No Brainer?

How long before the next disaster on one of these airlines:

Iran Air or Yas Air?

Time will tell. Background here. Hmmm.

Submarines are always silent and strange.

Submarine Controversy

Islam's Park51 Islamic cultural center near 9-11's footprint and women crew assigned to submarines near men's confined living space have much in common. Leaders of both movements declared constitutional rights in the face of heated opposition.

1. unlimited political support
2. limited public opposition
3. somewhat suspect goals: (Park51- promote inter-community peace, tolerance and understanding in NYC, nationally, and globally; and Women crew - seemless [without reducing male volunteerism] integration of their gender to provide equal opportunity for women and solve alleged sub recruitment shortfalls)

To help assure accountability for actual results that become demoralizing symbols of radicalization rather than produce stated goals there may also be somewhat similar solutions.

New Yorkers and national media can help accomplish the stated goals of Park51 by referring to it as Islamagood. Islam would forever be defamed if Islamagood became associated with anything short of peace and tolerance for other religions. Condemnation of America, harboring terrorists or condemning Judaism, for instance would disprove the goals.

What about women submariners, you say? No preferences for promotion of women submariners over men or suppression of failure to embark - medical data statistics should be tolerated by admirals regardless of civilian pressure from the WH or DoD.

What are the chances?

Submarines are always silent and strange.

May 2012 - No Questions, Just Submarine Answers

Readers of M.E.'s Submarine Mystery Questions of the Week have noticed that relevant background information is normally provided prior to the questions. Details accompany the answers subsequently provided.

In a respite, M.E. inaugurates a new feature, Background, that connects dots with no questions asked. Here is May's edition.

Background

(1) "Last Resort,"a long awaited depiction of women on U.S. submarine, is set to debut its pilot episode which features Andre Braugher, Scott Speedman, Robert Patrick, Daisy Betts and more.

"500 feet beneath the ocean's surface, the U.S. ballistic missile submarine Colorado receives their orders. Over a radio channel, designed only to be used if their homeland has been wiped out, they're told to fire nuclear weapons at Pakistan. Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) demands confirmation of the orders only to be unceremoniously relieved of duty by the White House. XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) finds himself suddenly in charge of the submarine and facing the same difficult decision. When he also refuses to fire without confirmation of the orders, the Colorado is targeted, fired upon, and hit. The submarine and its crew find themselves crippled on the ocean floor, declared rogue enemies of their own country. Now, with nowhere left to turn, Chaplin and Kendal take the sub on the run and bring the men and women of the Colorado to an exotic island. Here they will find refuge, romance, and a chance at a new life, even as they try to clear their names and get home. From executive producer/writer Shawn Ryan (The Shield, The Unit, The Chicago Code) and Executive producer/writer Karl Gajdusek comes this dramatic new international action-thriller about treachery, treason, and nuclear brinksmanship. LAST RESORT contemplates establishing of a new society in the modern world, and character becomes everything when unthinkable decisions must be made." - Vienna, SUBSIM Radio Room

Very interesting! Back track here (from February).
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(2) Chef Gordon Ramsay of Hell's Kitchen fame does it again! Roasted by wildlife activists for eating WHALE meat in Iceland. He originally had naval ambitions, for chefs that usually means subs.

Not a publicity stunt. Even Vigilis had whale meat in Iceland! Back track from Poached Puffins (2008).

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(3) Ed Harris Fights for His Russian Sub. Harris and X-Files star David Duchovny set sail in the Russian Navy in The Phantom, an tense drama that takes place aboard a nuclear submarine, according to a new trailer. Unless stopped, a rogue boat threatens world destruction.

Uh, just a moment! There seems to have been some confusion. Back track here (February again) to see why: Big-budget military thriller set for Alaska film credit approval.

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Submarines are always silent and strange.

Inappropriate Nuclear Submarine Names - Past and Future

Background

Historical Summary (1900-2005) - And You Thought You Understood Submarine Naming

Recent Controversies

April 20, 1981 - Navy Secretary sent clippings on submarine name controversy

January 9, 2009 - Not An April Fools Joke!

April 13, 2012 - Five New Submarines Named!

Future Controversies?

Jan 30, 2012 - USS WikiLeaks - Where were Russian secrets?

May 14, 2012 - USS Kodak (Rochester) - The uranium was removed in November 2007, according to the report. Reactor fuel consisted of 1.36kg of highly enriched uranium. The uranium was not removed until November 2007, the report said.

The company had not publicize its existence to residents of the city of Rochester, NY.


Submarines are always silent and strange.

Submarine Question of the Week - 5-10-2012

Background
Perhaps the most common reason for diverting books from Texas prisoners is sex, portrayed in images and words, although prison officials have struggled to define what's permissible. Inmates could receive magazines like Playboy and Penthouse until 2004, when they were banned, said Jennifer Smith, Program Specialist, Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison agency's Mail System Coordinators Panel.

...The February 2009 Esquire was rejected for a line drawing of a woman in bed, a single naked breast visible over her sheet. [ibid.]

Navy submarines, formerly one of the U.S. military's last bastions of all-males in confined spaces are crewed by brave soul who defend America's liberties, and certainly choice of reading material has not been restricted (well, not much). The fact that women officers have recently been assigned to a few submarines should not alter the rights of mature men one wit.

Only Question of the Week
Seen any copies of the latest Time Magazine on surfaces in submarine wardrooms where women serve yet?

Submarines are always silent and strange.