Category: <span>Quora Re-Posts</span>

Movie Poster of “Crimson Tide”

In my quest to provide insightful answers to pressing issues asked by alert Quora readers; a while back I wrote a movie review. Not just any movie review, this one was on a topic near and dear to me – submarine movies.

I watch a lot of movies. A lot of what I watch is science fiction (or at least what passes for science fiction in the minds of Hollywood movie producers. Don’t get me started. And who in the hell came up with the stupid “SyFy” moniker?). Beyond science fiction, I also enjoy submarine movies, fiction or otherwise. Given that I have a bit of background with submarines, I have a certain level of expectations with submarine movies. For a fictional movie I don’t expect complete accuracy on submarine operations. But I have limits.

Quora Re-Posts

Research Submersible Alvin
Research Submersible Alvin. Woods Hole Institute

A Quora member posted another interesting question on submarines. The question was “Can you winch a submarine up from the bottom of the ocean, say 8000 feet?” This question gave me the opportunity to write about two famous submarine incidents. One of these involved one of my favorite submersibles ever, the DSV-2 Alvin.

Family Stories Quora Re-Posts

Joe Biden Official Portrait
Joe Biden Official Portrait

We are now thirty-four days past our last Presidential election. In normal times all eyes would be on our incoming president. All news stories would be on the transition of power and how the opposing party is nominally cooperating with the incoming President. In normal times, most people would hardly be paying any attention and life would go on.

Regretfully, these are not normal times. In these times, about one half of our nation’s citizens are holding our collective breaths that trump finally leaves office peacefully. The other half is loudly screaming “VOTE FRAUD” and going so far as proposing a military-led coup to keep trump in office.

Opinions & Commentary Quora Re-Posts

Navy Command Master Chief badge
Navy Command Master Chief badge

My Navy career was unusual for the number of different types of ships I served on. Few people get to serve on both submarines and surface ships. Even more unusual, I served on two very different types of submarines, and two very different types of surface ships. This background gives me some unique perspectives on Navy life. So when I saw this Quora question, I felt I had the background to give a solid answer.

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Admiral Mike Boorda
Admiral Mike Boorda, Official Navy Photograph

Recently I had the opportunity to answer another Quora question on navy life. This answer brought back a flood of memories from my life in Naples, Italy, and working with NATO. The question was “As an enlisted service member, what did an officer do to earn your respect?” I felt this was an interesting question, as the person asking seemed to know enough about military life to know that respecting position is required, but respect for the person is earned.

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Fine Dining Experience
Fine-Dining Experience

I’ve become a regular contributor to the ever-amazing Quora social media site. I enjoy following the various answers to off-beat questions, and can keep engaged for hours if I let myself. I routinely provide my own answers and commentary.

Most recently, I answered the Quora question: Have you ever been to a restaurant that made you say “You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me!” when they brought out the food?” My answer related a fine-dining restaurant experience from years back.

Family Stories Quora Re-Posts

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

The smell of a submarine - amine, sweat, smoke, hydraulic oil,
Submarines

One of the reasons I don’t post here much is because I’m writing in several other venues. Facebook, regrettably, occupies a lot of my otherwise available writing time. I periodically post to my account on Daily Kos or comment on other people’s posts. But a new writing venue (for me) is the site Quora

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts