Vito and Jace…
He’s very careful around him, and already in the protect mode.
Maybe he’ll leave me alone now… LOL
This crap just pisses me off… ‘We’ can’t go to the White House for a tour, even though it IS ‘our’ house, but…
Regular American citizens visiting the nation’s capital lost access to the White House in March as President Obama eliminated public tours to make a point in his battle with House Republicans in the sequestration debate over cutting spending or raising taxes.
But hundreds of K Street lobbyists, including corporate advocates who are paid to influence policy on behalf of Fortune 500 giants, saw no change in their access to the chief executive and his senior aides, according to a Washington Examiner analysis of White House visitor logs and lobbying records.
The analysis found that 200 lobbyists met 344 times with White House officials at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. between March and May.
Read the whole article HERE.
And the latest ‘rumor’ is that DOD may lose many more than the 7000 estimated in FY-14 under sequestration, now numbers like 35,000 are being bandied around…
So screw the troops and the people that support them by cutting the administrative and logistics tail. And don’t buy spare parts (like radios), but keep funding over budget/non-realistic programs (F-35/LCS among others)… But let’s cut people and MAKE IT HURT…
Passing the word for Frank-
From Frank James–
Great News! Our son’s film has been accepted by Hulu and is available for viewing FOR FREE to Hulu subscribers, so if you are signed up for HuluPlus all you have to do is type in OPEN MIC NIGHT AFTER THE APOCALYPSE and it will come up on your screen.
Please pass this info around as he needs as many ‘hits’ as physically possible. Do me a favor and pass the word around the web. It would be doing me a tremendous kindness if you would.
Thanks again…
All The Best,
Frank W. James
Y’all go view it, I think you’ll find it interesting, and it’s going to help his son out!
Dems appear to be showing their true colors/affiliations… To me this is just unconscionable…
During the second portion of a House Oversight and Government Reform hearing about Benghazi Thursday on Capitol Hill, the majority of Democrats on the Committee left the room and refused to listen to the testimony of Patricia Smith and Charles Woods. Ms. Smith is the mother of Sean Smith, an information management officer killed in the 9/11 Benghazi attack. Charles Woods is the father of Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods, who was also killed.
Gotten from HERE.
If it were me, I’d drag Hillary’s fat ass back and put her under oath, along with every one of the CIA folks. Those families AND we the people deserve to know the truth.
Unconfirmed list of those that walked out. If any of them are yours, I’d be calling and asking some questions… Have they no respect???
Carolyn Maloney (NY-14)
Danny Davis (IL-7)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.)
Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11)
Jim Cooper (TN-5)
John Tierney (MA-6)
Mark Pocan (WI-2)
Matt Cartwright (PA-17)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-1)
Peter Welch (VT)
Stephen Lynch (MA-9)
Steven Horsford (NV-4)
Tammy Duckworth (IL-8)
Tony Cardenas (CA-29)
William Lacy Clay (MO-1)
Danny Davis (IL-7)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.)
Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11)
Jim Cooper (TN-5)
John Tierney (MA-6)
Mark Pocan (WI-2)
Matt Cartwright (PA-17)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-1)
Peter Welch (VT)
Stephen Lynch (MA-9)
Steven Horsford (NV-4)
Tammy Duckworth (IL-8)
Tony Cardenas (CA-29)
William Lacy Clay (MO-1)
h/t Brighid
I have a rule that I have to get at least ONE good meal on a trip… 
This one also goes out to A Girl and TSM, and MSgt and Mrs. B!
I wasn’t driving, so I even hoisted an Orion for y’all. And yes, it was as good as always!!!
Now slogging back to the states… It’s gonna be a LONG day…
It’s a repost, but worth taking a moment to read… We were chatting this morning about those we’ve lost over the years…
My friend Kevin and I are volunteers at a National cemetery in Oklahoma and put in a few days a month in a ‘slightly larger’ uniform. Today had been a long, long day and I just wanted to get the day over with and go down to Smokey’s and have a cold one. Sneaking a look at my watch,
I saw the time, 16:55. Five minutes to go before the cemetery gates are closed for the day.
Full dress was hot in the August sun Oklahoma summertime was as bad as ever–the heat and humidity at the same level–both too high.
I saw the car pull into the drive, ’69 or ’70 model Cadillac Deville, looked factory-new. It pulled into the parking lot at a snail’s pace.. An old woman got out so slow I thought she was paralyzed; she had a cane and a sheaf of flowers–about four or five bunches as best I could tell.
I couldn’t help myself. The thought came unwanted, and left a slightly bitter taste: ‘She’s going to spend an hour, and for this old soldier, my hip hurts like hell and I’m ready to get out of here right now!’ But for this day, my duty was to assist anyone coming in.
Kevin would lock the ‘In’ gate and if I could hurry the old biddy along, we might make it to Smokey’s in time.
I broke post attention. My hip made gritty noises when I took the first step and the pain went up a notch. I must have made a real military sight: middle-aged man with a small pot gut and half a limp, in marine full-dress uniform, which had lost its razor crease about thirty minutes after I beganthe watch at the cemetery.
I stopped in front of her, halfway up the walk. She looked up at me with an old woman’s squint.
‘Ma’am, may I assist you in any way?’
She took long enough to answer.
‘Yes, son. Can you carry these flowers? I seem to be moving a tad slow these days.’
‘My pleasure, ma’am.’
(Well, it wasn’t too much of a lie.)
She looked again. ‘Marine, where were you stationed?’
‘ Vietnam , ma’am.. Ground-pounder. ’69 to ’71.’
She looked at me closer. ‘Wounded in action, I see. Well done, Marine. I’ll be as quick as I can.’
I lied a little bigger: ‘No hurry, ma’am.’
She smiled and winked at me. ‘Son, I’m 85-years-old and I can tell a lie from a long way off.. Let’s get this done. Might be the last time I can do this. My name’s Joanne Wieserman,
and I’ve a few Marines I’d like to see one more time..’
and I’ve a few Marines I’d like to see one more time..’
‘Yes, ma ‘am. At your service.’
She headed for the World War I section, stopping at a stone. She picked one of the flower bunches out of my arm and laid it on top of the stone.
She murmured something I couldn’t quite make out.. The name on the marble was Donald. Davidson, USMC: France 1918.
She turned away and made a straight line for the World War II section, stopping at one stone I saw a tear slowly tracking its way down her cheek.
She put a bunch on a stone; the name was Stephen X. Davidson, USMC, 1943.
She went up the row a ways and laid another bunch on a stone, Stanley J. Wieserman, USMC, 1944..
She paused for a second and more tears flowed. ‘Two more, son, and we’ll be done’
I almost didn’t say anything, but, ‘Yes, ma’am. Take your time.’
She looked confused.. ‘Where’s the Vietnam section, son? I seem to have lost my way.’
I pointed with my chin. ‘That way, ma’am.’
‘Oh!’ she chuckled quietly. ‘Son, me and old age ain’t too friendly.’
She headed down the walk I’d pointed at. She stopped at a couple of stones before she found the ones she wanted. She placed a bunch on Larry Wieserman, USMC, 1968, and the laston Darrel Wieserman, USMC, 1970.
She stood there and murmured a few words I still couldn’t make out and more tears flowed.
‘OK, son, I’m finished. Get me back to my car and you can go home.’
Yes, ma’am. If I may ask, were those your kinfolk?’
She paused. ‘Yes, Donald Davidson was my father, Stephen was my uncle, Stanley was my husband, Larry and Darrel were our sons. All killed in action, all Marines.’
She stopped! Whether she had finished, or couldn’t finish, I don’t know.
She made her way to her car, slowly and painfully. I waited for a polite distance to come between us and then double-timed it over to Kevin, waiting by the car. ‘Get to the ‘Out’ gate quick.. I have something I’ve got to do.’
Kevin started to say something, but saw the look I gave him. He broke the rules to get us down the service road fast. We beat her.
She hadn’t made it around the rotunda yet.
‘Kevin, stand at attention next to the gatepost.
Follow my lead.’ I humped it across the drive to the other post.
When the Cadillac came puttering around from the hedges and began the short straight traverse to the gate, I called in my best gunny’s voice: ‘TehenHut!
Present Haaaarms!’
I have to hand it to Kevin; he never blinked an eye–full dress attention and a salute that would make his DI proud. She drove through that gate with two old worn-out soldiers giving her a send-off she deserved, for service rendered to her country, and for knowing duty, honor and sacrifice far beyond the realm of most.
I am not sure, but I think I saw a salute returned from that Cadillac.
Instead of ‘The End,’ just think of ‘Taps.’
As a final thought on my part, let me share a favorite prayer: ‘Lord, keep our servicemen and women safe, whether they serve at home or overseas.
Hold them in your loving hands and protect them as they protect us.’
Let’s all keep those currently serving and those who have gone before in our thoughts. They are the reason for the many freedoms we enjoy. ‘In God We Trust.’
I swear that damn dog is nuts…
Waiting to see his reaction to the baby…
Sigh…
You hear about E-Ticket rides, but this one IS one!!!
F/A-18 running VR1251 from Punta Gorda, CA to Fallon, NV…
Notice how he was looking back over his shoulder? He was looking for his wingman, to make sure he was at the correct interval…
A bit of background- VR (Visual Routes) are four digit routes that are 1500′ AGL and below and ‘normally’ no faster than 420 kts IAS. In actuality, they are normally flown between 250′ and 500′ AGL, and ‘squeaked’ up to 500 kts if there is nobody watching…
You can go to the web page below and follow the route. It’s the thin grey line with the numbers 1254 on it. Note to the arrows- It’s ONE WAY…
http://skyvector.com/?ll=40.13363596234544,-124.47825622762655&chart=301&zoom=2
Now ‘my’ E-Ticket ride was NUC-VR1350-Boardman, Boardman-VR1352-FAL. Got to do that one in the right seat of an A-6 back in the day… 🙂
Fun? Oh hell YES!!!
But also serious training, rolling inverted and pulling over ridge lines is done to minimize the planform, minimize the balloon (negative G) effect, and get the airplane back down quickly. This is also important to minimize the radar vulnerability by keeping the airplane below the bad guys radio horizon (which is why they fly down valleys).
Enjoy the ride, and be thankful we have folks willing to take the challenge to do this not just in the day, but also at night and in bad weather…
h/t JP
Homographs are words of like spelling but with more than one meaning. A homograph that is also pronounced differently is a heteronym.
You think English is easy??
I think a retired English teacher was bored…THIS IS GREAT!
Read all the way to the end, this took a lot of work to put together!
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse
4) We must polish the Polish furniture..
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert..
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time topresent the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear..
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
Let’s face it – English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren’t invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn’t it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?
If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.
PS. – Why doesn’t ‘Buick’ rhyme with ‘quick’ ?
You lovers of the English language might enjoy this .
There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is ‘UP.’
It’s easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP?
Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?
We call UP our friends.
And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warmUP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.
We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
At other times the little word has real special meaning.
People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.
A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.
We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.
We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the wordUP in the dictionary.
In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.
If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many waysUP is used.
It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don’t give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP.
When the sun comes out we say it is clearing Up.
When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP.
When it doesn’t rain for awhile, things dry UP.
One could go on and on, but I’ll wrap it UP,
for now my time is UP, so…….it is time to shut UP!
h/t JP
I cannot express how sad I am at the shooting that happened at WNY yesterday, and how pissed I am that once again good folks are dead for no apparent reason. We’re still waiting for the full list to find out if we’ve lost yet more friends. Thoughts and prayers go out to those families who’ve lost loved ones today. Please keep them in your hearts.
On a joy side, PPP is now back to being PP (Pissed off Paramedic), she delivered a 6lb 14oz, 19 inch long baby boy at 2156 last night PDT. Haven’t had a chance to talk to her yet, as I’m out of pocket, but I did get a text. Both are doing well, if a bit tired.