The Washington Post reports that a longstanding US Naval Academy tradition may be going by the boards, essentially being pre-empted by safety concerns.
Some of you may be surprised to learn that I think it would be a shame for this to stop. However, I have always been a staunch advocate of a strong navy and a certain number of bizarre customs and rituals can be justified for reasons of building esprit de corps, provided of course that they break no laws.
JJV and I will now form line ahead and engage the enemy more closely in comments.
7 comments:
I can't believe you posted this before me. As a poster said at NRO, what's next bike helmets for the plebes? It is a travesty. Can you imagine a Naval Academy thus defenestrated of tradition and fearful of bodily injury in pursuit of a team goal? Imagine the quotes:1) "I have not yet begone to fight...it would be too dangerous." 2) "We have met the enemy and they appear far to dangerous to engage."3)"Damn! Torpedoes? Full Back Rudder!"4) "Don't fire Gridley, it might provoke them."
Not to mention "OK, give up the ship!"
Alas, if they only had lard-slimed granite obelisks in Iraq and Afghanistan instead of mines and suicide bombers, our troops (at least the ones from the Navy) may have been more successful.
Forget about dangerous. What about just plain stupid? I know, I know. This is why men don't want women in the military. We're all a bunch of buzzkills.
"You boys get off that British ship this instant! It doesn't even belong to you!"
"OK, Mrs. Decatur..."
"And put those swords down, you'll lose an eye!"
"Sorry, Mrs. Decatur..."
Also, my sense is that you would not find a whole lot of lard in either country.
Gotta whole lotta lard (brrrrrmp) [/ledzep]
In the words of Willie Dixon and as performed by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and the boys (slightly paraphrased):
You need coolin, baby, Im not foolin,
Im gonna send you back to schoolin,
Way down inside honey, you need it,
Im gonna give you my lard,
Im gonna give you my lard.
I hear there is a "Festival of Lard" held in the Ukraine (or used to be). Maybe we can borrow some -- or get some to go from the Carnegie Deli.
Now watch where you point that thing. Someone could lose an eye.
In Ukraine salo (raw pork fat) is a delicacy, and like many delicacies of other cultures, it is an acquired taste that need not be acquired. I have described it as the most disgusting thing I have ever put in my mouth and kept there, for reasons of cultural politeness (I was in Kyiv at the time). Thank God there was vodka.
At the same gathering I was told of an American USIA employee who, upon being offered some at a market, delightedly exclaimed "Cheese!" and popped the whole thing into his mouth. Good times.
Mmmm... Carnegie Deli...
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