Stupid Luck and Happenstance, Thread III
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
As a firm believer in the Law of Unintended Consequences Kiki and Ben may find themselves obligated to have a framed picture of them taken to be hung up in a prominent place at the Rec center, even further the Rec Center or the Park itself could be renamed after Kiki if it is not named after a local person.
Kiki in her attempts to not outshine the Bride has to be careful in not wearing anything too expensive and also not too drab because that in it self will cause attention to be paid to her with people trying to speculate in the "Hidden Meanings" in all of that.
The German Press tagging along on this trip may report on the food being served at the reception and compare it to Mexican food that is available at the Alexanderplatz Farmers Market and how there are many different regional variations such as "Tex-Mex", " Cal-Mex" Pacific, Interior, Caribbean and Border regions.
IOTL Sony had manufacturing plants in San Diego and Tijuana and Kiki being a prominent investor may be invited to tour them if there is time available.
Kiki in her attempts to not outshine the Bride has to be careful in not wearing anything too expensive and also not too drab because that in it self will cause attention to be paid to her with people trying to speculate in the "Hidden Meanings" in all of that.
The German Press tagging along on this trip may report on the food being served at the reception and compare it to Mexican food that is available at the Alexanderplatz Farmers Market and how there are many different regional variations such as "Tex-Mex", " Cal-Mex" Pacific, Interior, Caribbean and Border regions.
IOTL Sony had manufacturing plants in San Diego and Tijuana and Kiki being a prominent investor may be invited to tour them if there is time available.
Indeed. Too expensive, bride=outshined, too drab or cheap, and it looks like she's not taking the wedding seriously/being disrespectful.
The American tabloid press/paparazzi failing, yet again, to actually recognise what is in front of their eyes. Even this one, who has apparently spent time working in Europe. Kiki is considered glamourous in Europe, especially because she has a career. As for the "total snooze-fest" of her marriage to her high school sweartheart, how the hell do they think that won't play well in the US? Their movies are full of that stuff. And how, exactly, did they miss or totally forget that Ben is a highly decorated combat veteran, a world renowned astronomer (with his own observatory, sort of) AND a raumsfahrer/astronaut who has orbited the moon. Not exactly snooze-fest material. Hell, Hollywood would kill for that screenplay.
In which one culture discovers that other cultures also have super spicy food and that people from yet another culture have tried it and liked it.
Anyone can try one bite of something blazing hot as a dare or oops. It’s the second chip/bite/slice/etc... that wins respect,
I wonder whether, as the Mariachi band plays at the reception, Kiki can be persuaded to come up on the bandstand and play along with the band, possibly after a few beers. Everyone will love her for being willing to join in and have fun. I’m sure a good mariachi band (I have no doubt the band will be good at this wedding) will have a popular tune or two up their sleeves that Kiki can play her part in - maybe even an southern Californian take on Berlin gutter blues.
ferdi254
Banned
Actually mexican food is in large parts not that hot. It can be but nothing compared to some Indian and Thai dishes. Or the killer one million scoville sauces they sell in New Orleans.
Tried Indian, Thai and Mexican in local restaurants where me and my plus one were the only non natives. Only Indian and Thai cuisine has had some after (pun intended) effects the next day.
And accidentally tried a 250.000 scoville once.... definitely not habit forming.
Tried Indian, Thai and Mexican in local restaurants where me and my plus one were the only non natives. Only Indian and Thai cuisine has had some after (pun intended) effects the next day.
And accidentally tried a 250.000 scoville once.... definitely not habit forming.
That depends, there is Mexican Food of the sort that you might find in a typical restaurant meant to be served to a wide cross section of the public. Then there is Authentic Mexican Food of the sort that is served in places like Los Angeles that Kiki was depicted trying. Salsa roja like that is not for the faint of heart.
Agree with you P-M. The home-made stuff or the authentic restaurant food has flavours (and heat) that are the real deal and isn’t toned down for the ‘normals’. I’ve had plenty of similar experiences of the real deal in Fijian Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine. Knocks restaurant food of the same type back home into a cocked hat.
Part 119, Chapter 1995
Chapter One Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Five
27th June 1970
Rio Gallegos, Argentina
“Time for you morons to earn your keep for once” Jost said as the ramp on the back of the airplane was being lowered. Of course, the Oberstaber was pleased by this turn in events, Manny thought to himself, as long as the 7th Recon was in the field the paperwork for his separation could not be processed. Before they had gotten orders to prepare for movement, Jost had been calling in every favor, blackmailing, and threatening everyone he could think of in an unsuccessful effort to keep that from happening. Manny had talked with his father about Jost, and his father had told him that Jost Schultz’s entire identity was wrapped up in being a Noncom in the Heer having been in it for the entirety of his adult life. Without that, what would he be? The idea that they would be “Earning their keep” was particularly ominous. They were in Argentina to train and advise the Argentine Army.
Did Jost know something that the rest of them did not?
Stabsgefreiter Einar Tann, the Estonian Rifleman who everyone joked looked the part of a Viking, had suggested that Jost had no intention of returning Wunsdorf-Zossen at the end of this. Rainer Maus had then made a smartass remark about how he had thought that for those like Einar getting into Valhalla was a good thing, earning himself a dirty look from everyone else within earshot. Typical Maus. The truth which everyone understood was that a Senior Noncom who longer cared if he lived or died was a very real danger to everyone around him. That was why Maus was on everyone’s shitlist during the long flight to Rio Gallegos.
On the other end was the three Soldaten and a Fahnenjunker that the Platoon had taken on, all still teenagers and just out of Basic Training. At least Jost knew what he was doing. Fahnenjunker Grünbach was supposed to be learning how to be Squad Leader, which was a difficult thing to do in the field. That was why Manny was keeping Grünbach close for now. If Manny put him into a Squad with an established leader and the others would eat him alive. If Grünbach got a chance to prove himself then that might change. The three Soldaten were suburbanites who had never even handled a weapon until a couple months previously and were largely clueless about living in the rough while out in the field. This was a direct result of institutional issues that Manny had noticed. The first was that the 2nd Army drew its personnel from the 3rd Military District, which included Berlin/Brandenburg. That meant that the vast majority of the recruits had either urban or suburban backgrounds. The second was that because the 7th Recon was seen as an Intelligence Unit, someone far up the food chain had made certain assumptions about how best to fill its ranks. That was why the three fresh fish had scored high in various aptitude tests but had been encouraged to join the Heer as opposed to going to University for whatever reason. The result was that Manny had trying to teach them fieldcraft and they had not proven to be the most receptive of students. On the other hand, they had figured out how to use those cursed radios far faster than Christian and Ralf had managed.
Walking down the ramp, the first thing Manny noticed was that it was cold, hovering around freezing, which was the reason why they had been ordered to bring their winter gear. The other thing was that the brisk wind was causing the turbine blades in the turbofan engine of one of the big Junkers Transports parked on the tarmac to slowly spin. On other side of runway, a dozen civilian aircraft including what looked like a former Argentine Airforce Ju-52(A). Manny knew that they had been replaced years earlier with a twin turboprop of native design, to actually see one in flying condition was a bit of a novelty. Back home those were only seen in museums. Beyond a chain-link fence, was a range of low hills under a grey overcast.
As Manny watched, the Battalion’s vehicles started to be unloaded from the transport planes. The entire reason they had been tapped for this mission was because most of their equipment could be airlifted. Any other outfit in the 4th Division would be stuck here in Rio Gallegos until the Panzers, APCs and other tracked vehicles arrived by sea. When Manny had spoken with the Oberstlieutenant before they had left Wunsdorf. The two SPz-4 APCs that were used by the 7th Recon as mobile command posts had to be left behind and the Staff was going to have to rough it with the Other Ranks out in the field. No one was pleased by that development. There was also the open question about the nature of the mission they were playing beyond the official line. The 7th Recon Battalion was the scout element of the 4th Panzer Division. Was the rest of the Division going to be following them? And if so, why was that in the works? Manny had a feeling he would be finding out the answers the hard way.
One of the Iltis cars rolled down the ramp and once again, Manny was amazed by the sheer amount of material that the men managed to pack onto those. It parked next to one of the tracked VAFs that was festooned with crates carrying who knew what. Manny suspected that there was about to be an economic crisis of sorts in whatever black market existed around here as all manner of contraband flooded in causing the prices to drop…
“Will you believe this shit?” Jost asked snapping a piece of paper, his earlier good mood having evaporated.
“What is it Oberstaber?” Manny asked.
“They got us in the Naval Barracks in town by the Seaport” Jost replied.
“And?” Manny asked in reply. At that moment, he didn’t care where they would be temporarily staying. If it was out of this wind, it was perfect as far as he was concerned.
“We got standards, they don’t” Jost said, “With our luck, there will be Marines next door. Have you ever stood downwind from one of them? And the Sailors, don’t get me started on them.”
“Isn’t your younger brother a General in the Marine Infantry?” Manny asked and got a dark expression in return.
“That just proves my point” Jost said in a tone that might have frozen water.
27th June 1970
Rio Gallegos, Argentina
“Time for you morons to earn your keep for once” Jost said as the ramp on the back of the airplane was being lowered. Of course, the Oberstaber was pleased by this turn in events, Manny thought to himself, as long as the 7th Recon was in the field the paperwork for his separation could not be processed. Before they had gotten orders to prepare for movement, Jost had been calling in every favor, blackmailing, and threatening everyone he could think of in an unsuccessful effort to keep that from happening. Manny had talked with his father about Jost, and his father had told him that Jost Schultz’s entire identity was wrapped up in being a Noncom in the Heer having been in it for the entirety of his adult life. Without that, what would he be? The idea that they would be “Earning their keep” was particularly ominous. They were in Argentina to train and advise the Argentine Army.
Did Jost know something that the rest of them did not?
Stabsgefreiter Einar Tann, the Estonian Rifleman who everyone joked looked the part of a Viking, had suggested that Jost had no intention of returning Wunsdorf-Zossen at the end of this. Rainer Maus had then made a smartass remark about how he had thought that for those like Einar getting into Valhalla was a good thing, earning himself a dirty look from everyone else within earshot. Typical Maus. The truth which everyone understood was that a Senior Noncom who longer cared if he lived or died was a very real danger to everyone around him. That was why Maus was on everyone’s shitlist during the long flight to Rio Gallegos.
On the other end was the three Soldaten and a Fahnenjunker that the Platoon had taken on, all still teenagers and just out of Basic Training. At least Jost knew what he was doing. Fahnenjunker Grünbach was supposed to be learning how to be Squad Leader, which was a difficult thing to do in the field. That was why Manny was keeping Grünbach close for now. If Manny put him into a Squad with an established leader and the others would eat him alive. If Grünbach got a chance to prove himself then that might change. The three Soldaten were suburbanites who had never even handled a weapon until a couple months previously and were largely clueless about living in the rough while out in the field. This was a direct result of institutional issues that Manny had noticed. The first was that the 2nd Army drew its personnel from the 3rd Military District, which included Berlin/Brandenburg. That meant that the vast majority of the recruits had either urban or suburban backgrounds. The second was that because the 7th Recon was seen as an Intelligence Unit, someone far up the food chain had made certain assumptions about how best to fill its ranks. That was why the three fresh fish had scored high in various aptitude tests but had been encouraged to join the Heer as opposed to going to University for whatever reason. The result was that Manny had trying to teach them fieldcraft and they had not proven to be the most receptive of students. On the other hand, they had figured out how to use those cursed radios far faster than Christian and Ralf had managed.
Walking down the ramp, the first thing Manny noticed was that it was cold, hovering around freezing, which was the reason why they had been ordered to bring their winter gear. The other thing was that the brisk wind was causing the turbine blades in the turbofan engine of one of the big Junkers Transports parked on the tarmac to slowly spin. On other side of runway, a dozen civilian aircraft including what looked like a former Argentine Airforce Ju-52(A). Manny knew that they had been replaced years earlier with a twin turboprop of native design, to actually see one in flying condition was a bit of a novelty. Back home those were only seen in museums. Beyond a chain-link fence, was a range of low hills under a grey overcast.
As Manny watched, the Battalion’s vehicles started to be unloaded from the transport planes. The entire reason they had been tapped for this mission was because most of their equipment could be airlifted. Any other outfit in the 4th Division would be stuck here in Rio Gallegos until the Panzers, APCs and other tracked vehicles arrived by sea. When Manny had spoken with the Oberstlieutenant before they had left Wunsdorf. The two SPz-4 APCs that were used by the 7th Recon as mobile command posts had to be left behind and the Staff was going to have to rough it with the Other Ranks out in the field. No one was pleased by that development. There was also the open question about the nature of the mission they were playing beyond the official line. The 7th Recon Battalion was the scout element of the 4th Panzer Division. Was the rest of the Division going to be following them? And if so, why was that in the works? Manny had a feeling he would be finding out the answers the hard way.
One of the Iltis cars rolled down the ramp and once again, Manny was amazed by the sheer amount of material that the men managed to pack onto those. It parked next to one of the tracked VAFs that was festooned with crates carrying who knew what. Manny suspected that there was about to be an economic crisis of sorts in whatever black market existed around here as all manner of contraband flooded in causing the prices to drop…
“Will you believe this shit?” Jost asked snapping a piece of paper, his earlier good mood having evaporated.
“What is it Oberstaber?” Manny asked.
“They got us in the Naval Barracks in town by the Seaport” Jost replied.
“And?” Manny asked in reply. At that moment, he didn’t care where they would be temporarily staying. If it was out of this wind, it was perfect as far as he was concerned.
“We got standards, they don’t” Jost said, “With our luck, there will be Marines next door. Have you ever stood downwind from one of them? And the Sailors, don’t get me started on them.”
“Isn’t your younger brother a General in the Marine Infantry?” Manny asked and got a dark expression in return.
“That just proves my point” Jost said in a tone that might have frozen water.
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Jost and Reier working "together" in Argentina?
If that is the case I feel sorry for the respective junior officers and the lower enlisted as they will bear the brunt of the two of them trying to out tough each other and if it is a situation that goes hot then may God have mercy on their adversaries because Jost and Reier will most certainly not.
Will there be anything left standing?
If that is the case I feel sorry for the respective junior officers and the lower enlisted as they will bear the brunt of the two of them trying to out tough each other and if it is a situation that goes hot then may God have mercy on their adversaries because Jost and Reier will most certainly not.
Will there be anything left standing?
Yes, Manny remind the career non-com that his little brother in a general.
ferdi254
Banned
That must have been an interesting flight route. Even today not a lot of planes do Germany, southern Argentine directly so the question is who was allowing those military flights through or let them land. The shortest way would go over France and Spain.
Not to make a too fine point of it but some kitchens have hot sauces while some have hot dishes. No on actually expects you to eat salsa pure or fishsauce with birds eyes swimming in it but south east asia has dishes where the dish itself is at 5,000 scoville. Thai fish cakes... various curries. To my best knowledge mexican kitchen has non of those. But happy to be corrected and try them the next time over.
Not to make a too fine point of it but some kitchens have hot sauces while some have hot dishes. No on actually expects you to eat salsa pure or fishsauce with birds eyes swimming in it but south east asia has dishes where the dish itself is at 5,000 scoville. Thai fish cakes... various curries. To my best knowledge mexican kitchen has non of those. But happy to be corrected and try them the next time over.
The Yucatán has some really fiery dishes thanks to its use of habanero peppers.
