For the liberal readers... Bombard them with facts..
If you consider that there has been an average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theater of operations during the last 22 months, and a total of 2112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000.
The rate in Washington D.C. Is 80.6 per 100,000. That means that you are about 25% more likely to be shot and killed in our Nation's Capitol, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation, than you are in Iraq.
Conclusion: We should immediately pull out of Washington D.C
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Some good logic, especially in OV!
This is from a friend of mine who got it from some other site, which supposedly came from an episcopal preist. I am gald I can claim episcopal on my dog tags. Thanks CB
Marksmanship
1) Beware of the man with one gun.
2) Fancy guns, sights, and gadgetry do not make up for a lack of marksmanship.
3) If you can't do it with a .30-06 you probably can't do it with anything else.
4) If you can't do it with a 2 MOA firearm you probably can't do it with anything else.
5) Sight picture and trigger control are life.
6) Practice, practice, practice!
7) A close miss is still a miss.
8) Smoothness first, the speed will come.
9) Most gun writers are pathological liars.
Internal Ballistics
1) There ain't no magic powders!
2) Details! It's in the details.
3) Tiny increments in velocity are meaningless.
4) Most gun writers are pathological liars.
External Ballistics
1) There ain't no magic bullets!
2) Divide the range at which someone claims to have shot their deer by 4 to get the real range.
3) Always get as close as possible.
4) Don't believe manufacturer's claims.
5) In the battle between velocity and accuracy, accuracy always wins.
6) Most gun writers are pathological liars.
Terminal Ballistics
1) There ain't no magic bullets!
2) Only center hits count
3) Make the biggest diameter hole you can to let blood out and air in.
4) Make the deepest hole you can to insure that vital organs and nerve centers can be reached from all impact angles.
5) "Service" your threat until it is no longer a threat.
6) No small arm can guarantee 100% instant incapacitation of a determined adversary--man or beast.
7) Don't believe manufacturer's claims.
8) Most gun writers are pathological liars.
Gunfighting
1) Bring a gun. Preferably, bring at least two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns.
2) Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
3) If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough nor using cover correctly.
4)Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movements are preferred.)
5) If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun.
6) In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
7) If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading, and running.
8) Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun.
9) Use a gun that works EVERY TIME. Don't trust an untested gun.
10)Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.
11) Always cheat = always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
12) Have a plan. A bad plan quickly executed is better than no plan.
13) Have a back-up plan, because the first none won't work.
14) Use cover and concealment as much as possible.
15) Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours."
16) Always tactically reload and threat scan 360 degrees.
17) Watch their hands. Hands kill. (In God we trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them).
18)Decide to be AGGRESSIVE enough, QUICKLY enough.
19) The faster you finish the fight, the less shot up you will get.
20) Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with a "4."
Life in General
1) Good manners are always in good taste. Treat others the way you want them to treat you.
2) Better to be over-dressed than under-dressed.
3) Be kind and courteous to everyone you meet but have a plan to kill them.
4) One can not have too many good books, to much good wine, or too much ammo.
5) Cats are a good judge of character.
6) Learn something new every day.
7) Good grammar is a sign of a sharp mind.
8) Your word must be your bond.
9) Stay alert!
10) True friends that will stick by you no matter what are a rarity. Cherish them.
11) YOU are responsible for what happens to you.
12) You are NOT entitled to an easy life and luxuries.
13) Always do the right thing. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
14) Flowers say "I'm sorry," chocolate says "I love you."
15) Don't do stupid things, don't associate with stupid people, don't go to stupid places, and don't live in stupid areas.
16) Do not rely on the government for anything, especially your survival.
17) Don't be upset by people who don't like you or who speak ill of you. They are the ones who have lost your friendship.
Faith
1) God is the one in charge, but don't expect him to just do everything for you. He gave you a brain and muscles for a reason.
2) Pray daily.
3) Showing Christ's love does not mean you have to accept as "OK" every behavior of every person. It just means that you have \r\nto treat everyone with respect and compassion."
4) You will be a better witness by example than by bible thumping.
5) God doesn't care if you are Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, or whatever. He cares about how well you follow his directions.
6) When you talk to God, remember to listen.
Cooking
1) Don't overdo the seasonings.
2) An unwatched pot usually boils over.
3) Simple, hearty food, is the best--especially when shared by friends.
4) A day without red wine is not a complete day.
5) Fresh baked bread negates the cholesterol in butter.
6) Use fresh ingredients.
7) The most critical ingredient in a recipe you are working on is the one you ran out of last week.
Woodworking
1) Don't buy cheap cutting tools.
2) Measure 3 times, cut once.
3) You can make a board shorter, you can't make it longer.
4) A properly aligned table saw will get out of alignment at the most critical cut of the project.
5) Don't believe dimensions given in a project's plans until you have checked them.
6) A sharp pencil will always be on the other side of your work area.
7) Before beginning to screw and glue check the fit of all pieces.
Marksmanship
1) Beware of the man with one gun.
2) Fancy guns, sights, and gadgetry do not make up for a lack of marksmanship.
3) If you can't do it with a .30-06 you probably can't do it with anything else.
4) If you can't do it with a 2 MOA firearm you probably can't do it with anything else.
5) Sight picture and trigger control are life.
6) Practice, practice, practice!
7) A close miss is still a miss.
8) Smoothness first, the speed will come.
9) Most gun writers are pathological liars.
Internal Ballistics
1) There ain't no magic powders!
2) Details! It's in the details.
3) Tiny increments in velocity are meaningless.
4) Most gun writers are pathological liars.
External Ballistics
1) There ain't no magic bullets!
2) Divide the range at which someone claims to have shot their deer by 4 to get the real range.
3) Always get as close as possible.
4) Don't believe manufacturer's claims.
5) In the battle between velocity and accuracy, accuracy always wins.
6) Most gun writers are pathological liars.
Terminal Ballistics
1) There ain't no magic bullets!
2) Only center hits count
3) Make the biggest diameter hole you can to let blood out and air in.
4) Make the deepest hole you can to insure that vital organs and nerve centers can be reached from all impact angles.
5) "Service" your threat until it is no longer a threat.
6) No small arm can guarantee 100% instant incapacitation of a determined adversary--man or beast.
7) Don't believe manufacturer's claims.
8) Most gun writers are pathological liars.
Gunfighting
1) Bring a gun. Preferably, bring at least two guns. Bring all of your friends who have guns.
2) Anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. Ammo is cheap. Life is expensive.
3) If your shooting stance is good, you're probably not moving fast enough nor using cover correctly.
4)Move away from your attacker. Distance is your friend. (Lateral and diagonal movements are preferred.)
5) If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun.
6) In ten years nobody will remember the details of caliber, stance, or tactics. They will only remember who lived.
7) If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading, and running.
8) Accuracy is relative: most combat shooting standards will be more dependent on "pucker factor" than the inherent accuracy of the gun.
9) Use a gun that works EVERY TIME. Don't trust an untested gun.
10)Someday someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.
11) Always cheat = always win. The only unfair fight is the one you lose.
12) Have a plan. A bad plan quickly executed is better than no plan.
13) Have a back-up plan, because the first none won't work.
14) Use cover and concealment as much as possible.
15) Flank your adversary when possible. Protect yours."
16) Always tactically reload and threat scan 360 degrees.
17) Watch their hands. Hands kill. (In God we trust. Everyone else, keep your hands where I can see them).
18)Decide to be AGGRESSIVE enough, QUICKLY enough.
19) The faster you finish the fight, the less shot up you will get.
20) Do not attend a gunfight with a handgun, the caliber of which does not start with a "4."
Life in General
1) Good manners are always in good taste. Treat others the way you want them to treat you.
2) Better to be over-dressed than under-dressed.
3) Be kind and courteous to everyone you meet but have a plan to kill them.
4) One can not have too many good books, to much good wine, or too much ammo.
5) Cats are a good judge of character.
6) Learn something new every day.
7) Good grammar is a sign of a sharp mind.
8) Your word must be your bond.
9) Stay alert!
10) True friends that will stick by you no matter what are a rarity. Cherish them.
11) YOU are responsible for what happens to you.
12) You are NOT entitled to an easy life and luxuries.
13) Always do the right thing. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
14) Flowers say "I'm sorry," chocolate says "I love you."
15) Don't do stupid things, don't associate with stupid people, don't go to stupid places, and don't live in stupid areas.
16) Do not rely on the government for anything, especially your survival.
17) Don't be upset by people who don't like you or who speak ill of you. They are the ones who have lost your friendship.
Faith
1) God is the one in charge, but don't expect him to just do everything for you. He gave you a brain and muscles for a reason.
2) Pray daily.
3) Showing Christ's love does not mean you have to accept as "OK" every behavior of every person. It just means that you have \r\nto treat everyone with respect and compassion."
4) You will be a better witness by example than by bible thumping.
5) God doesn't care if you are Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, or whatever. He cares about how well you follow his directions.
6) When you talk to God, remember to listen.
Cooking
1) Don't overdo the seasonings.
2) An unwatched pot usually boils over.
3) Simple, hearty food, is the best--especially when shared by friends.
4) A day without red wine is not a complete day.
5) Fresh baked bread negates the cholesterol in butter.
6) Use fresh ingredients.
7) The most critical ingredient in a recipe you are working on is the one you ran out of last week.
Woodworking
1) Don't buy cheap cutting tools.
2) Measure 3 times, cut once.
3) You can make a board shorter, you can't make it longer.
4) A properly aligned table saw will get out of alignment at the most critical cut of the project.
5) Don't believe dimensions given in a project's plans until you have checked them.
6) A sharp pencil will always be on the other side of your work area.
7) Before beginning to screw and glue check the fit of all pieces.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Gas Prices and You!
People like to make fun of me beacuse I drive a little firther to save a few pennies when I fill up my fuel tank. Although the financial saving is good for my bottom line. It is also better for the bottom line of the service station owner whose establishment i am purchasing fuel from. This inidividual is the true capitolist and I am rewarding him for his services. This past sunday as I drove Crackerz to the Boston Logan Airport, I was shopping and looking for the service station owner I want to reward. It was amazing to see the range of prices for "IDENTICAL" products. gasoline is gasoline is gasoline. If you dont have it your car will not run. Just like air, you dont breath it you will not live.
Anyhow for the 87 octane fuel I was shopping for, prices ranged from $1.97 to $2.39. Where do you think I purchased my gas? How much do you think the gas station owners paid for gas the gas they sold me? The same price as November delivery for whole sale unleaded gasoline about $1.65. Tack on a few more cents for delivery and storage and everything over that is profit. and profit per gallon.
So next time you are looking for a fill up. Reward the guy who is looking out for your bottom line. Not the guy who is raking you ove the coals!
Anyhow for the 87 octane fuel I was shopping for, prices ranged from $1.97 to $2.39. Where do you think I purchased my gas? How much do you think the gas station owners paid for gas the gas they sold me? The same price as November delivery for whole sale unleaded gasoline about $1.65. Tack on a few more cents for delivery and storage and everything over that is profit. and profit per gallon.
So next time you are looking for a fill up. Reward the guy who is looking out for your bottom line. Not the guy who is raking you ove the coals!
More OV lovin, .357 style
Once again the love runs deep and bloody on the "bay" streets of Norfolks Ocean View community. There is something to be said for packing "heat" when out on a sunday stroll through the neighborhood. Aaah I love the smell of sea water in the morning!
Norfolk police are investigating after a woman was shot in the head Sunday afternoon in Ocean View.
Officials say the shooting happened just before 5:00pm at the intersection of 7th Bay and East Ocean View.
According to authorities, at least a dozen shell casings were found at the scene.
Although the victim was struck in the head, police say her injuries do not appear to be life threatening.
The identity of the victim has not been released.
Police have not released any motive or suspect information, but witnesses say an argument may have started the violence.
Norfolk police are investigating after a woman was shot in the head Sunday afternoon in Ocean View.
Officials say the shooting happened just before 5:00pm at the intersection of 7th Bay and East Ocean View.
According to authorities, at least a dozen shell casings were found at the scene.
Although the victim was struck in the head, police say her injuries do not appear to be life threatening.
The identity of the victim has not been released.
Police have not released any motive or suspect information, but witnesses say an argument may have started the violence.
Friday, November 25, 2005
"Bang bang more fun in Ocean View"
The freedom of speech, assembly and all the other things that make America great, especially the right to bear arms in Ocean View! Come on down to the gun fight!!
NORFOLK — A police officer shot to death a man who was holding a woman hostage at knifepoint early Thursday morning in Ocean View, police said.
Police identified the dead man as Derrick D. Bryant, 33, of Ansell Avenue in Portsmouth.
Police said Bryant broke into an apartment in the 2100 block of Pretty Lake Ave. at about 2:45 a.m. and abducted a woman.
Soon after, officers found Bryant around the corner, on the lawn of a house in the 9600 block of 1 st Bay St.
When Bryant started to cut the woman’s throat, an officer shot him, according to police spokesman Chris Amos. Police were unable to revive Bryant, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The female hostage, whom police did not identify, suffered a minor cut to her neck and was treated at a local hospital. Bryant was the woman’s former boyfriend, police said.
Veronica Putt, who lives at the scene of the shooting, came home to find police on her lawn.
“I started freaking out,” she said. “I didn’t know what to say. I saw the blood.”
Putt said her neighbors tried to persuade Bryant to drop the knife and release the woman. Police would not confirm that.
On Thursday morning, black fingerprint powder covered the woman’s damaged apartment door. A woman inside – identified as the hostage’s mother – declined to speak with a reporter.
Neighbors Tara Delaney and Shawn Montello said Bryant had been hanging around the building earlier that night and was carrying a .45-caliber handgun. Police would not comment on whether they recovered a gun at the scene.
Portsmouth court records show Bryant was arrested in 1993 on charges of malicious wounding, using a firearm and shooting at an occupied vehicle. He was acquitted after a trial in 1994.
Although they share the same name, the man shot by police is not the Derrick Bryant who was co-captain of the Norfolk State University basketball team in the mid-1990s and played at Nansemond River High School. That Bryant is playing professionally in Argentina, his wife said.
The officer who shot Bryant was placed on administrative duty, which is standard department policy. Police did not identify him.
Homicide detectives are investigating and will send their findings to the commonwealth’s attorney for review. This, too, is standard procedure.
Talking .45 caliber handguns, I have another article look down the page a bit from the washington post that I think you gun afficinatos might like!
Nutz!!
NORFOLK — A police officer shot to death a man who was holding a woman hostage at knifepoint early Thursday morning in Ocean View, police said.
Police identified the dead man as Derrick D. Bryant, 33, of Ansell Avenue in Portsmouth.
Police said Bryant broke into an apartment in the 2100 block of Pretty Lake Ave. at about 2:45 a.m. and abducted a woman.
Soon after, officers found Bryant around the corner, on the lawn of a house in the 9600 block of 1 st Bay St.
When Bryant started to cut the woman’s throat, an officer shot him, according to police spokesman Chris Amos. Police were unable to revive Bryant, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The female hostage, whom police did not identify, suffered a minor cut to her neck and was treated at a local hospital. Bryant was the woman’s former boyfriend, police said.
Veronica Putt, who lives at the scene of the shooting, came home to find police on her lawn.
“I started freaking out,” she said. “I didn’t know what to say. I saw the blood.”
Putt said her neighbors tried to persuade Bryant to drop the knife and release the woman. Police would not confirm that.
On Thursday morning, black fingerprint powder covered the woman’s damaged apartment door. A woman inside – identified as the hostage’s mother – declined to speak with a reporter.
Neighbors Tara Delaney and Shawn Montello said Bryant had been hanging around the building earlier that night and was carrying a .45-caliber handgun. Police would not comment on whether they recovered a gun at the scene.
Portsmouth court records show Bryant was arrested in 1993 on charges of malicious wounding, using a firearm and shooting at an occupied vehicle. He was acquitted after a trial in 1994.
Although they share the same name, the man shot by police is not the Derrick Bryant who was co-captain of the Norfolk State University basketball team in the mid-1990s and played at Nansemond River High School. That Bryant is playing professionally in Argentina, his wife said.
The officer who shot Bryant was placed on administrative duty, which is standard department policy. Police did not identify him.
Homicide detectives are investigating and will send their findings to the commonwealth’s attorney for review. This, too, is standard procedure.
Talking .45 caliber handguns, I have another article look down the page a bit from the washington post that I think you gun afficinatos might like!
Nutz!!
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Nutz & Crackerz Eat with the Pilgrims and Indians.
Yep, we were not with any family on turkey day, instead we were with the real Pilgrim and Indians in Plmouth, Mass. Good time. Yes, there were real indians and these were not the indians that ran casinos. We visitied those as well, however the indians at plymouth were pissed off at the "Racist American Government" Obviously this tribe of indians did not own a casino, otherwise they might not be slamming the US government on their day of mourning as it is called.
On to the food and fun. Yes we saw the sites, Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower II and the rest of the hokie things scattered about city. As we wandered back to the car, we found a resturant that was having a "free" turkey day lunch special. Actually they were holding a fund raiser for some mercy ship program. Donate some money and get some free grub, all you can eat. The grub was actually pretty tastey. Not as good as moms pototes and dads extra greasy gravy but good none the less.
All in all Crackerz and I had a good day. We even drove down to Hyannisport to drop in on our cousins the Kennedy's however the cottage was closed because Teddy was down at Chappiquidek on a booze run.
The Cape is a neat area, glad we hit it in the fall when traffic was at a minimum.
Gobble gobble!
Nutz
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Bean Town Bandits
Ok, so it is the turkey day holiday, why not spend it with the turkeys.. I have yet to see a turkey here in Boston. I have seen, well heard a few folks rattling away in different languages. A que en los estado unidos hablamos solamente engleis por favor.
Yet I digress. I made it up here from newport in no time what so ever, a quick little drive, missed all the traffic and have been running around on the "T" all afternoon. As how I arrived and it was lunch time, i figured I would grab a quick bite to eat before exploring. So lunch was an adventure as well. I found myself a little pub here in bean town that coincedently is the second oldest eating joint in boston. Pretty cool. The Black Horse Tavern. As how it is the holiday and to celibrate a little I had two pints of guinness with my poor mans roast beef. Quite tastey. Well, I need to run and pick up the wife at the airport, just around the corner, wish me luck it should be a fun couple of days..
Nutz..
Yet I digress. I made it up here from newport in no time what so ever, a quick little drive, missed all the traffic and have been running around on the "T" all afternoon. As how I arrived and it was lunch time, i figured I would grab a quick bite to eat before exploring. So lunch was an adventure as well. I found myself a little pub here in bean town that coincedently is the second oldest eating joint in boston. Pretty cool. The Black Horse Tavern. As how it is the holiday and to celibrate a little I had two pints of guinness with my poor mans roast beef. Quite tastey. Well, I need to run and pick up the wife at the airport, just around the corner, wish me luck it should be a fun couple of days..
Nutz..
Monday, November 21, 2005
Thanks Giving
Some food for thought if you are in the position to be standing at the head of the table getting ready to carve the "bird" It would be un American to not eat turkey on Thanks Giving!
I am Thankful : FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME W ITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED.
FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE
FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.
FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..
FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.
FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.
FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO HAS BIG BOOBS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM A STRAIGHT ALL AMERICAN GUY.
FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE !
AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.
Remeber to send an email to those who are doing the nations business this hoilday season, even if you dont know them. They will appreciate the note. Big Al & Jimbo Afganistan and Iraq respectivley.
I am Thankful : FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME W ITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED.
FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE
FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.
FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..
FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.
FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.
FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO HAS BIG BOOBS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM A STRAIGHT ALL AMERICAN GUY.
FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE !
AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.
Remeber to send an email to those who are doing the nations business this hoilday season, even if you dont know them. They will appreciate the note. Big Al & Jimbo Afganistan and Iraq respectivley.
From a Jar head in the Desert
Even thought I am a bit of a techno weenie there are some things where the past still benfits us today.
However more to the point, it is sad when "we" in the military have to "hide" when we publish things that the government might not necessariy like to hear, especially if it is the truth and not just hard feelings. Those darn reprocussions... some people just are not good critical thinkers.
Thanks to the washington post for this article. Actually I found it in the Early Bird.
Nutz
A Marine Reports From Iraq
By An anonymous Marine
Editor's note: There's nothing like word from the field to know what works, what doesn't and how the enemy's tactics are affecting our soldiers in battle. Below is one U.S. Marine's take on those questions, verified and relayed to us through his father, a retired Marine. We've withheld the Marine's name and his father's to spare them the inevitable political or institutional flap. Among the most interesting tidbits: Our Marine reports that servicemen are shocked at negative press coverage of the war, and they believe the United States is winning decisively -- but that the number of troops in the field should be bolstered. On equipment, our Marine thinks the older, battle-tested parts of the U.S. arsenal are the most useful equipment in the fight against insurgents. M-16s aren't much good, but "Ma Deuce" is, and the .45 pistol is highly coveted. Body armor has plusses and minuses.
Hello to all my fellow gunners, military buffs, veterans and interested guys. A couple of weekends ago I got to spend time with my son... [He] spent seven months at "Camp Blue Diamond" in Ramadi, a.k.a. "Fort Apache." He saw and did a lot. The following is what he told me about weapons, equipment, tactics and other miscellaneous information which may be of interest to you. Nothing is by any means classified. No politics here, just a Marine with a bird's eye view's opinions.
•The M-16 rifle: Thumbs down. Chronic jamming problems with the sand over there, which is like talcum powder. The sand is everywhere. You feel filthy two minutes after a shower. The M-4 carbine version is more popular because it's lighter and shorter, but it also has jamming problems. Marines like the ability to mount the various optical gunsights and weapons lights on the picatinny rails, but the weapon itself is not great in a desert environment. They all hate the 5.56mm (.223) round. Poor penetration on the cinderblock structure common over there and even torso hits cannot be reliably counted on to put the enemy down. Fun fact: Random autopsies on dead insurgents shows a high level of opiate use.
•The M243 SAW (squad assault weapon) .223 cal: Big thumbs down. Drum-fed light machine gun. Universally considered a piece of s***. Chronic jamming problems, most of which require partial disassembly. That's fun in the middle of a firefight.
•The M9 Beretta 9mm: mixed bag. Good gun, performs well in a desert environment, but everyone hates the 9mm cartridge. The use of handguns for self-defense is actually fairly common. Same old story on the 9mm: Bad guys get hit multiple times but are still in the fight.
•Mossberg 12ga. Military shotgun: Works well and is used frequently for clearing houses, to good effect.
•The M240 Machine Gun: 7.62 Nato (.308) cal belt-fed machine gun: Thumbs up. Developed to replace the old M-60 -- what a beautiful weapon that was -- it is accurate, reliable and the 7.62 round puts 'em down. Originally developed as a vehicle-mounted weapon, more and more are being dismounted and taken into the field by infantry. The 7.62 round chews up the structure over there.
•The M2 .50 cal heavy machine gun: Thumbs way, way up. "Ma deuce" is still worth her considerable weight in gold. The ultimate fight-stopper, puts their d**** in the dirt every time. The most coveted weapon in-theater.
•The .45 pistol: Thumbs up. Still the best pistol round out there. Everybody authorized to carry a sidearm is trying to get their hands on one. With few exceptions, it can reliably be expected to put 'em down with a torso hit. The special-ops guys -- who are doing most of the pistol work -- use the HK military model and supposedly love it. The old government model .45s are being re-issued en masse.
•The M-14: Thumbs up. It is being re-issued in bulk, mostly in a modified version to special-ops guys. Modifications include lightweight Kevlar stocks and low-power red dot or ACOG sights. Very reliable in the sandy environment, and people love the 7.62 round.
•The Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle: Thumbs way up. Spectacular range and accuracy and hits like a freight train. Used frequently to take out vehicle suicide bombers -- we actually stop a lot of them -- and barricaded enemies. Definitely here to stay.
•The M24 sniper rifle: Thumbs up. Mostly in 308 but some in 300 win mag. Heavily modified Remington 700s. Great performance. Snipers have been using them heavily to great effect. Rumor has it that a Marine sniper on his third tour in Anbar province has actually exceeded Carlos Hathcock's record for confirmed kills with over 100.
•The new body armor: Thumbs up. Relatively light at approximately six pounds and can reliably be expected to soak up small shrapnel and even stop an AK-47 round. The bad news: Hot as s*** to wear, almost unbearable in the summer heat, which averages over 120 degrees. Also, the enemy now goes for head shots whenever possible. All the bull**** about the "old" body armor making our guys vulnerable to improvised-explosive devices was a non-starter. The IED explosions are enormous and body armor doesn't make any difference at all in most cases.
•Night Vision and Infrared Equipment: Thumbs way up. Spectacular performance. Our guys see in the dark and own the night, period. Very little enemy action after evening prayers. More and more of the enemy are being whacked at night during movement by our hunter-killer teams. We've all seen the videos.
•Lights: Thumbs up. Most of the weapon-mounted and personal lights are Surefires, and the troops love 'em. Invaluable for night urban operations. [Name redacted] carried a $34 Surefire G2 on a neck lanyard and loved it.
I can't help but notice that most of the good fighting weapons and ordnance are 50 or more years old. With all our technology, it's the World War II- and Vietnam-era weapons that everybody wants. The infantry fighting is frequent, up close and brutal. No quarter is given or shown.
Bad guy weapons:
•Mostly AK47s. The entire country is an arsenal. Works better in the desert than the M16 and the .308 Russian round kills reliably. PKM belt-fed light machine guns are also common and effective. Luckily, the enemy mostly shoots like s***. Undisciplined "spray and pray"-type fire. However, precision weapons are more and more common, especially sniper rifles. Fun fact: Captured enemy have apparently marveled at the marksmanship of our guys and how hard they fight. They are apparently told in jihad school that the Americans rely solely on technology, and can be easily beaten in close quarters combat for their lack of toughness. Let's just say they know better now.
•The RPG: Probably the infantry weapon most feared by our guys. Simple, reliable and as common as dog****. The enemy responded to our up-armored Humvees by aiming at the windshields, often at point blank range. Still killing a lot of our guys.
•The improvised-explosive device: The biggest killer of all. Can be anything from old Soviet anti-armor mines to jerry-rigged artillery shells. A lot found in [name redacted]'s area were in abandoned cars. The enemy would take two or three 155mm artillery shells and wire them together. Most were detonated by cell phone, and the explosions are enormous. You're not safe in any vehicle, even an M1 tank.
Driving is by far the most dangerous thing our guys do over there. Lately, they are much more sophisticated "shape charges" (Iranian) specifically designed to penetrate armor. Fact: Most of the ready-made IEDs are supplied by Iran, the country which is also providing terrorists, Hezbollah types, to train the insurgents in their use and tactics. That's why the attacks have been so deadly lately. Their concealment methods are ingenious, the latest being shape charges in Styrofoam containers spray-painted to look like the cinderblocks that litter all Iraqi roads. We find about 40 percent before they detonate. The bomb-disposal guys are unsung heroes of this war.
•Mortars and rockets: Very prevalent. The Soviet-era 122mm rockets, with a range of 18 kilometers, are becoming more prevalent. One of [name redacted]'s NCOs lost a leg to one. These weapons cause a lot of damage "inside the wire." [Name redacted]'s base was hit almost daily his entire time there by mortar and rocket fire, often at night to disrupt sleep patterns and cause fatigue (it worked). More of a psychological weapon than anything else. The enemy mortar teams would jump out of vehicles, fire a few rounds and then haul *** in a matter of seconds.
Bad guy technology is simple yet effective. Most communication is by cell and satellite phones and also by email on laptops. They use handheld Global Positioning System units for navigation and "Google Earth" for overhead views of our positions. Their weapons are good, if not fancy, and prevalent. Their explosives and bomb technology is top of the line. Night vision is rare.
They are very careless with their equipment, however, and the captured GPS units and laptops are intelligence treasure troves when captured.
Who are the bad guys? Most of the carnage is caused by the Zarqawi al Qaeda group. They operate mostly in Anbar province -- Fallujah and Ramadi. These are mostly "foreigners," that is, non-Iraqi Sunni Arab jihadists from all over the Muslim world and Europe. Most enter Iraq through Syria -- with, of course, the knowledge and complicity of the Syrian government -- and then travel down the "rat line" which is the trail of towns along the Euphrates River that we've been hitting hard for the last few months. Some are virtually untrained young jihadists who end up as suicide bombers or are used in "sacrifice squads."
Most, however, are hard-core terrorists from all the usual suspects -- al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas. These are the guys running around murdering civilians en masse and cutting heads off. The Chechens, many of whom are Caucasian, are supposedly the most ruthless and the best fighters. In the Baghdad area and south, most of the insurgents are Iranian inspired and led Iraqi Shi'ites. The Iranian Shia have been very adept at infiltrating the Iraqi local government, police and army. Since the early 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war, they have had a massive spy and agitator network there. Most of the Saddam loyalists were killed, captured or gave up long ago.
Bad guy tactics: When the enemy is engaged on an infantry level they get their a**** kicked every time. Brave, but stupid. Suicidal banzai-type charges were very common earlier in the war and still occur. They will literally sacrifice eight-to-10 man teams in suicide squads by sending them screaming and firing AKs and RPGs directly at our bases just to probe the defenses. They get mowed down like grass every time -- see the M2 and M240 above. [Name redacted]'s base was hit like this often. When engaged, the enemy has a tendency to flee to the same building, probably for what they think will be a glorious last stand. Instead, we call in air and that's the end of that, more often than not.
These hole-ups are referred to as "Alpha Whiskey Romeos" ("Allah's Waiting Room"). We have the laser-guided ground-air thing down to a science. The fast movers, mostly Marine F-18s, are taking an ever-increasing toll on the enemy. When caught out in the open, the helicopter gunships and AC-130 Spectre gunships cut them to ribbons with cannon and rocket fire, especially at night. Interestingly, artillery is hardly used at all. Fun fact: The enemy death toll is supposedly between 45,000 and 50,000. That is why we're seeing fewer and fewer infantry attacks and more improvised-explosive devices, suicide bomber s***. The new strategy is simple: attrition.
The insurgent tactic most frustrating is their use of civilian non-combatants as cover. They know we do all we can to avoid civilian casualties, so therefore schools, hospitals and especially mosques are locations where they meet, stage for attacks, cache weapons and ammo and flee to when engaged. They have absolutely no regard whatsoever for civilian casualties. They will terrorize locals and murder without hesitation anyone believed to be sympathetic to the Americans or the new Iraqi government. Kidnapping of family members, especially children, is common to influence people they are trying to influence but cannot otherwise reach, such as local government officials, clerics or tribal leaders, etc.
The first thing our guys are told is, "don't get captured." They know that if captured they will be tortured and beheaded on the Internet. Zarqawi openly offers bounties for anyone who brings him a live American serviceman.
This motivates the criminal element who otherwise don't give a s*** about the war. A lot of the beheading victims were actually kidnapped by common criminals and sold to Zarqawi. As such, for our guys, every fight is to the death. Surrender is not an option.
The Iraqis are a mixed bag. Some fight well, others aren't worth a s***.
Most do okay with American support. Finding leaders is hard, but they are getting better. It is widely viewed that Zarqawi's use of suicide bombers, en masse, against the civilian population was a serious tactical mistake.
Many Iraqis were galvanized and the caliber of recruits in the Army and the police forces went up, along with their motivation. It also led to an exponential increase in good intelligence because the Iraqis are sick of the insurgent attacks against civilians. The Kurds are solidly pro-American and fearless fighters.
According to [name redacted], morale among our guys is very high. They not only believe they are winning, but that they are winning decisively. They are stunned and dismayed by what they see in the American press, whom they almost universally view as against them. The embedded reporters are despised and distrusted. They are inflicting casualties at a rate of 20-1 and then see s*** like "Are we losing in Iraq?" on television and the print media.
For the most part, they are satisfied with their equipment, food and leadership. Bottom line, though, and they all say this: There are not enough guys there to drive the final stake through the heart of the insurgency, primarily because there aren't enough troops in-theater to shut down the borders with Iran and Syria. The Iranians and the Syrians just cannot stand the thought of Iraq being an American ally -- with, of course, permanent U.S. bases there.
That's it, hope you found it interesting, I sure did.
However more to the point, it is sad when "we" in the military have to "hide" when we publish things that the government might not necessariy like to hear, especially if it is the truth and not just hard feelings. Those darn reprocussions... some people just are not good critical thinkers.
Thanks to the washington post for this article. Actually I found it in the Early Bird.
Nutz
A Marine Reports From Iraq
By An anonymous Marine
Editor's note: There's nothing like word from the field to know what works, what doesn't and how the enemy's tactics are affecting our soldiers in battle. Below is one U.S. Marine's take on those questions, verified and relayed to us through his father, a retired Marine. We've withheld the Marine's name and his father's to spare them the inevitable political or institutional flap. Among the most interesting tidbits: Our Marine reports that servicemen are shocked at negative press coverage of the war, and they believe the United States is winning decisively -- but that the number of troops in the field should be bolstered. On equipment, our Marine thinks the older, battle-tested parts of the U.S. arsenal are the most useful equipment in the fight against insurgents. M-16s aren't much good, but "Ma Deuce" is, and the .45 pistol is highly coveted. Body armor has plusses and minuses.
Hello to all my fellow gunners, military buffs, veterans and interested guys. A couple of weekends ago I got to spend time with my son... [He] spent seven months at "Camp Blue Diamond" in Ramadi, a.k.a. "Fort Apache." He saw and did a lot. The following is what he told me about weapons, equipment, tactics and other miscellaneous information which may be of interest to you. Nothing is by any means classified. No politics here, just a Marine with a bird's eye view's opinions.
•The M-16 rifle: Thumbs down. Chronic jamming problems with the sand over there, which is like talcum powder. The sand is everywhere. You feel filthy two minutes after a shower. The M-4 carbine version is more popular because it's lighter and shorter, but it also has jamming problems. Marines like the ability to mount the various optical gunsights and weapons lights on the picatinny rails, but the weapon itself is not great in a desert environment. They all hate the 5.56mm (.223) round. Poor penetration on the cinderblock structure common over there and even torso hits cannot be reliably counted on to put the enemy down. Fun fact: Random autopsies on dead insurgents shows a high level of opiate use.
•The M243 SAW (squad assault weapon) .223 cal: Big thumbs down. Drum-fed light machine gun. Universally considered a piece of s***. Chronic jamming problems, most of which require partial disassembly. That's fun in the middle of a firefight.
•The M9 Beretta 9mm: mixed bag. Good gun, performs well in a desert environment, but everyone hates the 9mm cartridge. The use of handguns for self-defense is actually fairly common. Same old story on the 9mm: Bad guys get hit multiple times but are still in the fight.
•Mossberg 12ga. Military shotgun: Works well and is used frequently for clearing houses, to good effect.
•The M240 Machine Gun: 7.62 Nato (.308) cal belt-fed machine gun: Thumbs up. Developed to replace the old M-60 -- what a beautiful weapon that was -- it is accurate, reliable and the 7.62 round puts 'em down. Originally developed as a vehicle-mounted weapon, more and more are being dismounted and taken into the field by infantry. The 7.62 round chews up the structure over there.
•The M2 .50 cal heavy machine gun: Thumbs way, way up. "Ma deuce" is still worth her considerable weight in gold. The ultimate fight-stopper, puts their d**** in the dirt every time. The most coveted weapon in-theater.
•The .45 pistol: Thumbs up. Still the best pistol round out there. Everybody authorized to carry a sidearm is trying to get their hands on one. With few exceptions, it can reliably be expected to put 'em down with a torso hit. The special-ops guys -- who are doing most of the pistol work -- use the HK military model and supposedly love it. The old government model .45s are being re-issued en masse.
•The M-14: Thumbs up. It is being re-issued in bulk, mostly in a modified version to special-ops guys. Modifications include lightweight Kevlar stocks and low-power red dot or ACOG sights. Very reliable in the sandy environment, and people love the 7.62 round.
•The Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle: Thumbs way up. Spectacular range and accuracy and hits like a freight train. Used frequently to take out vehicle suicide bombers -- we actually stop a lot of them -- and barricaded enemies. Definitely here to stay.
•The M24 sniper rifle: Thumbs up. Mostly in 308 but some in 300 win mag. Heavily modified Remington 700s. Great performance. Snipers have been using them heavily to great effect. Rumor has it that a Marine sniper on his third tour in Anbar province has actually exceeded Carlos Hathcock's record for confirmed kills with over 100.
•The new body armor: Thumbs up. Relatively light at approximately six pounds and can reliably be expected to soak up small shrapnel and even stop an AK-47 round. The bad news: Hot as s*** to wear, almost unbearable in the summer heat, which averages over 120 degrees. Also, the enemy now goes for head shots whenever possible. All the bull**** about the "old" body armor making our guys vulnerable to improvised-explosive devices was a non-starter. The IED explosions are enormous and body armor doesn't make any difference at all in most cases.
•Night Vision and Infrared Equipment: Thumbs way up. Spectacular performance. Our guys see in the dark and own the night, period. Very little enemy action after evening prayers. More and more of the enemy are being whacked at night during movement by our hunter-killer teams. We've all seen the videos.
•Lights: Thumbs up. Most of the weapon-mounted and personal lights are Surefires, and the troops love 'em. Invaluable for night urban operations. [Name redacted] carried a $34 Surefire G2 on a neck lanyard and loved it.
I can't help but notice that most of the good fighting weapons and ordnance are 50 or more years old. With all our technology, it's the World War II- and Vietnam-era weapons that everybody wants. The infantry fighting is frequent, up close and brutal. No quarter is given or shown.
Bad guy weapons:
•Mostly AK47s. The entire country is an arsenal. Works better in the desert than the M16 and the .308 Russian round kills reliably. PKM belt-fed light machine guns are also common and effective. Luckily, the enemy mostly shoots like s***. Undisciplined "spray and pray"-type fire. However, precision weapons are more and more common, especially sniper rifles. Fun fact: Captured enemy have apparently marveled at the marksmanship of our guys and how hard they fight. They are apparently told in jihad school that the Americans rely solely on technology, and can be easily beaten in close quarters combat for their lack of toughness. Let's just say they know better now.
•The RPG: Probably the infantry weapon most feared by our guys. Simple, reliable and as common as dog****. The enemy responded to our up-armored Humvees by aiming at the windshields, often at point blank range. Still killing a lot of our guys.
•The improvised-explosive device: The biggest killer of all. Can be anything from old Soviet anti-armor mines to jerry-rigged artillery shells. A lot found in [name redacted]'s area were in abandoned cars. The enemy would take two or three 155mm artillery shells and wire them together. Most were detonated by cell phone, and the explosions are enormous. You're not safe in any vehicle, even an M1 tank.
Driving is by far the most dangerous thing our guys do over there. Lately, they are much more sophisticated "shape charges" (Iranian) specifically designed to penetrate armor. Fact: Most of the ready-made IEDs are supplied by Iran, the country which is also providing terrorists, Hezbollah types, to train the insurgents in their use and tactics. That's why the attacks have been so deadly lately. Their concealment methods are ingenious, the latest being shape charges in Styrofoam containers spray-painted to look like the cinderblocks that litter all Iraqi roads. We find about 40 percent before they detonate. The bomb-disposal guys are unsung heroes of this war.
•Mortars and rockets: Very prevalent. The Soviet-era 122mm rockets, with a range of 18 kilometers, are becoming more prevalent. One of [name redacted]'s NCOs lost a leg to one. These weapons cause a lot of damage "inside the wire." [Name redacted]'s base was hit almost daily his entire time there by mortar and rocket fire, often at night to disrupt sleep patterns and cause fatigue (it worked). More of a psychological weapon than anything else. The enemy mortar teams would jump out of vehicles, fire a few rounds and then haul *** in a matter of seconds.
Bad guy technology is simple yet effective. Most communication is by cell and satellite phones and also by email on laptops. They use handheld Global Positioning System units for navigation and "Google Earth" for overhead views of our positions. Their weapons are good, if not fancy, and prevalent. Their explosives and bomb technology is top of the line. Night vision is rare.
They are very careless with their equipment, however, and the captured GPS units and laptops are intelligence treasure troves when captured.
Who are the bad guys? Most of the carnage is caused by the Zarqawi al Qaeda group. They operate mostly in Anbar province -- Fallujah and Ramadi. These are mostly "foreigners," that is, non-Iraqi Sunni Arab jihadists from all over the Muslim world and Europe. Most enter Iraq through Syria -- with, of course, the knowledge and complicity of the Syrian government -- and then travel down the "rat line" which is the trail of towns along the Euphrates River that we've been hitting hard for the last few months. Some are virtually untrained young jihadists who end up as suicide bombers or are used in "sacrifice squads."
Most, however, are hard-core terrorists from all the usual suspects -- al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas. These are the guys running around murdering civilians en masse and cutting heads off. The Chechens, many of whom are Caucasian, are supposedly the most ruthless and the best fighters. In the Baghdad area and south, most of the insurgents are Iranian inspired and led Iraqi Shi'ites. The Iranian Shia have been very adept at infiltrating the Iraqi local government, police and army. Since the early 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war, they have had a massive spy and agitator network there. Most of the Saddam loyalists were killed, captured or gave up long ago.
Bad guy tactics: When the enemy is engaged on an infantry level they get their a**** kicked every time. Brave, but stupid. Suicidal banzai-type charges were very common earlier in the war and still occur. They will literally sacrifice eight-to-10 man teams in suicide squads by sending them screaming and firing AKs and RPGs directly at our bases just to probe the defenses. They get mowed down like grass every time -- see the M2 and M240 above. [Name redacted]'s base was hit like this often. When engaged, the enemy has a tendency to flee to the same building, probably for what they think will be a glorious last stand. Instead, we call in air and that's the end of that, more often than not.
These hole-ups are referred to as "Alpha Whiskey Romeos" ("Allah's Waiting Room"). We have the laser-guided ground-air thing down to a science. The fast movers, mostly Marine F-18s, are taking an ever-increasing toll on the enemy. When caught out in the open, the helicopter gunships and AC-130 Spectre gunships cut them to ribbons with cannon and rocket fire, especially at night. Interestingly, artillery is hardly used at all. Fun fact: The enemy death toll is supposedly between 45,000 and 50,000. That is why we're seeing fewer and fewer infantry attacks and more improvised-explosive devices, suicide bomber s***. The new strategy is simple: attrition.
The insurgent tactic most frustrating is their use of civilian non-combatants as cover. They know we do all we can to avoid civilian casualties, so therefore schools, hospitals and especially mosques are locations where they meet, stage for attacks, cache weapons and ammo and flee to when engaged. They have absolutely no regard whatsoever for civilian casualties. They will terrorize locals and murder without hesitation anyone believed to be sympathetic to the Americans or the new Iraqi government. Kidnapping of family members, especially children, is common to influence people they are trying to influence but cannot otherwise reach, such as local government officials, clerics or tribal leaders, etc.
The first thing our guys are told is, "don't get captured." They know that if captured they will be tortured and beheaded on the Internet. Zarqawi openly offers bounties for anyone who brings him a live American serviceman.
This motivates the criminal element who otherwise don't give a s*** about the war. A lot of the beheading victims were actually kidnapped by common criminals and sold to Zarqawi. As such, for our guys, every fight is to the death. Surrender is not an option.
The Iraqis are a mixed bag. Some fight well, others aren't worth a s***.
Most do okay with American support. Finding leaders is hard, but they are getting better. It is widely viewed that Zarqawi's use of suicide bombers, en masse, against the civilian population was a serious tactical mistake.
Many Iraqis were galvanized and the caliber of recruits in the Army and the police forces went up, along with their motivation. It also led to an exponential increase in good intelligence because the Iraqis are sick of the insurgent attacks against civilians. The Kurds are solidly pro-American and fearless fighters.
According to [name redacted], morale among our guys is very high. They not only believe they are winning, but that they are winning decisively. They are stunned and dismayed by what they see in the American press, whom they almost universally view as against them. The embedded reporters are despised and distrusted. They are inflicting casualties at a rate of 20-1 and then see s*** like "Are we losing in Iraq?" on television and the print media.
For the most part, they are satisfied with their equipment, food and leadership. Bottom line, though, and they all say this: There are not enough guys there to drive the final stake through the heart of the insurgency, primarily because there aren't enough troops in-theater to shut down the borders with Iran and Syria. The Iranians and the Syrians just cannot stand the thought of Iraq being an American ally -- with, of course, permanent U.S. bases there.
That's it, hope you found it interesting, I sure did.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Crack House and Hookers are Demolished in O.V.
A sad sign of the times here in Ocean View, a reknown hangout for crack whores and thier Jons is going the way of progress and improvement. Yippee. If only I had a camera, and was in the area to take a photo of the hotel across from Getto Seven-11 would I take a picture of the destruction for posterity! Hopefully Crackerz will take a minute out of her busy day of being a geek and auto mechanic and snap a quick photo? I think I just heard our property value increase, cha-ching!
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Nutz Storms the Mid-Atlanitc States
Ok, this will be an interesting one for you not so technically savvy individuals. I am sitting on the Lewes-Cape May Ferry typing away on my new Dell Laptop. It was decided that the Laptop I was using before just was not cutting the mustard. Anyhow the day is beautiful, the sun us out and the temp indicator on the Saabster was reading 68 degrees. The wind is out of the south west and a little cool however the warm fall sun more then makes up for it.
Some may ask, Nutz, it is a work day, what are you doing on the ferry? If I was a little sick and twisted I would tell you I am enjoying myself on the fairy! Hopefully she looks like Tinkerbell! Ok, so I am on the car ferry heading north to Rhode Island for TAO or Tactical Action Officer School. What the school entails, I do not know however I am sure I will know a lot more about the next month and a half after Monday.
So I left Norfolk this morning around 9am. From the house to Lewes Delaware is about 150miles. I covered the distance in a little over 2 1/2 hours. Not too shabby and it was a great ride along the Eastern Shore especially with the fall colors in all of their splendor. I still think it would be a wise investment to purchase some real estate on the Eastern Shore. The population of the earth is not getting any smaller and I think this area will eventually grow from its current “sleepy” rural state.
As for those who track fuel prices, the cheapest I saw in Virginia was $2.17 pretty much everywhere along the shore. Maryland the prices were a little higher, around $2.25. The best as a quick fuel and pee break for me was in Delaware, a few short miles from the ferry pier, $2.15. The same price I paid at Sam’s in Virginia Beach a couple of days ago. Damn fuel mafia!
Did I tell you I am listening to Jimmy Buffet as we cross the mouth of the Delaware Bay? I also hear a fog horn in the distance. Pretty cool. In my short life time I have sailed across the bay, motored across the bay and a couple of weeks ago, I flew across the bay in a helicopter. Fun stuff. Some day maybe I will row a boat across the bay like old George Washington.
I guess I will put this on hold for a few until I can write again. I will have to definitely have a few comments after the trip up the Jersey Shore and through the Big Apple. I am hoping I don’t hit the city during rush hour, especially a Friday Rush hour!
Well I jinxed myself; I did hit some rush hour traffic coming out of the Big Apple. I pretty much sat in bumper to bumper traffic from the city all the way East to Bridgeport Connecticut. Did I tell you I was just in Bridgeport, Connecticut a few weeks ago to pick up new helicopter at the Sikorsky Factory?
My how things have changed.
Anyhow I am now here Sunny Newport Rhode Island and well it is kind of nice. I am not sure how to describe it a little like Beaufort and a little like back home in Michigan. However if time period dictated the architecture, the Whitehall, specifically the Wabbinego side of the lake is a lot like it is here. Plus there is a boat load of $$ here, pun intended. A bit of a sailing community and of course home to the Americas cup for more then 150 years.
So what can I tell ya? The base is old and has been here for a long time. The room I am in has been recently remodeled and is not too shabby but no where near the crib I had up in DC. Oh well maybe some other time. The biggest complaint I have so far is signage denoting where exactly the entrance to the base is. I drove around the city for about 45 minutes looking for the main gate. I actually had to stop and ask a cop as to where the main gate was located. A bit embarrassing considering my transportation roots. My soldiers would be disappointed knowing that I had to ask for directions here in the land of the 24 hour PX.
For fun, I walked the streets of old Newport where the streets are actually illuminated at night with gas. Complete with wicks and flame. This gives the town an interesting glow. I kind of like it.
I also looked to my roots and drove around a little on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was a close in drive where I went out to the tip of Newport, the city and surrounding countryside are actually located on an island, the name of which eludes me at this time. Anyhow I followed my nose and the street signs and found the ocean. Along the way I did drive by several very, very large homes. I guess you could cal it old money is here in Newport. Must be nice. A very beautiful drive.
Sunday I drove all the way around Narragansset Bay. This trip had dual purposes. Firstly I wanted to do it because it would be fun. Secondly, I was reconning a route to the Providence Airport so I will be ready to recover my wife when she arrives here this coming Thursday night. Lets say it is much sorter to go West then it is to go East to get to the airport. However it cost a few more $$ to go East then by going west, go figure?
So there you have it, Initial impressions of Newport. From my room in the 4th floor of the BOQ, I look south and can see the masts of large multimillion dollar sail boats. I can also see the setting moon as it passes into the western horizon. A nice view, however not nearly as nice a view I I have back home over looking the Chesapeake Bay!
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Crazies in the Tidewater
I had the privledge of driving my wife to work today. Ok, not necessarily by choice she did have a few honey-doos fir me to do before I head out of dodge city. Oil change, inspection stickers et al. Anyhow on the way to work along I-64 there were 2 fender benders in the rush our traffic that we came across. After I dumped my wife off at the office I saw a neat 4 car pile up at a stop light! Ok, so what does this tell ya? Drivers here in the tide water drive tooo close to each other.. Be safe out, there back of Bitch! I think I am going to start driving around with a camera and post photos of those tailgating! Only if insurance companies new how thier policy holders drove.
For my "Favorite" Mother-in-Law
Just checking to see if you actually read this babble on the internet? If you are a regular reader then leave a post, tell me what you think. Even thought you are my Mother in Law, it does not mean that I cannot cherrish your opinion and learn from your worldly wisdom. Especially when it comes to "managing" your first born daughter, whom, by the way, I love dearly. She will also, if she ever comes around to reading this thing will critique my spelling and grammar. Go for it babe, log in and make the changes, however just be warned that some of the speeling errors are made for "affect"! Especially when it highlights my limited education.
However here is a question for my favorite mother in law.. Are you trying to figure out where all the Corona went or are you going for the straw?
Ok, mom, it is now in your court and thanks again for giving me your daughter. I will do my best to keep her happy.
LOL
Nutz...
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