In the latest “Popular Mechanics”, the “Milan” computer from Microsoft, using “multi-touch” input.

More ‘gouge’ from da Man here.

Pretty snazzy…and a great coffee table replacement!

Update 6/23/2007: Kevin points out that someone has other views about Bill Gate’s great ideas…

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Last week, I discussed the first Naval Ship Constructor for the United States Navy, Joshua Humphreys.

This week, another name from the beginnings of our naval history: John Rodgers (1772-1838).The reason to distinguish this man by date is because his son and great-grandson also distinguished themselves in the Naval Service. John Rodgers entered our naval history as a Second Lieutenant assigned to the commissioning crew, commanded by CAPT Thomas Truxton. LT Rodgers was responsible for recruiting a crew to man the 38 gun vessel from an office at Cloney’s tavern in the maritime district of Fell’s Point near Baltimore, MD. It was a difficult time to recruit for the Navy, as merchant wages were better, but LT Rodgers managed to fill about half the ship’s compliment with his effort.The USS CONSELLATION sailed south to the Caribbean and began to hunt for French warships, and on February 9th, 1799, a lookout sighted the French Frigate L’Insurgente. CAPT Truxton gave chase and, after a brutal, well fought battle, including vicious broadsides fired at close range and boarding parties engaged in bloody hand to hand combat on the deck of the French frigate, the first US Navy victory at sea was in hand. John Rodgers, having commanded a merchant vessel at the age of 25 before joining the navy, was promoted to the rank of Acting Captain of the captured vessel and was responsible to repair and outfit L’Insurgente.Much controversy was eventually raised when the issue of paying, as was the tradition, the crew of the USS CONSTELLATION for their share of the value of the captured vessel. Detailed in “Six Frigates” by Ian Toll, were influence and maneuvering were done to try and show more value (placed at $120K) for the ship than it may have been worth. In the long run, it is a tale where a showdown between the politicians and the crew who would benefit from the payout faced off. In the long run, the final value of $84,500 was settled upon, and further possibilities of cashiering out officers suspected of inflating values was avoided.John Rodgers next appears in history as the Captain of the USS JOHN ADAMS, a light frigate, sailing with the squadron of CAPT Preble, of the USS CONSTITUTION in 1803 in the Mediterranean. From there, he rose to command USS CONGRESS, which was directed to be activated and put to sea by oder of th President Jefferson after the USS PHILADELPHIA had been captured at Tripoli. CONGRESS was assigned to the squadron of Samuel Barron. By 1810, John Rodgers was assigned as a commodore a position he held into the beginning of the War of 1812.In honor of Commodore John Rodgers, the Navy has named three ships (directly) for him. The first USS JOHN RODGERS was a lighthouse tender (1917-1919). The second USS JOHN RODGERS (DD-574), a FLETCHER Class Destroyer, was commissioned on Feb 9, 1943 and saw action at Marcus Island, Tawara and Wake Island in 1943, Kwajalein Atoll and later the Mariannas Island campaigns, then was at Leyte Gulf in Oct, 1944. After a refit stateside, RODGERS joined ADMIRAL Spruance’s Task Force 58 and participated in the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and was one of the first ships to enter Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremonies. Decommissioned in 1946, the USS JOHN RODGERS (DD-574) won 12 battle stars for combat action. The third USS JOHN RODGERS was a SPRUANCE Class Destroyer, hull DD-983, in honor of all three famous John Rodgers. Commissioned Sep 4th, 1979, RODGERS conducted Naval Gunfire Support (NGFS) operations off Beruit in Sep, 1983. Decommissioned Sep 4th, 1998, she has been broken up for scrap.Three vessels of the US Navy have also been named to honor John Rodgers, but also included honoring his son and great grandson, each bearing the name USS RODGERS.But by a small twist of fate, I would have served aboard the USS JOHN RODGERS (DD-983). I was in the list for orders to one of the pre-commissioning SPRUANCE Class crews, with RODGERS at the top of the list for myself and the Navy. There was difficulty in getting my relief through Communications Officer School and to the ship in the Mediterranean on time for me to join training for the Combat Systems team at Fleet Combat Training Center, Atlantic. As a result, I was assigned to USS LEFTWICH (DD-984).

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“Mass Media Causes Ignorance”

Amen to that!

Wisdom from This Veteran’s Life about what he learned riding the Metro in the DC area:

1. Stand to the right. Walk to the left. We are all moving in the same direction, but some of us are just trying to get there quicker. Be courteous.

2. Remember to shower. Life is like the metro. If you want people to sit next to you, then remember to shower.

3. No one wants to here about your new iPod, car, or condo. We all have had a rough day and just want to make it home.

4. Give up your seat for old people and children. We have all been children and we all will be old people. Show some grace and respect.

5. If you are lost ask for directions. If not you’ll just spend hours being lost. Time lost cannot be regained.

6. Know where you are going, or be happy with not being where you want to be.

7. Be kind to everyone you meet. We are all just trying to get by the best we can.

8. Always have exact change or else you’ll end up paying more for the same thing.

9. Take notice of those around you. They are your neighbors. They have a perspective that is different than yours. And we all have alot to learn from each other.

10. No matter how long the ride there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Great stuff. Whoda thunk you could gain that kind of knowledge just riding the rails in the midst of thousands of other people on a work day? Maybe all it takes is just thinking about “things” rather than just existing through life…

If you’re a regular reader of Black Five you may have already destroyed your keyboard. Tough. Tell the chaplain later and get your card punched.

If not, get over to this post and the beginning digital warfare between the world changing United States Marine Corps and the guys who always wanted to be the Nation’s “door kickers” that land after the Marines have done the hard work.

***WARNING*** Regardless of your service background/affiliation/preferences: REMOVE ALL LIQUIDS AND BREAKABLE OBJECTS FROM THE VICINITY OF YOUR COMPUTER. TAKE YOUR LAST SWALLOW OF YOUR COFFEE/MILK (for you Army guys)/BEER or LIQUOR/SODA/ETC BEFORE YOU BEGIN READING THE POST AND THE COMMENTS****

You have been warned. If you can’t follow directions, either buy cheap keyboards, or just quit using a computer.

Oh: The Origin? Writer “Grim” posted a way to send emails to deployed Marines, and Matt decided to send one of his own. You can get the gouge on supporting our troops forward, the ones proud to call themselves Marines by going here.

When the chickens come home to roost.

Consider carefully all that you decide…a good life lesson for everyone.

In the meantime, it appears as justice will get to be served in this case.

“I’ll get you ice cream for dinner!”

Click pic to enlarge
And…to the U.S. Army, 232 years old today, Happy Birthday! Who says you don’t get better with age?

Bonus picture from Military Motivator:

There’s a blog reader’s survey going around. I like to scan my sitemeter info to see who’s coming from where and what they are reading, but…if you’d like to take a few minutes to answer a few questions, this survey will provide some grist for my curiosity mill:

Please take my Blog Reader Project survey.

Thanks in advance!