Welcome to the dog and pony show
During my decade of military service, I learned countless acronyms. Two of the first few that we were taught were Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC) and Officer in Charge (OIC). The man who was one of my first military mentors explained the difference between the two by saying, "NCOICs really run everything. They are the ones who know how things are supposed to work and they do what they have to so the OIC doesn't get into trouble."
I, being a curious young airman asked "so what does the OIC do then?" The answer was surprising and amusing. "Well, everyone once in a while the OIC shows up and the NCOIC takes him or her on a tour of the shop. The OIC asks questions from time to time and the NCOIC explains how things work. The officer will then shrug their shoulders and say 'oh, I see.'"
One of the things that the OICs were good at was preparing for the visit of an officer that significantly outranked them. There was a time when I was working for a Lieutenant Colonel who was our squadron commander. There was a four-star general coming to visit our offices and my CO planned to put on a real "dog and pony show". We asked for and received students going through training at our base to be detailed to us the weekend before the visit. We had them clean and paint everything. They had to buff the linoleum floors of every latrine in the hangar, just in case the general had reason to look inside of them. Why he might go into either of the women's latrines is beyond my comprehension. Then again, given the sexual harassment record of the military, perhaps the notion isn't that far-fetched.
Just a few days before the visit date, the boss decided he wanted to paint the front of the 2nd floor walkway that faced the main entrance to the hanger in our squadron color of maroon. Supply had no paint in stock that was anywhere close to what he wanted. So he said to go downtown and buy some. I took the request to procurement who denied it initially. They said that the "priority" of the request wasn't high enough to warrant bypassing the bidding process. When the boss heard that, he wigged out and signed off on changing the priority to the highest level short of war. We got the paint. The general didn't even see it.
Most of the time, dog and pony shows are a complete and utter waste of time. When you know the boss is coming, you make sure they won't see anything that will piss them off. I saw one such dog and pony show at the VA Medical Center. The U. S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs was visiting that day. Everything was cleaned. I'd been there the previous weekend and most of the front area had been closed off for cleaning. Now that I knew he was coming, it made sense. Flags were everywhere. A VA police officer monitored the front entrance, telling anyone who even thought about leaving their car in the red zone to move it. I'm actually glad I got out of there before the arrival of the VIP and entourage.
If the boss wants to know what's going on, they should show up unannounced.
* * *
In the video below, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee says homosexuality is a "choice."
I disagree. I was born a heterosexual. I could never choose to become homosexual. Just as all of the gay people I know could not suddenly choose to be straight. Those who are bisexual are also born that way. We have no "control" over our sexual preference.
I don't know if Governor Huckabee actually believes the bullshit he's putting out, he's probably just courting the more conservative members of the Republican party as part of his presidential campaign. A campaign that is doomed to fail.
* * *
There is probably more "Monday Morning Quarterbacking" going on today than ever, because of the absolutely moronic call the Seattle Seahawks made very late in the 4th Quarter of yesterday's Super Bowl.
Some of those who are second-guessing the call to pass in the middle of the field when so close to the goal line are claiming that on 2nd Down and Goal, with 26 seconds left in the game; the Seahawks had three chances to "punch it in." Not necessarily true. They had only one timeout remaining. They could get one play run, and if it failed, call a quick timeout. Depending on how long it took the refs to blow the first play dead, the clock could run out following the second run attempt.
When you have the best running back in the league (arguably), defenses are going to expect the run. Throwing the ball is a good "out of the box" call, if you don't throw into the middle. The middle is clogged up with defenders who are planning to stop the play at the line of scrimmage and prevent a "leap" into the end zone by a running back. A flare to either side would be safer, and far less likely to be intercepted.
Bottom line is that the Seahawks had a chance to win and they made the wrong call.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
I have to express my gratitude to TMZ.com for their continuing minute by minute updates on the status of the arrest of NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp. They might want to considering rebranding at TMI.com.
I'll never understand the logic of Christian Science followers who believe prayer will heal. Oh wait, I'm trying to apply logic to religion. Never mind.
There's something weird about seeing Gisele Bundchen in a Pendleton shirt. Also, big kudos to Bridget Moynahan for her gracious tweet to Tom Brady after the game. They're an example of how good co-parenting is done (of course, they have the financial wherewithal to make it a lot easier).
Is Johnny Football moving into the rehab room that David Cassidy is vacating?
Parents who insist on the right to not vaccinate their kids against measles should be allowed to do so, provided those children will never be exposed to anyone who might contract the disease from them. Otherwise, such parents should not have the right to put others at risk. One carrier is almost certainly responsible for the now more than 100 cases in the U. S.
For those of you who were still hopeful of landing Charles Manson, his planned marriage to a 27 year old woman isn't happening, at least not without getting a new marriage license. I suspect there are several deluded souls out there who would leap at the chance to marry this particular madman.
If someone sent me a "glitter bomb" I would probably just ignore them from that point on. But if someone wasted $3.99 to mail an empty envelope to me, I'd probably send them to see a personal financial counselor.
The reporter who complimented Rashida Jones on her "tan," apparently unaware that the beautiful actress is bi-racial needs to be given an easier assignment.
I don't know why I like the 1965 film "In Harm's Way" so much, but I do. Maybe it is just seeing a rapist getting shot down and bursting into flame.
I, being a curious young airman asked "so what does the OIC do then?" The answer was surprising and amusing. "Well, everyone once in a while the OIC shows up and the NCOIC takes him or her on a tour of the shop. The OIC asks questions from time to time and the NCOIC explains how things work. The officer will then shrug their shoulders and say 'oh, I see.'"
One of the things that the OICs were good at was preparing for the visit of an officer that significantly outranked them. There was a time when I was working for a Lieutenant Colonel who was our squadron commander. There was a four-star general coming to visit our offices and my CO planned to put on a real "dog and pony show". We asked for and received students going through training at our base to be detailed to us the weekend before the visit. We had them clean and paint everything. They had to buff the linoleum floors of every latrine in the hangar, just in case the general had reason to look inside of them. Why he might go into either of the women's latrines is beyond my comprehension. Then again, given the sexual harassment record of the military, perhaps the notion isn't that far-fetched.
Just a few days before the visit date, the boss decided he wanted to paint the front of the 2nd floor walkway that faced the main entrance to the hanger in our squadron color of maroon. Supply had no paint in stock that was anywhere close to what he wanted. So he said to go downtown and buy some. I took the request to procurement who denied it initially. They said that the "priority" of the request wasn't high enough to warrant bypassing the bidding process. When the boss heard that, he wigged out and signed off on changing the priority to the highest level short of war. We got the paint. The general didn't even see it.
Most of the time, dog and pony shows are a complete and utter waste of time. When you know the boss is coming, you make sure they won't see anything that will piss them off. I saw one such dog and pony show at the VA Medical Center. The U. S. Secretary of Veteran Affairs was visiting that day. Everything was cleaned. I'd been there the previous weekend and most of the front area had been closed off for cleaning. Now that I knew he was coming, it made sense. Flags were everywhere. A VA police officer monitored the front entrance, telling anyone who even thought about leaving their car in the red zone to move it. I'm actually glad I got out of there before the arrival of the VIP and entourage.
If the boss wants to know what's going on, they should show up unannounced.
* * *
In the video below, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee says homosexuality is a "choice."
I disagree. I was born a heterosexual. I could never choose to become homosexual. Just as all of the gay people I know could not suddenly choose to be straight. Those who are bisexual are also born that way. We have no "control" over our sexual preference.
I don't know if Governor Huckabee actually believes the bullshit he's putting out, he's probably just courting the more conservative members of the Republican party as part of his presidential campaign. A campaign that is doomed to fail.
* * *
There is probably more "Monday Morning Quarterbacking" going on today than ever, because of the absolutely moronic call the Seattle Seahawks made very late in the 4th Quarter of yesterday's Super Bowl.
Some of those who are second-guessing the call to pass in the middle of the field when so close to the goal line are claiming that on 2nd Down and Goal, with 26 seconds left in the game; the Seahawks had three chances to "punch it in." Not necessarily true. They had only one timeout remaining. They could get one play run, and if it failed, call a quick timeout. Depending on how long it took the refs to blow the first play dead, the clock could run out following the second run attempt.
When you have the best running back in the league (arguably), defenses are going to expect the run. Throwing the ball is a good "out of the box" call, if you don't throw into the middle. The middle is clogged up with defenders who are planning to stop the play at the line of scrimmage and prevent a "leap" into the end zone by a running back. A flare to either side would be safer, and far less likely to be intercepted.
Bottom line is that the Seahawks had a chance to win and they made the wrong call.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
I have to express my gratitude to TMZ.com for their continuing minute by minute updates on the status of the arrest of NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp. They might want to considering rebranding at TMI.com.
I'll never understand the logic of Christian Science followers who believe prayer will heal. Oh wait, I'm trying to apply logic to religion. Never mind.
There's something weird about seeing Gisele Bundchen in a Pendleton shirt. Also, big kudos to Bridget Moynahan for her gracious tweet to Tom Brady after the game. They're an example of how good co-parenting is done (of course, they have the financial wherewithal to make it a lot easier).
Is Johnny Football moving into the rehab room that David Cassidy is vacating?
Parents who insist on the right to not vaccinate their kids against measles should be allowed to do so, provided those children will never be exposed to anyone who might contract the disease from them. Otherwise, such parents should not have the right to put others at risk. One carrier is almost certainly responsible for the now more than 100 cases in the U. S.
For those of you who were still hopeful of landing Charles Manson, his planned marriage to a 27 year old woman isn't happening, at least not without getting a new marriage license. I suspect there are several deluded souls out there who would leap at the chance to marry this particular madman.
If someone sent me a "glitter bomb" I would probably just ignore them from that point on. But if someone wasted $3.99 to mail an empty envelope to me, I'd probably send them to see a personal financial counselor.
The reporter who complimented Rashida Jones on her "tan," apparently unaware that the beautiful actress is bi-racial needs to be given an easier assignment.
I don't know why I like the 1965 film "In Harm's Way" so much, but I do. Maybe it is just seeing a rapist getting shot down and bursting into flame.
posted by me at 7:35 PM
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