OK, I'll go first.  I just watched a fairly crappy movie on the SciFi channel called "Manticore."  A bunch of U.S. Special Forces troops in Iraq run into the mythical Manticore - complete with iron tail spikes, wings, etc.  The face is closer to a lion than a human face, however.

For some reasons, M16's and the like are useless against the Manticore.

So finally, the US calls in a Stealth Bomber (I couldn't make this up) to bomb the Manticore into oblivion.  I turned it off at this point, so I'm not sure how it ends.

Pretty funny...

Apparently, the Manticore means "Man Eater" and is of Persian background..  see Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manticore

Quick trip to Youtube popped up with this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7J_VbWd ... re=related

Is that what you missed?

Well, flicking back to the locked thread, Gordon Brown has just announced he is standing down as Lab leader/PM.

Looks like a LibDem/Lab coalition is on the cards, which is far better than the Cons getting their grubby mites on things (IMHO)  

Which makes much more sense that LibDems joining Cons as they are not alike in general, so thankfully we might still have some reasonable life over here...  

Bring on the Rainbow Coalition !!

ashmire13 wrote:Well, flicking back to the locked thread, Gordon Brown has just announced he is standing down as Lab leader/PM.

Looks like a LibDem/Lab coalition is on the cards, which is far better than the Cons getting their grubby mites on things (IMHO)  

Which makes much more sense that LibDems joining Cons as they are not alike in general, so thankfully we might still have some reasonable life over here...  

gvaughn1 wrote:OK, I'll go first.  I just watched a fairly crappy movie on the SciFi channel called "Manticore."  A bunch of U.S. Special Forces troops in Iraq run into the mythical Manticore - complete with iron tail spikes, wings, etc.  The face is closer to a lion than a human face, however.

For some reasons, M16's and the like are useless against the Manticore.

So finally, the US calls in a Stealth Bomber (I couldn't make this up) to bomb the Manticore into oblivion.  I turned it off at this point, so I'm not sure how it ends.

Pretty funny...

Apparently, the Manticore means "Man Eater" and is of Persian background..  see Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manticore

The manticore pretty much wipes everyone out. The few remaining "fake" soldiers use a video camera so the manticore see itself (i.e. medusa) and turns itself to stone.

I say fake soldiers, because clearly, sci fi channel never bothers to actually pay for an advisor so they get military uniforms, staffing, rank, etc. correct. I think the soldiers in this movie were engineers so it was not so bad.
Another sci fi movie that was just on featured army special forces with the following critical errors: one was a female (there are none in real life) and several were E2 privates - pretty much an impossibility. SF training takes six months not including airborne school (another four weeks if you include 0 week, 8 weeks basic training, and 6 or more weeks AIT). An E1 would basically be an E3 just figuring time in service. They also had master jump wings signifying 50+ jumps (that takes years to attain). But we will not mention that it is basically impossible for a raw recruit to go straight through to SF school. Typically, SF school is only available to those soldiers who have completed one term of service - at least that was case when I was still active. Basically, you don't join the army and get into SF. That only happens in Hollywood.
Ok, so I ranted a bit. But I really get ticked when I see this kind of careless treatment of the military (or specifially, the army).

bbarsh wrote:
The manticore pretty much wipes everyone out. The few remaining "fake" soldiers use a video camera so the manticore see itself (i.e. medusa) and turns itself to stone.

I say fake soldiers, because clearly, sci fi channel never bothers to actually pay for an advisor so they get military uniforms, staffing, rank, etc. correct. I think the soldiers in this movie were engineers so it was not so bad.
Another sci fi movie that was just on featured army special forces with the following critical errors: one was a female (there are none in real life) and several were E2 privates - pretty much an impossibility. SF training takes six months not including airborne school (another four weeks if you include 0 week, 8 weeks basic training, and 6 or more weeks AIT). An E1 would basically be an E3 just figuring time in service. They also had master jump wings signifying 50+ jumps (that takes years to attain). But we will not mention that it is basically impossible for a raw recruit to go straight through to SF school. Typically, SF school is only available to those soldiers who have completed one term of service - at least that was case when I was still active. Basically, you don't join the army and get into SF. That only happens in Hollywood.
Ok, so I ranted a bit. But I really get ticked when I see this kind of careless treatment of the military (or specifially, the army).

A military friend of mine says Hollywood always messes up insignia. I have no idea, but apparently if you know what from what half the time a "decorated" soldier shows up on TV they have the medals/ribbons/rank all wrong.  I guess that's the sort of thing that would drive "real" soldiers nuts.

Mike B.

Badmike wrote:
A military friend of mine says Hollywood always messes up insignia. I have no idea, but apparently if you know what from what half the time a "decorated" soldier shows up on TV they have the medals/ribbons/rank all wrong.  I guess that's the sort of thing that would drive "real" soldiers nuts.

Mike B.

Anyone seen the rather disgusting and badly done remake "The Hills Have Eyes II". I have seen high school films that depicted 'soldiers' more realisticly. It was embarassing.

gvaughn1 wrote:Being a former Marine (a good 20 years ago!), I always chuckle at the following:
-Military personnel with civilian hairstyles (especially Marines)
-Lame, half-assed saluting (more like a casual wave)

Oh well, that's hollywood!  

Bingo.
Sure, those Navy and Air Force guys can get away wearing those mullets, but it certainly does not fly in the Army, either.

ashmire13 wrote:

great link, thanks for posting that, very interesting!

Cheers.

All is still up in the air.  In fact, after last night I really don't know if we rae going to get a Lib-Con government, a Lib-Lab government or a minority Con government.  George Osborne was sounding very reasonable on the today programme this morning about the secret Lib/Lab talks (I thought he would have been chewing the furniture!).  He must be keeping nice as a Lib-Con deal is still on. Black is white, up is down. !!

Should be an announcement later this afternoon...