A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...4-25-03....Whiskered Warriors and Flippered Friends

Billie and Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning Pippin! Happy day to you!

.........

[grantswank]

hello, pippin.

so good to see you today.

have a wonderful weekend.

yes yes yes.

romans 8:28

<//><

[grantswank]

US TROOPS IMPRESS RUSSIAN LEADERS!!


If you’re an alcoholic, you stand a good chance. Sign up.

Have a chronic disease? Sign up.

Drug addict? Sign up.

To fill up its draft numbers, the Soviet ministry of defense is willing to
enlist alcoholics, the unhealthy and drug addicts.

The ministry is “desperate,” according to the TIMES OF LONDON. Their stats
are dropping, alarmingly so. The Russian army is in big time trouble.

To resurrect a sort of militia, the Soviet central agency is looking at
former Soviet republics for male bodies. The Russians promise high pay (?),
free education and the status symbol of a Russian citizenship paper.

So there.

As the army disintegrates daily, realism dictates that up to 50,000
conscripts desert each year. Thousands more “dodge the call-up.” Part of
the fear is the knowledge that they will be bullied into pulp as well as
living in poverty conditions.

And so it is that the Russians are content to take on heroin addicts,
drunks and those with known illnesses.

Sergie Ivanov, the Defense Minister, expects that the Commonwealth of
Independent States – that loose-hanging network of former republics – will
come up with a better soldier who, for exemplary behavior, will receive
Russian citizenship after three years’ commitment.

Now that the three-week win war is over in Iraq, the Russian generals are
frankly “in shock” due to witnessing the military expertise of the United
States and its coalition partners. In other words, Russians have been quite
impressed. No wonder Putin thereby puts on his snoot act lately; cover-up
persona of sorts?

Russian military leaders hope that they will come upon five million troops
arriving from Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia as well as Tajikistan. This
should, they say, equip the Russians with what they are advertising as “the
very best.”

Time will tell.

At present, conscripts realize that they will be subjected to bullying in
the well-known dedovshchina system. And what is that? It is the program to
demolish a soldier’s self-esteem by humiliating him to the nth degree – all
for the end purpose of forcing him into mannequin obedience.

It is known fact that Russian youths will go to any length to avoid the
dedovshchina. One fellow even feigned mental illness, was committed, and
endured intolerable conditions – all with the intent of not having to serve
as a solider in the Russian machine.

In the two Chechen conflicts of the past ten years, thousands upon
thousands simply walked into the firing line with practically no training.
Presently 80 per cent of the troops there are on contract; however, not all
believe in the contracts’ reliabilities.

“You cannot make a contract soldier obey orders. If there is another
Chernobyl and we have to send in the army, do you think contract soldiers
will agree to do it?” Dmitri Mitrofinov, a Duma deputy, asked the media.
“No, we must keep the draft system, but think of ways to make it more
attractive, so the young take pride in their country.”

In the meantime, any out there who wish to sail abroad, sign up and do your
bit for the Russian brigade?

[Aquamarine]

Thanks for the info on our sea warriors! It seemed fitting that dolphins were an ally of ours in this war...they always were the good guys of the sea. :)

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you so much!

[Mama_Bear]

It seemed fitting that dolphins were an ally of ours in this war...they always were the good guys of the sea. :)

Morning, Aqua.....yes, and I was pleased to find that in my research I didn't come across a single case where these beautiful mammals were being handled with anything other than tender loving care. The Peta people are aghast, of course, that they are being used in a war zone.....but I did not see any accusations of any cases of neglect or mistreatment. I'm sure if they knew of any, we would know about it.

Since the dolphins are not on a leash, they could swim away and never return if they wanted. In fact, I didn't include it in the post, but Tacoma did just that....he went AWOL for three days. But he did return. Dolphin are territorial and his handlers think that possibly some Iraqi dolphins chased him away........either that, or he just decided to go out reconnoitering on his own for awhile. LOL.

[Mama_Bear]

[ST.LOUIE1]

Morning, fuzzy!

I'm glad you're giving these guys the credit they deserve. Very interesting. : )

wolfie(((((((((Lori)))))))))wolfie. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

I love animal stories.

Great! I'll tell you all about wolfie - over a bottle of champagne some night. LOL

wolfie(((((dansy)))))wolfie

[daisyscarlett]

What a delightful and beautiful thread! Dolphins are very special - and I loved the Tacoma story...

Here are some dolphins "playing" at LaJolla Shores near San Diego...this is common site there...

[ST.LOUIE1]

Let's play some marbles, Sis! : )

[daisyscarlett]

Champagne, can I join you two...Love champagne as long as it is not French, of course...LOL....

Morning to wolfie and dansy...

[Mama_Bear]

'Morning, sweet wolfie. :-)

((((((((((((Louie)))))))))))))

[jwfiv]

Such an inspiring start to our day...thank you, Mama_Bear...Very informative.

America is soooooo wonderful, even Flipper is on our side.

Hey, Freepers, it's Friday and...SURF'S UP!

[Diver Dave]

KEWL, Mama Bear. Dolphins were incorporated into the US Navy 1st class diver logo long ago.

First Class divers in my era were trained using mixed gases (helium/oxygen) for deeper dives. We 2nd class divers just used normal air (nitrogen/oxygen) and our logo was the diving helmet without the dolphins.

Salute to Navy Divers and their mates.

[Mama_Bear]

What a delightful and beautiful thread!

Thank you. I enjoyed putting it together.

Dolphins are very special

Yes, they are. I think they are natural clowns too. Each time we have left Puerto Vallarta a school of dolphins has escorted the ship out of the harbor. I know they think they are cute. They jump and cavort in the wake like they KNOW they are entertaining us! Sometimes three or four will jump in unison, like they are performing a choreographed dance. It is beautiful to watch.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Champagne, can I join you two....

Of course! The more pretty women the merrier, wolfie always sez. : )

...Love champagne as long as it is not French, of course...LOL....

LOL Not to worry, we may switch to beer.

Morning to wolfie...

Morning, pretty Daisy. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

'Morning, sweet wolfie. :-)
((((((((((((Louie)))))))))))))

You sure know how to start wolfie's day off just right, fuzzbo. : )

[ST.LOUIE1]

((((((( Pippin )))))))

Morning, doll. : )

[Mama_Bear]

You sure know how to start wolfie's day off just right, fuzzbo. : )

Fuzzbo? LOL!!! You're so cute! Thanks. :-)

I was going to take off for awhile, but with comments like that from you, I think I might just stay around. ;-)