It Happened in 1954

I really like cruising around the “store” in the front of my favorite southern cuisine restaurant. You can see the old fashioned toys and magic sets mixed in with collectables of one kind or another. One of my favorites though is the rotating card stand that holds the little books about what happened the year […]

But look at all the money we saved…

With the current drive to save money, the post Cold War Navy is being reimagined once again. This exercise in policy is as old as the nation itself, but has had some very dramatic consequences over the past 61 years. Studying a white paper recently, the role of the Navy has always been dependent on […]

Hope may be audacious, but its not a strategy

Those must have been heady days for the true believers. The sun had not yet risen completely on the new day that was promised but the magic of the possibility stirred their hearts. Here was someone who spoke their language and truly understood their needs. March 5th 2007 Selma Alabama http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/03/obamas_selma_speech_text_as_de.html “You know, several weeks […]

Come on up to the porch and sit for a while

For those of you who are looking for submarine stories, check out the Qual Card Drop Down on the right side of the page. Click on it, and look for the words submarine or Navy and you can find a good selection of previous posts… For those who just need a quick break, come on […]

So you want to be a Submariner? (circa 1943)

Every American Bluejacket from the early 1900’s to today receives a copy of the Bluejacket’s Manual. The books were written to help supplement the knowledge of men who were being brought into the Navy. Many times, they lacked even a high school education although over the last century that has been less and less. Newer […]

A new day

Today was a special day. My business web site went live today! I will still continue to add stories and commentary to the Lean Submariner but the website bobmacpherson-speaker.info is my way to satisfy my passion for business process improvement, training services, and speaking. Check it out if you get the chance. In the next […]

Godspeed John Glenn

Fifty years ago, John Glenn joined a long list of American pioneers who left their mark on the lexicon of American history. On February 20, 1962, he climbed into Friendship 7 and after a few delays, was finally launched into space. While he was not the first American to do so, his flight was the […]

True Colors

As previously predicted, Congress and the Administration are making something they describe as “Hard Choices” in regards to containing spending. There is just one problem with those hard choices: the people who cause this mess are bearing the least of the cost. That’s right, the elected officials that pushed us into the sub-prime mess, the […]

Happy Birthday, Mr. President, Happy Birthday to You!

This country has had 40 Presidents since it’s beginning. The remarkable thing is that all of them have been changed peacefully in spite of conflicts both within and without. Do you have a favorite? Many progressives would cite Teddy Roosevelt or Bill Clinton. Solid true red conservatives are honor bound to say that Reagan was […]

What a tragic loss

Today’s news is full of sad stories about the tragic loss of one of America’s singing icons. We will all be bombarded with facts about her accomplishments, her troubled life, her many fans who will be weeping, and on and on. Some people woke up this morning wondering where they could send flowers and teddy […]