http://www.sunbelt-software.com/stu/iraq/sandstorm.htm (http://www.sunbelt-software.com/stu/iraq/sandstorm.htm)
Wow... looks like Phoenix. :P
Or Kansas during the Dust Bowl.
My son was there for that sandstorm, that is the base he was at and those pictures were on the squadron webpage back when it happened
Man, as if bullets and bombs were not enough, they have to have sandstorms!
No wonder camels have lots of eyelashes and can close their noses.
Did you know that giraffes can go longer than camels without water?
Well, so can rats.
:)
I can honestly say I've never restricted water from giraffes or rats to find out, but if you say so I'll believe it. ;D I'll bet Bonnie would know.
I don't know, but I'm about to inquire from my "sources" at the Wild Animal Park!
From information I found from Google, I read this:
"Giraffes have no vocal cords.
A giraffe can go without water longer than a camel can.
A giraffe can clean it's ears with it's 21-inch tongue.
Giraffes sleep only five minutes at a time, for a total of about 20 minutes a day."
I did e-mail Dr. Michael Schlegel, the Nutritionist at the Zoo and WAP, asking him about it. When he answer (and I assume he will!) I'll post his answer.
I have seen a giraffe "clean it's ears with it's 21-inch tongue." I have observed procedures done at the Veterinarian Hospital at the Wild Animal Park on a young giraffe, and it's amazing! The full grown giraffe and a full grown elephant are the only two animals that can't be brought into the Hospital for care, they are just too large.
Thanks Bonnie, I know about that long tongue. I was slurped with it.
I believe that giraffes are one of nature's most elegant structures. I love to watch them move.
:)
But they step on frogs!!
But they get green stuff on the bottoms of their feet, and it's hard to clean off, so they learn not to do it again. Did you know that a group of giraffes is called a "tower?" Very descriptive.
Well, yeah, there's that.
As Kermit says, "It's not easy being green."
And boy, from my four-inch height, you wouldn't believe how tall a giraffe looks!
;D
The answer to my e-mail to Dr. Schlegel:
Bonnie,
I do not know the answer to that question. I have not come across any information like that.
Mike
So much for that! I just can't imagine seeing a giraffe out in the middle of the desert, competing with a camel! I, also, think that the giraffe is just the most graceful animal. I love watching them run. They can be somewhat ornery, but nothing compares to the temperament of a camel! They're just plain downright ornery!
Thanks Bonnie, I appreciate your efforts. I know camels spit and have terrible "cameltosis," but I can't say I've had much do to with them. I too, love the way giraffes move.
Yup, giraffes are plumb elegant.
I attended a feast in Pakistan many years ago where the barbecue was a hen inside a lamb inside a sow inside a donkey inside a young camel. They taste better than they smell
:)
And I thought a turducken was complicated!
Nope, that just two little birdies.
I will be eternally grateful, though, that I was not there for the assembly of the main course. It was bad enough to watch it being uncovered in the pit and hoisted out on chains and steel plates that were buried under the carci. First all the dirt and ash was swept off with a broom that had been who knows where. Then they sort of peeled the camel. Then they took it all apart and put it on a table, ready to carve to order. Dinner was buffet style. You had to know somebody to get lamb.
:)
I realize that this is a matter of "Free Speach" but I do not appreciate the wording in the title of this thread.
Let me know what you think it should be, Carl, and I will almost certainy change it. In this case, I certainly meant no offense.
Speaking of words, Carl, I have to say the structure of yours make it sound like you think free speech is a bad thing. I think that it is one of the more important things that our soldiers are fighting for. Not to mention that it is the thing that allows you to feel so free about asking me to change the words. If my interpretation of your words was wrong, I apologize.
On the off chance that my last post is somehow misinterpreted, I commend you to the following, which I wrote today:
http://www.kansascurmudgeon.com/?p=3 (http://www.kansascurmudgeon.com/?p=3)
Why don't you change it to say, One Reason not To Go To Iraq?
You know, Janet, I think I can do that. I know I can metaphysically, now I have to see if the software will let me.
;)
I did it.
Is this better Carl? :)
Remember... when anyone replies to this., they will have to change the title to this also..
as each and every one had to be done manually, so it won't come up on it's own.
Hope the title is ok with everyone now.. :)
Well, actually, the software apparently does not let you do that. I edited the post with which I started the thread. That changes the name of the thread in the list of Coffee Shop threads and elsewhere. However, it does not change all the rest of the post names within the thread that have already used the old name, which are apparently stored in the database with the individual post name, which individual posters can change when the write a post in the thread. In fact, some of the posts seem to have taken on the name of the second post in the thread, "Sandstorm in Iraq." It does, appear, however that subsequent posts will take on the new name of the thread.
More than that I cannot do.
:)
ps - While I was doing that, Teresa change the name. I guess that's why she's Queen. ;D
She's the Queen because I let her be the Queen. >:( >:( >:( :laugh: :angel:
They rolled their eyes when he took his stance,
the little green frog en route to the dance.
"Why would you doubt me?" he said with a laugh,
"me slicky slimy goo can topple a giraffe!"
hmmm, not bad ! Perhaps we do need that poetry thread after all. There must be lots of short story and poetry writers out there. I did write one about a little frog (before Kermit) that is meant for the classroom, can be used with fingerplay or body movement and/or drawing.
First I would like to thank Teresa for changing the title.
I tend to look at things from a soldier's viewpoint and to see something like that tends to make me a little upset. A soldier has an obligation to follow lawful orders even if he or she does not agree or even like them. They can make the choice not to obey, but then they must live with the consequences of that decision. There may be many reasons he or she does not "want" to go to Iraq, but with very few exceptions they will obey orders and go. (And, by the way I don't really think a sandstorm would have even made it on their list.)
It probably was not the intent but personal views about the war in Iraq did show through in the words chosen as a title. I have heard all too many people make the same statement that they "Support our Troops" but do not support the war that they are fighting in. Let me put this in a slightly different perspective:
To the Police: I support you but I don't support bringing criminals to justice.
To Doctors and Nurses: I support you but I don't support saving lives.
To Teachers: I support you but I don't support the education of my children.
I guess I am just one of those "otherwise intelligent people" who has a difficult time seeing that line that divides the soldier from the war. In my very small mind since I do REALLY Support our Troops then I must support the war. I may not agree with the way it is being handled but that cannot be allowed to decrease or divide my support for the soldiers and their cause.
My opinion concerning the war: Based on the available information AT THAT TIME, it seemed like the right thing to do. Even if were misled or misinformed the bottom line is that we removed the government, the military and the police in Iraq and we must get that back in place and stabilized before we leave.
It seems that my support of "Free Speech" comes into question so I offer the following:
The Oath of Enlistment that I took on numerous occasions
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
Article one of the Military Code of Conduct
I am an American fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
Carl, that was well put. I support our troops and I support the war. I got into a big, big discussion at work with a lady who says we should pull out of the war, we have no business there, we are not improving anything there, we are wasting our time there, on and on and on and on. Well, you know me. I kept my mouth shut. NOT! I told this lady, "I beg your pardon, but, I do not agree with you at all. You do not have the facts. You do not know what is going on there. You are listening to drive-by media/main stream media and you are making judgements that way." I plan to print out a few of LTC Green's letters and get them to her to read. I believe that we need to be there. I would hate for us to pull out and allow that country to go back to the way it was with a leader killing his own people, etc. One of her arguments for getting out is that this country has lived this way for thousands of years, fighting with each other, and we should leave them alone. I said that no country should be allowed to execute their own people, starve their own people, allow inhumane actions against their people, for the leaders personal gain and entertainment. I don't think she knew what to say.
One of the other people in the room asked her if she had forgotten 9-11. She didn't have much to say after that. Oh well.
Glad I am not the only one that gets all riled up on issues.. :-[ :-X
:)
But I agree with you Ta Ta...
I like this saying:
" IF YOU DON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THEM !!!
Then let's give the troops the really tough, armored equipment they need, not whatever cheap stuff gets thrown their way, by whoever got the contract and puts profit first. I hate it when I hear my friends talking about the "make do" stuff they attach to their vehicles to try to make them safer. Then they talk about putting their flack jackets and helmets under the seats of the helicopters, not for storage, but to help them from being shot from beneath. Let's get the job done over there without the political side handicapping the troops because of how something might "look" to someone else. If it's handled like Katrina.....well....I was furious when I heard Rumsfeld say, "Ya win the war with what you've got." WHY! I do understand the need to stay there, even after Bush said we'd be out of there by now. But it seems so hypocritical to want to "save" the people there, ( who just happen to have oil) yet we don't seen to be interested in other countries who have been terrorizing their own people in the same way for many, many years. Whatever happened to the food for oil plan? We were supposed to be able to pay for this war with their oil ??? We promised those people their infrastructure would be back in place long before this and there would be promised improvements that have yet to happen. As long as the people themselves, see themselves as tribal or religious factions first, and Iraqis second, we won't make much headway. And our troops aren't the same kind that they used to be. The Governors are not happy that their National Guards have been diluted, or no longer have the equipment they need at home because it has been commandeered. The ''regular troops" don't seem to have the numbers needed to do the job. But the states can't say much or their concerns languish in a drawer. Are we going to invade Iran? North Korea? Sudan? Somalia? Sierra Leone? With whom and with what? The other democracies around the world don't seem to be supporting this. Do we have to go it alone? Do we need to reinstate the draft? Can we really play Dutch Uncle to the entire world? Who deals with the apparent growing problems here? Illegals, job outsourcing, health care, an aging population, local terrorism, mind spinning national debt. It's an awful lot for the average person to be able to digest, even if they can get reliable facts. Al and I harangue about this a lot and it's almost overwhelming. But everyone seems to agree, talk is easy, opinions are everywhere, facts are scarce and the "doing" part is very hard.
Diane, the aging population? You touched me there.
Sorry! I meant me too. Our older people shouldn't have to worry about health care and social security. I hate that we're spending kazillons to take care of people in other countries, when we have plenty of people who need help right here. Nobody in this country should have to skip on their meds or have to figure out whether to buy food or their meds. It bothers me when I read about middle aged adults, who are already helping their elderly family members financially, having their jobs out sourced to another country so someone there can have a job. That hurts twice.
You said a mouth full, Diane - and I agree. We have so very many in our own country that are being overlooked by those that are so eager to tell the world what they are doing for those in other countries. I do not think we need to turn a blind side to others, but we so desperately need to heal the wounds of our own.
Charity begins at home, why not everything else?