tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-182323532024-03-16T12:52:08.994-06:00Exile in PortalesIf a lifetime can be likened to a day, then this is Happy Hour!Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.comBlogger6429125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-61844454820062746122018-12-18T18:55:00.000-07:002018-12-18T18:55:12.500-07:00Life goes on... <div>
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When my father passed away four years ago, my brother and I promised to keep the blog alive. And we are not doing that very well... for various reasons; some reasonable, some not so reasonable. I will not make any more pledges to post more often, but (as this post demonstrates) will visit from time to time and share my thoughts.</div>
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I think about my dad a lot. Music usually brings him to mind, but there's so much more... driving my car, hard, the way a good German sport sedan with a 6 speed manual transmission was meant to be driven... or a good article that makes me think deeply, and then wonder what my dad would have thought of the article... and there's hockey. I'm not going to expand on hockey, because we didn't share the same favorite team and that, at some level, was a source of frustration for him. Music, most of all makes me feel close to him. He was never a musician, but knew every guitar lick from arguably the greatest Rock and Roll songs of the 50's, 60's and 70's. And he loved nearly every genre, from Bach to the Blues to the Beatles and more progressive artists as well. Van Morrison was one of his favorites and he is one of my favorites as well.</div>
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Before joining the Navy, 31 years ago, I spent a couple of months living with my dad. I worked at a music store and got a decent discount on CDs... and CD's being all the rage back then, my dad took advantage of the opportunity to expand his collection. I spent more (of my dad's) money on CD's at work than I made. I believe he bought a copy of every Van Morrison CD we had in the store and more than a few other CD's during those two months. I would get home from work, turn over the latest buys... and we would listen to the CD. I vividly remember those times, the music and the mood. We really didn't talk, but we shared time and a love of the music we were listening to in a way that I've never experienced before... and will likely never experience again. I have some hope that I may share something like that with DN4 (my dad's GDN6). She is really talented, has earned numerous awards and has literally performed at Carnegie Hall. And she's a lot like her Grandpapa in so many ways.</div>
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All things considered, if a favorite hockey team is the only thing worth mentioning that we didn't agree upon, our relationship was pretty damn good, despite the many miles that separated us. We had a mutual appreciation for the finer things in life; ideas, values and people that brought us more than contentment... they brought him and still bring me happiness. I hope you are all well... if you're reading this, you probably followed my father's blog and still get notifications of updates, which made you important to my father... and important to me. I know his memory lives on in this blog and our collective memories.</div>
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SN2</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07118142803687343885noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-1753031598760872952018-12-18T18:11:00.000-07:002018-12-18T18:17:36.795-07:00SN2 posting... for GDN6<br />
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My Grandfather<br />
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When I was twelve years old I woke up one morning, my stomach rumbling with hunger and pulling me to the kitchen. As I walked down the stairs, I was confronted with the strong smell of coffee and the tapping keys of my Grandpapa's laptop. I followed the sound into the dining room and found my Grandpapa working on his laptop. I sat and watched him, admiring the intense concentration on his screen. I greeted him with a shy smile and a polite "good morning"... and sat silently, drawing in my sketchbook until he saw something on his laptop, tilted his head, smiling and said "oh". I said "oh what?" He showed me a picture on his laptop of feet. The picture showed different feet and described how the various shapes and lengths of toes correlate to different personality types and physical traits. So naturally, we stripped off our socks and started looking at our toes. My mother came down stairs, walked by and asked what we were doing... not stopping, not missing a beat and said "weirdos".<br />
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Self portrait 2015</div>
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This memory, with my Grandpapa, taught me to love myself and accept what makes me unique. We laughed and talked about toes, made silly faces and discussed art and writing. In life, we all need those moments when we forget about reputation and simply laugh and live. I am who I am because I'm unique in my own, odd ways. I miss you Grandpapa... thank you.<br />
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Grandpapa</div>
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Sincerely,<br />
Angelina... aka Googoo... aka GDN6Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07118142803687343885noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-20305990224397595972018-03-27T06:35:00.004-06:002018-03-27T06:35:46.557-06:00While we may not be making any new memories... we are making new posts, with some new contributors. I've added a link below to DN2's blog (required for school, not something she chose to do... but did choose to write about Dad)... something you may find interesting; I did.<br />
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<a href="http://amandampennington.com/uncategorized/exile-in-portales/">http://amandampennington.com/uncategorized/exile-in-portales/</a><br />
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I hope everyone who still visits this blog has a wonderful day.<br />
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SN2Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07118142803687343885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-61244770753893981912018-03-26T18:02:00.000-06:002018-03-27T05:22:07.860-06:00Happy birthday dad... it has been a year since SN1 or I have posted. We just do not have the affinity or desire my father did for writing. I do stop in from time to time and read a bit... and wonder how long Blogger will keep this page alive. My daughter (DN2) stops in as well. My dad was a wonderful grandfather... grandpa-pa, was what he liked to be called by my girls. The memories I have of him with my daughter's are all pretty darn good... most memories are pretty darn good. I believe time doesn't really heal the loss of a parent, but it does improve the lense by which we see them; I see my father's wonderful mannrisms and hear his quirky laugh... and smile, then remember all too well that there will be no new memories.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07118142803687343885noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-68874281485809934652017-03-26T10:30:00.000-06:002017-03-26T10:46:35.407-06:00Happy Birthday Dad!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today's Dad's birthday. It's a hard day for a lot of us but one we also cherish because of the memories it brings, the happiness associated with those memories and the encouragement to make some of our own. That pic was taken as he and I were sampling a few local brews in Layton Utah. Dad did enjoy a good beer!<br />
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My own son, Sean sent me the following short remembrance a few weeks ago. We thought we'd save it for today. More remembrances will be posted later on, but this was the one that kick started us into writing them. Only three words were touched from the original sent from Sean. Here it is: <br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Norman Ellis Pennington was a normal man. He had two
wives, three sons and many grandchildren. In the grand scheme of things, he was
typical. It’s funny how one person can seem so grand, so large, when compared
to your own life. I’m only twenty years old, and nearly every thing he said to
me resonates in my mind when I consider my life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My grandfather continues to be one of the most consistent
and persistent influences in my own life. Throughout my life I’ve always heard
that I resemble him. We looked nothing alike: he was a skinny, blonde white man
and I’m a thick, brown haired, brown man. Yet, we are very much alike. The same
aloof, yet kind spirit runs through my veins as it did through his. Our
shameless sentimentality, shown through old American standards, still carries
on through this day. Although we had reservations about expressing emotions, it
only took him, and now me, a few shots of whiskey to open up. One of my most
poignant memories is of him crying when “In My Life” came on and he opened up
about his own life with his ex-wife. I had never seen such honesty and
vulnerability. I think about it every day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He introduced me to the blues. I learned the blues via a
friend’s brother (learning the 12-bar blues from that guy), yet he taught me
what the blues actually meant. Every time I play a blues song, even if the
lyrics are comical, every lick, every note, reminds me of him. He encouraged me
in person when my own father was too far away to do it. He played me every
blues album he owned to show me how the greats did it. When it came to the
blues, he was the first person that came to mind when I listen to it. Most of
the artists I admire in the blues genre came from evenings where he told me
about his favorite artists and he played them. I miss the times when he’d tell
me about his favorite artists keeping the blues alive. I’d give anything for
him to tell me about one of his new favorite artists. There have been a few he
might’ve liked, including Leon Bridges (even if he is more of a soul singer.) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love music. I’m an English major (former Music Education
major), and yet I listen to certain songs and think of the memories when my
grandfather played those songs from his stereo, singing every lyric out of key.
My own musical philosophy comes from those experiences: if a non-musician can’t
sing along to it, then it isn’t worth much. My grandpa could sing along to the
best of them: Sonny Terry, B.B. King, Albert King, and, of course, The Rolling
Stones. Whenever I play those artists, I can’t help but think of him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then I think of artists he may have liked. Lately, I’ve
been listening to Julie London’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Julie Is
Her Name</i>. He didn’t own it in his own personal CD collection (which I now
own), but what if he had loved it as well? Questions like that torment me. When
it comes to grief, questions like that hurt the most. No matter how much I
loved him, and how much I picked his brain, there’ll never be another chance
when I can ask him questions like that. There are questions I want to ask him
that will never be answered. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overall, grief seems to be the feeling of knowing that
you’ll never be able to learn about a person ever again. In my own apartment,
which I share with a friend who collaborates with me on silly musical
endeavors, I see constant reminders of him: an African decoration he had, a
portrait of Copenhagen, even my own cooking ware that was handed down to me. I
can’t even cook bacon and eggs without being reminded of him!<br />
<br />
I’m glad these reminders exist.
Now, I’m listening to “Moonlight Mile,” his favorite song, and hoping he’d
somehow come back and talk to me. Little moments like that are the moments I
miss: the moments when he’d have a beer in his hand and give me advice about
life that still proves to be good advice even to this day. I miss the times he’d
take me to get a Happy Meal at McDonald’s when I was younger, even if those
trips were only a few minutes. It’s amazing how one person can have such an
impact on one’s life. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
I love you Grandpa.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sean</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
More to follow...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
SN1 </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
afmajbuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00217032897671642295noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-76826555401565207922016-01-07T06:04:00.002-07:002016-01-07T06:10:15.403-07:00Resolutions...<h2>
<span data-dobid="hdw"><span data-dobid="hdw">res·o·lu·tion</span></span></h2>
<span data-dobid="hdw">
</span><br />
<div class="lr_dct_ent_ph">
<span data-dobid="hdw"><span class="lr_dct_ph">ˌrezəˈlo͞oSH(ə)n/ </span><i>noun</i></span></div>
<span data-dobid="hdw">
</span><div aria-hidden="true" class="xpdxpnd vk_gy" data-mh="-1">
<span data-dobid="hdw">noun: <b>resolution</b>; plural noun: <b>resolutions</b></span></div>
<span data-dobid="hdw">
<div class="lr_dct_sf_sen vk_txt">
<div style="float: left;">
<strong>1</strong>. </div>
<div style="margin-left: 20px;">
<div class="_Jig">
<div data-dobid="dfn" style="display: inline;">
a firm decision to do or not to do something.</div>
<div class="vk_gy">
"she kept her resolution not to see Anne any more"</div>
<br />
<div>
<table class="vk_tbl vk_gy"><tbody>
<tr><td class="lr_dct_nyms_ttl" style="padding-right: 3px;">synonyms:</td><td><a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIHTAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+intention&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIHTAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">intention</span></a>, <a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIHjAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+resolve&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIHjAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">resolve</span></a>, <a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIHzAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+decision&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIHzAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">decision</span></a>, <a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIIDAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+intent&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIIDAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">intent</span></a>, <a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIITAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+aim&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIITAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">aim</span></a>, <a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIIjAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+plan&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIIjAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">plan</span></a>; <span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m"><span class="lr_dct_more_btn" style="padding-left: 4px;">More</span></span><br />
<div style="display: inline;">
<div style="display: inline;">
<div aria-hidden="true" class="lr_dct_more_txt xpdxpnd xpdnoxpnd" data-mh="-1">
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m"><a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIJDAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+commitment&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIJDAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">commitment</span></a>, <a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIJTAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+pledge&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIJTAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">pledge</span></a>, <a data-ved="0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIJjAA" href="https://www.google.com/search?biw=1120&bih=599&q=define+promise&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyhZeN3JfKAhUE4CYKHZa6AHwQ_SoIJjAA"><span style="color: #1a0dab;">promise</span></a> </span></div>
<div aria-hidden="true" class="lr_dct_more_txt xpdxpnd xpdnoxpnd" data-mh="-1">
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m"></span><br />
<div class="vk_gy">
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m">"her resolution not to smoke"</span></div>
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m">
</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: -13px;">
<ul>
<li aria-hidden="true" class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="-1"><div class="lr_dct_sf_subsen">
<div class="_Jig">
<div data-dobid="dfn" style="display: inline;">
a formal expression of opinion or intention agreed on by a legislative body, committee, or other formal meeting, typically after taking a vote.</div>
<div>
<table class="vk_tbl vk_gy"><tbody>
<tr><td class="lr_dct_nyms_ttl" style="padding-right: 3px;"></td><td><span style="color: #1a0dab;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</li>
<li aria-hidden="true" class="xpdxpnd" data-mh="-1"><div class="lr_dct_sf_subsen">
<div class="_Jig">
<div data-dobid="dfn" style="display: inline;">
the quality of being determined or resolute.</div>
<div>
<table class="vk_tbl vk_gy"><tbody>
<tr><td class="lr_dct_nyms_ttl" style="padding-right: 3px;"></td><td><span style="color: #1a0dab;"></span><span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m"></span><br />
<div style="display: inline;">
<div style="display: inline;">
<div aria-hidden="true" class="lr_dct_more_txt xpdxpnd xpdnoxpnd" data-mh="-1">
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m"><i style="padding-right: 4px;"></i></span><br /></div>
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m"></span><br />
<div aria-hidden="true" class="lr_dct_more_txt xpdxpnd xpdnoxpnd" data-mh="-1">
<div class="vk_gy">
<br /></div>
</div>
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m">
<br />
</span><br />
<div aria-hidden="true" class="lr_dct_more_txt xpdxpnd xpdnoxpnd" data-mh="-1">
</div>
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m">
</span></div>
</div>
<span data-log-string="synonyms-more-click" jsaction="dob.m">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="float: left;">
<strong>2</strong>. </div>
<div style="margin-left: 20px;">
<div class="_Jig">
<div data-dobid="dfn" style="display: inline;">
the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter.</div>
<div class="vk_gy">
"the peaceful resolution of all disputes"</div>
<br />
<div>
<table class="vk_tbl vk_gy"><tbody>
<tr><td class="lr_dct_nyms_ttl" style="padding-right: 3px;">synonyms:</td><td>solution to, answer to, end to, ending to, settlement of, conclusion to <br />
<div style="display: inline;">
<div style="display: inline;">
<div class="vk_gy">
"a satisfactory <b>resolution of</b> the problem"</div>
<div class="vk_gy">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span><span data-dobid="hdw"><span data-dobid="hdw">I have not been resolute in my actions to effect my resolution... but being a determined person, I'm working to remedy my current condition and find a rhythm that will allow me to post and meet my personal and professional obligations. I've started this post a couple of times, but life being what it is... was side-tracked and pulled away by something (truly) more urgent. I realized that the times I chose to write, were inherently prone to interruptions... hence the search for a better time of day to write and post... a better routine.</span><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw"><br /></span><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw">As I mentioned before... part of my strategy will be to include some of Dad's previous posts. So... here's a snipet from January 7th, 2007:</span><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw"><br /></span><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw"><div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Jules Crittenden says we’re at a <a href="http://julescrittenden.blogspot.com/2007/01/crossroads.html">Crossroads</a>…<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
Option One: Pull out. Achieve short-term gratification for those who believe our absence from <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> will solve our problems. Watch <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> descend into further violence. Watch a nuclear-armed <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> come to dominate <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iraq</st1:place></st1:country-region> and the world's richest oil fields.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
[…]</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
More likely, a dispirited people, our army broken by defeat, we'll just wait to see who emerges as the new world power. It will be a while before there is one, and much longer before there is one we would care to live under. I predict a dark age, in which brutal second-rate powers such as <st1:country-region><st1:place>Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>China</st1:place></st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region><st1:place>North Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region> do what they choose to whom they choose without restraint. An age of modern warlords, with no over-arching, feared power to keep them in check. We can watch the sick man that is <st1:place>Europe</st1:place> slowly succumb. We can watch small free nations try to fend for themselves. We can await the inevitable nuclear crisis. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
Does that sound at all medieval or apocalyptic? It is. Don't think we can't go back to that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
Does it sound overly melodramatic and alarmist? If so, you're a fool with no understanding of history. I have bad news for you. The fight against evil in this world is business as usual. It never ends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s more, of course. And you can probably guess what Option Two is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>This morning’s lead item on memeorandum:</b> <strong><a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2535310,00.html" target="_self">Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran</a> (from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Times</span> UK). </strong></div>
<br /></span><br /><br />
I know hindsight is 20/20... but the foresight in the article above is remarkable. Think about what North Korea has done... from the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/north-korea-says-it-has-conducted-a-successful-hydrogen-bomb-test/2016/01/06/9add0e52-b436-11e5-a76a-0b5145e8679a_story.html" target="_blank">Washington Post today</a>:<br />
"<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">The
United States and other global powers sharply condemned North Korea on
Wednesday, vowing to punish it for conducting a fourth nuclear weapons test.
But it was not clear what more the world could do, short of war, to a country
that for years has been impervious to international isolation and sanctions."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-size: small;">That's all I have to say about that...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope all Exile readers have a wonderful (warm, for those of us in colder climates) day... take wonderful care.</span></span></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07118142803687343885noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-23416744678936339732015-12-24T16:11:00.002-07:002015-12-24T16:11:50.255-07:00<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 19.838px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0.25em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px;">
<a href="http://exileinportales.blogspot.com/2005/12/track-santa.html?m=0" style="color: #0066cc; display: block; text-decoration: none;">Track Santa!</a></h3>
<div class="post-header" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 14.17px;">
<div class="post-header-line-1">
</div>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-113547226559462098" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 14.17px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em;">
<a href="http://www.noradsanta.org/en/default.php" style="color: #3d81ee; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #3333ff;">NORAD tracks Santa</span></a>.<br /><br />Back when I was in the radar biz we used to do this sort of thing locally, for the families of the guys at the radar sites where I was stationed. Back in the day every radar site had a video mapping device that fed programmed exercise video to Operations; the normal output from the video mapper was "canned" and consisted of video blips simulating actual aircraft. On Christmas Eve we'd load up a special video overlay and route it to the intercept control scopes in Operations. While "exercise" video consisted of fake bogeys (simple blips) and tracks to train intercept controllers and technicians, the special Santa video showed a sleigh and reindeer on the scopes. Not <u>nearly</u> real, but real enough for the kids that saw it!<br /><br />The kids always got a big thrill out of the radar displays. Doing the Santa video was one of the most fun things I ever did while I was a radar guy.<br /><br /><strong>Updated on 12/25/2005 0215:</strong> correct typos and grammar plus add a small amount of content. I shouldn't post after I've been into the egg nog!</div>
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Reposted December 24th, 2015... I distinctly remember being one of those kids that saw radar overlays and thinking how cool my dad was cuz he could track Santa.</div>
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I hope all "Exile" readers have a warm, safe and very Merry Christmas. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07118142803687343885noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-17813635902116036082015-12-24T16:03:00.000-07:002015-12-24T16:03:01.524-07:00<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 35.285px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0.25em 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 4px;">
Today's Happy Hour Soundtrack</h3>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My dad's favorite carol... repost from Christmas eve, 2013.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WHWqj6gKS9g" width="853"></iframe></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It don't get no better than that. Merry Christmas, everyone!</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07118142803687343885noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-15128531984259470282015-12-18T21:12:00.003-07:002015-12-18T21:17:41.853-07:00Time keeps on ticking...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Benjamin Franklin was a wise man... he said many profound things; a few examples below<br />
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"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." <br />
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"In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria."<br />
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"Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75."<br />
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"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of." (my favorite!)<br />
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"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." (possibly my father's favorite... despite being somewhat agnostic about religion)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGFXLQ54qv_r4OPYpn44WHUWdu9_ODtgT4z9nBMJimhQ6oQgTPamIGA8bZvNritZTp16Q_kXbHzOshyW3DA0dN4XbQgmQOga04yjcVKyxFzvx9Q0yYHYA0s5-9iIDsIpeMJe8/s1600/In+the+Mojave+-+Somewhere+1971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGFXLQ54qv_r4OPYpn44WHUWdu9_ODtgT4z9nBMJimhQ6oQgTPamIGA8bZvNritZTp16Q_kXbHzOshyW3DA0dN4XbQgmQOga04yjcVKyxFzvx9Q0yYHYA0s5-9iIDsIpeMJe8/s320/In+the+Mojave+-+Somewhere+1971.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6vCM9T0weNBmg-_I4eR0y4yigAVZkhqWZZ7QEZUSUhyphenhyphentJ9wpW9l9-19aodquOquGfMOuL9-vPkOYg6vvG1Yptk8C80uQFewO8Iz1KhcCIi1X2TP-QZGBgOHa2mD8diXYgQZE/s1600/RD+350LC+1983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6vCM9T0weNBmg-_I4eR0y4yigAVZkhqWZZ7QEZUSUhyphenhyphentJ9wpW9l9-19aodquOquGfMOuL9-vPkOYg6vvG1Yptk8C80uQFewO8Iz1KhcCIi1X2TP-QZGBgOHa2mD8diXYgQZE/s320/RD+350LC+1983.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Time is said to heal all wounds... but after a year without my father, I can't imagine ever being well again, not like before. I spent some time today reading blogs my father visited... and I found some peace in the posts I read; I always worried my father was alone in Portales. But today I realized he had so many wonderful friends that he shared his passion for life with... you all (if you're reading this... you are VERY likely in the group I'm referring to) brought joy and purpose to my father's life. For that, I'm truly and immeasurably thankful.<br />
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I added a couple of pics of my Dad with a couple of his favorite motorcycles... or rather mo'sickles.<br />
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My brother and I intended to keep the blog going... and more quotes come to mind; the road to hell among the first. My mother (TFMP) would often say, (when my brother or I asked where she was going) "To hell if I don't change my ways!" So I am making a resolution to change my ways and begin posting here... I know I can't compare to my father's writing, so I won't even try to do that... my commitment will be to re-post favorite posts of his and to write about things that remind me of him or reflect his colorful personality.<br />
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I hope you are all well, warm and enjoyed my brief post... I promise there will be more to come. In the meantime, have a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!<br />
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SN2</div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-10366342946741984942015-02-23T19:30:00.000-07:002015-02-23T20:01:06.427-07:00Things remembered...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I received my copy of "Road and Track" over the weekend. The article comparing the new 2015 Chevyy SS and a classic BMW M5 immediately caught my eye. Dad often said if he had a million bucks (non pun intended), he'd drive an M5. A little background is in order here... one of dad's favorite cars was his 1983 BMW 320i, similar to the one below...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMJaljCm58VV77mlryGOllKR-9Greu5IG7vSoGQqUxPq5Ueb2kjHwI92nnaFjv8SZ8sNGhA1MPlF0Znk70ZBDqCdilENwr2KCaVPeMJMDveIZsLJXvNYfNHg72ESzWYiDTOfs/s1600/320i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMJaljCm58VV77mlryGOllKR-9Greu5IG7vSoGQqUxPq5Ueb2kjHwI92nnaFjv8SZ8sNGhA1MPlF0Znk70ZBDqCdilENwr2KCaVPeMJMDveIZsLJXvNYfNHg72ESzWYiDTOfs/s1600/320i.jpg" height="320" width="302" /></a></div>
Another favorite of Dad's was his 1996 Impala SS... when this car first appeared as a concept vehicle, one of the car magazines wrote a wonderful article that stated "Lord Vader, your car is ready." Very appropriate, given the car was only available in black its first year of production and had a Vette motor and equally impressive handling upgrades.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXsAN4UxIfy-_MS2JsZWlguBKe2Cbc8i3QmE795Ny9O0V79K86VvrNcXe3wvxAx8mQdSSyiD4Jhm3b0HIk6EgE2kQ75UyrZ3lO1vgk4d8BNBqdjb4Gw-wRwgyf3m9eo7Ft9dV/s1600/1996+Impala+Brochure+Pages+One+and+Two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXsAN4UxIfy-_MS2JsZWlguBKe2Cbc8i3QmE795Ny9O0V79K86VvrNcXe3wvxAx8mQdSSyiD4Jhm3b0HIk6EgE2kQ75UyrZ3lO1vgk4d8BNBqdjb4Gw-wRwgyf3m9eo7Ft9dV/s1600/1996+Impala+Brochure+Pages+One+and+Two.jpg" height="205" width="320" /></a></div>
So knowing my father had an affinity for Super Sport Chevys (he also owned a 1966 Chevelle SS with a 396 big block) and BMW's... I was immediately drawn to the comparison. The article, like most in Road and Track, is very well written and conveys more than the numbers. It succeeds in placing the reader in both cars as they drive down a foggy highway along the coast of California and with colorful descriptive language like "all that voodoo between its fenders..." it's a quick and enjoyable read.<br />
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Articles like this take me back to conversations with my father... about cars, motorcycles and other pleasures in life that enabled him to live a very interesting life. I learned a lot from my father, but the life lesson I enjoyed the most and continue to enjoy, is to drive a car that makes me feel alive. I will always own a car that I love to drive... life's too short not to.<br />
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SN2</div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-34645266083124998132015-02-08T06:52:00.000-07:002015-02-08T06:52:00.343-07:00It's hard some days...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwaLitpnnLii1T7BuKbjHZTVMIW7WNtPEbdP0LMbLBgg38jZzJLXfmyvbt2LVhGW3EaYWXDhahiQ3UkyuW1B91Ho50EXrp6eV1d9E_joBn9uboI6wQKgj7UAp7-R6Ty8_KpsL5w/s1600/red_wings_win_over_arizona_-_Google_Search.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwaLitpnnLii1T7BuKbjHZTVMIW7WNtPEbdP0LMbLBgg38jZzJLXfmyvbt2LVhGW3EaYWXDhahiQ3UkyuW1B91Ho50EXrp6eV1d9E_joBn9uboI6wQKgj7UAp7-R6Ty8_KpsL5w/s1600/red_wings_win_over_arizona_-_Google_Search.png" height="320" width="314" /></a></div>
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Watching the Beloved Red Wings was a past time shared by Dad and I. We would spend time together (virtually) watching the games and calling each other after good guy goals and wouldn't call when the bad guys scored. We'd talk about the team, player interviews, Don Cherry's ridiculous suits and ties and anything Red Wings related. If the Wings were obviously going to lose, one or the other would pick up the phone to say "Alright, I'm done, don't bother calling me if you stick with it." If it was a close one the understanding was we wouldn't call if we lost. No point in that! We'd just pick up at the next game. There were even a few superstitions we shared about when the Wings or the other team would score. We would call each other quickly after each goal, lest the other team get the chance to answer with one of their own and cut off our chance to talk to each other. Most of our calls ended with a phrase like "Alright, call you when we go up by two!" if we were leading by one or "Call you when we tie this up" if we were trailing by one. So many phrases were standard we would say them together at the same time, like: "There's still a lot of hockey left!" which was an interchangeable phrase used both when we were down or up. One of Dad's favorites when we were up by more than a goal was his emphatic exhortation to finish out strong: "Skate to the throat!"<br />
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Our Wings are doing well right now and I miss being able to call him after a goal. More than a few times I've reached for the phone after a goal, only to catch myself and stop. It's a sad feeling that.<br />
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The first game after arriving back home from saying goodbye to Dad was especially hard. I watched most of it through teary eyes and when the Wings won, I broke down and cried. Won't ever be able to share that post game celebration phone call with him again and it hurts.<br />
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Apologies for the sporadic and limited posting. We will strive to improve.<br />
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Just know gentle reader, that he's in our thoughts daily and is with us wherever we go.<br />
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The plan for his ash-spreading soiree is slowly coming together. More to follow on that.<br />
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Until then, please hoist an occasional toast and think of him fondly.<br />
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And cheer for our Beloved Wings!!<br />
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SN1</div>
afmajbuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00217032897671642295noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-8637478603671677942015-01-01T09:45:00.000-07:002015-01-01T09:46:41.143-07:00Happy New Year!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sk2qmpyHZfy8LVCsdWQIP_mTSSLZpmNrotdcwH2tRyFBWvUJzThGyIVqF9nCwz3CVZohMgJAfWUre7plA31bcGv6odHEsZMgS-TUzFMjJilm5Idh6gSOlts5oX1Lu-sqYM6c/s1600/happy-new-year-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8sk2qmpyHZfy8LVCsdWQIP_mTSSLZpmNrotdcwH2tRyFBWvUJzThGyIVqF9nCwz3CVZohMgJAfWUre7plA31bcGv6odHEsZMgS-TUzFMjJilm5Idh6gSOlts5oX1Lu-sqYM6c/s1600/happy-new-year-2015.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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We said we'd keep it going. We will...<br />
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Many have asked about services for Dad. Sam and I are working out our plan.<br />
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You see, for those of you that know Dad at all, you know he was a particular kinda guy with a particular kind of style. Style, Dad had in abundance!<br />
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His wishes were to be cremated and have his ashes spread in various locales across the globe. These favorite places would require a small fortune to get to in a short amount of time, being the world traveler that he was, so for now, we're going to stick to the CONUS (continental US, for those of you not familiar with the military vernacular) locations for the beginning of his services.<br />
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This could be a party that lasts a decade! <br />
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Just so you know, Dad mentioned places like a favorite pub in London, a bar in Japan, New Orleans during Mardi Gras and a national park in California.<br />
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We will compile the list and hopefully begin to comply with his wishes as soon as practical.<br />
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Meanwhile, please feel free to visit old posts and leave comments as you wish. We are monitoring comments and working out a plan on how to best keep his blog alive.<br />
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SN1<br />
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Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-13156849269795609192014-12-19T21:26:00.002-07:002014-12-19T21:26:35.829-07:00Last Call...you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdbaD8r8h2xhHKkMdPsC797acU9fVi27aGzntlh2BcBcECmJfjoShPy5PRGZYpI1mhX4uFJ2PunjecKaOr8fasuVhBAyyq2aMWEOHLcrl15Ve9qi5UnoZdmnpMj6tmEpLhzTv/s1600/Dad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdbaD8r8h2xhHKkMdPsC797acU9fVi27aGzntlh2BcBcECmJfjoShPy5PRGZYpI1mhX4uFJ2PunjecKaOr8fasuVhBAyyq2aMWEOHLcrl15Ve9qi5UnoZdmnpMj6tmEpLhzTv/s1600/Dad.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a>About that title: Dad enjoyed the "Happy Hour" of his life to the fullest.<br />
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We (SN1 and SN2) were with him in his last days, reading comments to him from the blog and conveying the well wishes we've received from so many. We held his hands as he took his last breath... he will be missed.<br />
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We honored his memory with a toast of 15 year old scotch. I'm sure he appreciated it.<br />
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We delayed posting this because we felt strongly about contacting loved ones personally... we apologize for any discomfort the delay may have caused.<br />
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Dad wanted us to keep the Blog going and we will. We invite you all to share your favorite memories of our father in the comments below... just be polite, that's all we ask.<br />
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Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-56851640524355890902014-12-13T12:11:00.000-07:002014-12-13T12:11:32.686-07:00No Post Today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm having a very bad day; motivation to do anything beyond fighting for my next breath is seriously lacking. But I'm still here.</span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-3205446150780404982014-12-12T05:57:00.000-07:002014-12-12T05:57:10.538-07:00Not Much In the Overnight Mail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Well, not much that would be of general interest, anyhoo. That said, there was this from the <a href="http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/default.aspx">Usual USAF Source</a>:</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkRKr0iC0A7Oh_RCRAv0_RRH9K5IQd_LtkJrrW8BMM7cxE8wBIoFuoSBISEazc01Q-GK3nVlp-1LkTldyH27KVB9tuRX6098dZYxh6k-DZrrA6RJTIX2f-6D6ptuTszBqbpLN/s1600/Slinky_Bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkRKr0iC0A7Oh_RCRAv0_RRH9K5IQd_LtkJrrW8BMM7cxE8wBIoFuoSBISEazc01Q-GK3nVlp-1LkTldyH27KVB9tuRX6098dZYxh6k-DZrrA6RJTIX2f-6D6ptuTszBqbpLN/s1600/Slinky_Bird.jpg" height="414" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Calibri,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 13px;">US Air Force crews ferried two MC-130J Commando
IIs, assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command, including the one shown
here, from the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facility in Marietta, Ga., on Dec.
5, 2014, to RAF Mildenhall, England. <em>Lockheed Martin photo</em>.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That looks like a giant slinky trying to eat a Herky-Bird.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The only other thing in the overnight mail was a link to <a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/12/11/369603493/heres-why-retailers-keep-sending-you-catalogs">a short article</a> at NPR about catalogs. The first grafs:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Many things made with paper have become relics because of computers
and the Internet: the Rolodex, multivolume encyclopedias, even physical
maps.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Now take a look in your mailbox or somewhere around your
house. There's a good chance you'll see a shopping catalog, maybe a few
of them now that it's the holiday season.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">OK, I looked and found four catalogs... one from LL Bean, one from Land's End, one from cigar.com, and another cigar catalog from an outfit called Thompson's. That was it, and I haven't cracked any of those as yet. That doesn't mean I don't use 'em; I do. My catalog consumption is way, waaay down from Former Happy Days when I'd receive at least 15 to 20 of the things each and every month. And I remember, quite fondly, the day the Sears Big Book hit our mailbox back when I was a kid... especially when the fam'bly was stationed overseas and we pretty much LIVED out of the Sears Roebuck catalog. There was a reading/browsing hierarchy associated with the Sears catalog: Mom got it first, then Dad, then us kids. Woe be unto you if you tried to browse the catalog before Mom said you could. Death would have been preferable to what would have happened to you...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And so it goes. I might be back with a video later; it seems The Tube o' You isn't functioning properly at the moment.</span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-14718092826390792652014-12-11T08:25:00.000-07:002014-12-11T08:26:28.073-07:00♪♫ A Foggy Day In Portales Town ♫♪ <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The view from the study window a few minutes ago:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGHMJ47dh5Zp0mWRFtv75V-ySP8auN07MjjTZwgn78PcliiSO25Fzq7RzANEZ5xS-J3l9HuesjPmINMHMYNGkJs6bitJ-HrBSmLb0999hNBYJSB1apoHAr325_Fsbu9gfZpVX/s1600/fog_12-11-2014_IMG_1236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGHMJ47dh5Zp0mWRFtv75V-ySP8auN07MjjTZwgn78PcliiSO25Fzq7RzANEZ5xS-J3l9HuesjPmINMHMYNGkJs6bitJ-HrBSmLb0999hNBYJSB1apoHAr325_Fsbu9gfZpVX/s1600/fog_12-11-2014_IMG_1236.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Which brings to mind this wonderful old tune:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Jg66AV7T2So" width="640"></iframe></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">They don't make 'em like that any longer and more's the pity.</span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-50252767235464546532014-12-10T10:26:00.002-07:002014-12-10T10:31:31.778-07:00Wrong. Just Wrong.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1FAA4l3OWPIp2pfQLtiKFje_wQ6_96ockYVEMC1GDkHpcsLbEyimNtrxh39h4g2Ls8vY6Nkorb0O95pKWRm9skUGR1YL5Sftri3vUXk5lkIsx7fLgBAflzI6EiDHZR06Z89l/s1600/Ramirez_12-10-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1FAA4l3OWPIp2pfQLtiKFje_wQ6_96ockYVEMC1GDkHpcsLbEyimNtrxh39h4g2Ls8vY6Nkorb0O95pKWRm9skUGR1YL5Sftri3vUXk5lkIsx7fLgBAflzI6EiDHZR06Z89l/s1600/Ramirez_12-10-2014.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-wQPUXVUrezOBZW4mLZTn8k7Q_cbAoswjtyMuCMEfT8BAdUx1Dt5jOIz9s9JNoG-M7HrTkKXn7id88RSVPWINOGQJUo8_Y08f2PTlcoVKVXM4wtin0bHVmJF1lagfnKB-Fi3/s1600/Holbert_12-10-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-wQPUXVUrezOBZW4mLZTn8k7Q_cbAoswjtyMuCMEfT8BAdUx1Dt5jOIz9s9JNoG-M7HrTkKXn7id88RSVPWINOGQJUo8_Y08f2PTlcoVKVXM4wtin0bHVmJF1lagfnKB-Fi3/s1600/Holbert_12-10-2014.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The media, mainstream and otherwise, are all about Crazy Diane's "torture report" today. Just look at <a href="http://www.memeorandum.com/">memeorandum</a>, current as of about 20 minutes ago (1150 hrs ET, December 10, 2014):</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcLiMvmLCGkQJdYzDpkH4RUsOpE6xsF8N7rOQzrI6rZcxdzamr6cg5ZVR6cVoLxnnnQVba73jbvjCJTCNmf2rf00Tf0D8ZD_r8pWzhyphenhyphenJsrplWzCrft1xWvRaBQgA8rDSdSCWA/s1600/memeorandum_12-10-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcLiMvmLCGkQJdYzDpkH4RUsOpE6xsF8N7rOQzrI6rZcxdzamr6cg5ZVR6cVoLxnnnQVba73jbvjCJTCNmf2rf00Tf0D8ZD_r8pWzhyphenhyphenJsrplWzCrft1xWvRaBQgA8rDSdSCWA/s1600/memeorandum_12-10-2014.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The media aren't the only ones, there's this from the <a href="http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/default.aspx">Usual USAF Source</a>:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2014/December%202014/December%2010%202014/COCOMs-on-High-Alert-Following-Release-of-CIA-Torture-Report.aspx">COCOMs on High Alert Following Release of CIA Torture Report</a></span></h2>
<br />
<div class="byline">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">—Amy McCullough<span class="date">12/10/2014</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Defense
Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered all combatant commanders “everywhere in the
world” to be on high alert following the release of a report detailing the
CIA’s brutal interrogation techniques conducted after the 9/11 attacks. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMl5niJ8Sqw" target="_blank">Speaking to reporters in Baghdad</a>,
Iraq, Tuesday, Hagel said there is no “specific information or intelligence”
that a retaliatory attack was imminent. However, he acknowledged the Defense
Department was “concerned about the content” being released and the
implications it might have across the globe. The 525-page executive summary
released Tuesday summarizes some 6,900 pages of classified documents collected
by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence during its five-and-a-half-year
review of the CIA. It offers a scathing assessment of the agency’s practices,
which it says were conducted “in violation of US law, treaty obligations, and
our values” according to an opening letter from Sen. Dianne Feinstein
(D-Calif.), committee chairwoman. “The
report documents a troubling program ... and it reinforces my long-held view
that these harsh methods were not only inconsistent with our values as a
nation, [but] they did not serve our broader counterterrorism efforts, or our
national security interests,” said President Obama in a <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/09/statement-president-report-senate-select-committee-intelligence" target="_blank">Dec.
9 statement</a>. “Moreover, these techniques did significant damage to
America’s standing in the world and made it harder to pursue our interests with
allies and partners,” he added, vowing to “make sure we never resort to those
methods again.” (<a href="http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d2677a34-2d91-4583-92a4-391f68ceae46" target="_blank">Feinstein
statement</a>.) (<a href="http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Documents/2014/December%202014/sscistudy1.pdf" target="_blank">Full
report</a>; Caution, large-sized file.)</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I won't flog dead draft animals except to say "What the HELL was Feinstein thinking?" </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Well, that and the fact I hope no one comes home in a box because of this travesty. And now it's back to reading the overnight mail.</span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-53867115378968720822014-12-09T14:00:00.000-07:002014-12-09T14:00:01.022-07:00Today's Happy Hour Soundtrack, With Images of Marilyn Monroe At No Extra Charge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eartha_Kitt">Eartha Kitt</a>, singin' about how good it is:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KICfCjeH87c" width="640"></iframe></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Je cherche un millionnaire<br />
Avec des grands "Cadillac car"<br />
"Mink coats" - Des bijoux<br />
Jusqu'au cou, tu sais?</span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">(<a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/cest-si-bon-lyrics-eartha-kitt.html">Full lyrics here</a>, including an English translation for those of you in need.)</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Heh. Well, I have ONE of the prerequisites...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Wasn't Marilyn just THE most beautiful woman?</span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-50764731523120591562014-12-09T10:09:00.002-07:002014-12-09T10:09:39.265-07:00Just a Lil Too Close<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So, there I was, goin' through the overnight mail when I stumble upon this:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYn7TbK6S37BXLnravTIodEFOYAMZLDsbOXQoRnyey4DTD5xo4Y6YnMIwDD6TjDIhucisf6elCGqs1cYeKGb8JaL8XGYCz3232RL4nFEBL3m3Uke2bbINVq6vW50PweEt2gFV/s1600/Bok_12-08-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYn7TbK6S37BXLnravTIodEFOYAMZLDsbOXQoRnyey4DTD5xo4Y6YnMIwDD6TjDIhucisf6elCGqs1cYeKGb8JaL8XGYCz3232RL4nFEBL3m3Uke2bbINVq6vW50PweEt2gFV/s1600/Bok_12-08-2014.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I suppose timing is everything in life, eh?</span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-1735044753913197942014-12-08T10:25:00.000-07:002014-12-08T10:34:02.651-07:00A Few Things For a Monday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">First, a funny:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsv-Z_rgjceB1RXiPl0KWZVnmWbC44pT8MR1nVcPBgxCJs0_XP4BW3_GQUU3IH6yOLoA5u9Jjby-4vassyj3f3FHFF6Bg39pPuH2M2Rq2xlXnXw0Pos-PBc_gZgdSL3PjJIfIY/s1600/senior_pre-nup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsv-Z_rgjceB1RXiPl0KWZVnmWbC44pT8MR1nVcPBgxCJs0_XP4BW3_GQUU3IH6yOLoA5u9Jjby-4vassyj3f3FHFF6Bg39pPuH2M2Rq2xlXnXw0Pos-PBc_gZgdSL3PjJIfIY/s1600/senior_pre-nup.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Heh. Occasional Reader and Constant Correspondent Lin sent that along.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>We watched us some</b> football this weekend... on SATURDAY, of course... and the games were pretty danged good. The big news in college ball is <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11992914/college-football-playoff-alabama-crimson-tide-oregon-ducks-florida-state-seminoles-ohio-state-buckeyes-inaugural-playoff">the playoff picture</a>, which looks like this:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The No. 1 Crimson Tide will face the No. 4 Buckeyes in the Allstate
Sugar Bowl, and the second-seeded Ducks will face the third-seeded
Seminoles in the Rose Bowl presented by Northwestern Mutual, both on New
Year's Day.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'll bet the air turned blue in Waco and Fort Worth when the playoff selections were announced. Both the Bears and the Horned Frogs have their points, TCU more than Baylor, to my way o' thinkin'. But it is what it is... and what it is is GOOD. The smart money will be on Bama to win the whole shootin' match but, speaking as a guy who doesn't have a dog in this fight, I'd like to see Oregon go all the way. Watching<span dir="auto"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Mariota">Marcus Mariota</a> has been a pure joy this season; he's quite possibly the most exciting player in all of college ball this year.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span dir="auto"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvwJZIgT3T2ORnolkmOdCiCFwisSQ0bvNQTfbJCzdEXTzGsiXEH2VUCtvo5UYvdm_QU1Vfem4vhj8Iah9VQazUmoLXEr8JdaAM9GcNkE-5i2QlchRxCXy2b82l0Ku5fPjVmAn/s1600/Meg_Griffin_Oct2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvwJZIgT3T2ORnolkmOdCiCFwisSQ0bvNQTfbJCzdEXTzGsiXEH2VUCtvo5UYvdm_QU1Vfem4vhj8Iah9VQazUmoLXEr8JdaAM9GcNkE-5i2QlchRxCXy2b82l0Ku5fPjVmAn/s1600/Meg_Griffin_Oct2010.jpg" height="199" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Meg Griffin</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span dir="auto"><b>In other news...</b> My teevee provider is Dish Network and has been ever since I moved into </span><i>Casa </i><i><i>Inmóvil </i>de Pennington</i>, lo these three-plus years ago. I discovered last night through the majik of fat-fingering a channel selection that Dish provides a full complement of Sirius/XM stations, previously (and obviously) unknown to me. What this means is I can now listen to the lovely <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Griffin_%28DJ%29">Meg Griffin</a> in the comfort of home as well as when I'm in The Tart. This is a great good thing. Ms. Griffin's music selections are positively outstanding, part and parcel of that bein' she seems to choose music for airplay that resides in my CD rack. You can't beat that with a stick.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>In other, other news...</b> (Whine alert) The end game of my affliction is proving to be much more difficult than I imagined. My meds just don't seem to work like they used to, I've spent the last three nights sleeping sitting up on the couch because I don't breathe well laying down, and</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> I spend</span></span></span> the first 30 minutes of EVERY morning gasping for breath in what resembles a low-level state of panic while I wait for the meds to kick in, giving me some small measure of relief. I don't know how much more of this I can take. It's well and truly depressing.</span></span><i><br /></i></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-18301494866495905532014-12-07T00:02:00.000-07:002014-12-07T00:03:40.638-07:00Pearl Harbor Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7948307223360243569" itemprop="description articleBody">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My Pearl Harbor Day post, parts of which I've published every year since 2006.</span></div>
<div class="date-posts">
<div class="post-outer">
<div class="post hentry">
<blockquote>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
<a href="http://exileinportales.blogspot.com/2009/12/pearl-harbor-day.html">Pearl Harbor Day</a> </h3>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sixty-eight
years ago today... "a date which will live in infamy"... the nation
was shocked out of its complacency and determination to stay out of the
conflict engulfing the rest of the civilized world by the horrific
Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. Here's an excerpt from President
Roosevelt's speech to congress on the following day:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<blockquote>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3VqQAf74fsE" width="640"></iframe><br />
</span> </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<blockquote>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The
men who fought back at Pearl Harbor formed the Pearl Harbor Survivors
Association about ten years after the war and they used to hold a
reunion in Hawaii every five years... until 2006, when they held their
last reunion there. I published this post to mark that occasion
(note that the link to the news article is dead now):</span></div>
<div class="post hentry">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=18232353&postID=2852343502929720967" name="2473118048788330836" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></a></span> <br />
<blockquote style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<h3 class="post-title entry-title">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://exileinportales.blogspot.com/2006/12/pearl-harbor-day.html">Pearl Harbor Day</a></span> </h3>
</blockquote>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7D8_RxJNhMK4sk3l8KGteUrIDsc-2-agtxgm5SSBvVEK1SawhRRgy4uHGed0BJWebN9bhR2xBMrXJP47A7bSpEUZpucvkoOzS78nBK1ceR9UQcZhN3Bb4YIqr0zQ0Dl7cCQX/s1600/Arizona+-+12-09-1941.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7D8_RxJNhMK4sk3l8KGteUrIDsc-2-agtxgm5SSBvVEK1SawhRRgy4uHGed0BJWebN9bhR2xBMrXJP47A7bSpEUZpucvkoOzS78nBK1ceR9UQcZhN3Bb4YIqr0zQ0Dl7cCQX/s400/Arizona+-+12-09-1941.jpg" height="328" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDg7_wC1a5u_-5EuJN93BsUaUh_64uexPFvQmUl7D4rPEMY9H8XOMLDKgmgFVR99XX1ppGe-coiH9bFWQdJmoAOQZe4igP7MRfIz6oW3uqfdpLvb6R1y3jYgm9PHvg-Y16Rjah/s1600/Arizona+Memorial.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDg7_wC1a5u_-5EuJN93BsUaUh_64uexPFvQmUl7D4rPEMY9H8XOMLDKgmgFVR99XX1ppGe-coiH9bFWQdJmoAOQZe4igP7MRfIz6oW3uqfdpLvb6R1y3jYgm9PHvg-Y16Rjah/s400/Arizona+Memorial.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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The USS Arizona - Then and Now (U.S. Navy photographs)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s said —
quite often and by many, many people — that 9/11/2001 “changed
everything.” And it is indeed true for the current generations of
Americans. But I’ll submit that 12/07/1941 “changed everything” to a
degree it is impossible for us who were not alive and going about our
business on that Sunday in December, 1941 to realize. Those of us
whose parents were members of The Greatest Generation understand my
point. A smaller subset, those of us whose parents fought in World
War II, understand the point a little bit better, perhaps. We have
the benefit of hearing the first-person narratives of that day in
December 1941, and stories from the long, long days that followed…from
the dark and despair of the war’s first year to the signing of the
Japanese surrender on the decks of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay not
quite four years later. And a lot in between. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">They are leaving us. The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association is <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061207/ap_on_re_us/pearl_harbor_remembered" style="color: #3333ff;">holding their <b><i>last </i></b>meeting</a> (<i>dead link</i>) today.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">PEARL
HARBOR, Hawaii - With their number quickly dwindling, survivors of
Pearl Harbor will gather Thursday one last time to honor those killed by
the Japanese 65 years ago, and to mark a day that lives in infamy. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This
will be their last visit to this watery grave to share stories,
exchange smiles, find peace and salute their fallen friends. This, they
say, will be their final farewell.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"This
will be one to remember," said Mal Middlesworth, president of the
Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. "It's going to be something that
we'll cherish forever."</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The
survivors have met here every five years for four decades, but
they're now in their 80s or 90s and are not counting on a 70th
reunion. They have made every effort to report for one final roll
call.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Their
last meeting. I know All Things Must Pass, but it saddens me so. We
owe them so much, and our thank-yous seem inadequate compared to the
sacrifices they made. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But: We shall continue, we shall honor their sacrifices, we <b><i>will</i></b>
remember, and we shall rededicate ourselves to the task that faces
this generation…the one that began on 9/11/2001. The Greatest
Generation expects it from us.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The 2006 news article may not be available any longer, but the <a href="http://www.pearlharborsurvivorsonline.org/html/events.htm">Pearl Harbor Survivors Association</a>
is still alive and kicking. They are few now, but thank God some of
those heroes are still around. It won't be too much longer <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-pearlharbor_07met.ART.State.Edition1.4bc06f6.html">until they're all gone</a> and as I said above: "It saddens me so."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I did some looking around on the inter-tubes and found out the PHSA ended its corporate status on December 31, 2011, which means they no longer exist as a formal association with a government charter. There are still some living survivors, however, and a Google search turned up <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=pearl+harbor+survivors+association&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=nts#q=pearl+harbor+survivors&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=nts&tbm=nws">numerous articles</a> about these men. You could do a lot worse than reading a few of those articles today. </span></span></div>
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Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-59757892964230195222014-12-06T08:24:00.000-07:002014-12-06T08:24:49.593-07:00Saturday: Science!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is longish but it's still pretty cool, none the less.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">(s)He Blinded Me With Science!</span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-FIMvSp01C8" width="640"></iframe><br /></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-7790383649349413532014-12-05T12:52:00.000-07:002014-12-05T12:59:12.871-07:00It's Come To This<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2M9W0Ov21CXl0dflPGa5lQ_M_Y4T_YDAEELmRTYziLPGG5TkPACjbAdYFcVPqw5xcj7SbfUhHNGVDtH9Jo8jMY_yAVtkMV0mfit7FIrxhDI6DtQiWlc9zgyy6J_D71OcJv1G8/s1600/handicap_cart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2M9W0Ov21CXl0dflPGa5lQ_M_Y4T_YDAEELmRTYziLPGG5TkPACjbAdYFcVPqw5xcj7SbfUhHNGVDtH9Jo8jMY_yAVtkMV0mfit7FIrxhDI6DtQiWlc9zgyy6J_D71OcJv1G8/s1600/handicap_cart.jpg" height="170" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We're just in from a run out to Cannon Airplane Patch to pick up the monthly meds and do a major commissary run (major = >$100.00). In so doing we took our very first ride in a conveyance similar to what you see on the right. You have no ideer how much it hurt me to break down and do that, but our breathing capacity is such that we get out of breath simply walking from room to room these days... on oxygen. So: It was a motorized shopping cart for us today and I'll admit it made the shopping thing a LOT more pleasurable than the last few times I've been to the store.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The shopping might have been a piece of cake but unloading the car and humping groceries into the house was a minor production. No worries, we just sat our tired </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">ol' </span></span>ass down for a couple o' three minutes in between trips, caught our breath, and went back to bid'niz; four trips from car to kitchen and we were done. The bottom line is we just have to take things a lot slower than we used to do. (This is where we usually put that ol' "It's always sumthin'!" phrase.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">OK. I'm done unburdening. The chores are done and it's a lovely day out on the verandah. I DO believe I hear a beer calling me. Or two. </span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-34064556927760964902014-12-05T06:14:00.000-07:002014-12-05T06:14:54.992-07:00Right Up My Alley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I found <a href="http://www.livescience.com/13288-intoxicating-beer-facts-health.html">this somewhat enlightening article</a> while surfin' around the inter-tubes this morning. A couple o' screen caps from the piece:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGK_xOYuaWNaf1e-PIp7i7_oDVBqQTgHBoGZm6geqf5WV6qYP0bogSs7DVqfyPm5Zf3x3HsemskVILJEuQq7WrFIBvVo90BLft8gQYE7r-g8hUkwsz9Vy2NKgPS5YlHFX0XuBr/s1600/beer_facts_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGK_xOYuaWNaf1e-PIp7i7_oDVBqQTgHBoGZm6geqf5WV6qYP0bogSs7DVqfyPm5Zf3x3HsemskVILJEuQq7WrFIBvVo90BLft8gQYE7r-g8hUkwsz9Vy2NKgPS5YlHFX0XuBr/s1600/beer_facts_1.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGBtHU3H7sbKUQZajDMOG96FZkMHXDPIbAEgMla_JoHdwqsn6byGAO59SJ8DDhSceo6xhsY5pI4luj3HDjR1E3RZqKc9ik_gUT2qn209MhYeSa4154kL8qIKKxAVHzhPBfJdU/s1600/beer_facts_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGBtHU3H7sbKUQZajDMOG96FZkMHXDPIbAEgMla_JoHdwqsn6byGAO59SJ8DDhSceo6xhsY5pI4luj3HDjR1E3RZqKc9ik_gUT2qn209MhYeSa4154kL8qIKKxAVHzhPBfJdU/s1600/beer_facts_2.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I don't have anything against polytheism so mebbe I'll build me a small altar in honor of Tenenit. The old gods and goddesses are sometimes the best o' the breed, doncha know. I smirked when I read the second screen cap, given the fact one of my used-t'-be favorite wimmen was quite the beer drinker in her youth. The woman's morphed into a wino now that she's well and truly over 50 and I don't view that as a good thing. And, yeah, beer is MY favorite alcoholic beverage, by far.</span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18232353.post-14854337976036064132014-12-04T05:59:00.000-07:002014-12-04T05:59:10.345-07:00Goin' To the Dogs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I really, rilly like this clip:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/107891763" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Now, how cool is that? Answer: very.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hat-tip to Occasional Reader and Constant Correspondent Lin.</span></span></div>
Buckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319116022465066060noreply@blogger.com7