NATURAL HUNTERS

I was reading until quite late tonight with one of nature's best hunters asleep on the couch nearby who suddenly lifted his head towards the ceiling and with staring eyes carefully tracked the movement of a silent and invisible thing for more than a minute before closing his eyes and resuming his nap. There was nothing there because here in the depths of winter there are no bugs or mice. He clearly saw something. I wonder what it was.

I found this wonderful and informative video at "The Age of Sail" blog. It shows how indescribable conditions were on the gun decks of wooden warships of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic era.

TIME TO NEGOTIATE THE FISCAL CLIFF

It is now time for the Senate and House to negotiate a settlement to the fiscal cliff. I offer this in the spirit of cooperation: How to negotiate with democrats:

28 YEARS

28 years and a bit ago I was commissioned in the USNR. Today I received my US Flag in the mail and the anticipated letter with retirement orders dated 1 September 2012. All in all it was a great ride. I enjoyed it a lot.

 Just for the heck of it and as a test of ancient memory:

Commissioned Penn State 1983

USS LaSalle (AGF-3) Middle East Force Flagship - 1984
 OPERATION INTENSE LOOK in the Red Sea looking for mines with HM-14 - 1984

USS Harry W. Hill (DD-986) - 1985
  ASW OPS 85-6 - 1985

SWOS Department Head School Diesel Engineer - 1986

USS Pluck (MSO-464) - 1987

USS Esteem (MSO-438) - 1988
  OPERATION EARNEST WILL - 1988
  OPERATION PRAYING MANTIS - 1988

USS Pluck (MSO-464) - 1988

USS Esteem (MSO-438) - 1989
  OPERATION EARNEST WILL

Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 107 - 1989
  OPERATION  WALLEYE

USS Fresno (LST-1182) - 1991

 Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE - 1992
  OPERATION DESERT STORM
  JOINT TASK FORCE A
  KOREA
  THAILAND
  BAHRAIN
  KUWAIT
  PORTUGAL
  EGYPT

US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain - 1996
  OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH
  OPERATION DESERT STRIKE

Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 104 - 1997

Surface Force Pacific Fleet 1998

Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 103 - 1998
  OPERATION SILENT ASSURANCE

Special Boat Squadron ONE - 1999

Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command - 1999-2002

Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 104 - 2000

Harbor Defense Force Western Pacific - 2003

Navy Coastal Warfare Group ONE 2005
  OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
  OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

Maritime Expeditionary Security Group ONE - 2006

Harbor Defense Force Western Pacific - 2009