Some of you may recall that the dictator-wannabe in Washington D.C. threw himself a military parade for his birthday which is going to cost us - yes, "We, the people" - around $45 million.
Even for him, that's one helluva party!
This is the party he wanted:
So let's check in and see how it went.
CAPTAIN'S NOTE: Many of the pics below were captured from a YouTube video labeled "Insane Moments from the U.S. Army's Birthday Parade".
Insane!
This is the Reviewing Stand, somewhat reminiscent of a Texaco Gas Station.
The President, and other dignitaries (i.e. Cabinet members who were required to attend), sat behind bullet-proof glass.
The Captain wonders why that was necessary...
Tanks moved slowly in single-file - how else were they going to make this abomination last two hours?!?
And note the "crowds" of people lining the streets!
"Official" White House count was 250,000.
Maybe that was in another block...
Wait! Here's something insane!
Robo-Dogs outfitted with Army flags! And pudgy handlers in their "Casual Friday" uniforms.
The Captain told you long ago these cuddly mechanical dogs that danced and did amazing tricks were actually being designed for military use.
Who knew it would be "flagbearers"?
And here is the Marching Band.
At least I think it is.
Honestly, I have no idea what's going on in that photo.
I thought these next two guys were going to start throwing candy or beads of something...
Meanwhile, in a living room somewhere far, far away...
And perhaps the President could hear them laughing at him.
Nonetheless, he put on his best Dictator look and stood to salute (someone).
CAPTAIN'S NOTE: Let me just pause here for a moment and ask WTF! is wrong with this man!?!
A poorly-fitting blue suit and a red tie that hangs way to low!
No! The Captain read "Dress for Success" many years ago!
But I digress...
The truly INSANE moment came when troops lined up in front of the Viewing Stand and recited their Oath of Enlistment:
I, "state your name", do solemnly swear that I will support and defend
the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and
domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and
that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and
the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations
and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
Maybe that's why he needed the bulletproof glass...
So "INSANE"!
*YAWN!*
Y'know, this old Captain is thinking what this parade needed was a little "Razzle Dazzle"!
Seriously, couldn't they have invited Bill Murray?
The hard cold truth is, the American Military is not designed for fancy parades. It's designed to fight, not strut around like peacocks at the whim of a Despot.
Meanwhile, across America and around the world, literally millions of people took to the streets in "No Kings" rallies, protesting the parade and the Dictator-wannabe.
Even as the White House lied about crowd-size for the Parade, they lied about the crowd-size for the protests, describing them as "miniscule" and "inconsequential"...
...if you think 20 million is "miniscule" and "inconsequential".
It is doubtful the President will ever hear the truth about the protests though. His ego is well-insulated by the lapdogs he has placed around him.
But all that said, that's not what's on the Captain's mind today.
I found something far more disturbing over the weekend that I just need to get off me chest.
The Captain does a wee bit of online shopping.
But I have found that it is difficult - nay, impossible - to determine the appropriate fit for clothing.
I can't count how many times I have returned items that just were not the size expected.
I learned a couple years ago that an Xtra-Large Hawaiian shirt from China fits more like a Medium in the U.S.
So I don't buy them from China.
Your basic size-chart from American companies often look something like this:
The Captain does not lie when I say an XL is appropriate, but I like my kit loose so I usually go with a 2-XL.
CAPTAIN'S NOTE: As luck would have it, I bought a 2-XL Hawaiian Shirt from an American company and it fits like a 4-XL.
But over the weekend, I ran across the following size chart from an "international corporation", (aka China):
Damn! that's just cold!
