Dude, where's the beach?

Tuesday, May 30, 2006
It's Bush's Fault Once Again

HIV infection rate stable for first time ever.

Gee wiz... maybe it happened with a little help from old G-Dub. After all, he donated a record $15,000,000,000 U.S. tax dollars to fight the Epidemic.

Of course he'll never get recognition for that one. I think we've finally found the one thing Bush won't get blamed for.

posted by El Capitan at 8:11 PM 0 comments

Garfield Ridge on Blowing Things Up

Actually, he wrote a great argument on the use of ballistic missiles as conventional weapons, something the Pentagon is looking into. Worth the read.

As for Ballistic Missile Technology, here's a great website dedicated to the Peacekeeper ICBM. I love this site because it shows something unique that the United States is the best at doing.

Targeting

Nobody can hit a row of tin cans sitting on a fence from 10,000 miles away like we can. The Chinese still miss by miles, but they're trying to improve. The Ruskies could come within a few thousand feet, which partially explains why their nukes were always bigger. The Iranians... ha! They still can't hit the side of a barn.

Still, nobody is as good as we are when it comes to shoving warheads down the pie holes of dictators and hardened underground bunkers.

Hey Mahmoud Ahmadinejad! Catch!

posted by El Capitan at 6:57 PM 0 comments

Oklahoma Bound!

Duty calls. The Air Force is sending me on down to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, for a few days.

If time allows (and my wireless connection actually works), I'll be blogging from the Great State of Oklahoma until Friday.

Oklahoma! Home of Steers and 'Well Dressed Rainbow Loving People'... or is it Sooners.

I have no flipp'n idea.

posted by El Capitan at 6:17 PM 3 comments

Note To Self: If I ever decide to mug someone, make sure it's not a Marine

Ex-Marine Fends Off Would-Be Muggers With Pocket Knife, Killing One

Ace has the scoop. Yes, the outcome isn't pretty, but it sure beats the hell out of this group of thugs continuing on with their violent rampage. Maybe it'll make other muggers think twice.

"They made the mistake of bringing guns to a knife-fight"

posted by El Capitan at 4:53 PM 0 comments

Friday, May 26, 2006
Memorial Day Messages

Here's a great site to visit this weekend. It's collecting various Memorial Day messages from the blogosphere.

Also, here's the reason why we celebrate Memorial Day.

American Revolutionary War
1775-1783
Combat: 4,435
Other: Unknown
Wounded: 6,188

Indian Wars
1783-1890
Combat: 1,000 (approx.)
Other: Unknown
Wounded: Unknown

The War of 1812
1812-1815
Combat: 2,260
Other: Unknown
Wounded: 4,505

U.S.-Mexican War
1846-1848
Combat: 1,733
Other: 11,550
Total: 13,283
Wounded: 4,152

U.S. Civil War
1861-1865
Union: Combat: 110,070
Other: 249,458
Confederate: Combat: 74,524
Other: 124,000
Union Wounded: 275,175
Confederate Wounded: 137,000

Spanish-American War
1898
Combat: 385
Other: 2,061
Total: 2,456
Wounded: 1,662

Philippine-American War
1899-1901
Combat: 1,108
Other: 2,108
Total: 3,216
Wounded: 2,779

World War I
1917-1918
Combat: 53,513
Other: 63,195
Total: 116,708
Wounded: 204,002

World War II
1941-1945
Combat: 292,131
Other: 115,185
Total: 407,316
Wounded: 670,846

Korean War
1950-1953
Combat: 33,651
Other:
**(in-theater): 2,830
(not-in-theater): 17,730
Total: 54,246***
Wounded: 103,284

Vietnam War
1964-1975
Combat: 47,369
Other: 10,799
Total: 58,168****
Wounded: 153,303

Gulf War
1991
Combat: 148
Other: 145
Total: 293
Wounded: 467

Operation Enduring Freedom: Afghanistan/Pakistan
October 7, 2001-- Continuing
As of March 19, 2006
Total: 282
Killed In Action (KIA): 128
Non-Hostile: 81
(this number includes four CIA Officers killed in action against al-Qaeda/Taliban forces)
Total: 615
Wounded -Returned to Duty W/In 72 Hours: 278
Wounded -Did NOT Return to Duty W/In 72 Hours: 407

Operation Enduring Freedom: Philippines
Oct. 7, 2001-Continuing
As of September 12, 2004
Combat: 1
Non-Combat*****:10
Total: 11

"Operation Iraqi Freedom"
March 19, 2003-Continuing
As of March 19, 2006

Total: 2,318
Killed In Action (KIA): 1,779
Non-Hostile: 491
Total: 16,653
Wounded -Returned to Duty W/In 72 Hours: 8,947
Wounded -Did NOT Return to Duty W/In 72 Hours: 7,706

posted by El Capitan at 6:22 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 25, 2006
The New Air Force Uniform... Part II

Earlier this week I shared with you the latest prototypes for the new Air Force Service Dress uniform. Some folks like it, others don't, but that's about how it works in the military.

A friend of mine sent me their take on the new uniform design. It is by far the best commentary I've seen on the issue.

'Commander, have those Star Destroyers attack Al Ramadi at once!'

posted by El Capitan at 11:02 AM 27 comments

Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Milblogs Making the News... And a Difference

Blackfive shares the great news that Milbloggers are making waves at Fox News and the BBC.

"I love it when a plan comes together." - Col. John "Hannibal" Smith

posted by El Capitan at 1:28 PM 0 comments

Surfing the YouTube

I spent a few minutes checking out the latest on YouTube.Com, and one video stood out above the others. I don't know what it is about David Hasselhoff, but the man has spent his life doing stuff like this and it's made him a fortune. (Warning: Excessive Hasselhoff Content)

Why did I ever go to college?

posted by El Capitan at 10:05 AM 2 comments

Monday, May 22, 2006
The Latest Prototype Air Force Service Dress

Once again the Air Force is changing uniforms. Here are the latest prototypes for the new Service Dress. It's styled after the old 1930s-40s 'Billy Mitchell and Hap Arnold' design.

First, the original Billy Mitchell... Dressed to Impress

Here's the Mitchell design circa 2006.

Wait, that short female on the left looks strangely familiar.

Could it be?

We're all still up in the air on this new look. As bad as the new BDUs look, I'm shocked these don't have pinstripes, coat tales, or ruffled collars. Either way we're all going to be out another $500 bones to buy all new gear yet again.

posted by El Capitan at 11:55 AM 10 comments

On the Ground... The Air Force in Iraq and Afghanistan

A good article on the changing role of the Air Force in combat.

Air Force stepping into war zones on the ground

Mrs. McElroy said her husband, who called home every day from Iraq, even when he was on a convoy, told her that "he and his team over there kept joking that when they were old, crusty men sitting at the VFW, they were sure they were going to run into Marines who had served at Fallujah and Army guys who were in Baghdad.
"They were going to hold their beers high and say, 'We were at all
those places - and we were Air Force.' "

We may be small in numbers, but the ultimate sacrifice is universal.

posted by El Capitan at 10:58 AM 0 comments

Buying Russian Ammo In Case The Democrats Take Over?

US Sets Up $400m Deal For Afghan Arms--From Russia
I'm not sure which part of this story more funny.

A) The fact that we have to buy an insane amount of weapons and munitions for the Afghans 'in the event' that a Democratic President is elected.

or

B) The fact that Russian arms chiefs at first "fell about laughing" because they thought the order was a joke when it arrived this month.

or

C) The irony of it all: We're arming the Afghans using weapons from the people that invaded them 20 years ago, in a war which we imported our own weapons to arm the Afghans to fight the those invaders.

It all sounds like a Monty Python movie.

posted by El Capitan at 10:29 AM 1 comments

My Kind of Town, Chicago Is....

Every once in a while something interesting happens up in the Windy City.

Four ejected in White Sox-Cubs brawl

Right now anything is more interesting than Bond's robbing Aaron and Ruth of their records.

posted by El Capitan at 7:47 AM 0 comments

Friday, May 19, 2006
'Assessing Israeli Capabilities to Destroy Iranian Nuclear Facilities'

There's a working study on MIT's Security Studies Program website assessing Israel's ability to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities.

Absolutely worth the read. Especially the introduction, which describes Israel's daring raid that destroyed Iraq's Osirak reactor on June 7th, 1981.

posted by El Capitan at 12:14 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Guess Who Has The Lowest Death Rate?

I love this statistic. It speaks so much about what is wrong with the news today. Not to mention the fact that Ray Nagin is running for re-election as the mayor of New Orleans, a city that nearly tops the list.

posted by El Capitan at 12:58 PM 2 comments

Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Final Flight of the C-141 Starlifter

Since May 6th the view has drastically changed outside of my office window. There is a C-141 Starlifter sitting just outside, and it's the last C-141 in the world. It flew its last flight on May 6th, when the Air Force Museum had the aircraft flown into its airstrip to be readied for display. Not only is this the last C-141, it is the most famous C-141 to have ever flown.

On 12 February 1973 this C-141 (tail #660177) departed Hanoi, Vietnam, carrying dozens of Prisoners of War back to the United States. This aircraft was dubbed the 'Hanoi Taxi', and has been pulling double duty as an active airlifter and a flying museum. Now that the new C-17s are online, the C-141s have all been sent to the scrap yard in Arizona to be destroyed.

All but the Hanoi Taxi. It flew just over my house as it made its final landing on the Air Force Museum's tiny airstrip. The crowd that gathered for the aircraft's retirement ceremony took a quick tour inside, and then the crews bolted up the doors, sealed the windows, and towed the plane to the Museum embalmers.

So now I get to watch the Museum crews clean it up and pull out all of the fluids and fuel to get it ready for its new display hanger. Should be a good tribute to Vietnam Veterans.

It's amazing how much history is sitting right around me. From the Air Force Museum, the Wright-Brother's original airstrip and hanger to the Air Force Research Labs that have invented hundreds of things we use daily, Wright-Patterson is a great place to be if you're an aviation or history buff.

posted by El Capitan at 8:55 AM 3 comments

Monday, May 15, 2006
Hey Dave at Garfield Ridge... This One's For You

That's what is great about this story. It's not just Monkeys... It's not just Bears... It's Monkeys vs. Bears. Wild Kingdom baby!

Bears Eat Monkey in Front of Zoo Visitors

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands

Bears killed and ate a monkey in a Dutch zoo in front of horrified visitors, witnesses and the zoo said Monday. In the incident Sunday at the Beekse Bergen Safari Park, several Sloth bears chased the Barbary macaque into an electric fence, where it was stunned.

It recovered and fled onto a wooden structure, where one bear pursued and mauled it to death.

The park confirmed the killing in a statement, saying: "In an area where Sloth bears, great apes and Barbary macaques have coexisted peacefully for a long time, the harmony was temporarily disturbed during opening hours on Sunday."

"Of course the habitats here in the safari park are arranged in such a way that one animal almost never kills another, but they are and remain wild animals," it said.

Witness Marco Berelds posted a detailed report on the incident, including photos, on a Dutch Web site. He said one Sloth bear tried unsuccessfully to shake the monkey loose after it took refuge on the structure, built of crossing horizontal and vertical poles.

Ignoring attempts by keepers to distract it, the bear climbed onto a horizontal pole, and, standing stretched on two legs, "used its sharp canines to pull the macaque, which was shrieking and resisting, from its perch."

The bear then brought the animal to a concrete den, where three bears ate it.

The zoo said it "usually wasn't possible" for keepers to intervene when an animal killed another.

The park plans now to move the Barbary macaques _ which are large monkeys but often inaccurately called "Barbary Apes" _ to another part of the park, it said.

Round Two... Bears vs. Snakes On The Plane!

posted by El Capitan at 6:14 PM 0 comments

Expecting a Free Fall Today

According to a lot of folks blowing hot air over the weekend, there's supposed to be another 'Black Monday' (ala 1987) today. We'll just wait and see.

posted by El Capitan at 9:36 AM 0 comments

Friday, May 12, 2006
Big Brother Is Watching...

...because Al-Qaeda wants to kill you!

Just a friendly reminder about who 'Big Brother' is really trying to keep tabs on. I know some folks tend to lose sight of this concept. (H/T 'The Godfather')

posted by El Capitan at 6:20 PM 0 comments

BlackFive turns 5,000,000 (Yet doesn't look a day over 10K)

Congratulations to BlackFive (Still the Paratrooper of Love) for reaching his 5,000,000th hit yesterday morning. I was lucky enough to be hit 5,000,001, and let me tell you.... it was magic. After the occasion I went outside and enjoyed a good Cigar (Made just 90 miles south of Key West) I picked up in Iraq.

Ironically, this last Monday the firewall where I work was updated, blocking BlackFive's and Michelle Malkin's blogs due to their 'political' nature. Funny that Ace of Spades remained unblocked. Both were unblocked as of yesterday, allowing me to partake in their great writing once again.

It's blogs like BlackFive that make life in the military a better place. Keep up the good work Matty-O.

posted by El Capitan at 9:41 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Top Eleven Old West Phrases That Will Never Sound The Same

1. "I'm gonna pump you fulla lead!"
2. "Give me a stiff one, barkeep!"
3. "Don't fret---I've been in tight spots before."
4. "Howdy, pardner."
5. You stay here while I sneak around from behind."
6. Two words: "Saddle Sore."
7. "Hold it right there! Now, move your hand, reeeal slow-like."
8. "Let's mount up!"
9. "Nice spread ya got there!"
10. "Ride'em cowboy!"
11. "I reckon this might hurt a little"

posted by El Capitan at 12:37 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself.....

How could this simple test be so accurate? Being a Sicilian myself, this movie has always been close to my heart. Thanks for the link Allie, I needed the ego boost today.

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

And if anyone needs some protection from the family, you know who to call.

posted by El Capitan at 8:34 AM 1 comments

Monday, May 08, 2006
The New Marine 1 - The Ultimate Pimp-Daddy Mobile

Popular Science (via Drudge)

After decades of upgrades to a fleet of notoriously cramped Sikorsky VH-3 Sea Kings, the White House has tasked Lockheed Martin with a dramatic, $6.1-billion makeover of Marine One, the presidential helicopter, starting this summer. The goal: to fit a mobile Oval Office into the tight quarters of a chopper. The new fleet will consist of 23 VH-71 aircraft, each of which will have 200 square feet of cabin space, nearly double the Sea King's 116.

Aside from the legroom, the copter will incorporate major upgrades to the old defense and communications systems. Equally important is that the aircraft is flight-proven - the $110-million bird is derived from a European-built AgustaWestland EH101, currently doing military service for Canada and the U.K. Here, an inside look at the revamped Marine One, set to gradually go into service between 2009 and 2014.

Fuselage: Made of high-strength reinforced aluminum alloy, it can withstand crash impacts in excess of 15 Gs.

Engine: The VH-71 can shift from three 3,000-horsepower turboshaft engines to two, whereas the twin-engine Sea King must land if one engine fails.

Rotor: Five flared rotor blades increase the craft's efficiency by up to 30 percent over conventional designs when flying at 150-knot cruising speed.
Defense System: The VH-71s, like the EH101s they are modeled on, will probably feature radar-warning receiv-ers, laser detectors and flare dispensers to deflect anti-aircraft missiles.

Cabin: Measuring eight feet wide and 25 feet long, the cabin will include a lavatory and a galley kitchen. The fold-down stair spares the president from ducking during photogenic entrances and exits.

Communications: More room for communications hardware means the president will have secure and continuous access to all White House and Pentagon computer systems and data streams.

posted by El Capitan at 11:12 AM 1 comments

The Finger of Doom Returns!

El Capitan, Your lack of faith in The Finger is disturbing.

Nancy Pelosi's 'Finger of Doom' was first exposed to the world last January. Most people laughed and thought that it was a joke, but they were so so wrong. Pelosi's finger is out there, and it's gaining power. We must act now to defeat it. If we do nothing, we're finished.

For the love of God, STOP THE FINGER NOW!!!!!

First, the Congress. Next, the World!

The Finger of Doom has received financial support from the Church of Cruisiology

Where's Ronnie when we need him. "Mr. Gorbachev... Pull My Finger!"

At least we still have some big guns who are willing to go head to head with the ever-growing Legion of Doom.

posted by El Capitan at 7:29 AM 0 comments

Sunday, May 07, 2006
Spring Cleaning on my PC, part 1

I'm cleaning out some old files on one of my hard drives and I keep coming across some things I just don't know what to make of. What was I smoking when I saved this stuff?