November 2009 - Argghhh!

The Armorer of Argghhh! (the fuzzy one in the silly hat) and Chuck Z of "From my position, On the Way!" in the Castle Technical in the 2009 Leavenworth Veteran's Day Parade. Photo courtesy Karel S.Small town parades are the best. The crowds are closer to the parade itself, you're more likely to know people in the crowd, and as long as you aren't a part of a performance group like a band, you can talk to spectators.Like when I saw my contractor and shouted "Where are my...

There are 11 Medals awarded for actions on this day - pretty much right on the daily average. Eight for two fights during the Civil War, one lifesaving naval Medal in the 1871-1898 era, and two Medals during World War II. It is a good day in that all recipients lived to attend their award ceremony!Civil War. 5 naval Medals to the crew of the USS Lehigh, and three Army Medals for engagements at Lenoire and Campbell Stations, Tennessee. Interesting tidbit about Lehigh - she served in the Spanish American...

I wasn't ignoring the story last night, our internet connection was slower than John Kerry in Cambodia, and I gave up trying to get email to open and realized that the news coverage was just ad hoc crap.It has been interesting (and instructive) to watch the story morph, and how people felt the need to jump on it with all sorts of bullshit analysis when pretty much all they were doing was... guessing. I'm talking the stuff that went out publicly, not conversations that were occurring in email...

Since Augetter got the Whatziss... let's go ahead with this one.A Soldier aims an XM-25 weapon system at Aberdeen Test Center, Md. It fires 25 mm grenades that are set to explode in mid-air at or near the target. It features an array of sights, sensors and lasers housed in a Target Acquisition Fire Control unit on top, an oversized magazine behind the trigger mechanism, and a short, ominous barrel wrapped by a recoil dampening sleeve....

Neener Neener Neener!I know, it's an ugly thing to do. And mean. But sometimes I just can't keep it to myself.The Castle Armory's Polish-made DP-28....

We've already noted Colonel Millett's passing. I thought you might be interested in a few more details, courtesy the Armed Forces Press Service.Face of Defense: Soldier Who Led Last Bayonet Charge Dies American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 - Retired Army Col. Lewis L. Millett, who earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War for leading what reportedly was the last major American bayonet charge, died Nov 14. Retired Army Col. Lewis L. Millet wears his Medal of Honor,...

Now, one of the conundra a 'toonist faces is maintaining that monomolecularly-thin line between the willing suspension of disbelief and flat-out absurdity. Since the victim subject in the current series actually *is* a scientist, the 'toonist incurs the additional responsibility of insuring the storyline doesn't venture too far afield, moving into the realm of pseudoscience while maintaining the pretense that the arc actually *is* presenting hard science, rather than overblown speculation...

There are 12 Medals awarded for actions on this day, spanning from the Civil War to Vietnam. That's above the average of 10 per day, and is high for this time of year - as is the number of pre-WWI Medals, as this was not prime campaigning time for 19th century warfare.Civil War, and four Medals for a busy day near Knoxville, Tennessee in 1863. Three soldiers who burned some building being used as sniper nests and one messenger. One has to wonder if today's press wouldn't excoriate those...