We've had a rash of computer "events" over the past 48 hours... in the form of sudden, no-warning, complete and total shut downs. One moment we're puttering along normally and then... nothing. We had three such this morning and can find nothing in the event logs, which is to say there are no "critical" events and very few minor incidents that would give us a clue as to what is going on. The weird thing is the computer behaves normally after I power it back up... and the complete lack of error messages in the Event Log is MOST troubling. I hate it when this sorta thing happens...
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Generation gap... SN1 and I had a brief discussion about life at Kandahar last evening, based on Gen. McChrystal's recent banning of all fast-food at the Afghanistan MOBs. Just to summarize... I said I supported the ban and agreed with the Good General in that there ain't no room for Pizza Hut in a war-zone. Buck said it was bad for morale, given that Kandahar serves as a sort of in-country R&R point for troops out in the field (believe it or don't) and taking away something that exists is generally bad form. I can see Buck's point, but I still side with McChrystal... if only for the lighter load on the logistics system. We agreed to disagree.
I then proceeded to shoot off my mouth that all concerned would be better off if "certain aspects" of General Order Number One were revoked (yup: beer), commenting that SN1's war and mine were radically different in this regard... and his was much the worse for it. (Full disclosure: I was never in the AOR during Vietnam... just on the edges of it.) More disagreement ensued, with Buck in favor of the "no alcohol" policy. His position is that EVERYONE is armed in The Af and beer and firearms don't mix well, if at all. Point taken, I admitted. OTOH, an absolute ban eliminates a stress relief mechanism while giving a disinterested observer the impression the command doesn't trust the troops to behave responsibly. There certainly should be some middle ground between prohibition and daily drunken orgies. But... it is what it is and I don't think the policy is gonna change. But our NATO allies seem to be doing fairly well WITH alcohol, no?
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We tried to watch a little of the Frozen Four yesterday afternoon but gave it up once RIT went down to Wisconsin by a score of 4 - 0... or shortly after the second period began. Poor ol' RIT was just outclassed; the final score was 8 - 1. Once we realized the game was gonna be a blow-out we headed outside for a beer and a cigar before moseying over to Buck's place for dinner.
We got home fairly early last evening and were pleased to find the second semi-final game was still in progress on the tube. Alas, this too was a blow-out. Boston College spanked number one seed Miami (OH) by the final score of 7 - 1. It was sorta close when I tuned in at the end of the second period, what with BC having a not insurmountable 3 - 0 lead. Miami scored early in the third and it looked like we might have a game... but it was ALL over midway in the third when BC scored THREE times within a minute and a half. Turn out the lights...
BC is the saving grace for hockey fans in this section of the country. Go Eagles!
ReplyDeleteBuck,
ReplyDeleteIn order-
Memory?
I’d defer to those who’ve “been there, done that” even though you makes some good points.
RIT was indeed outclassed but everyone is still very proud of ‘em around here. No scholarships, no NHL draft choices, just five years in Div. I, first time a team made the playoffs then the frozen four in the first year…
Hmm....Boston College spanked....
ReplyDeleteI didn't get further than that for a moment.
Memories. :-)
Jim: The Bees have a shot at the play-offs, but I hear ya. They just ain't got it this year. BC, OTOH might could go all the way.
ReplyDeleteSmall-Tee: I'm clue-free about the 'puter, as noted. And I WAS pulling for RIT yesterday, what with the former hometown association in play. It made me sad to see them outplayed. But... as you noted, their accomplishments are significant.
Kris: I'll leave the subject of spanking memories alone. ;-)
I'm kinda with you on the General Order #1 thing. It kinda makes us look like we're deferring to the "host" country's religious prohibition of alcohol, and that just plain ticks me off. Of course, I wouldn't be able to drive a vehicle or wear short sleeves in those countries, either.
ReplyDeleteWasn't it fun to get to have a face-to-face agree-to-disagreement with SN1, though!
Wasn't it fun to get to have a face-to-face agree-to-disagreement with SN1, though!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! We generally agree on most things and it was most fun to disagree for once, LOL!
I didn't bring up the appearance of deferring to our illustrious hosts... and that's a good point, Moogie.
The whole alcohol issue is so very murky. There's a lot of good points and bad on both sides.
ReplyDeleteBut my opinion is that when you are deployed you're "at work" -- and, I'm sorry, but it's basically "at work" 24/7. And not drinking on the job is part of that. Might not be fun to go without, but it's not supposed to be fun.
And yes, I understand the arguments for stress relief, etc. And I surely don't know how to solve that stress completely, but I don't think alcohol is the answer.
Like I said, just my opinion.
I’d defer to those who’ve “been there, done that”...
ReplyDeleteBeen there, done that.
Cannot guarantee that you're suffering from the same (inexpensive) problem that plagued me three times, but I'd bet a medium-large amount of money on it.
Your PS is telling you it's tired & outta-here. If your model is generic-ish you're looking at $20-35 retail, figure on $45 to buy it off the Internet with the shipping. If you really want to solve this so it never happens again then you put out $55-65 for a nice high-wattage server model.
I hope that's as complicated as this story gets for you.
It seems funny that everybody bad mouths KBR when they supply food and such, but not Pizza Hut.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Morgan. It sounds like a power problem.
ReplyDeleteAs for the booze, I saw the world changing while I was in. When I was at the Presidio of Monterrey, anyone 18 and up could drink at the club. Off post, it was 21. In England, of course, it was 18 for all.
By the time I got to GFAFB, you had to be 21, because that was the law in North Dakota. It was 19 just across the border in East Grand Forks, but that changed while I was there.
At the same time, DWIs went from being winked at to something that could affect your career.
It's a cultural thing, I think. In Spain, for example, getting drunk enough to cause trouble for someone else is a huge social faux pas. It'll get you ostracized. But for many Yanks, the point of drinking is to get drunk. And drunk and armed is not a good combination.
SN1's point of view is that of an officer, who has to deal with the consequences of drunkenness. I can see his point, and yours, too. Plus, in your time, there weren't no military gals around.
I think it's pretty strange that in Baghdad, you can get a drink in a bar, but not on a US base, in part because we're being "respectful" of local customs.
Oh, and Frozen Four-wise...North Dakota has finally decided to drop the "Fighting Sioux" moniker, after literally decades of arguing about it.
ReplyDeleteBut they will not be able to eradicate the logo from Ralph Engelstad Arena. It's on many seats, worked into the floors, walls and pillars. That was no accident. Engelstad was a fierce proponent of the FS name and logo, and part of the deal for him to donate the money for the place was putting the logo everywhere there was a blank space. There are 2200 logos in or on the building.
I ocncur with the previous correspondents;
ReplyDeleteYour switching power supply has decided to switch itself off at intervals of its own choosing.
Kath: You're entitled to your opinion, yanno? But I disagree with you on the 7x24 thing. There is downtime, even in a war zone.
ReplyDeleteMorgan, Gordon, and WWW: I don't think it's the power supply. The faults happen within four minutes of start-up and after one or two restarts the box works normally. If it were the PS I'd have random faults all day. Yesterday the box ran for approximately 16 hours without faulting once. This morning it quit three minutes after I first booted up. I then ran through my start-up menu and disabled all non-essential programs after I rebooted. We'll see if that helps... coz I think there's a conflict of sorts at play here.
Plus, in your time, there weren't no military gals around.
Oh yes there WERE! We began integrating the radar biz along about 1977 or so, along with most other "non-combat" AFSCs. That was the best thing that ever happened to the AF, as far as I'm concerned. I made a lot of new friends, LOL!
North Dakota has finally decided to drop the "Fighting Sioux" moniker, after literally decades of arguing about it.
That makes me sad. (sigh) The PC People win another one.
By in your time, Buck, I meant when you were in SEA.
ReplyDeleteI liked the military gals I met, too. Nearly all of them were the kind of person I'd want in the next foxhole, if the Air Force had foxholes....
Ah. Gotcha, Gordon. My Bad!
ReplyDeleteI'd dispute your assertion that the the NATO allies haven't had problems with the whole alcohol thing...I've heard more than a few stories of people being drunk, unable to go out on patrol, etc. Actually, IIRC, McChrystal banned the use of alcohol among NATO officers who were under his direct control at ISAF HQ. Or something to that effect.
ReplyDeleteBear in mind, I say that as someone who generally wishes the military would quit treating alcohol like it's this vile substance that no one should ever drink.