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  • Valour-IT Auctions

    The annual Valour-IT fundraiser has received some interesting donation items, lead by Team Navy with an excellent selection of books and prints. The auctions are being run on eBay. You can bid on all of these books:
    SIGNED 'Command Attention' by Col. Keith Oliver
    'Embedded' (in Iraq) by [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2009, 12:13am EDT

  • Missile Defense

    Over the past six months, I've had the privilege of supporting the Japanese Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program in a relatively minor role. My team was responsible for much of the pre-flight analysis that lead up to this:
    October 28, 2009
    Japan/U.S. Missile Defense Flight Test Successful
    The Japan' [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 11:52am EDT

  • Project Valour-IT

    Project Valour-IT helps provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries.
    Voice-controlled Laptops - Operated by speaking into a microphone or using other adaptive technologies, they allow the wounded to maintain connections with the rest [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 6:11pm EDT

  • Battle of the Sibuyan Sea

    Sixty-five years ago today, the US and Imperial Japanese navies fought in the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, a single day's engagement in the longer Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Japanese battleship Musashi met her doom that day.
    Thank God for the bravery of the sailors who fought that day, [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 10:30pm EDT

  • Health Care Bill before Congress

    OpenCongress.org appears to be an interesting place to read this bill. Everyone needs to read it and understand what its approximately 1,036 pages contain.

    I've added a widget in the right column that should take you there, or you can just use this link.

    Another interesting way' [...]
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    Posted: August 15, 2009, 4:24pm EDT

  • Texting


    Texting
    Originally uploaded by kmadams85So, we got my daughter a cell phone when she entered middle school. Last summer, she discovered texting and ran up an interesting but not painful bill. So we get her a plan that allows 250 messages [...]
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    Posted: July 05, 2009, 12:12am EDT

  • Regaining Contact, the Hard Way

    Galrahn has the latest on the story of USS John McCain and her towed array collision with a Chinese submarine:
    These details tend to confirm what many of us previously speculated regarding the incident. It is kind of obvious that when a submarine accidentally rams a towed sonar [...]
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    Posted: June 19, 2009, 8:39pm EDT

  • USS Iowa - 20 years

    Hard to believe it's been 20 years since the terrible day that saw forty seven of my shipmates give their lives in service to their country.
    I last wrote about Iowa here. I don't think I can ever forget those men, the events of that day, or [...]
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    Posted: April 19, 2009, 8:30pm EDT

  • Historical Irony

    A friend forwarded this little beauty this afternoon:

    Does anyone find it ironic that the ship the Navy dispatched to the Somali coast to deal with the pirate threat is the USS Bainbridge, a ship named after a Navy Captain who in 1803 ran his ship aground [...]
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    Posted: April 09, 2009, 1:40pm EDT

  • SECDEF Announces budget for 2010

    Wow. Just wow. Secretary Gates has just announced a major remodeling of the entire Defense budget. I live-blogged as best I could on Twitter, but I'm sure I didn't get it all. Transcript is not yet available. Highlights of the Navy stuff, which I'm sure will be explored in' [...]
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    Posted: April 06, 2009, 2:32pm EDT

  • Handguns

    Firearms TrainingI am a: Colt model 1911 in 45ACP

    What kind of handgun are YOU?
    via Lex. [...]
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    Posted: March 15, 2009, 11:49am EDT

  • Observation on shipbuilding

    Congressman Gene Taylor (D - MS) is pushing the Navy to get costs under control for its shipbuilding programs or face losing them. The Navy Times, reporting on testimony by RADM William Landay, Program Executive Officer for Ships, closes with a telling quote from the Congressman.
    Whatever it takes, [...]
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    Posted: March 10, 2009, 6:53pm EDT

  • Obama Gutting the Navy

    CDR Salamander asks (at his place)

    $55 billion? What does the Navy throw on the alter? At the low end, I would think that we will have to eat at least 30% of that - let's call it $18.3 billion that needs to go as a baseline.

    His question' [...]

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    Posted: January 31, 2009, 3:34pm EST

  • Defense Budget Cut 10%

    The problem: cut 10% from the military budget. How is it possible to slash $55 billion from our national defense accounts? The president has stated as one of his goals the need to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps. If that's to be realized, then his' [...]
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    Posted: January 31, 2009, 11:40am EST

  • GAO Reports on Weapon Systems

    In much discussion of US weapons systems, the Government Accountability Office is often cited as a source of information on costs, risks, and performance. For the basic facts, I think this is a good thing; they have access to data from multiple primary sources, and present it clearly.
    That said, [...]
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    Posted: December 22, 2008, 10:58pm EST

  • Go NAVY!

    BEAT ARMY! [...]
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    Posted: December 06, 2008, 11:36am EST

  • Piracy!

    It seems that to catch a pirate, one must think like a pirate. The Coast Guard seems to have taken that a step further, and their blogging team for the Valour-IT competition is acting like a pirate crew. They've hijacked the other teams' thermometers, and they are demanding [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2008, 9:23am EST

  • Valour-IT

    As I've done each of the last several years, I am supporting the Valour-IT fund drive. This project provides laptops so that injured service members can reconnect to the world outside of their medical facilities.

    The project came from the experience of Major Chuck Ziegnefuss, and armor officer' [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2008, 12:31pm EST

  • Cost Growth in Shipbuilding

    It seems that western navies are not the only ones having trouble keeping costs under control. According to an opinion piece in RIA Novosti, "Project 20380 ship - the corvette Steregushchy - has gone up in price during its construction from 1.8 billion to 5 billion rubles" -- 177% [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2008, 1:22pm EDT

  • Piracy a legal problem?

    Over at Information Dissemination, Galrahn has an informative and interesting post about one of my favorite subjects: A Team Effort at Sea, A Legal Problem Looms. Russia has sent a frigate to the Gulf of Aden to work with the US and EU in combating piracy. Galrahn commends the [...]
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    Posted: October 10, 2008, 11:01am EDT

  • Mike on the Mend: In Memoriam

    I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my USNA classmate, Colonel Mike Stahlman, had been seriously injured while on duty in Iraq. Unfortunately, the best the Navy doctors in Bethesda could do was not enough; Mike passed this Sunday, with his wife Kim by his side.
    I had [...]
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    Posted: October 07, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  • Mike on the Mend

    I recently learned that a classmate, Col. Mike Stahlman, USMC, suffered a pretty severe head injury while on duty in Iraq. He's back in the states now, and recovering slowly with the help of the Navy docs and his family. A blog with information on his recovery ups and downs' [...]
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    Posted: September 23, 2008, 10:02pm EDT

  • What is this blog about?

    With some help from Wordle:

    [...]
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    Posted: September 09, 2008, 9:35pm EDT

  • The future?

    Speaker of the House
    President of the Senate
    Both women? Sounds fun! [...]
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    Posted: August 30, 2008, 6:37pm EDT

  • Force Structure Required to Execute the Maritime Strategy

    I've been delayed a bit by real life in completing the assignment laid out by Galrahn at Information Dissemination, but now I can report some progress.
    In my last post, I laid out the tasks required by the Maritime Strategy and the assumptions I would use in filling those' [...]
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    Posted: August 28, 2008, 9:00pm EDT

  • Shipbuilding to Support Strategy

    The Navy's "Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower" provides an overview of the capabilities needed for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to fulfill their responsibilities to the nation:
    Guided by the objectives articulated in the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, National Military Strategy and the National' [...]
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    Posted: August 25, 2008, 10:43pm EDT

  • Fantasy Shipbuilding is not like Fantasy Football

    Galrahn has laid down a challenge to Naval bloggers concerning the current shipbuilding plan:
    "Given Huntington's advice, the Navy's existing plan, the operational considerations, the Maritime Strategy, and $35 [sic] billion over 5 years... what would be your shipbuilding plan, and why? The FY09-FY13 plan the Navy released" [...]
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    Posted: August 25, 2008, 10:37pm EDT

  • The Barak Obama Vice Presidential Selection Process ...

    ... in haiku.

    Need a running mate
    who will make me look like more
    than a neophyte.

    Reach into the past?
    Al Gore has experience.
    But George Bush beat him.

    Could be I will pick
    Kathaleen Sebelius.
    Nah. Wes Clark wants her.

    Senator Clinton.
    I beat [...]
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    Posted: August 24, 2008, 9:33pm EDT

  • Exciting, Historic, But a Message Is Sent

    From DelawarePolitics.net:

    "Barack Obama has made an excellent choice in Joe Biden, for many reasons, and it is a proud day for Delawareans and the Bidens. A big congratulations go out to Joe, Jill, Hunter, Beau, Ashley, the Owens family and the extended Biden clan.

    That" [...]
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    Posted: August 24, 2008, 3:53pm EDT

  • Fighting Piracy

    Mike Burleson at New Wars writes this morning in The Jihad Goes to the Sea, responding to Galrahn:

    Somehow the mighty Western navies see anti-piracy as beneath them, which is remarkable since in years past they collectively managed to handle outbreaks quite well. We often forget that [...]
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    Posted: August 24, 2008, 10:38am EDT

  • Delanco School District Election

    Yesterday, the voters of Delanco chose to accept my offer of volunteer service on the school board. Thank you! I'll do my best to represent the interests of the entire township over the next three years. If you ever have an issue regarding the schools, I'd be happy to discuss [...]
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    Posted: April 16, 2008, 7:35am EDT

  • Wow

    Has it really been almost six months since my last post here? Time flies.

    Life development - I have on my desk a nominating packet to run for Delanco School Board. It needs to be submitted by the 25th of February. Given that I've been going to the school' [...]
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    Posted: February 14, 2008, 6:21pm EST

  • Politics, Gender, and Bias

    Michelle Malkin notes the search for Ellen Goodman's "intrepid graduate student" in trying to gain a better understanding Goodman's characterization of the blogosphere as a "Boys' Club." It seems that Goodman has data to support her analysis, but isn't willing to share it.


    I sometimes consider myself an “intrepid [...]

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    Posted: August 16, 2007, 9:11am EDT

  • Marines need e-mail

    Grim at Blackfive spoke with the commander of Regimental Combat Team SIX recently, and this for me is the highlight of the conversation -- what we can do to help the Marines:

    GRIM: Is there anything that you and your Marines need that we could send you?

    COL. [...]

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    Posted: June 20, 2007, 10:57pm EDT

  • A Haiku

    While walking in to work from the car this morning, the following popped into my head:


    Springtime nor'easter
    snow-covered cherry blossoms
    Al Gore gave a talk' [...]
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    Posted: April 16, 2007, 1:36pm EDT

  • Happy Birthday to Me!

    I got a really cool present for my birthday this year: a bunch of friends from way back, with whom I had lost touch, found this blog.
    Lope, Cece, Kristi, and all y'all from back in the dark ages, it's great to hear from you. [...]
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    Posted: April 06, 2007, 10:46pm EDT

  • Woodworking advice

    In the never-ending quest to maintain our 91-year-old house, I have come across the need to replace some kitchen cabinets. At a couple-hundred bucks each, it makes sense to build them rather than buy them. The only major tool needed for such an endeavor, not already in my shop, is [...]
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    Posted: March 04, 2007, 2:15pm EST

  • New Jersey 2008 State Budget - Municipal Aid

    Enlighten New Jersey notes today the inequality in state aid to municipalities.
    As required by law, each Legislative Distinct (LD) has approximately the same number of residents, and yet proposed municipal aid ranges from a low of $23,625,299 in LD-24 to a high of $119,422,814 in [...]
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    Posted: March 02, 2007, 8:21pm EST

  • Global Warming

    Is global warming induced by human activity? What is the relationship between human energy output and atmospheric temperature increase?

    Some would have you believe that we are all doomed if we don't cut our carbon emissions, because a 1 degree rise in temperature would raise sea level, wiping [...]
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    Posted: February 25, 2007, 11:15am EST

  • Yeah, I know I'm a slacker

    Bob over at eCache noticed that I pretty much abandoned my regular posting schedule last summer. Work had a large part in that, since I was working on a never-ending proposal effort from mid-June until last week.
    Another factor was an online game that has consumed much of my [...]
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    Posted: January 22, 2007, 10:25pm EST

  • Happy New Year

    Resolutions: none.

    Predictions:
    I know the prediction business is a risky one, but I feel pretty confident in making these.
    • Solar fusion will warm the Earth, but not all of it and not all the time.
    • My kids will fight.
    • My back will go out, taking several days to straighten back [...]
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    Posted: January 01, 2007, 10:46am EST

  • Deer Season, Part Deux

    A week ago, I got a big surprise when a young buck jumped into my headlights at a range of about 10 feet. My Blazer took some damage but was still drivable; the deer did not dare as well.
    We got the call from the body shop, and it [...]
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    Posted: December 05, 2006, 7:17pm EST

  • Go Navy!

    Alright all you Navy football fans, get your beers chilled and your TVs tuned to CBS (the only reason to watch that pathetic excuse for a network):

    Navy (8-3) will play host to Army (3-8) in the 107th edition of the Army-Navy game Saturday at a sold-out Lincoln Financial [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2006, 1:15pm EST

  • Deer Season

    As most folks in Jersey know, deer season opened yesterday in Pennsylvania. Living near the river, we always see a large increase in our neighborhood deer population during the week after Thanksgiving - the smart ones swim the Delaware River to avoid being shot. We've actually seen them climbing the [...]
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    Posted: November 28, 2006, 10:39pm EST

  • Have you ever?

    Lifted this from Jim:

    1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink – How can you not when it's 25-cent draft night?
    2. Swam with wild dolphins – Virginia Beach, many times. They come within a couple hundred yards of the shore.
    3. Climbed a mountain – Mount [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2006, 12:28am EST

  • Valour-IT End Game

    It's coming right down to the wire in the Valour-IT Veterans' Day Challenge, with just over 4 hours to go, we are less than $4,600 just over $1,400 from our goal! The graph below shows that we were at $175,610 as of 1911 EST; as I prepared it Army [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2006, 7:51pm EST

  • $24,966 ...

    ... and 12 hours are all that stand between now and the Valour-IT goal. The chart shows that we are oh-so-close to hitting $180,000 by 1100, 11/11.



    All four teams have done their part today, with Navy still leading the pack, the [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2006, 11:12pm EST

  • GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!

    At this instant in time, the Navy Valour-IT team is at the goal line, and has collected $45,000 to support our injured troops. Now that we have reached the first objective, it's time to push on. The next objective is $180,000 for the drive, and we must keep the [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2006, 11:34am EST

  • November 10, 1775






    Here's health to you and to our Corps
    Which we are proud to serve;
    In many a strife we've fought for life
    And never lost our nerve.
    If the Army and the Navy
    Ever gaze on Heaven's scenes,
    They [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2006, 7:48am EST

  • Two More Days to Support Valour-IT

    There are an awful lot of bloggers supporting Valour-IT. Many of them have great stories to tell. I just realized how many of the Navy team members I haven't visited recently (see the team blogroll in the sidebar). Check out what a few of them have to say:
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    Posted: November 09, 2006, 8:39pm EST

  • Wednesday Upate

    Thanks (again) to the folks at Power Line, Navy remains in the lead at almost $40,000, with the Army, Marines and Air Force each maintaining the same relative positions they held yesterday. With $5,244 left until meeting our goal, we can't let up yet - those Army guys will [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2006, 11:15pm EST

  • Why I Support Valour-IT

    My best friend from high school always wanted to be a soldier. Soon after we graduated, he was off to boot camp, and ended up in the field artillery at Fort Richardson while I studied at the boat school. He always had great stories when we were able to [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2006, 10:02pm EST

  • Floored

    Absolutely floored. Flat on my back, almost passed out. That's how I feel right now after seeing the response generated by the kind readers of Power Line. Scott Johnson put up his first post about Valour-IT 23.5 hours ago, and a second post 12 hours later. [...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2006, 8:29pm EST

  • Valour-IT Monday Checklist

    Monday's Checklist:

    1) Recruit new team members. Done. Welcome aboard, Power Line. Thank you for taking time to join us on what has to be the busiest day of your year.
    2) Check out the auctions at NZ Bear's place. Done. Lots of cool stuff, like rare [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2006, 10:53pm EST

  • Valour-IT Sunday Update

    Welcome, Power Line readers! For the latest stats, please head up to the top of the site.

    Navy Team, there is good and bad news in the Valour-IT statistics at the end of the weekend. The good news is that Team Navy has so far collected [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2006, 10:12pm EST

  • VALOUR-IT Saturday Update

    Folks, we definitely need to kick it up a notch on the Navy team. To reach our $45,000 goal, we need to pull in $3,612 per day. Our running average as of this post is only $2,668! You can see in the chart below that we are fallling way [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2006, 10:38am EST

  • VALOUR-IT Progress Report

    The VALOUR-IT Veterans' Day challenge is off to a great start, with over $55,000 collected in just over three days! Only $125k left to go, and we can get there with your help. Here's the total progress so far:


    In the competition between [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2006, 6:50pm EST

  • Voice Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops

    The VALOUR-IT project, in which I participated last year, is starting up its annual drive in preparation for Veteran's Day. The project, which has so far provided 650 laptops to troops injured in combat, is well worth your time, energy, and money. Please consider making an online donation [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2006, 10:20am EST
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