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What happens when you have the right priorities in your leadership?BEHOLD
This spring, the Marines decided to buy nine kits for their KC-130J tanker-transports, each kit comprising Hellfire and Viper Strike missiles and bolt-on sensors — with a door gun, optional. The result, code-named Harvest Hawk, turns a tanker into a gunship, in just four hours, on the cheap.
David has some more goodies over at his place. Hat tip Steve via TheTank.
Now this sounds like an interesting - and timely book, The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates
.Economist Leeson leads readers though a surprisingly entertaining crash course in economics in this study of high seas piracy at the turn of the 18th century. Far from being the bloodthirsty fiends portrayed in popular culture, pirates created a harmonious social order; through the application of rational choice theory, the author explains how a common pursuit of individual self-interest led pirates to create self-regulating, democratic societies aboard their ships, complete with checks and balances, more than half a century before the American and French revolutions brought such models to state-level governance. Understanding the profit motive that guided pirates' actions reveals why pirates so cruelly tortured the crews of ships that resisted boarding, yet treated those who surrendered readily with the utmost respect. Both practices worked to minimize costs to the pirate crew by discouraging resistance that could lead to loss of life and limb for pirates and damage to either the pirates' ship or the cargo aboard. Illustrated with salty tales of pirates both famous and infamous, the book rarely bogs down even when explaining intricate economic concepts, making it a great introduction to both pirate history and economic theory.
History, economics, pirates - tell me Eagle1, what is there not to like?For those trying to understand piracy today, this may be a good book to add to your list. Any ship in the 5th Flt AOR should have this in the Wardroom.If you want, via NRO's "Between the Covers" you can hear John J. Miller interview the author here.
UPDATE: One of Phibian's phavorites, Claude Berube, reviewed it in May in the WashTimes. Worth a read.
As an early supporter of Gov. Palin, I figured I owed my readers my take on her throwing in the towel.Palin was and will not be again for a few years - at least at CDRSalamander. Things change, as do my opinion of things and people as new facts emerge, but for 2012; no. She had a good ride, and I hope she remains happy for the decisions she has made and that in the end they are the best ones for her family. Maybe in 2016 things may be interesting, or a Senate run somewhere. Ronald Reagan was written off more than once - so who knows.Unless there is no other option, I think Palin has now dropped on my list somewhere south of Gov. Crist (R-FL). I think I will have something to say about him tomorrow.
I don't think LT B is reading this weekend, so let me sneak this in.
CoRev would approve.
Sometimes a FbF just writes itself. Retired Marine Corps Col. Kenneth L. Reusser, called the most decorated Marine aviator in history and was shot down in three wars, has died at age 89.
Reusser flew 253 combat missions in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and was shot down in all three, five times in all.
His 59 medals included two Navy Crosses, four Purple Hearts and two Legions of Merit.
In 1945, while based in Okinawa, he stripped down his F4U-4 Corsair fighter and intercepted a Japanese observation plane at a high altidude. When his guns froze, he flew his fighter into the observation plane, hacking off its tail with his propeller.
In 1950 in Korea led an attack on a North Korean tank-repair facility at Inchon, then destroyed an oil tanker almost blowing himself out of the sky.
In Vietnam he flew helicopters and was leading a rescue mission when his Huey was shot down. He needed skin grafts over 35 percent of his badly burned body.
Reusser, who lived in the Portland suburb of Milwaukie, was born Jan. 27, 1920, the son of a minister.
Reusser raced motorcycles to help pay for college and earning a pilots license before WWII.
After retiring from the Marine Corps he worked for Lockheed Aircraft and the Piasecki Helicopter Corp. He remained active in veterans groups.
Reusser died June 20 of natural causes. He is survived by his wife, Trudy; and sons, Richard C. and Kenneth L. Jr. Interment was Friday in Willamette National Cemetery.
song is good, but long in the tooth" or "Toby Keith
