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Gadgets for the Lazy

Posted by Zonk on from the worse-or-better dept.

theodp writes "The Pentagon has found the perfect way to demonstrate it's purely the thought that counts - 700 bugle emulators which sit in real bugles and play 'Taps' at military funerals. The Ceremonial Bugle is just one item in Wired's collection of Gadgets for the Lazy."

5 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. Re:As an unemployed bugle player by MBCook · · Score: 2, Interesting
    They can't. I head a story about it a while back on NPR (a year or two maybe). I don't know if it is because you have to attend all those funerals, because of all the practice, or what but they just can't find enough people who know how to play the bugle or will learn.

    They could fix this by ordering people to learn and play at the funerals, but they don't do that (I don't think they should).

    As another poster pointed out, this is better than a CD player (ceremonially).

    --
    Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
  2. National Anthem. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "The Pentagon has found the perfect way to demonstrate it's purely the thought that counts - 700 bugle emulators which sit in real bugles and play 'Taps' at military funerals. The Ceremonial Bugle is just one item in Wired's collection of Gadgets for the Lazy."

    How about a Gadget that you can insert into singers that plays the national anthem correctly at sports events?

  3. Re:It doesn't matter. by crmartin · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You know what? I grew up in a music store, and played at most all instruments. Fifty grand won't help --- even fifty grand a year won't help. There are only so many people with the "lip".

    We're burying a couple thousand WWII vets a month now....

  4. Re:I'm not sure it's that easy. by mcmaddog · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The Navy likes to call it the "Confidence Room" because it makes you confident your gas mask really does work. When I went through Recruit Training in Great Lakes it wasn't that bad, but you don't want to puke because then you have to stay and clean it up yourself. Also, no one gets to leave until you've all removed your masks and stated your name and serial number (not an easy chore when you're choking up a lung.)

  5. We've used this with -zero- complaints... by Shipwack · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I'm active Navy, stationed in Cape Canaveral, Florida. We're a small command (30 people or so)and one of our duties is to provide a military presence to any veteran funeral in the area that asks us too. Depending on the wishes for the family, we escort the casket, we fold the flag, present it to the widow (toughest job), and play taps. Our "area" is from Palm Beach to Daytona, and as far west as Orlando. We do several funerals a week, often two a day.

    As many others have pointed out, we use these (we have three of them)not because of laziness, but because no one has the skill set required to play the bugle -well-. The actual device is a small player that fits exactly inside the bell of a real bugle, so it resonates and has a far nicer tone than a tape recorder, plus looks much better. We have had numerous compliments on our "bugle player", and even those that could tell the difference feel that it is much better than a tape recorder.

    I only attended one funeral where the bugle was specifically -not- requested... it was for a WWII Merchant Marine vet who was a member of a jazz band, and his buddies not only plyed taps, but did little improvisational riffs throughout hte service.