Heh

Someone... it might have been Dave Barry... said "NEVER ask a woman if she's pregnant unless you see an actual live baby emerging from her body."  That's pretty good advice.

Saturday

The Guardian sez this is a meme, with kids from Canoe U providing the latest in a flurry of take-offs on this tune, which is new to this Ol' Fart (as might be expected, seein' as how I don't listen to this shit).  So...



Nice campus, and it looks like the Squids are havin' fun.  One can't help but wonder what Lex would have thought about this, what with him bein' a Boat School alumnus.  I have an ideer about that. 

Beer Politics

Blog-Bud Moogie sends along a link to an interesting article about the politics o' beer, which includes this snappy graphic:

No wonder the nation is in such sad shape... we all seem to be drinking swill, with the exception o' Guinness, Sammy Adams, Labatt Blue, and (perhaps) Blue Moon.  Thus sayeth the beer snob.

Speakin' o' beer... we did Round Two o' that Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale yesterday but we only went half the distance before we poured the remainder down the sink and got us sumthin' a lil more to our liking.  So the verdict is in: yeccch.  No mas, por favor.

A Two-fer (and Plane Pr0n)

The political 'toons are good today at the Usual Source for such things, so good that I had to choose two to steal:

I watched Jerry Springer.  Once.

The plane pr0n...

Air Frame: The Space Shuttle Endeavour, resting atop NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, departs Edwards AFB, Calif., for the last time on Sept. 21, 2012. The SCA delivered the now-retired Endeavour to Los Angeles International Airport that same day for its remaining journey to the California Science Center in Los Angeles where it will go on permanent display at the end of October 2012. (Air Force photo by Jet Fabara) (Click on image above to reach larger version.)

A sad, sad occasion... but a beautiful photo.  Didja catch the photographer's name?  That's a case of "aptly yclept" if I EVER saw one.

It Feels Like Fall

Yup, it's decidedly cool outdoors, as we speak.

Damp, too... given our humidity stands at 70% right now.  I was awakened at 0430 hrs this morning by a nearby (read as: about a mile) lightning strike and resulting ka-BLAM.  The thunderclap was LOUD and it got my undivided attention, which made going back to sleep pretty much impossible.  So we got up, lit off the coffee pot, and did something I can't ever recall doing at any point in time during the last ten years: we turned on the teevee.  I did that to check the weather (to begin with) but then I just kept right on watching... who knew Charlie Rose has an early morning daytime gig at CBS?... until the coffee pot was empty, at 0830 hrs.  And then I went back to bed and slept until 1130 hrs.

We DID get some rain, btw... pretty much solid precip from 0430 to 0730 hrs, an event that's pretty remarkable in this part o' the world.  It's been a fairly wet late summer and early Fall, and The Deity At Hand knows we need it.

We Are TEMPTED

I got this in today's mail...

OK, it's true that I'm tempted, but I won't do it.  Mainly coz I'd prolly hurt myself if I was turned loose on a race track in a 556 hp car.  We're not as young as we useta be and we're just not that quick any longer.

Le sigh.

Tonight's ADWH Soundtrack

Divin' deep into the archives for some serious drinkin' music...



This wasn't the tune I was lookin' for*, but it'll do.  I remain impressed with the Tube O' You, given that the Siegal-Schwall Band wasn't exactly mainstream... outside o' Chicago.  I don't remember how I came upon them, but I know it had to be courtesy o' one o' my buds back in those lost days o' the '70s.  Be that as it may, I bought every one o' their albums I could get my hands on back in the day and committed several of those albums to tape before I shipped the vinyl off to SN2 during the Great Divorce Debacle o' 1999.  It was one o' those cassettes we dragged out for tonight's soundtrack, and we're REALLY glad we did.

*Well, DAMN!  Here it is!



Oh, HELL Yes!  It's a real pity that none of Siegal-Schwall's lyrics are available on the 'net... coz the lyrics are just amazin'.

Broadening Our Horizons XLVIII

We made a run out to Cannon Airplane Patch earlier this afternoon for to pick up our meds... both from the pharmacy AND the Class VI store.  A couple o' few days ago I bemoaned the fact that my local beer emporium didn't have any pumpkin ales in their cooler, so I was mildly surprised when I saw Blue Moon's pumpkin offering out at Cannon.  I got me the last six pack, so good on me.  Sorta.

Here's what our go-to guys have to say about the brew:

Pours a stiff head, two finger high. Brilliant copper color. Gourd aroma with some faint spicing and caramel-like malt. Snap in the crispness, pretty smooth with a moderate sized body. Even spicing with some pumpkin going on. Dry maltiness aside from a quick push of caramel. Very little hopping here which is fine. Finishes dry with some spice.

Nothing epic but not to (sic) shabby either. A decent pick for a low key holiday party that perhaps has a lot of non-beer drinkers.

Heh.  The classic "damning with faint praise" gambit.  Me?  I think it tastes weird/strange.  The "spicing" (as described by The Bros) is SO faint as to be non-existent to my palette and it has a sweetness that simply doesn't belong in beer, ever.  I'll have a second round before I write off Blue Moon's take on this genre, and I'd have to try another brewery's offering before I wrote off the genre as a whole.  Let's just say I'm not at all impressed.

A Few Different Views

First, two political cartoonists take a look at The View... "Featuring BARACK OBAMA!"

Gee... I missed that, somehow.  It's crushed, I am.

A better view:

Air Frame: Spirit of Texas, one of the Air Force's B-2A Spirit stealth bombers, departs Northrop Grumman's facility in Palmdale, Calif., after completion of programmed depot maintenance, June 28, 2012. (Northrop Grumman photo posted on Sept. 24, 2012.) (Click on image above to reach larger version.)

From the Usual USAF Source, of course.  And from the same place...

Flying WiFi Hotspot: The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $20 million contract to add beyond-line-of-sight command and control functions on one of its E-11A communications-relay aircraft, announced the company. BLOS C2 allows the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node-equipped jet to spread "wireless Internet over the battlefield," giving ground forces access to video, imagery, and Internet chat, according to the company's Sept. 24 release. The Air Force's small, combined fleet of BACN-equipped E-11As and RQ-4B Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft currently provide near-constant communications relay over Afghanistan, said Northrop Grumman. The E-11A slated for the upgrade is one of three Bombardier BD-700 Global Express airplanes already modified with BACN payloads. Technicians at Hanscom AFB, Mass., are scheduled to complete BLOS C2 installation and integration work on this aircraft by next June. The Air Force has a fourth Bombardier aircraft undergoing conversion to the E-11A BACN role.

Who gives ya inter-tubes when ya ain't got none, Bay-Bee?  "You've got mail!"

Update, 1125 hrs:  I posted before I got to the bottom of the AFA Daily Report, which means I hadn't read this:

(U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. John Barton)

World War II Memorial Dedicated in Britain: The British Princess Royal, Princess Anne, dedicated a memorial in Greenham Common, Britain, to the US airmen and troops who were based in the area during World War II and died during the conflict. The princess dedicated three memorial stones at the Greenham Business Park during the Sept. 21 ceremony. One stone honors the 16 airmen who died when two B-17 bombers collided above the area on Dec. 15, 1944, according to a US Air Forces in Europe release. The second stone pays tribute to the 33 airmen who died three days earlier when their Horsa glider crashed on takeoff from Greenham Common, states the release. The third stone remembers the American servicemen who were based there and lost their lives in the war. Greenham Common was one of the main staging points for US troops in the run-up to D-Day, according to the release. (Greenham Common report by SSgt. Brian Stives)

Thank GOD the Special Relationship endures, despite the best efforts of the White House's current occupant to sink it.

Tonight's ADWH Soundtrack

Some down 'n' dirty guitar work from Lucinda Williams and her band...

I don't want you anymore
cause you took my joy
I don't want you anymore
you took my joy

you took my joy
I want it back
you took my joy
I want it back

Complete lyrics here.  Hell, Lucinda... one place is the same as the next... you might could find some joy in P-Ville.  I've been to West Memphis and Slidell and I know from whence I speak. 

Not Exactly Broadening...

... but a seasonal tasting and comparison.  Which is to say this:

That would be a Shiner Oktoberfest, back-to-back with a Sammy Adams Octoberfest brew.  My go-to guys, when it comes to beer, have this to say...

About the Shiner:

Extremely clean and very drinkable. Just as smooth as it is crisp. Well balanced from malt sweetness to toasted flavors to bittering hops. A happy brew to knock back.

And about Sammy Adams' brew:

A tasty choice this year, its good to have a fresh O-fest rather than getting burned by a stale imported O-fest that has been sitting around since last year. A great contrast to some crab cakes with some homemade spicy remoulade sauce.

Well, we're decidedly lacking in the crab cakes department but we have us a good supply of both these brews. The Bros rate both of these beers as "Good," and there's precious little difference between either beer when it comes to the scores.  As fer me?  I prefer the Shiner.  That said, I'm glad I'm able to partake of both these brews, which are VERY worthy.

Our soundtrack today is Pandora's Don Henley station.  I find it very strange that I didn't record one single Eagles album before I shipped the vinyl off to SN2 for safe keeping back in 1999.  We've been listening to Henley a lot during the past 48 hours and enjoying the Hell out of it, too.  Mebbe we'll put a vid up later, but in the meantime it's back outdoors to continue as we've begun.

Can You Say "Industrial Espionage?"

Sure ya can... from the Usual USAF Source:

China's Raptor Lookalike: Clearer photos of China's second stealthy-looking fighter design emerged on the Internet as Defense Secretary Leon Panetta kicked off his diplomatic visit to Beijing last week. The Shenyang F-60—also called the J-21 or J-31—resembles the F-22, but with the intakes of an F-35 strike fighter. The F-60 appears to lack the Raptor's stealthy thrust-vectoring engines, and there appear to be no attempts at a reduced radar cross section with the engines currently installed in the airplane. The F-60's canopy, nose, and planform seem to be nearly identical to that of the F-22, and the airplane appears to be not too much different in size from the F-22. The photos seem to show internal weapon bays arranged similarly to the F-22's, as well as a ruggedized undercarriage potentially suited to carrier-deck operations. Photos earlier this year of a heavily shrouded F-60, partially disassembled en route to testing, revealed that the aircraft is smaller than the Chengdu J-20, which the Chinese unveiled at the end of 2010, but little else. While the larger J-20 is likely designed for longer range strike, the F-60 may be optimized for an air superiority role similar to the F-22's.

—Arie Church And John A. Tirpak

Photo from an inner-tubes search.

Simply Beautiful

Occasional Correspondent Lin sends this along... and be sure to stay for the end:



I've never been a fan of opera vocals but I really like the music here... a most excellent accompaniment to a graceful display.

Whatcha Been Smokin' Lately, Buck?

Well, funny you should ask.  Here are a few brands that have made their way into El Casa Inmóvil de Pennington of late.  (click for larger, as usual)

This, of course, would be yet another installment o' "cigar art."  You'll note these bands are somewhat less than artistic and I believe that's because the established mainstream brands (like Punch, Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, Macanudo, and Montecristo) rely more on their name than trying to impress with art work on their bands.  All of these were pretty damned good, with the exception of the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real... which was wrapped so tight as to be impossible to smoke.  The rest gave us hours and hours o' pure pleasure.

―:☺:―

In other news... we went and got our stitches removed today and my suspicions were confirmed: we're healing much more slowly this time around than last.  I still have a few "sensitive" areas in my mouth... but not so sensitive as to require more than OTC Aleve and Tylenol to relieve the "sensitivity."  I'm thanking The Deity At Hand for small favors.

Plane Pr0n

From the Usual USAF Source...

Air Frame: An F-35A Lightning II (top) from the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., and an F-22A Raptor from the 325th FW at Tyndall AFB, Fla., soar over the coast of northwest Florida, Sept. 19, 2012. This was the first time the Air Force's two fifth generation fighters have flown together, according to Eglin officials. (Air Force photo by MSgt. Jeremy T. Lock) (Click on image above to reach larger version.)

Hey, Ed... isn't that yer house at lower left?

―:☺:―

In other news... it was déjà vu all over again. Windows Update successfully downloaded and installed the latest update from Microsnot overnight... the one that FAILED Saturday night, causing me all that angst.  I have NO ideer why the initial updates fail... and it's NOT a good sign when yer 'puter starts acting weird.

Tonight's ADWH Soundtrack

It's pretty nice outside, so we opened up the windows and door and loaded a few CDs into the CD player for tonight's soundtrack... one o' which is Don Henley's "Building the Perfect Beast."  We usually set our CD player on "random" and did so this evening... So guess which track came up first?  This:

She passed on your passion and stepped on your pride
Turns out you ain't quite so tough
Cause you still wanna hold her
You must not be drinkin' enough 

Shut UP, Don... I think I'm drinkin' enough.

Don't panic... that's well over a month's worth o' consumption.

Today's Happy Hour Soundtrack

I always thought this tune would make the perfect soundtrack for that mo'sickle racing video I never made...



And I SHOULDA made that video... except for one small thang:  there was no such thang as cheap, hand-held video cams back when I was doing that racing thang, which is to say c. '68 - '72.  Which is just a weak excuse to post photos I've previously posted.  To wit:

YrHmblScrb is second from the right

YrHmblScrb is second from the left

That's The First Mrs. Pennington directly behind #48, which would be me

These three photos are all that remain of the racing archives, the great majority o' which were lost in the Great Divorce Debacle o' 1999.  But... back to the tune... I always visualized the opening 30 seconds of "Jingo" as panning up and down the starting line, and the rest of the tune devoted to action shots of a race, culminating in the finish.  YrHmblScrb would be the star of this extravaganza, of course, ignoring the fact that my racing career was less than... ummm... stellar.  But, Hey!  We had us a great good time.

Ah, missed opportunities and the wistful remembrances of an old man...

We Are Concerned

For the second time in ten days, and a second consecutive failure of Windows Update, I got a Blue Screen O' Death when my computer went to reboot following the download of an "Important" MS patch.  Like this:

I suppose all's well that ends well, in that I was able to restore the computer to its previous state using System Restore.  But twice in a row?  This doesn't foster warm and fuzzy feelings in YrHmblScrb... especially since I've never experienced these sorts of failures before.  Not once.

WTF!?!

So there I was, getting ready to watch Notre Dame kick the Hell outta Michigan... in South Bend... and I pulled the teevee guide up to make sure I had the right channel.  And got THIS:

WTF, KAMR?  WHAT THE FUCK are you THINKING!?!  West Texas A&M?  Incarnate WORD?  What the Hell is that, some sorta religious experience?  The only religious experience I want right now is to see Touchdown Jesus smilin' down on the Irish.

Save me.

I THOUGHT I Was Gonna Be Broadenin' My Horizons This Afternoon...

... but, no.  Coz it was just about this time last year when we did this:

Broadening Our Horizons XXXII

I'm pretty sure I've never had a Shiner Oktoberfest and I'm semi-amazed at the oversight, mainly coz we loves us some beer from that lil ol' brewery in Spoetzl, Tejas.  Ain't it loverly?

My go-to guys for beer give Oktoberfest a B- and I think that's pretty harsh.  I'd give the brew a B+ if not an A-.  This beer is eminently drinkable.  Oktoberfest tastes superb... which is to say clean, slightly hoppy, with a very interesting and complex combination of flavors... and it goes down easy, almost too easy.  I'll have to be careful this afternoon.

Sigh.  There's hardly anythang really NEW happenin' in my world these days.  We were lookin' for a pumpkin ale when we went beer shoppin' this afternoon... mainly because of the comments on this post by the Beer and Whiskey Bros.  Pumpkin ales apparently don't go down well here on The High Plains o' New Mexico, coz there was nary an example of such to be found at my local beer emporium.  But that's OK... coz I'd hate to spend good money on sumthin' I may or may NOT enjoy.

Saturday. Suck It Up, Fanbois.

It's the dialog... the dialog, Gentle Reader:



Spot-freakin'-on, in all respects.  Well, except for the lawsuit(s), mebbe.

Eastwooded

A play on a story from last week about The One skipping his security briefings.  Empty chair, indeed... sometimes stuff comes back to bite ya.  Right where it hurts.

New and Different

From the Usual USAF Source...

MC-27J concept

Spooky Even in Daylight: AC-130 gunships recently began daylight missions for the first time, providing fire support to coalition ground forces in Afghanistan thanks to a new high-definition sensor suite, said Air Force Special Operations Command boss Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel. "We have not flown gunships during the day before, but they are currently flying during the day" there, said Fiel during the four-star forum at AFA's Air & Space Conference outside of Washington, D.C., on Sept. 19. The sensors "allow us a longer standoff range, which caused a little problem since the weapons can't engage targets at that range," he said, noting that AFSOC is working to fix that. AFSOC has also integrated small diameter bombs onto AC-130W gunships, providing standoff precision attack capability. Stinger gunships in Afghanistan currently carry eight SDBs—four under each wing—as well as "internal precision-guided munitions," detailed Fiel. Next month, AFSOC plans to test Hellfire air-to-ground missiles on the AC-130, he said.

That's pretty interesting.  We're used to seeing Cannon's C-130s (of one stripe or another) orbiting the night skies over P-Ville but see them only rarely during daylight hours... so perhaps that'll change in the near future.  It's the highlighted bits in the blurb above that got my attention, though.  I was under the impression that the Stinger gunship proposal was dead, yet here's the head of AFSOC talking about Stingers carrying the SDB in Afghanistan.  What's up with that, I wonder?

Porn Names

So it came to pass in comments to yesterday's "Your Pirate Name" post that Loosy-Anna Andy brought up the subject of stripper/porn names.  And, according to the rules laid down by Andy, my porn name would be: "Mustapha Pete Rue Mozart."

Well, that's all well and good, I suppose... but we weren't all THAT keen on it.  So we tried another name generator, and came up with this: Uncle Peachybutt.

I think I'll stick with Mustapha Mozart, electing to drop my middle names.  Here's Ol' Mustapha Mozart with one of his favorite co-stars back when he was in his prime.

The boy has since retired from films and doesn't even know his former co-star any longer.

Victims

Gov. Romney was right and you know he's right if you watched any of the pathetic speeches given at the Dims' convention.  You also know why.

The Difference Between Drinking Beer In the UK and In the US...

...illustrated:

The point bein' that you would have consumed three US beers by the time you finished your second pint at the pub.  That's a 12-ounce beer (an Abita Turbodog, in case you was wonderin') poured into my sole remaining pint mug.  When I left Ol' Blighty nearly 30 years ago I had at least a dozen pint glasses and mugs.  But, alas... they all got broken along the way except for the one you see above.  You'll note that there's a logo on that mug and I've chosen NOT to display same.  Mainly for the embarrassment that would be in it.

In Honor o' the Day...

Quite a few o' my blog-buds are talking like pirates today, and some of those same few have even gone out and got a pirate name.  Well.  We shall NOT be left behind in this space, ergo:

Gitcher's here.

SOF

A couple o' items from the Usual USAF Source...

Demand for SOF Outpacing Growth: US Special Operations Command has grown from about 45,000 people in 2001 to about 68,000 today, and it has plans to continue that growth to 71,000 through Fiscal 2018, said Garry Reid, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict. Speaking at AFA's Air & Space Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sept. 18, Reid said SOF capacity also has increased about 25 percent during that time. However, even such steady growth has not been able to mitigate the incredibly high operational tempo endured by special operators over the last 11 years. In fact, USSOCOM operational tempo is nine times greater than it was prior to that growth, with many operators racking up 20 to 30 deployments just to Iraq and Afghanistan. "From a command and leadership perspective, we have to start thinking about sustainment and how that goes in the long-term," said Reid. Although the US has pulled out of Iraq and plans are in place for a 2014 withdrawal from Afghanistan, that op tempo is not expected to change any time soon, he said. US special operators operate from about 200 different countries throughout the course of a year and are in 70 to 80 countries on any given day.
—Amy McCullough
 

It's All About Adaptability, Agility: More than 80 percent of all of US special operations missions are conducted in the US Central Command area of responsibility, so the majority of SOF assets have been optimized for the hot, mountainous, desert region, said Garry Reid, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low intensity conflict, during AFA's Air & Space Conference Sept. 18. But, as the US prepares to withdraw from Afghanistan senior military leaders now must figure out how to rework those same systems so they will remain fully capable in other contingencies around the globe. "We have to think about that on a global level and make sure we have everything in place," said Reid. USAF Brig. Gen. Marshall Webb, assistant commanding general at Joint Special Operations Command headquarters, said Air Force Special Operations Command is paying particular attention to that as it looks to upgrade most of its airframes. "It's about adaptability and agility," said Webb during an air commando forum Sept. 18. He added, "We are working closely with our partners to discuss the right types of sensors, mobility platforms, and weapons we will need and then to adopt them to the right airframes so we can sustain that in different environments other than the desert."

The first thing that struck me is the OpTempo for our special operators, the second thing was the number of different countries they operate in.  Your average American would be hard-pressed to even NAME 70 to 80 countries, let alone deploy to one of 'em.  As far as OpTempo goes... that's a LOT o' deployments, but all deployments are not equal; you can deploy for as little as a week or two, or for more than a year.  That said, I'm thinkin' ANY SpecOps deployment ain't a piece o' cake.  My hat is off to those guys.

And then there's the bit about SOF assets being "optimized for hot, mountainous, desert regions."  Now you know why the 27th Special Operations Wing is at Cannon.  In part.

Headline...

... in The Daily Mail:

Pakistani man dies after inhaling fumes from burning American flags at anti-Islam film rally

Heh.  Congrats to the manufacturer of that poisonous US flag... may we have another lots more, please?

Happy Birthday to Us

From the Usual USAF Source:

Happy Birthday, Air Force!: Sept. 18 marks the 65th anniversary of the Air Force's founding. "As we celebrate the United States Air Force's 65th birthday, we salute all of the dedicated airmen who serve or have served in our nation's youngest and most innovative service," write Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, and CMSAF James Roy in a message to airmen. They continue, "Throughout our proud history, the Air Force has embraced the technology that continues to revolutionize our capabilities in air, space, and cyberspace. We owe an enormous debt to the ground-breaking visionaries and engineering pioneers who brought the technology of flight to life, and to the professional strategists and tacticians who imagined the military possibilities of these new technologies and propelled the science, theory, and application forward." Today, as in the past, however, airmen remain "the living engine" of the Air Force, they state, adding, "Happy birthday, Air Force! Aim High! . . . . Fly! Fight! Win!"

Wait.  That means I'M older than my service.  That can't be right.

My Second Grade Class Photo

Guess which one is me.

h/t: My Buddy Ed In Florida.

Not So Stoic This Time

There's this, for starters:

sto·i·cism

n.

1. Indifference to pleasure or pain; impassiveness.

2. Stoicism The doctrines or philosophy of the Stoics.

I've never been indifferent to pleasure (see: epicurean and I'm really surprised there ain't a portrait of me there, just for illustrative purposes.  Wait.  What?) but when it comes to pain I've always kinda-sorta grinned and bore it.  I'm not so damned stoic this time around, however.  We're ten days removed from our latest episode of Adventures In Modern Dentistry and I'm sick to death of (a) pain and (b) soft food.  Where (a) is concerned: we're nearly at the bottom of our Industrial Strength Pain Relivers, so much so that we're rationing them to make the supply last as long as possible (read as: nighttime use only).  Also where (a) is concerned: OTC Aleve and Tylenol ain't cuttin' the mustard.  Further to (a): we shall request refills on the Industrial Strength stuff when we go in to have our stitches removed in three days time.

And then there's (b).  I want some REAL food, but I can't have it at the moment... it's just not physically possible.  I'm pleased that there's a plethora of frozen soft foods out there today and I'd hate to be goin' through this thang 20 years ago when there wasn't nearly as much choice.  That said... I'm sick to death of mac & cheese, creamed chipped beef on toast, chili (in at least three different flavors), pudding (in three flavors, too), and oatmeal.  I'd mention cheesecake, except for the fact I'm NOT sick o' that.  Oh, and ice cream.  Bring on more of the last two items, please.

OK, we're done pissin' and moanin'.

Day One

From the NHL Players Association:



Well, OK... that's all well and good but it rings hollow.  The players and management need to FUCKING FIX THIS, AND FIX IT RIGHT NOW.

The last gotdamned thing I wanna see is a re-run of 2004-2005.

Morning Person?

Occasional Correspondent Lin sends along this vid with the following tag line: "All you happy, perky, sunshiny morning people out there, this is for you!!" 



Don't talk to me until I've had at least one cup o' coffee, either.

Saturday.

If this don't make ya laugh...



... you're beyond hope.

Today's Happy Hour Soundtrack...

Robert Earl Keen...



I can't say that I relate to the lyrics in this song... when push comes to shove... but I've always identified with 'em, which is varying only by the smallest of degrees.

It's a brilliant day here on The High Plains o' New Mexico.  You can't feel it, Gentle Reader, but this might give ya a clue:

So: it's danged near perfect, innit?  We mixed up a batch o' Manhattans for this occasion which looked a lot like this:

Never mind the fact I cut off my head... I just need longer arms.  That said...those Manhattans are done now, alas.  We're just slightly too lazy to mix up another batch o' the same, especially when we can pour some Bulleit Rye on the rocks and be done with it.  That makes us happy, too.

This Just In...

... literally.  In my in-box:

Thanks, Mitt.  I'm not all that thrilled about an opportunity to fly on an airborne campaign bus, but I WOULD accept yer invite when you begin jetting around on Air Force One.  Drop me a line sometime after the first of the year, mmm-kay?

Nekkid

No one should be surprised at anything the MSM does these days, unless it's an oh-so-rare case of them doing the RIGHT thing.

And then there's this from the Usual USAF Source:

Positive Vector: No F-22 pilot has experienced an unexplained physiological incident in flight since March 8, a span covering some 10,000 sorties and more than 13,000 cockpit hours, said Maj. Gen. Charles Lyon, Air Combat Command's director of operations, in testimony on Capitol Hill on Sept. 13. "This is the longest period" without one such incident "in years," he told members of the House Armed Services Committee's tactical air and land forces panel during a hearing on F-22 pilot oxygen-deprivation issues. Lyon said the Air Force continues to transition the F-22 fleet back to normal flight operations. "The path to resuming normal flight operations hinges on the successful development, testing and fielding of the modified combat edge upper pressure garment valve," he said. Fielding of the valve is expected by year's end, he noted. Activity also continues to incorporate an automatic backup oxygen system in the jet; the first F-22 is slated to get this upgrade in January, he said. "We are certain the F-22 cockpit and surrounding workspace is a safe, effective place to operate," said Lyon. He added, "Continuous process improvements will ensure the safety of the F-22 workforce now and in the future." (Lyon's prepared statement)

I'm not diminishing the good news about the F-22's oxygen system, and the news IS good, but someone/anyone describing a fighter's cockpit as a "safe place" (a) raised my eyebrows and (b) made me laugh.  Out loud.