Gary Phaserman

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Posts posted by Gary Phaserman

  3. Posted · Edited by Mr. Phaserman

    The problem is we're a very large country and we have so much infrastructure and machinery etc built on the old system that changing would be neither cheap nor easy. The only feasible way to change is to have a dual system for a time while everything is printed in both. If I remember many things already come in both - measuring cups, rulers, speedometers on new vehicles.

     

    Some of things that would need to be changed

    Speed limit signs

    tire gauges

    thermometers

    cookbooks

    fabric & patterns

    planting instructions for seeds

    "mile" markers

    all directional signs giving distance to next town

    deeds and land descriptions

    the bathroom scales

    food product packaging

    kitchen canisters

    The Saffir Simpson scale

    blood donor collection bags

     

    I'd imagine the Mile/Klick markers would have to be moved, since 1 Kilometer is slightly over 62% the total distance of a mile (or 62.13 Km/100 Miles). the distance-to-city signs would stay at their same spots, just read (For example) "ELGIN 3.62 KM" instead of "ELGIN 2 1/2 MILES".

     

    The other thing to consider is how it affects the mind. Americans are trained to think in terms of Miles, Gallons, inches, and feet, not Kilometers, Liters, Milimeters and Centimeters. How would it affect a person at a gas station when gas is $1.05/Liter rather than $4.00/Gallon? Right now, very few things are sold in metric measures. In this country, we even prefere to identify our ammunition in terms of decimal-inches (0.45 caliber vs. 11.45mm), althought Soda is available in Metric units (I know, I sell an awful lot of 2 LITER bottles), as is alcahol and obviously tools. But, Hamburger helper calls for 1 pound of beef rather than .46 KG, and also think about the affect on McDonalds. A double quarter pounder vs. the double 113.4 Grammer?

     

     

    By the way, if we did switch, we'd have to listen to Billy Ray Cyrus singing "I want my mile back..."

  7. Posted · Edited by Mr. Phaserman

    The sailor who smoked there and the Captain of the ship both bear responsibility, the sailor for smoking in an area not designated as a smoking area, and the Captain for failure to follow Navy and OSHA procedures. The Captain, as I understand it, put his ship and crew at unneccisary risk by failing to follow the regs. And, as Odie points out, the fire could have just as easily have been caused by any spark, and alot of things make sparks on Carriers. Fire is the number one danger all ships face. In the Marines, every Marine is a Rifleman. in the Navy, every officer and sailor is a firefighter. The Skipper of an Aircraft carrier has a tough job. He manages a nuclear reactor, is essentially mayor of a small town, and on top of that operates an airport that is as busy as many civilian airports. When the Captain fails to take proper safety precautions, his job gets alot tougher, oh and did I mention that if he makes the wrong decisions, people get killed? Not something many mayors have to deal with.

  14. Posted · Edited by Mr. Phaserman

    So goes life in the military, however. And I'd say it's a good bet that if the sailor responsible is identified, he or she will probably be facing some harsh punishment too. I'm a smoker, I understand sometimes the urge gets strong, but it isn't so strong as to overcome common sense, or at least for me it isn't. Then again, you know what they say about common sense....

  19. Posted

    First: Was it not a Canadian that took down the Red Baron? (I know, some say it was an Aussie, but let's give the Cannuck some credit for a damned good bit of flying, mates!)

     

    Second: I'm withholding my vote for now, pending some research. Were Canadians commanded by Canadians? Or were they used as cannon fodder by British Generals who didn't wish to send their own dear chaps out into the open field?

     

    The other thing you have to understand about WWI was that, when you came out of a trench, you had to contest with Machine Guns firing at you from well-protected pillboxes, and you are sprinting across basically open fields with no protection. the basic idea isn't that dissimilar from the old Napoleonic style of fighting, where troops lined up in a line-of-battle and marched against each other. The difference was, now the defenders had a real advantage in that one or two soldiers could take down fifty or sixty soldiers at once from a well protected possition. Firing a rifle accurately enough to hit a target standing still is a feat that takes practice. Doing so on the move is even harder, and when you add in the element of enemy fire, accurate fire needed to take out Machine guns while running becomes virtually impossible. These sorts of mass wave attacks were, with a lack of really accurate artillery or aerial bombardment, the way of doing business back then.

  21. Posted

    Just wanted to make a few updates on here, As some of the information has, since Krissy posted it, become outdated.

     

    Current Command Staff:

     

    CinC: FADM Kira Phaserman

     

    DCinC: ADM Praxis Hardfighter

     

    Chief of Staff: VADM Alex Crimson

     

    Task Force 125 CO: Admiral Praxis Hardfighter

     

    Task Force 125 XO: Commodore Remus Lupin

     

    Task Force 405 CO: RADM Amanda Quinn

     

    Task Force 405 XO: RADM Sean Miller

     

    Some updated websites for you guys.

     

    Lima Fleet Command:

     

    http://limafleetcommand.spreebb.com/index.php?

     

     

    USS Fearless:

     

    http://ussfearless.spreebb.com

     

     

    7th Marine Regiment:

     

    http://lfmarines.spreebb.com

     

    USS Shiloh-NEW SHIP, TF 125, Captain Jim Phaserman, Commanding.

     

    http://ussshiloh.spreebb.com

  25. Posted

    Here is a number for you.

     

    6.

     

    The number of games the Packers have won. Here's another number.

     

    1.

     

    The number of games the Packers have lost. Here's another big number...

     

    273.7

     

    The average passing yards per game this season. Only one team has more, but the Patriots don't really count anyways, right?

     

    This team is young, and they are talented, and they are playing like they have something to prove. They do, really. They are tied with the best record in the NFC, along with the Dallas Cowboys. Nobody seems to think this team is really that good. Numbers don't lie. Yes, their running game sucks, but when you've got Brett Favre and Donald Driver on the field, and young players who make fools out of the likes of Champ Bailey and Dre' Bly (both gave up HUGE plays for Touchdowns, including a walk-off 80+ Yard TD pass in Overtime.), and a defense that is possibly the best in the league, you gotta take these guys into consideration. Al Harris and Charles Woodson are two of the best corners in the NFL. Nick Collins at Safety is freaky fast and one of the hardest hitters in the league. Nick Barnett and 2nd Year man AJ Hawk from THE Ohio State are lighting it up for the Pack in the Linebacking Corps...and then there's the front four, an alternating monstrosity with the best players you've probably never heard of. Johnny Jolly, the big man on the line, is a run-stuffing, pocket collapsing beast in the middle. Aaron Kampman is the best Defensive End in the league that doesn't play for the Giants. On the other side, you have Cullen Jenkins and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamilla alternating at the end. These two are monsters. KGB is like the Jimmy Johns' of Defensive Ends, he's Freaky Fast off the line.

     

    These guys are incredible. Don't count them out. Looking ahead, I'd expect to see them only have one loss going into the Dallas game in six weeks.

     

    By the way, if you watched the game, you know now that you can ignore anyone who says Favre's arm is not what it used to be. He may be the old man, but he still brings the heat.