in his Troy Rising series. -great- stuff. It is also sort-of in-universe for the Schlock Mercenary webcomic.

Space! We’re Baaaaaaaack!