Jim Phaserman

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Posts posted by Jim Phaserman

  1. Posted

    Okay, I always thought of myself as a patriotic kind of guy, but I was searching Snopes, and I found out a rather harsh truth. I got nuthin'. Here's what I mean. And I hope you all take notes on this. I did.

     

     

    Military cemeteries are places of especial reverence because each grave therein is not only the final resting place of an individual but also stands as a monument to valor and the enduring truths for which that soldier gave his life.

     

    Tombs dedicated to unknown soldiers, those fallen comrades whose identities have been lost to all but God, stand as poignant reminders of the gravity of duty to one's country and of the awful price freedom may demand of those who serve in the military. Although every soldier's grave should be such a reminder, it is easy to pass by those of known individuals and not be struck by the day-to-day act of courage that it is to be a soldier. Yet before the tomb of an unknown serviceman, that realization strikes home. The man interred therein represents all soldiers; his courage, valor, and sacrifice represent the promise of all who serve that when called upon they will do no less. Before the tomb of an unknown, we honor the dead and are awed by the living.

     

    When Hurricane Isabel hit on 19 September 2003, she struck with fury and left in her wake a trail of devastation. Yet not even a hurricane is stronger than a soldier's sense of duty.

     

    The text quoted above, which was picked up by Associated Press out of the Texarkana Gazette, is for the most part accurate. Sentries charged with guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia did indeed spend the entire night out in the weather rather than leave their posts. It is untrue, however, that they disobeyed a direct order to do so, as some e-mail versions of this story maintain:

     

    The Regimental Commander of the U.S. Third Infantry sent word to the nighttime Sentry Detail to secure the post and seek shelter from the high winds, to ensure their personal safety. THEY DISOBEYED THE ORDER. During winds that turned over vehicles and turned debris into projectiles . . . the measured step continued. One fellow said "I've got buddies getting shot at in Iraq who would kick my butt if word got to them that we let them down . . . I'm sure as hell have no intention of spending my Army career being known as the idiot who couldn't stand a little light breeze and shirked his duty."

    A contingency plan had been established that if winds reached 120 mph the guards could retreat from their usual exposed-to-the-elements posts in the tomb plaza to take up positions in trophy room, which is above the tomb plaza and has a clear view of the sepulcher. (The Tomb of the Unknowns is a small box-like white building situated in an open area close to the middle of the cemetery.) This plan was not put into effect.

     

    The Tomb of the Unknowns holds three sets of remains, one each from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. A fourth set of remains from the Vietnam War used to be part of this august company but was formally disinterred in 1998 after DNA testing determined them to belong to First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie. Lt. Blassie is now buried in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The tomb is guarded 24 hours a day and 365 days a year by specially chosen soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) stationed at nearby Fort Myer.

     

    http://www.snopes.com/military/isabel.htm

  5. Posted · Edited by Jim Phaserman

    Bachelors Degree from UW Madison, achieved while on active duty in the Navy. Secondary Education, with a minor in History. I guess it could be said that I live to serve...

  7. Posted

    Well, folks, My Doctor made the decision for me last week. (THis will also explain why a TEACHER, ME, has been online this week during school hours.) I had shoulder surgery this past monday, to repair some damage I did when trying to show my players how NOT to lift wieghts. I asked the Doctor if I would be able to play football, he said "No. Not a chance in hell."

  9. Posted

    Okay, here's my take. Janeway gave the Maquis crew Uniforms, along with Field Commissions (Hence the different insignia, for "Provisional" officers.) As long as the entire crew wears the same uniform, there isn't a problem. Weather it's the old uniform or the new one, it doesn't matter. If the Maquis wore different uniforms, they would feel isolated, and that's probably the same idea behind NOT switching voyager's uniforms. When they left, the black body/Division color shoulder was Starfleet standard. Why change because DS9 and the Movies changed? Voyager IS isolated, and the uniforms are a reminder of that.

  10. Posted

    If you really want a good belly laugh that should last about an hour and a half (proven by myself and Gary tonight), visit my new favorite website (Sorry VBG), http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com. Just don't laugh too hard. you never know when a Round House Kick might strike you down.

     

    Oh, and one addition that isn't on there...

     

    Darth Vader says "Luke, I am your father!"

     

    Chuck Norris says, "Darth, You are my (I'm trying to say a bad word but can't)!"

  13. Posted

    Okay, so I did the poll wrong, but Doc, it should be stated that Cowboys didn't disappear at the turn of the 20th Century. You can go out to any ranch, and still see 'em out there. a "Cowboy" by definition, is someone who herds cows. Country Music, which Johnny Cash sang, just seems to have inherited the Cowboy image. Part of that may be due to other forms of Modern Cowboys, such as Rodeo riders (the late Chris LeDuex was a huge rodeo star before he ever released his first single).

  17. Posted

    Is there a charactor you use alot for Sims? or is that charactor your only one? Post his or her vitals here...

     

    Mine...

     

    Name: (Terran name) Millenhiem, James T. (Native) Fignarigto, Krajur

     

    Species: Valderan

     

    Hieght: 6'9" (2.05 Meters)

     

    Wieght: 285 Pounds (129 Kilograms if my math is correct)

     

    Service: Starfleet Strategic Ops (Active) Valderan Royal Navy (Reserve)

     

    Rank: Starfleet Admiral (Fleet Admiral Select), Valderan Fleet Admiral

     

    Present Post: Chief of Strategic Operations, Starfleet. (Office Located at Strategic Operations Command, The Pentagon, Arlington, VA.) Flagship, USS Georgia.

     

    Age: 266 Terran years

     

    Life Story

    » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

    Millenhiem, as he goes by in Starfleet service, is one of the oldest officers in Starfleet. throughout the course of his long career, starting with the Valderan Royal Navy, and now with the United Federation of Planets Starfleet, Millenhiem has done almost everything. Millenhiem's professional Military Education began at age 14, when he attended the Valderan Basic Military Academy, just outside Valderis City. Upon graduation at the age of 18, Millenhiem recieved an appointment to the Valderan Royal Naval Academy. Graduating 3rd in his class, Millenhiem then attended Flight School at Chirto'Val. Entering the fleet as a Sub-Lieutenant, Millenhiem demonstrated great skill as a Fighter Pilot. In his first combat tour against the Tyderians, Millenhiem fought in 4 major engagements and set a one-month combat record for 23 kills. During his second tour, however, his luck ran dry. Forced to eject from his fighter, Debris from the fighter amputated his right arm, two inches below the shoulder. He returned to flying a month later, and after completing another tour, again met with disaster. a control panel in the cockpit of his Viper-Class fighter exploded, sending small bits of hot shrapnel into his eyes. Forced again to eject, a micrometeoroid struck his left arm, forcing it to be amputated. Outfitted now with two prosthetic arms and Optical implants, Millenhiem decided to give up flying, and transfered to Fleet Command.

     

    At first, Millenhiem felt out of place serving aboard the cruisers of the VRN, but soon adapted to the job. By the age of 35, he had earned the rank of Captain, and had once more shown great skill, this time in the job of commanding a combat starship. HVMS Imperator, Millenhiem's first command, would soon earn a reputation for hard and vicious fighting, even under the worst circumstances. For 30 years, Millenhiem refused promotion after promotion, opting instead to command starships. finally, at the age of 65, he was forced to accept a promotion to the rank of Commodore. given command of Cruiser Squadron 3, Millenhiem once more made a name for himself, conducting lightning raids against Tyderian outposts, and once catching a Tyderian Carrier Strike Group napping.

     

    over the next hundred years, Millenhiem went through a variety of commands, and worked his way up to the rank of Vice Admiral. now, 165 years old, Millenhiem decided to try something else with his life. He entered the world of Politics.

     

    Millenhiem served with much notoriety in the Valderan House of Representatives, and at the end of his first term, was appointed by the Governor of Valderis to fill his homeworld's vacancy in the House of Lords. Having been a Legislator for only 10 years, Millenhiem was the least experienced member of the house of Lords, but at 175, he was older than half of the legislators there. Another 10 years passed. Millenhiem was again "Promoted", this time after the Senior Senator from Valderis was killed in a dual with the Junior senator from Rulak. Now in the Senate, Millenhiem was assigned to the Senate Armed Forces committee. he sponsored many bills that led to a modernisation and overhauling of the Valderan Military. at the age of 200, Millenhiem was appointed chairman of the Committee, and even presided over the appointments of his brothers to higher-ranks, casting the tie-breaking votes that allowed his brother Gary to be promoted to Rear Admiral, and his brother Thomas to be promoted to Major General.

     

    After 5 years as chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, Millenhiem was begining to tire of the life of a legislator. Soon, his chance to move on came. As happens frequently, the Tyderians declared war on the Valderans. With no openings for a Flag Officer in the Navy, Millenhiem looked for a way to get into the action. The Marines came calling.

     

    Appointed by the Commandant of the Marines as a Lieutenant General (the equivelent to his Navy rank), Millenhiem was put in command of IV Corps, 3rd Marine Command. Leading his Marines into battle on no less than 4 occasions, Millenhiem proved he could be as versitile now as a man half his age. following the end of that war, Millenhiem resigned his Marine Commission, and returned to the Valderan Royal Navy Reserves. as a retired senator, he recieved a very large pension, and therefor decided it would be time to raise a family. Millenhiem and his wife of some hundred years, Julie, had the first of their children late in 2322. their second followed in 2330. in 2360, Millenhiem was offered something new: A chance to serve with the UFP's Starfleet.

     

    Millenhiem, along with about a hundred other Officers, including his brother Gary, joined Starfleet. After abreviated training, Millenhiem took a post as Executive Officer of the Ambassador Class starship Endeavor. By 2370, Millenhiem was promoted to Captain, and was overseeing the construction of a ship he had designed, USS Shiloh. When the Dominion War broke out, Valderis at first remained Neutral, allowing Valderan officers serving with Starfleet to continue to serve there. Millenhiem and the Shiloh, and soon her sister ships Saratoga and Chancellorsville, found themselves in the middle of the war. Assigned to the 9th Fleet, Millenhiem was given the rank of Fleet Captain, and commanded all three Shiloh class starships. known collectively as Attack Group 4, Millenhiem's command participated in the several key battles, including Operation Return. however, in 2374, a year before the end of the war, Valderis entered the war. Millenhiem followed his nation's call, and returned home to fight under his native flag. Millenhiem commanded the small Valderan strike group that participated in Operation Final Assault. victorious, Millenhiem returned to Valderan space for a few years, then went back to Starfleet, again to Command the Shiloh.

     

    in 2384, USS Shiloh was retired from service, and placed in mothballs. Wanting to remain in the Federation, Millenhiem took a demotion to the rank of Commander, and was assigned to USS Eros, as Chief of Security, a post that had been filled by his brother Gary, who had returned to Valderis to serve a tour as Warmaster.

     

    it wasn't long before Eros found herself in combat. Deciding that an Admiral's flagship needed to be protected, Shiloh, Saratoga, and Chancellorsville were all called back to active service. by 2385, Millenhiem was serving as Executive Officer for the Eros Task Force. Following a war with the Tyderians that involved the Federation, Millenhiem was promoted to Admiral...two days after fellow Commodore Sean Banach. Because Millenhiem was the junior 4-star, he took the post of Strategic Operations Officer. At the outbreak of hostilities with Species 8472, Millenhiem was forced to watch from afar as his beloved ship, USS Shiloh, was destroyed. A new Shiloh was commissioned, Shiloh A. Following the second Dominion War, that ship, too, was destroyed, this time by dormant mines. Millenhiem then took command of the prototype battleship USS Georgia.

     

    In early 2386, a Civil War broke out in the Federation. Millenhiem has now been appointed Fleet Admiral, and will assume command of the 1st Fleet.

     

    AWARDS:

     

    Valderan:

    Knight's Cross

    Distinguished Service Cross

    Distinguished Flying Cross

    Purple Star (three awards)

    Legion of Merit (2 awards)

    Imperial Defense Medal (with 4 gold stars)

    Good Conduct Medal

    Meritorious Achievement Medal

    Medal of Galantry

     

    Starfleet:

    Medal of Honor (For actions during the 2nd Dominion War)

    Silver Star

    Bronze Star

    Legion of Merrit

    Federation Defense Medal (Silver Star in lieu of 4th Award)

  20. Posted

    Hey, Gary, if Gas Prices spike again, will you guys be increasing the Delivery Charge? I would. Pizza drivers work to MAKE money, not LOSE money, so I think it's actually a pretty good thing that the Company is picking up the tab, basically, for their gas. otherwise, Domino's Pizza stores across the US might be looking into "Carryout Only".

  21. Posted

    The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round, Round and Round, The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round, all through Detroit. The Kid and the Bus will run down the Broncos, then have to face the Seahawks in the Superbowl. I'm still torn on who wins, I want to see Hasselbeck get a Ring, though I only want to see Holmgren get another if it's at the helm of the Packers.

  22. Posted

    I don't want to go to Detroit. It's too cold to hold a Superbowl. Yeah, I know it's a Dome, but that also takes all the fun out of a Football Game in winter!

     

    My favorite Football stadiums are probably Lambeau Field (Are you surprised?) and Jack Murphy Stadium (I know, I know, it's Qualcomm stadium, but I like Jack Murphy better than Qualcomm)

  23. Posted

    Well, I didn't pay much attention to the Wildcard games, but in the Divisional Games I'm 3 of 4. I picked in the office pool the Seahawks to beat Washington, the Broncos to beat the Patriots, and the Panthers to beat the Bears. the only one I goofed was the Indy game.

     

    By the way, DA BEARS STILL SUCK! CHOKE!