Submariner In Tijuana
Normally, I find my news stories about submarines from Google News (searching for "submarine"), or I just wait for The Sub Report to post them. Sometimes, though, the Google algorithm doesn't catch stories that mention submarines only obliquely, and I have to just stumble upon them.
Such was the case for this Reuters story about the recent crackdown on drug gangs in Tijuana. Here's how the story ends:
Chris Williams, a 24-year-old submarine officer in the U.S. Navy who was making his way from bar to bar under green and red neon lights, sympathized with Calderon.It did my heart good to see a submariner described as being concerned about the sociopolitical background of the liberty port he was visiting. I realized that, since it was a Reuters story, this person might not actually be a submarine officer -- he may have said he was a submarine petty officer, or a petty officer who worked at the Submarine Base. I also realized that, since it was a submariner, it could have easily been someone who gave his division officer's or department head's name to a wandering reporter as a prank. Still, "Chris Williams", we salute you for doing the Submarine Force proud.
"I can understand the reason for this battle," he said. "You don't want your people corrupted in the street."
Somewhat related personal story: So there I was, in Tijuana with my family (visiting from Nebraska) in about 1992. We were looking for good fireworks, so we stopped by a corner store that had a small "Firecrackers" sign in the window. Here's the exchange:
Bubblehead: We'd like some fireworks, por favor.In my limited experience, Tijuana seems about as close as you can get to an Asian liberty port as there is in North America.
Shopkeeper: (Pulls out box of inch-and-a-halfers and bottle rockets)
Bubblehead: No, we want bigger firecrackers! (Moves arms in the universal "bigger" motion)
Shopkeeper: Si! (Pulls out another box) We have cherry bombs, M-80s, quarter stick of dynamite...
Bubbleheads's Mom: We are not buying dynamite!
Rest of family: Awwww...
posted by Bubblehead at 7:06 AM
7 Comments:
the Reuters article really is a snap-shot social commentary
the writer indicated that the American 1920's Prohibtion era led to the rise of Tijuana's "entertainment industry" - i guess this is some kinda new p.c. lingo
and, now the War on Drugs, helps to continue this (fine) tradition
~ theDdoubeSstandard
1/15/2007 9:26 AM
That still doesn't explain the donkey shows...
1/15/2007 9:27 AM
ATTN: Bubblehead
Currently working up the profile on theDdoubleSstandard out of personal curiousity. Results are ambiguous, yet. The identity has as least one imitator (or may be a group of paid operatives (interning law students) working for a liberal politician who hates Bush (not many of those, are there?).
Also, have clear lead on why tddss's suddenly latched here, on sub blogs. At this time will tell you tddss likely spent some time on PR (the island) and attended a prep school.
Tddss's Motivation seems to be disarming every concept held dear to principled conservatives for the political ascendancy of the left. Pretends to be a news junkie while actually utilizing paid Nexis-Lexis resources, which can be expensive, but not uncommon for lawyers and law students.
Identity and location will be forwarded to your e-mail when and if positively determined. - Blacky
1/15/2007 12:34 PM
ATTN: Blacky
instead of pursuing your witch-hunt and "opposition research", wouldn't your efforts be better spent responding to my posted comments?
~ theDdoubleSstandard
1/15/2007 3:16 PM
I picked up a bag of bombs in TJ back around 1980. They had plaster plugs in the end of the tubes that would shoot out like shrap when they went off.
My friend and I lit'em and then jumped behind a big log when shooting them off.
Definitely not CPSC approved stuff ;->
1/15/2007 3:26 PM
theDdoubleSstandard,
"instead of pursuing your witch-hunt and 'opposition research', wouldn't your efforts be better spent responding to my posted comments?"
You seem a much too opinionated piece of work to ask any inquisitive questions or weigh any substantive responses.
It is possible that your profound need for attention requires your prattling familiar fallacies as you clamor about. If you really desire an intellectual challenge, I can recommend two of our number for you to consider (links posted at right, under "Submariners"):
1. Chapomatic
2. gus van horn
- Blacky
1/15/2007 4:36 PM
Quarter-sticks from Tijuana - Ohhh-Yeah!
I bought one of those bags while on a visit back in 1981. When I got them home I got curious and set one off in the back yard.
Ka - BOOOOOM!
Oh. My. GOD!
ALL of my neighbors immediately came a running. (Some of them thought that I had had some kind of firearm accident.) I hid the fireworks and quickly calmed the situation by making up some cock-and-bull story about tying multiple firecrackers together. I was really lucky the local gendarmes didn't show up.
Note to self - "Do not set off Mexican quarter-sticks in a residential area."
Later on, in the woods, we had some real fun. I even tried a home made depth charge at one of the nearby ponds. Solder the lid back on a metal coffee can, tie a big rock and a rope onto it so it will sink but can be recovered, then toss it in water. Toss a lit quarter-stick in after it.
Ka-Whump!
I pulled the can up and it was crushed as though a big fist had got a hold of it.
Pure juvenile fun! But it gave me new respect for all those submariners who came before me and suffered depth charge attacks during WWII.
(I sure hope the statute of limitations for this kind of tomfoolery has expired.)
1/15/2007 9:19 PM
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