Most Conservative yet Not Stone Cold Sober

Colleges and Universities A-Z Merchant Marine Academy - Kings Point
1

<p>While a fairly dubious source,</p>

<p>the newest Princeton Review lists USMMA as one of the 10
MOST CONSERVATIVE Colleges in America
<a href="http://spotlight.encarta.msn.com/Features/encnet_Departments_College_default_article_10schoolsPoliticallyConservative08.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://spotlight.encarta.msn.com/Features/encnet_Departments_College_default_article_10schoolsPoliticallyConservative08.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Conservatism is almost an unknown animal these days in this country.
Especially amongst politicians.</p>

<p>Yet, and perhaps more interestingly
Kings Point IS NOT one of the
Stone Cold Sober colleges although
EVERY other service academy was listed as sober top 10</p>

<p>I dont know it to be a problem
but I do believe from experience that
sailors drink.</p>

<p>Anyone have comment or thoughts
or is it balderdash ?</p>

2

<p>


Well, they did. Probably a whole lot less down in Annapolis this year. It is so bad that some of the moms are fearful that many of the eating and drinking establishments might go out of business.</p>

<p>However, from what I have read from their posts, it would be a real leap to call some of them 'sailors'.</p>

3

<p>while everyone here can debate the "labels", isn't it an odd way to judge a college? additionally, there are a large number of colleges that I would have assumed were higher on the list for such a label. There are thousands of possible criteria for such a label (that could be included or excluded based on the bias of the reviewer). Though all said, I'm surprised that USNA is 6th and there is no sign of USMA or CG</p>

4

<p>USNA was listed among Top 10 Stone-Cold Sober colleges
as was USCGA USAFA USMA
but USMMA was not</p>

<p>My inside info says
this was no oversight</p>

<p>Yes, to correct myself
as I see it
for eons
Mariners drink
Sailors swim in it.
Until a couple decades ago,
it (alcohol) was rationed as food.</p>

<p>I think a part of the culture that wont
leave in our time</p>

5

<p>sailors drink like fish. Its part of the work hard, play hard mentality that we live by here at the Academy. Personally, I thouroughly enjoy going out on the weekends and drinkin it up with my friends. After a week of long hours, it seems to be well deserved. Now, if this means that we are labeled negatively, then so be it. I never really cared what people think of the Academy, and I'm not about to start.</p>

6

<p>As I thought</p>

<p>these and most labels are balderdash</p>

<p>and the food must be much better this year</p>

<p>Go KP</p>

7

<p>Princeton Review? <em>cough</em> bull <em>cough</em>
Excuse me. Must have had something in my throat. :D</p>

8

<p>Probably a chicken feather from Delano :D</p>

9

<p>Yes, sailors drink.. I happen to know a little bit about that first hand.. :)
Alcohol, is as they used to say in the Royal Navy, the "Framework of Hospitality". :)</p>

<p>pipe "Up Spirits!" and then "Splice the Main Brace!!" :)</p>

10

<p>DD1 kinda brings a little ditty to mind....</p>

<p>Yo Ho Yo Ho its a pirates life for me.</p>

11

<p>All in all
Conservative label is far
preferable to the Stone-Cold Sober</p>

<p>eeerrrppp</p>

12

<p>yes yes, sailors kicking up "Bob's-a-Dying".. :) :) :) "been there, done that..." :)</p>

13

<p>cheers to being conservative!</p>

14

<p>i'm not surprised. there's a lot of alcohol issues here. it happens. they try, usually to no avail, to control it. such is the life of mariners.</p>

15

<p>2day and others
just watch your step KPers
and watch the Regimental back
you know right from wrong
and you know when liberty ends
you know whats important
(speaking for me)
we trust your instincts</p>

16

<p>This has been circulating the web for several years. I tried snopes.com but got no info as to the story's authenticity. If there is any truth in the story, our midshipmen are following a great tradition. (USNA seems to have fallen down on the job.)</p>

<p>The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators.</p>

<p>However, let it be noted that according to her log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannonshot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."</p>

<p>Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping." </p>

<p>Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.</p>

<p>Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.</p>

<p>On 18 November, she set sail for England. In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the rum aboard each.</p>

<p>By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. </p>

<p>Then she headed home. </p>

<p>The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky and 38,600 gallons of stagnant water. </p>

<p>GO NAVY!</p>

17

<p>As a parent I didn't send my kid off to recieve any particular political ideology, conservative or liberal. I want my mid to learn how to think. They serve the Constitution, not any political party. As for the social aspects of a sailor's life read the Master & Commander series by Patrick O'Brian. To all the Mariners of KP, let me be the first to raise my glass and say "Skoal".</p>

18

<p>BEAT NAVY</p>

<p>Story is completely plausible</p>

<p>Even today, water on many smaller commercial vessels and tugboats is completely NON POTABLE and marked as such. Guaranteed sickness.</p>

<p>Such was same during our Revolution and in 10000 BC when men loaded their dhows to trade up the African coast they took on wine too. Its been this way a long long time.</p>

<p>And thus this purely practical and sometimes intoxicating tradition was born.</p>

<p>BTW, Washington died in 1799. A useless fact that haunts me</p>

19

<p>St. Crispian, well said. Very well said.</p>

<p>NFODad, the first time I'd seen that was when an Army COL pal sent it to me upon learning that my kid received his appointment. A very sarcastic note was attached asking if we were sure he was making the right decision in not going Army. Too funny.</p>

<p>Are there any other parents out there who have been forced into watching Horatio Hornblower a record number of times? I know for a fact that some people aboard the Comfort now have. :rolleyes:</p>

20

<p>Prouddad - I am so glad you posted this thread. Initially, I was surprised to find USMMA not listed among the sober schools. Upon further thinking, I thought it must be the off-campus behavior (Sea Year?) that keeps them off. But that is my question. Does this poll take into account off-campus behavior? There is no way they drink on-campus, right? That would break the Honor Code? And are seniors (over 21) allowed to drink? What are the Academy rules there?</p>