Smorgasbord Laughter Lines – Naval Intelligence and Tell it to the Marines

Posted on by Rae Longest

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

My father served in the Royal Navy for 37 years plus an extra ten in a civilian capacity.  There were good natured jokes and rivalry between the senior service, army and Royal Air Force.  Here are a few that I have sourced from archives and various sites.

Signals

 During a naval exercise in the Mediterranean, a signaller rushed up to the bridge and said, ‘Captain, this message just came in.’

‘Read it out,’ said the captain.

‘Well, sir, I….’ the signalman stammered.

‘Just read it out man…now!’ snapped the captain.

‘Right, sir,’ said the signalman. ‘It reads: What the hell do you think you are doing, you stupid, blundering idiot? You’re not fit to be in command!’

‘Yes, well…’ said the captain. ‘Have that decoded at once.’

Enlistment

Having passed the enlistment physical, Jon was asked by the doctor, “Why do you want to join the Navy, son?” “My…

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Jay’s Children’s Books Marathon: August 2018

Posted on by Rae Longest

powerfulwomenreaders

I am a day late meeting the deadline for the first round of Jay’s (This Is My Truth Now) Children’s Book Marathon, but for what it is, here it is, with reviews of Picture Books read 8/4-8/9. This category could easily be subtitled, “Classic Children’s Picture Books.”

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak in its heyday was a genre bender and made critics question what is “appropriate” for children. It turns out, kids love monsters, especially wild and free one like in Sendak’s drawings. It speaks a subversive message for children to break free: break free of “proper’ constraints we put on children and run to the place where the wild (and free) things are.  There the reader and the wild things cavort and rejoice in their freedom.  Doesn’t every child secretly yearn to break free?Don’t adults wish they could do the same thing? Unfortunately, adults have…

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