Enjoy your vacation. This is the "silly season" for 'news organizations' after all. Could trolls and 'impassioned' persons now be considered a sub set of 'news organization?'
Read you then.
Things do not look too good in Syria. Take time to think about what's happening over there while not under the pressure of constantly having to react to every little thing.
May you and your good SWMBO have a really good holiday. (I believe SWMBO was first used ironically in the character of Hilda Rumpole, the wife of Horace Rumpole of Rumpole of the Bailey (first broadcast in 1975. A great series).
I received this Warning notice this morning in my email Inbox.
ALERT: Carnival Lines is advertising a global "reality" cruise for hardy and adventurous souls. Ports-of-Call" include: Benghazi, Mogadishu, Sa'ana, Aleppo, Khandahar, Donetsk,& Miami.
Passengers will hear featured guest speakers from AEI, CSIS, Brookings, AIPAC, The NYT Op-Ed page & an expert to be named later.
Exposure to standard cruise maladies is part of the package.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Field Artillery) John William Vessey (ASN: 0-65047), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with 2d Battalion, 77th Artillery, 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Vessey distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 March 1967 while serving as a Battalion Commander during a combat mission near Suoi Tre. During the early morning hours, Colonel Vessey's battalion received a massive assault by a Viet Cong regiment. Although more than 200 mortar rounds fell, Colonel Vessey fearlessly moved through his unit area, first to alert his men, then to direct various phases of the defense. When vital howitzer positions were destroyed by hostile fire, he rallied men from other sections to man the guns, and he himself assisted as a cannoneer. He was wounded during this action, but continued to lead and fire the artillery pieces. At one point, he spotted Viet Cong rocket launchers that were placing devastating fire into the battery perimeter. He seized a grenade launcher, moved into an open area and knocked out three of the insurgents' weapons. When an enemy tracer round ignited a drum of diesel oil and threatened to set off two drums of explosives nearby, Colonel Vessey ran to that highly dangerous point and helped move the drums to safety. His professional command and courageous fighting throughout the battle were instrumental in turning back the numerically superior enemy force and killing more than 600 Viet Cong. Lieutenant Colonel Vessey's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Members of this committee might find this article interesting.
"But for years clues had existed that Britain had also expatriated colonial records that were considered too sensitive to be left in the hands of successor governments."
" . . . the records had been stashed at a high-security storage facility that the Foreign Office shared with the intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6. It also revealed a bigger secret. This same repository, Hanslope Park, held files removed from a total of 37 former colonies."
"The files could easily have been trashed on at least three occasions, he says, probably without publicity. For a variety of reasons, they weren’t. Maybe it was the squirrel-like tendency of archivists. Maybe it was luck."
Hopefully tempers of commentariat will cool over the break and we can return to important subjects.
Here's some potentially good news, if true. http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.737585
Enjoy the time off Col.
Posted by: Brunswick | 19 August 2016 at 05:36 PM
Colonel Lang,
Have a good rest. Try not to worry. I hope you and your wife enjoy the respite.
Regards,
David
Posted by: David | 19 August 2016 at 05:47 PM
good move - I concur... it's August vacation time anyway. relax, enjoy, cheers,
Posted by: ked | 19 August 2016 at 08:11 PM
Enjoy your vacation. This is the "silly season" for 'news organizations' after all. Could trolls and 'impassioned' persons now be considered a sub set of 'news organization?'
Read you then.
Posted by: ambrit | 19 August 2016 at 08:30 PM
Col Lang
Thank you for your continued excellent stewardship of SST - this is a well deserved vacation . Even owners get some time off .
Posted by: alba etie | 19 August 2016 at 10:46 PM
Have a great August!
It occurs to me that it might be simpler just to bring it back up after the election...
Posted by: PeterHug | 19 August 2016 at 11:16 PM
Colonel Lang
Wishing you a great time and lots of R&R during the announced break.
Posted by: Petrous | 19 August 2016 at 11:56 PM
I'll miss you. Enjoy your rest.
Posted by: Cee | 20 August 2016 at 12:09 AM
All right, BBQ time!
Posted by: LeeG | 20 August 2016 at 12:58 AM
Take a holiday. We are all in need of one.
Things do not look too good in Syria. Take time to think about what's happening over there while not under the pressure of constantly having to react to every little thing.
May you and your good SWMBO have a really good holiday. (I believe SWMBO was first used ironically in the character of Hilda Rumpole, the wife of Horace Rumpole of Rumpole of the Bailey (first broadcast in 1975. A great series).
Posted by: johnf | 20 August 2016 at 02:25 AM
Have a happy vacation everyone!
Posted by: DL | 20 August 2016 at 11:20 AM
I hope you enjoy your holiday.
Posted by: Dubhaltach | 20 August 2016 at 11:25 AM
thanks for all you do
enjoy the vacation
Posted by: Stephen Calhoun | 20 August 2016 at 12:18 PM
A wise move. Enjoy your time off.
Posted by: john | 20 August 2016 at 01:27 PM
Have a good holiday. Thanks for all your superb efforts on SST.
Posted by: Tigermoth | 20 August 2016 at 02:13 PM
I received this Warning notice this morning in my email Inbox.
ALERT: Carnival Lines is advertising a global "reality" cruise for hardy and adventurous souls. Ports-of-Call" include: Benghazi, Mogadishu, Sa'ana, Aleppo, Khandahar, Donetsk,& Miami.
Passengers will hear featured guest speakers from AEI, CSIS, Brookings, AIPAC, The NYT Op-Ed page & an expert to be named later.
Exposure to standard cruise maladies is part of the package.
Posted by: michael brenner | 20 August 2016 at 03:09 PM
Enjoy the vacation time. Meanwhile, the committee members can think about how to lower the tendention level on the comments side.
Posted by: different clue | 20 August 2016 at 03:20 PM
Enjoy! Hopefully you can also take time off from the fabricated talk that passes for news.
Posted by: Robb | 20 August 2016 at 03:25 PM
Hope you are headed to the Great State of Maine.
Posted by: mike | 20 August 2016 at 03:42 PM
Before you leave, I offer for consideration:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Field Artillery) John William Vessey (ASN: 0-65047), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with 2d Battalion, 77th Artillery, 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Vessey distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 March 1967 while serving as a Battalion Commander during a combat mission near Suoi Tre. During the early morning hours, Colonel Vessey's battalion received a massive assault by a Viet Cong regiment. Although more than 200 mortar rounds fell, Colonel Vessey fearlessly moved through his unit area, first to alert his men, then to direct various phases of the defense. When vital howitzer positions were destroyed by hostile fire, he rallied men from other sections to man the guns, and he himself assisted as a cannoneer. He was wounded during this action, but continued to lead and fire the artillery pieces. At one point, he spotted Viet Cong rocket launchers that were placing devastating fire into the battery perimeter. He seized a grenade launcher, moved into an open area and knocked out three of the insurgents' weapons. When an enemy tracer round ignited a drum of diesel oil and threatened to set off two drums of explosives nearby, Colonel Vessey ran to that highly dangerous point and helped move the drums to safety. His professional command and courageous fighting throughout the battle were instrumental in turning back the numerically superior enemy force and killing more than 600 Viet Cong. Lieutenant Colonel Vessey's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Posted by: scott s. | 20 August 2016 at 04:05 PM
Members of this committee might find this article interesting.
"But for years clues had existed that Britain had also expatriated colonial records that were considered too sensitive to be left in the hands of successor governments."
" . . . the records had been stashed at a high-security storage facility that the Foreign Office shared with the intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6. It also revealed a bigger secret. This same repository, Hanslope Park, held files removed from a total of 37 former colonies."
"The files could easily have been trashed on at least three occasions, he says, probably without publicity. For a variety of reasons, they weren’t. Maybe it was the squirrel-like tendency of archivists. Maybe it was luck."
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/aug/18/uncovering-truth-british-empire-caroline-elkins-mau-mau
Posted by: sfauthor | 20 August 2016 at 08:36 PM
Col,
Hopefully tempers of commentariat will cool over the break and we can return to important subjects.
Here's some potentially good news, if true.
http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.737585
Posted by: Fred | 21 August 2016 at 09:45 AM
@ sfauthor
Ian Henderson !!!
(being honoured by Queen Elizabeth II with the CBE)
and he became the expert for that protectorate Bahrain and the trainer to Jordanians and Pakistanis who replaced him afterwards
Posted by: The Beaver | 21 August 2016 at 10:28 AM
Love your site and your sense of humor. Colonel, enjoy your time off.
Posted by: Lamoe2012 | 21 August 2016 at 02:13 PM
Thank you for your site, welcome beacon.
Posted by: Wondook | 21 August 2016 at 04:06 PM