Under the weather……….

No post yesterday-I spent most of the day horizontal and having some very wierd dreams. The S.O. was kind enough to give me her cold and I felt like dog squeeze yesterday- all day. When I am sick and I sleep-I have the same dream over and over again. Regrettably Norika is never in it, naked, for some inexplicable reason.

Feeling better today though, which is good because tomorrow I begin one of my marathon trips-one of the last I shall make for a while, I fear. After this one, only one more then it all comes to screeching halt for a while, at least.  After a couple of stops end up where else-but Korea for about 10 days. I will be freezing my a$$ off there, hat in hand, brief case full of resumes. When not working I will be crying in my beer I suspect. Shameless bleg: Anybody wants to put me in contact with some of the Yongsan /Osan contractors-please e-mail here.

So it seems time for a blog/events round up. A lot to cover and little time to cover it in.

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Over at the USFSPA Repeal Group (see link on the left hand side), one of their readers has discovered that the Army actually helps former spouses collect their money. Whose side are these guys on? They are supposed to be helping the retiree keep it-not make it easier for him or her to give it away to someone who did not earn it.

Actually it points out something that should have been rectified a long time ago. Law or no law-DFAS should not be allowed to garnish retirement pay, or active duty pay for that matter-for anything.  If I were president (there’s a laugh……..), I would sign an executive order forbidding DFAS to garnish any pays-period. DFAS would no longer be a bill collector-just a cash payment agency. Let the whores go through the courts and try to get their money like every other bill collector.

Besides-if DFAS was not allowed to garnish retirement checks-guys like me would have an easier time skipping the country and living in Thailand for the rest of their lives. The way it is now, I could skip to Thailand and just stop paying alimony. But she can garnish the retirement pay for her alimony. And I get screwed only receiving at most 40% of my disposable retirement pay. That’s just wrong. Let her sleep in a cardboard box-not me.

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Under the category of “don’t view this if you have just eaten”, be careful when you visit Expat at Large’s place. I was treated to a rather disgusting view of his feet!

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It’s official. GI Korea confirms that  I spent 5 weeks in Korea this fall for no good reason.  His key point is that , for the ROK’s, the status quo is the way to go. Without a substantial investment in their command and control infrastructure, they are not prepared to assume operational control. This is particularly true with respect to the ROK Navy, who recently moved to a new headquarters. ( The story is uglier, but I cannot repeat it here.). On the other hand, it is also true that the US -particularly our Navy,  has some unreasonable expectations of the ROKS-like presuming they can function fully in a staff to staff relationship without a liasion element to turn ROK double talk into something a US staff can understand. They can’t do that, and if makes the ROKS happy to have a liasion element-I say let em have it. Besides, it keeps guys like me employed. Too bad the bonehead himself cannot realize that.

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One of the guys I work with , does this on the weekends (not him in the video-there is nonetheless a whole subculture of guys who do this. And no,  its not on his liberty plan!).

The worst part? He gets paid to do it!

On second thought- I may need this as a job soon enough! 

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Always, always,always-make sure the contents match up with the shipping label! The report below shows what happens when you don’t.  It is actually a telling tale of the problems with globalization-you end up doing what the manufacter tells you to do.

Gakken Toys’ Smart Globe labels Taiwan as “Taiwan Island,” and its talking feature tells users that Taiwan is part of the People’s Republic of China, with its national capital in Beijing. After receiving many complaints from consumers, Gakken Toys issued a recall of the globes, offering full reimbursements to those who bought them.

Gakken had originally intended to use the standard labeling for Taiwan (as per the Ministry of Education’s specifications), but the Chinese factory based in Shenzhen apparently refused to produce the globes unless Gakken agreed to label Taiwan as part of China. Gakken agreed to the factory’s demands.

The company sold out their entire first shipment of 10,000 Smart Globes, which were released in Japan last August, but customer complaints flooded in, prompting a recall.

Interestingly, a note included in the box along with each Smart Globe explained that Taiwan’s name and data had been changed at the factory based on instructions from the Chinese government. However, at a January 10 press conference to announce the recall, Gakken said that they did not receive direct instructions to make the changes, and that they are investigating why the changes were made.

Here’s your sign!

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Tommorow is coming of age day in Japan. (Seijin no hi). Here’s a report on how the 20-year-olds serving at a Ground Self Defense Forces base in Fukuoka Prefecture celebrate the occasion:

Each person coming to the platform had to shout out their wishes for the new year. Some wished for a good life-some just tell jokes. I find it interesting that the senior officers were there judging them. Somehow I can picture that happening at a US Army post near you soon.

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Finally, after an almost 5 month abscence, Japanese ships will return to the Indian Ocean. The bill to allow it was voted down in the Upper House of Councillors-so the bill was re-voted on in the lower house, allowing them under Japanese law to override the upper house-the first such vote in 57 years.

Most observers believe that it shows that the Democratic Party of Japan is weaker than it appears (just like its American counterpart-are you listening Nancy?). The government is making preparations to resume the refueling mission possibly around mid-February.
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This is for Bullnav. The one that got away!:

She’s the girl in the dress! Need your house painted?