patgund: (Gears)
patgund ([personal profile] patgund) wrote2006-12-07 10:12 am

Not-so-silly string

Not So Silly String In Iraq

" American troops in Iraq have become masters of improvisation, like bolting jury-rigged armor to humvees to shield themselves from sniper fire and shrapnel. Lately, an even more novel item has joined their battle kits. Stratford, N.J., mom Marcelle Shriver recently got a call from her son Todd requesting ... Silly String. Marines working with his unit in Iraq had shown the Army combat engineer how it can be used to detect trip wires. Before searching buildings, for example, personnel spray doorways from at least 10 ft. away with streams of foam--and see if they're snagged by barely visible wires, which are often affixed to bombs. The Army acknowledges the off-label use, and Marine spokesman Captain Jay Delarosa says, "We force Marine trainees to improvise." Shriver is raising money to mail string to Iraq (aerosol cans are haz-mat and costly to ship). So the next time you waste string at a party, remember it could save a life."

[identity profile] henglaar.livejournal.com 2006-12-08 07:10 am (UTC)(link)
Anyone who comments on "dumb Marines" obviously hasn't met this bunch.
spiffikins: (Default)

[personal profile] spiffikins 2006-12-09 05:05 am (UTC)(link)
I just recognized your userpic - it's from the Oracle Enterprise Manager screen, when I stop and restart the database through the GUI. I've only done it twice through the GUI, so I knew I'd seen it but couldn't remember where :)

++geekpoints