My washing machine had been performing ...suboptimally for a while. It decided to be flat-out broke the night before I left for my training.

Today, I putzed around with it for about an hour before giving it up as a hopeless[1] case. So, I decided at 3:30 to get a new machine. 3:45, armed with some printed-out consumer reports reviews, I headed out to the store.

I got to the store at about 4:10, and At 5:15, I was the proud owner owner of a brand new[2] washing machine (Nope, not one of the CR reviewed models, but the Neptune [similar, but front loading] was). Most of that time having being taken up with waiting for the clerks to get me a price for a machine in it's "discountined bargan" area. 'Cuz I'm stuborn like that. Unfortunately I wasn't able to pick it up today (warehouse closed at 4:00), but will pick it up tomorrow. I'll likely go ahead and purchase the matching dryer (or this) at the same time. Nothing wrong with the current one, but it's nice having a matching set. And it's nice owning your own[3].

[1] As I've mentioned before, I am not exactly mechanically ept. The problem is the transmission mounting. I expect that, for a competent person (such as I am not), it would be a quick fix.
[2] Yes, I know you can get them for next to nothing in the classifieds or craigslist.
[3] The current set is on much appriciated long-term loan from some friends, and I presume they will want them back at some point. One of the friends is mechanical, and I'm thinking that the washer will be a quick fix for someone of his competence.

Ten years. Wow. Doesn't seem nearly so long ago.

Hurts different than it did then. Sharp, stabbing pain then. More of a diffuse something or the other now.

Shrug.

Nothing actually enlightened to say. Just wanted to mark the date.
Guess that's icon fraud? :-?

Oh, and I made it home in one piece. No thanks to NorthWest Airlines.
The bastards.

First all y'all.
Then Southpark.
Then American Dad.

I'll buy WoW.

Fine.

Today was a long day, started at 7:00AM and ended at 9:00 PM with my completion of presenting a block of instruction from the course I'm finishing up.

A while back, I went to the "how to be an instructor" school. This resulted in my being awarded an ASI (additional skill identifier) as an instructor.

I am now going through my current school to be "officially trained"[1] in the subject matter. This will result in my being certified (can instruct AND a "subject matter expert") to teach the course.

In addition, one needs to be "validated" (initially and yearly) by being observed (to be successful, duh!) in your instructional techniques and subject matter expertise by a senior instructor.

So, I am now in the odd situation of being validated, but not certified, for another week. Gotta love the letter of the law. :-) Turns out you can have your instuctional techniques and subject matter expertise examined before being certified. As long as you aren't teaching STUDENTS. If your audience is all qualified instructors, you're golden. Assuming you do it successfully.

I did. Yeah, me!

[1]I'd actively done work of this sort OJT while deployed, but now I'm getting that thar book learnen to make me edumucated. It has been mostly review, but still a good class, as the doctrine is changing at light speed. I found out today that it will officially change some more in the next few weeks, and the course will actually be changed before I teach it for my first official class. More importantly, it is interesting AND the instructors and other students are both A)smart and B)interested. So the entire day speeds by.

"...I didn't kill anybody and nobody killed me." (Mike Royko column, way back when)

Different war, pretty much my take on "mine", though. It was mostly boredom, which I wish for any and all of your family, friends, aquantenances, etc. currently downrange.

Light a candle, set an extra place at the table, raise a toast, Go to a Veterans day memorial, go up to a random servicemember or veteran and give them a handshake and a "thank you" while looking them in the eye (I know some others here have opined that they would see doing so as ..odd. I disagree. Shrug), whatever works for you. Just spare a few brain-cycles for those who are currently serving, or who have. I really liked the poem Aridhol recently posted.

Then fire up the BBQ. Don't be morbid or maudlin. Enjoy what being a citizen of this country has to offer. They chose to do thier job. Do yours.

Of course, *I'll* spend the entire day in a classroom, either instructing or being instructed. So eat some extra steak for me. OTOH, there is a cute chick in the class who is ringless. ;->

Anyway, have a great veteran's day.

Politics? Bah, don't speak to me of politics. In my current frame of mind, I would likely use words that were...immoderate (as *I* define the word), and which I wouldn't wish to claim as mine at a later date. Suffice it to say that 1)I was both surprised and disappointed at the results of the election and 2)I was, and am, glad that the R's took it with class, and didn't immediately resort to lawsuits and rants against voting machines, irregularities, etc, etc. Tomorrow, however, is another day.

Ha
Haha
haha haha
bwahaha!

Wisconson is dryer than Washington, at the moment.

The class is good. It's interesting. The doctrine is evolving. (which is what makes it interesting)
It is very illuminating to put faces to what before had been only names, email text, and the occassional voice.

This class really highlights the fact that this isn't your grandfather's (or your father's, or your older brother's) Army anymore. The experiences (both military and civilian) that the people in this unit bring to the table are really impressive. As is the collegial (as opposed to hierarchical) way things get done. As is the way the Army now goes about its training.

Yeah, that's about as specific as I'm going to get in this forum about the training. But the comments really apply to the way(s) the Army does business as a whole. The changes over the last several years are really amazing.

I "blame" Rumsfeld, btw.

I see that the D's are already ramping up the "if we don't win, it means it was fraud".
'Cuz they don't know anyone who voted for Nixon....
Previous prediction stands.

I just got back (via Taco Bell) from karate, where I just finished passing my Green Belt test.
To quote the ninja guy from Fight Science (National Geographic channel): "I feel like Superman.... but in a humble way." :-)

I hope the person who asked me to retire my origional sig will forgive me for its brief return.
Red Warrior Needs Food Badly!
Red Warrior Is About to Die!
AAARRRRRGGGGG!
(Not really, now I just need to give the Taco Bell alleged "food" time to digest, drink a bunch more water, and mainline vitamin C)

In addition to taking the test a little earlier than a really wanted too[1], I've had a nastly cold for the last two days. On the one hand, that gave me an excuse to blow off work and rest up. On the other hand, I've had a nasty cold for the last two days. So, I guess that was a draw.

We also moved back to wearing full Gis for "tradional" stuff starting the beginning of October. Through the summer, We could wear "sprawl" or equivalent fight shorts and a t-shirt. Full Gi makes a big difference. And, despite the local weather the last few days (rain, with occasional showers), it was HOT in the dojo. At the end, it was my mouth-breathing self receiving my green belt while buckets of sweat rolled off my body. Then again, I'm the guy receiving his green belt! :-)

Now, to veg in front of the TV for a while, and then go to bed, so I can be full of energy to put together a draft of my units AKO (army portal) website. Which they seem to feel is a lot more work than it actually is. But I don't see where it's my job to tell them otherwise.

Hey, Talinom!! So, I get back on the 17th. On the 18th, taking B to a tournament (his third to participate in), then the fight card in Oly. ALSO a UFC PPV event that day. Think about whether you want to drive back down for the TV of much goodness on the 19th to catch it.

[1]I go to two weeks of military duty starting Sunday morning, and won't be likely have any sparring/training partners, and will want to focus on the subject at hand[1a]. I figured better to push the test up a week or two than wait and have to regain lost polish. For small values of polish.

[1a]Probably not many posts either. Same reason.

As I believe I've mentioned before, I am a member of a brand new reserve unit. In fact, it is so new that its TDA (org chart) hasn't even been formally approved yet (should be April).

So, anyway, I'm reading through a ppt on the reorganization. The tenative TDA looks NOTHING like the ad hoc organization we've been working under. As I'm reading about the benefits of the new TDA, I come across this statement:
"Facilitates command and control - we become members of a unit instead of an Army of Ones."

Thanks to a tool who proved that he was not without ANY use by providing me a link to 2003 stats. This will allow me to update the numbers I posted earlier today. Seriously, why do people post links to "prove" their points without even reading what they are linking to?

Anyway, without further ado, the 2003 numbers:
Active Officers: 4.31% have less than a BA [8.28% upon accessions] 35.77% have an "greater than college graduate" (not sure why the change in terminology or exactly what is now being measured). The average education level of officers has stayed about the same since 2002- more bachelor's degrees, but approx 3% fewer advanced degrees - probably that war thing interfering.

Reserve Officers: 7.72% have less than a BA [11.77% upon accessions], 33.76 have "greater than college graduate. Again, better BA numbers, slightly lower graduate degrees.

Active duty enlisted: 99.23% with either HS diploma (94.72%) or GED/equiv (4.51%) compared to 18-44 year old civilians - 88.6% (civilians are lumped HS diploma and GED/equiv together). Slightly better educational attainment for military enlisted, slightly worse for the population as a whole.

Active Component Enlistees: 99.3% with either a HS diploma (91.94%) or GED/equiv. Compared to 18-24 civilians at 78.49%. Again, slightly better educational attainment for military enlisted, slightly worse for the civilians compared to 2002.

Reserve component Enlisted: 99.55% with either a HS Diploma (93.56%) or GED/equiv(5.99%) compared to 89.04% of civilians aged 18-49. A marked improvement (1.5%) for reserve enlistees, and a slight decline for the overall population.

Reserve component Enlistees: 86.66% with either a HS diploma(84.16%) or a GED/Equiv (2.5%) compared to the 18-24 year old civilian population at 79.15 with either a HS diploma or GED/Equiv. (no, I'm not sure why this number is differnet from the AC v. civilian number)

I would like to once again, thank the troll for this "chance to research my position".

OK, I'm done playing with the troll now. ;->

EDIT:

Nah, a little more. The 2004 Military population report is here, I'm not sure why he didn't link to it instead of the 2003 one (and why I didn't try the simple substitution to see if it was there...). So, let's see what it says....
Active duty enlisted: 99.3% (94.6+4.7%) v 88.1%. Slightly better for military, slightly worse for civilian.
Active duty enlistees: 99.2%(92.0+7.2%) v 79.7%. Slightly worse for military, slightly better for overall population
Reserve enlisted: 99.6% (93.8+5.8%) v 88.7%. Slightly better military, slightly worse civilian.
Reserve enlistees: 99.4% (91.5+7.9%) v 79.7%. Significantly better military, slightly better civilian.
Active duty officers: 4.2% [7.9% upon accessions] with less than BA, 37.5% with advanced degree (MA, etc). Better BA numbers, better adv degree numbers.
Reserve officers: 7.2% [16.0% upon accessions], 34.0%. Ditto.

And furthermore: While you may (or may not) like the source, it is interesting to note that 22.85% of recruits come from the wealthiest quintile (20%) of the country, and 13.7% came from the poorest.

it's the things that you know that just aren't so.

Population Representation in the Military Services -2002

Just a link for the next time some idiot (hey Kerry, looking at you) decides to tell you about who makes up the US military.

I think Kerry's origional unedited comments should be given wide distribution. In fact, I think they are so important, that the RNC, in the spirit of bipartisan cooperation should by TV ads to get out Kerry's message. Without comment. In all its origional glory.

PS - Hey, dipshit, there isn't a draft anymore. People don't need to go to college to avoid military service.

Yes, it is perfectly reasonable that Kirk had the know-how to make the gunpowder and put together the bazooka to defeat the Gorn. That's why he's the goddamn Captain.

Of my entire cubicle, I am the LEAST trekkie...

Very tangental, a while back, someone made a post linking to a cartoon along the lines of "next time, I'm not going unless they make me a Major". I can't find where it was now. If 'twas you (or you just have a freakishly good memory), please repost...

I should've learned to rope & ride.

'tis all.

---

In other news, spent yesterday with my sons boy scout troop. They had what amounted to a day camp[1]. Sort of a round-robin affair. 10 stations with up to 70 points each. My sons troop took 1st place in most of the events, with a few 2nds and 3rds, one "middle of the pack" (Pun intended). and an first "overall" with 681 of 700 possible points. One would have thought that it was an inside job, as the overall administration was run by my sons troop leaders. However, the events were run and scored by parents/leaders of the other troops. His troop also got first (173 ft) and second (171 ft) in the "pumpkin chuck" competition.

More better, his troop got 1st in the plant identification event because he was the only scout who could identify thimbleberry from just the leaf. AND he was the only kid to get on base five times out of five at bats, and with no walks. (Oh yeah, they had a pickup baseball game while waiting for the end of camp campfire).

The event was pretty well run, and enjoyable other than the "nobody camped at the campout" part. :-)

The end of camp campfire was fun, with skits, awards, and a few flag retirements.

[1] There was camping available both Friday and Saturday night, which we had planned on doing. However, for various reasons, none of the rest of his troop was doing so, so we ended up not. I was informed that it wasn't fun without the rest of the troop.

Cute site: How many of you are there? Numbers based on the census. So I guess it's about as accurate as the census.

Hm... "I Am an Army of Twwwwwoooooo!!!" Just doesn't have the same ring to it.

OK, I thought "Say WA" was too stupid to top.

Boy, was I wrong.

They should have gone with the reader suggestion:"Seattle: Come look at the monorail"

And I'd never even heard of "See-@-L: Soak it up" before. :-)

Update: I just saw a couple better ones: "Almost San Francisco" and "Seattle - we take your dollars and give you Nickles".

Update2: It keeps on giving: "living in Seattle is like being in love with a beautiful woman who's sick all the time"