Ugly Gun Sunday

Remington model 1100 12ga semi-automatic shotgun. It has a cutdown to 21 inch VR barrel that has a wide open choke (perfect for scatter shot), a Choate Tool Corp. pistol grip metal stock, a black synthetic forearm, and a Weaver Quick Point Sight.

Perfect for that meth lab in the backwoods, the crappy welding and chopped barrel ensures your neighbors/dealer competition knows you're serious about where you spend your money. Which isn't guns.

Coincidences

Part of being the primary medical resource for roughly two thousand people involves training. Training on equipment, on education, and on processes. One of the processes we train for is mass casualties. Having helicopters, fixed wing transport, and troop trucks moving about on a daily basis, it's reasonable to prepare for this. Our plan was to start with a simulation of three patients involved in a truck vs bicycle MVC, with the truck losing control and rolling over after striking the bicyclist. This would a "walk phase" exercise in the continuum of "crawl, walk, run". And it would be a suprise drill.

So when I was told at 1128 hours to stand fast, as we had a truck vs bicycle accident coming in, I wasn't very happy that the exercise would take place during the limited time available to get lunch. And I was even less happy that they had decided to use some of the larger Fijian infantry as patients.

Until the other medics started cutting of their uniforms and sticking 18 guage needles in their arms. Because one of the local nationals rode their bike straight out into the road without looking in front of a large troop truck. Which resulted in the four Fijians in it getting either thrown out of the truck, or going for a hell of a ride as the truck rolled three times when it took the ditch to avoid turning the local into roadkill.

End result: one local scared shitless, but unharmed; two Fijian infantry got a helicopter ride to Israel on backboards and in cervical collars; and two more Fiji infantry who are going to feel like someone worked them over with a bat when they get up tomorrow. And our MasCal plan works.

But if they start planning for a twenty patient mass food-poisoning incident for the next scenario, someone's training plan is going to disappear repeatedly.

Reciprocity

Welcome, amigo. "Blogroll of Doom"; it doesn't get much better than that.

In The Oddest Places

As I'm clearing away paperwork in my barracks room, I have the TV on. All programming is through the post television station. On one of the four English-language channels, World's Most Dangerous Places or something of that nature is on. Today, it's the host wandering about the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some of the things that drew my attention away from my paperwork:

This line from the host as he goes with some park rangers looking for mountain gorillas:

The first sign- a fresh turd.

Truly, something I have never heard on TV before. And delivered with complete earnestness.

Second, and more interesting to me, was watching the park rangers assemble. A short platoon of men, armed with M1 carbines. In what appeared to be very good condition. How long must those rifles have been sitting in Africa?

Ugly Gun Sunday

The extremely rare Ruger Limited Edition "Deadwood Pimp" Vaquero model.

"I Respect Your Intellect This Much"

A quick tour of personal character:

''My intent was not to deceive anyone,'' Mr. Biden wrote. ''For if it were, I would not have been so blatant.'' New York Times;

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.” Wall Street Journal;

"I've had a great relationship [with East Indians in America]. In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian Americans - moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking." MSNBC;

“Why is it that Neil Kinnock Joe Biden is the first in his family ever to go a university? Why is it that my wife . . . is the first in her family to ever go to college? Is it because our fathers and mothers were not bright? . . . Is it because they didn't work hard? My ancestors who worked in the coal mines of northeast Pennsylvania and would come after 12 hours and play football for four hours? It's because they didn't have a platform on which to stand.” Times Online;

Private gun ownership:

Keep assault weapons ban; close gun show loophole; Source: South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007

Voted NO on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence; Senate vote

Rated F by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record; NRA

Immigration:

Voted YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities". Senate votes

Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government. Senate vote

He's a real winner alright.

It's Supposed To Be Snark....

but it's not. Because I attended the University of Iowa, and it's pretty much reality with a slight bit of humor added.

To demonstrate, the group rings the doorbell of Debbie and Mike Lefko's split level ranch, whose tidy lawn features several John McCain signs. When the Lefkos emerge, the group treat them to a 7-minute performance of the campaign's official headbobbing hypnochant "O-ba-ma, O-ba-ma," punctuated by soulful, if off-key, glissandos.

Clearly moved, Debbie Lefko retreats into the house and gives the group a $10 campaign donation.

"I had heard that schizophrenic homelessness was on the rise, but I had no idea," said a tearful Lefko. "My God, those poor people looked like they got their clothes out of a Salvation Army dumpster."

Heh. Hehehehe. Bwahahahah!

I'm not a big fan of McCain. Especially after McCain-Feingold. But he's better than the alternative, not that there's much that could be worse. But I like him, or at least his staff a little better after reading this.

We're about due for a commu... ahh, Democratic presidency, just because most people will vote for change for the sake of change. Me, not so much. Besides, this time it's a choice between a centrist dictator and a lighter version of Pugsley Chavez. I don't see a whole lot of win for me in the next four years, so I say go for the throat, Col. Tigh, and spit his trachea out on the floor. Entertain me. It'll probably be the only thing you could do in the next four years I'd support.

"...like tongue-kissing a drunk Bassett hound...."

Ah, the eloquence of youth.

Local Wildlife

A quick overview of some of the local wildlife here on North Camp.

Hedgehogs

Vipers

Scorpions

cockroaches

More scorpions

Unidentified, but seen roaming the post.

Ugly Gun Sunday

Wow....Just...wow.

Yech...

Zombietime's blog is an interesting look at what I'd call a virtual trip to a leftwinger/moonbat/hippie/socialist/communist/exhibitionist (sometimes all of 'em at once) zoo. Sometimes, instead of just the weird and paranoid, what she documents goes way over the line of what most communities are willing to put up with. But then, she's in San Francisco.

Generally, I believe in what you do in your home, in private, is your own business. What you do out in public is another matter.

Looking at some of the *NSFW* images, is it any wonder that the AIDs rate is 40% higher than initially thought?

At some point, if you tempt fate (and infective processes) enough, nature will bite you in the ass.

“ Heute Maryland, Morgen Die Welt”

Isn't this just lovely.

Gah. Two hundred and thiry-two years ago these guys would've been wearing red coats and white breeches; today it's the tactical ninja outfit.

Fun With Pointy Objects

If you start to develop pain and swelling along a nail, it's best to have someone look at it before it reaches this point:

Because number one, it's painful;

Number two, this is how we're going to take care of it:

It's fair to say the patient didn't enjoy this procedure very much.

Call Me Buck...

Buck Sergeant, that is.

I know where you all were going with that title. Perverts.

Anybody need a baggie full of Velc.....er, hook-and-pile backed Specialist rank?

Georgia: Seems Like Old Times.....

"We invite the nations for the peaceful talk but we can repulse any provocation"

....in Lavia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Finland that is. No wonder Georgia's been pressing for NATO membership for so long.

I was surprised to to find this article from Newsweek online. I'd be in favor of it, even if I ended up having to go. If someone's your ally, and you let them get rolled under without a fight, don't be surprised when you find yourself short of friends.

As the author notes:

And if the West does not react forcefully to protect Georgia? Russia, and all
the nations on its periphery, will draw the obvious lessons.

Ugly Gun Sunday

Patriotic, or just trying to hide an obsession with popsicles?

WTF Redux..

My grade of "0" was due to a slip of the finger.

One day of nausea and insomnia for a goof.

Oh Hell, as long as it's fixed, screw it.

W.....T.....F!

I'd really, really like to know why, after four weeks of busting my ass to turn out writing assignments that have scored in the 90s for percentile, how the hell I received a "0" on my last paper.

I'd especially like to know how I can receive feedback with every previous grade, but with a major "screw you" grade, the instructor can leave not a single damn word why I was given this grade.

This is going to be an interesting set of emails coming up.

For a Good Cause

God knows, I'm death on pink guns, but it's for a hell of a cause.

War of the Moustaches

Because they haven't got bigger problems to deal with:

Fight between Hamas-Fatah spreads to upper lips in mustache war Jul. 31, 2008Khaled Abu Toameh , THE JERUSALEM POST

Hamas has resumed its policy of shaving mustaches of political opponents to humiliate them, Fatah officials said Wednesday. Hamas resorted to this form of punishment in the past after arresting senior Fatah representatives in the Gaza Strip, the officials said. Hamas, for its part, accused the Palestinian Authority security forces of shaving the beards of detained Hamas officials in the West Bank.
The latest victim of the mustache-shaving policy is Nafez al-Namnam, a top Fatah operative in the Strip. Namnam, 51, is one of the commanders of Fatah's armed wing, the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, in Gaza City. He and his son Rami were arrested by Hamas policemen shortly after the mysterious explosion that killed five Hamas men on the beach in Gaza City last Friday. The father and son were among more than 150 Fatah members who were rounded up by Hamas in the aftermath of the bombing. Namnam wore an unusually large mustache for more than 30 years. But while in prison, his Hamas interrogators shaved it off before finally releasing him. The Aksa Martyrs Brigades issued a statement strongly condemning the shaving of Namnam's mustache and threatening retaliation. It said that Namnam and his son were also tortured while in detention. Earlier this year, another senior Fatah official, Ibrahim Abu al-Naja, also lost his mustache in the power struggle with Hamas. Fatah officials held Hamas responsible, saying the act was designed to humiliate Abu al-Naja, who is one of the most senior leaders of Fatah in the Gaza Strip. Hamas, however, said Abu al-Naja's kidnappers were former Fatah security officers who were angry because the PA had not paid them their salaries. Abu al-Naja had worn a mustache for nearly 35 years.

(H/T to Gates of Vienna)

Horrors. Next they'll be forcing prisoners to bathe before being released.

Ugly Gun Sunday

Obviously chosen for its soothing colors, so as not to be distracting during a match.

"Wow, Bob, that's quite the finish on your pistol!"

"It sure is, Dave. I was working on a specimen in the pathology lab, and it hit me: applying a pattern like a cancerous lung would look spiffy on my pistol!"

The MFO Turns 26

Granted, most people have never heard of the MFO. In fact, in Israel, most of the people I've spoken to have no idea of what the MFO is. So you say "UN" and "Peacekeeper", and it's good enough. Thankfully, we're NOT employed by the UN. Meaning we're only moderately screwed up. But the MFO has fulfilled it's mission successfully for it's entire twenty-six years, so that's a pretty good achievement. So, a quick glimpse of how we celebrate; and a good idea of how much of a budget there is for this kind of stuff.


Step One: Free Cake!

At this point, I found out the same thing I found in Iraq if you take a picture of one guy, every other guy who sees you insists you take his picture too:

There's more, but most probably aren't interested in seeing the better part of the whole dining facility staff in ones and twos.

Step Two: Music

Courtesty of the camp house band, "The Fiji Band". The only guys with enough instruments and organization on post to actually perform music.


Step Three: Man Dresses!

Show off those fabulous Bedouin togs you picked up at the Bazaar today, and head out to party with your friends:




Step Four:

Don't irritate the police with flash photography.

I will note that the Columbian MPs take care to look sharp on duty.

Pretty tame as celebrations go, but we're not at the Iowa Freedom Rally, so we take what we can get.