Are you or have you ever been in the Armed Forces?

Medvedya · 12-26-2004, 12:00 PM

Nah, it's just gnarly things I've read and heard....

Crippen · 12-26-2004, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nonskimmer

I've always gotten along great with the 'Kipper' (British) sailors! The boys love to drink, and they love a good scrap!

Sounds terribly British!!!
Nonskimmer.... good reading.... keep it coming.
Subs!!??? always thought you would have to be barking mad to do that, A bit more money?!..... I think you need shed loads M8 to do that.

kiwimac · 12-26-2004, 03:12 PM

The problem with torture is, where does it end?

The Geneva Conventions were authored to prevent the routine torturing and killing of POWs. When one country allows or encourages toture it means that ALL countires troops / citizens become that much more vulnerable.

kiwimac

Crippen · 12-26-2004, 04:25 PM

Sorry a long rant ( two subjects) and a tad contentious.... but I need my chest clearing>>>>>>>

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maestro

One thing you need to know, Crippen : there is NO law at war. There never was, and never will be.
There is NO law at war. Don't forget it.

I can only imagin some of the sights seen in war. But please don't patronize me or give me a virtual 'pat on the head' as if I know F**k all about anything.
To start with, I wouldn't be posting on a WW2 site, nor have a love & interest in machines of 'mass murder' ( ie the Lancs bomber), if I didn't see the need for armed forces and war. Whilst there are folk in the world intent on greed, power and domination, there is a need for defence.
And if you want to know could I kill.... sure, without doubt, no question... I am very sure I could (if I had to*).
As for terrorism & being terrified M8, you don't have to go to war to have your bones broken and be abused in everyway and shape possible, I ( like many others) endured it for five years, at the hands of a ' loving husband'. (*Character building

).
I also sit on a panel (weekly) which determins care orders (as to which kids are taken from their parents and which remain), I have to work with these parents on a daily bases.... sure I would dearly love to terrorise them for what they do ( and there are thousands of them.... not just an odd one here and there), but! I have to learn to like them and get them close and 'change them' with a smile on my face........ for their kids sake. The alternative.... no law made yet to rip out their reproductive organs... so they would 'carry on' with the following five kids they produce.
No where near the scale you talk about I know, but please don't think I have no understanding of 'anything' ( oh yes you did imply that).
I wanted troops to go into Iraq, not because of WOMD or to catch 'him', but to stop the torture to the ordinary folk like you and I. As being raped by a broken bottle and other such lovelyness, in my book just aint acceptable. ( subtle link to next subject coming up)
I believe that 90% of folk in 'all' countries, just want the same as 'us', muslims ain't after taking our country or our 'Christmas'. It is insecure governments and middle/upper class snobs that inflict political correctness upon us (proof....look where imigrants are placed in housing....not in upper/middle class housing areas), put the blame squarly at government doors not ordinary folk... what ever their race.
The dole ( welfare) breeds alot of lazyness and bleeds our country(ies) & system dry, if welfare wasn't 'so' easy and folk had to work 'towards' it, it would not only sort the lazy gits out who abuse it, but also put off those people who want to come into 'any' counrty for a free ride.
****************
Sometimes we want to judge others how we do, to justify 'why' we do the things we do. Be it seeing the terrorist in others and refusing to see the terrorist in ourselves.>>>>
ie ...is chopping the fingers off someone to obtain a result, really any different than driving a plane into a building to gain a result. Where is this fine line we cross ?!
Here endeth my rant... chest clear and only lovely thoughts from now on.... thanks for the opportunity to rant. Come backs welcome, but I will not respond... said all I wish now.
Sorry Les if you felt I was having a dig at you... I wasn't.... kisses and virtual hugs to ya

>>>> off to talk about music now... calming stuff is music. (excuse spelling...cant be bovered).

GermansRGeniuses · 12-26-2004, 04:33 PM

I like that word...

Bovered!

Crippen · 12-26-2004, 05:33 PM

It's very Mancs ( Manchester), ta hun

GermansRGeniuses · 12-26-2004, 05:56 PM

One thing...

Is "Shire" pronounced 'Shy-err' or 'Sheer'?

I heard someone say the latter on TV and thought it was wrong, I know it as "Shy-err"

Medvedya · 12-26-2004, 07:51 PM

Urm, when said in relation to a county it would go Lanca-sha or Hertford-sha. Said on it's own like 'The Shire' as in the Hobbit, it would be Shy-err' so you're quite right.

Another thing is that places like Farnborough or Peterborough or Edinburgh, burgh being a Scottish spelling of borough are pronounced Farnbra, Peterbra, and Edinbra. But Borough, a tube station on the Northern Line, is spoken as written.

There are loads of other little traps, for example, Berkeley is a little village just north of here, and is pronounced 'Barkley'. Were you to say it as is reads, people would confuse it with the eminent university. Talking of top flight uni's, Oxford would be spoken as 'Oxfud'. I could think of loads if I put my mind to it.

Not that confusing I hope!

Nonskimmer · 12-26-2004, 08:07 PM

Duuuuhhh!!

Medvedya · 12-26-2004, 08:50 PM

Yeah, it's quite interesting when you browse through a book of place names, okay, for example 'Halifax' comes from 'Haliflex' that a word used in the 12th Century and meaning 'Holy flax field'

Halifax, Nova Scotia was named after the Earl of Halifax - but I guess you already know that one! What I've just looked up here is that most of your city was completely trashed in 1917 when an ammunition ship blew up!

plan_D · 12-26-2004, 09:18 PM

I like the way you were so sure you could kill someone Crippen, no one knows if they can actually kill someone until the time comes. So I wouldn't be too sure...

Nonskimmer · 12-26-2004, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medvedya

Halifax, Nova Scotia was named after the Earl of Halifax - but I guess you already know that one! What I've just looked up here is that most of your city was completely trashed in 1917 when an ammunition ship blew up!

Actually, I did know the origin of Halifax's (Nova Scotia) name. We learned it in school. I not only work here, but I'm from Nova Scotia. I'm a 'Blue Noser'!

My mother's parents survived the explosion of 1917, which was felt as far away as Cape Breton, in the north eastern part of the province. It was the largest man made conventional (i.e. non-nuclear) explosion, and leveled most of the city.

Trivia: To this day, the city of Halifax donates a large Christmas tree every year to the city of Boston, Massachusetts as a small token of thanks for their tremendous support and generosity, following the disaster of 1917. Halifax considers Boston as it's "sister city".

Quote:

Originally Posted by plan_D

I like the way you were so sure you could kill someone Crippen, no one knows if they can actually kill someone until the time comes. So I wouldn't be too sure...

I dunno. I'm pretty sure I could kill, sometimes!

plan_D · 12-26-2004, 10:08 PM

I'm sure most people in this world are sure they can. You never know though until they have to, if they have to. Some of the reactions from soldiers, the first time they kill someone is amazing...the range of reaction. Some laugh hysterically and look to be enjoying it...and at the other end they just break down and cry.

Apparently though...more you kill, easier it gets.

evangilder · 12-26-2004, 11:31 PM

Situations dictate how it happens. It is one thing to be getting shot at and return the fire to make it stop. To be quite honest, the killing is easy and doesn't change (at least in my experience). What happens afterward is what is difficult and it never gets easier, you just kind of numb yourself to it to survive.

There are some things that you don't remember for years, and something triggers that memory out of nowhere. Usually (Les, you probably have had this as well), a smell will trigger something. Some smells will instantly transfer you back, good or bad. There are other things that you will never forget, though you wish you could. What ends up happening is you learn to make friends with it, so to speak.

I don't normally speak about this subject, but if it helps others to understand, I sometimes will chime in. Every person does handle it differently and the same is true the first time a bullet goes zinging by your head. Some just react, some curl into a ball and sob. Others, some of the ones that seem the most unlikely, show uncharacteristic bravery. It is very difficult to describe and nothing can fully train you for it because everyone reacts to the stressors differently. That is why teamwork is so important. The ones that handle it well help the ones that do not, or at least get them focused to respond to the threat.

Maestro · 12-26-2004, 11:36 PM

I was told a little story about that.

Shortly after D-Day, a regiment of Canadian commandos captured a bunch of German soldiers. When the Canadian translator explained to the guys that they were P.O.W.s and wouldn't get killed, a German f*cker spit on the translator. The commando carrying the .50 machine gun pushed the translator away and said :

- Get off, buddy. That guy spit for the last time of his life.

And killed him (with the .50, of corse.) Guess how the other Canadian commandos reacted ? They vomited on the ground.