Who Are You? What Do You Want? Where Are You Going? Whom Do You Serve – And Whom Do You Trust?!
We’ll be here.
And I know I’m more excited than Boyo, he doesn’t know we’re going yet.
My dear departed father used to take me whenever they and he were in town at the same time. He travelled a lot for his job.
Seriously, n0thing wires me up like Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey. The clowns, the high wire acts, the animals. God love the Shriners and Al Korah and the like, but for sheer extravagance outside of Vegas, there is simply nothing like the greatest show on earth.
As far as I’m concerened, the price for this should be news blackout from the military. They’re free to report, they are not free to terrorize our families. Simply unforgivable.
Via Blackfive.
Carnival of the Cats is up tomorrow.
Sgt Mom, this looks like it was just made for you.
If you’re at your computer and want commercial-free web radio with a great deal of variety, I humbly submit there’s no better station than Radio Paradise (RP).
Once you’re hooked, you may even want to throw them a buck or 5 to let them know they’re appreciated.
If you’re thinking about buying an iPod or other Apple product, check out how you can buy them through RP. RP gets a 5% commission if you click through them.
Again, this is one of those things where I get nothing out of it, I simply like the station.
Now that I’ve gushed all over them, tell us what Web Radio station you listen to.
The last time I blogged on something the boss said it generated more discussion than I’ve seen on anything else I’ve ever blogged. Our trackbacks don’t work but according to Technorati only 8 others directly linked to the orginal story but you know how that can grow and the original post gets lost in the ‘sphere as it gets told and retold and commented on. Hell, a comment on the George W. Bush Reservist (I refuse to call it Rathergate) Letters I made on Wizbang turned into a “for what it’s worth” over at Protein Wisdom and then became an “unnamed source” on some other blog I don’t remember the name of. Blogs are nothing if not weird and the story can go way beyond it’s original post. I know that now.
Well, we had another Commander’s Call this week, and the boss acknowledged some of the blogosphere’s “more colorful” commentary on my post with a dry chuckle and a grin that told me I wasn’t being hunted like a dog for talking out of school. Good to know. The last thing on this earth I want is a Marine mad at me, and a 4-star to boot.
Boss, if you’re reading this one, I’m very sorry for any grief that last post may have caused you. I honestly thought it was a very amazing quote and too good to keep in-house.
Just like when you said:
“If you can’t live there, how do you expect to lead the folks that live there?”
“You” being military leaders. “There” being the netcentric work environment. “The folks” being those of us who have become very used to being able to find/move information as fast as we need to and get a little snippy when we can’t.
And he re-iterated, “When I ask a question on my blog I want answers. Let me decide the validity of those giving me answers. I have X amount of time to make a decision, I’d rather have a big hot and sweaty mess of answers to base my decision on than one cold answer that’s had all the life sucked out of it.”
He said a lot of other cool things but if I told you any of that he might have to shoot me.
Around here a new Radio Station has popped up calling itself, “106.9 Bob FM.” I only listen to the radio in the car, to and from work, but I’ve been on this station since Monday and have liked the little bit I’ve heard on it.
This morning, Michele links to an article in the Christian Sciene Monitor explaining what appears to be a nationwide format change in radio. Lose the DJs, load a bunch of “hits” onto a computer and hit “shuffle.”
Indeed, several of the converted oldies stations – including WCBS and others in Chicago and Baltimore – have begun wooing younger audiences with a popular new radio format called “Jack.”
The stations, with names like 100.7 Jack FM, share the snarky slogan “playing what we want” and rely on unusually large playlists of songs from the past two or three decades.
Apple must be so proud. The shuffle function on their little music boxes are so popular, radio stations are copying them.
I’m not sure about naming the radio stations though. We have “Jack” and “Bob.” Making a bit of an ewww face here… Well, it could have been worse, one of them could have been “Neil.”
Doing a Diceman, “HEY! Don’t forget to tip your waitress snapperheads.”
Commenter Kai writes in that in her market, the new channel’s name is Charlie. What’s the name of the shuffle playlist radio station in your town?
I’ve been watching this story grow for a couple of days. Seems like the memorial at ground zero is going to be more about bashing America than it is about remembering the fallen. I have a problem with that, a big one.
Blackfive has good links.
Malkin has good links and background but also links the Freepers so I kind of lost some of the golly gee-ness of the situation for no good reason other than the word “Freeper” makes me think of a classic Scooby Doo cartoon which makes me think of Scooby’s laugh which has always had the ability to make me giggle.
No…I haven’t had too much coffee…why do you ask?
UPDATE: More people talking about it:
Smash has been teleconferencing with Sir Bob Geldolf about Africa.
But does he remember Diamond Smiles?
How in God’s name did Red Hot Chili Peppers become more successful than Faith No More?
MilBlogger Bunker Mulligan passed away.
Stolen from Styker. Put your iTunes library in order alphabetically by song, then take the first song for each letter of the alphabet. Take out anything that’s not music, radio dramas, podcasts, comedy. And I added in the characters and numbers becuase…it’s Sunday morning and I have the time.
‘Deed I Do – Diana Krall
1963 – New Order
2000 Miles – The Pretenders
3 A.M. Eternal (Live At The S.S.L.) – The KLF
4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
5’15 – The Who
634-5789 – Various Artists
7 A.M. – Dirty Vegas
A B C – The Jackson 5
Baba O’Riley – The Who
C’est La Vie – Bob Seger
Daddy’s Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car – U2
Early In The Morning – Bobby Darin
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa – The Commitments
Gangrene (Live) – Utopia
Half A Boy & Half A Man – Nick Lowe
I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) – Meat Loaf
J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) – Green Day
Karma – Alicia Keys
L-L-Love – Astaire
Macavity: The Mystery Cat – CATS Original Broadway Cast
Naked (Live) – The BoDeans
Oaks – Eric Tingstad, Nancy Rumbel and David Lanz
Paddy McCarthy (Instrumental) – The Corrs
Queen of Hearts – Dave Edmunds
R.A.M.O.N.E.S. – The Ramones
Sacred – Depeche Mode
Tahitian Skies – Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler
U Boat (Video Edit) – Kasabian
Velvet Sky – Los Lonely Boys
W.O.L.D – Harry Chapin
X Offender – Blondie
Y’All Know – Will Smith
Zero And Blind Terry – Bruce Springsteen
I don’t know what it says about anything, but I like the results.
And some folks are counting so…I’ve got 3999 songs that would play for 11.9 days taking up 18.6 gigs on my hard drive. No, I don’t put them all on my iPod, some stuff is just there for Beautiful wife.
now that Moxie Java has come to town. Starbucks doesn’t have a freakin’ prayer.
And they’re a franchise and always looking for good people who are “detail-oriented, accustomed to making decisions, multi-task expertly, and deal very well with clients, service providers and other staff.”
Just saying…The Air Force Times from Dec 13 2004 mentioned that franchisers LOVE prior military people to open one of their shops because we’re not afraid of work.
List of online Franchise Resources:
• www.sba.gov — The Web site of the Small Business Administration offers a great section on starting businesses. Two online booklets are great franchising primers: “Is franchising for me?” and “The Consumer Guide to Buying a Franchise?”
• www.franchisedirect.com — This Web site connects you directly to the franchiser. Browse around and fill out a contact sheet to receive more information.
• www.franchisesolutions.com — Register and you’ll be matched with a franchise broker.
• www.franchisebuyer.com — This Web site also offers a broker service. An online net worth calculator can help you determine your price range.
• www.frannet.com — The Web site’s research guide makes it worth a visit. It also offers broker referrals.
• www.bison.com — This site offers comprehensive franchise listings. A quick self-test can help you determine if franchising is a good choice for you.
• www.franchise.org — The Web site of the International Franchise Association offers basic franchise information and links to companies participating in VetFran.
Have to write but haven’t written before? You know there’s a link for VMPF but you can never remember how to get to it? Basically looking for a one stop clearing house for all your Air Force needs plus some comedy and cool clips in the multi-media section?
Hadn’t seen The Real Air Force before…heh.
What’s sad is the writing resources are more comprehensive then some Action Officer Survival Guides I’ve seen over the years.
Ya know I don’t drink myself. I’ve had enough.
And as a Senior NCO I flinch when I think of the probable rise in alcohol related incidents.
However, the idea that a young man or woman is old enough to go into battle and put his/her life on the line but is not old enough to have a beer when the day/deployment is done just rubs my sense of fairness wrong. I think if you’re on active duty, you’re at the very least old enough for beer and wine until you turn 21.
It’s becoming an issue again.
What are you currently reading?
Anything you’re read recently that really blew you away?
Ideas, lookin’ for ideas…
Update: Oh, sorry, forgot: I’m currenly in the middle of “Decipher” by Stel Pavlou which is actually pretty good once I got all the characters straight in my head.
…could be, “The bird flu?”
WASHINGTON (AFP) – US health authorities are taking urgent precautions against a ‘flu pandemic’ that experts warned could erupt at any time and claim tens of thousands of lives.
Top health officials here warned that the United States was ill-prepared to counter a pandemic which could come from a mutation of the bird flu H5N1 that has badly hit Asia.
Their warnings came as European researchers are also warned this week that hundreds of millions could die around the globe if a mutated bird flu, helped by jet travel and open borders, emerges and sweeps the world.
I read a lot, and a lot of Science Fiction, and these days there’s just enough fact thrown into the mix just to keep you on your toes. The super volcanoe that’s just waiting to blow under Yellowstone. The fact that the sun, bringer of warm breezes and maybe an occaissional sunburn, is a giant freaking series of nuclear explosions going off in our very immediate galactic neighborhood has fueled more than one writer’s head. And lets not forget about Global Warming least we offend those who pray at the alter of environmentalism. All fuel and fodder for the science fiction author who wants to add a little oomph to the story to “keep it real dawg, a’ight.” (??? Randy?)
But ya know, it’s always the weird stuff that really gets us, not the sexy cool stuff. Bird Flu. We could possibly be devasted by Bird Flu.
Because of places I’ve worked and exercises I’ve participated in, I know a bit about the spread of diseases. Back in the stone age I had to physically pick a slide up off a projector and replace it with the next one in a smooth and “professional” manner. God help me, I used to be proud of this skill. But I’ve sat through more disaster preparedness (natural and created) briefings than I care to imagine and the first folks to get sick in cases like this are the transporters; Airline crews and truckers and frequent flyers. Folks who come into contact with a LOT of other folks every day. Yes…they transport the disease as well but they also get sick first so guess what? Lots of stuff that we depend on to move from point A to point B doesn’t move because the timing is just so that they’re getting REAL sick just as the rest of us are starting to think, “My God I feel like I’ve been ate by a bear and shite down a hole.” Stuff stops moving just as we’re starting to need lots of stuff. It would make life interesting.
Bird Flu? Doesn’t seem right does it? I’m thinkin’ I’d prefer a meteor or a series of continent shifting earthquakes or a super x-ray fueled gravity pulse from the surface of Mars. Bird Flu sounds so cheezy. No, Asian Avian Flu doesn’t make it any better.
| What military aircraft are you?
F-15 Eagle You are an F-15. Your record in combat is spotless; you’ve never been defeated. You possess good looks, but are not flashy about it. You prefer to let your reputation do the talking. You are fast, agile, and loud, but reaching the end of your stardom.
|
| Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests. |
End of my stardom hell, I’m just gettin’ started.
Via The Headmistress.
So…Carrie Underwood is the 2005 American Idol.
So…what happened on Lost? Yeah-yeah, I know there’s an oncore showing Saturday Night, we’re busy. Give people, don’t be like that.
…being in the military. Have a farewell lunch in an hour or so, at a decent German Restaraunt I might add, have been told not to return. Thanks to a cool commander, tomorrow is a down day which means it’s a four day weekend. The trials we bear sometimes…sigh…placing back of hand on forehead.
Okay, no need to harsh my mellow, I know this too shall pass, but I can enjoy the moment while it lasts.
Blue is often associated with depth and stability.
It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom,
confidence, and truth.
What Colored Lightsaber Would You Have?
brought to you by Quizilla
Unexpected this is.
Via ASV.
I don’t have a Tivo and haven’t pimped out the old PC yet, so we have to choose tonight.
We’ll go with American Idol. Lost…well, they lost me awhile ago. I have no idea where this is going and at some point, I stopped caring.
What are you watching? Why?
They’re just starting up, but ya gotta love their Purpose Statement:
The goal of Media Slander is to hold journalists and bloggers to high ethical standards regarding coverage of the War on Terror and other military-related issues. We plan to achieve this by highlighting bias, rumor and falsehoods that have been creeping into military coverage under the guise of objective news.
We by no means advocate censorship or the deliberate suppression of well-researched and relevant stories about the war and the military.
As much as journalists feel that they are the guardians of the First Amendment, its true protectors are standing watch in Iraq, Afghanistan and places no one will ever hear about. Journalists owe it to the true gatekeepers of our liberties to be fair, balanced, relevant and accurate in covering them.
Signed,
The entire staff of MediaSlander.comBill Roggio
Blackfive
Brian Scott
Charles Goggin
Kevin Craver
LaShawn Barber
Mike Krempasky
Roger Morrow
USMC_Vet
Winds Of Change.NET
Via Blackfive who posts the Warning Order with an OpOrd to follow. Looks like they’ll be the staff wheenies and would like the rest of us to be on the line. I can handle that.
UPDATE: Sorry DragonLady…didn’t see your post, I started this one before you posted yours.
From BBC News.
Apple says the next version of its iTunes music management program will give people a way to find and subscribe to podcasts, MP3 audio files online.
MusicThing UK is doing a series this week on Tiny Music Makers. From the Intel Inside Chimes to your Windows Startup sound (Brian Eno?) MusicThing runs you through the who and the how.
Via BoingBoing.
Because a friend of mine says I’m interesting…I’ll let you decide.
1. From the age of 14 through 20 I was a volunteer on crises hotlines and the National Runaway Switchboard. That’s not a typo, I was fourteen when I started talking to overdosers and runaways and drunks and suicides, and bad trippers. Yes, I think the folks in charge were crazy. No, I wouldn’t give up the experiences for anything. I quit doing it after I couldn’t talk a kid into calling an ambulance for him and his friend because they were more afraid of going home than they were of their pimp who had beat them silly. The one I was talking to had my hotline name and number in his pocket when the cops found their bodies. I know there was nothing more I could do, but I believed at the time there was something I SHOULD have been able to do…which is why I left. I was starting to think I was more powerful than I was and that’s a very bad thing.
2. From the age of 14-18 I worked at a coffee house running the soundboard on Saturday Nights. This is where I developed my loathing for the songs, “Sandman,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and the first few notes of “Stairway to Heaven” and “Roundabout.”
3. While I was doing those things I also worked for money at a local drugstore, making deliveries and working the cash register. When I think of the weather I rode that bicycle through…I’m amazed I never got killed.
4. I also worked as a mover in high school but somehow managed to never go union.
5. Although my neighborhood had Howard Street Grease, Thorndale J*g-Offs (TJO), and Latin Kings, I managed to never join a gang or get messed up by a gang-banger. I’m rather proud of that. Jimmy Camanchero doesn’t count, that was a draw, and we walked away not friends, but no longer wanting to kill one another.
