This is coolbert:
Alternative comments regarding the DEBKAfile. I often extract and cite material in my blog from DEBKA. The noted blogger Spengler [David P. Goldman] pronounces DEBKA to be totally unreliable as a source of info under all circumstances. So what is the truth? From some skeptics we have:
1. "Debkafile is a complete fraud."
"The information presented by Debkafile has turned out to be unreliable so many times I cannot understand why anyone still takes this website seriously."
"Debkafile claims to be a Zionist 'alternative news' organization but their chief contribution to the world is to spread rumors and speculation that would only appear plausible to the most ignorant (but well meaning) supporters of the Jewish State and/or those prone to believe paranoid Internet conspiracy theories."
2. "DEBKA file a fraud, Mossad agents"
"we have regarded DEBKAfile Intelligence with a skeptical mind, for we believe it is probably run and operated by Israel's Mossad. However, remembering that even the best disinformation specialists provide 90-95% good information, we watch DEBKAfile closely."
[please read the "clubconspiracy" forum and see HOW EASY it was for these folks to determine that this Iranian dissident group, so-called, has an Internet server located on a U.S. military base! Does make you wonder, doesn't it?]
Intelligence analysis is a difficult business and it needs to be realized by all concerned parties that this is so! The analyst is faced with an opposition, an adversary, who is not only taking measures to prevent you from finding out what you want to find out, but is simultaneously feeding in a quite deliberate manner deceptive info intended to deceive you. Separating the wheat from the chaff - - determining what is true and what is not NEVER is or ever has been an easy thing! DEBKA is part deception and part psychological operation all rolled into one? Maybe even DEBKA does not know for sure?
coolbert.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Fiddler & Mystic.
This is coolbert:
From the Russian aviation web site we have some startling assertions that I must question.
First regarding the Soviet era interceptor aircraft Tu-28 NATO codename "Fiddler":
"Many NATO automatic recce aerostatic balloons were shot down by Tu-128s in 1970s."
And for the high-flying M17 reconnaissance aircraft NATO codename "Mystic":
"Myasishchev/Molniya M-17 "Mystic" (Ram-M) was designed originally as high-altitude aircraft with a dorsal gun turret, to shot down US reconnaissance balloons floated over the USSR after WWII."
* "Tu-128A 36.5K Fiddler (Monino Museum, Moscow 26-Aug-1995) - The Tu-28 (bureau designation Tu-128) is a development of the Tu-98 bomber. It is probably the largest fighter ever built, and armed with outsized missiles. Around 200 were built, to patrol to vast areas of Siberia, which are not protected by a SAM screen. [the] main objective was to intercept B-52 long before they approached the soviet airspace. Twin-engined, two seat long-range all-weather interceptor."
* "M-17 Mystic-A/Stratosfera [Ram-M] - Single-seat high-altitude research aircraft ([Ram-M] - high altitude balloon interceptor) designed originally as high-altitude aircraft with a dorsal gun turret, to shot down US reconnaissance balloons floated over the USSR after WWII."
These "US reconnaissance balloons" and "NATO automatic recce aerostatic balloons" are the various unmanned intelligence-gathering projects as sent aloft beginning in the late 1940's and ending [?] in the middle 1950's? Free-floating and very high-altitude balloons "Projects" having names such as Skyhook, Mogul, Moby Dick, Grandson, Genetrix.
"Project Genetrix was a United States Air Force program which, beginning in January 1956, sent 516 surveillance balloons over Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in order to take photographs and collect intelligence. Authorized [Genetrix] by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on December 27, 1955 . . . Genetrix was a follow up to Project Skyhook, Project Mogul, Project Moby Dick and Project Grandson."
These "projects" ended with the advent [1956] of the U-2 reconnaissance airplane? The unmanned balloon "projects" for intelligence gathering produced very meagre and scant results, probably not even worth the time, money, manpower invested?
[in lieu of a better way to do things, given the technology existing at the time, the balloons were what you went with, no other alternative existing - - even if the results were unsatisfactory!]
"Fiddler" and "Mystic" did not come off the drawing boards until some time AFTER these balloon projects came to an end? There WERE NO shoot-downs as claimed because from 1956 onward there were NO balloons to shoot at? After the mid-1950's there was the U-2 and after the U-2 there were space satellites, the need for balloons passe' and outmoded - - the very concept of balloon intelligence gathering overflights flawed and ineffective to begin with!
Maybe the Russians know something the rest of us do not know?
coolbert.
From the Russian aviation web site we have some startling assertions that I must question.
First regarding the Soviet era interceptor aircraft Tu-28 NATO codename "Fiddler":
"Many NATO automatic recce aerostatic balloons were shot down by Tu-128s in 1970s."
And for the high-flying M17 reconnaissance aircraft NATO codename "Mystic":
"Myasishchev/Molniya M-17 "Mystic" (Ram-M) was designed originally as high-altitude aircraft with a dorsal gun turret, to shot down US reconnaissance balloons floated over the USSR after WWII."
* "Tu-128A 36.5K Fiddler (Monino Museum, Moscow 26-Aug-1995) - The Tu-28 (bureau designation Tu-128) is a development of the Tu-98 bomber. It is probably the largest fighter ever built, and armed with outsized missiles. Around 200 were built, to patrol to vast areas of Siberia, which are not protected by a SAM screen. [the] main objective was to intercept B-52 long before they approached the soviet airspace. Twin-engined, two seat long-range all-weather interceptor."
* "M-17 Mystic-A/Stratosfera [Ram-M] - Single-seat high-altitude research aircraft ([Ram-M] - high altitude balloon interceptor) designed originally as high-altitude aircraft with a dorsal gun turret, to shot down US reconnaissance balloons floated over the USSR after WWII."
These "US reconnaissance balloons" and "NATO automatic recce aerostatic balloons" are the various unmanned intelligence-gathering projects as sent aloft beginning in the late 1940's and ending [?] in the middle 1950's? Free-floating and very high-altitude balloons "Projects" having names such as Skyhook, Mogul, Moby Dick, Grandson, Genetrix.
"Project Genetrix was a United States Air Force program which, beginning in January 1956, sent 516 surveillance balloons over Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in order to take photographs and collect intelligence. Authorized [Genetrix] by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on December 27, 1955 . . . Genetrix was a follow up to Project Skyhook, Project Mogul, Project Moby Dick and Project Grandson."
These "projects" ended with the advent [1956] of the U-2 reconnaissance airplane? The unmanned balloon "projects" for intelligence gathering produced very meagre and scant results, probably not even worth the time, money, manpower invested?
[in lieu of a better way to do things, given the technology existing at the time, the balloons were what you went with, no other alternative existing - - even if the results were unsatisfactory!]
"Fiddler" and "Mystic" did not come off the drawing boards until some time AFTER these balloon projects came to an end? There WERE NO shoot-downs as claimed because from 1956 onward there were NO balloons to shoot at? After the mid-1950's there was the U-2 and after the U-2 there were space satellites, the need for balloons passe' and outmoded - - the very concept of balloon intelligence gathering overflights flawed and ineffective to begin with!
Maybe the Russians know something the rest of us do not know?
coolbert.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Eighty-eight!
This is coolbert:
Here with a most unusual wartime development, without precedent or equal? From the web site: "Tu-2Sh attackers by A.N.Tupolev".
A Soviet Tu-2 two-engine bomber aircraft in the groud attack role [Tu-2Sh], employing no less than eighty-eight [88] downward-firing and "ganged" PPsh sub-machine guns configured in an apparatus and carried within the aircraft bomb bay - - an apparatus not entirely mechanically feasible and versatile, but nonetheless, a novel and intriguing idea, able to provide a monstrous and prodigious amount of fire power [directed downward]!
Eighty-eight PPsh sub-machine guns loaded with the seventy round drum magazine makes for a capacity of 6,160 rounds to be fired with a single activation, the entire capacity of all the weapons expended in mere seconds! Re-loading impossible while in-flight, NOT a weapons system so totally feasible and useful, but a concept with merit nonetheless?
"The most unusual variant (flown and tested in 1944) carried 88 infantry PPSh sub-machineguns in the bomb bay, bringing concept of weapon designer A.V.Nadashkevich (first realized on TSh-1) into it final shape. All guns were fired simultaneously, providing devastating fire... but for very short time. In-flight reloading of 88 machine guns was too non-practical, and this concept was abandoned."
[given the rate of fire of the PPsh, it would have taken slightly less than five seconds to fire off 6,000 rounds!! Amazing!!]
The Tu-2Sh designated as a ground-attack aircraft, but this particular version with the PPsh apparatus most useful as a night-fighter interceptor? So it is suggested on some web sites. That Tu-2 firing DOWNWARD WHILE PASSING ABOVE AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT!
[the German during WW2 equipped some of their night fighter interceptors with a 37 mm cannon that fired UPWARD, the interceptor passing BELOW the target aircraft!]
An on-target burst of even the shortest duration would more or less obliterate your adversary, pistol round 7.62 X 25 mm notwithstanding! But an idea again unfeasible and impractical, but at least worthy of consideration!
PPsh - - don't leave home without one!
coolbert.
Desecration!
This is coolbert:
Here from the Holy Bible, the Old Testament, King James Version (KJV) - - as described - - the Battle of Mount Gilboa, The Hebrew King Saul and his three sons slain, their bodies desecrated, put on display, the armor of Saul made an offering to the god of the Philistines.
1 Samuel Chapter 31
2 Samuel 21:12
12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
13 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.
14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.
Desecration of those vanquished in battle a common theme in military history. The victor in particular most desirous to mutilate and defile the body of the dead enemy commander.
Such as it has been in history and perhaps always will be, people being people. As was done to Saul and his sons, three thousand years ago, the desecration of the bodies, the recovery, and the eventual burial by friendly hands. In this particular instance extraordinary efforts by the Hebrews in response to the humiliation suffered at the hands of their mortal enemies [Philistines].
Pre-emptive burial in a secret location of the fallen commander often done as a means to thwart defilement. Such has been the case for:
* Varus at the Teutoburgerwald.
* Alaric of the Visigoths.
* Edward Braddock at Ft. Duquesne.
* Paul Tibbets pilot of the Enola Gay.
In the case of the latter, Paul Tibbets, piloting the Enola Gay during World War Two [WW2], the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the man passing away recently, having his remains secretly buried in an unmarked grave. Paul knowing full well that his grave site would more than likely become a "rallying point" for certain less than savory parties, the intent being political protest unseemly in nature.
As is history and behavior three thousand years ago, as is the behavior of the human species today. Regrettably so.
coolbert.
Here from the Holy Bible, the Old Testament, King James Version (KJV) - - as described - - the Battle of Mount Gilboa, The Hebrew King Saul and his three sons slain, their bodies desecrated, put on display, the armor of Saul made an offering to the god of the Philistines.
1 Samuel Chapter 31
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons.
3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.
4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised [Philistines] come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.
7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.
8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.
10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.
11 And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;
12 All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.
13 And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
2 Samuel 21:12
12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
13 And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.
14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was entreated for the land.
Desecration of those vanquished in battle a common theme in military history. The victor in particular most desirous to mutilate and defile the body of the dead enemy commander.
Such as it has been in history and perhaps always will be, people being people. As was done to Saul and his sons, three thousand years ago, the desecration of the bodies, the recovery, and the eventual burial by friendly hands. In this particular instance extraordinary efforts by the Hebrews in response to the humiliation suffered at the hands of their mortal enemies [Philistines].
Pre-emptive burial in a secret location of the fallen commander often done as a means to thwart defilement. Such has been the case for:
* Varus at the Teutoburgerwald.
* Alaric of the Visigoths.
* Edward Braddock at Ft. Duquesne.
* Paul Tibbets pilot of the Enola Gay.
In the case of the latter, Paul Tibbets, piloting the Enola Gay during World War Two [WW2], the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, the man passing away recently, having his remains secretly buried in an unmarked grave. Paul knowing full well that his grave site would more than likely become a "rallying point" for certain less than savory parties, the intent being political protest unseemly in nature.
As is history and behavior three thousand years ago, as is the behavior of the human species today. Regrettably so.
coolbert.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Ike & George.
This is coolbert:
SECRET [declassified DoD 1958]
Thanks to Michelle of the Eisenhower Library we have more regarding that quotation as attributed to General Eisenhower, from the years of World War Two [WW2]:
"there are only two professions in the world in which the amateur excels the professional. One, military strategy, and two, prostitution." - - Maj. General Dwight David Eisenhower.
1. The veracity of the quote is true, an unqualified true!
2. And more importantly too we understand the context of the quote, and the context is most important.
As was classified SECRET until 1958 from: "the diaries of Capt. Harry C. Butcher who was General Eisenhower's naval aide from 1942 to 1946." Diaries NOW and for some time declassified!
Ike in conversation with his good civilian friend and "crony", George E. Allen. George described as an amiable person at that exact moment engaging in amiable banter with Ike! George the amateur strategist "pontificating" on the military situation in Europe - - almost dire according to the interpretation of George!
From Google books and the notes to Pages 315-320 # 23. "Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life By Carlo D'Este"
"Butcher was pleased that a Friend, George E. Allen, was in London when they arrived. Allen, a wealthy and successful businessman (and a Democrat), became a close friend of Eisenhower. Allen later sold Eisenhower his retirement far at Gettysburg in 1950. A lifelong crony, the amiable Allen was a good bridge partner and one of those whose presence helped make Eisenhower's scant free time tranquil. Allen, said Butcher, was a 'a good tonic for Ike.'"
And further from the diary of Captain Butcher, page 26, courtesy of the Eisenhower Library, thanks again to Michelle:
"George was not averse to giving some military advice. With Rommel pushing toward Cairo, George envisioned the loss of the Suez, plus a joining up with the northern prong of the giant German pincers through Turkey. This would close the Mediterranean, and give Hitler a tremendous advantage. George then foresaw Hitler quickly taking Eire, then sitting back and saying: 'All right boys - I'll starve out England'. George had this all down, chapter and verse. To reply, Ike said he was forced to tell a story. He said there are only two professions in the world in which the amateur excels the professional. One, military strategy, and two, prostitution."
Well, there you have it. Thanks to the Internet and some e-mail, and in rapid fire fashion, authentication and verification of a quotation complete with context.
Perhaps I am being parochial here, but this all makes me want to sit back, admire the product, and say WOW!
coolbert.
SECRET [declassified DoD 1958]
Thanks to Michelle of the Eisenhower Library we have more regarding that quotation as attributed to General Eisenhower, from the years of World War Two [WW2]:
"there are only two professions in the world in which the amateur excels the professional. One, military strategy, and two, prostitution." - - Maj. General Dwight David Eisenhower.
1. The veracity of the quote is true, an unqualified true!
2. And more importantly too we understand the context of the quote, and the context is most important.
As was classified SECRET until 1958 from: "the diaries of Capt. Harry C. Butcher who was General Eisenhower's naval aide from 1942 to 1946." Diaries NOW and for some time declassified!
Ike in conversation with his good civilian friend and "crony", George E. Allen. George described as an amiable person at that exact moment engaging in amiable banter with Ike! George the amateur strategist "pontificating" on the military situation in Europe - - almost dire according to the interpretation of George!
From Google books and the notes to Pages 315-320 # 23. "Eisenhower: A Soldier's Life By Carlo D'Este"
"Butcher was pleased that a Friend, George E. Allen, was in London when they arrived. Allen, a wealthy and successful businessman (and a Democrat), became a close friend of Eisenhower. Allen later sold Eisenhower his retirement far at Gettysburg in 1950. A lifelong crony, the amiable Allen was a good bridge partner and one of those whose presence helped make Eisenhower's scant free time tranquil. Allen, said Butcher, was a 'a good tonic for Ike.'"
And further from the diary of Captain Butcher, page 26, courtesy of the Eisenhower Library, thanks again to Michelle:
"George was not averse to giving some military advice. With Rommel pushing toward Cairo, George envisioned the loss of the Suez, plus a joining up with the northern prong of the giant German pincers through Turkey. This would close the Mediterranean, and give Hitler a tremendous advantage. George then foresaw Hitler quickly taking Eire, then sitting back and saying: 'All right boys - I'll starve out England'. George had this all down, chapter and verse. To reply, Ike said he was forced to tell a story. He said there are only two professions in the world in which the amateur excels the professional. One, military strategy, and two, prostitution."
Well, there you have it. Thanks to the Internet and some e-mail, and in rapid fire fashion, authentication and verification of a quotation complete with context.
Perhaps I am being parochial here, but this all makes me want to sit back, admire the product, and say WOW!
coolbert.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Bull!
This is coolbert:
Once again we have caught the noted Soviet defector and writer on all things Soviet military Victor Suvorov if not in a big fib - - at least not full in the understanding of really occurred?
The Soviet aircraft design and manufacturing industry - - at the behest of Stalin personally, reverse engineering a captured American B-29 bomber of World War Two [WW2] vintage, Soviet technology of the time NOT able to match in design criteria or manufacturing capacity the famous Superfortress. A weakness in Soviet military might as perceived by Stalin to be remedied by the slavish imitation of the American bomber aircraft.
Slavish imitation as recounted in the Suvorov book: "The Liberators", the chapter: "The Brick Bomber".
"The B-29 was dismantled into thousands of the smallest possible parts, which were distribute among the various ministries, departments, design bureaux and scientific research institutes with the explicit command to copy each detail, aggregate or device and then to embark upon its mass-production within ten months."
[that copy of the B-29 referred to in Soviet nomenclature as the Tu-4. NATO codename "Bull"]
Furthermore, the decision was made to use the ENGLISH system of measurements, sizing, weights, etc., and not the METRIC system. The aircraft having originally designed using the ENGLISH system and the command had been of course to make them "alike, as two peas"!
"Difficulties arose from the very beginning of the copying process. To begin with, the use of the metric system of measuring was quite out of the question . . . Soviet trade representatives in Canada, England and the USA started to buy up measuring equipment in small quantities . . . And the retraining of thousands of engineers, technicians and workers, to switch over to calculating in inches, feet and pounds, began urgently."
[Suvorov further states that "This system of measurement [English] is still used in the Soviet Army.]
This is all so much bull? "Bull" in the sense of the English word meaning: "bull - - noun Slang . 1. exaggerations; lies; nonsense."
From the Russian military aviation web site http://www.aviation.ru/
"Copy of Boeing B-29 Superfortress . . . The Tu-4 [Bull] was not, as is often said, an exact copy of the B-29; changes were made to armament and construction, partly because of inability of the industry to produce some advanced parts and partly because the construction had to be adapted to metric measures. But the study of its technology was a big step forward."
Comment by A.S.: "'Step Forward' in such a case is nothing but a step ... backwards. Copying of 4-5 years old technology (yes, very advanced at its time) instead of developing of a domestic one (specially in this case) was'":
* "removing intellectual and industrial resources from new projects;"
* "spending them on design soon to became obsolete;"
* "planting seeds of a very bad habit - copying - into domestic science and engineering;"
So there you have it! According to the Russian aviation web site, the comments of A.S. most pertinent - - NO slavish copying and no use of the English system of measurements and weights.
Perhaps Suvorov is not entirely incorrect? Pehaps the first several PROTOTYPES of the "Bull' were like two peas, exact copies of the B-29. Subsequent assembly line production models did have modifications, up-grades, etc., and were NOT like two peas? Who can tell with certainty?
coolbert.
"Alike as two peas!"
Once again we have caught the noted Soviet defector and writer on all things Soviet military Victor Suvorov if not in a big fib - - at least not full in the understanding of really occurred?
The Soviet aircraft design and manufacturing industry - - at the behest of Stalin personally, reverse engineering a captured American B-29 bomber of World War Two [WW2] vintage, Soviet technology of the time NOT able to match in design criteria or manufacturing capacity the famous Superfortress. A weakness in Soviet military might as perceived by Stalin to be remedied by the slavish imitation of the American bomber aircraft.
Slavish imitation as recounted in the Suvorov book: "The Liberators", the chapter: "The Brick Bomber".
"The B-29 was dismantled into thousands of the smallest possible parts, which were distribute among the various ministries, departments, design bureaux and scientific research institutes with the explicit command to copy each detail, aggregate or device and then to embark upon its mass-production within ten months."
[that copy of the B-29 referred to in Soviet nomenclature as the Tu-4. NATO codename "Bull"]
Furthermore, the decision was made to use the ENGLISH system of measurements, sizing, weights, etc., and not the METRIC system. The aircraft having originally designed using the ENGLISH system and the command had been of course to make them "alike, as two peas"!
"Difficulties arose from the very beginning of the copying process. To begin with, the use of the metric system of measuring was quite out of the question . . . Soviet trade representatives in Canada, England and the USA started to buy up measuring equipment in small quantities . . . And the retraining of thousands of engineers, technicians and workers, to switch over to calculating in inches, feet and pounds, began urgently."
[Suvorov further states that "This system of measurement [English] is still used in the Soviet Army.]
This is all so much bull? "Bull" in the sense of the English word meaning: "bull - - noun Slang . 1. exaggerations; lies; nonsense."
From the Russian military aviation web site http://www.aviation.ru/
"Copy of Boeing B-29 Superfortress . . . The Tu-4 [Bull] was not, as is often said, an exact copy of the B-29; changes were made to armament and construction, partly because of inability of the industry to produce some advanced parts and partly because the construction had to be adapted to metric measures. But the study of its technology was a big step forward."
Comment by A.S.: "'Step Forward' in such a case is nothing but a step ... backwards. Copying of 4-5 years old technology (yes, very advanced at its time) instead of developing of a domestic one (specially in this case) was'":
* "removing intellectual and industrial resources from new projects;"
* "spending them on design soon to became obsolete;"
* "planting seeds of a very bad habit - copying - into domestic science and engineering;"
So there you have it! According to the Russian aviation web site, the comments of A.S. most pertinent - - NO slavish copying and no use of the English system of measurements and weights.
Perhaps Suvorov is not entirely incorrect? Pehaps the first several PROTOTYPES of the "Bull' were like two peas, exact copies of the B-29. Subsequent assembly line production models did have modifications, up-grades, etc., and were NOT like two peas? Who can tell with certainty?
coolbert.
Trivia.
This is coolbert:
Here with some miscellaneous items:
1. That PPsh sub-machine gun as used by the communist forces in Korea, also rating as a "BEST"? Worthy of inclusion into my list of "bests". That list of course subjective, in the eye of the beholder in many cases, but often based upon real-world experiences and observations.
2. From the Chicago Tribune Perspective section yesterday:
" The end of the Franco-Prussian War was celebrated with a music fest in Boston of all places. Composer Johann Strauss conducted about 17,000 singers and an orchestra of 1,500 at the World's Peace Jubilee and International Musical Festival of 1872."
3. This quote from General Eisenhower:
"There are only two professions in the world in which the amateur excels the professional. One, military strategy, and two, prostitution" - - Maj. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
This also a popular topic from the blog - - the amateur at war able to beat the professional. NOT usually the case but has occurred on occasion, perhaps more often that what the career military man likes to think is possible.
And I am unsure of the veracity of this quote. And am also interested as to the context. Perhaps the Eisenhower Presidential Library knows the truth about this? A query will be made!
The truth is out there - - you just gotta go look for it and know where to look!
coolbert.
Here with some miscellaneous items:
1. That PPsh sub-machine gun as used by the communist forces in Korea, also rating as a "BEST"? Worthy of inclusion into my list of "bests". That list of course subjective, in the eye of the beholder in many cases, but often based upon real-world experiences and observations.
2. From the Chicago Tribune Perspective section yesterday:
" The end of the Franco-Prussian War was celebrated with a music fest in Boston of all places. Composer Johann Strauss conducted about 17,000 singers and an orchestra of 1,500 at the World's Peace Jubilee and International Musical Festival of 1872."
3. This quote from General Eisenhower:
"There are only two professions in the world in which the amateur excels the professional. One, military strategy, and two, prostitution" - - Maj. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
This also a popular topic from the blog - - the amateur at war able to beat the professional. NOT usually the case but has occurred on occasion, perhaps more often that what the career military man likes to think is possible.
And I am unsure of the veracity of this quote. And am also interested as to the context. Perhaps the Eisenhower Presidential Library knows the truth about this? A query will be made!
The truth is out there - - you just gotta go look for it and know where to look!
coolbert.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
