So, early this morning I was lying awake in bed and thinking about buffaloes. Ok specifically I was remembering this book I used to teach in a Navy course on Leadership; “Flight of the Buffalo”

In my thoughts of the book it eventually took me back to these boards on Elsa Elsa and “you” the people of the boards.

Before I begin to explain, let me tell you the gist of this book.

Continue reading Flight of the Buffaloes by The Virgo Avenger

In the Navy I was on two Fast Frigates (see previous issues), then I was transferred to FFG’s, guided missile frigates.

These ships have the Italian made, “Oto Melara Mk 75 76mm/62 caliber rapid fire gun mount.  Basically, a gun that fires a bullet that weighs 72 pounds, is 3 inches in diameter and about 24 inches long.  It is an armor piercing high explosive round that can take a plane out of the air, or sink a ship, if you fire enough rounds at it.  This gun could fire 80 a minute, that was enough.

Continue reading Kentucky. By The Virgo Avenger

My father was Irish, his father was Irish, and he was married to an Italian woman, I never met her, so that made me Irish and Italian. But more over, it made me Catholic, my father was one serious player when it came to Irish / Catholic.

When I was 7 he had this grand Idea to put all of us kids in Catholic School, complete with the uniforms. Navy Blue slacks and a white top for boys, and a plaid skirt and white top for girls.  Yes I remember this part of my life and thank God, (no pun intended) it only lasted one school year.

Continue reading Catholic School By The Virgo Avenger

Back when I was an E-5 in the Navy, and I was waiting for my next ship assignment, an opening came up for TDY orders to the Border (TDY, temporary duty). It was a 6 month assignment to the San Ysidro, Tijuana Point of Entry.

The uniform was our “Johnny Cash”.  This was the black slacks, black button up long sleeve shirt with a black tie, badge and gun belt.

We had an office in the U.S. Customs side of the building, with three desks and two jail cells. Our job was to control, apprehend, or detain military personnel at the crossing, both pedestrian and vehicle.

Continue reading Border Shore Patrol. By The Virgo Avenger

I was not perfect in High School. I was having my typical teenage rebellion, although not as bad as some I’ve seen, and maybe not as bad as some of you……..

As a Sophomore, I began to smoke pot, not a lot, and I never did anything else.  We lived in a small town, population at the time was about 14,700, there was never any thing to do except “Hang” at the 7-eleven, or at someone’s house.

Continue reading Bad Boy High School Days. By The Virgo Avenger

Some more Navy stuff to share is on the Panama Canal. In my twenty year career, I have gone through the Canal more then twenty times, or ten round trips. Next to a woman, the Canal remains to me, one of the most fascinating sites to behold.

Brief history:

The Canal was started long before the U.S. got involved, but for this article we will stay with the U.S. In 1882 the U.S. started to work on the Canal with its money and insatiable need to control the oceans of the world.

At a cost of 375,000,000.00 million (1900 a.d.) dollars, that was 10 million to Panama for the land use rights, and 40 million to France for their effort before the U.S. take over.  The end result was 325 million to build and complete by 1914.  The Canal, by the way, came in at 23 million below cost estimates.  When has that ever happened again?

Continue reading Panama Canal. By The Virgo Avenger

So today I was walking to the mail box and I noticed a man cutting grass in an adjoining field.  What struck me odd about this, is this field is about three acres in size and the man was cutting it with a gas powered weed whacker.

I kept an eye on the man’s progress throughout the day and I’d say that he managed to knock out about a 8th of the work. At the end of the day he stopped and raked up what he had cut and hauled it off.

Continue reading Grass Clippers. By The Virgo Avenger

In 1997 the F.D.A. (Food and Drug Administration) of the United States relaxed the restrictions on what drug manufactures had to tell you in their advertisements.

Before 1997 the companies had to give you a broad spectrum of side effects, after 1997 they only have to give you the most common side effects.

Most of us have seen these ads and I’m sure you, like me are simply amazed at some of the warnings / side effects.

Continue reading WARNING: Redux (Medication). By The Virgo Avenger

Some of you were curious, so here it is; when a Ship of the line from any country crosses the equator, all Polly Wogs have to be brought before King Neptune and his royal court.

The tradition dates back to the 19th century, and started with the Royal Navy. The night before a ship crosses the “Line” all Polly Wogs, (those that have not crossed before) take over the ship. They can capture and detain Officers of the line and senior Petty Officers, the idea is controlled chaos, it represents how those that have not committed themselves to Neptune are un-ruley, un-disciplined, and un-worthy to cross his domain.

Continue reading Crossing the Line. By The Virgo Avenger

I’m at work today, and it starts off pretty slow, only three patients, one is being admitted and the other two are just waiting for X-rays and lab work to come back.

I take the free time to make-up rooms, restock supplies, and B.S. with the crew, that was short lived….

Continue reading Are you still a Man if…… By The Virgo Avenger