Krissy Phaserman

That's unions for you....

I agree that most students cannot go to private schools because of the tuition. Another thing that should happen is that the teacher's union should be abolished. That union has absolutely no concern for the kids and just like most unions, is only interested in getting money for themselves.

 

We have a schmuck of a Mayor here in Baltimore. He's running for Governor now and he will probably win because he's a Democrat and this is a Democratic state. His ads state how under his watch, students grades have risen. What he doesn't say is that he lowered the minimum grade for passing. He's a master at fudging statistics. He did the same for the crime figures. Crime is at an all-time high here but his figures show it has dropped because he manipulates the stats.

All I have to say, is if I am elected Governor, I'll raise the goldurned standards, and parents, if your kids fail, maybe you should actually get involved. And, of course, re-instate tag as the "Official" game of elementary school playgrounds!

ARMS, Don't take this the wrong way, but...DUH! As a military wife, I have an interest in technologies like this. they could potentially keep my loved ones in the Military safer, while making life hell for those who would try to harm them (and us, too!)

Sweet! Just read this on Comcast.com. Get me one, too!

Anyone remember a day when playing Ninja Turtles or Power Rangers was the norm on the playground? Or when falling off the jungle gym was an occupational hazzard for kids at recess? Things keep going like this and no more gym and no more recess!

I'll never die. I'm too much of a stubborn *****....

Any of the ships of the Iowa class are impressive. Freedom is actually the first ship in a series of classes that will revolutionise the Navy. the LCS is the first of the vessels to come out of the DD(X) program. The next ship will be LCS-2 (A different design from that of Freedom, to be in the water about this time next year). It's not as striking visually as an Iowa class or the Constitution, but what she represents is easily as impressive as those ships. I think she will make a fine heir to their legacy.

This is somewhat old, but It's worth a read.

From Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

 

MARINETTE, Wis. (NNS) -- Thousands looked on Sept. 24 as the Navy christened and launched the nation's first littoral combat ship, Freedom (LCS 1), at the Marinette Marine shipyard.

 

“Just a little more than three years ago she was just an idea, now Freedom stands before us. And on this morning, we christen her, send her down the ways and get her ready to join the fleet next year,” said Adm. Mike Mullen, Chief of Naval Operations. “It comes none too soon, because there are tough challenges out there that only she can handle.”

 

The 377-foot Freedom is capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots and can operate in water less than 20 feet deep. The ship will act as a platform for launch and recovery of manned and unmanned vehicles. Its modular design will support interchangeable mission packages, allowing the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine warfare, or surface warfare missions on an as-needed basis.

 

“Until now, this vessel has been a part of the shipyard structure -- a mass of steel, cables and electronics. Today Freedom is a maritime vessel. She is on her way to joining our great Navy patrolling the vast oceans of our world,” said Delores Etter, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition.

 

Freedom acknowledges the enduring foundation of our nation and honors American communities which bear the name Freedom. States having towns named Freedom include California, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

 

But, as Mullen made clear, Freedom also acknowledges new challenges faced by the Navy in the war on terror and will complement the vision of a global “1,000-ship navy” built upon ad hoc maritime partnerships.

 

“Freedom will know how to fight, but she can also be a friend,” said Mullen. “I am convinced that if we pool resources together, as partners and friends, we can best tackle many of the tough maritime problems we face. The Freedom class will fit perfectly into such partnerships. Her shallow draft and agility will allow her to go, when asked -- deep into green and brown water -- where we, our allies, and emerging partners face some of the most difficult challenges.”

 

The christening ceremony included the traditional smashing of a champagne bottle across the ship's bow, performed by ship's sponsor Birgit Smith. The ship then made a dramatic side-launch into the Menominee River.

 

Smith is the wife of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery and gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

 

Mullen put Birgit Smith’s selection as sponsor into perspective for the assembled crowd by referring to a letter her husband wrote home from Iraq.

 

“When I think of his words ‘I am prepared to give all that I am’ and the way he did exactly that, it reminds me of the true high cost of living in America, the price of freedom,” he said. “Paul paid that debt for us. His valor reminds us that we must be ready to defend freedom whenever and wherever it is challenged.

 

“Ships also really do take on the spirit of their sponsor,” he continued. “And I for one will take great comfort that when Freedom’s crews sail into harm’s way your quiet strength will go with them.”

 

Freedom will be manned by one of two rotational crews, blue and gold, similar to the rotational crews assigned to Trident submarines. The crews will be augmented by one of three mission package crews during focused mission assignments.

 

The blue crew commanding officer is Cmdr. Donald Gabrielson, who was born in northern Minnesota and graduated from the U.S. Navy Academy in 1989. The gold crew commanding officer is Cmdr. Michael Doran, who was born in Harrisonville, Mo., and graduated from Villanova University in 1989.

 

Freedom will continue to undergo outfitting and testing at Marinette Marine. The ship will be commissioned in 2007 and eventually homeported in San Diego, Ca.

 

The second LCS, named Independence, is currently under construction at Bath Iron Work in Bath, Maine. General Dynamics Corporation is building Indepence to a different design than that of Freedom.

 

Okay, my brother has talked about updating his, and I decided to do it for him. I utilised a new toy on this computer, Adobe PhotoDeluxe. It's not as loaded out as Photoshop, I don't think, but it helped alot.

I'd love to attend, but I cannot. That day is going to be really busy...

Thanks, Kid. He's right. Hopefully I've plugged some holes.

Lol!

DW, You think you can compete with my team? I've got a killer Qb combo. Last time Favre and Hasselbeck were on the same team, they won a Superbowl. Chicago's got the best, most nastiest D in all the land, and oh, yeah, last year's MVP? He's carryin' the rock. Bring it.

his AM screwed the pooch royally yesterday. She doesn't know it yet, but as soon as he has a replacement lined up, she's gone. It's a continueing problem with her. She makes horrible decisions, gets snappy with everyone, including customers and ME (Bad idea to get snappy with the boss' wife.), and can't seem to enforce the rules. Last night's debacle was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

Right now, I'm checkin' E-mail.

Just chilling, helping Gary call former assistant managers to see if they want a job.

I think they'd waive any H/W requirements for Data, as those are for BIOLOGICAL life forms, which Data is not. Those are mostly to determine how healthy someone is, I guess (If you don't meant Hieght Wieght you can get a waiver on body fat percentage.) Data probably wouldn't have to deal with physical requirements, since really, unless something is wrong with his programming, he's always at optimum, which is generally better.

I wonder, though, what the Basic Training for Starfleet Enlisted personnel would be like?

Starfleet seems relatively soft compared to the modern military, though. How many fat people do we regularly see on Star Trek? I mean, I doubt (Just by looking at him) That Cdr. Riker could pass the Height/Wieght requirements for the modern military, or even the PFT. Yeah, Starfleet personnel do physicals, but I don't think those physicals involve a 2 mile run and pushup-situp requirements. Also, with Starfleet, there are probably jobs available for those who can't do certain things.

Their quarters are probably set up to allow for different atmospheric requirements, and but I think most species require similar requirements atmospherically.

I used US bases as an example because that's what I know. RMA Sandhurst could serve as a satelite academy, for sure. So could Annapolis, West Point, and the USAFA....

It's Me!

Okay, we know not everyone in Starfleet is an Officer, even though it does seem to be a bit "Top-Heavy", but where does Starfleet conduct Boot Camp? One episode suggested at the Academy. Surely, though, the volume of enlistees would require more than just one boot camp, right?

Assuming they weren't destroyed during World War III, Is it possible that Starfleet would have taken over pre-existing training facilities when the various Earth-based militaries were disbanded? I could picture Starfleet easily taking over NavSta Great Lakes. It would actually make sense. Here you have a pre-existing compound designed specifically to produce basically trained service personnel on one side of the base, and the system to conduct advanced training on the other side of the base. Is it possible that this would be the case? Rather than being called "Naval Training Center" Great Lakes, it would be "Starfleet Training Center, Great Lakes"?

I didn't get banned, just a vBulletin malfunction. Funny, stuff like that doesn't happen on Invision Boards (Powerboards or InvisionFree). I wouldn't really have been bothered if I did get banned, though. WHat's it gonna do? Hurt my "Message Board Credit Score"?

By the way, here's an interesting comparison between the two boards:

Startrekfans.net

Members: 2096

posts: 371440

X-Fleet.net

Members: 866

Posts: 65,185

These stats are as of about 5 minutes prior to the edit time on this post

I think I just got banned....Not sure why...

I tried logging in there, and it doesn't let me log in.

The colors actually first disappeared in Star Trek II, when the uniforms became solid colors for everyone. I think the reason for the switch was due to the tone of the TNG movies, and the last few seasons of DS9. They were alot darker, and the uniforms represented that. the more somber uniforms matched the tone of the show. It is worth noting, though, that at least once during DS9, during the planning for the battle of Chin'Toka, we saw an older TNG-era uniform (Supposedly still in service)

Bob McGuiggan, of North-West Suburban Chicago, died on Tuesday, possibly due to the extreme heat.

McGuiggan was one of 316 men to be rescued of the crew of the USS Indianapolis (CA-35), sunk 30 July, 1945 by a Japanese submarine after delivering the Atomic Bomb that would eventually be dropped on Hiroshima. 1,119 men of her crew survived the sinking, though after several days in the water, exposed to the elements, without food and water and falling prey to sharks, only 316 of her crew survived the ordeal.

An autopsy will be scheduled to determine the exact cause of McGuiggan's death.