The Hobbit Hole VI - And Whither Then? I Cannot Say...

[Darksheare]

I still liked seeing an old sign that said something to the effect that artillery shells may be flying overhead.

[Lil'freeper]

Hubby and I will try to see it this weekend. I know he's really looking forward to it- not in a giddy sense, but as a pilgrimage of sorts. I'm reluctant to go knowing I don't have the emotional reserves right now to really appreciate it. Even your review has me in tears- but I thank you for it.

[Lil'freeper]

There was a nice piece on the history of artillery on the History channel last nite. We watched it and Big'ol reminisced- he was an artilleryman as a young officer.

[RosieCotton]

I know he's really looking forward to it- not in a giddy sense, but as a pilgrimage of sorts.

That's a good description, and about how I'm feeling.

[Darksheare]

I miss the sound and the smoke.
There's just something about the powder smoke that is addictive.

[Lil'freeper]

LOL- he says the same! I was around some 155s firing (nat'l guard target practice) and the only thing I remember was what felt like a wedge being hammered into my skull from the air pressure change when those things fired.

Big gun go boom... bad guy go splat.

[Darksheare]

My howitzer was a 105, but it still could ring your ears if you were too close to the muzzle brake.
Still have my cannon crewmember handbook showing where the 'safe' areas around the howitzer were.
Being that I did RTO, kept track of the record of fire, and sat pretty much on the sight box semi-in front of the gunner catty-corner next to the wheel, I was the crewman closest to teh muzzle brake.
Ear plugs were a necessity.
I'm going to have to dig up a diagram of what this would look like, probably, but basically the wheel is in front of the gunner, and looking from his seat on the trails I would be slightly in front of him and to his left facing him.
One of our crew made the mistake of not having one earplug in during a mission, and he was standing behind me when we fired.
From what I heard, he still has a permanent ringing in that ear.

But there's nothing in the world like feeling the thump in your chest and smelling the smoke when a howitzer fires.
(And you can ALWAYS tell the artillery types when a howitzer fires. They have a gleam in their eyes, whoop, shout, yell, beat their chests and or howl wildly or inhale the smoke with a huge grin. Those NOT cut out for artillery try to get away from teh howitzer as quickly as possible..)

[HairOfTheDog]

Beautifully written MBY....

[Professional Engineer]

How anyone want to get away from a big gun go boom? Talk about heaven on Earth.

[Darksheare]

I dunno, it never made sense ot me, even though I saw it in action once or twice.
There was a guy doing the number 1 posiition on the howitzer on the M119, #1 man is inside the trails with the barrel flying by in front of him during recoil, and he made at least four foot vertical in his leap to get out from inside the trails.
We had our camo net up, and his helmet pretty much brushed it at the top of his leap arc.
I was keeping track of the record of fire, an dhad just told FDC "Gun 1 shot" followed by "Holy ****!" as this guy raced past in front of me.
He got stuck doing admin work after that.

[300winmag]

The signs are located in a sensitive area, ergo no cameras. But they are darn funny. Maybe one day I'll try to do a photoshop rendition of one.

Check with the PIO. Tell them you love the signs, and would like a picture of one. Maybe they'll have a picture, or can point you to the carpentry shop, or wherever they assemble the signs.

[300winmag]

How anyone want to get away from a big gun go boom? Talk about heaven on Earth.

Our battalion was equipped with the 15mm M-109. Still, I had howitzer envy for the First Battalion, which fired the 8-inch M-110. Talk about BIG and LOUD! Firing a mile away from us, they were louder than our own guns, just 50 yards away. Of course, 200-lb. shells for the 8-inch make for very muscular, but slow, gunbunnies.

[Argh]

On a coinsiderably less exalted level: Oscar for Gollum?, from Canada's National Post.

I thought the woman who did the voice of the pig in the first "Babe" movie should have been nominated for one. And considering what useless dreck most Hollywood actresses (and actors) are, it wouldn't have hurt my feelings if she had won, too.

[2Jedismom]

I'm here! Well, I'm here and gone...I'm doing school with Matthew and catching up on the laundry. After lunch, we'll be doing school outside, so I'll see you guys when I see ya!

It's gorgeous outside.

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh.... They'll never allow it.

I think Serkis did a great job, I find it interesting that he was "there" and acting the whole time in scenes where he was painted out and painted back in as Gollum. I think he deserves acclaim for the voice acting that he did to make the whole character work.

But Gollum was not Serkis. The expressions and acting Gollum had were no more Serkis's than a smile I draw on paper is my smile. Whenever they ran the split screen comparisons of Serkis to Gollum you can see this. The expressions shown on Serkis are tweaked and perfected to become the Gollum they wanted.

IF (and that is a big if) the software gets to the point where it is truly driven by the actual movement and expression of the actor alone.... THEN the actor can get the credit. Right now.... It is still the artists at Weta that made it work.

[RosieCotton]

Looks like the thread is in a Friday afternoon slump.

So am I.

*yawn* Is it four yet?

[2Jedismom]

Steve was supposed to pick up the boys from my parent's house yesterday after work and bring them home, feed them those pork medallions with gravy I made. I felt a bit regretful, because they were so good, but there really wasn't enough for Steve and both boys and myself. My mom took me out to eat with the girls that homeschool at my church before the movie.

Well, my dad fed the boys hamburger helper (which they LOVE) so Steve ate about half the pork with a baked potatoe. Apparently, he intended to take the rest for his lunch today, because he had it all set up with another baked potatoe! But he forgot it and I got to eat it for lunch!

Oh, it was Delicious!

[ecurbh]

Is it four yet?

Actually, yes it is.... somewhere. ;~D

[2Jedismom]

It's just so pretty outside! The boys are still eating, then we're going outside. It's 60 degrees!

[Argh]

In about half an hour it'll be 4 in Newfoundland.