Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Toxins Linked to Gulf War Illnesses

Toxins linked to Gulf War Illnesses... Really? We're just coming to this now? How long did that take 20 years?

"Veterans who served in combat zones took Pyridostigmine Bromide pills, small doses of a nerve agent intended to allow troops to build up resistance in case of a chemical attack."


Yeah can't see anything going wrong with that.


Pyridostigmine Bromide may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, increased peristalsis, increased salivation, increased bronchial secretions, miosis and diaphoresis. Nicotinic side effects are comprised chiefly of muscle cramps, fasciculation and weakness which, through involvement of the muscles of respiration, may lead to death.


"Among support troops, symptoms of illness were most common in personnel who used pesticides on their uniforms or skin, the researchers found."

Unreal...

(Be sure to check out the comments and the bottom of the article)

Monday, September 05, 2011

Merrill's Meadow

I got bored...really fucking bored as you will soon see. After watching a documentary that mentioned Fiddler's Green I decided to write a version for us MI folks. I named it Merrill's Meadow for Poetic reasons and after MG Frank Merrill. Merrill is famous for coming up with the idea for and founding Merrill's Marauders. Besides being a general (literally and figuratively) bad-ass Merrill was a MI officer. So, I thought it more fitting to use him rather than some staff pogue to give a name to the Valhalla for MI soldiers. Any Valhalla with MI soldiers would have A/C, spades, poguie bait, little to no fighting except maybe for some D&D, internet, and perfectly clean/unused weapons.

So here goes Merrill's Meadow by me (copyright haters!). Read it side by side with the inferior "Fiddler's Green" I linked to and give me some suggestions. Fiddler's Green does not mention MI once; fail!

Merrill's Meadow

At the gates of limbo on the way to hell,

In SICPs perfectly in a row

Toil MI soldiers at their field desks,

Putting on dog and pony shows.

And this second purgatory

Is classified “Merrill’s Meadow.”


At this place, denied access to hell,

Are all those friends and foes,

Trying to get in for the AC, coffee,

And internet but ordered, “NO!”

For none but MI soldiers are “READ-ON”

To enter Merrill’s Meadow.


They leave to get the proper DA Forms signed,

Ask Sergeants and officers who might know,

Where and who they must go to find,

Permission or signatures they can show,

To the MI soldiers at the SCIF,

To get a TS/SCI to enter Merrill’s Meadow.


So when a soldier dies and his ghost marches from its grave,

To join its comrades in the world of shadows,

And take his place among those who weren’t saved,

Remember the few things that all who enter hell must know:

That MI Soldiers man the gates of hell and mind what is said,

Your name must be on the access roster and ID must be shown,

And still you are not worthy ‘nuff to proceed

Past the MI soldiers napping at Merrill’s Meadow.