Butter Versus Margarine – An Epic Struggle for Dominance at Dinner for 155 Years

Butter Versus Margarine – An Epic Struggle for Dominance at Dinner for 155 Years Growing up in a typical middle-class home in the sixties, I was used to margarine (AKA Oleo) being the main source of spread on my bread. On the rare occasions when we had pancakes, the yellowish spread was the only choice. […]

Sudden Impact… Forever Impacted

Sudden Impact… Forever Impacted It was a cold and freezing night. (I’ve always wanted to use that line ever since Snoopy used something similar in one of his attempts to be a novelist. Cartoonist Charles Schulz made Snoopy use this phrase because “it was a cliché and had been one for a very long time”. […]

A Sense of Belonging – USSVI Charleston Base 2024

I have always liked Charleston. Ever since I went to Submarine Auxiliary Package Course at the Fleet Ballistic Missile Base in Charleston SC in 1973, the area has held a special place in my heart. There are some places that are just more impactful than others in your development. I joined the Navy when I […]

Want Volunteers? Keep Your Promises!

Fair warning: If you are strongly invested in Societal Permissiveness and DEI as a part of National Defense, this post is probably not for you. Also, a couple of salty words may have accidently slipped in. My apologies for the second. Sometimes the sailor in me has no filter. Final Warning. Some of the pictures […]

Lessons from 1944 – The Need for Advanced Bases

I’ve been watching the news recently and the escalation of naval conflicts. Because I spend more time than I should looking at the nature of naval construction and strength, I have been concerned about the lack of resources to support the people who are sailing in harm’s way. I’m sure the navy planners have looked […]

The Cost of Freedom 2024

Another article published in the Port of Pittsburgh Navy League Newsletter: 2024 Navy Budget Request – Outlining the Priorities Bob MacPherson, Past President The following information was gathered from the Secretary of the Navy’s 2024 Budget submission. The original intent for the Navy League was to make sure that the US Navy had the correct […]

Pennsylvania Amphibs – 21st Century Warriors

I contribute articles to the Pittsburgh Council of the Navy League, and this is one of my recent submissions about a unique naming situation for five current and future LPD amphibious ships. Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania have contributed their names many times to warships and support ships over the last 240 years. Even my hometown of […]

Finding Purpose

Happy New Year. Okay, it’s a couple of days past that time but I’m finally finding time to sit at the keyboard and do a little thinking. Over the years, I have discovered that writing is my best thinking time. I block out most distractions and as long as chores and assignments don’t interrupt, I […]

The return of Pigboats.com

Happy December! If you are a fan of submarines (and who isn’t) you will be happy to know that one of the granddaddies of all submarine sites is back up and running. The publishers have cleaned off the binnacles from the hull, topped off the fuel tanks and cleared the decks of all fouled gear. […]

Nautilus to Columbia by James C. Goodall

Happy December. This is the time of year when we get presents in the mail and for me that includes the latest project by my friend James. C. Goodall. Jim is a former Air Force guy (Retired) who combines his photographic skills with his passion for submarines and other technical platforms to create valuable resources […]