Super-Limo and a Terrible View

I was very impressed by each Super-Limo.  No doubt a Russian prototype.  Certainly not a General Motors product.  The Portraitmobile was particularly impressive.  The hearse was so long it had two sets of rear-view mirrors.  I slept in and got there late and so my standing spot (each one geometrically measured and marked with a small masking-tape 'X') was awful and I couldn't see much:

Doesn't have much to do with M*A*S*H* but both happened on the Korean Peninsula.

Fudge Factor

During a particularly hot spell in camp, Tony Baker, a soldier and husband of one of the nurses, is smuggled in to Hot Lips Houlihan's tent under 'quarantine'.  When Hot Lips finds this out, she confronts the nurses, who in turn air their concerns about her aloofness with them.  A terse nurse standoff is the result, with Hot Lips finally airing her exasperation by emotionally asking them, "Did you ever once even offer me a lousy cup of coffee?"

Now, I like fudge. I really like fudge and I have recently received some.  It reminded me of this episode.  And a whole pot of hot fudge gets thrown and wasted in this episode.  That notwithstanding, the take-home message here is that aloofness breeds exasperation.  But if you can live with the exasperation, aloof away the day.  Hot Lips is a damn good nurse and a leader, and all she really wants is to be respected, included and if it so happens, liked.

On right, Linda Kelsey, who later starred with Ed Asner on the television series Lou Grant as Billie, the crusading but soft-hearted reporter.

Behind that Desk

Henry Blake was at home behind the antique desk he had flown in from Bloomington, Indiana. Somewhat less at home was Hawkeye, during the episode when he's acting C.O. Also required to carry a gun, Hawkeye is not receptive do the various duties he must perform - settling disagreements, signing things, and oh, carrying the gun.

When the actual C.O. returns, Hawkeye is bent over his desk wearing bathrobe and pistol belt, furiously signing and rubber-stamping paperwork. He's asked "Is that what I look like behind that desk?" His willingness to relinquish his duties is obvious.

Sometimes it's obvious that we're not happy behind whatever desk we have to occupy in life. Do you want someone asking you "Is that what I look like...?" if your discomfort is that obvious? I know I don't...so as a colleague reminded me "Take that frown and turn it upside down". Thanks to 'Joan' for that.

When that battle was over

Are you good at what you do? Or do you just think you are.

In the "Novocaine Mutiny" (pun intended) Captain Pierce's ability and character are called into question. Through various versions of the same events (Pierce testifies that the only thing the versions have in common are that it was October and they were in Korea) it is determined that the questioning was unfounded.

Colonel Carmichael, from JAG played by actor Ned Wilson (pictured) in his ruling states that while he wouldn't want to lead a company of Pierces into battle, he'd sure as hell want them around when that battle was over. Colonel Carmichael said a lot in that one sentence.

Pierce was good at what he did. He didn't always think he was, but he was. He once told Frank Burns he could out-operate him above the table and out-drink him below the table. The complete package.

Hawaiian shirts

OK, I like wearing Hawaiian shirts occasionally. My wife thinks I should only wear them at a Hawaiian-themed party, or in Hawaii, or for all I know, while drinking Hawaiian Punch. As you can see, Hawkeye and Trapper often wore them while off-duty, shown here teeing-off from the helipad.

Practical Joke?

Harry Morgan played Col. Sherman Potter on M*A*S*H*. Here he is shown with Daniel Radcliffe who played Harry Potter. That's neither practical nor a joke.

Today, a colleague mentioned playing a practical joke which would result in funny-coloured circles around another colleague's eyes. It reminded me of an episode of M*A*S*H* when Radar and Colonel Potter are searching for a new location during a bug-out. Some inky substance had been applied to Colonel Potter's binoculars and after he looks through them, this is the result:

Radar laughs so hard he falls out of his seat.

Shortest. Blog post. Ever.

Radar O'Reilly. That's it. That's all.

Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice...

Time for a mid-winter quote. We've heard about the snow-mageddon storm heading our way for DAYS. The impending ice and snow reminded me of Army psychiatrist Major Sidney Freedman's most memorable quote. Leaving the 4077th, Sidney smiled and said,


"Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice. Pull down your pants, and slide on the ice."

The surgeon will warm his hands

This week at work, a package was opened. I was reminded of Father Mulcahy's interview on M*A*S*H* where he emotionally recalled that in the winter weather of Korea, after the surgeon makes his incision, he will warm his hands over the body momentarily. He asks the interviewer, "Can anyone watch that and not be changed?" I mentioned this to a colleague, who responded, "Oh yeah, I like that show. Especially the guy who wears those funny dresses. "