How Times Change

Some plane pr0n from the Usual USAF Source...

C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft fly in formation during a training mission near Mount Fuji, Japan, as part of exercise Samurai Surge, Nov. 2, 2011. (Air Force photo by SSgt. Samuel Morse)

and a similar shot from times past:

I much prefer the top photo.  I'm thinkin' the Nihonjin do, too.

―:☺:―

We're back to our old habits, kinda-sorta, in that we didn't hit the hay until 0430 hrs this morning and slept in until 1100 hrs.   Part o' the reason is I took a two-hour nap yesterday afternoon, mainly because last night's Wings game was a late one in San Jose.  I prolly shouldn't have bothered because the Wings lost and it wasn't even close, what with a 5-2 final score.  I had high hopes last night, seein' as how the Wings completely dominated the first period when most of the play took place at San Jose's end of the rink.  Alas, the game changed radically in the second period and stayed that way.  I don't feel the loss was due to lack of effort on the Wings part, seein' as how they had 42 shots on goal, compared to the Sharks' 28.  But there are shots and then there are SHOTS... good teams find a way to put the puck in the net.  Good teams also don't cough the puck up and allow the opposition to score on them, almost at will.  The Wings better get it together, and soon... if the playoffs began tomorrow the Wings wouldn't be in it for the first time in 20 years.  That would break my hard little heart.

Noticed and Unnoticed

Noticed: Today is another one of those days here on The High Plains o' New Mexico: there's more wind than any human bean wants or needs, which is to say constant wind in the mid-20 mph range, with gusts of 30 mph and above.  That's not as bad as some days but the wind, along with temps in the very low 50s, is bad enough to make me forgo shopping that should be done but won't be.  The wind will also cancel Happy Hour today.  Oh, I'll still knock back a beer or two but I'll do so indoors and will forgo (once again) the usual, customary, and quite reasonable cigar... said cigar being one of the necessary ingredients of a successful Happy Hour.  The changing of the seasons has had a remarkable impact on my cigar consumption, which has resulted in a considerable reduction in expense (good) along with a reduction in my perceived quality of life (bad).  And winter isn't even here!  I've been thinkin' about suitable work-arounds in this space and haven't come up with any as of yet.  Got any ideers, Gentle Reader?

Unnoticed:  Our sixth blogoversary slipped under the radar this past Tuesday. We had put up 4,151 posts (according to Blogger's "edit posts" screen) as of 11/15/2011 and the sheer quantity of mindless drivel I've posted to these inter-tubes never ceases to amaze me.  It also never ceases to amaze me that people actually READ this stuff, some of whom (yeah YOU, Lou) have been with me since Day One (well, almost) and others (Kris, Jenny, Laurie, Bob) have hung with me nearly that long.  And then there are the others who came in afterwards yet continue to hang around, The Deity At Hand only knows why.  I didn't mention SN1 or SN2; there's a reason for that, which falls in the "duty and obligation" space.  But that said, I appreciate their patronage along with that of the grandbabies, who now know more than they prolly should about Dear Ol' Granddad.

I DO go on.  My bottom line?  Thank you ALL for dropping by and thank you for your friendship.  I dunno how long blog life is or can be but I don't see myself giving it up any time soon.

Unnoticed, II:  No one remarked that the state of California transgendered me before being transgendered was cool.  I didn't let California's oh-so-unilateral action go to my head (or other places), though.  It's good to get in touch with your feminine side, even if you're forced to do so by the gub'mint.

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:

What has not been discussed in the press is the impact sequestration will have on the jobs front.  First, most estimates coming from the Department believe cuts of such magnitude will cause DOD to “lay off” upwards of 150,000 troops and tens of thousands of civilians.  A new study by Dr. Stephen S. Fuller at George Mason University has given us a hint at the impact on the industrial base.  The key findings of the study were as follows: 

• Total potential job losses (direct, indirect, community): 1,006,315
• Total potential aerospace/defense and supply chain job losses: 352,000
• Total loss of workers’ wages and salaries: $59.4 billion
• Impact on national unemployment rate: + .6%
• Impact on projected growth of 2013 Gross Domestic Product: - 25%

The impact on jobs varies by state … but California (-125,800), Virginia (-122,800), Texas (-91.600), Florida (-39,200), and Massachusetts (-38,200) are the ones with the highest numbers of jobs lost.

It isn’t just the defense companies that will be hurt by defense cuts, according to Fuller. “DOD buys from other sectors in the economy,” Fuller said. “Suppliers and other small businesses located in communities with large and small aerospace companies are affected by these cuts. As these companies suffer, so do the businesses further down the supply chain.”

For more information, see:  http://secondtonone.org/

The above is an excerpt from an e-mail sent by the president of the Air Force Association. Which reminds me of the brouhaha surrounding the last BRAC round. The Donkeys always scream about cutting defense spending until the services want to close a base in THEIR district. Ain't it amazing how quickly they change their tune then?

Success, Part Deux

I'm a New Mexican...

...albeit a temporary New Mexican.  I was told my license will arrive via a uniformed representative of the Federal Gubmint sometime in the next 45 days.  Or so.

Speakin' o' driver's licenses... I've carried this old Kally-forhn-ee-ya license in my wallet for nearly 40 years now:

Ain't that about the ugliest chick ya ever did see?  And note, please, that we are our same svelte self (height, weight) as we were over 35 years ago.  It's all in the genes, Gentle Reader; lifestyle has NOTHING to do with it.  Otherwise I'd be dead now.

From the Outbox

I received one of those inspirational e-mails from an Occasional Correspondent this morning and replied like so (after selectively quoting the content of the note):

From: Buck Pennington 
Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 10:59 AM
To: Occasional Correspondent
Cc: Another Occasional Correspondent
Subject: Re: Too Good not to Share

Buddha: “What we think we become. We are what we think."

Mahatma Gandhi: “A man is but the product of his thoughts.  What he thinks, he becomes.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson: “A man is what he thinks about all day long.”

Jesus: “As you think, so shall ye be.”

OK... just for the record... I am NOT a pussy. 

The sender (who is female) replied "Now THAT really made me laugh out loud!"  I prolly should add I'm not a mo'sickle, either.

Not Your Father's Air Force XV

From the Usual USAF Source:

Air University Awards First Doctorate Degree: Air University awarded its first doctorate degree Monday, seven years after the university began developing its doctoral degree program. Lt. Col. Tadd Sholtis, deputy director of public affairs at Headquarters Air Combat Command, at JB Langley-Eustis, Va., received his doctorate of philosophy in military strategy during a ceremony at Maxwell AFB, Ala. Sholtis said he had "the opportunity to think about what I do as a public affairs officer and why I do it, the larger picture of what national policy and civilian officials faced when discussing the US strategy in Afghanistan." Hank Dasinger, AU chief of academic affairs, said the doctoral program "reinforces the idea that we are a military school and a university," while allowing airmen to pursue their PhDs without "being away from your functional areas." Only one percent of a year group is admitted to the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies class, which makes them eligible for the doctorate program, said Bruce Murphy, vice president for academic affairs. "We need educated people at high levels, and this program keeps them current in their fields," said Murphy.

I'm not biased against higher education, per se, and I think graduate degrees for military professionals are good things... in areas like logistics, engineering, and even military history.  But I'm a lil bit nonplussed at "doctorate of philosophy in military strategy" and most especially how said philosophy and/or strategy relates to Public Affairs.  That seems a bit much.  Or mebbe I'm just thick; I was enlisted, after all, and was reminded quite often during my career that I wasn't paid to think.

While we're on about it...  There might have been professional public affairs officers back in my day but I'm betting those guys were only found at the Numbered Air Force level or above; most of the PAOs I knew were additional-duty types.  Hell, I was one myself at the squadron level, as a Master Sergeant.  And now we have professional spin-meisters with doctorates.  In the Air Force!

That's a Bargain, Actually

I think that's a bargain mainly coz I paid $3.45/gallon when I filled up last week, but that was for mid-range, not regular.  I can remember when gas was about 28 CENTS a gallon everywhere and 17 cents a gallon on base.  And that was long after the time I had to walk to school barefoot in the snow.  Uphill both ways, like everyone else in my cohort.

Things Ya Don't Wanna See

This is one:

That's the first thang I saw when I fired up the desktop this morning.  It's not as bad as it looks -- the disk is my outboard hard drive that I use for back-up.  But... bad enough.

I Learned Sumthin' Today

Specifically: the capacity limit of my hot water heater, as in don't put a load of laundry in the washer (set on Hot/Warm) and then expect to take a Hollywood shower 15 minutes later.  The effect can be most chilling.  Literally.

The Sunday Re-Run

I've been thinkin' about mo'sickles a LOT of late.  I dunno exactly why that is and it seems middling strange to me, mainly coz it's usually in the Spring when a young man's old geezer's thoughts turn to love of the two-wheeled sort.  But lately it's been bikes, bikes, and more bikes.  This lil exchange over at our favorite (former) Nasal Radiator's place is of a piece:

Quartermaster

November 13, 2011 at 4:46 am · Reply

Most other bikes are better than Harley. On this side of the pond, back in teh 70s, we used to have a saying, If you like to ride buy a ___(insert your favorite 70s era rice burner). If you like to push, buy a Harley.”
Harley-Davidson has improved a lot since AMF days, but it’s still the same basic bike.

• Buck

  November 13, 2011 at 9:33 am · Reply

  As a longtime sportbike rider (Yamaha RDs… i.e., RD-350, RD-400, RD-350LC… in the past and then a Suzuki Duck clone of late) I like to twist the tails of Harley riders from time to time. Especially since my SN1 is a Hardley-Ableson kinda guy.

OK, that comment was self-serving but it DID fit, no?  And I went looking for a particular EIP piece apropos of that comment, just so I could post it again.  Herewith a couple o' my all-time favorite rides:

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Fast Times At Ridgemont When I Was High

High on LIFE, Gentle Reader... high on life.  And mo'sickles.  There were a few previously unpublished pics of mo'sickles-past lurking in the pages of those photo albums I brought home from SN2's place.  You know I'm gonna post those, so we might as well get started.  First up: my old RD350LC.  Here she is up against the wall, a position we rarely found ourselves in, metaphorically speaking.

If that pic looks somewhat familiar it's only because it is.  We previously posted this pic of the happy couple:

And then there's this, taken on the same day as the above but in a different place.  The day would be the day I sold her in June of 1983 (she wasn't street-legal in the USA and I was going home) and the place is High Wycombe Air Station where I lived during my three-year all expenses paid (courtesy of the USAF) vacation in London.

I kinda like that shot because you can read the tee shirt I'm wearing in the full-size version of the pic, to wit:

That 350-cc number prolly sounds laughable to Americans who routinely think "Harley" and big-ass 96 cu. in. (1600 cc) motors when they think of bikes, which is rarely (unless you're a biker).  But lemmee tell ya, those 350cc's made mince-meat out of many a cruiser back in the day and sport bikes twice its size, too.  That was one hella quick and fast mo'sickle and it could carve a corner like few others.  Fast times, indeed.

Here's the best bike I ever owned... it edges out the 350LC by only the tiniest of margins... my RD400D.  The first pic is the bike in box-stock configuration, the second is in its current mildly-modified condition:

Stock

Modified

I spent the winter of 1978 in my garage working on that bike.  Most of the mods were bolt-ons, which is to say after-market shocks, new handle bars, rear-set foot pegs, a brake/shifter kit, electronic ignition, and better tires.  The cognoscenti will note the expansion chambers on the bike and those were part of the minor engine mods I did.  I didn't want to build a hand-grenade motor so I just added expansion chambers, larger carbs, and K&N air filters to improve the bike's breathing.  I also polished all the cylinder ports to improve air flow.  And that was it... but the finished product really wailed.  I should also mention coastal Oregon was a danged fine place to own a back road burner like the RD, too.  Even more fast times.

Here's a previously posted and MUCH prettier pic of the stock RD:

 TSMP and Stock RD

I tried to get her to pose in her bikini but she wasn't having any of that.  (sigh)

Lastly... the RD400 is still in the family, sitting in the back of SN2's garage.  It still runs but is suffering from a leaky rear master cylinder.  Sam keeps telling me "one of these days..."  Heh.

And now a moment that's said to be good for the soul.  Here's part of an exchange I had with Occasional Reader Laurie a couple o' days ago:

Don't tell anyone, but I've been lookin' at Sportys for about a month or so.  I'm only six months removed from getting rid o' Miss Zukiko and find I'm missing her.  Terribly.  I'm too old and decrepit to go back to sport bikes, but I'm thinkin' I could deal with a Sporty, even with my infirmities.  So, we shall see....

The Apocalypse truly must be near.  Me?  On a HARLEY?  Aiiieee.

19,615,456 Views Before I Get Around to Posting It

EIP: Always a day late and a dollar short.  Always.  But cute.

―:☺:―

It's not a nice day here on The High Plains o' New Mexico:

Warm ain't everythang, yanno?  We've had gusts over 40 mph today, so I'm thinkin' it'll be an indoor Happy Hour.  But mebbe not.

Veterans Day 2011

VETERANS DAY, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Today, our Nation comes together to honor our veterans and commemorate the legacy of profound service and sacrifice they have upheld in pursuit of a more perfect Union. Through their steadfast defense of America’s ideals, our service members have ensured our country still stands strong, our founding principles still shine, and nations around the world know the blessings of freedom. As we offer our sincere appreciation and respect to our veterans, to their families, to those who are still in harm’s way, and to those we have laid to rest, let us rededicate ourselves to serving them as well as they have served the United States of America.

Our men and women in uniform are bearers of a proud military tradition that has been dutifully passed forward—from generation to generation—for more than two centuries. In times of war and peace alike, our veterans have served with courage and distinction in the face of tremendous adversity, demonstrating an unfaltering commitment to America and our people. Many have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the country they loved. The selflessness of our service members is unmatched, and they remind us that there are few things more fundamentally American than doing our utmost to make a difference in the lives of others.

Just as our veterans stood watch on freedom’s frontier, so have they safeguarded the prosperity of our Nation in our neighborhoods, our businesses, and our homes. As teachers and engineers, doctors and parents, these patriots have made contributions to civilian life that serve as a testament to their dedication to the welfare of our country. We owe them a debt of honor, and it is our moral obligation to ensure they receive our support for as long as they live as proud veterans of the United States Armed Forces. This year, as our troops in Iraq complete their mission, we will honor them and all who serve by working tirelessly to give them the care, the benefits, and the opportunities they have earned.

On Veterans Day, we pay tribute to our veterans, to the fallen, and to their families. To honor their contributions to our Nation, let us strive with renewed determination to keep the promises we have made to all who have answered our country’s call. As we fulfill our obligations to them, we keep faith with the patriots who have risked their lives to preserve our Union, and with the ideals of service and sacrifice upon which our Republic was founded.

With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation’s veterans.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2011, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

Thanks to all who served and those still serving.  God Bless you all.  And to our friends and allies throughout the British Commonwealth -- we remember and honor your fallen on this Remembrance Day.  Thank you.

Not Your Father's Air Force XIV

From the Usual USAF Source...

(From left) Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, Capt. Nicholas Tsougas, Lt. Col. Dylan Wells, Capt. Leigh Larkin, retired Lt. Col. Donald Cornwell and National Aeronautic Association Chairman Walter Boyne.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tiffany Trojca) (click for hi-res)

F-15E Aircrews Presented Mackay Trophy: Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and National Aeronautic Association Chairman Walter Boyne presented the 2010 Mackay Trophy to the four members of "Dude Flight" for their heroics actions last year in the cockpits of two F-15Es during a mission over Afghanistan. Now-retired Lt. Col. Donald Cornwell as well as Lt. Col. Dylan Wells, Capt. Leigh Larkin, and Capt. Nicholas Tsougas received the trophy, which recognizes the most meritorious flight in a given year, during NAA's fall awards dinner Monday in Arlington, Va. On April 6, 2010, these airmen, flying in F-15Es with call signs Dude-01 and Dude-02, performed show-of-force passes and subsequently deployed six joint direct attack munitions to protect a task force of some 30 coalition troops under attack by approximately 100 Taliban fighters in Bala Morgab. Their attacks killed more than 80 Taliban, saving the task force members' lives. (SAF/PA report by SSgt. Eric Donner) (See also NAA Mackay Trophy webpage.)

Congratulations to Colonels Cornwell and Wells and Captains Larkin and Tsougas.  This isn't the first time the Mackay trophy has been awarded to a female airman... I think the first female aircrew member was awarded the trophy in 2000... but it certainly gets the attention of the old geezers among us.  

I just can't imagine having a conversation with the wife that goes sumthin' like this:  

"How was your day, Honey?"  
"Oh, just the usual... knocked off 80 Taliban that were giving our guys a hard time..."

But I think it would be pretty cool.

Oh, and Capt. Larkin?  Square away those wings.  Ma'am.

Why I Smoke Cigars

For the female troglodytes, of course.  Just look at her melt.

Image from here, via the Shoebox blog.

Oh, NOES! They Just Keep Comin' Out o' the Woodwork!

"Get some settlement money."

Harley Riders...

...ain't too very smart.

(h/t to Occasional Reader Deb for this and other images)

Ramirez Does GOML and Radars

From the Usual Source...

Yup.

―:☺:―

A blast from the past from the Usual USAF Source:

Igloo Upgrade: The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin $46.8 million in contract options to upgrade its Atmospheric Warning System radars throughout the US and Canada. The contract covers initial planning and design work to modernize 29 AN/FPS-117 long-range surveillance radars, which were initially built by Lockheed in the 1980s under the Seek Igloo North Warning program, according to a company release. It includes 15 radars in Alaska, 11 in Canada, as well as individual sites in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Utah. The solid-state L-band radar is capable of continuously covering airspace out to 250 miles using unmanned operations that are reliable even in harsh Arctic climates. Lockheed expects to be awarded follow-on contract options to update the radar's signal and data processing, extending the network life-span through 2025, states the release. The company already has completed similar work at sites in the UK, Germany, Romania, and Kuwait.

That would be a COLD blast from the past.   A lot o' you Gentle Readers know that I spent 16 years in the long-range air defense radar bid'niz, with a couple o' tours off for good behavior which I spent on the periphery o' the Once and Current Evil Empire.  Said tours weren't much of an improvement, actually, when it came to geographic locations, but there were other benefits.

I didn't much like the radar biz, mainly coz it ain't nice living on top of mountains or in close proximity to same, USUALLY out in the boonies somewhere... but not always: there were USAF radar sites in Palos Verdes in El-Eh, Mt. Tamalpais in SFO, and Montauk Point on Long Island, just to name three desirable sites (at which I never served).  So it pleases me to read the current radars use "unmanned operations," which I take to mean minimally attended.  There really isn't such a thing as unmanned ops; maintenance must be performed on a regular basis.  That maintenance is better performed by contractors than Blue Suiters, sez I, coz I know what it means to do that sorta thang.  In environments like this:

I spent one year, three days, eight hours and ten minutes there.  Not that I was counting.

From the In-Box

An Occasional Correspondent sends along the following...

'I haven't left my house in days.
I watch the news channels incessantly.
All the news stories are about the election;
All the commercials are for Viagra and Cialis.
Election  -  erection  -  election  - erection
- - - either way we're getting fucked!' 
-- Bette Midler.

You GO, Bette!

I haven't left the house in hours but I'm getting ready to motor over to The Big(ger) City™ to give The Green Hornet a bath and see if the Clovis MVD is more user-friendly than their P-Ville counterpart.  We've assembled a few pieces of paper with our Social Security number emblazoned prominently thereupon (plus other required pieces of Very Important Paper) and we shall attempt to do what must be done without an actual Social Security card... for the fun that should be in it and to satisfy our misguided need to tilt at windmills.  If this second effort fails I'll admit defeat and go from the MVD to the Social Security office to get the requisite letter.  But until that time it'll be "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more..."

Update, 1430 hrs:  Success!

Well, sorta.  The Green Hornet is registered and titled in New Mexico but I still don't have a New Mexico driver's license, seein' as how I failed the inter-agency check.  It further seems like I owe the state of New Yawk 25 Yankee Dollars for failing to return the NY license plates on ECMdP when I registered her in Texas back in 1999.  And New Yawk will NOT be denied what she is owed.  It only took me 24 minutes and 16 seconds of working through IVR Hell to reach a person who (a) knew what the problem was (all I got from the NM MVD was "call this number, you failed.") and (b) gave me explicit instructions on where to go and how to rectify the problem.  Oh, and give 'em 48 to 72 hours after I pay the fine to fix all the records.

Oh and BTW... I got all this done at the P-Ville MVD.  The lady there was very nice and professional after she consulted Higher Headquarters to find out that, yes, a USAF ID and a Medicare card would suffice for proof of Social Security.

Yays!  We WIN!  For once.  Sorta.

Cheesy Videos XXIII

It's been a while since we got the Mino HD out and recorded a Cheesy Video for your entertainment and/or enlightenment, Gentle Reader.  But!  Wait no more!  Here it is... new and mebbe improved!

Or mebbe not so improved.  We're still All Cheesy, all the time.  Watch in HD if'n ya have the bandwidth.

So now it'll be football until around 1700 hrs (with the teevee's volume turned up an extra six clicks to overcome the wind noise), at which time we'll turn to Center Ice to see if the Woeful Wings can snap their SIX GAME LOSING STREAK.  Aiiieee.

False Start

So... I got off the dime today and went down to the DMV to get my new driver's license, register my vehicles, yadda, yadda.  But I should use the proper term, since it's called the MVD in New Mexico.  That ain't irony; it's appropriate.  The story...

In order to get my driver's license/new registration(s) I need (a) my current license (check), (b) two pieces of paper to prove residence (semi-check: I had one on my person), and (c) an actual Social Security card (no check: I haven't had an actual Social Security card since sumthin' like for-fuckin'-ever).  I asked if my USAF ID card would do, since my Social Security number is my serial number and the number is right there on that official lil blue United States gub'mint document and the answer was "no," I must have an actual Social Security card OR an application for a replacement card... validated by the local Social Security office, which is in The Big(ger) City™.  So we must drive over to Clovis and apply for a new card.  But not today.

I also found out that to get NM titles for my vehicles I have to drive said vehicles to the MVD for a VIN validation.  That's no problem for The Green Hornet (obviously) but I'll have to do a shuttle operation to fetch El Casa Móvil de Pennington to the MVD for its inspection.  I do believe we'll register and title TGH next week, but ECMdP will wait until her Tejas plates expire next February, if she's not sold by then.

Fucking bureaucracy.  I hate, hate, HATE it.

Beer me! 

It Turns Out the Answer ISN'T 42...

... it's 50.  50 grams.  If it had been up to me I'd have left the weight of the inter-tubes at 42.  Just for the poetry that's in it, yanno?

Too geeky?  You prolly don't watch Nova either, do ya?

Unclear On the Concept, In Two Parts

That would be me, for item Numbah One.  Which, specifically, involves my defective Kindle I wrote about here.  I mentioned that Amazon was MOST responsive to my complaint and had put a replacement Kindle in the mail (well, UPS... mo betta) on the very same day I informed them of my issue.  I received the replacement in two days time, fired it up, transferred my content, and was Good To Go.  Oh, and I mailed the broken Kindle back to Amazon, too.

I was under the impression that my replacement Kindle was a loaner until such time as my device was (a) repaired and (b) returned to me.  Not true, that.  I just got off the phone with Amazon and was informed that my new Kindle is mine to keep... we're done now that I returned the broken Kindle.

How about that?  Ya just GOTTA love service like that.

Unclear On the Concept, Part Two, involves the City of Portales, specifically the city's water department.  I'll make this as quick as possible: I received my first water bill day before yesterday and was literally shocked at the amount: 121 Yankee Dollars, 75 of which was for water and the rest for garbage collection, sewer, and various service fees and taxes.  "This CAN'T be right" thinks I, so I hie myself off to City Hall and protest mightily.  The very nice lady (no sarcasm intended, she was very NICE) agreed the water charge seemed excessive for a guy who lives alone and filed a trouble ticket with the Public Works people, instructing me to phone back the next day to see about the outcome.  So, I called back yesterday and was informed there are no leaks in my water line but my meter had been misread and the revised bill was ONLY $108 (and change).  Happy now?

Well, no.

I called my landlord, explained the situation and inquired if the landscaping watering system might be hooked up to my meter, perhaps?  Amanda, the (once again) very nice lady at Homespot Properties said she didn't think so but she would look into the situation.  Further investigation on Amanda's part reveals the landscaping water meter is reading zero at this point in time, which kinda-sorta indicates things ain't exactly right.  I learned this when Amanda rang me back yesterday, she further informed me that there would be a four-way discussion today between the contractors who built the apartments, the landscapers, the city, and Homespot.  Further information should be forthcoming this afternoon.

So my water bill hangs in the balance... and I don't have any ideer how much I actually owe the city.  Just for comparison's sake, my neighbor's bill was around 40 Yankee Dollars, and there are three people living in HER apartment... herself, her roomie, and her baby girl.  You just know two wimmen and a baby consume more water than an old geezer, that much should be indisputable.  Sumthin' ain't right here.

Update, 1500 hrs:  Fixd, bill paid.  It turns out the landscaping contractors broke a water line during construction and the resulting spill was billed to me.  Homespot and I are splitting the difference; my bill is now $53.98 instead of $108.00.  I think that's still a bit high but I can live with it.  BIG kudos and thanks to Amanda at Homespot for running this issue to ground.  Quickly, too.  I think I'm gonna like livin' here.

Harassment

 From the Usual Source:

I sure am glad I'm not working any longer.  Or running for office... ANY office... for that matter.

I Went Lookin'...

... for a teevee ad that Chevrolet is runnin' in the Dee-troit market and came up empty.  But I did find this, which Occasional Reader Virgil might enjoy:

No continental kit, but it IS a pristine '58 Bel Air.  Nice!

Wuss!

I was gonna saddle up and head down to the DMV to become a New Mexican this afternoon.  Until I looked at the WX:

I'm thinkin' I'll wait until tomorrow... or mebbe Friday.

Just Sayin'

At least one Gentle Reader was perplexed at my Wegman's comment on last night's post and one other Gentle Reader from Rochester got it.  For the record: buying groceries at Wegman's is an experience unto itself... a GREAT experience.  I've been around the block a few times and have lived and shopped ALL over this great country, from border to border and sea to shining sea.  There are no better food markets than Wegman's anywhere... and few equals... period, full-stop.  I'm not alone in making this statement; herewith some evidence.  First, from GMA:

Sept. 2, 2006

Shopping for groceries can be an exercise in frustration, fraught with experiences you'd rather avoid.

The ideal? Lots of checkout lanes, wide aisles, and consistently fresh meat and produce -- like at Wegmans, one of several stores which got top ratings in the October issue of Consumer Reports.

[...]

The Rankings

The top ranked stores were Wegmans and Trader Joe's. Top regional chains were Wegmans in the Northeast; Publix and Harris Teeter in the South; Raley's in California; and Hy-Vee in the Midwest.

"All of these stores, especially the regional ones, did well because of their selection and their produce and their convenience," Kleman said.

From a 2010 readers' survey in Daily Finance:

TOP 5 FAVORITE GROCERY STORES

No. 1: Wegmans

Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Wegmans was founded in 1916 by the Wegman family. Wegmans operates 75 stores: 48 in New York State, 13 in Pennsylvania, 7 in New Jersey, 6 in Virginia and 1 in Maryland.


Sample Reader Comments:

sweet sue 14218 says:
"Wegmans is absolutely the best food store I have ever shopped in. [It has] lowest prices, friendly and helpful staff and the store is always spotless. Another good thing is they have plenty of cart corrals to put your empty cart in to keep them from hitting anyone [else's] car."

Neesko says:
"One of the highlights of visiting my son and family in Rochester, N.Y. is going to Wegmans. [On my] last visit, I [took] the tour of the [flagship] store. Wegmans, please come to Virginia -- especially Virginia Beach!" 

Another thumbnail sketch (there's a slideshow of great markets at this link):

Wegmans, which originated in Rochester, NY, is a gastronome's Mecca. This supermarket of all supermarkets offers more than 70,000 products from the every corner of the world. From basics to the authentic sweets developed by one of France's top pastry chefs, Pierre Hermé. The fresh fruits and vegetables max out at over 700 varieties and are picked daily (sometimes twice) and delivered directly to the store.

Not to be missed: The bulk food section. Barrels of everything from candy to nuts to baking flour and can be purchased in various quantities.

More here, and at The Wiki.  Weggies really IS all that and a bag o' chips; my local Wegman's even had a sushi bar and the fish was EXCELLENT.  As Small-Tee said in comments below: "If you never been to one, you'll never understand."

Dinner

Sometimes we be lazy... and it's good to be able to go down the block to the local grocery store and pick up dinner and dessert in a bag.  Like this:

OK, so it ain't Weggies.  But then... what IS?

Today's Happy Hour Soundtrack

We're listening to "The Very Best of Linda" this afternoon...  and the tune below is but one of the cuts on this most excellent album.  I love Linda's singin' but I can't handle her politics.  It's a great good thang that I can keep her singin' and her politics separate, innit?  But we digress...

It's so easy to fall in love
It's so easy to fall in love
It's so easy to fall in love
It's so easy to fall in love
Oh-ooh It's so easy to fall in love

No.  No, it's not.  You don't know what the f*ck you're talkin' about, Darlin'.

I'm Beginning To Take This Personally

So... I mentioned in these pages that I'd never had one single trick or treater in the nearly nine years I spent in Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park and that I was expecting better this year.  Guess what?  Not one single trick or treater.  I now have about a six month supply of small Kit Kat bars on hand... but at least I was smart enough to buy candy that **I** like.  Do ya think it was all that "get off my lawn!" stuff I've posted?

―:☺:―

Last night wasn't a total loss; we did have a nice sunset:

Note that my new westerly view isn't as nice as it was in BLHTP.  But I have a classic view of the ENMU water tower.  It's lit up at night, too.

Update, 0940 hrs:  This is why I'm beginning to take it personally: The Things You Don’t Always See.