Blood Pressure Check of the Day

Posted By Mr Wolf

While doing my usual perusal of the internets while working (loosely defined) I headed over to JALOPNIK to see what the latest auto news was.

And came upon this entry, which at first I thought was awesome.  Seems the USAF has built some wondercars to showcase for recruiting efforts.  Some super-hi-tech stuff, which I doubt someone could pilot out of their garage, let alone drive down the freeway.

A peek:

Now, these are awesome.  But then I started looking at the comments-

Triborough
1:05 PM on Wed Jun 3 2009

If anyone is dumb enough to join the military, they'll love this car!

Then, some troll named 'Elwood' chimed in:

elwood
1:46 PM on Wed Jun 3 2009

@pauljones: Cheesy awesome is only awesome for about 5 minutes. Then you realize that it's just stupid. Like these cars.

@Alfisted: Or they coulda skipped the military, put the maximum contribution to their 401k, and been better off overall. If you really are highly intelligent and college educated, you're probably too smart for the armed forces.

And it goes on.  One of the longer chain of comments I've seen on the blog.  Its hideous.

Mr Wolf

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Damian Brooks in Afghanistan

Posted By Blackfive

Damian Brooks recently went to Kandahar, Afghanistan with the Canadian Forces, and has been writing about his experiences at The Torch.  There's a list of his posts from over there in the right sidebar (Damian's Afghanistan Posts), and I think these three are some of the best so far:

   

* The winning percentage
* Patrol, pt. 1 - headed to Double K
* Patrol, pt. 2 - Dand District Centre

You need to keep this guy on your radar.

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Some >Excellent< New Video

Posted By Mr Wolf

I'd like to introduce you to a new character that we'll be hearing more from in the future- Pierre Rehov.

Mr. Rehov is a recent immigre' to the US, coming by way of France (Paris, to be exact).  Mr Rehov contacted the Blackfive crew a few days ago, asking us to take a look at his videos.

To say we were impressed is an understatement...

He has a very good sense of videography, and has edited some of his material that he'd like to share with us.  I hope he shares a hell of a lot more, because it's good. 

But heck, we've all seen good video before, right?  We've met people from France.  But, a good videographer AND someone who's less than socialist, from France?

Hardly ever.  Take a look at this, his latest release:

When I first received his invitation, I thought ''here we go.  French videographer.  In Iraq.  Probably nothing more than body counts and White Phosphorus videos from Fallujah.''  I could not have been more wrong.  Mr. Rehov left France, as he tells me, because he ''could not take the politics anymore''.  So into NYC he goes, looking to make his mark.  He's certainly going to make one here.  He's barely scratched the surface of what he has shot.

He has been in Iraq as recently as last winter (one of VERY few French journalists embedded with the Coalition), and has even traveled throughout the Gaza strip shooting video for various outlets.  He tells of being abducted by militants, thrown to the ground with an AK to his head, and accused of being with the Mossad.  The only grace he had was showing them his French passport, which the militants immediately recognize and respect, then let him be.

I hope to post up/link up to some more of his stuff here soon.  Hopefully, we'll be able to help him on some trips into the region to report on perspectives we might not otherwise get.

Welcome, sir, to the US.  May you prosper well...

Wolf

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The 2008 Weblog Awards

Posted By Blackfive

Update:  There are two more days of voting left!  Please vote!

For the fifth year, BlackFive has been nominated for the 2008 MilBlog of the Year. The competition is tough this year. 

 

The authors here are not paid but are thankful and humbled by the ability you, our readers, give us to make an impact every day.  That's pay back enough.

So, while I'd like you to vote for Blackfive, please just vote for a MilBlog.  Big numbers helps us keep the category in the awards and there are some great blogs to choose from.

After the Jump, we will make some friendly suggestions of who we're voting for.  There are a lot of great bloggers out there so please don't think that the list is exclusive (and we did not agree on every pick, either, as indicated by asterisk).  We just had to make a decision on who to support and much of what we decided had to do with impact (and impact on the military). 

Thanks for your vote!

~ BlackFive

Continue reading "The 2008 Weblog Awards "

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The US Air Force Flowchart on Blogging

Posted By Blackfive

Noah Shachtman, Wired's Danger Room editor, has a story about the USAF and their rules for blogging counter-blogging.  There is even a flow chart to help Airmen counter blogs...go check it out.

Am I worried?

Nope.

The USAF blocks Blackfive.

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JD Johannes hits you right between the eyes (Updated)

Posted By Mr Wolf

With an excellent video contrasting 60th Street on April 29th, 2007, right around the time the Surge started, and a new video, shot on Oct 26th, 2008.

The difference could NOT be more plain.  If you need visual, tangible proof on HOW WELL the Surge worked, this is it.  (And no, its NOT up for debate on whether it 'worked' or not.  It did.)

This street could now be anywhere in the Middle East. 

For those of you not familiar with JD's work (as if Jimbo's not told you a FEW times) here is a video of his 'Outside The Wire' video.

Watch it.  And learn.

Oh, and while you're at it, be sure to visit Mike Yon's piece- also explaining how the 'war' part is over:

The Iraq war is over.  Barring the unforeseen, the darkest days are behind, though we are still losing soldiers to low-level fighting with enemies that are true “dead-enders.”  Last month we lost seven Americans in combat in Iraq.  Peace, however, is not upon us.  Another thirty or so Iraqis died today in suicide attacks.  Nobody suffers more at the hands of Islamic terrorists than other Muslims.

Wolf

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Veterans Day, Part VII- Farewell

Posted By Mr Wolf

This is something I wanted to put together, just to say 'Goodnight' and thank you for all your support on this Veterans Day, 2008.  You can BET we truly appreciate it.

First up is a great video about some of the taps buglers that have been at Arlington:

Be sure to visit the website www.tapsbugler.com- Lots of neat history there.

Next up, the Marine Silent Drill Team, performing in what appears to be the Pepsi Center in Denver; if you've not seen this, you're just not looking thru YouTube!  If you have, I think you'll agree these guys are just ab-so-freakin'-lutely awesome.  Stunning.

Now, one of my absolute favorite pieces of music, and a great video:

And last, but certainly NOT the least, TAPS, to say goodnight, and thank you:

Thank you all, from a VERY grateful vet.

Wolf

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Virtual Parade!

Posted By Mr Wolf

CJ from over at Soldiers Perspective has a parade up!

Take a look...

GRAND MARSHALL
Name: CJ Grisham
Blog: A Soldier’s Perspective
You Served Float: American Flag
Comments on Veteran’s Day: “We owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans that cannot be realized by setting aside a single day. Veterans Day is a day to honor and pay our respects to those who chose a career in service to their fellow Americans. We remember the sacrifices made on our behalf and should seek out ways to show our appreciation. Even Veterans themselves owe a great deal of gratitude to those that came before us. They have secured a country worth fighting for on our behalf and continue to do so selflessly.”

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Bouhammer on BBC

Posted By Blackfive

Blackfive pal, Troy Steward, was on the BBC radio today being interviewed about Afghanistan.  Sounds to me like they brought patchouli smelling, kool-aid drinking, experts from Never-Never Land to talk to him...

...One of the guests, (you can figure out who by listening) was a left leaning whack that would make Michael Moore look conservative.  She actually said American forces dropping precision guided bombs and missiles and accidentally killing civilians is just as bad and equal to the Taliban forces that massacred over 30 people on a bus this weekend, to include beheading six of them...

Check it out.  Troy was trying to have an honest, rational discussion. 

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The Best Write up of the MilBlog conference...

Posted By Blackfive

...Is here and it's dead on.  Of course, I'm a fan of TTG.

(Although I'm not sure about the call to not have the conference in Vegas...I'm no fan of Vegas, but if we don't get involved in the bigger blogosphere, we (milblogs) will continue to be insular.  That's not exactly bad, but I don't think it will help grow an audience.  We need to think about this a bit.)

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