How did this thing get so far out of alignment?

Like many submariners, I spent a few weeks in one shipyard or another helping to fix wear and tear issues. As an Auxiliaryman (A-Ganger) I quickly found that there is a special kind of hell reserved for us in a shipyard. Since our equipment and systems run the length of the boat, our work could […]

Seems like just yesterday…

Over 106 years ago, a group known as the Wobblies (IWW) was born in June of 1905 to organize all of the workers of the world into One Big Union The following is the preamble to the constitution for the International Workers of the World: “The working class and the employing class have nothing […]

2.6 million… Ready or Not

Some time ago, I posted a number of articles and references for people in the path of Hurricane Irene. As usual when I post about preparedness, I got a few folks feedback about “paranoia” and “let’s not get carried away Mac”. Fair enough. But as we sat in the living room last night having our […]

Target Rich Environment

Google the phrase “Target Rich Environment” and you will get about 5 million hits. One of my favorite quotes comes from a feel good movie released in 1986 Warning: PG 13 applies, if you are easily offended, skip past the quoted area “Top Gun” Maverick: This is what I call a target-rich environment. Goose: You […]

Taffy 3 – Courage Beyond Measure

In the annals of US Naval history, there are a number of instances that demonstrate the courage and determination of a committed group of dedicated officers and men. The one that stands out most in many people’s opinions is the battle which occurred on October 25th 1944. On this day, a small group of […]

Bullies Redux

There were three kinds of boys in Junior High School. First were the bullies. This group had probably grown up quicker than their peers and normally came from homes where toughness was considered not only a virtue but a valued commodity. Second were the “hangers on”. These boys weren’t quite as big or strong as […]

Freedom of the Seas

On this 236th birthday of the United States Navy, we should never forget the reason why the Navy was formed and why it will remain a part of our Freedom as long as there is a United States of America. The free flow of commerce is one way of guaranteeing a free nation. The oceans still […]

There is a Tree at the Crossroads

Belgium is a beautiful country. The people there are wonderful and kind and very gracious hosts. I visited the city of Ghent recently and frankly of the 600 or so cities and towns I have visited, Ghent is one of the most amazing and beautiful places. June is a good time to visit since all […]

Goin’ to the Chapel and We’re Gonna Get Married – Part Three

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/01/first-same-sex-marriage-being-celebrated-saturday-at-west-points-cadet-chapel/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fpolitics+%28Internal+-+Politics+-+Text%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo Oh happy day, break out the bubbly, the Nation’s first gay marriage at West Point. I can barely contain my joy. Oh well. They can explain it to the big Guy themselves when the time comes. I am now officially done with worrying about traditions. Go Navy. Beat Army. Mister Mac I had no […]

The Quality of the Weld

Being a former submariner, I have long had an interest in welding and the quality of welds. When you are riding a ship designed to sink that was built by the lowest bidder, proper and secure welds seem to be pretty important. The hulls of nuclear submarines are made out of a special steel which requiresvery […]