To My Friends in the UK
It has been 243 years since we crashed out of the British Empire without a deal and things seem to be going ok. British friends, don’t worry about BREXIT.
A Navy Moment
The Navy is eliminating the blue and gray camouflage work uniform (Type 1). Cynics felt that it would work well only if sailors went overboard while underway. They couldn’t be seen and the ship would continue steaming as before.
In August the U.S. Navy announced that it will be eliminating the NWU Type I in favor of the Type III which will completely replace it by 1 October 2019 for wear as the standard working uniform ashore for all Navy personnel.
The new work uniform for naval personnel is green camo (pictured). Why would the US Navy opt for a green camouflage work uniform worldwide? It makes sense for SEALs, Sea Bees, etc., but for a ship underway?
Any bets on how long the green camo scheme will remain in fashion? What was wrong with khakis for officers and chiefs and dungarees for other enlistment rates? Tropical whites in tropical environments and gestapo black or service dress blues in cold weather?
I served as a US Naval Officer, I like the Navy. I really do. But some of the uniform decisions that they make, completely mystify me.
Congratulations to OldAFSarge
OldAFSarge – It’s going to be a rather long week. Families will gather to celebrate the nuptials of two of our own. Folks are traveling from the far west and from the far north.
A wedding is something that the old guys just show up to and enjoy (to the extent that’s possible). We donate money, but the women don’t want us making decisions. Sometimes we make arrangements with a military base to have the ceremony at the base chapel, reception at the O-Club or something. And we do it to save some of the donated money, just to be clear. But beyond that we are not wanted. And it’s ok.
(Above and Right) MRSLL and oldest daughter, Amanda, at wedding. She got her good looks from mom, not me. She also got her good taste from mom, who worked as a senior executive in the fashion industry, not me. But she got her attitude from me, and that goes a long way…toward keeping her husband and now three boys, in line, ship shape and Bristol fashion.
My friends, mostly thuggish Navy types, including a veteran of Iranian SAVAK, a contingent of SAS types and a retired Colonel from 62 Commando and family, made an appearance without busting the place up. Afterward they retreated to a bar somewhere to tell stories/swap lies, as is their right.
OldAFSarge continues – It has been a long time coming, we couldn’t be happier.
Blogging must needs be take a back seat to real life this week. The Missus Herself is, even as you read this, on her way to help with all the details. It’s what Moms do.
I myself won’t be heading south until later in the week. No doubt the ladies don’t want the old man under foot while they try to get things done.
Here at Virtual Mirage, we couldn’t be happier for you and those you love (and who love you).
On Trump (the complete article is here)
Excerpt:
“The Left has been engaged in a war against America since the rise of the Children of the ‘60’s. To them, it has been an all-out war where nothing is held sacred and nothing is seen as beyond the pale.. It has been a war they’ve fought with violence, the threat of violence, demagoguery and lies from day one – the violent take-over of the universities – till today.
“The problem is that, through these years, the Left has been the only side fighting this war. While the Left has been taking a knife to anyone who stands in their way, the Right has continued to act with dignity, collegiality and propriety.
“With Donald Trump, this all has come to an end. Donald Trump is America ’s first wartime president in the Culture War.
“During wartime, things like “dignity” and “collegiality” simply aren’t the most essential qualities one looks for in their warriors. Ulysses Grant was a drunk whose behavior in peacetime might well have seen him drummed out of the Army for conduct unbecoming.
“Had Abraham Lincoln applied the peacetime rules of propriety and booted Grant, the Democrats might well still be holding their slaves today.
“Lincoln rightly recognized that, “I cannot spare this man. He fights.”
“General George Patton was a vulgar-talking.. In peacetime, this might have seen him stripped of rank. But, had Franklin Roosevelt applied the normal rules of decorum then, Hitler and the Socialists would barely be five decades into their thousand-year Reich.
“Trump is fighting. And what’s particularly delicious is that, like Patton standing over the battlefield as his tanks obliterated Rommel’s, he’s shouting, “You magnificent bastards, I read your book!”
Mail:
Mike_C explains his good taste in wine – …much as I appreciate the chianti reference, it seems that roast baby (as with lamb or veal) would go better with a lighter wine, perhaps a nice Willamette pinot noir….
Point taken. I don’t know if progs have good taste in wine. They seem to do things like pop open a twenty year old, $700 bottle, of Pomerol, purchased by Soros, and then pour it over ice, mixed with 7-Up.
Actually, one of the biggest problems we (as a nation, as a civilization) face is exactly that they ARE moving to where the food is. Which might be tolerable, if not for the fact that they are also bringing low IQ, minimal/nonexistent education, generally terrible impulse control, assorted horrifying diseases, and 7th century OG Abrahamite religious attitudes. The cherry on this shit sundae is that the persons doing the most to encourage, support, and finance these invasions are exactly those who are top of the kill list of the invaders. Me? I don’t belong to any of those groups, and can grow a beard. And while I reject worship at the altar of multiculti, I am perfectly willing to employ taqiyya against those who espouse it.
I live in the remote mountains. As the guests of the liberal elite trash everything outside of their walled and heavily fortified mansions, I’ll simply be waiting at a pass with a politically incorrect rifle with a very accurate scope, and pick them off as they come. If they ever make it this far.
In other news, it looks like the LaRouchians are taking credit for the AOC/Babies stunt. If so, well done, LaRouchians (the first time I have EVER said that). But, even though I understand the desire to take credit for a bit of cleverness, it would have been far better both strategically and tactically to leave it a mystery as to whether the infantophagous woman was serious or trolling.
I agree. There is very little to commend the followers of La Rouch over, but this is one of them.
WSF – “The progs and the filthy denizens of the DC swamp had such splendid plans for a Clinton presidency”
Alinsky in his Rules for Radicals missed one critical point.
In my line of work, the enemy gets a vote.
Jim Mattis
President Trump fights back. How unfair!
Please read the whole article, linked above, about President Trump. You’re on point as usual, except when you think that a fine American buffalo is a bison. America didn’t elect Trump because he played by Marquis of Queensbury rules. We elected a brawler to kick ass. He’s not a Republican and he’s not a conservative in many respects, but he loves America. And that’s good enough. He can tweet all he wants because it bothers the progs.
Beans gazes into his crystal ball – And it gazes back into him – I feel that Hillary is just a feint. The real ‘candidate’ that the DNC leadership will ‘nominate’ will be the First Wookie, Michelle O’Bama (hey, if Beto can claim to be hispanic, Moochelle can claim to be Irish, right?)
There is said to be ‘the black Irish’.
The dem selected candidates at their convention have all had lots of exposure on magazines and news stories, and have had ‘top selling’ ‘biographies.’
None of the current crop of candidates, nor Hillary, are seen on magazine covers month in and month out. None of the current crop of candidates, nor Hillary, are still raking in money from a biographical fantasy.
And Bernie had a heart attack. Who knows if it’s his first? He could easily shuffle off his mortal coil on the campaign trail. (will they bury him in a Soviet flag?) Biden has been revealed to be as corrupt as Hillary. Hillary is just as corrupt and unlikeable as the last two times she went for it. Harris can’t get above fifth in line in her home state of California. Beto couldn’t get elected to be dog catcher. The Butt guy appeals to others of his strange preference. Amy Who? And Warren is still a fake Indian. Castro is a Castro. Yang wants to be a pop icon but he’s not ready for prime time. Spartacus is polling around 1% – he already had his Spartacus moment. He’s (?) been putting off marrying a woman until he’s the anointed one.
But Michelle? She and her husband/wife are still on covers. You can’t fail to see them when standing in the checkout aisle trying not to make eye-contact with the weird people in line. And She(?) is still raking it in big from her biography. And she’s on all the talk circuits.
Her half-hearted insistence that she isn’t running just don’t sound true.
And the combination of the Obama hagiography and ?female? gender will be a winning combination for the Dems.
Mark my words. She(?) is coming to the Dem Convention, crown in hand, to take the nomination.
I hope I’m wrong, but…
She (?) is in the same position with the Dems that Mitt is assuming with the Republicans, hoping for an opening to sweep in and ‘save the party’. The Democrat Party arguably does need saving. The Republicans don’t, which must disappoint Mitt, who will have to wait for 2024 to make his move (again). Will the whole “Trust me, I’m an inner-city person” scenario resonate and sweep the nation and push Michelle and the first man (?) back into the White House? She (?) hates the White House and has said it many times. She (?) hates the flag and had a few open microphone moments, which would put her in good stead with the Donkeys. She (?) has NO RECORD of voting for or against anything excepting making school lunch inedible. That’s always a plus. She’s just a disbarred lawyer.
One question that nags me is whether or not Barack would want to move back into the White House. He’s had it good for the last 4 years. No pesky teleprompter to haul around, hanging out on yachts, jet setting, buggering boys and remaining well outside of the spotlight. If Michelle ran, his corrupt activities while in office would end up front and center. And he has a lot of skeletons that have not taken center stage since he vanished.
I'm a lone voice crying "bison" but not alone in speaking "Michelle".
Congrats on not destroying the bar! 🙂 That must have been a fun evening… What can be remembered anyway… LOL
Regarding uniforms. Like the Army's modular sidearm, keeps the REMFs busy.
Don't worry about Barry if it's a Moochelle/Hildebeast ticket. He suffer a fatal suicide, and get a full state honors funeral…..and, unfortunately, a burial at Arlington…..
Weddings. Nothing like throwing a party for over 100 people most of whom you don't know. Of course the father of the groom and I drank the good stuff while the guests had the cheap beer. Only fair.
"If Michelle ran, his corrupt activities while in office would end up front and center. And he has a lot of skeletons that have not taken center stage since he vanished."
Who would report this? The Media? The corrupt deep state players? These are the same people who ignored his performance, or lack thereof, in the Senate. These are the same people who covered for him and cleaned his butt with their tongues every time he pooped. Seriously, who uncovered "Fast and Furious" or any other issues? Wasn't the Media, wasn't any government bureaucrat, or any sitting politician.
So what if the internet blows up or Rush and Hannity scream about it every day on the radio? They're just deplorables, to be ignored and mocked.
Barky would love to be the face behind the throne, raking in money and favors while Michelle is the face. Heck, they'd probably be billionaires after the first 4 years.
Seriously. Has the IRS looked into their taxes? No.. The IRS is too busy shaking down the little guy for a thousand here, a thousand there, because the little guy can't buy protection, favors, lawyers…
Sick of it I am. Sick of watching my 'betters' stomp on me and kick me in the kidneys, and get away with things that I can't even think about. Park in fire lanes for hours? They can, I get tickets. IRS audit, they skate, I've had 3 (won 2, lost 1 thanks to an employer not paying my withholding even though he told me he did, and who ended up paying? Me! Grrrr.)
Pissed I am. This is how you make a deplorable. This is how you make a hater, how you make what you fear and loathe.
And I'm better than that. I grew up not seeing class or race, just ranks and abilities. Yet they've forced me to see class and race, and blamed me for things I haven't done, or said, or thought, to the point that I have started thinking that way.
Hate this poop. Hate it greatly. I want to be better. I am better. But, darned it…. Sometimes you just want to scream, but that would disturb the neighbors, so I sit here and seethe…
As to Uniforms, well, if I was Commander in Chief, the not-in-the-dirt uniforms would basically be updated versions of WWII uniforms.
Work in an office? You wear a darned tie. You wear office wear.
Work on a ship? Officers wear khakis, enlisted dungarees and blue shirts.
And so forth.
Motorpool worker? Okay, coveralls or BDU.
Actually stomping in, on, under dirt? BDU.
Marines on board ships? BDU, except if showing the flag, then the good uniform… Why? Because MARINE!!!
And, seriously, get rid of wearing 3/4 or more of the decorations and ribbons and fruit salad and such. If you're an office prole and you have more ribbons on your uniform than Audey Murphy, then something's wrong, very wrong. Fine on full dress uniform. On regular day uniform, no, just no. Only the serious ribbons like combat awards and such. No one cares if you are the best Pentagon fluffer ever. They only care if you stood against fire and flame and stood strong against them.
Dammit. Our ships should look clean, our planes should fly, our troops should be the sharpest looking mofo's around. No need to look all dandified like the ChiComs or Norks because we've won every battle we've been in since we stopped losing to the Japs in WWII. Won Every Battle!!! So our troops and stuff should look good. Not perfect, good. Because we can.
"$700 bottle, of Pomerol, purchased by Soros, and then pour it over ice, mixed with 7-Up"
I'd long heard this about Chinese (both Hong Kong and Mainlanders) only it was Coca-Cola or orange juice (and no Soros). A few months ago PKG and I chanced to get a Lyft driver who was a sommelier [1], and she just happened to have worked on the west coast and dealt with a lot of Chinese clients. "Oh, it made you want to cry. Nearly impossible-to-get Grand cru Burgundies and 1er cru Bordeaux mixed with Diet Coke." She went on, "The most expensive mixed case I ever personally handled was just under fifty thousand. Bringing it to the private room I kept saying to myself 'don't drop this, don't drop this!'"
At this point PKG broke in to ask what denomination the 50k was. The sommelier/driver was nonplussed by the question. "US dollars, right?" said I. Sommelier basically said "Can confirm," which made PKG sit back with big eyes. A fifty-buck bottle of wine is a treat and extravagance in my neck of the woods.
[1] I have no idea why a sommelier was driving Lyft. PKG assures me it was a very nice sedan, though I didn't notice. I can confirm that the driver seemed to know her stuff. (But exceeding my wine knowledge is not all that difficult….)
I think the last one we lost was actually in Korea.
Task Force Smith, if not something at Chosin.
I don't recall anything over company-level going the other way in Viet Nam.
After that, nobody we've fought has really had a chance.
-Kle.
P.S. – yeah, the people they put in charge of uniforms are idiots.
I have never heard of mixing real wine with soft drinks, but de gustibus, I suppose.
-Kle.
Re, uniforms. Seems like damn tradition, full speed ahead. Whenever they get a good uniform, it never lasts.
I do like Beans' idea for uniforms.
"never heard of mixing real wine with soft drinks"
And in a better world you never would have.
For those persons who commit that abomination, it's not about appreciating the wine, it's about conspicuous consumption and status. To be able to tell your business associates that you had both DRC La Tache and Cheval Blanc at the same dinner is a big thing. Now unfortunately you don't like wine of any sort, so what's a poor (well, super rich, but you get my meaning) Chinaman to do? Mix your USD$4000/750ml Burgundy with something you DO find palatable, namely a cola soft drink. Mmmmm, delicious! Can't call me nekulturny now!
The rumor just won't die, Michelle 2020. And you can see it — Biden blows up under the sheer weight of on the record corruption. The Screeching Pantsuit runs out of adrenachrome and… Michelle to the rescue. America's first trans president.
I don't like anything about this scenario.
And why all the weird uniform changes? Someone's obviously making a lot of money.
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