Old Retired Petty Officer

FROM A CANADIAN HOUSEWIFE

2012-01-29T21:42:00.000-08:00

This was at Stormbringer. It is a good read. I am going to send it to my congress critters, two of which are known traitors to the Republic, Babbling Babs and Dumb Ass Diane. The Rep is Kevin McCarthy(R) Bakersfield and most of Kern County. I live in Kern County. He listens.

This letter to the editor surfaced in the STORMBRINGER mailbag. Apparently written by a Canadian woman, it also applies to the USA, UK and Australia. Written by a housewife in New Brunswick, Canada to her local newspaper - this is one ticked off lady . . . S.L.

"Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not, started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001 and have continually threatened to do so since?

Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from the capitol of the USA and in a field in Pennsylvania?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

Do you think I care about four U.S. Marines urinating on some dead Taliban insurgents?

And I'm supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to be tortured by a justice system of a nation they are fighting against in a brutal Insurgency.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East, start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief of which, is a crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan.

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head, while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called insurgents in Afghanistan, come out and fight like men, instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in Mosques and behind women and children.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search of Nirvana, care about the innocent children within range of their suicide Bombs.

I'll care when the Canadian media stops pretending that their freedom of Speech on stories, is more important than the lives of the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting at home, to hear about them when something happens.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a CANADIAN soldier roughing up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know this:

I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:

I don't care. Shoot him again.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and fed 'special' food, that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe, in your heart of hearts:

I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you guessed it.

I don't care!!

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail Friends. Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior!

If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add:

Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering, if during their life on earth, they made a difference in the world. But, the Soldiers don't have that problem.

I have another quote that I would like to share AND...I hope you forward All this.

One last thought for the day:

Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ

2. The British Soldier.

3. The Canadian Soldier.

4. The US Soldier, and

5. The Australian Soldier

One died for your soul, the other four, for you and your children's Freedom.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET!

A Basic Mistake That Trashed a JSTARS

2012-01-29T12:18:00.000-08:00

This was the link at Bring the Heat, Bring the Stupid.
This J-STARS is no longer a flyable aircraft.
Tool Control System had a failure. That is not a good thing.
There is a ton of pictures at the link.
http://defensetech.org/2012/01/27/a-basic-mistake-that-trashed-a-jstars/#more-16157

Giant Fireball at LAX Part of Training Exercise

2012-01-26T21:11:00.000-08:00

From KTLA 5 in LA.
Seems the good guys at LA County FD were getting some serious training.
Good story from Lynette Romero.
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-lax-fire-drill,0,226623.story

I am tired

2012-01-25T04:53:00.000-08:00

It has been a rather hectic start to our adventure at Nellis.
Things have not gone our way, ya might say.
It was lights out before 2200 last night..........................just woke up a while ago.
Breakfast is at 0600 and off to the flight line at about 0700. Back at it again.
Waiting for the weekend.......but that could turn out a bit different than one would expect.
Yeah.

Milestone: 100K

2012-01-22T16:07:00.000-08:00

Sometime today while at the big briefing for Red Flag, I hit the One Hundred Thousand Page View mark.
Thanks again to all who have made that happen. I do appreciate it!

Gabrielle Giffords to Resign from Congress; Update: Arizona Governor to Set Special Election

2012-01-22T16:04:00.000-08:00

From Michelle Malkin today.
I wish Congresswoman Giffords all the best and definitely for a full recovery. Perhaps the scum she has to share the Democratic Party with will finally shut up about that horrible day. Leave the fine lady and her family in peace. Just saying ya know.
http://michellemalkin.com/2012/01/22/gabrielle-giffords-to-resign-from-congress/

Navy Biofuel Contract: Another Solyndra?

2012-01-19T19:51:00.000-08:00

..........At a time when the military budget is under attack and is being cut, the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Navy announced earlier this month (December, 2011) that the Navy bought 450,000 gallons of biofuel at $26 per gallon, $16 per gallon if the biofuel is mixed with regular jet fuel. That is up to nine times the cost of regular jet fuel. In August, 2011, the Obama administration announced their intentions to spend $510 million during the next three years to buy advanced “drop-in” biofuel for military transportation. The purchase is part of the Obama administration’s “We Can’t Wait” initiative, which involves bypassing Congress when possible. And all of this comes as Obama cancels the Keystone XL oil pipeline that would facilitate access to the estimated 1.7 trillion barrels of oil in North America.............

"We Can't Wait" OK. So the rush to bypass the Congress and do business via "executive order" is starting to show some serious problems.
$26 a gallon? So the forces will simply have to stay at home now due to the extreme cost of operating in what is for them a normal manner? I knew the Sand Crawler In Chief hated us but he has taken that to a completely new level................
The rest is at the link.

http://conservativedailynews.com/2012/01/navy-biofuel-contract-another-solyndra/

A day off

2012-01-16T09:26:00.000-08:00

Today is a federal holiday. Yours truly gets a days pay today........yep.

That being said, tomorrow I have to start the prep for my little trip to Las Vegas. Going to Red Flag.

I get to play war...................or more correctly.................practice for war with the guys who will go and have been there, recently.

I am going to be "shown off" I think. I will always be on a flyer with my buddy on the other one. Our young "hot shot" Work Leader will have the spare. My boss is going to be plugging me to the rest of the units there. I will more than likely be the oldest crew chief at this event and at 57, that is a good bet.

So, with some luck, I may get some shots for later posting. Seems the kids at Nellis are a bit sensitive about things.

Last night, My Beloved Canadiens did win over the Rangers 4 to 1.

The local boys split up north of the 49th. The Kings lost in Edmonton 2-1 in overtime and the Ducks did a good job on Vancouver 4-2.

A cartoon for the day.

2012-01-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

Do not freak out on this one, folks. Take it for what it is. Nothing is implied by me, the blog owner.

Click to make big so it will be easier to read, should it be necessary to do so. I got this from a nice lady at Google +. She happens to be a very devout Catholic and she thought it was funny.
Why am I rationalizing this? My French-Flemish Catholic Grandmother and my Norwegian Lutheran Grandmother will be paying me a visit if I do not give a civilized explanation.
I just think it is funny.

Why on earth would a pretty girl like you go and do something like that? What happened when Héloïse Goodley swapped her designer heels for Army boots

2012-01-15T06:32:00.000-08:00

Héloïse Goodley thought she had a dream job when she started work as a City banker. But at the age of just 27, she traded it in for four-minute meals, ironing her own bed and singing in Nepalese – all part of Army officer training at Sandhurst. Here, the first woman to write about life at the world-famous military academy reveals some of the bizarre practices she encountered there . . .

Before

After

The rest of the article is at the link. I like this young lady. Left the reservation as it were.

Desert Crud. Something like the Whidbey Crud

2012-01-14T14:50:00.000-08:00

It started on Tuesday night with the ear aches and sore throat. Wednesday was hard down, horizontal except for trips to the john and fluid intake. Went to work on Thursday and Friday. Yesterday did a "just because we are taking the jet to Red Flag wash." The afternoon spiraled after that. Lunch was at about 1345 then the meeting for Red Flag. Then doing the online business with my travel card stuff. I finally got the left overs from my trip to Utah all done.
The Missus and I went to one of our local eateries for a bit for dinner. Came home and it was time to get up close and personal with Ms. Nyquil.
Tried to do some OT this morning.............didn't quite work out as I lasted all of an hour and a half.
Head is stuffed like there is a basketball inside of it. Drainage. Fever and chills. OJ in the Fridge. The possibility of some hot toddies later is there. Hate to use Maker's Mark but it is what I have. Maybe I will slide to the Rite Aid and grab a bottle of a decent Canadian Blend for Medicinal Purposes.
I feel like I have been pulled through a knot hole, over a bad set of rail road tracks and tossed in the infamous drainage canal at Subic Bay(aka......Shit River)

Indictment: St. Joseph was hub of nationwide immigration scheme

2012-01-11T17:49:00.000-08:00

This was on Google + this evening. I wonder how McCaskill is going to spin this one. Curious as to what the citizens of Buchanan County are thinking about it right now. Interesting.
Got some old buds there from the Herzog days. Gonna ask.
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2012/01/11/indictment-st-joseph-was-hub-of.html

F-35 Lightning II News

2012-01-10T20:40:00.000-08:00

U.S. Navy and U.K. Royal Navy F-35 unable to get aboard ship.

We have the F-16C and D blocks 52 and 60 in production but those are for other countries. We are not buying any Fighting Falcons for the US Air Force.

The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E & F are in full rate production for the Navy and soon the Marine Corps and will fit the bill nicely in the multi role capacity. It is constantly being improved to be more competitive in the world market.......But perhaps we should think about it for our Forces. The F-16s in service have been through multiple overhauls and some almost complete rebuilds. It was initially designed as a light weight fighter for air to air only and it was to be, essentially, a throw away airplane.

Gonna be interesting to say the least.

http://www.f-16.net/news_article4494.html

Dressed to frill! Mila Kunis steps out in flirty and feminine plunging purple dress as she attends children’s hospital gala

2012-01-09T20:33:00.000-08:00

This was mentioned by the one and only Theo Spark of Last Of The Few at American Power.
She is really good looking ain't she. Younger than all my kids as well.

The rest are at the link with a few other rather lovely ladies!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2083748/Mila-Kunis-steps-flirty-feminine-plunging-purple-dress-attends-children-s-hospital-gala.html

From Buck: Another great post

2012-01-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

"Limited interest" unless you smoke cigars, at which time there's this excerpt from an e-mail I received from cigar.com...

http://exileinportales.blogspot.com/2012/01/of-limited-interest.html

Go. Read. Be. Enlightened.

theBRIGADE: Photos of the Week

2012-01-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

http://thebrigade.thechive.com/2012/01/06/thebrigade-photos-of-the-week-4/

Not sure if this is a TRUE letter but it speaks volumes for the American People

2012-01-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

I saw this at Google+ this morning. Pretty good one. As it says in the title, it may or may not be true. I can see it being partially so as we are talking about a politician here.

Alan Simpson, Senator from Wyoming , Co-Chair of Obama's deficit commission, calls senior citizens the Greediest Generation as he compared "Social Security" to a Milk Cow with 310 million teats.

Here's a response in a letter from PATTY MYERS in Wyoming ... I think she is a little ticked off! She also tells it like it is!
"Hey Alan, let's get a few things straight..
1. As a career politician, you have been on the public dole for FIFTY YEARS.
2. I have been paying Social Security taxes for 48 YEARS (since I was 15 years old. I am now 63).
3 My Social Security payments, and those of millions of other Americans, were safely tucked away in an interest bearing account for decades until you political pukes decided to raid the account and give OUR money to a bunch of zero ambition losers in return for votes, thus bankrupting the system and turning Social Security into a Ponzi scheme that would have made Bernie Madoff proud..
4. Recently, just like Lucy & Charlie Brown, you and your ilk pulled the proverbial football away from millions of American seniors nearing retirement and moved the goalposts for full retirement from age 65 to age 67. NOW, you and your shill commission is proposing to move the goalposts YET AGAIN.
5. I, and millions of other Americans, have been paying into Medicare from Day One, and now you morons propose to change the rules of the game. Why? Because you idiots mismanaged other parts of the economy to such an extent that you need to steal money from Medicare to pay the bills.
6. I, and millions of other Americans, have been paying income taxes our entire lives, and now you propose to increase our taxes yet again. Why? Because you incompetent bastards spent our money so profligately that you just kept on spending even after you ran out of money. Now, you come to the American taxpayers and say you need more to pay off YOUR debt.
To add insult to injury, you label us "greedy" for calling "bullshit" on your incompetence. Well, Captain Bullshit, I have a few questions for YOU.
1. How much money have you earned from the American taxpayers during your pathetic 50-year political career?
2. At what age did you retire from your pathetic political career, and how much are you receiving in annual retirement benefits from the American taxpayers?
3. How much do you pay for YOUR government provided health insurance?
4. What cuts in YOUR retirement and healthcare benefits are you proposing in your disgusting deficit reduction proposal, or, as usual, have you exempted yourself and your political cronies?
It is you, Captain Bullshit, and your political co-conspirators called Congress who are the "greedy" ones. It is you and your fellow nutcases who have bankrupted America and stolen the American dream from millions of loyal, patriotic taxpayers. And for what? Votes. That's right, sir. You and yours have bankrupted America for the sole purpose of advancing your pathetic political careers. You know it, we know it, and you know that we know it.
And you can take that to the bank, you miserable son of a bitch .
If you like the way things are in America delete this. If you agree with what a fellow Wyoming citizen Patty Myers says, PASS IT
ON!!! .

Longtime TV anchor Kim Setty dies at age 47

2012-01-06T21:33:00.000-08:00

This was in the Wichita Eagle.
Kim Setty was the Noon News on KWCH. I watched it a lot when I was working other than normal shifts. Sad news indeed.
http://www.kansas.com/2012/01/05/2163703/longtime-tv-anchor-kim-setty-dies.html

3666 dropping small diameter bombs

2012-01-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

I got this from the EPAF program manager who is a Retired Lt. Col maintenance type. Margaret Fleming, I am also her crew chief as this is the lead ship in the program.
Pretty cool shot!

Christine!

The nickname is from the movie with the 57 Plymouth that was so evil.............The Norwegians called this jet by that name for a while....................
For a really good look open in a new window!

Google May Come To The Rescue Of Historic 'Hangar One'

2012-01-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

This was up at AirPigz today.
This is the biggest hangar that I know of. It should be preserved as a National Historic Treasure at least. But if the rich boys at Google keep it going, that is all right by me. A lot of Patrol Squadron guys know that place.

http://airpigz.com/blog/2012/1/4/google-may-come-to-the-rescue-of-historic-hangar-one.html
Hangar One was built in the 1930's and once housed the USS Macon, the 784 foot long US Navy airship built by the Goodyear-Zeppelin company. Moffett Field is also home to the awesome Farmers Insurance Zeppelin NT airship.

Boeing To Close Wichita Facility By The End Of 2013

2012-01-04T22:57:00.000-08:00

From Aeronews.net.

Defense Budget Reductions, Limited Opportunities For New Work And Competitive Cost Structure Driving Need To Close Facility.

http://www.aero-news.net/ANNTicker.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=c3e5a231-ca1f-4aab-b7f5-f24fc83ab655

This one is from The Wichita Eagle.

http://www.kansas.com/2012/01/04/2162092/boeing-to-close-wichita-plant.html

Wichita facility’s closing will affect 2,160 Boeing workers

This place has been open for a long time. And by the end of 2013 it will be closed. It does mostly defense work.

Another aircraft company laying off as a result of serious stupid on the part of the current administration and the former speaker and majority leader.

"We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

2012-01-03T16:47:00.000-08:00

Kim Harkins is a Facebook friend of mine. She had this beauty up today.

Checking out at the grocery store recently, the young cashier suggested I should bring my own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. I apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She was right about one thing -- our generation didn't have the green thing in “Our” day. So what did we have back then…? After some reflection and soul-searching on "Our" day here's what I remembered we did have....

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles repeatedly. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right. We didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint. But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Pilot Report: Boeing 737 vs. McDonnell-Douglas MD-80

2012-01-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

New one I found at Wordpress. A commercial pilot. Good stuff!
Jet Head!!!!!!!!!!!
http://jethead.wordpress.com/2011/12/17/pilot-report-boeing-737-vs-mcdonnell-douglas-md-80/
It is on the blogroll!

Translations of Common Euphemisms

2012-01-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

Here is why conservatives and liberals don't get along. They speak a different language. And all this time I thought they both spoke English.

Translations of Common Euphemisms

DEMOCRAT- REPUBLICAN
Arsenal of Weapons- Gun Collection
Delicate Wetlands-Swamp
Undocumented Worker- Illegal Alien
Cruelty-Free Material -Synthetic Fiber
Assault and Battery- Attitude Adjustment
Heavily Armed- Well protected
Narrow-minded -Righteous
Taxes or Your Fair Share- Coerced Theft
Common Sense Gun Control- Gun Confiscation Plot
Illegal Hazardous Explosives- Fireworks or Stump Removal
Non-viable Tissue Mass- Unborn Baby
Equal Access to Opportunity- Socialism
Multicultural Community- High Crime Area
Fairness or Social Progress- Marxism
Upper Class or "The Rich "- Self-Employed
Progressive, -Change Big Government Scheme
Sniper Rifle- Scoped Deer Rifle
Investment For the Future- Higher Taxes
Healthcare Reform- Socialized Medicine
Extremist, Judgmental, or Hater- Conservative
Truants- Homeschoolers
High Capacity Magazine- Standard Capacity Magazine
Religious Zealot- Church-going
Reintroduced Wolves- Sheep and Elk Killers
Fair Trade Coffee -Overpriced Yuppie Coffee
Exploiters or "The Rich"- Employed or Land Owner
The Gun Lobby -NRA Members
Assault Weapon- Semi-Auto (Grandpa's M1 Carbine)
Fiscal Stimulus- New Taxes and Higher Taxes
Same Sex Marriage- Legalized Perversion
Mandated Eco-Friendly Lighting- Chinese Mercury-Laden Light Bulbs
Accepted Facts- Horse Shit

This was at Facebook by my friend Joan.

My Friend Eleanor from Seattle sings Ave Maria

2012-01-02T00:34:00.000-08:00

We are in the same club.......sort of. Eleanor has survived Lymphoma. My go around with Renal Cell is almost pedestrian in comparison.
She is a wonderful sounding board for a crusty old sea dog, such as myself and I will always treasure her friendship.
So enjoy this most amazing voice.................I do.

Bid for Ark Royal dive site boosted

2012-01-01T10:55:00.000-08:00

From a friend of mine at Facebook. It was in the Shropshire Star.
Does the MoD need some cash? Just wondering ya know, after all we bought all the Brits Harriers didn't we?
http://www.shropshirestar.com/uk/uk-news/2012/01/01/bid-for-ark-royal-dive-site-boosted/

HMS Ark Royal was launched in 1981

Ninety Thousand Views

2011-12-31T12:28:00.000-08:00

Somewhere around 1200 hours local time, I got viewer number 90,000. Good Grief Charlie Brown!
Again, many, many thanks to Buck, Jeff, Kath, Ann, Cindy(My Sweet Georgia Peach), Opus, My Sister and Joy!
Wow! Next stop is the Big 100K!
Thanks to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hot girl A-10 high-res checkers…we should play (34 HQ Photos)

2011-12-31T11:11:00.000-08:00

Awesome goodness high-res checkers from The Brigade!
Keep Calm and Chive On!

The above are to generate some interest. The rest are at the link!
Chive On, my Friends and Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!
http://thebrigade.thechive.com/2011/12/28/hot-girl-a-10-high-res-checkers%E2%80%A6we-should-play-25-hq-photos/#close

A-29 Super Tucano Wins Air Force Bid for Light Air Support Mission (Updated at 1100-31December2011)

2011-12-30T21:57:00.000-08:00

The Brazilians got the deal. Hawker Beechcraft is going to court and all to stop this as they got left out of the process. Hard to believe since most of the IAM&AW rank and file there voted overwhelmingly for the current administration. I was working there at the time.

And Hawker Beechcraft is in some trouble, two of the small jet lines are not shut down but not building anythng. The King Air is at half the rate it was when I was there.

That being said, I think the Super Tucano is a better platform for what is needed. The AT-6 is a trainer with hard points. The Super Tucano is a derived from the original trainer but is a larger, more powerful aircraft. I am trying to be objective here, folks. Combat Airplanes have made up a significant part of my adult life. Even now, I am a crew chief on F-16's at Edwards AFB.

The final assembly for these A-29s will be in Jacksonville FL on the old NAS Cecil Field.
Now for the caveat as it were. Seems that some time back I read an article on Air Attack, I do believe that had Brazil buying a fair number of McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E & F aircraft for their Air Force. This is good for the folks in Saint Louis should it come to fruition.

But here is the article from MSN Money on it. There are all kinds of articles on the net about this and I am sure we haven't heard the last of it by any stretch.
http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=PR&Date=20111230&ID=14656335

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_314_Super_Tucano#Specifications_.28EMB_314.29

http://www.hawkerbeechcraft.com/military_and_special_mission/light_attack.aspx This link has no specifications on the AT-6.
I also have an ex son in law at Hawker Beechcraft. He pays support for my eldest grand daughter. I understand the ramifications of the situation all to well.

AT-6 Artist's Conception

EMB-314(A-29) Super Tucano.

I think the Army would have liked to have a hand in this. I think there are infantry company commanders who would like to have such aircraft at their disposal in combat situations. The fast movers do have all that neat techno blasting stuff. I see the test munitions and the systems engineers every day. But the favorite close support aircraft of the grunts tends to be the A-10. It does it very well, kill the bad guy that is.

I hope I have maintained some objectivity on this. I always remind myself that the F4 went into service over the F8U-3 for having two guys and two engines even though the Crusader out flew it.

This link has some new info at Aero News. I saw it a while ago. Figured it was appropriate to add it in as I am trying to be objective in this fracas.

http://www.aero-news.net/subsite.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=bf570077-b074-45fb-ada7-bed1955d0747

Video Tour of ANA’s First Boeing 787 Dreamliner

2011-12-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

Just a link to a few month old post at this particular site.
But, hey it is a good looking airliner........in my most humble estimation!
http://www.airlinereporter.com/2011/08/video-tour-of-anas-first-boeing-787-dreamliner/

Impossibly Rare 'Flying Dorito' (A-12 Avenger II) Canopy For Sale On eBay!

2011-12-27T21:46:00.000-08:00

This was at AirPigz. Most interesting indeed. I remember when Cheney cancelled the A-12 program. I wound up with a new phase branch officer. He was a Atlantic Fleet type before coming west. VA-128 was to be the primary lead in for the A-12 program.
http://airpigz.com/blog/2011/12/27/impossibly-rare-flying-dorito-a-12-avenger-ii-canopy-for-sal.html

A War Hero Is Vindicated–Again

2011-12-26T15:58:00.000-08:00

Front Page Mag.
This needs to be spread around. The MSM, and the scum we have inside the beltway need to have this shoved in their faces like rubbing a dog's nose in his own crap.

................Seven long years after he allegedly committed “premeditated murder,” Iraq war veteran

Ilario Pantano, who gave up a comfortable life on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to fight for his country following the September 11th attacks, has been thoroughly vindicated. Thus ends a saga highlighted by an unconscionable rush to judgement by the military, and the subsequent trashing of Mr. Pantano’s reputation by leftists who never miss an opportunity to denigrate American soldiers based on nothing more than unproven allegations...................

http://frontpagemag.com/2011/12/26/a-war-hero-is-vindicated-again/

Europe’s Judenrein Universities

2011-12-25T22:49:00.000-08:00

By ROBERT J. AVRECH | DECEMBER 21, 2011

This is the opening three paragraphs from this post. Read it carefully. Then make up your mind.

Since the inception of this blog in May 2004, we have maintained that anti-Zionism is camouflage for Jew-hatred.

During World War II six million Jews were systematically murdered by Germans and their European collaborators. After the war, in a flicker of shame, European Jew-hatred went into a brief eclipse.

But Europe has returned to its ignoble roots.

The rest is at the link below.

http://www.seraphicpress.com/europes-judenrein-universities/#more-6723

Early Afternoon Randomness: My 2011 Christmas Wish List (22 HQ Photos)

2011-12-25T12:28:00.000-08:00

Got this at The Throttle which is part of The Chive. I usually have pics of scantily clad lasses posted from The Chive, etc.
Today is a bit of a wish list. I am giving my two favorite toys right here for you all.

Follow the link to the rest and Keep Calm and Chive on!
http://thethrottle.thechive.com/2011/12/22/my-2011-christmas-wish-list-22-hq-photos/

CHRISTMAS 1944 - BASTOGNE

2011-12-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

From Stormbringer. Excellent. As Always.
I cannot add anything to this. His prose has it covered quite well, I think.

http://seanlinnane.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-1944-bastogne.html

Peanuts Christmas at our house.

2011-12-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

Spiffy ain't it?

The Missus found the Charlie Brown Tree at the Rite Aid here in Cal City. Kind of neat, I figured. So I decided to share it with all.

So, from Our House in The High Desert, A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

Amazing Airplane Paint Jobs

2011-12-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

This is at MSN.
Really cool plane pr0n. It is.
The sample is the Air Tran Danica Jet.
Hot even in a racing suit, OK?

http://www.bing.com/travel/content/search?q=Amazing+Airplane+Paint+Jobs%3a+Kulula+Airlines&FORM=TRSSPG

From The Inbox of Buck

2011-12-23T08:52:00.000-08:00

From The Most Excellent Blog Bud, Buck at Exile in Portales!
Christmas Cheer of a different kind, as it were.
My Good Buddy Ed In Florida sends along the following photo essay...

The rest are at the link to Buck's place. I do believe you will really get a kick out of these!
Buck's Place
Merry Christmas to all of my followers and friends!
And many, many thanks to my good friend Buck with the best wishes for this Christmas Season!

Burn your bra: Sweater Kittens addition: the Chive

2011-12-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

42 Photos here courtesy of the Chive.
Samples to get your interest.

Chive On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://thechive.com/2011/12/22/burn-your-bra-sweater-kittens-addition-42-photos/

Lesbian couple's first kiss at homecoming a first for Navy, too

2011-12-21T18:16:00.000-08:00

From The Pilot on line out of Hampton Roads, VA.
Seems a gator freighter came home from a short deployment to Central America and my Navy had to put on a spectacle.
My Navy has sunk to a new low in this.
The CO and XO of Oak Hill should be relieved along with CO Amphib Base Little Creek, Amphib Forces Atlantic Fleet, CinC Surface Forces Atlantic Fleet and Commander Second Fleet.
This was a stunt, plain pure and simple in the eyes of this Old Retired Petty Officer First Class.
I put a post on Facebook about this...............I am going to catch some flak. It is quite alright. I stand on my principles. My Navy no longer has any.
http://hamptonroads.com.nyud.net/2011/12/first-lesbian-couple-get-first-kiss-navy-homecoming
" her explains how it’s going to work: Snell’s sailor will be among the first off the ship, and when it’s time, Snell will be escorted onto the pier for the kiss."
It was orchestrated and a set piece event. With approval of senior and flag officers of whom I have already mentioned.

Just not feeling it...

2011-12-18T12:57:00.000-08:00

From The Old NFO in Hawaii!
I can relate to some of this...........especially after spending a few aboard both Independence and Ranger while either in the Med or Indian Ocean.
http://oldnfo.blogspot.com/2011/12/just-not-feeling-it.html

From AirPigz: 'Barely Certified' Beauty Contest - Vote Now For The Winner

2011-12-18T08:57:00.001-08:00

A unique look at some airplanes that were neat ideas and actually certified and in production, for a while any way.
Always good plane pr0n at AirPigz!!!!!!!!!!

Hit the link for the straight skinny and the ability to enlarge the picture. And vote for your favorite while your at it, will ya????????
http://airpigz.com/blog/2011/12/16/barely-certified-beauty-contest-vote-now-for-the-winner.html

Ole and the Insurance Company Lawyer

2011-12-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

My friend at Facebook, the Laydee Texan had this on her profile today.
Being from North Central Montana..........I can so relate to Ole. Got a rather substantial amount of Norwegian in me.
Ole's car was hit by a truck in an accident. In court, the trucking company's lawyer was questioning Ole.

'Didn't you say, sir, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine?' asked the lawyer.

Ole responded, 'Vell, I'll tell you vat happened. I had yust loaded my favorite mule, Bessie, into da......'

'I didn't ask for any details', the lawyer interrupted. 'Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine'?

Ole said, 'Vell, I had yust got Bessie into da trailer and I vas driving down da road.....

The lawyer interrupted again and said, 'Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question.'

By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Ole's answer and said to the lawyer, 'I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule, Bessie'.

Ole thanked the Judge and proceeded. 'Vell, as I vas saying, I had yust loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into da trailer and vas driving her down da highvay ven dis huge semi-truck and trailer ran da stop sign and smacked my truck right in da side. I vas trown into one ditch and Bessie vas trown into da other. I vas hurting real bad and didn't vant to move. However, I could hear Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape yust by her groans'. 'Shortly after da accident da Highway Patrolman, he came to da scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he vent over to her'.

'After he looked at her and saw her fatal condition he took out his gun and shot her right 'tween da eyes.

Den da Patrolman, he came across da road, gun still smoking, looked at me and said, 'How are you feeling?'

'Now vat vould YOU say?

The gift of Choose your Weapon (24 HQ Photos)

2011-12-15T21:24:00.000-08:00

The Brigade.
All kinds of awesome weapons. Hmmmmmmm what to use????????????

Arnaud (or Arnau) Amalric (died 1225) was a Cistercian church leader who took a prominent role in the Albigensian Crusade. He is remembered for allegedly giving advice to a soldier wondering how to distinguish the Catholic friendlies from the Cathar enemies to just "Kill them all. For the Lord knows them that are His."

Got the above from Wikipedia. Can't say how accurate it is but a guy I work with said Cromwell was a plagiarist!!!!!!

I’m going with tornado because I want spring to start now

http://thebrigade.thechive.com/2011/12/14/the-gift-of-choose-your-weapon-24-hq-photos/

GALLERY: Kim Kardashian’s 40 Hottest Moments

2011-12-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

OK. I admit it. She is a damn good looking young woman. Hot. Curves. Like them curves. And I do like them Armenian Girls.
Found this gallery at Bro Bible courtesy of The Brigade.

With sister Kourtney at some overpriced hotel in Monaco.

No Comment Necessary..............

Oktoberfest. Big Beer. Big Hooters. Big Pretzel.

At the pool. Lordy what a can!

Disney character?

There be much more at the link. Yeah, she may be many things but she is gorgeous.
http://www.brobible.com/bronews/story/kim-kardashian-40-hottest-moments

Obama: I Want To Make Sure U.S. Diplomats In Iraq Come Home Alive “Because They’re Not Soldiers”… Incredible . . .

2011-12-14T18:40:00.000-08:00

Stormbringer has this one up today. I shit you not, the fuck stick camel jockey in the White House said this. Got the video at the link.
For all who thought the "hope and change" was a good thing.........I give you this.............
http://seanlinnane.blogspot.com/2011/12/obama-i-want-to-make-sure-us-diplomats.html
This should piss off all but the true leftist, marxist-leninist fucks out there. They will stand and cheer. Fuck em.........with a red hot railroad spike.

Smile, it’s Hump Day

2011-12-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

More Goodness from The Chive!

More at the link below! Keep Calm and Chive On!!!!!!!
http://thechive.com/2011/11/30/smile-its-hump-day-60-photos/#close

Get your degree from Mind the Gap University: Some Hump Day Rule Five!!!!

2011-12-13T21:34:00.000-08:00

The Chive!
A few to get everyone interested! The rest are at the link!

And one paying tribute to my Beloved Montreal Canadiens!!!!!!!!!
Nice Bum, Eh!!!!!!!

Hope you enjoy!!!!!!!
http://thechive.com/2011/12/12/get-your-degree-from-mind-the-gap-university-39-photos/

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY for The High Desert

2011-12-12T07:46:00.000-08:00

Getting our first taste of Winter!

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HANFORD HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON PST TUESDAY FOR THE KERN COUNTY DESERTS AT ELEVATIONS AT OR ABOVE 2500 FEET.

LOCATIONS INCLUDE: ROSAMOND...CALIFORNIA CITY...EDWARDS AFB... MOJAVE...RIDGECREST

Home today with light head, nausea, etc.......
The rest of the WX Advisory is at the link..............
http://www.accuweather.com/watches-warnings.asp?partner=vista4&zipcode=93524&county=CAc029&zone=CAz099

Some Rule Five from Bob Belvedere at TCOTS

2011-12-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

Sunny Leone!!!!!!
Yummy!!!!!!! Oh Yes!!!!!!!
Hat Tip to Bob!!!!!!

http://thecampofthesaints.org/2011/05/21/rule-5-saturday-64/
Thought it was a good linkage thing as sometime yesterday, this here humble blog passed 80,000 page views!!!!!

Army-Navy more than just football

2011-12-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

Army-Navy Game.

To all my friends who drool and pontificate about "their" Razorbacks, Tigers, Trojans, Ducks, Buffaloes, Longhorns, etc. Take a moment. These two teams along with The Air Force Academy Falcons are Our Teams, America's Teams. The Dallas Cowboys are not America's Team. They have a long way to go in that respect.

It is the only major college football game that I will watch. It has a historic tradition as well as all the things relayed in the article. Ramifications far beyond what an agent can do for some of those molly coddled athletes we see on the news every day.

So hit the link and read it for yourself.

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/In-season-wrecked-by-scandals-Army-Navy-football-rivalry-puts-spotlight-on-deserving-heroes-120911

More Than Just Football.

Good looking A320 of LAN

2011-12-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

I do like the paint job on LAN's aircraft. Simple and classy at the same time. Reminds me of the old Texas International from about thirty years ago or so.

Courtesy of Airplane Pictures.Net. Click and make bigger as it links to the Airplane Pictures web site.

Pearl Harbor Day By lex, on December 7th, 2011

2011-12-07T08:56:00.000-08:00

An edited repost. Copied in it's entirety.

It was 70 years ago today. For everyone of that generation – the “greatest generation”, although they didn’t know it yet – it was for them what 9/11 has become for us, without the internal rancor and divisions. Everyone could tell you exactly where they were that day. What they were wearing. Who they were with. The ones who didn’t make it back, after all the fighting was done.

Everyone alive that day remembered where they were and what they were doing the moment that a faraway world jumped in through the window and importuned itself upon a country still clawing its way out of the Great Depression. A country inwardly focused, callused by hardship. A country largely eager to remain clear of yet another nasty European brawl. A country suddenly at war.

Coming home from the Arabian Sea in the autumn of 1987, the USS Constellation pulled in to Pearl Harbor to pick up “Tigers” – family members who would sail with us from Hawaii to San Diego. On a whim my roommates and I went up to the flight deck in our summer whites to “man the rail” as we entered port. We were young and happy and ready for anything, laughing as we came on deck.

It’s a beautiful port entry, the water absurdly blue and green and white all at once, a warm breeze snapping at your trousers, happy thoughts of future entertainments never far from the forefront of your mind. You see the family housing of Hickham Air Force Base pass close along the starboard side – close! So close you could almost toss a biscuit ashore. And then you see Ford Island loom up to port, and you become thoughtful, remembering your lessons, remembering your parents’ conversations, remembering “battleship row.” Remembering because it had been passed down to you as an admonition, as a warning, as a duty: Remember.

Never forget.

And then you see her on the port quarter, what little there is to see of her above the water from an acute angle: The number 3 barbette of the USS Arizona, the watery graveyard of 1100 men and a mute testament both to perfidy and unpreparedness. Seventy years after she went down, little rainbow pools of oil still bubble to the surface from within trapped spaces and voids. Footless passageways and machinery spaces embrace the mouldering bones of sailors whose names are known but to God. The old salts say that these oil blots are her tears of rage and anguish, her tears of loss and bereavement. They say that she is weeping.

They say that she is weeping still.

These melancholy thoughts are interrupted by the trilling sound of a bosun’s whistle on the 5MC, two short blasts – “Attention to port!” The flight deck snaps to attention. One short blast follows – “Hand salute!” A long moment passes in the heat, the sweat suddenly liberated, trickling down your back as your arm goes up and holds, holds. A silent and expectant moment as one great ship glides softly past another, a thousand crewman rendering honors to another thousand from a far different time, from a far different land. The moment stretches, breaks, and at last is over: Two short blasts – “Ready, two!” And finally, three blasts – “Carry on.”

According to immutable naval custom, the junior ship initiates the rendering of passing honors, while the senior ship returns it. But senior though she may be, there will never again be a salute returned from onboard Arizona. No bosun’s pipe echoes across the water. No one mans her rails. My brothers and I took one long look back at the memorial receding behind us, exchanged silent glances between ourselves, saying with our eyes the things we could never allow ourselves to say out loud. Went below in quiet introspection. It wouldn’t last forever – we were after all, young and careless. But we wouldn’t forget that moment, not ever.

We would remember.

–

An excellent movie containing interviews of both US and Japanese survivors of Pearl Harbor. There won’t be many more like this.

Well worth a look, if you’ve got the time.

http://www.neptunuslex.com/2011/12/07/pearl-harbor-day-2/

–

Update: An interesting look at Admiral Isororu Yammamoto, the Japanese architect of the Pearl Harbor campaign.

Theo Spark: Tuesday Totty...........

2011-12-06T20:59:00.000-08:00

Theo Spark: Tuesday Totty...........

Nice Bum, Eh!

Magnitude 1.6 - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

2011-12-06T18:19:00.000-08:00

Not a really big one but location, location, location!
23 km (14 miles) SE (124°) from California City, CA!
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/ci15083500.html

Sunday Morning Sermon

2011-12-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

This was up at the Jawa Report this morning. It has been posted before but it seems appropriate. I read most of that series of books mentioned.
Copied in it's entirety.

We do not fight for land. We are loyal to an ideal - an ideal of liberty wherever man lives. We do not guard territory, bleed for a piece of dirt. We don't fight because we love violence. We fight for our freedom as individuals to live our own lives, to pursue our own survival, our own happiness.

Your unconditional rejection of violence makes you smugly think of yourselves as noble, as enlightened, but in reality it is nothing less than abject moral capitulation to evil. Unconditional rejection of self defense, because you think it's a supposed surrender to violence, leaves you no resort but begging for mercy or offering appeasement.

Evil grants no mercy, and to attempt to appease it is nothing more than a piecemeal surrender to it. Surrender to evil is slavery at best, death at worst. Thus your unconditional rejection of violence is really nothing more than embracing death as preferable to life.
You will achieve what you embrace.

The right, the absolute necessity, of vengeance against anyone who initiates force against you is fundamental to survival. The morality of a people's self-defense is in it's defense of each individual's right to life. It's an intolerance to violence made real by an unwavering willingness to crush any who would launch violence against you. The unconditional determination to destroy any who would initiate force against you is an exaltation of the value of life. Refusing to surrender your life to any thug or tyrant who lays claim to it is in fact embracing life itself.

If you are unwilling to defend your right to your own lives, then you are merely like mice trying to argue with owls. You think their ways are wrong. They think you are dinner.

If, hoping to appease it, you willingly compromise with unrepentant evil, you only allow such evil to sink it's fangs into you; from that day on its venom will course through your veins until it finally kills you.
Compromising with murderers grants them moral equivalence where none can rightly exist. Moral equivalence says that you are no better than they; therefore their belief - that they should be able to torture, rape, or murder you - is just as morally valid as your view - that you have the right to live free of their violence. Moral compromise rejects the concept of right and wrong. It says that everyone is equal, all desires are equally valid, all action is equally valid, so everyone should compromise to get along.

Where could you compromise with those who torture, rape and murder people? In the number of days a week you will be tortured? In the number of men to be allowed to rape your loved ones? In how many of your family are to be murdered?

No moral equivalence exists in that situation, nor can it exist, so there can be no compromise, only suicide.
To even suggest compromise can exist with such men is to sanction murder.

Many teach that saying someone is evil is prejudiced thinking. It's a way of belittling someone already in pain for some reason. Such people must be embraced and taught to shed their fears of their fellow man and then they will not strike out in violent ways.

They are dangerous to everyone because they embrace evil with their teachings. In so doing, in trying to be kind, to be unselfish, in trying to be nonjudgmental, you allow evil to become far more powerful than it otherwise would. you refuse to see evil, and so you welcome it among you. You allow it to exist. You give it power over you. You are a people who have welcomed death and refused to denounce it.

You are an empire naked to the shadow of evil.

These people think of themselves as enlightened, as above violence. They are not enlightened; they are merely slaves awaiting a master, victims awaiting killers.

Feds: Seattle welfare recipient lives in million dollar home

2011-12-04T00:40:00.000-08:00

This was at NWCN. Makes one go.................Hmmmmmmmmmm.
Good grief! I wonder how many more there are like this?
http://www.nwcn.com/news/Feds-Seattle-welfare-recipient-lives-in-million-dollar-home-134945813.html

SEATTLE -- She lives in a beautiful waterfront home on Seattle’s Lake Washington. Yet, she's on welfare assistance.

Shabbat Shalom!!!

2011-12-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

'Laugh-In' player Alan Sues dies at 85

2011-12-02T18:36:00.001-08:00

Alan Sues, a flamboyant and wacky member of the comic ensemble that made "Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In" a big hit for NBC in the late 1960s, died Thursday at his home in West Hollywood of an apparent heart attack. He was 85.
http://entertainment.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/02/9174115-laugh-in-player-alan-sues-dies-at-85?gt=43001

The Fucking I got today!

2011-11-30T19:40:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of the Asswipes inside the Beltway. Chief among them is that worthless sand crawler that currently occupies the oval office.
This is a bit of what happened today. The Sand Crawler in the White House and his minions, trolls and slugs are hosing over the Armed Forces Retirees. Sorry if the amounts are not what some would consider excessive but it is the severe increases from what it was. Percentages. And straight up, folks, we who served for long periods do not owe anyone else a damn thing anymore. Even the Sand Crawler in Chief is not good enough to kiss our asses.
I discovered my TriCare co pay for prescriptions took a near vertical rise in cost. I picked up my prescriptions today. What was a three dollar co pay for ninety days is now fifteen dollars times three medications. The other one is at twelve dollars. That was fifteen dollars for what was eighteen dollars before. Seems that someone inside the Beltway is out to hose over all Armed Forces Retirees. That is the only thing I can surmise. Why do all of you who support the CinC, blindly, hate us so? It is the only thing I can gather from this. WE ARE OWED! Regardless of what we do for a living. I do make a good living. But this boils down to right versus wrong. These benefits were EARNED doing what the ordinary American would not or in case of my generation refused to do. I include most of the Congress in that as well.

Polite but blunt. I called Congressman McCarthy's office in Bakersfield and got a staffer. The paperwork is enroute to the house. I also left voicemails with my senators. Those stirling witches we are saddled with, Babs and Dumb Diane. I was polite but let my irritation and anger show.

The promise..........broken. I will never pop tall at attention for any office holder ever again. Never. I will insult their ancestory, call them vile names but never, ever show anything resembling respect, again.

Theo Spark: Cartoon Round Up....

2011-11-27T13:33:00.000-08:00

Theo Spark: Cartoon Round Up....

How Old is Grandma?

2011-11-27T09:57:00.000-08:00

From my friend Cyndi, in Pilot Point, Texas. I have been there. Dumped a ballast train on the BNSF throught there.

Cyndi Threadgill Crownover

Via: Ken Lambert
How Old is grandma?
Stay with this -- the answer is at the end. It will blow you away.

One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events.
The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general..
The Grandmother replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before:
' television
' penicillin
' polio shots
' frozen foods
' Xerox
' contact lenses
' Frisbees and
' the pill
There were no:
' credit cards
' laser beams or
' ball-point pens
Man had not invented:
' pantyhose
' air conditioners
' dishwashers
' clothes dryers
' and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and
' man hadn't yet walked on the moon

Your Grandfather and I got married first, .. ...... ... and then lived together..
Every family had a father and a mother.
Until I was 25, I called every man older than me, "Sir".
And after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir."
We were before gay-rights, computer- dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy.
Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense.
We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.
Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege...
We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.
Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.
Draft dodgers were those who closed front doors as the evening breeze started.
Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends-not purchasing condominiums.

We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.
We listened to Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our radios.
And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey.
If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan ' on it, it was junk
The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam....
Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of.
We had 5 &10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents.
Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel.
And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.
You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, . .... . but who could afford one?
Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.
In my day:
' "grass" was mowed,
' "coke" was a cold drink,
' "pot" was something your mother cooked in and
' "rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.
' "Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office,
' " chip" meant a piece of wood,
' "hardware" was found in a hardware store and
' "software" wasn't even a word.

And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby.
No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap.
How old do you think I am?
I bet you have this old lady in mind....you are in for a shock!
Read on to see -- pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the same time.
Are you ready ?????

This woman would be only 64 years old.

GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT....... PASS THIS ON TO THE YOUNG ONES

Some of these were introduced well before this lady's time. But I still remember taking the oral polio vaccine in the early to mid sixties. I still remember being able to get a burger and a coke for about four bits!
Good Read isn't it? Cyndi has some really good ones. Every now and then they will be posted here.

New aviation blog on the roll

2011-11-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

JR HAFER AVIATION BLOG.COM
Connected with JR this morning on Facebook.
Plane Pr0n for all of us who love flying machines!
http://jrhaferaviationblog.com/

http://jrhaferaviationblog.com/2011/11/01/the-super-guppy-f-bppa/
This post has a really good title. Poetic it is.

After one has flown, he will forever walk this earth looking skyward,for he has been there and will always long to return…

To all, I wish a most pleasant Thanksgiving.

ORPO1 sends!

Hypocrisy: Left Wants SCOTUS Justice Thomas Recusal, Ignores Kagan’s Clear Conflicts

2011-11-23T06:21:00.000-08:00

".....This past weekend the Washington Post published a hit piece on the grand opening of a museum in Georgia dedicated to the birthplace of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The paper was desperate to make some grand conspiracy, some lawbreaking evil from the project. But whatever is going on with the museum, this story was just one more shot orchestrated by the left aimed at forcing Justice Thomas to recuse himself from the upcoming hearings on whether or not Obamacare is Constitutional. Of course, this is all a smoke screen to hide the fact that it is really left-wing darling Justice Elana Kagan that should recuse herself from the case...."
Emphasis is mine, not that of the author. But ya gotta wonder about the thought process involved. Outside of the stupid that is.
But hit the link and read it and then decide for yourself.
http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2011/11/22/hypocrisy-left-wants-scotus-justice-thomas-recusal-ignores-kagans-clear-conflicts/

Beer Blogging for Today

2011-11-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

Got this at BevMo! yesterday. Not bad at all.

From Boonville, CA in Mendocino County. Ten bucks for a six! But such is life when one prefers finer malt beverages.

Home and other sundry things.

2011-11-20T11:51:00.000-08:00

Says it all. The Missus was crossing from the parking garage when I hit the baggage claim. Only cost three bucks for it this time. Did the run back over the Mountains to the AV. X-Mass Shopping in Palmdale and Lancaster. Then we hit this neat little Italian place in Lancaster, Barone's. Righteous Good Shrimp Linguini!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did a stop at BevMo! Got a bottle of Crown Royal Black and a six pack of a Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale from Anderson Valley Brewing Company up north of the bay area. It just sounded so good. I have yet to sample it. I will let the world know and have a pic of the bottle. It was ten bucks for the sixer.
Slowly unpacking.
Gotta trouble shoot the Titan. It quit on the Missus whilst I was in Utah. The tow guy said it sounded like the fuel pump was going. The AutoZone site is down right now. They have pretty good trouble shooting info on it.
But not sweating it. If it is the pump I have to have it done as the pumps on the new "injected" systems is in the tank. Labour intensive.

Live Blogging from up in the Sky

2011-11-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

This is from Delta 1441. Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. We are about a half hour out of SLC. Another hour to go. Five bucks for the internet access. Ain't nothing free anymore. Kind of cool!
Riding an Airbus A320. First time on one. So far not bad. Handles the bumps well and I am aft of the wing. It is a military fare, basically. Like the old days, riding the back of the bus. But in civvies instead of Dress Blues or Dress Whites.
Got to do some shopping with The Missus after getting over the hill to the Antelope Valley. Christmas Shopping for The Grand Daughters, ya know!
Next adventure will be Red Flag at Nellis in late January and early February. Gonna hook up with Jeff and maybe do some live blogging from the flight line. That is if the Air Force is cool with it. The camera is definitely going.
And after Captain Sully's amazing ditching of US Airways 1549 and the results so far........
I am gonna have to take back all those rather disparaging remarks about Airbus's products. This is a nice riding jet.

CARDIOLOGIST'S FUNERAL

2011-11-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

Got this in the G Mail inbox the other day. It is funny!!!!!!!!

A very prestigious cardiologist died, and was given a very elaborate funeral by the hospital he worked for most of his life. A huge heart covered in flowers stood behind the casket during the service as all friends from the hospital sat in awe. Following the eulogy, the heart opened, and the casket rolled inside. The heart then closed, sealing the doctor in the beautiful heart forever.
At that point, one of the mourners just burst into laughter. When all eyes stared at him, he said, 'I am so sorry, I was just thinking of my own funeral... I'm a gynecologist.
The proctologist fainted

A really good one from Buck at EIP

2011-11-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

May?

May think they're irresponsible? MAY? I fail to see how any reasonable American could think otherwise. It takes the utmost in restraint to watch these Super-Committee asshats from BOTH parties pontificating on my teevee night after night, and by that I mean NOT throwing sumthin' large and heavy at my screen. I particularly find members of the Donkey-party reprehensible when they drone on and on about "jobs," when it comes to the impending sequestration and other contexts. WTF do THEY know about jobs, anyway? And while we're on the subject, there's this:

The rest is right here at this link

X-47B Demonstrator Receives Popular Science "Best of What's New" Award

2011-11-16T11:27:00.000-08:00

I get to see this on a regular basis. It is a real neat machine. I would like the chance to take it to sea. I could have a really good time out there after not having been to sea in almost twenty years!

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Nov. 16, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The editors of Popular Science magazine have selected the U.S. Navy/Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)-developed X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System to receive a 2011 Best of What's New (BOWN) award in the Aviation & Space category. The award was formally announced in the magazine's Dec. issue on newsstands now.
http://www.air-attack.com/news/article/4655/11-16-2011-X-47B-Demonstrator-Receives-Popular-Science-Best-of-Whats-New-Award.html

Mythbuster Duct Tape Airplane production photos

2011-11-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

From a blog with the Belite Site. It is the manufacturer of the airplane used in the Duct Tape Episode. It is also replete with photos of everyone's most favourite Mythbuster.............The most lovely Kari Byron!!!!!!!
http://jameswiebe.blogspot.com/2011/10/its-time-to-reveal-lots-of-production.html

The Great Salt Lake-Antelope Island and down to Salt Lake City

2011-11-11T23:13:00.000-08:00

After a rather impressive meal at Applebee's in Layton, the Veteran's Day one for free ya know, I went and played tourist.
The camera was with me. Can't help it but I take my little Kodak Z612 with me a lot.
So for your viewing enjoyment........................

Across that causeway is Syracuse, Clearfield, Layton, Ogden and Hill AFB. A lot of haze on this day.

Through that haze is Salt Lake City. It's there. Really.

Memorial to The Mormon Battalion of 1843.

From the steps of The Utah State Capitol Building

The Mormon Temple

Temple Square and part of Downtown.

Video: The Little UAV That's A Ball To Fly (Literally!)

2011-11-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

This neat one is at AirPigz. It is becoming my favorite aviation blog out of all of them.
So hit the link and have a look. Quite interesting.
http://airpigz.com/blog/2011/11/10/video-the-little-uav-thats-a-ball-to-fly-literally.html

Saint Crispin's Day Speech

2011-11-11T07:03:00.000-08:00

On this Veterans Day, Remembrance Day, Armistice Day.

Sir Kenneth is great in this one.

Happy Birthday, US Marine Corps!

2011-11-10T05:30:00.000-08:00

On this day, 236 years ago. We got the Marines. Thank God.

Old Retired Petty Officer Sends!

You may have been in Naval Aviation if you've ever worked at, or done at least 1 of the following things:

2011-11-09T17:03:00.000-08:00

And many of these can apply to our Air Force, Marine and Army Aviation Brethren as well.
It was at the VA-128 Facebook page. I did two of my three shore tours in that command.

Slept on the concrete (or flight deck) under a wing.
Wished your jet would drop a Mk 84 on Ho Chi Min's/Saddam Hussein's house.
Ever said, "oh yes sir, it's supposed to look like that."
Drank water from a scuttle-butt that had more JP than H2O.
You know what a pointy head is.
You consider 'moly b' fingerprints on food an "acquired taste."
Have sucked LOX to cure a hangover.
You know what JP tastes like.
Used a black grease pencil to fix an over worn tire.
You have a better bench stock in the pockets of your coveralls than the squadron can supply you.
Used a piece of safety wire as a toothpick.
You've ever had to say, "my boots are still black!"
Someone has tackled you right before you cuss out the squadron Ops Boss over the radio.
You refer to a pilot as a "control stick actuator."
You've ever been duct taped to a tow bar and doused with PET and sand.
You've ever been told to go get "some prop wash and a yard of flight line from supply."
Worked a 14 hour shift on a jet that isn't flying the next day.
You've ever said "as long as it starts every other try you'll be fine sir."
You've ever considered a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to be a turkey sandwich in one hand and a wrench in the other.
You've ever jumped into an intake to get out of the cold.
You've ever been told to tow the jets around so they match the board in Maintenance Control.
You've ever preflighted in really bad weather only to have Ops cancel after engine start.
You've ever been hassled in the Chow Hall for shave/boots/uniform/smell after a 16 hour shift.
You believe your bird has a soul.
You talk to your bird. (In your head still counts)
Your spouse refuses to watch any aviation shows with you.
You've ever said, "That nav light burned out after launch."
You've ever used a wheel chock as a hammer.
The only thing you know about any city is where the good bars are.
You know more about your co-workers than your own family.
You don't know what the inside of the good BOQ/barracks look like (anywhere).
The refrigerators in your barracks only have beer in them.
Rode on the goose.
You've "sucked Balut".
When you finish a DET there are enough empty beer cans to build an airplane to fly home on.
You've ever looked for pictures of "your" jet in aviation books.
You can't figure out why maintenance officers exist.
You've ever been ticked off that they can't make up their minds on what the MAF's should look like.
Evaded the fox.
You've ever wished the pilot would just say, "Great bird, thanks!"
You are proud that no one on base understands you.
You've ever passed gas in the step van in winter just to clear it out.
You relieve yourself more often outdoors than indoors. AND a lot of people other than your mother have seen you do the item above.
You've ever worked 7 day 12 hour shifts on DET while admin goes sightseeing for two weeks.
After getting back from the above trip, the admin pukes are getting an award while you are doin' a seven day on your bird.
Played a lot of Acey Ducey.
You can't comprehend why everyone doesn't want to be an airdale.
You think everyone who isn't a airdale is a wimp.
You know what 2 on 5 means.
You can't figure out why your 2 weeks advance per-diem is gone after 3 days.
You can't get through a trip without finding an ATM.
On a trip the first place you go is to the Exchange on a beer run.
Most of your advance is spent in $1 increments in a "club."
Evaded the "old lady" at the Hide-a-Way.
You can sleep anywhere, anytime, but as soon as the engines shut down you are wide awake.
You've ever said bad things about the IDIOT who said, "No more nose art."
The SRB is not the main reason you re-enlist.
Your wife understands that you have a "mistress."
Most everyone thinks your job mostly consists of waving your arms.
You have scars on you that aren't from your spouse or significant/unsignificant other.
You've ever used a helmet as a pillow.
Gone looking for a snipe.
Love Monkey on a stick.
Been gouged by the tag end of a safety-wired canon plug.
You know what a one wire is.
Tightened a canon plug with channel locks, cause the one-wire didn't clip and bend the tag end.
You know what a short arm is.
You've ever stood on wheel chocks to keep your feet dry.
You've ever done the 100 yd dash to the line shack when lightning was called.
You've eaten more box lunches/MRE's than hot meals.
You change underwear and T-shirts more often than coveralls.

You've ever done any of the following:
A. Used dykes to trim a fingernail.
B. Used RTV to fix a stripped screw.
C. Pulled the gun switch while riding brakes.
D. Wiped your hands on your pants.
E. Made tampons out of paper towels for drain hole leaks.
F. Knocked back a rivet stem that was hanging out a drain hole.
G. Wiped leaks immediately prior to crew show.
H. Picked your nose.
I. Thrown up more than two days in a row.
J. Gotten the new guys drunk just so you could make fun of them the next day.
K. Worn someone else's hat to go to chow.
L. Taken pride in grossing someone out
M. Made sure the coffee pot is the first thing in the Cruise Box.
N. The first thing briefed on DET is the coffee fund.
O. All you care about is the flight schedule and your days off.
P. Been to the club/bar before you even unpack.
Q. Hated the crew for going to club in flight suits.
R. Hated the crew for not recognizing you in the commissary.
S. Hated airdales that couldn't hack the line, got admin jobs and promoted BTZ.
T. Pencil whipped your training records.
U. Hate the fact that admin types get rides on your bird and you don't.
V. Chipped ice out of your moustache or a tie-down OR a grounding point.
W. Thrown something living into vented LOX.
X. Wondered where they keep finding the idiots that keep making up the stupid rules.

You know what a nose picker is.
You know what a tin bender is.
You know what a BB stacker is.
You've ever been woken up by the returning drunks turning on all the lights.
You've ever returned to the barracks drunk and turned on all the lights.
You've ever had to defuel your jet an hour after refueling it.
You know what a pecker checker is.
You know what a stew burner is.
Know what a skivvie stacker is.
You've ever worked in a shop where the person held in the highest regard is the one who can drink a six pack in less than 5 minutes and not puke.
The person held in second highest regard is the one who projectile pukes.
You've ever driven home and don't remember doing it.
You tell your peers you are getting divorced and the first thing they ask is, "selling anything?"
You've ever gone straight to work from the bar.
Because of the above you've done your preflight on "autopilot."
Everyone you know has some kind of nickname.

NAPs, Again...

2011-11-08T18:14:00.000-08:00

No, not THAT kind of naps...
It concerns the Naval Aviation Pilots. The Enlisted ones that is.
Old NFO mentions meeting some of the last. I sort of met ACCM Jones at Chase Field, Beeville TX in 1977 when I was a young AMH2 on my first shore tour. He was flying a C-131 out of Pensacola when it blew a cylinder in the number one engine. We in the Maintenance Department of VT-26 assisted as best we could. We had the only hangar on station that would almost fit the Convair.....
History lived. So go and have a good read at The Old NFO's place, I think you will enjoy it. I did.
Nobody Asked Me

New Milestone

2011-11-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

70,000 Page Views. Wow! Who woulda thunk it?
Not me........But it is a good feeling.
Thanks to all for making it happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Spot-On Quote Of The Day… 07 NOVEMBER 2011

2011-11-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

This was at that most excellent blog of one Bob Belvedere.........The Camp Of The Saints...
It is concerning the recent attacks on Herman Cain by the State Run Media and the other propaganda organs of the current administration.
I admit that I am pulling for Cain..........Not that he is perfect but he makes some sense to me......His flaws are that he has acknowledged support for restrictive gun control...........That does not set well with me....AT ALL. But that aside........if the media had done the same when vetting the "Light Bringer" who is "Not like us" perhaps things would have turned out differently three years ago.
But go and hit the link........read it.......decide for yourself........
http://thecampofthesaints.org/2011/11/07/the-spot-on-quote-of-the-day-185/

Hill Aerospace Museum on a cold November Day

2011-11-06T14:58:00.000-08:00

I did go to the Museum here at Hill. Well it is actually outside the Roy Gate. It needs to be so the general population can visit it. A lot of neat stuff in it.
Stopped at the Gift Shop as well but a bit on the spendy side if ya know what I mean.
I will not be captioning these as it would be an endless procedure.
Just pure, unadulterated plane pr0n!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I even tossed in a few of the Wasatch Front with snow. It has been winter like here, almost since the day I started my course.
I do recommend paying this museum a visit should your travels bring you to the Salt Lake City Metro Area.

First taste of Winter........along the Wasatch Front

2011-11-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

A sampling of today in Utah.
The day started at 28 F and when I got back from town after dinner it was at 32 F.
Cold. Glad I brought my long handled underwear! Comes in handy on the jet when doing the hands on training.

Earthquake

2011-11-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

Seems the daughter in Wichita said there was a quake this evening.
Her momma called and told me.......so I checked the USGS earthquake page and..........lo and behold there was a 5.2 about 44 miles NNE of OK City.
With the soil composition in that part of the country, I would imagine it would be felt in Wichita......
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Maps/US2/35.37.-98.-96.php

Right in a Left World: We Are The 53%

2011-11-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

Right in a Left World: We Are The 53%

This is a really good one I found at Lew's most excellent blog.

The statement held by the lady in the pic is a good read in and of itself.

On board Delta 2204

2011-10-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

Seat 28F in a 757-200. It was a really comfortable trip.

Did day one today at school. Going to the hangar and play on the jet tomorrow.

An Air Force wife’s rant about the “military industrial complex”

2011-10-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

This was at The Right Scoop. Seems the Air Force Wife has a few good points.......
Just sayin.........................that's all.
But go and hit the link and read it for yourself................then make up your own mind......
That is the one thing........I cannot do for you............
http://www.therightscoop.com/an-air-force-wifes-rant-about-the-military-industrial-complex/

Going to Hill AFB, Utah and other sundry things

2011-10-29T16:05:00.000-07:00

I will be going to F-16 Advanced Crew Chief School at Hill AFB from the 31st of October to the 18th of November. I fly out of LAX tomorrow at 1:30 to SLC.

I am getting a rental car on arrival........that I don't have to pay for.

The school may help in me getting moved into a grade 12 slot..........kind of difficult with a hiring freeze now days though.

But I can use it to pad the resume for further things.........
I just realized that I have been at this for two years as of the 21st of this month. Wow! Who woulda thunnk it?
The counter keeps going up as well..........

theBRIGADE: Photos of the Week

2011-10-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

A few to pique your interest...............

Hit the link for all of them at theBrigade..................
http://thebrigade.thechive.com/2011/10/21/thebrigade-photos-of-the-week-58-photos-4/

Rule 5 Saturday Linkage TCOTS!

2011-10-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

V I C T O R I A ♥ V A L E N T I N O . . .

http://thecampofthesaints.org/2011/10/22/rule-5-saturday-85/#more-14259

A classic for the guys.

Risque'? Yep, it is.

But she is really gorgeous.

MythBusters Video Digest Of The Duct Tape Plane (4 Videos)

2011-10-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

Did any of you fine folks catch this the other evening? It was vintage Mythbusters and just plain interesting at the same time.
Science, Comedy and Kari Byron. What's not to like?
Did I mention Kari Byron?
I did!
Well, go figure!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://airpigz.com/blog/2011/10/21/mythbusters-video-digest-of-the-duct-tape-plane-4-videos.html

Latest in R.T. "REDNECK TECHNOLOGY" that is . . .

2011-10-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

biLatest in R.T./i/b

Redneck Technology!!!!!!!!!

Got to hand it to Sean at Stormbringer.

There are some seriously good pictures at the link above.

Go.

See.

Laugh!!!!!!!!!

Will Fisker Motors Be Another Solyndra?

2011-10-21T04:40:00.000-07:00

This was at American Thinker yesterday.
The question is right there in front of us. What is the answer? Somewhere, that transparency thing got tossed in the shit can.

"..................There's been considerable coverage of the Department of Energy's $534-million loan guarantee to bankrupt Solyndra. But lurking unnoticed is a similar $529-million DOE grant toFisker Automotive to build the high-end hybrid Karma and eventually mid-priced sedans. With Hyundai, Toyota, Porsche, and GM building hybrids, why is the government funding an automotive startup?

Fisker's people believe that they can build a car with more consumer appeal. Are they right? The market will let them know, just like it has for Chevy's Volt.

There are two considerations involved. First is the Karma itself, and second is the government loan in light of the Solyndra revelations..............."

The rest of the article follows but I will give you this last one............it will keep the thought in your head..................$529 Million of our Tax Dollars gone to Finland for a hybrid start up......For a car most of us would not buy. Well, at least I would not buy one.
If I am going to spend that kind of money, I want serious performance...............A ticket maker if you will...........

Cycling into Spring

2011-10-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

From the blog Boy on A Bike. Down under it is Spring. Some really nice pics at the link. I guess it is a major cycling event in Sydney. I just like his pictures......daily life of a man who goes everywhere on a bicycle.

http://boy-on-a-bike.blogspot.com/2011/10/cycling-into-spring.html#links

NAS Lemoore Air Show

2011-10-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

Actually it is called the Central Valley Air Show. It is a good one. The show has been absent for seven years. This being the Centennial of Naval Aviation, it was almost a priority. I have fond memories of this place as we were there from June of 1985 to March of 1989. I started in the A-7 Fleet Replacement Squadron, VA-122 now VFA-122 operating the various versions of the F/A-18 Hornet. That is the legacy jets A/B/C/D and the Super Hornets, the E and F.
Saw the Super Hornet fly. I am impressed. My friend who was an F-15 Crew Chief during his hitch in the regular Air Force was impressed with the Super Hornet. Said it was a better jet than the F-16s we currently crew at Edwards. Says a lot from an Air Force guy.
So for your enjoyment, here we go! And Buck there is one in here just for you, my friend!!!!!!

In front of the Argonaut Maintenance Spaces. Back some twenty six years ago or so, it was VA-147. A long time past. Yeah, sometimes I miss it, still. Sometimes terribly.

Thought you all would like these. Unfortunately, The Argonauts did not have a booth for stuff. I did get a VFA-122 CONA T shirt and a Carrier Air Wing Two Ball Cap along with a couple of pins, a T-2 Buckeye and an A-7 Corsair II. Memories and during a most significant year...........that being Our Centennial. I will always address Naval Aviation related things in the We. Navy Air for Life.

A mix of the old and the new. Of interest are the REAL Mitsubishi A6M "Zero", the F8F Bearcat, the F-16N from the Strike Air Warfare Center at Fallon with Navy and Marine on it. There is the jets, old and new and the California Air National Guard F-16 from Fresno.
I saw the F/A-18 Super Hornet fly.....I had never seen one before, just the Legacy Hornets as they were around while I was in from mid career to the end.
When I arrived at NAS Lemoore that summer of 1985, there were only three Hornet Squadrons, VFA-25, VFA-113 and the FRS VFA-125. By the time I left in March of 1989, the A-7s were gone.......all replaced by the Hornet.................
And now the Super Hornet is replacing the Legacy Hornet(A/B/C/D) as well as the new EA-18G slowly replacing the Venerable and Most Reliable Grumman EA-6B Prowler as the Electronic Attack Platform. I will never use the "N" word as is the new corporate name due to that merger. Just can't do it........too many years in the A-6E Intruder, the finest attack aircraft ever to serve.

South Korea weighs option to replace F-4E Phantoms

2011-10-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

This was up at Flight Global.
I was not aware that the ROKAF was still operating the F-4!
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/south-korea-weighs-options-to-replace-f-4e-phantoms-362908/

Better Late Than Never ... Cargolux Takes Delivery Of First 747-8

2011-10-14T18:55:00.000-07:00

This had been up in the air(pardon the pun) for a while. I guess it was over "unspecified and unresolved issues." Good to see the 8F enter service.

Better Late Than Never ... Cargolux Takes Delivery Of First 747-8: Airplane Went Quietly, Rather Than In A Grand Ceremony From the 'Better Late Than Never' department ... Boeing and Cargolux Airlines have resolved th

CoolPix: X-47B Tailless UCAS 'Gear Up' 2Fer!

2011-10-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

This and another shot are at Air Pigz. Hit the link for the complete story.
http://airpigz.com/blog/2011/10/12/coolpix-x-47b-tailless-ucas-gear-up-2fer.html