Here's the Thing ...

Golden Gate, Kyiv
(Source¹)

It's been an interesting couple of weeks here at the Chant and in real life.

I have deleted more comments over the past two weeks then I have for the first nine years and fifty weeks of the blog's existence. Perhaps because more people are stopping by here? I don't know. (We have seen an increase in readership over the last two years. Which is a good thing.)

However, I don't like deleting comments, I only do so when the rules are violated. What are the rules you ask? Stated simply -

Now the "Just be polite..." bit I stole borrowed from Buck, not long after his untimely demise. It kinda goes along with what I learned growing up, "if you can't say something nice ..."

I am often guilty of being unable to say something nice, but going ahead and speaking anyway. But that's in real life, when I'm actually talking, with the written word I like to think I'm a bit more circumspect. I expect folks to do the same here on the blog.

Opinions are okay, but you have to consider the context. Stating your opinion as to someone's character when that someone has just died, and I am mourning that someone's death, is not a great idea. In fact, I found it unacceptable, so those comments were deleted.

Commenting upon the character of another reader is also unacceptable. And yes, that has happened. Just so we're clear.

Now you can post a path (no links please) to an opinion which differs from an opinion expressed herein, and I'll let it stand. But if I find that opinion questionable, I will say so. (And have recently.)

All that being said, the bottom line is "If you can't be nice, go somewhere else." Really, I'm serious.

Now to address the moderation part of the rules, this was put in simply to screen out the idiot spammers who like to leave comments on old posts. I mean, really old posts. Seriously, someone expects somebody to chase a link in a comment on a five year old post? I was actually getting quite a few of these, so I put moderation into effect on posts older than five days.

I actually get the occasional valid comment on old posts. Usually from someone who just found, and read, that post, old as it was, it interested someone enough to comment upon it. Those I will actually allow through and answer the comment, eventually. So if you see your comment not showing up right away, check the date of the post. And be patient, if you didn't break the rules, I'll let it in, and answer it.

Then there are the times that Blogger (operated by Google) will occasionally just have a fit and determine that your comment is invalid, or spam. I have actually had my own comments go to spam. Rare, but it happens.

What you see above is the standard "I'm not logged into Google" comment form. If you are logged in to Google, you'll see your avatar in the little picture box (provided you have one) and your account name in the pulldown window.

I have never tried the Name/URL selection so I can't address how that works. As for Anonymous, it means exactly that. Any comment you leave will be marked "Anonymous." Though I'd like to see a name/internet handle in the comment block itself, it isn't required. A lot of readers will do that rather than create a Google account. Which I understand the reasons for not doing so.

One note on that "Preview" button. If you press it, you'll get the display below. Or you won't (which means your comment has now vanished, never to see the light of day again). But if the "Preview" button works, you'll see something like this (note that it's different if you're commenting as "Anonymous") -

In theory, and really, most of the time, you can click on "Edit" and will be able to edit your comment, then publish it. Or not. Sometimes this is where comments get sent to Neverland. Most of the time, this Preview feature works. But not always.

If you are commenting as "Anonymous" and wish to Preview your comment, you might (or might not) see one of those "Captcha" things. I have that feature turned off as it's annoying as Hell. Sometimes you see the damned Captcha thing even if you are commenting with a Google account or a Name/URL. Blogger isn't always consistent with it's interface. It's a software thing. Don't blame me, I have that "feature" disabled.

I intend to get back to the book as soon as possible. (Note that I didn't say "ASAP," which some folks tend to think means "right now!", but doesn't, it means exactly what it says. Story to follow.)

I'm headed out to Sandy Eggo soon, for two weeks, tops, sometimes those trips are fewer days than planned. I'm not sure how much chance I'll have to write fiction, as these trips tend to keep me busy aboard ship for ten plus hours a day. When I get back to the hotel I usually want to chillax for an hour or two before retiring for the evening. Sometimes I'll write, sometimes I won't. We shall see ...

Now for that "ASAP" story.

So, there I was*

For my last seven and a half years in the Air Force I was assigned to NATO. I worked with a number of US and non-US folks - mostly Germans, Italians, Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians, and the occasional Greek or Turk (but not in the same room, or cockpit, remind me to tell you that story some day).

Anyhoo, we had our operational (read NATO) chain of command (my boss was a German Oberstleutnant the last two years I was there) and our administrative (read USAF) chain of command. The former covered our day-to-day duties, which was supporting the NATO fleet of seventeen E-3A aircraft (reduced to sixteen via mishap before I left, no, I didn't break it.) The latter was for things like annual performance evaluations, pay, promotions, etc. Ya know, USAF things not involving operational stuff. Remember, I belonged to NATO at the time.

NATO E-3A AWACS
(Source)

Anyhoo, we had a bunch of USAF captains, most of whom weren't all that useful from a NATO point of view. But in order to keep them gainfully "employed," the USAF squadron to which we belonged (administratively mind you) kept giving them things to do. Ya know, things to keep we unruly enlisted types in line.

Now my own penultimate captain, a decent chap, one day came to me with some idiotic request from USAFE.² He indicated to me that this tasking must be executed "ASAP." (I don't recall if he pronounced it as one word or by its component letters, I prefer the former but will accept the latter.)

Of course, I responded with "Roger, WILCO."³

At the time I was also working a tasking from my German boss, something of much more weight and impact than the bit o' busy work sent down by USAFE. Priorities dontcha know? (We were enforcing the No Fly Zone over the former Yugoslavia at the time.)

Now the following day my captain comes to see me, wants to know if I have executed the tasking he gave me. I responded with "Negative Sir, it has not been possible for me to do that just yet."

As he started to say "But I told you that it needed to be done ASAP ... Oh."

"Yes Sir, you did say 'As Soon As Possible.' Due to my NATO job, the reason that I am in Germany, I haven't been able to do that other thing yet. I might be able to tomorrow, but ..."

"It's okay, I'll do it myself." he exclaimed as he drove out of sight.

I thought to myself, "Yes that's right, something you should have done in the first place."

"ASAP." Words, they mean something.

So yeah, back to the book at some point, but not today.

Tuna will be along tomorrow, be nice to him, it's his birthday tomorrow.

Oh yeah, one more thing, the Greek/Turk story.

So, there I was (again)

Again, this was while I was in NATO. Most folks in Europe know about the long-standing animosity between the Greeks and the Turks, Hell, it goes back thousands of years. Note that I said "most folks."

Seems that there was an American scheduler (we, as a Nation, are often ignorant of both history and geography) who made the decision to schedule an AWACS flight with a Greek pilot and a Turkish co-pilot. Notwithstanding the policy of not attempting to make folks from those two nations work directly with each other, our intrepid airman figured it would be "no problem."

And it wasn't, at least not until the two flyers were in the cockpit together and had a disagreement over the preflight checklist (so I heard - yes, this is inadmissible as evidence as it is hearsay)). Fisticuffs ensued.

The unfortunate American was briefed to "not do that again, ever." The rumor mill had the sparring flyers sent back to their respective nations for conduct rather unbecoming.

Not sure I ever really believed that story. But it is a good story.

So yeah, Tuna tomorrow, I'll be back on Thursday with something for your edification and entertainment.

Stay frosty ...

¹ More information here.

² United States Air Force Europe, the command responsible for USAF units in Europe. A pale shadow of the mighty Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).

³ WILCO = Will Comply

* SJC applies.