You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once. - Robert A. Heinlein -
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
I met a guy today.
His name was Al. He was in the Army Air Corps during World War Two. He enlisted thirty days after Pearl Harbor. He was shipped to Europe six months later. And, as he told me: "We didn't have any planes. They hadn't been built yet. So we sat around being bombed by the Germans until we finally got something we could fight back with."
Dude. Yeah, tell me how important that DA Form is. Sure.
Al ended up doing four years. After the war, he became an architect. He pointed out a building that he had designed. Doesn't like the war in Afghanistan, thinks we never should have gotten involved. "Let 'em just kill each other. That's what they do. They've done it for centuries, why get involved?"
They were given high altitude fighter planes. They could go up higher than anything the Germans had, so the Krauts didn't even bother going up after them. So the wing commander told his unit to put a bomb on the plane, so that they could drop a few bombs, the Germans would think there were bombers in the air and scramble their fighters. Al designed the bomb release latch. Each fighter could carry one bomb. The unit mocked up enough for twenty planes. Al said they worked like a charm. "They'd come on up thinking they were gonna shoot down a bomber, and we would just dive at 'em. They were coming up slow, we were coming down fast, we'd blow them out of the air and then haul ass outta there. We didn't want to stick around after that first hit. We didn't dogfight. One punch, and gone."
Al said they sent one of his latches back stateside, and the factories here put out hundreds within a week. He was constantly amazed at how fast America could produce what was needed. I wonder if we still have that capability now. In fact, I know we don't.
I was glad I met Al today.
Dude. Yeah, tell me how important that DA Form is. Sure.
Al ended up doing four years. After the war, he became an architect. He pointed out a building that he had designed. Doesn't like the war in Afghanistan, thinks we never should have gotten involved. "Let 'em just kill each other. That's what they do. They've done it for centuries, why get involved?"
They were given high altitude fighter planes. They could go up higher than anything the Germans had, so the Krauts didn't even bother going up after them. So the wing commander told his unit to put a bomb on the plane, so that they could drop a few bombs, the Germans would think there were bombers in the air and scramble their fighters. Al designed the bomb release latch. Each fighter could carry one bomb. The unit mocked up enough for twenty planes. Al said they worked like a charm. "They'd come on up thinking they were gonna shoot down a bomber, and we would just dive at 'em. They were coming up slow, we were coming down fast, we'd blow them out of the air and then haul ass outta there. We didn't want to stick around after that first hit. We didn't dogfight. One punch, and gone."
Al said they sent one of his latches back stateside, and the factories here put out hundreds within a week. He was constantly amazed at how fast America could produce what was needed. I wonder if we still have that capability now. In fact, I know we don't.
I was glad I met Al today.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Ruby Ridge
Insty has a link up about Ruby Ridge, 20 years later.
I was living in Coeur d'Alene when the Randy Weaver saga unfolded. Ruby Ridge taught me that the government has absolutely no problem shooting an unarmed woman in the face when she's holding a baby in her arms. I think that's a good lesson to learn, especially these days.
I wish I could report that the authorities' fear has faded in the decades since Ruby Ridge and Waco. Instead it has been institutionalized in the fusion centers that litter the country, where everybody from Ron Paul fans to anti-fracking activists have been tarred as potential terrorists. Meanwhile, the country's police forces have been steadily more militarized. What a sad and terrifying combination.
I was living in Coeur d'Alene when the Randy Weaver saga unfolded. Ruby Ridge taught me that the government has absolutely no problem shooting an unarmed woman in the face when she's holding a baby in her arms. I think that's a good lesson to learn, especially these days.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Ragin' Dave's Quote of the Day, FINALLY!!!! edition
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus:
!!!!
It only took decades, but we finally have someone willing to fight back against the Left. Let's KEEP IT UP!
“I’m a big believer in: if they punch us, we put on the brass knuckles and punch back,” he added.
!!!!
It only took decades, but we finally have someone willing to fight back against the Left. Let's KEEP IT UP!
Picking up where I left off
Household goods arrive on Thursday. Where's Dave going to be? NOT at his house, for certain. No, Dave is going to be TDY on military business, while the Ragin' Mrs deals with life's difficulties without him. Again.
I swear, I think the hardest job in the military is to be a military spouse. Thank God I married a strong woman. Most women I know of would have divorced my ass by now. Either that or cheated on me.
I swear, I think the hardest job in the military is to be a military spouse. Thank God I married a strong woman. Most women I know of would have divorced my ass by now. Either that or cheated on me.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Moving in today
Might not have the basics, like electricity and the internets until tonight. Soooooo..... see ya then!