May 31, 2010
— Gabriel Malor And the name of the ship...
Israel's Army Radio reported that the MV Rachel Corrie, a converted merchant ship, would reach Gazan waters by Wednesday.A Marine lieutenant who was not named told Army Radio that he expected an easy takeover of the ship.
"We as a unit are studying, and we will carry out professional investigations to reach conclusions," the lieutenant said, referring to a skirmish in which his unit shot nine international activists aboard the Turkish ferry.
"And we will also be ready for the Rachel Corrie," he added.
Not superstitious at all, these guys...
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09:30 PM
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— Maetenloch REMEMBER THEM
If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and one backward glance when you are leaving, for the places they can no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not always have. Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.
And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.
Written January 1, 1970 by Major Michael Davis O'Donnell
Dak To, South Vietnam
Major O'Donnell was Killed in Action in Cambodia on March 24, 1970. His remains were recovered in 1998 and interred in Arlington National Cemetery on August 16, 2001. more...
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— DrewM Because nothing says Memorial Day weekend like, er, hockey.
The NHL is enjoying great ratings (so long as you grade on a curve) but as a Rangers fan, this is a painful series. Any time Flyers fans have hope is depressing.
On the upside, at least there's at least one Origianal Six team in the finals and the Blackhawks do have one of the greatest logos in all of sports.
Game 1 was great if you like the Blackhawks and/or a lot of scoring, not so great if you actually like hockey. Hopefully game 2 will feature some actual defense and maybe even a little goaltending.
After Game 2 be sure to check out Moron Hockey, the blog tmi3rd started and don't update enough, for series to date recap.
People joke about the toughness/craziness of hockey players (especially at playoff time). One of the guys playing tonight is Duncan Keith of the Blackhawks. He took a puck in the mouth in the conference clinching win over San Jose. He missed a few shifts, came back to play and then did an interview. more...
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04:32 PM
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— LauraW Couple years old but new to me. Wow, these guys and gals look like they had a great time.
Thanks to Tom M! And thanks to Mr. Simmons. That was way wicked cool.
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02:52 PM
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— Dave in Texas He got washed out in Chicago.
I don't blame him for pulling up there, the threat of thunderstorms and lightning isn't something to take lightly.
You know? I would have sworn I saw a Twitter post by NBC's Chuck Todd this morning, explaining to us how other Presidents have skipped Arlington on Memorial Day. Like GWB skipped out on Arlington in 2002.
To deliver a speech at Normandy, on May 27 2002.
I likely got that wrong, and I apologize to Chuck Todd for that.
According to ExJon, VP Joe did a respectable job at Arlington today.
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02:13 PM
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— Monty One morning, as Monty was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in his bed he had been changed into a monstrous gold bug.
One of my abiding fascinations has been with the concept of money. What exactly is money, anyway? Why is gold deemed to be valuable? How is the "value" of money set? Who or what determines what a service or good costs?
These turn out to be vastly complicated questions that have spawned legions of philosophers, statisticians, and economists over the millennia to figure them out. That we continue to have financial crises shows that these philosophers and economists still don't understand the subject as well as they'd like to. more...
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09:19 AM
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— Dave in Texas
"It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Also, DrewM sent me this today, a petition to name a U.S. Navy ship in honor of Lt. John W. Finn.
Also: A little closer to my neck of the woods, I believe this photograph of the 4th Infantry Division Memorial at Ft. Hood was taken this past Thursday. Something has been added.
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08:15 AM
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— Gabriel Malor Word filtered out last night that there had been casualties, including some deaths, on the pointless, Turkey-backed flotilla attempting to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. The "peace activists" had been warned that they must divert to Ashdod where the supplies they intended to deliver would be searched for weapons and then trucked to Gaza.
They refused, choosing to make a political statement rather than deliver much-needed food and medical supplies to Gaza. They got their wish. The IDF released this video (embedded below) of the so-called peace activists attacking IDF soldiers as they board one of the ships. They attacked with guns, knives, and improvised weapons.
According to initial reports, these events resulted in the deaths of nine demonstrators and seven naval personnel were injured, some from gunfire and some from various other weapons. Two of the soldiers are moderately wounded and the remainder sustained light injuries. All of the injured, Israelis and foreigners have been evacuated by helicopter to hospitals in Israel.
Reports from IDF forces on the scene are that it seems as if part of the participants onboard the ships were planning to lynch the forces.
The flotilla is now under IDF control and headed for Ashdod. The peace activists got their PR message, at the pointless cost of nine lives. The Gazans will eventually get their supplies anyay. The Israeli blockade will continue. And the Israelis will get another scolding from the "international community."
Later: About this whole "international waters" bit that the activists are bleating about, it doesn't make a difference where the ships were seized.
Even assuming that the activists are correct and that the ships were taken in international waters, there's no "safe" spot for blockade runners. Israel has no duty to wait until its own waters are breached, not when the blockade runners have announced their intentions and set sail.
Israel gave the activists every opportunity to turn aside, both before they assembled and after the made a run for the blockade. The activists aren't bothering to pretend that they were planning to do anything other than challenge the Israeli blockade. They can hardly complain when the Israelis take them at their word.
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07:46 AM
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May 30, 2010
— Purple Avenger When I was a very small boy some of my first memories are of a neighbor, Jake, who was in his 70's. Jake was a WWI vet who'd been mustard gassed in one of those meat grinder battles of WWI. He moved a little slow for a guy in his 70's because he had a collapsed lung and the other one wasn't perfect either due to the Mustard gassing.
My dad was Navy in WWII and worked the electrical maintenance of a LST. He got the all expenses paid tour of North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. He never talked much about the war, but when he did it was still an emotional thing for him 50+ years later.
Apparently, as the Army and Marines pushed forward, Navy guys maintained much of the logistics tail. One story he told on rare occasion was of a 900 mile forced drive across North Africa driving a deuce and a half full of ammo. 3 days, 7x24 with no sleep through treacherous mountains on a twisting one lane dirt road. Any trucks that broke down weren't repaired, they were just shoved off the cliff and the convoy kept moving. Several trucks drove off the cliff accidentally when the drivers could stay awake no longer and fell asleep at the wheel. That convoy affected him so deeply, for the rest of his life my dad had a strong aversion to driving any significant distance.
more...
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10:31 PM
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— Maetenloch Welcome to the Sunday that's really a Saturday.
The Top 10 War Movies of All Time
Ok I could live with all their choices except for Inglorious Basterds, which I actually liked but wouldn't consider an all time classic. Plus the list left off A Bridge Too Far and Hamburger Hill, two well done movies that rarely get the credit they deserve.
And here Jules Crittendon gives his take on great war movies and even gives a shout out to our own Arthur K. He includes The Purple Heart a movie about the trial and atrocities committed on the captured pilots of the Doolittle Raid. I remember seeing it on TV as a little kid and I can still recall some of the dramatic scenes from it. Crittendon also mentions Run Silent, Run Deep which is one of the few classics that I haven't seen. I have read the book which is excellent. Not to worry the movie is now in my Netflix queue. more...
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05:41 PM
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