Off the Deck

Off the Deck

Friday, December 07, 2018

Friday Film: "Potomac River Naval Command" (1957)



Nothing says self-importance like a movie about the struggles of command in the DC area, even 61 years ago.

Sunday, December 02, 2018

On Midrats 2 December 2018 - Episode 465: Russian, Ukraine, and the Challenge for the West, with Emma Ashford

Please join us at 5pm EST on 2 December 2018 for Midrats Episode 465: Russian, Ukraine, and the Challenge for the West, with Emma Ashford
The latest incident at the Kerch Strait was just the latest turn of the
ratchet in the long-running efforts of Russia against Ukraine.

This slow rolling conflict has a variety of different paths it can head from here, and few of them are good for the stability of Russia, Ukraine, the EU, NATO or the United States.

What is the latest state of play and the bold-faced items we should be watching?

Our guest to discuss this and more will be Emma Ashford.

Emma is a Research Fellow in Defense and Foreign Policy at the Cato Institute. She is currently writing a book on the links between oil, foreign policy and war, focusing on the peculiar politics of petrostates, from Russia to Saudi Arabia, and Iran to Venezuela. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
If you can't listen at the regular time, you can pick the show up later by clicking here. Or you can also pick the show up later by visiting either our iTunes page or our Stitcher page.

Saturday, December 01, 2018

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: "It Pays To Be Ignorant" - Where do bugs go in the winter? (1946)

A spoof, explained here:
The satirical series featured "a board of experts who are dumber than
you are and can prove it." Tom Howard was the quizmaster who asked questions of dim-bulb panelists Harry McNaughton, Lulu McConnell and George Shelton.



UPDATE:
What it was spoofing, among others - Dr. IQ:


Monday, November 26, 2018

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 22 October - 21 November 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 15 - 21 November 2018

Reports from before the Russian- Ukrainian activity the impact of which on shipping remains to be seen.


Preparing for Disasters

Ammo.com provides a handy guide to Preparing for Disasters, just in time for folks who've been through fire, flood, hurricanes and  those who are looking forward to snow and ice storms. As the guide notes,
Every year, nearly 200 million people are impacted by natural disasters, another 99,000 are killed, and over $162 billion a year is spent on the emergency situations they create – a staggering impact that is just the beginning of the far reach of natural disasters. Serious injury, displacement, loss of family, and even the effects PTSD are just a few of the traumatizing results that can be felt long after the disaster itself.
Sam Jacobs emails that the CERT teams have a new website here and there's a larger concept called Citizens Corps:
The mission of Citizen Corps is to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds through:

Preparing the public for local risks with targeted outreach

Engaging voluntary organizations to help augment resources for public safety, preparedness and response capabilities

Integrating the whole community and integrates nontraditional resources to ensure disaster preparedness

The Citizen Corps program includes a national network of over 1,200 state, local, and tribal Citizen Corps Councils bring together local government, business, and community leaders who work to prepare their communities for disaster and to make them more resilient. Councils harnesses the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the hazards and threats facing their community.
Yes, Ammo.com is in the business of selling ammunition, but their guide does provide a public service and I urge you- even those of you who are anti-gun - to take a look at their guide. A few tips in it may save your well-being.

Further, I encourage you to get involved in organizations that prepare for and respond to disasters, including the Rad Cross, Team Rubicon, and the many great church run groups like the Baptist Men, Salvation Army,  etc.

And I was not compensated in any way for linking to their site, if you were wondering.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: Dangerous Assignment "Investigate Flying Saucers" (1950)



Friday Film: Black Saturday: "The Bombing of the London Docks" World War 2

Germany attacks the industrial and ocean transportation centers of England 1940-1941 in the Blitz.

Attacking the ports, coupled with the U-boat campaign, was a part of the effort to starve the English of food and fuel and force them to submit.



More here.

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is good to take pause in our lives and count our blessings and give thanks for them.

The Doxology does just that. Enjoy your day.




Sunday, November 18, 2018

On Midrats 18 November 2018 - Episode 463: Audience, Approach, and Obstacles in Military Communications

Please join us at 5pm EST on 18 November 2018 for Midrats Episode 463: Audience, Approach, and Obstacles in Military Communications
How can our navy and its leadership better communicate internally and externally? What are the ways an organization can effectively inform influencers and the public in a way that is accurate, transparent, and effective?

Our guest for the full hour to discuss this and more will be Commander Chris Servello, USN.

Chris has more more than 20 years of global experience in strategic communication, messaging, branding, digital strategy, government affairs, and senior leader coaching.

In preparing for his upcoming terminal leave and transition to the civilian sector, Chris is founding member of Provision Advisors that focuses on building relationships with media, key influencer agents and dynamic communication.
If you can't listen at the regular time, you can pick the show up later by clicking here. Or you can also pick the show up later by visiting either our iTunes page or our Stitcher page.

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Saturday Is Old Radio Day: "Twelve O'Clock High" (1950)

In honor of veterans, a radio version of the classic film Twelve O'Clock High.


Back in the day we used the film to teach principles of leadership - the contrast between the "Theory X" and "Theory Y" styles of motivation, leadership, and management

While the film and this radio adaptation take place in the Air Corps during WWII, the lessons it has to teach apply to much of our lives, in and out of the service.



This film also taught me about my father's WWII experiences flying B-17s over Germany in those infamous daylight raids, which he discussed only on the rarest of occasions.

Thanks, Vets! Proud and humbled to be among your number.

Monday, November 05, 2018

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 1 - 31 October 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 25 - 31 October 2018

Highlights:
B. (U) ReCAAP WARNIING 01-10-2018 Date: 30 Oct 2018: The ReCAAP ISC has received information from the
Philippine Focal Point (Philippine Coast Guard) that a group of approximately 10 ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) members armed
with pistol, rifles and grenade launcher is planning to conduct kidnapping activities at any opportune time in undisclosed
areas in Sabah primarily targeting businessmen or ship's crew of foreign vessels passing through the area. They are using
unmarked colored blue and white motorbanca locally known as jungkong. Ship masters and crew are strongly urged to
exercise extra vigilance when transiting the waters off eastern Sabah and Sulu-Celebes Seas.

Issues continue to arise in the Gulf of Guinea, especially off Nigeria, including kidnappings and ship hijackings.

An attempted Somali pirate attack on a merchant ship ended with EU forces seizing and destroying one of the skiffs identified as participating in the attack. See here.