Russia Test Fires Troubled Bulava Missile After 8-Month Break. RIA Novosti, June 28, 2011
http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20110628/164890616.html
("Only seven of the previous 14 launches were officially declared successful, although some military experts say that many of those [successes] were also flawed")
Note: The "bulava" is Russian for "mace."
--------------------------Separately
(1) 吳明杰、曾薏蘋, 雄三飛彈試射凸槌 燒掉億元. 中國時報, June 28, 2011.
http://news.chinatimes.com/politics/110101/112011062800133.html
Note: AFP, in a report today titled "Taiwan supersonic missile test flops," stated Taiwan defense ministry confirmed the failure Tuesday (which is today).
(2)
(a) Ma Says Taiwan's US F-16 Bid 'Not Going Smoothly.' Associated Press, June 28, 2011
http://news.yahoo.com/ma-says-taiwans-us-f-16-bid-not-085459652.html
("The comments by Ma Ying-jeou follow a report Monday in the U.S. publication Defense News that the American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto U.S. embassy, told Ma's government last week not to submit a formal request for the 66 F-16 C/Ds it covets. There was no immediate comment from the American Institute. Taiwan's Defense Ministry denied the report")
My comment: Said Defense News report is available to subscribers only.
(b) 马英九诠释台湾防卫三道防线. VOA Chinese, June 28, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110628-ma-three-lines-defense-124638694.html
("马英九星期二接见美国在台协会主席薄瑞光时，第20次提出台湾希望采购F-16C/D型战机。 * * * 薄瑞光表示，他这次访问台湾只是定期的回访，并没有从华盛顿带来任何特定的信息")
(3) 俄军力部署重心东移 剑指中国？ VOA Chinese, June 28, 2011.
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110628-russia-military-124645669.html
My comment: This is old news. Russia disclosed about half a year ago that it would deploy two newly acquired Mistral-classed amphibious assault ship in Far East, reserved for dispute with Japan over Kuril Islands. Who knows what Russia is really thinking? If it aims at China, it surely will not shout out about it.
(4) 中国铁道部称高铁速度未造假. VOA Chinese, June 28, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110628-high-speed-train-124641044.html
My comment: This report is just a summary of the recent disputes between the former and current officials.
(5) 前中财长中台美人计？两岸情报战未歇. VOA Chinese, June 27, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110627-TAIWAN-CHINA-SPY-TRAP-124613849.html
(美、中、台官方不评论)
(6) 中缅玉石贸易背后的纠纷与怨气. VOA Chinese, June 27, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110627-Deal-Dispute-Resentment-124626354.html
Note: The report quotes
Myanmar | Chinese Takeaway Kitchen. Economist, June 9, 2011
http://www.economist.com/node/18806782
("So the regime is being drawn into China’s orbit as much from necessity as choice. That does not make China any more popular. In the words of an old Burmese monk: 'We are China’s kitchen. They take what they like and leave us with the rubbish.'”)
(8) Chris Summers, Rub a Dub Dub, My Trip on a Nuclear Sub. Atascocita News, June 28, 2011
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/atascocita/opinion/article_501ab2a2-760b-5cb6-bce9-9719068d70b9.html
Quote:
"I have to say that I was quite amazed by the overall quality of the food and the generous portions served. * * * We were treated to all sorts of entrees, from prime rib and chicken to shrimp, crab legs and fish as well as vegetables and a large salad bar. Soups and desserts were also in abundance and almost everything was made from scratch. There was even a pizza night with a wide variety of toppings!
"We were treated to special activities like actually firing a torpedo known as a Green Zinger which was the term for an empty torpedo chamber that was filled with water and fired out as a water slug. * * * The pressure created by the water slug firing also made your ears pop no matter where you were on the sub!
Note:
(a) rub-a-dub-dub
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rub-a-dub-dub
(a nursery rhyme)
(b) Atascocita, Texas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atascocita,_Texas
(eighteen miles (29 km) northeast of downtown Houston)
(c) Kingwood, Houston
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingwood,_Houston
(Kingwood was created in 1971 as a joint venture between the Friendswood Development Company and King Ranch. Its name was derived as part of of that partnership)
(d) Bangor Base, Washington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangor_Base,_Washington
(in Kitsap County, Washington, within the U.S. Navy's Naval Base Kitsap on the Kitsap Peninsula)
(e) Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Submarine_Base_Kings_Bay
(Early in the 19th century, much of what is now the submarine base was the site of several plantations, including [among others] Kings Bay. Beginning in the 1790s, Thomas King built a plantation along the bay)
(f) beam (n):
"1a : a long piece of heavy often squared timber suitable for use in construction
* * *
f : the extreme width of a ship at the widest part"
Both definitions are from www.m-w.com.
I retain the original definition of 1a.
(g) The "draft" in "a vertical draft of 37 feet" is a noun that means
"the depth of water a ship draws especially when loaded" 吃水
(h) Quotation 2 pretty defines "water slug." See slug (projectile)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slug_(projectile)
(A water-slug refers to shooting a submarine's torpedo tube without first loading a torpedo)
(i) For ship motto “Battle Ready! Battle Born!” see Nevada
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada
(also known as the "Battle Born State" because it achieved statehood [in 1864] during the Civil War)