Saving KP: Close the State Academies

Maritime Academy USMMA
21

Dearest Captain uniblob

I found your .gov websiteand found that everything you posted is just more regurgitated mashed peas spit up by the DOT itself. First you don’t post anything you actually wrote yourself but worse, you post words written by those covered with all the shit. Of course they are going to say that it isn’t really shit and that is doesn’t smell at all.

Next time write your own reply or at least find something written by an independent unbiased source supporting KP…that is if you can find one?

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Does anyone have real numbers for:

  1. Annual graduation of licensed (deck & engine) officers from State and Fed Academy’s? (Would 160x7 or approx 1100 be fair?)
  2. Turnover in the US shipping industry. (Do we need 1100/year?)
  3. Projected demand for new officers over the next 20 years.

I think this would be the first question to ask in a debate over whether there is a surplus of Academy’s.

23

Saying KP fills a large majority of the openings is a stretch to say the least. In my experience, I have come across maybe 5 guys from KP who are sailing and not a cadet. I’ve worked with plenty of Mass and SUNY guys, a few from Maine and Texas and only a couple from Cal and Great Lakes. KP fits in there between Texas and Cal, but like I said, just my experience. A friend of mine that I grew up with went to KP and he said over half of the grads never sail on their license. They do their cadet time and get burned out being gone or know its not for them. They just want the label of being a KP grad because it looks good for shore side jobs.

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Forums with anonymous postings are to debate what televised wrestling is to sport: Entertainment. You can’t blame the folks at gCaptain, however. These spectacles drive visitors to the Forum, increase page views and viewership, bring in more advertising, and that’s how the folks at gCaptain monetize this asset. It’s American Capitalism.

Yet there’s a real cost to attributed speech. Just ask Rush Limbaugh whose poor attempt at humor cost him dearly.

Unfortunately, the Good Gentleman cannot tell us who he is. First, he’s a coward, and without the anonymity he isn’t very brave, or insightful. Half his allure is no one knows who he is. The remaining half is what makes it difficult to look away from a car accident. Second, he can’t tell us who he is. If he does, he limits his future employment opportunities as a senior ships officer, if he’s employable at all should his identity become known.

Ships operators and owners watch these web sites. They can ill afford a to employ a contentious senior officer riddled with fallacies of logic, Red Herrings, a self appointed judge, jury, and executioner (for an endless line of “EFFs”), and whose…narrative…is far from acceptable. What ship’s owner wants a senior officer whose “on the record” with poor judgment, ill mannered, and incapable of ethical conduct? Who can afford an unhappy crew beaten down by such a tyrant? What Academy wants to send its cadets onboard his vessels?

And what about that narrative? The large, emboldened font, screaming across the Internet, the guy is clearly overcompensating for something very small about his person. Speaking of which, I remain unconvinced the Good Gentleman isn’t one of those “Mean Girls” having fun at my expense: Twelve years old who use anonymous postings to become cyberbullies. So, little girl, go home before I call your mother and tell her how you’re wasting our time.

And just for final measure, my name is Howard Weiner. I am the recently retired CIO of the USMMA. I now reside in Las Vegas, and I would hope a decent Mariner could make contact, if and when s/he wants a debate “on the record.”

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My dearest Mr. Howard Weener

Before you verbally vent your descending colon again here please note the numbers first:

[U]A] me (anonymous)

[/U]gCaptain top contributor

join date October 2008

1234 posts on gCaptain (second highest # of total posts)

a reputation of 5 (the hightest available)

33 fellow gCaptain members are friends

thanked 172 Times in 115 Posts

an unlimited tonnage master on issue 7

sailing since 1979 master first at 1989

most importantly a very opinionated member of gCaptain but also respected for being knowledgable (I think). A man who is very much against the US wasting one dollar more on a failed institution that cannot be justified to the American taxpayer (of which I count myself) one day longer…And user of [B]VERY SALTY LANGUAGE LIKE A REAL EFFING SEAMAN!
[/B]

[U]B] you (Howard Weiner)[/U]

gCaptain greehorn

Join Date Mar 2012

Posts 5

Friends 0

Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

a retired CIO of the US Merchant Marine Academy who never sailed and is not a professional mariner posting in a forum of and for professional mariners

a man obviously trying to provoke me (maybe as an agent provocoteur of the KP administration)

vis. you have NO STANDING to post here. In the end you are a NOBODY. You are ZERO! You are the preverbial pimple on my ASS!

So what we have now is called a standoff. You call me a coward for not revealing who I am and I call you a coward for refusing to debate me on the original assertations in your first post on the subject that the six state maritime schools should be closed in favor of maintaining KP only.

I say to you sir, that you never have had the intention of actually entering into any debate but rather are only here to poke a sharp stick at my balloon. Go ahead and poke sir. I consider the thrust and parry to be fun and enjoy a good scrap. I also have a very pointy stick as well and am well practiced in using it!

Just remember this isn’t about me, it is about everybody else and the opinions they take away from this fight. I can only say that your doing a fine job of winning any of them over so just keep it up. I’m looking forward to more from you or are you just going to realize your fight is lost and go poof? We’ll just have to see now…won’t we?

Oh, how you wish you could know who the man is behind the mask now, do you not? It is eating you alive that I am “V” and there’s not a goddamned thing you can do about it! YESSS!

Have a wonderful day today and y’all come back now

poke…

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As much as I hate to say it cap when you’re right you’re right.

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Now THIS is what a forum is all about! Free exchange of ideas (with a little spice mixed in to keep it interesting). Mr. Konrad should thank members like c.capt. for making this forum worth reading (and advertising on).

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[QUOTE=ThatGuy;65328]Forums with anonymous postings are to debate what televised wrestling is to sport: Entertainment.[/QUOTE]

You obviously haven’t had the time since you joined this forum a few days ago to read much of the content here. It is true that many of the threads are entertaining to read, but the vast majority of the posts here represent a treasure chest of valuable information authored by respected professionals. Including both highly technical discussions between professionals, and advice for those new to the industry, including cadets.

[QUOTE=ThatGuy;65328]Yet there’s a real cost to attributed speech. Just ask Rush Limbaugh whose poor attempt at humor cost him dearly.[/QUOTE]

In my mind, whatever credibility you thought you had before was completely and absolutely dissolved by comparing c.capt. to Rush Limbaugh. Rush Limbaugh has demonstrated time and time again that he is nothing more than pompous blow-hard who has nothing to contribute to civil discussion on real issues, and instead prefers to use hateful speech, propaganda and lies. When civilized people call him out on his hate speech, he responds by attempting to mask his words as humor.

C.capt. on the other hand, is a respected professional. I don’t know his real name, but a review of the posts he has made here, and the reputation he has gained will quickly demonstrate that he is in fact, not some teen-aged hack trying to get a rise from sailors on an internet forum. Opinionated and potty-mouthed, perhaps, but more respected and valued here than you will ever be.

[QUOTE=ThatGuy;65328]…he can’t tell us who he is. If he does, he limits his future employment opportunities as a senior ships officer, if he’s employable at all should his identity become known…Ships operators and owners watch these web sites.[/QUOTE]

Exactally why most of us remain anon. Free exchange of ideas and [I]opinions[/I], some of which we don’t wish to share with our employers or future employers.

[QUOTE=ThatGuy;65328]for an endless line of “EFFs[/QUOTE]

You obviously haven’t spend much time working on commercial vessels.

29

Popcorn…more popcorn please…

This entire thread was just plain silly from the beginning. They’re NOT going to shut down 6 academys just so KP be be the only game in town. I always suspect inflamitory first posts as nothing more than the workings of a troll.

Are all KPer’s as arrogant as you Howard? If you represent leadership at KP, god help them. You know, I never had a negative opinion of KP until you began posting. Sad how you project such a poor example representing your former employer.

How’s that coming from an 18 year old 4C cadet attending a State Academy?

(btw - If we were to meet and you were in uniform, I would still salute you and call you “Sir”. We have a saying - 'you salute the uniform, not the ahole wearing it.)

btw #2 - If my real identity were learned, it could have tangible consequences. I Have to remain Anon on the forum if I am to freely speak my mind. Does that make me a coward or smart?

30

So you claim. The thing about the internet is that it is nearly impossible to prove that claim 100%. Additionally, right now there is zero proof of your claim of identity. All you have to go on is your argument.

Provide facts, rebut c.captain, or leave…

31

This entire thread was just plain silly from the beginning. They’re NOT going to shut down 6 academys just so KP be be the only game in town. I always suspect inflamitory first posts as nothing more than the workings of a troll.

What did bring this clown to gCaptain anyway? I am beginning more and more to believe he was send here by none other than E. York Wallischeck (KP Chief of Staff) to try to provoke me into giving myself away. Why on earth would someone like Weener just show up on here and post something so blatantly ridiculous and over the top that obviously would be shot out of the sky with a BB gun. I suspect now that he’s a preverbial Kamikaze sent by the KP admin to crash into my carrier. Well, the majority of Kamikaze’s missed their carriers and ended up dying a stupid and pointless death for nothing since in the end, the US won that war overwhelmingly! Very convenient that out man Weiner is retired so the KP staff isn’t soiled by this…think again!

CAPT Eric York Wallischeck has served as Chief of Staff since July 2008, where he functions as a senior advisor to the Superintendent and works with the senior leadership of the Academy and the Maritime Administration to coordinate operations, planning and policy.

CAPT Wallischeck served as Assistant Superintendent for Plans, Assessment and Public Affairs at the Academy from 2006-2008, with oversight of policy development, strategic planning, institutional assessment, and public affairs. He also served as the Academy’s acting Chief Information Officer from October 2002 through July 2004, overseeing improvements to the Academy’s website and the IT client service program.

From 1991-2006, CAPT Wallischeck served as the Director of Waterfront Activities and Sailing Master, and helped guide the Waterfront’s professional development and competitive programs to national prominence, with the Varsity Sailing Team winning seven National Championships. He oversaw construction of the Yocum Sailing Center, acquired a new training ship, completed several major waterfront renovation projects, and was involved in several key campus-wide initiatives, including the Human Relations Committee, Trimester Implementation Steering Committee and Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee. He also led the Academy’s waterborne assistance operation following the terrorist attacks of 9-11, in which midshipmen, faculty, and staff assisted in the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero.

A native of Fairfield, Connecticut, CAPT Wallischeck graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1983, and went to work as a deck and engineering officer for Faustug Marine Corporation in San Francisco. He returned to the Academy in 1984 and joined the USMMA Alumni Association and Foundation to help manage the Academy’s AMERICA II Challenge for the America’s Cup in Fremantle, Australia. In 1987, he was named Manager of the Annual Fund, and became Director of Development in 1990.

Hey Wallischeck…I’ve got your EFFING NUMBER PAL! You’re right at the epicenter of all the corruption at KP and you are going to lose in the end…there’s shit that’s all over you and everybody else there running that “jewel” of an institution! You can’t hide it forever and it will eventually come to be seen on your swell USMS uniform. You and the rest of the junta there will have some serious answering to do when the truth finally does come out. Where are the bodies buried? Lot’s of contruction going on there the past 10 years! In who’s offshore accounts did all that money end up? How many male midshipmen gave personal services to Orlando Gotay? Did you slip your shiv into the back of Phillip Greene…a fellow alum of yours? Did he discover too much in his all too brief tenure as superintendent and had to be “liquidated” for it?

Somebody is the puppet master there…its gotta be Wallischeck! He certainly never earned becoming the master by sailing on a real ship…makes one think doesn’t it!

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32

The guy is a troll. Move along, please.

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[QUOTE=ThatGuy;65276]Wow. Look at you. You can almost drop the F-Bomb.

It isn’t debate without the facts and the willingness to stand by them. Instead, we see illiteracy, libel, and racist statements made by people who lack the courage of their convictions to tell us who they are. For all we know, some of these writers are 12 year old girls, home schooled by their parents, and enough free time to “have some fun” with everyone who reads this blog. If you’re an expert in your field, if you really want to debate, then do it. Instead, we see lots of brave comments made by…cowards. That’s not debate. Then again, they aren’t citing real facts either.[/QUOTE]

[B]Wow. for all [I][U]YOU[/U][/I] know ? Who would assume a 12 year old (home schooled) girl, would get depicted by someone like you, in a forum like this. Is that some kind of insult? Or literal preference for 12 year old boys?

Read your own work buddy, you wrote it, all of it. I think the real coward, for example, is one who reveals their identity only after being protected by a retirement. You know longer have to worry about getting “spanked” by anyone in the industry.

I’m not debating you here, I’m not master in the IT world. But geeze.

[B]I’ve been following this site since the beginning, and I’ve seen the proverbial “doozers”.

You my friend, are top ten in my book. Is this all you can bring out of all that maritime experience and education?

I suggest getting another alias, and start fresh. [/B]

[/B]

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[QUOTE=Kingfysh;65349]The guy is a troll. Move along, please.[/QUOTE]

Yep, this guy ThatGuy is not worth wasting bandwidth on.

35

I suggest getting another alias

Yeah, what she said!..change your name buddy because you are defaming ThatGirl!

Any of you readers who, like yours truly, can actually remember watching ThatGirl and Marlo Thomas on ABC, you are too effing old! If you can remember the theme, like yours truly, then you are too effing sick! Get help…the magicians at big pharma make meds that can treat your condition now. Just look at what they’ve done for me :wink:

Did I mention that I think bangs on a brunette looks HOT!

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[QUOTE=c.captain;65303]Dearest Captain uniblab

I found your .gov websiteand found that everything you posted is just more regurgitated mashed peas spit up by the DOT itself. First you don’t post anything you actually wrote yourself but worse, you post words written by those covered with all the shit. Of course they are going to say that it isn’t really shit and that is doesn’t smell at all.

Next time write your own reply or at least find something written by an independent unbiased source supporting KP…that is if you can find one?

.[/QUOTE]

Hello Sir,

Thanks for the reply. It is about what I expected from the c.captain echo chamber that these forums are becoming. I can’t help but notice that you didn’t counter any of my facts; you just called them names. Your hatred of KP is quite obvious and it borders on the pathological. Perhaps one day you’ll let us know the origin of it. The obvious answer is failure to get admitted to KP, failure to matriculate from KP, or that you suffered a bad turn from some KP alumni. The apocalyptic waste of money that you claim occurs at KP doesn’t seem to balance with your rage. Like I showed you yesterday, KP consumes 2/100000 of the federal budget, hard to imagine someone getting so fired up over this. The internet is full of examples of truly egregious wastes of the taxpayers money that dwarf the KP budget, like this one:

GAO audit concluded that up to $1.4 billion - perhaps as much as 16 percent of the billions of dollars in assistance expended after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita - was spent for bogus reasons, to include:
• An all-inclusive, one-week Caribbean vacation in the Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic.
• Five season tickets to New Orleans Saints professional football games.
• Adult erotica products in Houston and “Girls Gone Wild” videos in Santa Monica, Calif.
• Dom Perignon champagne and other alcoholic beverages in San Antonio.

Now waste like this gets me mad, but I am A OK with the areas of the country that were effected by Katrina and Rita remaining in the Union. In case you haven’t noticed, this waste of the taxpayers money is about 20 times the annual budget of KP. Did I mention that the KP budget is 2/100000’s of the federal budget this year? Just checking.

One constant theme in your “arguments” against KP is “that they are all arrogant” or words to that affect. Have you met and talked to all 20,000 plus KP alumni? If not, then it is hard to figure out your generalization. If you think that every KP alum that you encounter is arrogant, then maybe it is a “you” problem.

Also, one question for you…Do you work on a US flag ship? Do you pay US taxes? Have a great day and stay safe out there.

37

Like I showed you yesterday, KP consumes 2/100000 of the federal budget, hard to imagine someone getting so fired up over this

Almost $90 million dollars per anum go to operate and support a failed institution funded by the US Congress. Since I am a US citizen and taxpayer I have a right to criticize said institution. That is my right in any forum public or private.

Just for the record, this is why I have a hard on over Kings Point:

  1. established mismanagement and clear evidence of corruption within its hallowed walls
  2. it is no longer needed as a defense asset (proven by the surge sealift in 1990/91)
  3. the cost to graduate one 3rd mate/engineer is between 4 and 5 times what it costs to graduate exactly the same officers from state maritime schools.
  4. the US taxpayer should not be funding the educations of said officers…they should pay for their own educations since they do not have to serve active duty after graduation.
  5. KP isn’t even very good training new maritime officers…SUNY is the best imo, but the other state schools are all better than KP

It is absolutely immaterial that it is only 2/100000 of the Federal budget. Do you pay taxes yourself? Do support waste of that money you pay to the US Treasury? If you don’t, then you cannot criticize me…SIR!

btw, I abhor all waste in government and there is much greater misuse of taxpayer’s money than little ole KP. I have commanded commercial vessels on contract to MSC so have seen the appalling waste in the Department of the Navy…something you live right in the middle of and probably support. Do you want me to start criticizing the MSC, the Navy and the DoD? I’ll start with the SBX platform and could go on forever here if you’d like me to just so you know it isn’t just KP I loath

oops…I almost forgot one more for my list of why I don’t like KP

  1. a bad, mean, nasty KP captain spanked me real hard with his big paddle and it hurt my little bottom but I was ok after I cwyied my little eyes and the bad booboo on my bottom went away…then I had an ice cream!

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38

You my friend, are top ten in my book

Do you remember the Gun Looney who wanted merchant mariners the right to open carry aboard ship? He was A#1 in my book!

Is this all you can bring out of all that maritime experience and education?

Correction…NO maritime expereince and education!

Here is Mr. Weiner’s bio:

Howard Weiner was appointed the second Chief Information Officer (CIO) effective July 12, 2004. As the CIO, Mr. Weiner is responsible for all enterprise systems, infrastructure, and related technologies at the Academy.

A resident of Glen Cove, Mr. Weiner was most recently the Chief Operating Officer of the technology agency charged with meeting the enterprise computing and information system needs of Virginia’s 23 community colleges. While at the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), Mr. Weiner lead the effort which resulted into the world’s largest implementation of both the PeopleSoft Student Administration System and the Blackboard Course Management System.

Prior to joining the VCCS, Mr. Weiner was the CIO for Virginia’s Department of Social Services. During his tenure, Virginia embarked on a major overhaul of its social service systems and supporting infrastructure. In 2001, the Center for Digital Government recognized this effort by ranking Virginia tied for first place among the states.

For twelve years, Mr. Weiner lead a private sector firm providing consulting and professional services to Fortune 1000 companies primarily in the financial services sector. He was also the founding publisher and editor of the periodical, The Data Management Journal.

Mr. Weiner started his career in Information Technology first as a Professor of Information Systems at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College, and later as a Professor of Computer Science at The American University in Washington, DC. He received his A.S. from Montgomery Community College in 1970, a B.S. in Computer Science from The Pennsylvania State University in 1972, and an M.S. in Information Systems from The American University in 1975

Quite the mariner…don’t you agree? Speaking of great mariners on the staff at KP, where’s Captain Kenneth R. Force, USMS? Now there is one salty old maritime type dude if there ever was one…"STRIKE UP THE KP MARCHING BAND!

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39

goodness…how suddenly everything has gone so very quiet now. I bet you could hear a mouse fart in the basement!

hellooo…mr. thatguy…are you there? We miss you and want you to come back…please?

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40

Well there we have it ladies and gentlemen, ThatGuy is just another pretend KP bull who proves in the end not to have any balls at all and is in fact only a dairy cow just moo’ing away at the moon.

You guys really make this too easy. Send me a true fighter and worthy opponent if you want a piece of me! In the mean time I’ll be waiting and sharpening my (Kings) pointy stick.