Credo
"Sign on, young man, and sail with me. The stature of our homeland is no more than the measure of ourselves. Our job is to keep her free. Our will is to keep the torch of freedom burning for all. To this solemn purpose we call on the young, the brave, the strong, and the free. Heed my call, Come to the sea. Come Sail with me." -- John Paul Jones
"Pardon him, Theodotus; he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and island are the laws of nature" --George Bernard Shaw, "Caesar and Cleopatra"
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."--Friedrich Nietzsche
"A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice. They who bear cruelty, are accomplices in it. The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancour, produces an indifference which is half an approbation. They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate."--Edmund Burke
“You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.”--General Sir Charles Napier
"Μολὼν λαβέ" -- Leonidas
"Blogito Ergo Sum" -- Neptunus Lex
Heh,
“Young Marine Padawans develop their sword techniques with steel blades prior to being issued new light-sabres.”
“It is NOT a Marmaduke.”
-SJBill
“I don’t care if you’re wearing stars, you’re the CNO or the President of the United States, there will be no smoking on MY hanger deck!”
“I know they said they were going to replace the M16A2, but this is ridiculous!”
” Haircuts For The Navy…Courtesy U.S.M.C. ”
” How Marines Open The Mail ”
” Welcome Wagon…For Nancy Pelosi ”
Enjoy your Sunday, sir.
Veritas et Fidelis Semper
Rehearsal for the aboard ship production of “Pirates of the Caribbean V: Ho Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum”.
Invasive rodents from the last asian port call had made the carrier XO’s life a nightmare. Standard rat traps were not working and chemical pesticides were ruled out. Something had to be done, and he called in the NCOIC of the ship’s Marine detachment.
“You’re my last hope Gunny. No noise, no fumes, no fuss -and I DON’T want to know how you fixed it. Just get it done and over with.”
In silence, the almost messianic light that came over the grizzled Gunnery Sergeant’s face confimed the XO’s fear:
–that he REALLY DIDN’T want to know…
So, Cap’n,
You are apparently the only one who noticed that one young Devil Dog found it necessary to execute “draw…sword” with the wrong hand.
“seven out of eight…”, heh
Good eye, sir.
SeniorE
Wingnuts drilling at sea? They’ve been out long enough.
You’re right SJBill, and they’re not mamelukes either.
They wouldn’t be Marmelukes, that is the Marine Officer’s sword. These are the correct swords for Marine NCOs.
Semper Fidelis
Marine Officers carry Mameluke swords. F’n sailors. NCO’s carry the NCO sword you see in the pic, sheesh.
“What?!?! Why didn’t anyone tell me we gave our bullets to the guy’s going ashore?!?! Does anyone have any stones?!?! Cpl Peters! Stowe that gear! To hell with it! We’ll do it the old fashioned way!”
“The Cap’n said we couldn’t shoot ‘em, so…”
“The XO’s coming! Look busy!”
“Smite the unbelievers aye-aye sir!”
CPT J wins, having invoked the most evil nasty thoughts in this reader. (not to mention teh Silly) Casca and the others are right about the swords; even *I* know that!
(Officers’ swords have cool bone hilts with minimal cross guard, NCOs’s/ have more of a basket hilt.)
No, JTG, there are no marmedukes, or marmelukes. The sword handed to Presley O’Bannon by the Pasha of Tripoli was a Mameluke sword. The handles used to be Ivory until sometime around WWII. You can always tell the ivory, because they’re all brown now. Today the handles are plastic, and the swords made in China & India. My sword was made in Spain. The hilt is gold plate.
No, JTG, there are no marmedukes, or marmelukes. The sword handed to Presley O’Bannon by the Pasha of Tripoli was a Mameluke sword. The handles used to be ivory until ivory became protected. You can always tell the ivory, because they’re all brown now. Today the handles are plastic, and the swords made in China & India. My sword was made in Spain. The hilt is gold plate over brass.
Um, Casca, I don’t recall typing the words you suggested that I did.
I’m quite certain that I have not typed the words “marmaduke” nor “Marmelukes” at Cap’n Lex’s blog, here.
Did you mean, “Mamelukes”?
Are you drunker than *I* am?
Now that would be interesting, but not necessarily shocking.
You folks think that is bad, let me tell you that I just spilled some beer on my kitty, and that he is right peeved at me!
Cats avoid drunken humans, and for good and solid reasons!
We’re dangerous!
Or clumsy, which can amount to the same thing.
…so what does the result of two F/A-18′s getting married look like?
Nevermind.