Oct
26
2009
A very long time ago, and far, far away, out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, we crossed the Equator, and engaged in the time-honored tradition of sailors everywhere, and became Shellbacks.
Below is a photo from 1982. I am the guy with the sneer on my face in the lower left corner. The guy in the upper right corner was already a Shellback, King Neptune’s Trusty Servant; and the rest of us were Pollywogs, (WOGS). We were crawling around on our hands and knees on non-skid surface of the aircraft carrier’s flight deck. We wrapped rags or foam rubber and duct tape around our knees and hands.
The “weapon” in the Shellback’s hand is called a shillaly*, and is made out of a short length of fire hose, with one end wrapped tightly with tape to make a rigid “handle.” The shillaly was used on our backsides to make us “move along smartly,” as he had us “wog dogs” on leashes. Believe me, this was just to be the beginning of a most “exhilarating experience.”
*NOTE: we pronounced the word as “shill-LAY-lee”
There are many stories about “crossing the equator ceremony” and “navy shellback initiation” on the internet. Just enter either of those terms. You will discover more about kissing greased up bellies and swimming in food garbage than you ever wanted to know.
Note: The “Possibly-related Articles” below are links to other posts on Today.com blogs, and may or may not include other posts on Grugger’s Way.
Sep
03
2009
If you have traveled to The Republic of The Philippines and been introduced to the local cuisine you may have enjoyed pancit, chicken adobo, lumpia, and other fine foods.
There is one item that usually tests the mettle of even the most experienced World Traveler. If you think you have “global” taste buds, try BALUT, the Filipino treat that they present to tourists with great fanfare and much drinking and laughter.
Balut is a “not quite ready to hatch” embryo of duck (or chicken) that is hard-boiled in the egg shell casing and then consumed WITH BEER! (I just threw in the beer part.)
U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy sailors have long tested each other with initiation ceremonies that included eating balut, as though it were a rite of passage into the mysteries of the Far East.
(If you click on the photo at left it will open a much larger view of the balut.)
What does it really taste like? Someone once described it as tasting like the way air smells after a big fireworks demonstration. The duck embryo contains phosphorus. But to describe it thus is not doing it justice; one has to try it.
There are Filipino restaurants in the U.S.A. that serve balut. Some Asian food stores also sell balut.
Yes, there are bones and yes, there are wet little feathers. A beak. Two feet. Just poke a hole in one end of the egg and suck out the “amniotic fluid.” If that doesn’t get you, you might enjoy balut with a dip of chile sauce and vinegar, then sprinkle on a little salt….wash it all down with San Miguel Beer!!
(Note: the links to the “Possibly-related Articles” below this entry do not necessarily refer to other posts on my blog. They do link to other today.com blogs with similar subjects, including my own blog. It will be interesting to see how many other articles relate to BALUT!
Mar
11
2009
Isn’t it great when a person reaches an age or a status in life that enables them to speak their convictions without being hampered by finances, family, or politics?
Such is the case with Nancy Reagan, widow of the late U.S. President, Ronald Reagan.
Nancy has reached that stage in her life where she no longer need be muffled by perceived loyalties to family or political party. Her recent endorsement of President Obama’s reversal of George Bush’s restrictions on stem cell research is just another example of the independence we can acquire with age.
Nancy had previously voiced her support for stem cell research as something that could have helped her late husband in his struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
The technology that will enable stem cells to replace and regenerate within the human body will not only benefit victims of Alzheimer’s, but also shows the potential to CURE AIDS, Hepatitis C, and many other muscular and neurological afflictions.
Mrs. Reagan had endorsed Senator John McCain for President, so her support for stem cell research and rejection of the position taken by the George Bush Administration really transcends the political arena and reaches into the personal lives of million of victims.
I have always admired the stoic Mrs. Reagan, and was happy to see how great she looked back in 2004 when she spoke at the homeporting ceremony for the new aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), in San Diego, California.
U.S. Gov’t photo
Feb
15
2009
When I was in the Navy, the Mother’s Day phone call home was a ritual, and we often waited in long lines at overseas telephone exchanges to place a call back to the United States.
This was back in the 1960’s and if you were an adult back then you realize how really different life was in those days. So far as technology goes, I far prefer the amazing communications tools we have today. There was no such thing as a cell phone, or an e-mail, or a fax machine. We depended upon the “pay phone.” How long has it been since you saw a “pay phone booth”? 
I imagine that Mother’s Day is still the biggest greeting card day of the year, and Mother’s Day phone calls also are a huge business for the cellular telephone companies.
I am sometimes amused by the little ads that appear on this site after I have written about a subject and used certain words that have “caused” advertising for that subject to magically appear herein.
Pajamas was such a word. I used that just the other day, and sure enough, there were ads for pajamas for $39.95 right up there in the left hand corner.
I once wrote about a colonoscopy and….yup! There it was the next day!
Saint Patrick’s Day would be such an event. I’m thinking that St. Patrick’s Day hats, banners, balloons, and even Saint Patrick’s Day GREEN BEER would generate some ads. We will have to wait and see.
So that’s it for today. Saint Patrick’s Day and Mother’s Day. The next two big events.
