Ben Stein

[Travis McLain]

Most people probably do not know the name, but let me refresh you, Ben Stein does the red eye commercials on t.v. and played the "boring" teacher on "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" who constantly said "Bueller, Bueller, Bueller".

Anyways, now that you know who he is, I had the opportunity to see him speak last night here at Oklahoma State University, and it was great. I expected it to be a political speech since he is a staunch republican (he was a lawyer and speech writer for Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and he did not have anything to do with the watergate scandal, lol) but instead it was a satirical speech on how to ruin your life, it was  hilarious, and had me bursting with laughter more than a few times. But then towards the end of the speech, he got on a very serious note; he said people always ask him what it is like to live among the stars (he lives in Beverly Hills, close to Barbara Streisand) and he said "I dont live among the stars, I live among actors, and singers, the real stars are the people over in Afghanistan and Iraq who put on body armor and BDUs every day to keep this nation free". Something I never expected him to say. Then he started talking about these two USC students he talked to during a contest, who were juniors, that had no idea what WWII was/ when it was going on, and who we were fighting. He then told us that his father in law and someone else he is related to had both won silver stars for their actions, one got the commendation in WWII, then was called back to fight in Vietnam, and the other one got his commendation in Korea. It was a very unique speech, that I am glad I got to hear, and glad he expressed his views on how kids in my generation have no respect for the generations that helped protect our nation, specifically the WWII generation.

[JTheotonio]

Then he started talking about these two USC students he talked to during a contest, who were juniors, that had no idea what WWII was

Don't get me started on education again.  Stein wrote about star power before.  So he's serious about kids not knowing or understanding our history.  I cannot understand what is so important that a little extra time cannot be given to real American history is schools today.  What is so important in current curriculums that must push aside history?  From what I see - kids leave school who can't even balance a checkbook, or write a complete paragraph.

Along with our School of the Boat what about a military history class? Even some of us old timers could use some refreshing on our history.  Here's one.  Down at the VFW post a belong to we kid one of the members all the time because he was in the Coast Guard. But the fact is that they have been around a long time. 

1. What were two of the other names by which the Coast Guard was known as?
2. The Coast Guard comes under what department and under what circumstances will the Coast Guard come under the command of another department?
3. What was the USS Tampa?
4. For the lighthearted - why do we refer to the Coast Guard as "Brown Water Sailors?"

You may now turn back on your MTV...

[Lance Dean]

Hey, blame "No Child Left Behind" crap.  It's all about math and reading.  Teachers have no time to focus on history or arts or science anymore (not their choice).  I'm serious.  They want to, but they have to spend so much time focusing on "what's important".

[Darrin]

JT,
I'll tackle #4 for the fun of it....

They were called the "brown water Navy" because they NEVER went past the 12 mi outbound marker and would get scared when they couldn't see the coast line anymore and turn around and go home where it was safe for them to walk home just in case their boats sank

[Lance Dean]

And another thing.  I like to watch "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno.  Last night he did "Jaywalking" and man what a terrible thing.  This one guy had never heard of "POW" before and had no idea what it stood for.  Once Jay explained to him what POW stood for and asked him which presidential candidate had been a POW, the guy (who was wearing a PINK Obama shirt) looked confused and slowly said "McCain?".

How can you make even a halfassed choice for President when you are so dense?

(This is not an endorsement for President!  This is a cry to know your facts before Tuesday is all.)

Sorry for hijacking your thread Travis.  Back to Ben Stein.  He's a great fella.  Remember when someone broke into his home and he chased the guys off with a shotgun?  How many other guys in Hollywood would even dream of doing such a thing??

[Lance Dean]

Another funny thing about the Coast Guard.

Oh, let me start with saying my uncle was in the Coast Guard in Vietnam.  My wife's cousin was also in the Coast Guard just a few years back.  Nothing I say is out of disrespect, k?

I can't even recall which book this was in that I read. I *think* it was in "Gallant Lady" by Don Keith.  The submarine crew was on liberty in some cat house/bar somewhere where there was no one but Navy submariners and some Coast Guard guys.  One girl asked one of the Archerfish crew about why the Coast Guard guys wore different insignia on their uniforms.  The guy told her that those guys (the Coast Guard guys) had "special" insignia that stood for they had a horrible STD.  None of the women would even come close to the Coast Guard guys after that!

 

I think a fight broke out before it was all over.

[Mark Sarsfield]

JT,

  For #2, the U.S.C.G. comes under the Dept. of Transportation in peace time, but can be transferred under the U.S.N. in time of war, if the situatuion dictates the necessity (like German U-boats patrolling our coastline).  When they are transferred to the U.S.N., the ships are painted gray to match other naval vessels.

  I recently started reading "Pig Boats" that a coworker loaned to me.  Great book so far.  I knew a lot about the P.T.O. from WWII, but I am picking up all sorts of good tidbits that I never knew before.  It's hard to put it down.

[JTheotonio]

Truth be known is that the Coast Guard has served in "ervery" war that the US has been involved in.  And not just protecting our coast line.  They were in Viet Nam running patrols up and down the rivers.  They are in the Middle East.  There were in WWI and WWII.  One of their ships was just in Africa on a good will mission.  So they do get around.

Darrin - got the brown water sailor correct.  But some of the roughest water I've seen and been in is no more that 12 miles offshore.  Cape Hatteras! Brutle in a major storm.

Here is 3 pictures of a 25' cutter taking a roll off California coast - no one hurt, cutter is made to roll.

[Fred Tannenbaum]

I'd also add that the Coasties run down some pretty nasty characters in the drug business, are protecting the homeland in a big way, their helicopter crews perform heroic rescues in the nastiest of weather and their surfboatmen train in some of the wildest water at Cape Disappointment, Oregon. Gets my attention and respect.

Fred

[Mark Sarsfield]

Yeah.  I trained for two weeks at the U.S.C.G. training facility in Cape May when I was a Sea Cadet.  The Company Commanders (C.C.'s) quickly earned our respect and attention.  Those guys are at war every day on the high seas dealing with pirates, drug runners, etc.

[Travis McLain]

On the education side of things, I sent the powerpoint I made about the silent service in WWII to my U.S. History teacher here, and he never replied back, so yesterday I asked him if he got it, he said he did, and then told me he did not really look at the whole thing, but what he saw, he thought it was cool. He told me at one point that he might use some of the info in his WWII lecture, so I am keeping my hopes up that he will, and inform the kids in my class about them, and I made sure to let him know about the Batfish only a few hours away so hopefully he will include it in his lecture, and tell everyone about the Batfish.

[Darrin]

The Coasties were transfered to the Dept of Homeland Security after 9/11 and have done a great job in trying to keep drug runners and other bad folks out of the country and out of our territorial waters and yes they even deploy with the deep water Navy from time to time and I even have a pic at home of a Coast Guard cutter with the USS Kitty Hawk battle group in '92 (RIMPAC '92) and to me that pic is one of my favorite because out in front of the whole damn battle group is the lone submarine of the battle group... the Ex USS Honolulu (SSN 718) which sadly is nothing more then a memory now because she was mostly scrapped early this year and part of her bow is now in the water on the USS San Francisco (SSN 711)

Darrin
TM3(SS) 718,717,711,692

[Rick]

OK, my turn.   

Coast Guard....

good guys.   We can all maek fun of them, just like we make fun of the ground pounders, the bubble head, the Jar heads,  the zoomies,  ect.   Comoradory is good.   The Coasties have filled a valuable roll during peace and war from pratorling our shores when the navy could not to rescuing the intelectually challenged who like to sail their 10 ft sail boats during a huracane.   At least they are working to better out country and make us a little better.   I wish that there were more people like that in this world.   

Education......
Do not necessarly blame the teachers.  These poor people are challenged to take our countryes future into their hands and get no nelp form the parrents, or the administration (board of education).  Furthermore they are required to do this on less the $40k a year and required to purchase their own supplies, made to work 60-80 hrs a year.   AZ went as fars at to say all student must pass the "AIMMS" test to graduate then implemented the test without createing a cariculum for the students.  Now those teachers are testing what is on the test and forgetting everything else.  On my own experience My son is out doing hes class in every arena and when I aske the teacher what we can do to keep him challenged, I get a blank stare and and tolde that he will not be board as we make the students read if there is nothing else to do.
The American education system is so corporate based that they are trying to create student factories that do not take into account the kids own streingths and weeknesses.  Some students are going to be good at history others at math.  We need to stop paying the administrators $300k plus a year and start paying the teacheres (the ones in the trenches) more.  We need the parents to become involved in their kids' lives.  We need to wake up and realize what is important our kids.

Ben Stein..
Let me just say one thing

Beuler...... Beuler.... Beuler......

I am done now.......

[JTheotonio]

Lot of good stuff about the Coastees - but what was the USS Tampa?

[Darrin]

You ask my fellow TM and you shall recieve

U.S.S. TAMPA SUNK CREW OF 118 LOST; Former Coast Guard Cutter Torpedoed Off English Coaston Night of Sept. 26. NONE TO TELL OF DISASTER Admiral Sims Reports Vessel Got Ahead of Other Ships and Was Attacked Alone. U.S.S. TAMPA SUNK, CREW OF 118 LOST.