Brian Wolfe

Steal my thunder?  Not at all, please do.  When I started my blog section I was intending it to be a base to build on by the membership.  When I am not being a knob and actually posting something serious I really want input, new ideas and ways of looking at things.  It's probably a selfish thing in a manner as I want to learn as much from others, perhaps more, than educate. 

Regarding arrow storms I would think it would be even more terrifying than being fired apon today as you can see "them" coming.  Of course never having been a target of either arrows or under machine gun fire I am just speculating.

Thanks for adding to the blog and please feel free to keep doing so.

Regards

Brian

Hi Steve

Thanks for your additional information. I will now have to take a bit from my next blog as you have already covered some of the information. A bit shorter blog next time is welcomed. Mercenaries were welcome before and after a battle but like the military of old of little use to the winners. Often they were more problems than they we were useful. Actually Edward III failed to pay back loans to finance the war to three Florintene banks causing them to declare bankruptcy. This allowed the bank of the Medici to rise. Makes one wonder if a King would not pay his bills would he be as honest in paying other bebts? It is a thought.

Regards

Brian

On 2016-12-27 at 06:04, Megan said:

Remember that you do not GIVE offence - someone else CHOOSES to take it. Their problem.

Oh, I have given offence in times past, "wigs on the green" and all that.

However, I do agree with you for the most part. Have a happy New Year, Megan.

Regards

Brian

5 hours ago, peter monahan said:

You're woried that a pagan festival taken over by the Christians, celebrated by putting up a Greman tree and telling kids that a Turkish bishop with a Dutch name who lives in the Arctic is bringing them made in Japan toys in a magic sleigh pulled by Lappish reindeer is being spolied by 'foreign influences'?  Hmm.  

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Eid Mubarakh and Happy Kwanza.  And peace on Earth to all of good will.

Hmmm indeed.  Sounds about correct though. LOL  I will have to bow to your knowledge of who might live in the Artic as you reside much closer to the North Pole. 

Regards from the sunny tropicical south (New Hamburg for those who don't know).

Brian

I'm glad you asked that my northern friend.  According to my gnomes here in the Home Office that would be China.  The gnomes seem to know everything; too bad I may have to lay them off as there is talk of unionizing.  }:[

1 hour ago, peter monahan said:

You're woried that a pagan festival taken over by the Christians, celebrated by putting up a Greman tree and telling kids that a Turkish bishop with a Dutch name who lives in the Arctic is bringing them made in Japan toys in a magic sleigh pulled by Lappish reindeer is being spolied by 'foreign influences'?  Hmm.  

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Eid Mubarakh and Happy Kwanza.  And peace on Earth to all of good will.

Hmmm indeed.  Sounds about correct though. LOL  I will have to bow to your knowledge of who might live in the Artic as you reside much closer to the North Pole. 

Regards from the sunny tropicical south (New Hamburg for those who don't know).

Brian

Thanks Bernhard,

Good point and a (more or less) modern example of what I was talking about.  I must admit that the battle of Jutland had slipped my mind and would have made a great addition to the blog. Thanks for mentioning this battle it really brings the topic up to date.

Regards

Brian

Thanks Chris,

Sorry for the late response; my old computer or my old mind missed your comment back in April.  I'm going to blame the computer at least for a few more years.

Regards

Brian

Thanks Spasm.

Also thank you for the information regarding your uncle and his bill for the rifle he "misplaced".  I say "misplaced" in jest of course.  It almost seemed like the War Office thought he had a choice or simply carelessly left it behind in the pub.

This is information I find extremely interesting.  When we first start to take interest in history, as a child in my case, we are first exposed to the dates and who fought the war, and, of course, who won.  Then we take a closer look at the regiments and their equipment, also perhaps the conditions under which the lived and fought.  There comes a time when you feel that there is little new "out there" to be learned.  The someone such as yourself adds a tidbit of information and the word of learning suddenly becomes brighter.  Thank you again for this addition to my knowledge.

Regards

Brian

I agree with you completely.  The items that are produced in my shop all have individual markings on the bottom.  These are usually sun bursts or spirals, but they are all different.  Why? For the same reasons you have given.

What I was getting at in my blog was not so much, "why bother to write a blog", as perhaps reconsidering the type of blog; that is to say its content.  These thoughts are the product of too many long days at the lathe and too little rest.

Regards

Brian

Hi Paul,

Too dry?  I'm not familiar with that term.

I think your research papers would be a great addition to the GMIC and the blog section would be the perfect home for them  I hesitate to use the statement, "That's exactly what this forum needs", in case members think there is something lacking in the forum (even though I have just used the statement).  I believe well researched and written papers would help to elevate the GMIC in the area of education, which is what we are about.  There is nothing wrong with the "show and tell" or "need your help" posts as that makes a form interesting and informative as well. However, having said that, there is a need for more advanced material for those who,  like ourselves, crave more in depth information.

I look forward to reading your work.

Regards

Brian

Thanks for the comment.  I remembered that I had that book; or thought I had it.  So I turned the office and collection room upside down looking for it.  In the end I found the book...on the book shelf!  Last place I would ever look as I seldom return books to the bookshelf.  Anyway the book I have is titled How To Lose A Battle, a collection of military blunders edited by Bill Fawcett.

Thanks for reading my blog.

Regards

Brian

Hi Irish,

I could not agree more.  So much history and so little time to research and write.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your comments.  I hope I didn't apprear to be discouraged as that was not my intent; it was just an observastion. Perhaps more of a passing thought would be a better way to put it. 

Please check back after the turn of the month as I have a new blog on the back burner awaiting a final polish before posting.

Regards

Brian

Thanks Jock, your comments are most appreciated.  While I am indeed working on my next blog dealing with an incident in the Middle East, which it is, the mention of the incident was a bid of a teaser, so no one should be insulted or upset. 

I've been engaged in a new business venture which has taken off far beyond what we were prepared for and even though I am retired I find myself in the shop from 08:30 until 17:00 hrs. five days a week just to keep up with the sales.  Not complaining, however, it has cut into my hobby and collecting time. 

Regards

Brian

The movie should be coming to a theater near you soon, though it will be sub-titled in Australian. (Wise guy).

Regards

Brian

Thanks for the comments.  Sorry about the late reply, I've been working on my new book, "Procrastination - Gift from the Gods or Curse".  So far, after two years, I have my pencils all sharpened and lined up plus two different coloured pads of paper close at hand.

Regards

Brian

Hi Claudius,

Thanks for your comment.

Even though I really like this time of the year when it is over the great feeling of relief reminds me just how stressful it is.  Yet we'll do it all again next year. 

Regards

Brian

Mervyn and I were close friends and I last spoke to him just a few days before his passing.  At that time he was concerned about not being able to write or answer any posts or respond to other members questions; no thoughts of his own plight.  One might think that was because he was unaware of his condition but I assure you that he was well aware that he only had a matter of days left yet he put others before himself right to the end.  I miss him greatly as will those he came in contact with.

Rest In Peace my old friend, we will not see your kind again.

Respectfully

Brian Wolfe

Hi Irish Gunner,

Thanks for your comments.  I too spent little time concerning myself with the economics of collecting in times past and must admit that money is not an object presently.  Before readers think I am saying that I am wealthy or anything approaching riches I will clairify the statment by saying I never worried about what an item cost only whether I wanted/needed it.  Certainly this is not in keeping with my blog's message except that the amount I purchase these days is a fraction of the past.  What I do see happening is the amount of time required to collect and write about collecting has become rarer as time passes.  I made the decision to reopen my wood working shop on a full time bases startig in 2016 with an increase in orders accepted starting a few months ago.  I am now so occupied with keeping up with the work that I find it difficult to find the time for my military interests. I know things will level out ijn time but what has become evident is that time, not money, is the hardest commodity to come by.  

Regards

Brian

I agree with you completely, thank you for your comment.

One of the pit falls of seriously studying history is that one starts to realize that any event is linked with actions and events from the past.  We have chosen to forget history that might taint current views.  In this I am speaking not in the context of what has happened "yesterday" but events in history in general.  It is the ripple effect, one action is the cause of another and so on and so on.  My caution to anyone serious about any avenue of in depth study is this, if you seek the truth then be prepared to live with it, otherwise stop now and remain blisfully ignorant.

Regards

Brian

My favourite was on the television show Rat Patrol, which ran several decades ago.  The "Rats" were in the back of a truck behind the side slats that were spaced about as far apart as the width of the boards themselves.  This was probbaly done so the viewer could see the actors better.  A German soldier ran from a building, opened up with his MP40 and every bullet hit board; not one managed to go between the boards or hit one of the show's stars.  Then one of the Rat Patrol members popped up and fired one shot with his rifle felling the enemy soldier. 

Another "seriously?" moment is any cop show where the bad guy fires at the officer and hits the drywall wall behind which the officer is taking shelter.  A .22 cal. shell will pass right through a standard wall.

Thanks for your comment Chris.

Regards

Brian

Tailback, scrimmage, first down?  Not sure what those are as we speak hockey here.

Thanks for your comments Rick. I agree that hearing yardage given in metric would sound odd, to say the least.  In my shop, the happiest place on earth, we speak Imperial not metric so I believe we are in agreement.

Regards

Brian

Hi New World,

Thank you for your comments, they certainly give one pause for thought. There may well be financial gain in collecting some items and one of the problems with many collectors, especially ones like me, is that they (we) tend to want to collect the full spectrum, the easily found and the rare.  In the end the cheaper more easily collected items will bring the profit margin on the investment down, as an over all consideration.

Thanks again for your well written and thought-out comments, they are aprerciated.

Regards

Brian

Thanks for your comments Mervyn.  I’ve always held to the 16^th century French philosopher Rene Descartes' observation of “Cogito ergo sum” (lit. “I think therefore I am”) though I prefer “I am thinking therefore I exist”.

I always hope that my blogs will stir the “grey matter” of those who read them (or “gray matter” for our American readers).

Regards

Brian

Hi Hugh,

That's very good and now you mention it I have heard that regarding weighing of the anchor, however I had forgotten it completely.  I like keeping both feet firmly planted on solid ground. Thanks for your comments.

Regards

Brian

Thnaks Mervyn.

Regards

Brian