[Milsurplus] France to ban military collections

[Hue Miller]

While we're bashing Fr*nce, let me mention something:
i have a vhf scanner going here 24x7, and just heard the
USCG station here in Newport, Oregon, calling asking
for all to look out for any vessel in distress, as an EPIRB
was just heard. ( CG even gave MHz frequency of EPIRB ).
However, what's bizarre, to my mind, is the way the CG
station heads the emergency broadcast, "PAN PAN, 
PAN PAN, PAN PAN" This is Coast Guard station
Yaquina Bay"  Now, pan is french for "bread", am i not
correct? It certainly is, in Spanish. Why use a term
that dates back to some ancient outdated international
radio agreeement, that was decided before VHF fm came
into wide use? This CG station has a range of probably
30-40 miles at best, not overseas, and "PAN" has scant
connection to USA boaters today. Why not just use,
"EMERGENCY", or "ALERT!"   I am thinking about 
writing the top officer in the USCG to point out the
silliness of this anachronism.
*To give France its due, the USA would most likely not
have won its indpendence, in the 1770s war, if not for
the French navy and some military advisors.
Hue Miller