Sunday.... ..... If you are still here…..

 Picture of the day:

Today’s stuff:

Things have a way of changing in this life. Standards,

 guidelines, morals, mowers and even house styles. I

 have heard the term “They moved the goal post!” I

 think I understand that.

I saw a big truck yesterday, front raised high. When I was 16 I would have thought that is the coolest thing ever. Now? It looked stupid and the COST came to mind, who can afford that and still buy groceries?

AS a kid pushing a lawn mower (no motor!), I got paid 50 cents to mow a small yard. Today the cost can be $100 and the guy is using a $5000 zero turn mower.

We had a little (comeuppance) experience with buying a used mower awhile back. I wanted a zero turn mower. They look cool when ‘someone else’ is driving. WE finally

 agreed on the price $2000. Sherry got out the check book. “I do not take checks, we can use ‘zorrow’, zelle’ (or something like that) or cash.”

I said, ok I will go to the bank and get cash. (I was in another town it was 3PM). “Our banks close at 2 o’clock every day.” he said. It was past that time. He agreed to hold it until the next day when we could arrange payment.

Truth is, I could not believe ANY bank closing at that time during the week. So we drove by a bank and I checked the time. Sure enough, closing daily 2PM. As I said, things change.

Now to the mower. I can usually adapt to mechanics or physical actions, BUT A ZERO TURN MOWER IS CRAZY TO DRIVE. First notice, there is NO steering wheel, just two handles Left and Right. I am finally getting it a little, in the meantime I have cut down two Azalea bushes I planted 25 years ago when I built that house. LOL

Things change since I cut grass with a $20 push mower.

Nite Shipslog

PS: I have only paid to have a lawn cut when someone needed the money. I need the exercise and yes I am cheap. ALSO I have never paid that kind of money for a mower, but I did not want to buy another standard riding mower, the zero turn looked COOL! ??!!??  LOL

Saturday The country of Iran.

 Picture of the day:

This is a fair shot of Tehran, greater Tehran is over 13 million citizens:

Today’s stuff just facts and statistics:

In reference to the Mediterranean area of the world.

 Sherry has been to Jordan and Israel; not far

 from Iran. I was in France, Spain, Crete, Turkey,

 Greece, Italy and Sicily other countries of the

 Mediterranean. Together Sherry & I made Germany,

 Belgium  and Switzerland.

Since this undeclared war with Iran,

 I had assumed it was about the size of Maine

 and also sort of a backward country.

However this is IRAN also:

I prefer to know something of the areas our military is

 sent to. You can be very surprised when your mind is

 not broad enough. As a Marine with NATO forces I

 spent a few weeks in the back country of Turkey. My

 impressions: it was a backward country, I was 17

 years old. I was shocked later when I saw Istanbul,

 it’s size and how modern it was. I was overwhelmed.

I am interested in Iran. Hey, it is 2 ½ times the size

 of Texas. 

dark green is Iran size it covers most of our Mid West

Does that surprise you? It did me. There are

 5 other cities over a million in population one of them

 over 3 million. Iran population approx 86 million.

Their army? Quads force, 90,000 elite troops. Special

 Forces 125,000 troops. Combat ready army? 600,000

 That is a total of 815,000 troops.

This is not a backwards country. Now I am told this is NOT Vietnam! and it is not.  BUT who knows?

Look back at the Vietnam statistics:

North Vietnam had an army of approx 480,000 . The

 French fought there for about 8 years lost 55,000

 French soldiers and pulled out without winning. USA

 followed them. After nine combat years we pulled out

 without winning, losing 58000+ good men and women.

I pray that this ‘WAR’ has been thought thru and has

 an objective for an ending.  I am praying we do not go

 Boots on the ground.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

This is not an obsession with me, But I read

 where our president said that  the USA will

 flatten Iran if they do not surrender

 unconditionally. WE have had too many WARS

 that brought the USA NOTHING but PAIN!

Now Iran is 2.5 times the size of Texas, FOR

 EXAMPLE Just THINK how hard it would be to 'wipe

 out' a country that size. count the cost in soldiers,

 missiles and  bombs at 1-2 million  dollars a minute.

 But wait, it will

 be faster with nuclear weapons. Are they there

 already, you can bet you bippy they are.  Every

 carrier and sub of the USA carries them I and many

 sailors have loaded them aboard. 

Our president just said this week, quote " I can

 end this war in  2  seconds." That is a REAL

 scary  option. 

Friday, I WISH …. …..

 Picture of the day:

Stephen Hawkins, can you imagine making this work for you?

Today’s stuff:

I wish I could ‘WILL AWAY’ circumstances/ or pain!’

 When you cannot, what do you do?

Sherry just read a quote to me of Corrie ten boom, It was concerning a woman in Russia she had met. Disease had reduced her to one moving body part, “ONE FINGER!” With that, she typed Bible verses and wrote books.

Hawkins, a physicist, ALS took him but he did not stop! 

I appreciate the things I read. I firmly believe every one of you that Blog, at one time or the other, say something that ‘HITS HOME’ to we who read what you write.

Just lately two of you brought tears to my eyes as I read what you wrote. Victor just put a song on an entry, it concerned a boy's relation with his dad, and also a shoe box.

I do not have a picture of me and my dad together. I wish I did. My dad educated himself. He was a full time farm hand at 8 years old and could not attend school. By the time I left home, his education easily matched that of a ‘Doctorate’. His wisdom, knowledge and common-sense approach to religion and life made him a light to thousands of people. I wish I could tell him now, how much I admired him.

My friend Billy is blind. WE talk some, he can tell daylight from dark and at times distinguish forms. He went blind during a medical operation which had NOTHING to do with his eyes. Did that stop him? Huh uh! He has fenced his yard and has built a carport.

My Aunt Georgia, went blind and still maintained a home, cooked and cleaned house. I told you all that once as a 6 year old I followed her into the kitchen, she was pouring coffee to serve. “Aunt Georgia, if you are blind, how can you tell how much you are pouring?” I asked.

"See my finger over he edge of the cup Jackie, I can feel the heat as it gets near the top.” She explained several things to this little kid. I was (still am) amazed.

Sister White was sweet but opinionated. Funny that; I understand she was raised in ‘Brown Town!’ ... Another friend, Jinks, lived in Brown Town. Jinks went blind as he aged. Sister White would mention Jinks many times as being the laziest man she knew. He lays around and expects his wife to serve him hand and foot.

I told Sherry, “Sis White is tough on Jinks, he’s blind.”

"Jack, Sister White knows handicaps. She could not speak properly until she started to school at 6 years old. She was raised by parents that were referred to as ‘Deaf and Dumb’. They still worked and raised a family.”

I moved to the Belmont area in 1954, so I was new there. Brown Town is a community of Belmont where most folks named Brown, lived. Sherry knows a lot of people

And then there is Nick Vujicic, his ministry is Life without Limbs, No arms or legs. He is inspirational!

Google him if you want to see some amazing stuff.

MA ‘s blog says, “If you cannot see the bright side, polish the dull part.” Imma trying.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

 WOW! Somehow there are people who decide to whip a problem, and there are those who fold.

Thursday, Fill in and catch up

 Picture of the day:

Gerald Ford Air Craft Carrier

Today’s stuff:

I mentioned previously fire is dreaded aboard ship. I was forced to recall one just yesterday when I read of one lately on the Aircraft Carrier Gerald Ford, there was a big fire, it was reportedly started in the ships laundry, and burned thru compartments that contained a 600 beds. The ship was past it's time for over all maintenance and should NEVER have been deployed further. Someone dropped the ball. 12 months of 12-20 hour days kills moral.

After hours the entire ship is covered by sailors doing their after hours assignment as a ‘Fire Watch’. Each fire watch is assigned a specific area to patrol. The job is assigned to the lower pay grades and is broken down into 4 hour walks.

In my entire time at sea I experienced one fire. It just had to happen during one of my times as a ‘fire watch’. So after the shipboard notice was given over all speakers: “FIRE, FIRE 02 LEVEL FRAME 90, THIS IS NOT A DRILL, FIRE, FIRE”. It was my job to run my assigned area rushing sailors and officers to a weather deck. I will never forget one compartment the men were watching the movie ‘Rat Patrol’ on the TV, they were so engrossed they were fanning smoke from the screen, true dat. Sailors are crazy. They did leave, but did not want to.

That fire Report reminded me when blogging about shipboard life, I over looked the Laundry, a BIG part of ALL ships. Someone must do the laundry, right?

Try thinking of the amount of laundry on a carrier, associated with the life of 5000+ sailors. The laundry washes at least 5000 bed sheets a week. They wash every man's laundry. All clothes have the owner's name on it. On your Division’s Laundry Day, you come back from your job, and your sheets and clothes are piled on your bunk. 

Each man folds, rolls, his clothes and puts them away; then replaces his sheets.  Yes, there is a great system that ensures YOUR clothes are on YOUR rack (bed) every laundry day. They never lost even my underwear or socks.

It is hard to wrap your mind around the jobs and requirements to run a ship. There are plenty of ‘side jobs’ called ADDITIONAL DUTIES All low ranks must spend so many weeks a year on mess duty (assisting the cooks), fire watch, compartment cleaning, mail Petty Officer, passageway cleaning, security duty, and burn runs (burning out dated classified documents and messages). As a fire watch you definitely learn parts of the ship you never knew existed. LOL

Enough, every job, occupation, and just life, has some boring and exciting parts. It has been nice meeting folks on line, losing some has sure made me sad at times. Right now, I am hit hardest thinking of Jean of Opp and Paula, the cowgirl. Two wonderful women we met on Journals and Blogs. Amazing how close we get sometimes.

All people are important. EVERYONE has a life, there fore a story.  With the right writer, your life would make a best selling book.

See ya

Nite Shipslog

PS:

Life gets to you sometimes. Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog

Sherry is washing clothes today, and it is shaking the RV.

Wednesday, Taxes, everyone’s favorite subject (not)

 Picture of the day:

Today’s stuff:

Tax time, I can relax, ours?... done! We even got a refund, the first time in many years. Every year I

 remember an eye opening time. We were stationed in GITMO, my ‘Commander in Chief & President', was Mr. Richard Nixon.

It wasn’t a law, but sort of an expected rule, as president of the USA it was a practice to make his Tax return public. Our present president is an exception, he promised todo that, but later refused. Anyway, Sherry and I, lower-income enlisted folk, under Nixon’s command paid twice more in taxes than the President of the USA! He had paid a whopping $750.00 in federal Income tax. His salary was $100,000 a year, ours, less than $6,000. That blew my mind.

I am very sure he paid the right amount with deductions and loopholes, therefore the Commander-in-Chief of the Army still paid less tax than a Private in that Army.

In my opinion our tax system is NOT fair, but we still live in a GREAT country. I would like to see a straight 10% income tax on EVERYONE who ears over $50K. Maybe a Federal Sales tax of 15% on everything purchased, no exceptions or loopholes. Get rid of most of the IRS and all income tax. It would sure make it simpler for businesses that pay employees and forget withholding taxes.

With the 15% fed sales tax, when buying a car for $5000 we pay $750 tax. When the Billionaire buys a Yacht for $500,000, he pays $75,000 sales tax.

Yeah I dream a lot. I jump thru the hoops every year and fill out our tax forms. I am one cheap dude. One of my son’s pays $250 to have his done, the other  might do his own.

OF COURSE I do not KNOW, but I hear there are some Billionaires who pay zero in income taxes, because their income is in stocks/bonds etc and taxed different than me. Our tax system is employee driven, not investment.

My mind will no longer hold things together, so I get very lost in IRS language. I have read about 100 of the nearly 7,000 pages of the tax code. It actually goes to 75,000 pages when the explanations and directions are included.

I won’t even try to guess the # of presidents and congressmen who have read even 10% of that code. HOWEVER, I guarantee there are lawyers who have read enough to find the loopholes, as they say. They get paid good money to do that. LOL

Ok ,I have said too much, but get your taxes filed, pay what Uncle Sam says pay, so my SS check will arrive next month. Oh yes, and THANK YOU very much!

Nite Shipslog

PS: I didn’t bitch too much did I?

Thanks for stopping by the Shipslog

Tuesday, Insight of Military life

 Picture of the day:

That picture was taken a short 70 years ago, She was cute wasn't she. She married a Marine. I was a smart fellow as a kid.

Today’s stuff:

WE all think of the military personnel and dangers when they are deployed. Seldom do we think of trouble at home when the military person MUST get back home i.e. the death of a loved one back home.

Military troops know that the Red Cross will help with notification of home problems, but we seldom expected it. My BIL Sgt Vernon Gomez Harris, deployed to Nam with the Green Berets, His & Sherry’s mother died. The Red Cross gave him assistance; he made it across the Pacific and the USA in time for the funeral.

While deployed to Cuba I was notified my dad was dying. If he had been declared dead the USN would have flown our family back, but since it was ONLY a notification of serious sickness, I was flown back immediately. Sherry and the boys came to the USA at the death.

I mentioned in a comment to Victor about this, as my plane approached Charlotte, NC the weather was so bad the plane was diverted to Tennessee or Virginia, I forget which; I rented a car and drove to Charlotte. But Dad had died during the diversion.

We all understand that is bad, but not like your loved one returning from deployment in a box.

So I am asking for your prayers for those families who will be seeing loved ones next, some in coffins. War is terrible, but when you sign on and wear the uniform you swear on your life to do what is required. I was fortunate I never saw combat, but my cousins, brothers, in-laws and other kin did, we were thankful they all returned, walking. Sherry's brother Lefty, was wounded on Iwo Jima but came back alive.

A lot is entailed in life, I hear hints of the draft being reinstated. IMHO 6 months to 2 years in the military is very good for most of our youth. Many people have not known discipline, and it would do them good.

I do not personally foresee the need for a draft in the present situation, but my friends, if it were to come to a World War, it WILL be necessary, and we all will cry and pray. I Remember WWII. And make no mistake, if this one comes, we here in the USA will see what Europe has seen twice.

Nite Shipslog

PS:I am stuck on the sad side, Imma try to polish the other side… HONEST!

Monday, Shipboard life

 Picture of the day:

Above is an LST it is flat bottomed, it can pull up to a beach and the bow opens for troops and trucks to make a landing.  That was my 2nd ship.

My last ship for 2 years the USS Independence

For today:

This entry is in response to questions about the big USN buildup in the Mediterranean Sea and Iran. WE have thousands of sailors/marines aboard those fleets living around the clock. They are launchig rockets/missles over 400 in the first 72 hours, each missile costs 1.5 to 3.5 million dollars. Remember someone must move those around to get them ready to fire. So their work day aboard is not normal right now.

I have been on cargo ships, transport ships and aircraft carriers. Life is a little different on all ships because of the size. Smaller ships have one mess deck for enlisted personnel. Air craft carriers have over 5000 men when fully activated and have 2 mess decks, at least one of them is open 24 hours a day. At Meal times both are open.

That would be a rocket coming over

Above would be fuel coming over And below would be the trip to the atsea grocery store.

All ships must be resupplied. At sea a supply ship will pull alongside to high-line supplies over. Ship crews form work-details to move all supplies hand to hand across decks and down to supply rooms. Supply ships can be for groceries, medical and office supplies etc. The munitions come from Ammo- supply ships, using the same procedures. That includes shells, rockets, bombs and anything having to do with fire power.

Working hours for the most part are same as ashore. There are ‘firewatches’ over the complete ship after normal working hours, with fire details ready at a moments notice 24/7. Fire is the most dangerous thing for a ship other than the ‘enemy.’

At times troops are transferred via high line. One of the top transfers is the Chaplain. Carriers have their own Chaplains both Catholic and protestant. Some do not like it, but the chaplains are trained in several religions and do what they can to satisfy the needs of the troops. When a smaller ship needs a chaplain he is sent over via high line. I have seen them Baptised as they went into the ocean when the ships leaned toward each other during the tranfer. He went down into the water then back up. This was no surprise, but he does get wet. His Sacred materials are prepared for such an incidence and are protected.

All USN ships have retail sales stores. Very small on smaller ships and much larger on Carriers.

All ships have a medical section. The carriers have a small hospital LOL.

Naturally all sailors look forward to pulling into port and having some liberty off the ship. (Not now of course.)

You can imagine how much ‘resupply’ is going on now. ALL those rockets and missiles must be replaced on the ships. This is the most any fleet has fired EVER before. Cost of this one so far has been about $28,000 per second. Now that is more than you will make next week.

Say a prayer for the troops, there is always danger, that is why it is called war.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

I have sailed the Med a couple times, it is absolutely beautiful blue water much like our Caribbean.. 

Ship stores?  You can buy tobacco, snacks, mail supplies etc. (very small 7-11  lol)

We all are praying this 'war' will end soon.

Sunday income, cost of living

 Picture of the day:

Note: clarification, In my opinion methinks USA & Israel bit off more than they WANT to chew.  In other words, in my opinion and some reports say, they did not expect the straits to be closed and oil to sky rocket, IMHO WE have he greatest Military in the World, and we can chew much more, but the results can HURT!...

For today:

WE do not watch TV. Most of the last 10 years it was on about an hour a year, now in the last year it has never been on. We have 2 TVs in the RV they are never used. Telling the truth we don’t know how to turn them on. LOL

I have nothing against TV. My hearing is probably the most cause. I used closed caption for years but now I cannot hear (read) as fast as TV personalities talk. They, especially news people, try to squeeze all the words possible into each minute, they lose me.

My news comes from the internet. I just read today we have 31 million workers in the USA living from pay check to paycheck. The increased gas prices are hurting them. In many cases that is because not everyone knows how to conserve. BUT in most cases it is because of debt and lower wages.

The cost of gasoline is hurting workers. Can you imagine, diesel (headed for $7) is over $5 a gal now. Can you imagine a trucker paying $500 for a fill up of only 100 gallons. That is his lively hood. Growing up at least 8 of my kin (inc a brother) made their living driving a truck.

 Everything you use in life came part of its way to you

 via truck.

 

Notice all the Walmart and Amazon trucks on the road?

So you can bet the prices WILL & MUST go up.

I become agitated inside when I hear someone complaining about having ‘nothing’ and they have hundreds of dollars of tattoos. I guess that is like I have heard: many people who shop for things they do not NEED, when they are depressed about income.

WE lived paycheck to paycheck for a while. But we were both raised by parents from the depression era. All our lives we heard, “Always put something back for that rainy day, IT WILL come.” WE tried to save something even if it was fifty cents a month.

WE made an assumption that our lifestyle would rub off on our sons, but we were mistaken. I should have been more forceful in handling finances.

Many people are head over heels I debt for things

 they want, not that they need.

Ending with: For the life of me, I cannot fathom buying a house today while making car and Credit card payments even on a builder’s income much less on a carpenter’s salary.

Nite Shipslog

PS: I know, I sound depressing. Right now I need to do as MA says, polish the dull side. (or something like that) ;-)

SOOOO… Tomorrow a brighter subject TAXES! ;-)