Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Starbucks joins the Navy

Our Navy’s aircraft carriers are huge. They have often been referred to as floating cities. And with crews of 3 or 4 thousand sailors and marines there is a lot of truth to that. I remember my first time on an aircraft carrier (the USS Coral Sea). I was a snot nosed Sea Cadet doing a 2 week training cruise. I learned 3 things on that cruise –how to drink coffee, chip paint and swab (mop) decks (floors). I remember being very impressed with the vastness of the ship. It was the biggest man-made thing I had ever seen. Today’s aircraft carriers are even bigger, with flight decks the size of 3 or 4 football fields.

They are so big today, in fact, that they have room for some of the “niceties” and comforts of shore life. Several years ago they even started putting ATM machines on board. Now I see that good old Starbucks has opened a franchise on board the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). You can click here to link to a Facebook video talking about it.

Wow, a Starbucks on board ship during deployment. I think that's great but I have to wonder how our sailors can afford Starbucks coffee. Maybe they are getting a “Service Members” discount. At any rate, it must be nice to finish a 14 hour air ops work day and sit down to a nice cup of café mocha. Of course all our other carriers will be jealous and want a Starbucks of their own –and what about our other ships? Will the submariners become jealous and want their share of café lattes?

If Starbucks is successful, I guess it won’t be long before we see a McDonalds on the USS Abraham Lincoln and a KFC on the USS Teddy Roosevelt. That will, of course, lead to a great way for the Navy to save money –corporate sponsorships! I can see it now. The USS George H.W. Bush with a big Honda logo on the superstructure and the “Toyota Naval Air Station”.

I'm kidding, of course. I think it’s a good thing that our sailors can enjoy some of the little tastes of home while they are out serving our country, especially on those long deployments away from home and family. They deserve the best –just give them a good discount so they don’t go broke before they get home…..



Weird Laws

Our country is now over 200 years old and over the course of time the Federal Government, State Governments and local communities have passed thousands of laws. Many of those laws were just plain dumb when they were written. Many more became obsolete, out dated and stupid as time passed. Unfortunately, many of those laws, though not enforced, still remain on the books. I have decided to put some of those in my little blog just to share a good laugh, o a good cry –or even an occasional scream- with you. Here is today’s entry or entries:

In Long Beach, California, it is illegal to curse on a mini-golf course.

It is illegal for monkeys to smoke in South Bend, Indiana.

In Cedar Rapids, Iowa it is illegal to tell fortunes.


Live Long and Prosper….

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