Casual Friday

Below are a few items that caught our attention this week.

This is an interesting piece about piracy off Somalia. Worth a look.

But this is the best article I read this week. Start to finish Matt nails this. A must read. I keep thinking that at some point, the DoD will have so much invested in the diplomatic system that they won't give up the role, regardless of what they say. Power is power.

DARPA's Long Range Anti-Ship Missile Demonstration Announcement (PDF). 36 months. Check out the requirements section (#8), and you get an idea what the US Navy wants as the Harpoon replacement.

Tom's loss is my gain. I get all the Jets games, and I prefer mean green over the pretty boys in blue. Hey, I'm from Arkansas, that makes me a Dallas Cowboy fan and a St Louis Cardinals fan, Cowboys fans can't cheer for the Giants, it is written down somewhere. I only have one thing to add to the 24/7 Favre coverage. How many millions have followed this? Did you know that during this whole Favre thing the USS Green Bay (LPD 20) had builders trials? Check out how much good PR the over budget Freedom is getting with its marketing blitz during builders trials, and try to find public pictures of the USS Green Bay (LPD 20) somewhere besides here. NGSS needs a better agent.

Finally, I linked up the USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) CO's blog. Commander Brian Fort caught my attention for a number of reasons. First, I think he graduated from a certain Catholic high school in the mid 80s, because he seems strangely familiar. I'm much younger than him, he wouldn't know me. Central Arkansas is what I call a big, small town. Second, he is a Razorback alumni, so he knows what "Go Hogs, Beat Texas Auburn" means. Third, he did nuke school in the capital region! A CO blogging who has lived in all the same places I have? How can I not link his blog? The USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) should be returning home soon from its NATO deployment, I may have to meet Commander Brian Fort.