I don’t know what to think of that commercial. It’s really well done, but the fact the soldier is missing his legs, and then presumably dies after turning the TV on seems to be in poor taste.

Am I crazy for thinking that, what do you guys think?

Do people actually EVER fall for this crap? I searched google for a couple of lines from the letter and it seems that there are a lot of different “from” and “reply-to” email addresses used, which tells me it is likely used to verify working email addresses.

I wonder if the actual Lawrence K. Wilson knows that a scam artist is impersonating him?

Full story - HERE

I can see why at first the commanding officer was not impressed. But when he learned the full story about how they had no time to bring the whole body because of enemy fire i’m surprised he didn’t have a good laugh about it.  Oh well.. haters gonna hate. Whoever did that beheading is going to have a cool story and possibly a badass nickname for the rest of his life.

History of the Gurkha – HERE

Dismounted Soldiers often carry heavy combat loads that increase the stress on the body leading to potential injuries. With a HULC exoskeleton, these loads are transferred to the ground through powered titanium legs without loss of mobility.

Gotta love technology. Might as well just go one step further and in case every soldier in an IronMan style climate controlled bulletproof suit; I’m sure that’s coming.

HULC website – HERE

Almost a century ago and without the aid of any pixel-generating computer software, the itinerant photographer Arthur Mole (1889-1983) used his 11 x 14-inch view camera to stage a series of extraordinary mass photographic spectacles that choreographed living bodies into symbolic formations of religious and national community. In these mass ornaments, thousands of military troops and other groups were arranged artfully to form American patriotic symbols, emblems, and military insignia visible from a bird’s eye perspective. During World War I, these military formations came to serve as rallying points to support American involvement in the war and to ward off isolationist tendencies.

More Info – HERE

Lots more pictures – HERE

*Click them to view full-size*
(The photographs appear to be on display at the Hammer Gallery in Chicago, IL)

Simply amazing; the use of perspective is incredible. It would be neat to see this done again.

I wonder if there was a lot of complaining back then? I’m sure there would be plenty today if soldiers were ordered to be involved in this type of project.

A member of the Afghan National Police (ANP) watches as US soldiers of the 97th MP Battalion (not pictured) search the site of a Taliban weapons cache in Kandahar City on June 14, 2010 discovered after an informant contacted NATO forces in the area.

As usual, Big Picture delivers. Check out the full set – HERE

Retired Lt. Gen. Reginald Centracchio, the former head of the Rhode Island National Guard, gave 8-year-old David Morales a medal called a challenge coin during an appearance on WPRO-AM’s John DePetro show.

Centracchio said the second-grader should be thanked for recognizing veterans and soldiers.

“You did nothing wrong, and you did an outstanding job,” he said. “We can only hope that kids of your caliber will continue to defend this country.”

Centracchio also gave David a certificate that allows him to call himself a brigadier general.

Full Story – HERE

Nice!  Glad to see someone stepped up to the plate and thanked this kid.

Too bad David will probably be expelled from school now though because he now officially holds a high ranking position in the military according to the certificate he was given. I wonder if the O-7 pay comes with it?  That would buy a lot of toys.

Original post on the school’s ban of his hat – HERE

Hat Tip: PP

Source

Covington, KY – The mural at 242 W. Pike St. – which Fairey and his team of artists spent several hours pasting up in sections on Tuesday – drew negative reactions from Claypool and some of his clients and neighbors, including John G. Carlisle Elementary School across the street. The dominant image in the red, black and white mural, titled “Duality of Humanity 4 Pike Street,” is an Asian child soldier holding an automatic rifle.

Fairey’s website, says the artist believes his “Duality of Humanity” images “draw parallels between the complex emotions surrounding the Vietnam War and those felt now about the invasion of Iraq.”

Late Thursday morning, painters hired by Claypool covered the mural with white paint.

Full Story – HERE

I agree, having the mural right across from an elementary school probably isn’t a great location.  They should have figured that out before hand though.

We had a bit of a Shepard Fairey discussion once before in the comments back on the Creepy Human Bone Art post.

Pretty cool looking mural, despite the blatant plagiarism that is inherent in the OBEY brand.

On 1 April, TACOM Life Cycle Management Command issued the Maintenance Information Message MI 10-040 “Camouflaging Specific Small Arms” stating that, given command approval, Soldiers are permitted to camouflage the M4/M16 weapon systems with paint.

See the guide in PDF format – HERE

As the guide says at the end, weapons painting has been elevated to a fine art. I don’t know where the awesome examples I saved on my harddrive went, but some of the paint jobs I have seen are breathtaking.  The example the have in the PDF is pretty weak looking as far as artistry goes, although it still would likely look better than black in the right environment.

I’d like to see the military started paying soldiers that are also artists extra money to paint rifles. The talented guys shouldn’t have to work for free just because their whole unit would rather not walk around with the plain old black color scheme.

The New York Times invites members of the military who are serving, or have served, in Afghanistan to help us document the daily life of this war in photographs, video and writing. Take us on a tour of the forward operating base, introduce us to your friends, describe the hardships and rewards of deployment and the humor that helps you pass the time.

Full Story – HERE

I have a lot of respect for the “At War” section of the NY Times.

A few days ago I blogged about the British Army sniper that set a new kill distance record with an Accuracy International L115A3.

Well it looks like the British are breeding Universal soldier types, because today some more impressive shooting was in the UK news:

A British sniper shot dead five Taliban gunmen in just 28 seconds to save the lives of comrades walking into an ambush.

The marksman felled the rebels from more than a mile away as they prepared to attack troops on foot patrol in Afghanistan.

The corporal  -  whose identity cannot be revealed for security reasons  -  has killed a record 37 enemy fighters during a four-month tour of duty.

Full Story – HERE

The phones at Accuracy International are likely ringing off the hook lately.

If I were British I’d  have done this in reaction to the article:

Pig bladders contain a substance called extra cellular matrix, which is made up largely of collagen.

Scientists have already used powdered pig bladders help grow replacement human bladders.

But researchers working for the American military realised the substance might also help hundreds of wounded soldiers.

Full Story – HERE

So not only does bacon come from pigs, but they also contain limb regrowing magic? Incredible animals.

These bedrooms once belonged to men and women who died fighting in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. These fallen men and women were blown up by IEDs, RPGs, hand grenades and suicide bombers. They were shot down in ambushes and by snipers. They died in helicopters, in humvees, and in tanks. It all took place thousands of miles away from home, and the country they fought to defend.

The purpose of this project is to honor these fallen – not simply as soldiers, marines, airmen and seamen, but as sons, daughters, sisters and brothers – and to remind us that before they fought, they lived, and they slept, just like us, at home.

Heartbreaking pictures, and stories.

Reminds me of the great quote… “All gave some, some gave all.”

Bedrooms Of The Fallen website – HERE

Ashley Gilbertson (the Photojournalist’s website) – HERE

For several minutes they emptied their magazines into the darkness. It developed into a roaring crescendo of fire. What they were shooting at, no one could say. The Americans with night-vision equipment saw nothing. It took several minutes of shouting to get the firing to stop, and then it might have stopped because the Afghans needed to reload.

Full Article – HERE

Pretty nice rearward lean in the picture I attached. 

Those Afghan soldiers and Afghan police, sure get a lot of flack.  Rightfully so… From all the articles I’ve ever read and stories I’ve heard from people, they sound like a bunch of dangerous goofs.  I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near guys that are that irresponsible and clueless when it comes to their own weapons.

In coordinated attacks, gunmen in armored cars and equipped with grenade launchers fought army troops this week and attempted to trap some of them in two military bases by cutting off access and blocking highways, a new tactic by Mexico’s organized criminals.

At least 18 alleged attackers were killed and one soldier wounded in the fighting that erupted Tuesday in half a dozen towns and cities in the states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, the army said, topping off one of the deadliest months yet in a drug war that has raged for nearly 3 1/2 years.

Full Story at the LA Times – HERE

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18 Mexican gang members killed – one soldier wounded? Works for me… that means that either the Mexican soldiers are really good, or the gang members are comparable to the Afghan Army.  Regardless of the outcome, it’s frightening that the gangs have the audacity to attack their own country’s Army.

Jason Bradbury takes on a real SAS solider on the worlds first full scale version of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 pit level:

Very interesting idea, and pretty nicely executed… even if it is staged.

As SayUncle pointed out, the gun is a GSG-5 (which is a .22LR) not a H&K MP5 (9mm)… huge difference.

Hat Tip: SayUncle & Linoge

Added a new picture to the bottom of the original post:

http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/2009/12/06/exploding-glock-humor/

I have about 6 more pictures, but its not as fun if I post them all at once

Added a new picture to the bottom of the original post:

http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/2009/12/06/exploding-glock-humor/

Enjoy!