ENGINEERS HAVE HAIRY EARS

I've heard the phrase many times since my graduation as an electrical engineer back in 1968. I'd always thought that it was from Ogden Nash, but the origin is much older - and mostly unprintable. Most recently it has been associated with the Army's engineering battalions, dating back to (at least) WW I. Here are two of the least bawdy variants:

The Engineers have hairy ears,
they live in caves and ditches,
But when the trouble starts,
they fight like sons of witches

- An Anonymous WWI Soldier

The Engineers have hairy ears
They live in caves and ditches
They wipe their ass with broken glass
They're rugged sons of bitches.

- 36h Engineer Combat Regiment (WW II)
- Motto: RUGGED

There is some evidence that the origin may be an Ozark folksong, The Mountaineers, which is quite bawdy.

MARINES OR NAVY?

From John McCain FAQs at the Washington Times.

Q: Which is better, the Navy or the Marines?

A: The Marines are a department of the Navy. The Men's Department ...

Somehow, I think Senator McCain would laugh, then respectfully disagree.

DUELING BANJOS, ER, CATS

A MODEST SUGGESTION

Driving back from Connecticut a few weeks ago, we went through a number of construction zones where “fines are doubled” obstensibly to protect worker safety. Thinking about that as I peruse the news daily and see the number of Congress-critters accused of violating various and sundry laws, I thought “Why not?”

To protect average Americans, you and me, why not double the penalty for any elected official convicted of a crime; treble the penalty if they voted for the law they broke?

I doubt it would reduce the number of violations, but it might, just might, slow the growth of really dumb laws.

OBSCENE “PROFITS”

Charles Krauthammer is one of my favorite columnists, but he clearly lost it in his recent commentary (no link* but here’s the Post’s home page) advocating an increase in the gasoline tax. Krauthammer would increase the federal tax and use the receipts to either (a) reduce other taxes, or (b) fund research into alternative energy.

Let’s look at his proposal. Suppose we add a $1/gallon tax on $4/gallon gasoline, making the total cost at the pump $5/gallon. Assume 20% in “administrative expenses” and the Government has an 80 cent/gallon “profit” to distribute.

If we choose option (a) and refund the money via lower taxes, then I have an additional 80 cents (per gallon consumed) to spend. On what? Well, how about gasoline? Now I’m spending $4.20 for gasoline that used to cost $4.00.

Well, okay, let’s spend the money funding alternative energies. Um, like ethanol? Does anyone really believe that the Government is capable of picking an alternative energy winner? Please contact me if you do – I’ve got some wonderful deals on beachfront property in Arizona.

As an aside, isn’t it wonderful that the enviro-nitwits are railing against the oil companies “obscene profits” while advocating obscene profits for themselves in the form of various carbon taxes?

Amazing.

(* behind the Washington Post firewall, and I refuse to give them anything beyond my subscription money)

NATIONAL D-DAY MEMORIAL

We took a day trip to the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia, in response to a Washington Times commentary by Stroube Smith. The Memorial gives a peek at what the landing at Normandy beach was like on June 6, 1944. Here's Smith:

"34 young men from Bedford landed in the first wave on Omaha Beach, all members of the First Battalion of the 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, all but two of them in Company A.
Within minutes, 19 were killed. Three more died later in the campaign."

Per capita, Bedford was the hardest-hit community in the United States. Here are some photos from the Memorial.


The Overlord Arch is the dominant structure on the Memorial grounds.

Under and slightly behind the Arch is a rifle and helmet tribute to those who died that day.

The following two photos give some small idea of the landing and scaling the cliffs above the beach. The low wall in the back of the photo marks the memorial area; the plaques contain the names of all who died that day.


The Eisenhower memorial.

The Bedford Boysby Alex Kershaw is a history of the men from Bedford.

OUT & ABOUT

Why I love small towns - a diner in Culpeper, Virginia.


Smith Mountain Lake, in southwest Virginia.

The Shenandoah mountains from Interstate 81.