The Hobbit Hole XXX - Then world behind and home ahead...

http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/ ^

[RosieCotton]

*snort*

That worked partly into the conversation with Dad.

Yes, in spite of my being a whiny materialist feminist, I discussed how certain types of bureaucratic career women are hard to deal with.

[SuziQ]

Tomorrow I get to deal with chemical weapons: a toxic nerve gas known as estrogen.

*snort* Makes you wanna slap someone silly, if they're ramped on it, don't it?

[osagebowman]

If you weren't there when the buzzer went off, your stuff got moved.

Amen!!

[RosieCotton]

That happened pretty routinely at the apartment complex JenB and I were in, but only at certain times, fortunately.

I suspect Mr. Beepy, but I have no proof. And gosh knows I didn't want to touch his undergarments and such, dry or not! So I didn't move 'em...

[JenB]

I always just shoved their wet things into a free dryer, or took the dry things and left them on top. We only had two of each for 24 units so I was rude.

[300winmag]

While spending a quiet Sunday putting goodies pacakages together for the troops, I visited Operation Helmet again. It was founded by a retired Navy flight surgeon, and is dedicated to getting the helmet retrofit pads (developed and approved two years ago) out to the troops that still need them. I whine about our backlog, and realize he has a backlog of 3500 kits, at $100 a pop. It puts our effort in perspective.

It also frosts my cookies (as it should yours) when I realize the Army has already bought 900,000 sets, out of a total buy of one million. How many get out to the regular troops is a matter of conjecture, since many unit commanders don't even know this item exists. While developed for the elite new ACH (Advanced Combat Helmet), it can be fitted into all earlier styles of kevlar pots, including the original PASGT. It also fits the new Marine helmet, even though some general officers think the original suspension system is "good enough".

The pads stick to large velcro circles applied inside the helmet, and provide an impact-absorbing capability like that of a motorcycle helmet. The military kevlar helmet would fail miserably as a motorcycle helmet.

Current helmets provide superior ballistic protection (the ACH can even stop a 9mm round at 5 meters), but impact protection has not improved since the Korean-war-vintage suspension system developed for the old steel pots. An impact might not penetrate the helmet, but if it slams it against your head, you have problems right there. The new padding prevents that, which also makes it good protection in vehicle crashes.

Anyway, I think think this is important enough that I'd like ecurbh to add a link to their site. I'd like troops (and friends and relatives that visit) to learn more about this lifesaving technology.

I also "took the plunge" and signed up with igive.com. Any purchases made at any of their participating 470 stores generates a percentage donation to the charity you specify. I don't know if I'll be shopping at any of those sites, but if I do, a charitable kickback will go to Operation Helmet.

I also downloaded an applet that will identify any igive sites with a popup if I visit, so I know that a contribution will be made. You have the choice of getting a statement for tax purposes (useless for me), or a just a donation to the charity. There are hundreds of charities to choose from, but I figure Operation Helmet deserves my support.

Please give this some serious consideration. It doesn't cost a dime, and goes to a group that's doing work that makes ours seem trivial.

[HairOfTheDog]

It is a very deserving cause, it does seem silly that the troops don't have such things yesterday... I'm sure honey'll put a link to the site up.

[300winmag]

it does seem silly that the troops don't have such things yesterday...

You want silly? Remember the Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) that President Bush was lambasted over not having enough armor inserts for everyone? Well, that "new" armor goes back to the golden years of the clinton administration, where it was called "ranger armor". It was considered so expensive that only a few hundred sets were bought, to be used only by Rangers or Special Forces on "unusually dangerous" missions. It could only be issued upon written orders of a superior officer, and had to be returned to a secure facility after the mission.

Now the armor is issued to everyone, including troops that will never hear a weapon fired during their entire tour. And, "it's all Bush's fault".

[ecurbh]

Thanks, winmag. I got the link added under "Partners & Projects" at the top of the sidebar.

[Overtaxed]

Got another 0.6 inches. Brings me up to 5.2 total inches for the weekend....so far....

[Lil'freeper]

Highly volatile. Exudes out the pores and vaporizes instantly. Vey dangerous. Can induce various psychoses. Steer clear.

[osagebowman]

Wow!! Good for you, you'll get this drought broken yet. We are still under 2 inches of rain for the weekend. Storms are moving north or south of us, but not raining on lovely Lee's Summit. LSA

[ExGeeEye]

So I went back down and found someone deleting dry garments from one o' the dryers (the device I required)...so I loaded up and waited for it. I'm all set now.

But fercrynoutloud I missed evening service and a phone call to WK over this.

Anyhoo, prayers requested this week as I check out a house for sale one one of those parts of *town* for under $70K, and also an abandoned mobile home with "cosmetic" needs I can have if I just pay the lot rent. Hmmm....

'cuz if my household doubles in size next year it'd be vey hard to do it here....

[ExGeeEye]

Interesting. I suppose the retrofit pads would be of higher quality than this, but here goes:

This is my "parade helmet". I bought the helmet from a pawnshop in Fayetteville while I was at Bragg (and a brand-spankin-new LBE and accoutrements), fit it out with webbing and a cover (which I replaced when I made SGT) and used it for ceremonial events instead of the one I was issued, which I rolled around in the dirt and took to the Gulf, etc. I took my parade gear with me to Germany and to Ft. Hood, and kept it when I got out.

This is the interior with the standard webbing.

This is a foam pad I bought in Fayetteville. I saw similar ones in a flattened donut shape. I used this in field environment, ranges etc., and kept it as well when I got out. It did the job (comort, better fit).

Here it is installed in the helmet.

Looks like the pad kit in Operation Helmet is a bit more advanced. For the price, it oughta be :) I wish them well.

[Corin Stormhands]

So I wuz gonna buy muhself a Kings Dominion t-shirt.

But I couldn't find any that said "When I die I'll go to heaven, 'cause I've spent my time in hell."

So, there's that.

[Corin Stormhands]

If she really can't hold anything down, are you saying that is the pain meds or does that mean there should be a call to the doctor about that

I don't think we know for sure. She's been able to hold down some crackers today. A few at a time.

I ~think~ it's a combination of the fact that she initially took 8 pain pills in a four hour period, then got the shots, then they gave her percocet. She kept saying she didn't feel like eating, but kept taking the meds. And I'm not sure if we know what she's been taking ~in addition~ to the percocet.

A quick Google says that severe weakness and nausea are possible side effects of percocet.

It may warrant a call to the doctor (and wife most likely will). It did not warrant another trip to the E.R...on a Saturday night.

[Corin Stormhands]

Thanks. We certainly believe in the power of prayer.

[HairOfTheDog]

'cuz if my household doubles in size next year it'd be vey hard to do it here....

Sounds like it, even just from a ~laundry~ standpoint :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

Good luck and hope she's really feeling better soon.

[300winmag]

In more of "that's silly" stuff, I was doing a quick sharpening on four Gerber 600 EOD multitools. These are items that the government, again, buys by the thousands with our tax dollars. Then the troops that need them never see them. Since these engineers play a lot with explosives, I felt they have earned these tools many times over.

Anyway, I sharpened the knife blades on the first three. Number four seemed a bit odd, and it took me a minute to realize the knife was not where it should be, next to the Hobbit Hole logo. (I had these tools engraved so nobody tries to confiscate them at a later date as "government equipment").

Instead of the knife blade, there was a short tool that looked awfully familiar. It then dawned on me that this was a factory error that had a second can opener (not sure how much even the first one is needed) in place of the knife blade.

I hope whoever gets this particular tool has a sense of humor. And I hope Gerber starts practicing better quality control on stuff that must have been built on a Monday or Friday.