What Is The U.S. Military Testing At Redstone Arsenal?

WHNT's weather radar shows an unexplained image that showed up on radar screens Tuesday afternoon. The blob was positioned just above Redstone Arsenal. (Contributed photo/WHNT)

So Why Is Radar Showing A Mysterious Blob Above Redstone Arsenal? No One Seems To Know (Updated) -- al.com

Researchers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the National Weather Service are working to figure out why radars are showing a mysterious blob above Redstone Arsenal after 1:45 p.m. today, the Times' news partner WHNT News 19 is reporting.

The anomaly showed up late this afternoon and was centered near the northwest edge of Redstone Arsenal close to Zierdt Road and Madison Boulevard/I-565. WHNT reported it was first believed the radar image was being caused by a damaged substation in the Madison or West Huntsville area.

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WNU Editor: Redstone Arsenal's website is here. More details from Wikipedia are here. As to what is causing that "radar blob" .... I chalk it up to either chaff .... or the space aliens. :)

This Soldier Has One Last Thing To Do Before Deploying To Afghanistan

Initimate: Torey's family gathered in her living room to watch the romantic proceedings online

Soldier About To Go To Afghanistan Marries Girlfriend Over Skype -- Daily Mail

A Colorado soldier facing deployment to Afghanistan has tied the knot with his girlfriend over Skype from his base in Panama.

In a virtual whirlwind, Staff Sgt. Darrin Brust initiated the romantic gesture by proposing to his long-time girlfriend Torey Simons at the airport before he left for Central America.

With one week before his deployment to Afghanistan, Torey had little time to prepare the online ceremony but with family gathered in her home and Darrin's soldier buddies huddled around the computer as witnesses, the couple made their vows.

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My Comment: Young and in love .... what more can I say.

One 'Cold War' Era Missile Silo For Sale In New York State

Cold War Missile Silo For Sale In NY: 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath, 2 Blast Doors -- RIA Novosti

WASHINGTON, June 3 (RIA Novosti) – Survivalists bracing for a nuclear war or James Bond-style criminal masterminds looking for a lair to plot world domination take note: a realtor in upstate New York may have the perfect Cold War-era nuclear missile silo for you.

The decommissioned nuclear missile silo has been converted into an underground apartment with some of its original equipment intact and has been put on the market for $750,000 by its owner, Australian architect and designer Alexander Michael.

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WNU Editor: The listing is here. My only question is .... are the Russians still targeting the site?

Should A Murderer Be Buried With Military Honors?

Frank Koehl, father-in-law of Alicia Koehl, who was killed during a shooting spree at an Indianapolis apartment complex in May 2012, is leading the effort to have the remains of her killer dug up and removed from a national veteran's cemetery in Michigan.(Photo: Dan McFeely, The Indianapolis Star)

Victim's Killer Buried With Military Honors -- USA 

Today Victim's family wants remains of man who went on shooting spree removed from cemetery.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Just weeks after his daughter-in-law was brutally gunned down during a shooting spree, Frank Koehl learned that her killer, who had committed suicide, was buried with military honors.

The remains of Michael LeShawn Anderson are resting beside other military veterans — many of them decorated heroes — at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta, Mich.

That's a violation of federal law, and as the first anniversary of the tragic killing arrives Thursday, Koehl is on a mission to have Anderson's remains dug up and removed.

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My Comment: Someone screwed up.

Celebrities Who Have Served In The U.S. Military

Post 50 Celebrities Who Served In The Military -- Pat Gallagher, Huffington Post

Memorial Day is traditionally the day we remember the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. On this special day, The Huffington Post also would like to bring attention to those who are still living to say "Thank You" for your service! Here are 20 post-50 celebrities -- that are, thankfully, still alive and well -- who took the pledge to serve America so that every person could savor their freedom while enjoying "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

There is nothing more honorable than to serve one's country. If you would like to recognize a member of your family, a friend, a co-worker or a neighbor -- alive or deceased -- who dedicated his or her life to the service of our country please offer a special Thank You Tribute in the comments. We can't say the words "Thank You" enough. We want to know your names!

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My Comment: No women on the list .... for now.

London War Memorials Vandalized With Graffiti

Douglas Radcliffe, the Secretary of the Bomber Command Association, stands next to the Royal Air Force Bomber Command Memorial Photo: REUTERS

War Memorial Vandalised In Wake Of Terror Murder -- The Telegraph

A war memorial to the thousands of members of the RAF’s Bomber Command, who sacrificed their lives during the Second World War, has been daubed with graffiti as tension following the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby continued to intensify.

Vandals painted the word Islam in large red letters on the structure and also on the nearby Animals in War memorial.

Elsewhere at least ten mosques were attacked and in Grimsby an Islamic Cultural Centre was firebombed while people were inside.

In London supporters of the far right English Defence League (EDL) who were marching on Downing Street, clashed with anti-fascist demonstrators.

The incidents signalled a rise in community tension as anger over the brutal murder of 25-year-old Drummer Rigby continued to mount.

It was not clear tonight whether the attack on the war memorials was the work of Islamic extremists or by others seeking to exploit the situation to increase tension between communities.

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More News On Two London War Memorials Vandalized With Graffiti

War memorial vandalised, mosque firebombed and ugly clashes on the street: Tensions rise after slaughter of British soldier -- Daily Mail
Monuments to war dead daubed with word ‘Islam’ -- The Sun
Vandals spray paint ‘Islam’ over two British war memorials: report -- Washington Times
War memorials defaced by Islamic messages in central London -- Digital Journal
Two London war memorials defaced with graffiti -- UPI

My Comment: After reading this story .... I then read this shocking one from Egypt. Sighhh .... I am just shaking my head .... what is inside the brains of these idiots.

Russian Soldier Has Bullet Removed From Forehead (Video)

VIDEO: Russian Soldier Has Bullet Removed From Forehead With Pair Of Pliers -- New York Daily News

A Russian soldier may have taken a bullet to the head, but he remains incredibly calm as it is pulled out without any medical equipment.

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My Comment: Ouch.

I speak Russian .... the conversation that was swirling around this wounded soldier was basically one of .... "wow ... he is still alive".

A Heartwarming Moment For A Marine Who Lost Three Limbs In Afghanistan Blast

The Heartwarming Moment Marine Who Lost Three Limbs In Afghanistan Blast Marries His Bride After Town Raises $30,000 To Pay For Dream Wedding -- Daily Mail

A Marine who returned from active duty in Afghanistan following a devastating injury found a home that truly embraces their 'local' hero.

Former Marine corporal Juan Dominguez, 29, who lost both his legs and right arm from an IED (improvised explosive device), and his bride Alexis had the wedding of their dreams last month.

According to The TODAY Show, the couple were treated by residents of their adoptive home in Temecula, California who donated goods and services totaling $30,000 for their special day.

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My Comment: My brother's wife is from Temecula, California .... a great place to be. As for former Marine corporal Juan Dominguez and his new wife .... I wish them the best.

Map: The World’s Most And Least Racially Tolerant Countries

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Data source: World Values Survey

A Fascinating Map Of The World’s Most And Least Racially Tolerant Countries -- Max Fischer, Washington Post

When two Swedish economists set out to examine whether economic freedom made people any more or less racist, they knew how they would gauge economic freedom, but they needed to find a way to measure a country’s level of racial tolerance. So they turned to something called the World Values Survey, which has been measuring global attitudes and opinions for decades.

Among the dozens of questions that World Values asks, the Swedish economists found one that, they believe, could be a pretty good indicator of tolerance for other races. The survey asked respondents in more than 80 different countries to identify kinds of people they would not want as neighbors. Some respondents, picking from a list, chose “people of a different race.” The more frequently that people in a given country say they don’t want neighbors from other races, the economists reasoned, the less racially tolerant you could call that society. (The study concluded that economic freedom had no correlation with racial tolerance, but it does appear to correlate with tolerance toward homosexuals.)

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More News On The World’s Most And Least Racially Tolerant Countries

World's 'Most Racially Intolerant' Countries Mapped -- The Telegraph
Map shows world's 'most racist' countries (and the answers may surprise you) -- Daily Mail
World's 'most racially intolerant' countries mapped -- New York Daily News
Britons are World's Most Racially Tolerant People -- International Business Times
Painting India red: Why the global racism map is wrong -- First Post

Dictators And Their Mothers

Photo: Stalin's mother Ketevan Geladze. Wikipedia

Dictators With Mommy Issues -- Foreign Policy

Some of the world's most ruthless leaders have had surprisingly close -- if deeply troubled -- relationships with their mothers.

The Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud, who was very close with his mother, once remarked that "people who know that they are preferred or favored by their mother give evidence in their lives of a peculiar self-reliance and an unshakeable optimism which often seem like heroic attributes and bring actual success to their possessors."

Whether you subscribe to Freud's theories or not, it's certainly true that some of the world's most powerful rulers have had fascinating relationships with their mothers -- some surprisingly loving, others ambivalent or just plain bitter. Alexander the Great's power-hungry mother, Olympias, is thought to have been a driving force behind her son's ascension to the throne of Macedonia. Napoleon Bonaparte's mother, Letizia, taught her son discipline ("she sometimes made me go to bed without supper," he once recalled) and followed him to exile in Elba and then back to Paris before the Battle of Waterloo.

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My Comment: An interesting story for Mothers Day.

20,000 U.S. M-16s Stolen In Kuwait

M16 rifles sit on a bench at the Custer Sportsmen's Club in Custer, Wash., after crew members from Coast Guard Station Bellingham, Wash., participated in small-arms training and qualification under the instruction of Petty Officer 2nd Class Peter Dewey, a small-arms instructor at Station Bellingham, Feb. 12, 2013. Coast Guard personnel undergo weapons training in order to carry out missions effectively and safely. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.

20,000 U.S. M-16s Stolen From Unguarded Warehouse In Kuwait -- World Tribune

ABU DHABI — Kuwait has reported the theft of a massive amount of U.S. weapons.

The Interior Ministry said thieves broke into a warehouse and stole a
huge amount of firearms and ammunition. The ministry said 20,000 U.S.-origin M-16 assault rifles and 15,000 rounds for 9mm pistols were stolen.

“There were no guards during the break-in,” the ministry said on April 7.

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My Comment: 20,000 U.S. M-16s stolen from an unguarded warehouse ..... this smells very fishy to me.

ICBMs On Vancouver Island?

Missile Train Spotted On Vancouver Island Turns Out To Be Godzilla Movie Prop -- National Post

Residents along a disused Vancouver Island rail spur may have been justifiably spooked by the sudden appearance of a weapons train loaded down with U.S. ballistic missiles several days ago — although the train was nothing more than a movie prop for a big-budget reboot of Godzilla.

“Yes, those are large US Ballistic Missiles headed for CFB Nanoose,” read a March 21 email being passed around in Victoria by an aloof bystander, alongside a photo of backed-up highway traffic waiting for the train to pass.

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My Comment: I love visiting Vancouver island .... but Godzilla?

It's Never Too Late To Serve

Major Marie Semple is serving as a nurse at the Field Hospital in Camp Bastion

Grandmother On Afghanistan Tour -- Belfast Telegraph

She may be a semi-retired grandmother-of-five soon eligible to draw a state pension but Marie Semple shows no sign of slowing down.

The 55-year-old Army reservist, dubbed "Combat Granny", from Co Antrim, has spent weeks caring for wounded soldiers, Afghan civilians and even insurgents at the field hospital in Camp Bastion - one of the busiest trauma units in the world.

"I didn't think twice about coming out," she said. "I joined the TA late in life for the challenge and for the possibility of deploying somewhere. I felt I needed to do another tour of Afghanistan as an ending to my challenge of joining the Territorial Army. The whole idea of joining was to deploy but, I have certainly got my money's worth out of it."

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My Comment: She is still capable ... so why not.

U.S. Soldier Saved By His iPhone.

US Soldier Shot In Afghanistan Saved By His iPhone -- Boing Boing

A US soldier with a unit in Eastern Afghanistan was shot in combat, and bled profusely, nearing death. Helicopters picked him up, medics inspected his injuries, cut off his clothes and looked through his pockets. They found his iPhone, with a bullet hole through it.

"They said that the iPhone probably changed the trajectory of the bullet, making the wound shallower in his flesh. The protective cover he had on his phone made it so the glass didn't shatter, making his wounds worse. He and his friends joked they should replace their body armor with iPads."

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My Comment: This is publicity that Apple cannot buy.

So Why Are We Funding Aid Projects?

 (Click on Image to Enlarge)

Cash flow: This graphic shows how much money is being sent by migrants to their families back home and where it is being transferred from in a transient economy that topped £335billion last year, according to new figures by the World Bank

How Migrants Are Sending £335BILLION To Their Struggling Families Back Home... More Than Three Times The World's Total Aid Budget -- Daily Mail

The amount of money being sent by migrants to their families back home topped £335billion last year, making it a larger economy than Iran or Argentina, it was revealed today.

The figure has tripled in the last ten years and is now three times bigger than the total aid budgets given by countries around the world as more people than ever choose to live abroad.

It has sparked debate whether this so-called remittance money could be a viable alternative to relying on help from other governments.

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My Comment: While some countries do need aid, this transfer of wealth is vastly more productive than most aid projects .... and a break for taxpayers. But aid projects are usually pet projects for the government in power .... and because they have their own agendas and foreign policies to pursue, I do not expect any changes in future aid projects and programs.

The Bride And Groom Wore Matching Army Fatigues

 

Soldiers Marry At Airport, Then Depart For Separate Deployments -- The Lookout 

The bride and groom wore matching Army fatigues, short haircuts and huge grins. The couple, Army Pvts. Caitlin Murray and Sean Whitney, wed at the Albany International Airport in New York on Thursday, before catching flights to separate military assignments.

The wedding ceremony, reported by the Albany Times Union, was short and sweet, and pulled together in two hours. (Impressive, considering sometimes it can take that long to get through security.) The town’s marriage officer was called in to perform the civil ceremony. Because no family was in attendance given the last-minute decision, the airport’s CEO acted as ring bearer and witness.

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My Comment: I wish them the best.

The Most Amazing Bowling Story Ever

The Most Amazing Bowling Story Ever -- DMagazine

In a bowling alley one night, Bill Fong came so close to perfection that it nearly killed him.

When Bill Fong approaches the lane, 15-pound bowling ball in hand, he tries not to breathe. He tries not to think about not breathing. He wants his body to perform a series of complex movements that his muscles themselves have memorized. In short, he wants to become a robot.

Fong, 48 years old, 6 feet tall with broad shoulders, pulls the ball into his chest and does a quick shimmy with his hips. He swings the ball first backward, then forward, his arm a pendulum of kinetic energy, as he takes five measured steps toward the foul line. He releases the ball, and it glides across the oiled wooden planks like it’s floating, hydroplaning, spinning counterclockwise along a trajectory that seems to be taking it straight for the right-hand gutter. But as the ball nears the edge of the lane, it veers back toward the center, as if guided by remote control. The hook carries the ball back just in time. In a heartbeat, what was a wide, sneering mouth of pins is now—nothing.
He comes back to the table where his teammates are seated—they always sit and bowl in the same order—and they congratulate him the same way they have thousands of times over the last decade. But Fong looks displeased. His strike wasn’t good enough.

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My Comment: I know that this is not a defense/military/war story .... but if you have ten minutes to spare, read this story. The incredible part is at the end.

There Is Always Someone Out There That Is Bigger, Stronger, And Meaner Than You

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Chomp: The Kiwi fisherman took the spectacular photo, pictured, on December 28, and posted it on Reddit

Where'd My Catch Go? Spectacular Photo Captures Moment Great White Is Gobbled By An EVEN BIGGER Shark As It's Hauled Into Fisherman's Boat -- Daily Mail

Being hooked by a fisherman is probably up there with the worst things that could happen to a shark. But what about becoming bait for an even bigger beast as you're being hauled into the boat?

This was the fate of a poor great white in New Zealand this week.

And a spectacular photograph of the encounter, which shows Charles Darwin's survival of the fittest - or perhaps biggest - theory in action, has taken the web by storm after it was posted on Reddit.

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My Comment: I know that this is not a war/defense/military related post .... but it is a cool pic. The moral of the story .... there is always someone out there that is bigger, stronger, and meaner. Hmmmm .... come to think of it .... I just described how some combat scenarios.

The Starship Enterprise Or The USS Enterprise?

Which Is Better, The Starship Enterprise Or The USS Enterprise? -- Stars and Stripes

CORVALLIS, Ore. — This has been an eventful month for the most famous ship name in the world — the USS Enterprise. On December 1, the U.S. Navy retired the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65) — the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier — after a remarkable 51 years of service. At the same time, the Navy announced that the third Ford-class supercarrier (CVN-80), due to be completed around 2025, will be named Enterprise. And, not to be outdone, the producers of "Star Trek Into Darkness," the next Star Trek movie, released a trailer previewing the film that is set to hit the big screen in May.

So how will the new supercarrier Enterprise (CVN-80) compare to the starship Enterprise (NCC- 1701)? Foreign Policy put the question to naval analyst, former U.S. Naval War College professor, and science-fiction fan Chris Weuve:

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My Comment: A must read for Trekkie fans.

Marine Vet Arrives Home After Months In Mexican Prison

My Comment: A great Christmas gift .... but 4 months in a Mexican jail .... makes you wonder how many more Americans and foreigners are stuck in some Mexican hell-hole.