Monday

Pssst! Hey Buddy! Yeah...you. Wanna know a secret? The VALOUR-IT fund raising deadline has been slipped 24 hours to include all of today. But don't tell anyone, just slip over to that "Donate" button on the right and...ya know... HIT IT! That way we can maybe be a lil less embarrassed and fulfill half our goal, like the Ground-Pounders and Jarheads have done. If you help, of course.

A Cold War Secret…Revealed. In today’s NYT:

He had all-American cover: born in Iowa, college in Manhattan, Army buddies with whom he played baseball.

George Koval also had a secret. During World War II, he was a top Soviet spy, code named Delmar and trained by Stalin’s ruthless bureau of military intelligence.

Atomic spies are old stuff. But historians say Dr. Koval, who died in his 90s last year in Moscow and whose name is just coming to light publicly, was probably one of the most important spies of the 20th century.

On Nov. 2, the Kremlin startled Western scholars by announcing that President Vladimir V. Putin had posthumously given the highest Russian award to a Soviet agent who penetrated the Manhattan Project to build the atom bomb.

Dr. Koval might have been born in the USA, but he was Soviet/Russian to his core. And he did a lot of damage. No message here, other than the fact the article is an interesting read from a bygone era.

And while we’re in the NYT, here’s a comment to an entirely lackluster editorial bemoaning the care provided to our returning veterans:

The best way I feel you can thank me as a combat veteran is not simple. It is not "benefits for life;" How does that thank our Heroes who are no longer alive to enjoy those benefits? The best way to say "thank you" is to answer the call of duty yourself and thus reduce the load I and especially those 22 year old Heroes who have returned to War three or more times face. Hard fact to acknowledge that we have Americans who only know War in their young adulthood. God Bless them! I do appreciate the little benefits we have as veterans, and I appreciate the "Thank-you's" and I appreciate the kind woman buying me coffee at Starbucks on the Jersey Turnpike, but there is more that Americans can do for their country. Just please give that some thought. Thank you.

— Scott, Florida

The emphasis is mine, and I agree with Scott in Florida. More to the point, Middle and Upper-Class America: change your mindset and encourage your sons and daughters to serve. You know, like your parents and grandparents did. Actions DO speak louder than words. They always have.

More of this, please:

At "Hockey 'n Heels" night, 88 women joined a behind-the-scenes tour of the arena, and talked about the challenges of being a female fan after a panel discussion with local media personalities. Many of the women heard about the event from announcements before other Penguins' games or on the Penguins' Web site. The $130 ticket included a meal and box seats for last night's game. Sarah Swartz, marketing coordinator for the Penguins, said the team wanted to reach an untapped market.

[…]

The break down for season ticket holders is now 50-50 men to women, she said. Swartz said the overwhelming response to the first "Hockey 'n Heels" event will lead to many more; there's "something in the works" to make the event even bigger, she said.

It’s the 50-50 season ticket holder bit that surprised me. Other than that? Not so much. After all, I’ve been to waaaay more than a few Wings games, and the women fans in Detroit are legion...as in: numerous. And vocal. The women fans I’ve known know their hockey. And lemmee tell ya sumthin: women hockey fans are HOT. Especially the Deetroit variety; case in point to the right. That’s probably true elsewhere, as well, but I have…um…an affinity for gals wearing Winged Wheel jerseys. Shared interests and all that.

Speaking of Deetroit…and the Wings…here’s Bill Clement, former NHL’er and hockey analyst for Versus and NBC, writing at MS-NBC:

Count on the Red Wings making a 17th straight playoff appearance as this team is driven to win its first Stanley Cup since 2002. And come June they certainly could be living that dream.

Detroit, which broke from the gate by winning 12 of its first 15 games, has the right pieces in the right places. The Red Wings don't fear any opponent, and if the playoffs started today they could beat any team. On coach Mike Babcock's roster are the best all-around forward and best defenseman in the game plus a whole lot of other talent.

Clement knows from whence he speaks, seeing as how he has a couple of championship rings from the Broad Street Bullies days. And I’d sure like to see ol’ Billy’s speculation come true. We missed the Cup last year by just this much (Visualize my thumb and index finger millimeters apart). I think the Wings might be hungry enough this year to win it all. That happens when you get close. Let’s hope they stay healthy, which is probably the longest pole in any team’s play-off tent. We’ve got a long way to go until May/June...but we're off to a brilliant start!

Project VALOUR-IT

It’s that time of year, folks. Time for the annual VALOUR-IT fundraiser! Most of you know what VALOUR-IT is…those of you who don’t should go here immediately, if not sooner. And, in the interests of saving some of your valuable time, there’s much more here…from a historical perspective. But this is the money-graf, if you’re looking for one:

Every cent raised for Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops for severely wounded service members. As of October 2007, Valour-IT has distributed over 1500 laptops to severely wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines across the country.

Valour-IT is a project of Soldiers Angels, which is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) non-profit charity. Thus donations to the project may be tax deductible, and eligible for employer matching funds if applicable.

Now about the fund-raiser…which only lasts for two short weeks and ends on November 11th. We do it as a good-natured (hah!) competition between The Good Guys and Those Other Guys, namely the squids, jar-heads, and grunts of the world...who may be well-meaning but are nonetheless deprived in a lot of ways. In the case of the Navy, you just gotta question the judgment of folks who choose to live a life where they go for months on end without a drop of alcohol or an opportunity to touch anything soft (besides themselves, that is). And I’ve never understood the Army’s love of mud and communal living. Same goes for the Marines. What ARE they thinking?

But The Other Guys are good at some things. For example… to my ever-lasting embarrassment, Team Air Force came in dead last in last year’s fund raiser.

O, the ignominy.

But we can fix that this year with your help and indulgence, Gentle Reader. Simply click the “Make Donation” button on that widget at the very top of the side-bar. There’s NO better cause in this world, at this moment or any other. Do it for our wounded heroes, first and foremost.

And help redeem Team Air Force while you’re at it.

Update: 10/30/2007, 1058 hrs. We've had "issues" with the "Chip In!" widget that used to be on the side bar, specifically: the old widget wasn't updating the running totals. The "Chip In!"widget has been replaced with a new graphic, as you can see. I've been assured if you donated using the old widget your contribution made it.

And speaking of contributions...Team Air Force is in third place as of this writing (10/30). The Navy appears to be sorta stuck in port but those grunts and jar-heads are pressing the fight. Hard.

C'mon Zoomies...Let's soar into that Wild Blue Yonder!!

Update: 11/01/2007, at the very crack-of-mid-morning. Mrs. Greyhawk, the illustrious leader of Team Air Force, has news about a couple of exciting items to be auctioned off in support of VALOUR-IT. For example: dontcha think a personalized "Day By Day" cartoon would look good on the wall of your den? Or a caricature of YourOwnSelf penned by none other than John Cox of Cox and Forkum? (name sound familiar? check the cartoon immediately above!) Either or both could be yours...if you submit the winning bid! Check it out...

The news from the front is depressing today. Team Air Force is bringing up the rear in these early days of competition, and it looks like Team Ground-Pounder has built an insurmountable lead...what with them doubling the Good Guys' total donations. Even our arch rivals are finally out of port and steaming off into the sunset. (Does a nuclear-powered flotilla still "steam?")

But...as noted: it's still early days! We didn't give up after Schweinfurt... and we won't give up now! Hit that donation button early and often!!

Yet Another Update, 11/01/2007: Flag Gazer has pics of items up for auction in support of VALOUR-IT. I particularly like the quilt! The auction site, btw, is here.

Update 11/02/2007, 1220 hrs: Continuing bad news from the front. I'm at a loss to explain this... Laurie said, in comments, that she has a listing of all Air Force items up for auction at her place...go check it out!

Update, 11/06/2007, 1035 hrs.: The news from the front is MUCH better today! Team Air Force has put over $2,000.00 worth of distance between ourselves and last-place Team Squid and we're within striking distance of those Jarheads! The Grunts, on the other hand, are still waaay out in front. We're in the third quarter (to use a sports metaphor, like any good American)...and only one-sixth of the way towards our goal. We need to PRESS! As in: PRESS that donate button!

Update, 11/09/2007: The VALOUR-IT fundraiser is officially over on Sunday, November 11. And for the first time ever it looks like we will not meet our goal. Let me quote Mrs. Greyhawk, the AF Team Lead:

As some of you may have noticed, we are no where near our goal of $240,000. Ambitious as it is, we have managed to raise this in past. Currently all 4 team totals come to approx. $55000.00. A goal per team was $60,000. Although these current numbers may look impressive to some, we are still dealing with those troops who were wounded the first half of this year. Valour-IT is not going to survive the next 4-5 months without raising more than we have so far.

Giving out from 30 to 100 laptops per month since June, Valour-IT is in more demand than ever. We literally scraped the bottom of the barrel with our last delivery of laptops, and Soldiers' Angels has said they cannot allocate any more funds for us until March 2008.

I hate begging for money. And I don't like the more than superficial resemblance EIP has taken on to that obnoxious phenomenon known as "PBS Pledge Week." BUT. I DO believe in VALOUR-IT and I DO believe in providing our wounded troops with an ability to "do for themselves," something that is invaluable to normally self-sufficient, proud, and able soldiers rendered dependent on others due to their horrible wounds. I would hate to see this program go belly up, however briefly, because the money ran out.

This is my last plea: won't you please hit that "donate" button on the sidebar? Even if it's only for five or ten dollars...every bit helps. And if you don't want to donate to in favor of Team Air Force, go here and choose your poison. (As long as it isn't Team Squid, of course. I jest! I jest!)

Update 11/10/2007: Yesterday I offered up what I said was my final plea. Well, I have one more: Go read the VALOUR-IT post Blog-Buddy Morgan put up late last evening. Morgan gave us a link in the comments to this post... but not everyone reads all comment, all the time. And his post is worth your time, as is ALL of his stuff. But this one is a gem among gems. Do go.

And then donate. Please.

"On the Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month..."

The original Veterans Day proclamation:

Veterans Day, 1954

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

3071

Whereas it has long been our customs to commemorate November 11, the anniversary of the ending of World War I, by paying tribute to the heroes of that tragic struggle and by rededicating ourselves to the cause of peace; and

Whereas in the intervening years the United States has been involved in two other great military conflicts, which have added millions of veterans living and dead to the honor rolls of this Nation; and

Whereas the Congress passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926 (44 Stat. 1982), calling for the observance of November 11 with appropriate ceremonies, and later provided in an act approved May 13, 1938 (52 Stat. 351), that the eleventh of November should be a legal holiday and should be known as Armistice Day; and

Whereas, in order to expand the significance of that commemoration and in order that a grateful Nation might pay appropriate homage to the veterans of all its wars who have contributed so much to the preservation of this Nation, the Congress, by an act approved June 1, 1954 (68 Stat. 168), changed the name of the holiday to Veterans Day:

Now, Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America, do hereby call upon all of our citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, 1954, as Veterans Day. On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.

I also direct the appropriate officials of the Government to arrange for the display of the flag of the United States on all public buildings on Veterans Day.

In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to wish to join hands in the common purpose.

Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this eighth day of October in the Year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-ninth.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

This year’s proclamation:

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Throughout our history, America has been protected by patriots who cherished liberty and made great sacrifices to advance the cause of freedom. The brave members of the United States Armed Forces have answered the call to serve our Nation, ready to give all for their country. On Veterans Day, we honor these extraordinary Americans for their service and sacrifice, and we pay tribute to the legacy of freedom and peace that they have given our great Nation.

In times of war and of peace, our men and women in uniform stepped forward to defend their fellow citizens and the country they love. They shouldered great responsibility and lived up to the highest standards of duty and honor. Our veterans held fast against determined and ruthless enemies and helped save the world from tyranny and terror. They ensured that America remained what our founders meant her to be: a light to the nations, spreading the good news of human freedom to the darkest corners of the earth.

Like the heroes before them, today a new generation of men and women are fighting for freedom around the globe. Their determination, courage, and sacrifice are laying the foundation for a more secure and peaceful world.

Veterans Day is dedicated to the extraordinary Americans who protected our freedom in years past, and to those who protect it today. They represent the very best of our Nation. Every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsman has earned the lasting gratitude of the American people, and their service and sacrifice will be remembered forever. In the words of Abraham Lincoln: " . . . let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the Nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle . . . ." On this Veterans Day, I ask all Americans to express their appreciation to our Nation's veterans.

With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service men and women 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, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2007, as Veterans Day and urge all Americans to observe November 11 through November 17, 2007, as National Veterans Awareness Week. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through ceremonies and prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to support and participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I invite civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, businesses, unions, and the media to support this national observance with commemorative expressions and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-second.

GEORGE W. BUSH

The illustration is this year’s official US government Veterans Day poster. For a gallery of previous Veterans Day posters (1978 – 2007), go here. For the Veterans Administration’s history of Veterans Day, go here.

Trees, Redux

So, in yesterday’s post about the trees turning here in Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park I said “But for those of us who savor the mere existence of a tree…or trees, plural… in the middle of the vast sea of grass and scrub that is The High Plains of New Mexico, the color is a wondrous thing.” Those of you who’ve spent anytime at all in this part of the world understand that comment. Even if you’ve never been on The High Plains of New Mexico but have been elsewhere on the Great Plains…say in North Dakota, Nebraska, or Iowa, etc., you get it. But just in case you haven’t been in these places, here are a couple of views of the landscape I took during yesterday’s ride around the local countryside. You’ll note there ain’t many trees.

If and when one sees trees off in the distance in this part of the country it’s an indication of a homestead or farm, past or present. And there are many more than a few “past” homesteads in this part of the world… places where the buildings have long since vanished and only the trees remain. And then there are the sadder ones…the places where the buildings are in a state of serious disrepair, varying from “recently inhabited” to “completely falling down.”

Lord only knows the stories those places could tell if they had a voice. I wonder about ‘em, and sometimes I stop and poke around inside. I found some real treasures in abandoned places up in North Dakota, but those sort of places in this part of the world have been pretty well picked over. It’s a function of population, I suppose. As in: there are many, many more people here than in North Dakota.

Taken on NM 330… south of Floyd, north of Elida.

I'm SO Disappointed...

…but I am unique, I suppose. The object of this exercise was to upload a photo of yourself and let this site's face-recognition software identify and select pictures of celebrities you may or may not resemble. I was disappointed in the results, as the title of this post indicates.
Click for larger, of course, coz ya gotta read the message.

OK, so I also did a real photo. And the results included Dennis Quaid, Francis Ford Coppola and Cat Stevens. Cat Stevens? Ya gotta be kidding me, right? I wasn’t all that impressed with the results so I won’t share. And I wasn’t interested enough to upload another photo.

If you wanna build your own celebrity look-alike collage, go here.

(h/t: TripleE, who looks like Katie Couric. But we have to take her word for it, coz she didn’t post a photo of herownself. Is that cheating?)

OK, It's Been Around a While...

...but I still love it. Don't click if you can't stand people using the F-Bomb. A lot.

HELL Yeah! Or something like that...
(h/t: Mike)

I Lied...

...when I said the “other” trees in Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park remain green until the first hard freeze, at which time their leaves simply fall off. Well, that’s not true, as you can plainly see. My excuse for the previous incorrect statement is that’s been the case for the last four consecutive Falls. This year is different.

The first pic is of the trees across the street; the second is of the Big Guy that shades El Casa Móvil De Pennington for the first half of the day. Same type of tree and don’t ask: I don’t know it’s name or variety.

Those of you who live in the northeast, midwest, or near the Front Range will probably laugh at this poor excuse for Fall Color. But for those of us who savor the mere existence of a tree…or trees, plural… in the middle of the vast sea of grass and scrub that is The High Plains of New Mexico, the color is a wondrous thing.

You take what you can get, eh?

Now, as you can tell, it’s a beautiful Fall day here in P-Ville. Sunny. Warm. And Miss Zukiko is calling.

I might be back later. But as for now? Just phoning it in, Gentle Reader.

MUCH Better Today.

Via Blog-Bud Morgan, the Nerd Test ver 2.0:

What are you? Click here!">

Well, now. Another quiz the results of which I won’t dispute. Pretty danged accurate, I think. And they got the photo right, too. ;-)

I’m somewhat surprised that none of my usual reads linked to this little article published yesterday by The WX Channel’s co-founder, John Coleman. Excerpt:

I do not oppose environmentalism. I do not oppose the political positions of either party. However, Global Warming, ie Climate Change, is not about environmentalism or politics. It is not a religion. It is not something you “believe in.” It is science; the science of meteorology. This is my field of life-long expertise. And I am telling you Global Warming is a non-event, a manufactured crisis and a total scam. I say this knowing you probably won’t believe a me, a mere TV weatherman, challenging a Nobel Prize, Academy Award and Emmy Award winning former Vice President of United States. So be it.

I have read dozens of scientific papers. I have talked with numerous scientists. I have studied. I have thought about it. I know I am correct. There is no run away climate change. The impact of humans on climate is not catastrophic. Our planet is not in peril. I am incensed by the incredible media glamour, the politically correct silliness and rude dismissal of counter arguments by the high priest of Global Warming.

In time, a decade or two, the outrageous scam will be obvious.

So, do ya think Dr. Heidi Cullen Climate Expert^TM (which should be pronounced as all one word, i.e., rapidly) would be employed at TWC if Mr. Coleman was still running the show? Me, neither. Further…do ya think this highly critical comment from a meteorological professional will get any air time on any of the major networks? Didn’t think so.

WTF is up with that, anyway? Oh, shoot. I forgot. The science is settled. Not.

Much more interesting, from my POV, is the fact that the Democrat presidential candidates seem to be hanging their hats on Global Warming Climate Change. I was watching a segment Tuesday evening on The News Hour that featured a couple of think-tank strategists, one right of center and one Left. Here’s an excerpt on the Dems:

RAY SUAREZ: Gene Karpinski, if I were to head out to Democrats' candidates' forum or listen to the stump speeches, how often does global warming come up? Are they making a big issue out of it?

GENE KARPINSKI, President, League of Conservation Voters: Well, there's a lot of good news there, Ray. In fact, all the major Democratic Party candidates make global warming and the related issue of clean energy a top priority in their campaign. If you ask any of them "What are your top priorities domestically?" they'll say health care and this issue of clean energy and global warming.

If you listen to their stump speech, if you're a voter in Iowa or New Hampshire, and listen to a daily stump speech, this issue will come all the time. It's clearly a top priority. And that's good news.

This lil bit of information speaks VOLUMES to me. It says, among other things, that a pet-theory is apparently more important than, say, a real frickin’ threat… which, Gentle Reader, you may read as Islamic Terrorism. You may interpret this phenomenon as you wish. I’m just waiting for one of these numb-skulls to come right and say Climate Change is the issue of the day. And it’ll probably happen sooner rather than later. Which, to my way of thinking would be A Good Thing. C’mon, Dem candidates… hang your hat on a non-issue and see what happens. The American people aren’t nearly as stupid as you think they are.

Oh. This morning’s dentist visit was sorta anti-climatic, as things are much better today. Diagnosis: oral ulcers. Prognosis: good. Prescription: Dexamethasone (hunh?), Maalox (double-hunh?) and xylocaine combined in an oral rinse. Maalox? Oral? Yep. Surprised me, too. We’ll see if it works the next time I’m afflicted.

Not A Good Day…

…at El Casa Móvil De Pennington. I woke up this morning to significant pain in my mouth…sorta like Hoof and Mouth Disease, with more emphasis on the “mouth” bits and less on the hoof. It wasn’t anything that extra-strength Tylenol couldn’t handle, early on. I called my dentist to see if he could get me in today, but alas, it was not to be. I settled for a 1000 hrs appointment on the morrow, but by 1500 hrs today I was beginning to regret that move. And it’s all on me, Gentle Reader, coz I told my dentist’s receptionist that the pain was manageable.

Well, it was. Until mid-afternoon. At which time I broke out the emergency pain relief, to wit: (expired) Tylenol-3 from a previous adventure in dentistry. That worked. Or maybe it was the three beers taken in conjunction with the Tylenol. Whatever. Suffice to say we’re feeling no pain at the moment.

But it’s not been a nice day. Days spent on the couch in a drug-induced haze just ain’t the best.

Today’s Pic(s): Two views of late-afternoon sunlight filtering through the trees in the empty lot across the way from me, along with a fifth wheel and the Family Solstice parked next to same.

Today. Just now, actually. (As ever, click for larger.)

Now If This Don't Piss You Off...

...nothing will.

There are all sorts of outrages these days, from massive ones down to lil itty-bitty irritants. The screen-shots you see above are Google Earth representations of the congressional earmarks (those that are known) in this year's Defense Appropriations Bill.

And that, Gentle Reader, qualifies as one of the most egregious outrages to come down the pike since...um... last year's Defense Bill. To wit: 1,776 earmarks in the Defense Appropriations Bill, totaling some $1.8 billion. The final tally isn’t in yet, and I’ll bet that $1.8b figure is low. But the real kicker, for me, is this:

Even though members of Congress cut back their pork barrel spending this year, House lawmakers still tacked on to the military appropriations bill $1.8 billion to pay 580 private companies for projects the Pentagon did not request. (emphasis mine)

It’s very hard for me to express my anger and contempt in civil language. More to the point, just get the Google Earth plug-in and see if your blood pressure doesn’t elevate to alarming levels. Or maybe it’s not a good idea if you’re already on some sort of blood-pressure meds. If that’s the case, then stay away.

FWIW…it doesn’t look like my representative brought home the bacon. But I have NO idea if my senators are guilty or innocent, as the Senate doesn’t have the same sort of transparency (yeah, right) the House does. But you can bet your nether-regions an e-mail or two are going off to Ms. Bailey-Hutchison and Mr. Cornyn ASAP. Not that I expect an answer much beyond “thank you for your interest in…” But: ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Wanna know if YOUR congresscritter was at the party with a lampshade on his/her head? Click here.

You can get the Earmarks “kml” file for Google Earth here. If you don’t have Google Earth, you can get it here.

"The Enemy of My Enemy...

…is my friend.” I’ll quote the WSJ:

This sentiment has dominated liberal blogs, where a general consensus has formed that Mr. Giuliani would be the worst president imaginable. Mr. Giuliani's decision to include neoconservative icon Norman Podhoretz on his foreign-policy advisory team has also triggered liberal paranoia about his determination to attack Iran. Lost in all the fuss is the fact that Charles Hill, a Yale professor, is actually Mr. Giuliani's top adviser. What Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Hill have both emphasized is that if America makes it clear that it will not hesitate to use military force, diplomacy has a much more realistic chance of succeeding. Not that this line of reasoning would win over any of his critics on the left.

[…]

The Giuliani hate fest has also infiltrated the airwaves, where Keith Olbermann has made bashing Rudy a daily feature on his show. Last Monday, an Olbermann segment entitled "Rudy Giuliani: The next Dick Cheney?" was about Mr. Giuliani's penchant for "secrecy" and "proclivity for executive power..."

This was followed up on Tuesday with a segment that began with a graphic featuring Mr. Giuliani, President Bush in the background and the words "Bush on Steroids"--a reference to John Edwards's comment that Mr. Giuliani shares Mr. Bush's love of "crony capitalism."

Well, now. Aren’t those extremely positive indications, from a conservative’s perspective? But still and even, all you Fred-Heads should take note. Your boy ain’t gettin’ near the negative reax from the moonbats Liberals as Rudy is. And that, my friends, is a sign.

Just in case it isn’t clear: I used the term “enemy” in the title loosely, of course. Coz we’re all Americans…even those willfully misunderstanding (and the self-proclaimed misunderstood, as in “don’t question my patriotism!”) folks on the Far Left Fringe. I think.

Oh. Concerning who it is I'm going to support. I'm still undecided. But the time is coming...

Best Thing I've Seen Lately...

Well, now. I’m beginning to believe that two megabit fiber-to-the-prem internet connection I’ve talked about over the last couple of years just might happen. Finally. Last week a couple of guys came out and set a post for some of the equipment needed to make the connection a reality.

Today a whole gaggle of guys came out to…are you ready?… run the actual fiber from the concentration point to El Casa Móvil De Pennington, or in close proximity thereto, at any rate. Which was more trouble than you might think, Gentle Reader, given that the crew had to dig the fiber trench by hand. Digging an 18-inch deep trench in the soil around here is akin to trying to dig an 18-inch deep trench in your average Wal-Mart parking lot. The run from pedestal to prem is about 40 feet or so and took three guys about four hours of hard work to git ‘r’ done. They finally brought in a jack hammer to finish off the digging part of the job and are now tidying up the installation.

It’s with baited breath that I’m waiting. I might actually have that two megabit ‘net connection sometime next month. If…as they say… “Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise.” And assuming Our Friend Murphy is otherwise engaged.

You can bet your hind-most body parts I knocked on wood both before and after typing the above.

As the Tree Turns...

October 25

October 29

November 1

Today... November 5

Four pics of what I think is a fairly elderly aspen (if there are any arborists among you, feel free to correct me), shot from approximately the same angle over a period of 12 days, beginning October 25^th. This tree sits in my neighbor’s yard right across the street from me and is the most prominent feature of the view from my desk. Assuming the cowgirls aren’t out and about, of course.

This is what passes for Fall Color here on The High Plains of New Mexico. You'll note the tree immediately to the aspen's right is still green. It will remain green until we have our first hard frost, at which time it will drop all its leaves in one fell swoop.

I was gonna wait and post a sequence where the final shot would be the nekkid tree… after it had dropped all its leaves.

But I didn’t. I can be SO impatient at times.

So.

1646 hrs. and here I sit by my window watching the sun sink below the horizon. Sunset is officially at 1701 hrs. today.

I don't like standard time.

Ladies and Gentlemen...

… presenting the World’s Greatest Military Aerial Demonstration Team…Your United States Air Force THUNDERBIRDS!

Doesn’t that just make ya wanna hit that VALOUR-IT “Donate” button? Just a lil bit? Go on, you know you want to…and Team Air Force NEEDS the help. Badly.

Vid stolen /purloined/borrowed or otherwise lifted from Laurie, who had it first. And too bad about that soundtrack, which sucketh mightily. I'd have used this (or another version of the same song)…if it had been me adding sound to this great vid.

Saturday Still Life...

...w/o Woodpecker. But I digress, yet again before I’ve even begun. I partook of two of these hefeweizens and one of those wonderful VL's during half-time of the ND - Navy game, which is still in progress with the outcome uncertain...as we speak. The first one was unabashedly and without remorse for me. But the second one? That was all for you, Gentle Reader.

Now purists might blanch at the thought of a Hefeweizen that doesn't sprechen Sie Deutsches, but believe me, Gentle Reader...this is good stuff, indeed. If products from the Spoetzel Brewery are available in your area...and in a lot of cases, they're not... you should pick up a sixer and try it out. You won't be sorry.

Prosit!

Update 11/03/2007, 1702 hrs: Well, the NCAA's longest winning streak...at 43 games, stretching back to 1963... is over. Navy 46, ND 44. In triple overtime. I'll give ya a conditional "BZ," Navy. But if you didn't do it this year, against this Irish team, chances are you couldn't have ever done it. To say my heart is breaking would be an understatement of massive proportions.

But...it is what it is. My weekend is flat frickin' ruined.

Saturday Stuff

Via Blog Buddy Morgan (and FARK, which has a comments thread on the video that’s only a lil bit unhinged)…Hell MS-NBC Freezes Over. Or, KO apologizes! S'true:

Coincidence, I’m sure (heh)…but why did I think of this while watching the Olby “apology?” And btw... have I ever told you how much I dislike Olbermann, Gentle Reader? Oh, yes...I have. Sorry.

Anyhoo. That IBD link was gonna get a post all its own, but it’s sorta like saying “In other news, the sun rose in the east this morning…” Nothing you didn’t already know, Gentle Reader. Except the media bias study IBD is on about was done at Harvard. Now that’s news.

Can’t you just imagine the faculty/advisor/team meetings that went down before Hah-vahd published the study’s findings? I’ll bet those meetings were…um… “interesting.” To say the VERY least.

My non-military readers might find this discussion over at Q&O about roles and missions of the four services interesting…or at least enlightening. The discussion takes place in the context of replying to a moonbat’s Liberal Lefty’s post about abolishing the Air Force (linked only for context, although the comments are rather amusing in that “Jane, you ignorant slut!” kinda way.), and as such primarily focuses on / discusses USAF roles and missions. It’s been pointed out before that the General Public is often unaware of what the military actually does with all that high-priced hardware you buy us with your tax money. The discussion at Q&O goes quite a ways towards fixing that.

Good stuff. And there’s more in the same vein here. Which coincidentally is the site where that “Abolish The AF?” post originally appeared…

(h/t: Mike)

Today’s Pic: Apropos of nothing, here’s The Lovely and Talented Miss Zukiko in all her glory, right after a wash and rub-down about a week ago. And…in a departure from my normal practice…I haven’t resized the pic for posting purposes, all the better for you to take in some of the marvelous details on her lithe frame and body parts.

Or: Bike Pr0n!

Note, too, the exhaust pipe on the forward cylinder is beginning to acquire some “character.” And that’s a good thing. Motorcycle exhaust pipes used to exhibit such coloring, which can vary from shades of blue to various bronze tones, back in the days before double-walled chrome exhaust tubes. As I said: that was a mark of character. It could also be an indication that carburetion was screwed up mightily, too. But we won’t go into that. Besides that, Miss Zukiko sports fuel-injection, doncha know. I like that.

October 24. P-Ville. Click for larger.

More Fun With Site Meter...

OK…we haven’t done this in a while, so here are a few of the weirder hits I’ve had of late.

Remind me to think about my post titles in the future, please. Coz I’ve gotten all sorts of hits over the past 48 hours from people doing this search:

Location

Continent: Asia
Country: Korea, Republic of (Facts)
State/Region: Kyonggi-do
City: Songnam

Time of Visit: Nov 2 2007 9:26:45 am
Referring URL: http://www.google.co...A%B2%80%EC%83%89&lr=
Search Engine: google.co.kr
Search Words: pissing

And…

Location

Continent: Europe
Country: United Kingdom (Facts)
State/Region: West Lothian
City: Linlithgow

Time of Visit: Nov 2 2007 3:28:05 pm
Referring URL: http://www.google.co...8GB239&start=40&sa=N
Search Engine: google.co.uk
Search Words: pissing

And…

Location

Continent: Europe
Country: Netherlands (Facts)
State/Region: Noord-Brabant
City: Eindhoven

Language: Polish
Time of Visit: Nov 2 2007 9:39:43 pm
Referring URLhttp://www.google.pl...l&lr=&start=230&sa=N
Search Engine: google.pl
Search Words: pissing

Most of these hits seem to be coming from outside the US, but not all. I’ve had about eight or ten related visits over the last two days. And then there’s this one:

Location

Continent: North America
Country: United States (Facts)
State: Texas
City: Houston

Time of Visit: Nov 2 2007 8:10:25 pm
Visit Length: 7 seconds
Page Views: 2
Referring URLhttp://images.google...0%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX
Search Words: world biggest butt crack

Two page views? I guess he couldn’t take “no” for an answer… Maybe a plumbing site would work. But then again, maybe not. The image he clicked through on was of a Pontiac Solstice. One does wonder, at times. Then there’s this, from a local visitor:

Location

Continent: North America
Country: United States (Facts)
State: New Mexico
City: Clovis

Time of Visit: Nov 2 2007 7:03:07 pm
Last Page View: Nov 2 2007 7:17:31 pm
Visit Length: 14 minutes 24 seconds
Page Views: 7
Referring URL: http://www.google.co...s new mexico&spell=1
Search Engine: google.com
Search Words: black helicopters chasing airplane in portales new mexico

It’s always good to have local visitors, even if they don’t find what they’re looking for. At least this person took some time to check us out, and for that we’re grateful. But one does wonder…was there some sort of incident involving black helicopters here in P-Ville? I always thought the black helicopters were a figment of the overactive moonbat imagination. I could be wrong…

And this is the strangest of them all, in a manner of speaking:

Never saw that in Site Meter before. Ever. Did the visit happen? Or not?

Update, 11-05-2007: {sigh} "Number Two, With A Bullet."

Snark

There's a great deal of it going down in and around the milblogging community supporting VALOUR-IT. Not the least of which is here...

But when it comes to Snark, all y'all should know we...that would be the USAF...invented it. And here's a pic:The world's first inter-continental missile. Not to be confused with inter-continental ballistic missiles...which are completely different animals. And while the Snark wasn't terribly effective, accurate, or long-lived...it was first.

As Team Air Force aspires to be in the VALOUR-IT competition. Have you hit that "donate" button yet? Today?

A Passing

From the NYT:

Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., the commander and pilot of the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in the final days of World War II, died today at his home in Columbus, Ohio. He was 92.

Full obituary here.

This is a sad passing, indeed. SO many of the Greatest Generation leave us each and every day. If your parents or your grandparents are members of the generation that won The Big One you NEED to give them a big hug today, tomorrow, and every day they continue to grace us with their presence.

RIP, General Tibbets.

(DOE photo)

Moving Day and Beautiful Warrior Women

Today’s Pics: Moving Day in Beautiful La Hacienda Trailer Park, aka removing the trailer on the lot across the street from me. BLHTP is undergoing a slow metamorphosis from “Classic Dusty Western Trailer Park” to “RV Park,” and that’s not an entirely bad thing. RVs outnumber trailer homes in BLHTP by about five to one now, and the ratio keeps climbing in the RVs’ favor.

And just in case you’re wondering: Yes, we do things jes a lil bit different here in New Mexico. I hope these guys weren’t going too far with that thing…

Stuff What Does a Boy Good: American Military Women in Iraq. Partial quote:

I think the title says it all: hot women in the military in Iraq. Sorry IDF (ed: that would be Israeli Defense Force, world-famous for its hot women with guns!). Your female soldiers are hot. But American girls in uniform are hotter*. Even hotter out of uniform.

Now go watch the video. Work-safe. And hot-hot-hot! Thank you, Ladies…you’ve brought back some fond memories this Ol’ Sergeant has of some of my finer comrades-in-arms (ahem) in the waaay-back.

(h/t: Lex…who’s back! I was worried, for a bit.)

Team USAF Dominates!

No, not the VALOUR-IT Team USAF. Yet. I'm talking about another Team USAF. From one of the periodic update e-mails I get from AFA:

Air Force Runners Dominate Marine Corps Marathon
Air Force runners took home bragging rights from the Marine Corps Marathon this past weekend, with both the men's and women's teams winning first place in the military services division. The top times from the top four male and top two female runners are added together. The Air Force marathoners topped their closest competitors, the Marine Corps runners, by almost 20 minutes with a combined total time of 16:19:36. In addition, 1st Lt. Brian Dumm, from Osan Air Base, Korea, was the first military member to finish this year's race and placed sixth overall with a time of 2:28:27. The top female competitor of all the services, Maj. Brenda Schrank from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., came in at the 3:00:19 mark. The other top Airmen were Capt. Levi Severson, Buckley AFB, Colo., (2:31:31); Capt. Jason Schlarb, Peterson AFB, Colo., (2:37:36); Lt. Col. Mark Cuczzella, Andrews AFB (2:37:48) and 2nd Lt. Karissa Goodrich, Goodfellow AFB, Texas (3:02:36).

Well, it’s good to know Team USAF is dominating some things! And I’ll bet the Jar-Heads were suitably mortified by the results…coz, after all, we Blue-Suiters have something of a reputation for enjoying a rather cushy life. Compared to our brothers-in-arms, that is. But perception is not reality, in this case!

Just sayin’.