A Cautionary Tale

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

In a comedic vein, on why departing perfectly good airplanes in flight is not for everyone, is up over at my place. 

LW

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St. Patrick's Day Technology - The Science Experiment

Posted By Blackfive

Greetings from Timmy O'Toole's in Chicago! (The Gage ain't open yet)

*Glug, glug, glug.  Ahhhh.*

Uncle Ben from the Filipino side of the family, an engineer and beer scientist, sends this Reuter's article on scientific analysis:

LONDON - People celebrating St. Patrick’s Day Wednesday can cross one topic of conversation off their lists.

Guinness bubbles really do sink.

Scientists said Monday they had finally proved that the dark stout’s creamy bubbles defy expectations and flow down instead of upwards.

I dispute this claim and will conduct many, I mean MANY, experiments today to disprove this theory!  It is my responsibility as an Irishman and graduate of the University of Chicago Physical Sciences Division to put this theory to a rigorous, accurate, and complete test. 

I will even use MATH!

Oops.  Looks like they thought of that already. *Hey, Phil, pass me another one will you?  Thanks, pal.*

“Our group carried out preliminary experiments at a local pub a few years ago, but the results proved inconclusive,” said Dr. Andrew Alexander, from the University of Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry.

They first thought the dark liquid flowing down as a pint was poured gave the illusion the bubbles were going down as well.

Now close examination has revealed that, as a pint settles, bubbles touching the walls of the glass experience drag, similar to that a person feels sliding a finger along glass, and that prevents them floating up.

The bubbles in the middle however, are free to rise, creating a circular flow within the glass that causes bubbles at the edge to be pushed downwards on the inside surface of the glass.

The Edinburgh team, working with researchers at Stanford University in California have produced high-speed video footage of the sinking bubbles — to put at rest the minds of any drinkers who might have felt they were seeing things.

BRILLIANT!!!

Well, I still want to test this theory.  You can't trust anyone who goes to or graduates from a school without grades (*cough* Stanford *cough*). 

*Next pint, please.  Science will not be denied!*

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One Day away from St. Patrick's Day

Posted By Blackfive

"Finally caught up with Matt. It was like trying to find Santa on Christmas Eve." - Uncle Ben, good friend (and reader) of Blackfive, on St. Patrick's Day in Chicago 2004

 

 

I may try to live blog St. Patrick's Day with my Irish Smart Device (photo below - patent pending...).

Of course, the quality of posts may go down to Jimbo standards by the late afternoon...

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Treat St. Patrick's Day Like a Real Holiday!

Posted By Blackfive

Matty O' here to remind everyone that St. Patrick's Day is coming.  To get you moving towards the spirit of St. Patrick's Day in Chicago, here is my favorite video about my favorite sustenance...

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DBS Call To Action

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

Those of you who follow miltoons know (or you should!) Delta Bravo Sierra.  It's a good comic that takes a different look at life in the Army, and amidst the humor makes some good points. 

Well, they have trying to get into Army Times, and not having a lot of luck.  It's the usual thing with any Gannett publication IMO, but being a bit different, DBS decided to take a different approach to cracking the wall.  They have a petition up to try to get Army Times attention and get hearing.  I've signed it, how about you?  If you do sign, you might go here and drop an e-mail to the editorial staff suggesting that since the walls are a bit bare since Pvt. Murphy and other miltoons went away, and this is SUPPOSED to be an Army paper by, for, and about the Army...

LW

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Calling all Phils (but especially *you*, bronstein)

Posted By Mr Wolf

UPDATE 1:  B5 sends me a Twitchy link where 'Jennifer' steps all in it again; trying to defend the indefensible; he still doesn't get it right.

Another Twitchy link, where the MSM goes all-in, and makes even bigger fools of themselves.  Ezra Klein, military benefits commentater?  Really?  I need to look at writing for the Economist.  At least I understand capitalism...

Nextly, TSO and the farm team at TAH links 'Jennifer's' article to IVAW and the Winter Soldier crowd; 'Jennifer' the 'investigative reporter' most affected.

I'm going all in and call this an outing for Obamacare...

Original Post: Hopefully, most of you have read or at least heard about the article in Esquire yesterday about 'The Shooter', supposedly the SEAL that shot Bin Laden.  I'm not linking it here, as you'll see why.

We here at B5 and other places have been discussing this amongst ourselves, and among some of the operators out there.  We have all come to a conclusion:

Something ain't right, Jackson.

See, here's this SEAL guy, who supposedly was a main character in the single most important mission of the GWOT, who took out the most wanted man on the planet, and he just ups and walks away from it, not looking to ensure he has healthcare or anything?  That he has no options BEFORE he walks out?

Really?  Can he be that stupid?  Do people in the military with health issues really leave without any backstop?

I doubt it.  More like the author, Phil Bronstein, made this thing up, or he was rolled.  And I don't mean Rickrolled.  Phil, I'm calling you out on this one.  And it's not just this singular article.  From his Wiki entry:

Phil Bronstein is a journalist and editor.  He serves as executive chair of the board for the Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley, California.  He is best known for his work as a war correspondent and investigative journalist.

He went on to reoprt from conflict areas around the world as a foreign correspondent for eight years... Peru, the Middle East, El Salvador and the Phillipines.

 See, he's been in 'conflict areas'.  I cannot find any reference or story where he's been in Iraq, Afghanistan, or even Bosnia.  But he's a 'war correspondent'.   Really?  Which war?  Was the U.S. involved in it?  Talking to warriors does not make you a 'war correspondent'. 

See Mr Phil, I don't think this is all adding up.  As we've seen, ST6 is not a term used anymore; hasn't been for many years.  And I doubt he'd be using it just in front of you.  Does DELTA still use that name for themselves?  Don't think so.  That would out a phony pretty quick.

The main thing with this article that really burns is that this 'SEAL' is left hanging.  I don't think that's the case here.  I think either you've been rolled, Mr Phil, or you don't have the full story, or you don't know enough to even ask.  See we here at Blackfive constitute a military blog- we have enough experience among us to recognize when something ain't right- and your story ain't cutting it so far.  And to me, your background ain't either.

Why would a team guy go blabbing to a journo with no military cred, who has basically been hanging out in San Fran all his life?   Berkeley, in fact.  Not San Diego, where he might meet a few dudes like this over the years and build rapport.  Or near Ft Bragg, or in Florida.  Hell, even DC.  Is it possible that Phil has 'connections' that set him up with this dude, in order to put even more 'spin' for the administration?  I'm not going that far...yet. 

Further in his article for Esquire, Phil quotes the wife: "the loss of income and insurance and no pension aside, she can no longer walk onto a local base... they've surrendered their military IDs."  "He's lost some vision, he can't get his neck straight for any period of time..."  If this were indeed the case, this is easy stuff to document in the out-processing; and they DO do a medical when you out-process for a separation physical.  Period.  If his vision, alone, was affected, they'd document it.  Neck issues?  The x-rays would pick it up.

He then writes that according to Shooter, ''if I come back alive and retire, I won't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of for the rest of my life.''  So what do you have now?  If Shooter had retired, he'd have an income and med coverage, at a minimum.  So he comes back from the 4-month deployment, leaves, and STILL has nothing?  He'd have been better off waiting.  At 18 years, he could have reached 'sanctuary' and been what we call 'retired on active duty'. 

More and more issues show up the more I read the article.  It's good fiction, but that's all it is- fiction. 

Phil, I think you'd make a better 'Jennifer' than a 'Phil'.  Yeah.  Let's call you 'Jennifer'.  You don't rate a 'Susan'. 

For all you vets out there, hit us in the comments if you've ever had, or heard of, someone separating without some medical eval, and going on without ANY coverage if you've served combat and had injuries.  I just don't see it.  Neither do others I've talked to.  If you want, hit me at the email listed in the sidebar and I'll compile it for you.

And 'Jennifer', it's time you came clean on this.  We need some better explanation or proof...

Wolf

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Good-Faith Gesture

Posted By Grim

In a positive sign for Joe Biden's hopes for a negotiated solution to Iranian proliferation issues, the President of Iran made a missile-related proposal that the United States should have no problem endorsing.

Maybe there's hope for the administration's containment policy after all!

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Heh ...

Posted By McQ

The old rivalry begins to heat up:

Bill the Goat, the Naval Academy Mascot, was stolen over the weekend and attached to a median near the Pentagon. He was recovered Saturday morning in good condition.

The goatnapping was confirmed Thursday by John Jordan, manager of Maryland Sunrise Farm, the home of Bill XXXIII and Bill XXXIV. Jordan did not know which of the academy’s two mascots was stolen.

Jordan suspects soldiers were behind it, but he had no knowledge of it.

Soldiers?  

Why in the world would he suspect that?

GO ARMY!  BEAT NAVY!

Roasted goat, properly done, isn't so bad.

~McQ

 

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The Patented Blackfive Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Posted By Blackfive

[This post is an annual event here...]

The Bartender at Madfish Willie's reposts my patented Irish Paratrooper Turkey Recipe every Thanksgiving. 

Blackfive:  "How To Cook A Turkey"
1) Go buy a turkey.
2) Take a drink of scotch whisky (Laphroiag, Lagavulin, or Caol Ila).
3) Put turkey in the oven.
4) Take another 2 drinks of whiskey.
5) Set the degree at 375 ovens
6) Take 3 more whiskeys of drink.
7) Turn oven the on.
8) Take 4 whisks of drinky.
9) Turk the bastey.
10) Whiskey another bottle of get.
11) Stick a turkey in the thermometer
12) Glass yourself a pour of whiskey.
13) Bake the whiskey for 4 hours.
14) Take the oven out of the turkey.
15) Take the oven out of the turkey.
16) Floor the turkey up off of the pick.
17) Turk the carvey.
18) Get yourself another scottle of botch.
19) Tet the sable and pour yourself a glass of turkey.
20) Bless the saying, pass and eat out.

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Some things to be thankful for...

Posted By Mr Wolf

Sitting here on a day off, just before making some dishes for my dinner with the locals.  Not been posting for a while due to my assignment, but I wanted to share some fun stuff so you could pass the time if the relatives are getting on your nerves.  Mine are far from here, but in my thoughts, and I'm thankful to have them in my life.

I'm thankful for my country, my chance to serve it, and to help my brothers over in harms way.  I am thankful each and every day for that chance and the opportunity to be a part of it all.

Now, some very funny videos that I'm thankful for.  Each of these remind me of a fun time growing up- wish they were all still with us.  Some are not----

Continue reading "Some things to be thankful for..."

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