Star Drives and Phantasms

I am a professional knuckledragger.

I have always had a love of things mechanical and electrical. I began as an amateur fixing my own bicycles (and cars a bit later on) and gained professional status when Uncle Sam taught me how to fix airplanes on floating airports. Nowadays my machines don't fly, and I don't have to float to fix them, but it's still machine fixing. No one really notices when all the machines work, but when they don't it's up to the knuckledraggers (both amateur and professional) to Make It Better.

An aircraft is nothing more than a collection of nuts, bolts, rivets and assorted parts all traveling approximately the same direction at more or less the same time. It's the job of the professional knuckledragger to keep this a true statement, and when it is not all sorts of Unpleasant Individuals with no discernable sense of humor start asking Probing Questions. This is, in the knuckledragging community, what we call A Bad Thing.

Other knuckledraggers in fields other than aviation can tell similar tales. Ship fixers, for instance, have their own collection of stories about main shaft bearings seizing up at inopportune times (for instance, when you already have two of your props dragging and the INSURV team is onboard; the only solution is to shut the third main down long enough to get their helo off the deck, fire up the two that will run long enough without causing the water outside to come inside, launch everything else off, shut them both back down and head for home...slowly...on one screw - not that I would have heard any of those stories, of course).

And now it appears as if starship maintenance is no different than anything else, only in this case the collection of odd fasteners travels more or less in formation in a hard vacuum, and it's the professional knuckledragger's job to keep the vacuum out, the air in, and the rivets all heading in the same general direction. "I Work On A Starship" is a book and blog about just that.

You see, it seems that unbeknownst to anyone else, the Nazis managed to put men on the moon before their precious Reich collapsed in on itself, long before Armstrong and Company arrived. Those Who Followed found the equipment as they were gearing up to put a defensive installation on the moon and promptly confiscated it for their own use, who knew? Good thing they're not Nazis, but at least the war is over.

This is not a single story containing the normal good guys vs bad guys conflict and resolution. It's a collection of tales and anecdotes that will be familar to anyone who gets grubby for a living, and if you are that sort of person you will find yourself chuckling and nodding at parts that, even in an unfamiliar setting, are intimately familiar. And that's just the first half.

The second half of the book is an actual story, with chapters and everything. It does have good guys, bad guys, conflicts and resolutions, and if you only read that part of the book it's a good tale in and of itself. You don't have to be a knuckledragger to appreciate "Another Day" (although it does help), but if you are looking for a space tale this is a good one.

I can only hope that Senior Drive Tech Roberta X, wherever she is, keeps writing about her adventures on the USAS Lupine. Maybe her counterpart on USAS Vulpine will be encouraged to spin a yarn or two as well.

I could also hope that the USSF would be interested in a fat old retired squid next time they need knuckledraggers, but for now I can at least read about it.

Man Bites Dog

I don't know why no one is covering this, but I haven't seen it at any of the usual sources. I heard it on the radio on my way home yesterday.

Maybe no one thinks it's a big deal, but it seems pretty significant to me.

Well, I guess I can't say no one is covering it. The Other McCain has a headline on it at the Live At Five post.

Somehow I thought it was at least worth a flaming skull.

UPDATE: Ace has it now. No flaming skull, but you can't have everything.

The Taxman Cometh

I just got done e-filing my return. All together I am paying as much in income tax as I made my first year in the US Navy as a raw recruit and airplane fixer in training.

Of course I'm making much more now than I did then. I'm not quite up to the level of evil rich yet, but my itemized deductions are worth more than my standard ones would be so there is still hope.

There is also hope that this year the state of North Carolina won't see fit to hold on to the paltry amount they are returning to me until the last available moment like they did last year.

Hope springs eternal. Now I'm just waiting for my change.

Browncoats: Redemption

Suffering from a Firefly jones I found and ordered this little gem. After a not unreasonable wait it showed up at my doorstep. As I had to work when it arrived I didn't have time to review it, but since then I've had a chance to sit down and watch it.

The scenery and acting is par for the course for a low-budget fan film (I have seen numbers of 20K and 25K, total, for the entire film). Not that there isn't a lot of heart in the effort, it's just that without the expertise that an accomplished studio and a seasoned cast brings to the table the result is always going to be less than polished.

In the acting there are some that are better than others, but in the end they are all delivering lines, and it's pretty clear. The cast is made up of unknowns that have few films to their credit, many of those being low budget B-movie specials (ninjas and vampires feature strongly in them), and several of the actors have only been in this one. One of them, Chris Lark, was employed in exactly two scenes and was apparently cast only for his resemblance to Nathan Fillion. Another, Guy Wellman (playing medic Cameron Allen), is actually one of the better actors in the film.

The intonation and timing of the dialog is off, sometimes jarringly so, and it does detract from the overall effort. Line delivery is flat, and the emphasis never seems to be on the right words in the right places. The Chinese is stilted and forced, a bit of practice would likely have helped the delivery. It's kind of like watching the high-school drama club put on a production; no matter how much energy each individual brings to the scene it's always pretty clear the actors are not greatly experienced. I have also seen it written somewhere that shooting the film only took ten days start to finish, perhaps if there had been more time to rehearse the finished product would have been more refined.

The choice of roles is somewhat confusing as well. For example, there are both a chief engineer and a mechanic for Redemption, which is a smaller ship than Serenity who only has a single mechanic to care for her. Jobs are arranged by a businessman who travels with the crew, yet serves no other discernable purpose and is not the Captain. Initially there is no pilot save the Captain, and the medic is never seen practicing his craft so it's not real clear going just by the action in the film what his purpose is until near the end where the Captain is telling the story of when she met him. They could have eliminated or combined several characters and I don't think anyone would have noticed.

There is one scene that doesn't seem to fit, and that is a rocket attack delivered by what is apparently supposed to be Adelai Niska as the ship approaches Ezra. There doesn't seem to be a real reason for it, and the crew's reaction is muted to say the least. The captain, for instance, should have launched into the scene spitting and snarling (imagine Malcolm Reynolds in the first scene of Serenity ripping a strip off of Kaylee because the primary buffer panel just flew off of his "gorram ship"), but instead she walked - WALKED! - to the bridge for a pleasant chat with the pilot. This doesn't really bode well for the "willful suspension of disbelief" and would have been left on the cutting room floor if it were up to me.

The music, while appropriate for the 'verse, is understated and overly mute when it shouldn't be, for instance at the changing of the scenes. Otherwise it adds what it should where it should. The scenery is more contemporary and less Firefly, I can't really put my finger on it but there's more plastic and less wood and other natural looking materials evident, which gives it more of an artificial feel. Redemption herself appears to be made of painted canvas (in other words, obviously a set), but at least the layout looks good.

And now with the bad parts out of the way, let's move on to the high spots. The plot is consistent and well drawn, and the scripting appears to be good, if less than appropriately delivered. The two times we see the ship, once taking off and once entering atmo, are extremely well done and could have been used as-is in a higher quality production. Given a bigger budget, improved sets and experienced actors this would be a great film. As it is it's still good, and since the profits all go to charity it's an acceptable trade-off.

The actors appear to be big fans of the Firefly universe, and it's quite evident that what they lack in spit and polish they make up for in sheer joy and exuberence. There are plenty of references to both the series and the movie "Serenity" (for instance, in the opening scene the ship has just delivered a cargo of beagles and the discussion is how cows may be a better cargo) so it ties in well. It's as if a bunch of fans got together to make a movie.

And in fact, that is exactly what happened.

If you are looking for a well made polished film at the production level of Firefly or Serenity this is not the flick for you. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a fun tale set in the same 'verse, you might do well to check it out.

Now, We Wait

The application has been made, the paperwork has been filled out, the fees have been paid and the fingerprints and photo have been taken. In six to eight weeks I should be in possession of a North Carolina permit to carry concealed.

I don't know if I will carry all that often, but I might. The main reason I am getting the concealed permit is because I'm a bit self-conscious about carrying openly and I figured this would get me used to carrying at all.

The biggest detriment to carrying openly here in North Carolina is this little tidbit stuck in the law, I have emphasized the pertinent sections:

"By common law in North Carolina, it is unlawful for a person to arm himself/herself with any unusual and dangerous weapon, for the purpose of terrifying others, and go about on public highways in a manner to cause terror to others. The N.C. Supreme Court states that any gun is an unusual and dangerous weapon for purposes of this offense."

Basically what that means is any gun-fearing wussie, when seeing you armed, can call the police and say they are scared, and that's all it takes for you to be in violation of the law. In other words, your Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms is subject to someone else's arbitrarily constructed "right" to be a big pansy. Of course this would be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the winner would be whoever has the better lawyer.

That's one of the reasons I have decided to get the concealed permit. Another reason is that if you possess a concealed carry permit you don't have to go begging to the Sheriff for permission to buy handguns. Either way it isn't right that you should have to get permits to exercise Constitutional rights, but until the laws can be changed that's the way it is.

And so that's why I have applied.

Seventeen Years Later

Seventeen years after the first space shuttle disaster the orbiter Columbia broke up during re-entry and was lost with all hands.The cause was determined to be a piece of insulating foam from the main booster fuel tank that had come loose during launch and damaged the thermal tiles which protect the ship against excessive heat build-up during re-entry.

On this day we remember the seven astronauts of STS-107:

Mission Commander Rick D. Husband
Pilot William C. McCool
Mission Specialist 1 David M. Brown
Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana Chawla
Payload Commander Michael P. Anderson
Mission Specialist 4 Laurel B. Clark
Payload Specialist 1 Ilian Ramon

STS-51-L

Twenty five years ago today I was checking out of Naval Air Technical Training Center at NAS Memphis, Millington TN after attending Avionics Class A1 and Advanced First Term Avionics schools in preparation to become an avionics tech on the F-14 Tomcat (and later the F/A-18 Hornet) aircraft.

As I was handing in my linens the space shuttle launch was taking place. The TV in the office was tuned to watch it. Before our incredulous eyes what had been a glorious triumph of human engineering turned into a horrible tragedy.

Today we remember the six professional astronauts and the one high-school social studies teacher from Concord, New Hampshire who gave all they had to give to further our explorations.

Mission Commander Francis "Dick" Scobee
Pilot Michael J. Smith
Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka
Mission Specialist Judith Resnik
Mission Specialist Ronald McNair
Payload Specialist Sharon Christa McAuliffe
Payload Specialist Gregory Jarvis

Schedules

I just signed up for the concealed carry class and am awaiting confirmation and a class date.

I have my ammo, holster and firearm ready to go.

Yes I know, it's about time.

UPDATE: Tomorrow. That was quicker than I expected.

UPDATE II: I have my certificate, but I had to shoot twice to qualify. I really need to get to the range more.

Think Of The Wee Tots

The Tater Tots, that is.

Time to take a stand.

The Only Thing

that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.

Every day we lose more and more of these good men, and good women, the ones that chose to stand in the way of evil, and sometimes watched their brothers and sisters in arms perish because of it.

Six million of the earth's inhabitants became air pollution in the skies over Europe while good men did nothing. Those good men who came later and put an end to it photographed it so that the world would know, so that those who would deny it ever happened could be proven wrong, so they would be forced to acknowledge fact.

As those good men, both the ones who were in the camps and those who liberated them, shuffle off this mortal coil their stories are being lost. Those who come after increasingly refuse to believe that it ever happened.

I don't know if they refuse to believe because they don't want to acknowledge man's capacity for evil, or if they advocate disbelief to mask their own capacity for such evil. Either way evil is served, either by willful misdirection or willing ignorance.

It is not only the ovens that garner such incredulousness, but the gulags and the killing fields as well. Every place that utopia has been attempted at the point of a gun has it's mass graves and it's hidden past, and all of those have disbelievers.

Kipling warned us that we cannot escape from what is, no matter how much we wish to believe it is not so. Shamefully we must learn that lesson over and over and over again.

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began.
That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;

And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!

But then again, Kipling warned us of that as well.

UPDATE: Just to drive home the point, cmblake6 links this article written about a chain letter that addresses exactly the points I did here.

What's The Difference

Between this and the oft-cited back alley?

Disconnect

I see this, and I see this, and I can't help but think there's something not being said.

Thanks to CMBlake6, who got me thinking about it.

Special Delivery

My ammo has arrived!

Now all I need is a time and place to turn money into smoke and noise.

Range report after the fact. Stay tuned!

This Is A Good Idea?

In Fayetteville NC, home of Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, and the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions of the US Army, the Mayor decided it was high time the Vietnam veterans got the welcome home that they deserved and did not get forty years ago.

Someone decided it would be a good idea to invite the Quaker House to the festivities. Quaker House is an anti-war group, established in 1969 to protest American involvement in Vietnam. Among the things they did was organize protest rallies and assist draftees in escaping to Canada.

Their idea to honor the vets is to show Jane Fonda films.

Sometimes you just have to wonder how some people have enough neurons firing to maintain respiration.

It's A Shooter

The Arisaka tested good, so it's ammo I'm looking for instead of a display rack.

I dropped by the local local Merchant of Death (the one where the Arisaka was is all the way across Raleigh from here) and put an order in for 6.5x50 Japanese. The supplier is out of stock, so they are going to put the request in and let me know when it will be available.

But, since I am impatient, I also ordered a box of 129 grain Hornady and a box of 140 grain Hornady from Graf & Sons. It is being shipped via FedEx and will hopefully be here soon.

In the meantime I have a bottle of Old English wood oil and I am rubbing down the stock. The first couple of applications soaked right in with no noticeable effects, but the shine is starting to come back now after numerous additional coats. The stock was pretty dry, but it is in good shape otherwise for a 100 year old rifle. Compare the picture here with the one here to see the difference.

When the ammo gets in I'll take it to the range and check it out, report to follow.

No Dangerous Weapons

Only dangerous people.

Anticipation

The Arisaka is ready to be picked up. I didn't catch the phone call so I don't know any details. Tomorrow I will go get it and find out if I should order ammo or a display rack.

Sunny and warm today, the Mustang had the top down and the grille was fired up. Tomorrow isn't supposed to be quite as warm, but the sun will still be shining.

I'm planning on doing a whole lot of nothing this weekend, and I'm hoping it will be everything I wish it to be.

Definitions

Jared Loughner was not a domestic terrorist. He was a crazy man.

Terrorists commit their acts for the specific purpose of affecting the political climate to make political statements or political changes.

Jared Loughner committed his act specifically to kill Representative Gifford because she couldn't come up with an answer to his nonsensical question.

No agenda. No terrorism. Just crazy.

Tell Me Again

Five snow events in North Carolina so far this winter, all in the past two months.

The last one was expecting two inches of snow, which fell short, and a tenth of an inch of ice, which arrived as advertised.

The good news is the Subaru is an adept traveler even in the ice, as long as its driver acts like he has a modicum of good sense.

The bad news is my tire cables won't fit on the Subaru. They are for fifteen inch wheels (which the Pontiac has) and the Scoobytruck has 16 inch wheels.

The ice is mostly gone now, but I suppose I should get a pair (or two pairs, since it's AWD) of cables for the Scooby. I have a feeling I'm going to need them.

Band Of Brothers

Thank you, Major Winters. Rest in peace.

Weather, Not Climate

The first flakes of 2011 have fallen.

There aren't many of them yet but they are expected to have lots of friends starting at about 5 PM. It shouldn't be too bad driving in to work, but by tomorrow morning between 1-2 inches of snow is expected with a bonus of 1/10th of an inch of ice from the freezing rain expected to follow the snow.

It will be a long drive home tomorrow morning.

Prayers

They are being said for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D, AZ) who is recovering but still in critical condition following an attack by an apparently crazed gunman Saturday.

Shame on anyone attempting to make a political statement out of this.

Not surprisingly, Correia says it better.

To Boldly Go

Having now seen the video, here are my thoughts:

1) meh.

2) I'm glad that the people I cruised with on Forrestal in 1988 are safely retired by now.

3) Having been through the whole Tailhook brouhaha a senior Naval Aviator should have known better.

4) Nothing - and I do mean NOTHING - that gets recorded is safe. Keep that in mind boys and (especially) girls.

Thought Of The Day: Blaming The Victims

If you are suffering from the predictable outcome of your own stupidity (lack of planning is stupidity) you are not a victim, you are an imbecile. The only thing we do when we canonize victims is encourage the creation of more of them. We are now at the point where victims are placed on a high pedestal and regarded as authority figures based only on their own incompetence.

Blatant idiocy should always be a disqualifier for victimhood status. If you get on a plane to escape a natural disaster according to your disaster preparedness plan and the plane crashes, you are a victim. If you are in a bad situation and choose to stay, for whatever reason, rather than change your situation, you are an idiot.

These people are idiots.

HT: The Other McCain

Telling You What You Want To Hear

It's not enough that the Republicans have a majority in the House and that they picked up gains in the Senate and in the State-houses across the land.

It's not enough that they are riding the current wave that was started by Tea Partiers across the nation.

What matters is that eternal vigilance is the price we pay for eternal freedom.

I'm a bit disappointed in Rep. Darrell Issa. After putting out a laundry list items to be investigated, he is now rolling them back. Political "reality" is re-asserting itself, and the reality is the pursuit of power, not justice. Confederate Yankee has the story here.

Our elected "representatives" need to be constantly reminded of who they work for.

Antiques: An Update

When last we saw the Arisaka it was in the hands of the local Merchant of Death to be evaluated. I have been reliably informed that gunsmiths are at least a month behind in their orders, so I expected a lengthy delay.

I called the other day to check on it's status, and the gunsmith has not yet returned it. I am assuming (don't you love that word?) that it's because of the backlog, not because there are any problems with the carbine.

At any rate, I'll check back with them at the end of the month if I have not heard from them before then. And of course I will post the results, as well as a range report when and if it happens.

By the bye, I did manage to talk to the man I got it from regarding it's history and found out nothing I didn't already know. His father bought it sometime in the 50's, but where and exactly when is unknown. Since that worthy gentleman is no longer with us, that part of the rifle's history remains a mystery.

Christmas: The Second Round

Turkey dinner and present opening at the Refuge. Everyone is pleased with their gifts, and the holiday season is now complete.

May all of you have a joyous and prosperous 2011.

Happy New Year!

Here's wishing a prosperous and Happy New Year to all of you, from all of us at the Refuge.

Touchdown

We have returned home safe and sound. The snow has for the most part melted off of all the roads, so there was no slipping on the trip back.

When I got back I cleared the snow off of the poor little Scoobytruck and started him up for the first time in a week. He came right to life and warmed up without any issues, so I guess he survived the storm OK.

Tomorrow we will take the Scoobytruck up to Roanoke to see Eldest Sister, and then back here for the New Year where we will open up the remaining presents under the tree.

That will conclude the holiday season at the Refuge. I hope you and yours had a good one as well.

Travels And Travesties

The weather gods are taking their revenge on me for yesterday's post. Today it's 37 degrees in Jacksonville, and the precipitation has taken the distinct characteristics of snow. Yes, snow in the River City, it's not sticking and it melts as soon as it touches anything, but it is snow nonetheless. I would still rather be here than at the Refuge where they have 5 inches already and are expected to accumulate another three before it is all over.

Today I took a side trip to my old stomping grounds on the former NAS Cecil Field (now Cecil Commerce Center) just to see what had changed and what had remained the same. NAS Cecil Field fell to disbelief and the BRAC axe back in 1999, no one in Florida could believe the Navy would do something so foolish as to close a base with such beautiful runways situated where the jet noise was not bothersome to the locals in favor of a base that was completely surrounded by a hostile city. They were wrong.

The barracks are all gone, of course, as are the old commisary and the enlisted and Chief's clubs. Most of the remaining structures are in use as offices now, the gym is still a gym, and the on-base housing that remains has been taken over by a private management facility, as has the golf course.

The change that surprised me the most is the draining of Lake Fretwell. The playground and ball diamonds are still there, but the man-made lake has been drained and grass now grows where alligators once swam. Apparently the cost of keeping the lake up was too great for the Cecil Pines management company to want to cover.

Once upon a time the Navy made some noise about re-opening Cecil Field. The city of Jacksonville said they would be glad to share the base, but the Navy wanted it back the way they had it. Since the city is making money from Cecil Commerce Center of course it went nowhere.

I'm certain there is a lesson to be learned there somewhere.

Without Further Comment

OK, maybe one comment: Christmas day, 68 - correction, 70 - degrees.

Merry Christmas

Yesterday the temps in Jacksonville Florida were in the high 50's, the highest I saw on my dashboard thermometer was 58. So, of course, the jacket was on and the top was down.

Eldest Daughter has to work today so when she got home from work last night the kids opened their gifts. Everyone was pleased with the haul, and Youngest Son elected to stay with the rest of the kids while I went back to the motel to catch up on a couple of days worth of sleep.

Today's festivities will be basic, consisting of Christmas dinner and that's about it. Youngest Son and I will head back north on Tuesday and have a second Christmas at home with Eldest Son and Youngest Daughter.

We at the Refuge wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and a most happy and prosperous New Year.

Image from Mustang Parts.org

The Countdown Starts

In less than 24 hours I will be on my way to Jacksonville FL for Christmas.

Eldest Daughter has not been to Father In Law's house to help him with the sorting, so there is no reason for me to take the trailer.

No reason to take the trailer means no reason to take the Subaru.

No reason to take the Subaru means I'll be driving the Mustang.

It should be a good trip.

Seasons

Last night two significant events occurred.

The first of these was the winter solstice. Last night was the shortest night of the year, and from this day forward the nights will be getting shorter and the days will be getting longer. Today is the first day of winter.

The second of these significant events, one that very likely passed right by without notice unless you made a special effort to see it, was the eclipse of the moon. It was the first time the winter solstice has had a total moon eclipse in almost four hundred years, but the next one will occur in 2094, only eighty four more years from now. So, if you missed it you won't have as long to wait.

I like to joke that here at the Refuge we don't grow grass in the yard, we grow rocks. Every year we get a fresh crop. That's not as much of a joke as you might think.

The ground water close to the surface freezes and creates patches where the ground pokes up in hundreds of tiny fingers, as if it was caught in the act of exploding. When there are rocks under the surface, this ground water freezes underneath them and forces them to the surface. This is how we get a fresh crop of rocks every year.

As you can see in the photo, the new crop is coming in nicely.

Busy Days

I finally got the lights hung outside, just before the next round of Glowbull Warmening happens. As I finished up the first snowflakes started to fall.

Youngest Daughter and Son-In-Law got me a new monitor for Christmas. I had been wanting a flat screen, so they went out and ordered a widescreen Compaq S2021.

The only problem is, my computer is an ancient (3 or 4 years old) Compaq Presario SR1303WM, and the integrated video card wouldn't support the widescreen. So I could either set the monitor to aspect and have dark bars on both sides of my screen (and a compressed display because it wasn't quite wide enough on aspect) or I could have a stretched out display.

Or I could go get a new video card.

Off to Comp USA I go!

The new graphics card is installed, the software is set up and running, and the resolution is set properly for the display. It's really looking good!

Now I'm all set for a night of surfing as the snow falls.

On The Agenda

Eggs and sausage now.

Next is a trip to the big box store to get some clips to hang my outside Christmas lights. I must have my lights hung by 3 PM today.

Sometime after 3 PM we are expecting the next round of snow and freezing rain to begin.

When does Spring start?

Wikileaks

Julian Assange is out on bail.

He begged the judges not to release his address on his bail request.

The judges said "Information wants to be free!"

Spare me the drivel about how this might put his life in danger. He leaked information for the sole purpose of embarrassing the United States, and in doing so very likely put the lives of countless others in jeopardy.

This is what we call "poetic justice" in these parts.

Winter Advisory

The bad news: A winter weather advisory is in effect across the central Piedmont and the northern coastal plains until 4PM. This area includes Wake, Durham and Franklin Counties.

The good news: The Subaru is an adept and sure-footed winter traveler.

The better news: I have no reason to be out in it today.

I hope you can all stay warm and dry today.

High Finance

Youngest son stays with his aunt during the week while I work. She is his schoolteacher, so it works out in more ways than one.

I pick him up from school on Thursday, he has Friday, Saturday and Sunday off, and I take him back Sunday on my way to work.

I will also pick up any needful things for Sis's house while he is there. He will occasionally want something different, and Sis will ask him how he proposes to pay for it.

"That's easy" he replies, "First Bank of Dad!"

Sigh. I think I need a bail-out.

Unfortunately I'm not "too big to fail" so I most likely wouldn't qualify.

Gods Of The Copybook Headings

Karl Marx said that history repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce. Put that down under the category of blind hogs and acorns.

Rudyard Kipling wrote "If you don't work you die." Put that down under the category of hard facts and reality.

Utes in Britain should study more Kipling and rather less Marx.

On a related note, Professor Jacobson remembers the Iron Lady. Perhaps Britain will one day do the same.

Until then they will only be the "formerly Great" Britain.

Winter Party

Last night we had the company Christmas party.

I'm not much for parties as parties go, but it was OK.

Pop

My father in law goes in today for surgery. He is having some stents put in.

He has been having small heart issues for a while now, and while not serious in and of themselves, given his age they are a matter of concern.

I have told him he is not allowed to leave us this year, but much like his daughter and his wife before him he does pretty much as he pleases, regardless of what I would like.

Pop is old and tired, and his world has been rocked with the loss of his wife a year ago last May and his only child last June. Lesser men may have given up already, but I have never known Pop to give in to anything.

Prayers would be appropriate, and appreciated.

UPDATED: Upon further investigation the docs determined he didn't need stents, the irregular heartbeat he's been having can be taken care of by non-invasive procedures. So that's good.

UPDATE II: The procedure went well and Pop is back home and doing fine.

Infamy

Sixty nine years ago today, at 7:48AM local time, air and submarine elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a devastating attack on US Navy, Marine and Army Air Corps assets at Pearl Harbor and Oahu, Hawaii.

Two strikes were launched and a third contemplated before the attacks were over. In the aftermath four battleships were sunk and four more were damaged, along with three cruisers, three destroyers, one minelayer and one training ship. 188 aircraft were destroyed, 2,402 personnel were killed and 1,282 were wounded.

The un-launched third wave would have taken out the submarine base and the support facilities, including fuel depots and shipyards. The three American carriers, not in port at the time of the attack, were also spared. One of those carriers, USS Enterprise (CV-6), would not only survive but would become the most heavily decorated ship of the war.

In time all but two of the battleships (Arizona and Utah) were raised and, except for the heavily damaged Oklahoma, returned to service. The Iowa class battleships were built to replace them, but ultimately it was the carriers that turned the tide of the war.

Although it was a tactical success for the Japanese, the attacks were fortuitous for the Americans in several ways. Had the warnings from the radar station been heeded, the ships would have been underway or in the channel. This would have blocked the harbor for the returning carriers, and instead of being raised and returned to service the ships would have been lost in deep water.

Additionally, fears that the American carriers and land-based bombers would find them played a part in the Japanese decision not to press a third attack. This spared the shipyards that were vital in the restoration efforts as well as the fuel and ammunition needed to immediately send the subs, also spared by the decision, to sea.

It was the submarines that crippled the Imperial Japanese Navy by attacking it's logistics trail, and it was the carriers that put their ships on the bottom. Although a clash between the titans, USS Iowa and IJN Yamato, would have been epic, it was not to be so; Yamato was repulsed by escort carriers at Leyte Gulf while Iowa chased ghostly foes, and ultimately it was carrier aircraft, some of them from Enterprise, that laid Yamato low.

Sixty nine years later we are losing the veterans from that time in our history. As they fade from the scene it falls to us to ensure that the lessons we have learned do not fade with them.

Snow Event

The first snowstorm of the season has come and gone, leaving us blanketed in a thin layer of white. The highs are expected to near 50 today, so by this afternoon quite a bit of this covering will be gone. It never really did stick to the paved surfaces, which makes driving a much more pleasant experience.

Yesterday morning Youngest Son and I took the Mustang out for a car event, and when we got back I didn't bother to put the cover back on it. I had not looked at the weather for the day, and the forecast from the day before said nothing about snow. The weatherman can't always predict what is going to occur within days, but the "climatologists" would have you believe they can predict what the weather is going to be like decades from now. But I digress.

It sits under a covering of snow right now, but in a moment I will go out and start it up. I'll let it warm as I clear the windows, the heat from the motor will loosen the snow on it's hood enough to slide it off without damaging paint (this car has the most fragile paint that I have ever had on a car) and then I'll take it out to blow most of the snow off of it's top and trunk. After that it will sit in the sun, and by the time I have to go to work this afternoon it will be dry so that I can put the cover on it again.

Boots and I went out to walk the perimeter this morning and the wind was already knocking big chunks of snow out of the trees. When it would pick up the snow would fall and swirl almost as if it were falling from the sky for the first time. I love the morning right after a snow, the world is quiet as if it is spending another hour or so in bed nestled under it's glistening blanket.

I like this type of snow best of all (or perhaps more to the point, I dislike it the least) because the roads don't get covered and by the time I have to go to work the pavement should be mostly dry. Within a few days it will be gone as if it had never come.

First Fall

The snow is falling, first of the season. It's hard to tell if it will stick or not, but it is falling at a good clip.

Seventeen

Happy Anniversary Boo.

I miss you.

Six Months

Nurses today rarely wear the uniform that they are famous for. My sister had a picture taken when she graduated from nursing school, in her white smock with her white nurse's cap.

The nurse that day wore no cap, nor did she wear a smock. It was chilly in the cardio unit, even during the dead heat of a North Carolina summer, so she wore a sweater over her surgical scrubs as she efficiently went about her business.

She patted my arm as she walked out, her face full of sympathy. "She doesn't need me now" she whispered, and then she was out the door.

I sat and held her hand, an eternity, an instant; the eternity between her breaths, the instant between life and death. Fifteen minutes later it was over; the eternity and the instant both.

Six months later we prepare for what was her favorite holiday. I will remember how much she loved the season, how much she loved me, and how much I loved her. I pray that somehow this little comfort will be enough.

Soup For You

Over at the Flying Monkeys the soup nazi has raised her ugly head. There is soup, but none for you! That's why you should come here, for the soup!

Potato Soup

5 lb potatoes, any kind you like.
1 med sweet onion
1 bunch celery hearts
1 lb bacon
16 oz heavy cream
1/2 gal milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb shredded Cheddar cheese

Peel and dice the potatoes and put them on to boil. You want to cook these until they are done clear through but still firm, about 10 minutes or so.
While the potatoes are cooking, chop the celery and onions. In a cast-iron frying pan, fry the bacon crisp over medium high heat. Go ahead and have some, you can make do with 12-14 oz. Go ahead and give some to the dog too, you know you can't resist those puppy dog eyes. Let the rest drain and cool on paper towels.
Cook the celery and onions in the bacon fat over medium high heat until the onions are slightly transparent and the celery is soft, about 5 minutes. Drain the celery and onions and pour the bacon grease into a container, it is useful in almost any recipe that calls for shortening.
By now the potatoes should be done. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Add celery and onions, add cream and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until warm. Crumble and add bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with shredded cheddar on top.

Calling All Angels

Or tooth fairies, as the case may be.

Incisor emergency!

Please make a donation to the "Tam needs a new grille" fund. Your snark-o-meter will thank you for it.

Passing

Goodbye Rick. You were a good friend and a good neighbor, and I will miss you. Don't worry about Bev, the boys and I will take care of things around the house for her and your kids are close by if she needs anything else. I wish this was not happening, but I will do what I can.
Do me a favor? Give Laura a big bear hug for me.

Note To Libs

This is what religious intolerance looks like.

Those of us fortunate enough to have been born in this country and who have lived our entire lives here have never seen anything like this except on the evening news.

The religious freedom part of the First Amendment was written to prevent the Federal government from establishing a national religion. This is why.

Since the season is now upon us where the usual suspects will start to protest Christmas decorations, I think it's time to reflect on what "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" really means.

Somehow nativity scenes on the town square doesn't seem so bad now, does it?

Roboshirts!

Clicky on picky to get yours.

Don't Call Me Shirley

The world has just gotten a little less funny.

Rest in peace Mr. Nielsen. Thanks for all the laughs.

Back In One Piece

Home again, back to 35 degree nights and days in the 50's. Today when I took the dog out for his perimeter patrol I was shocked at how cold it is here after spending two days in 70 degree Florida weather.

Speaking of my dog, he's a mess. He doesn't like to be home alone, he doesn't like to travel, and he doesn't like to be anywhere that is not home. He spent most of the time traveling curled up on the armrest between the seats where he was enough in the way to be present but not enough to be completely irritating. It's a good thing he's such a small dog.

At any rate, everything is back as it should be in the world of Boots; his trees are right where he left them, the perimeter is secure and I am allowed to roam about without being in his direct line of sight. I guess he figures I'm safe enough at home that he doesn't have to constantly keep an eye on me. These humans take a lot of keeping after, you know.

He's going to hate it when I have to go back to work though. Come to think of it, so will I.

Thanksgiving

Today is the day where we give thanks to a benevolent Creator for all the good things in our lives.

Last post notwithstanding, I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a good job and a wonderful family, my bills are paid and if you could see me you could definitely tell I am not starving.

I am at Eldest Daughter's for Thanksgiving this year, so I'm enjoying the warm Florida weather. Youngest Daughter and hubby were not able to get the time off, so they couldn't come down with me. They are taking Eldest Son out for Thanksgiving dinner.

Son In Law is busy in the kitchen. Eldest daughter can cook but SIL always does the big holiday meals. He insists on it. From the smell I can tell he's doing an excellent job, as usual.

My dog and constant companion is in my lap, I have fresh coffee in my cup, and I have the cell card in the computer for Internet. There are things I wish were different, but all told things are pretty good for the Scoundrel.

I have just been reminded that others don't have things as good. Hugs to you and yours A, I hope that everything works out for you. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Photo: Norman Rockwell's Thanksgiving

Time Of The Season

Christmas was her favorite holiday.

By now she would have everything done except for the big-ticket items. That is what Black Friday was for.

I have green bulbs in my porch lights. Other than that I have nothing.

I am not ready for Christmas this year.

Yes

What she said.

Antiques

My latest acquisition is a Japanese 6.5mm carbine from before the first World War.

It is an Arisaka type 30 hook safety, of which there were an estimated 500,000 rifles and 40,000 carbines made between 1897 and 1902.

The main difference between a rifle and a carbine is the length. Carbines were first issued to cavalry where the shorter barrels were of better use from horseback than the longer, and thus more unwieldy, rifles would have been. Later on, after the cavalry went from horses to mechanical conveyances, the shorter rifles were issued to engineering and non-combat troops that were not primarily designated as infantry. All carbines are rifles, but not all rifles are carbines.

The type 30 had a rather complicated bolt, and it's tight tolerances made it somewhat intolerant to dirt and dust. For these reasons they had a relatively short service life. The Japanese started replacing their type 30 rifles and carbines with type 38's starting about 1905 or so, rendering the type 30's surplus after less than 10 years in Imperial service.

It is interesting to note that although all Japanese rifles from the Type 30 to the Type 99 are called Arisakas, only the Type 30 was designed by Colonel Nariaki Arisaka. All subsequent types were designed by Lieutenant General Kijiro Nambu using COL Arisaka's design as a starting point. LGEN Nambu's first task was to simplify the Type 30's bolt, which he did admirably. The Type 30's bolt has ten pieces while the Type 38's has four.

A large number of type 30 rifles and carbines found their way into British and Russian hands in WW1, around 1914 or so. Britain issued them to training, Navy and Flying Corps units while the Russians issued them to mainly non-frontline troops, including the ones stationed in Finland. Most of the British weapons were also transferred to the Russians around 1916. The Finns used the rifles to good effect during their bid for independence, but not so many of the carbines. All told, at least six countries used the Type 30 at one time or another.

This one would have over 100 years of stories to tell, as evidenced by it's non-numbers matching bolt and obvious weathering of both metal and wood parts. The man I bought it from got it from his father, but he didn't say where or when his father had gotten it and I didn't think to ask at the time. I'll have to do so next time I see him.

I would like to know it's history. It still appears to be in good shape, but with cartridges at $40 per box of 20 it won't see much use while I have it. It's an interesting piece and I will certainly put a few rounds through it just to see how it does.

But first it will get a visit to the gunsmith so that it can be thoroughly checked out.

UPDATE: Thanks to Mr Bingley I have been able to track down ammo at a more reasonable price. Here are a couple of more links if anyone is looking for the 6.5x50 Japanese ammunition.

Results

NC-2 is done, it goes to Ellmers. After a recount, Etheridge gained six votes. Looks like he conceded gracefully after the recount, so that's points in his favor.

In Alaska it looks like Murkowski is the winner, but Joe Miller isn't going to be as graceful. Looks like commenter SINVILLE nailed that one.

Enough is enough Joe. Let it go.

BTW Alaska, if you wanted her why didn't you nominate her during the primary?

HT: The Ewok.

Fair Winds

Smitty, co-blogger at The Other McCain, is going to be taking a little trip to the hot place for a while.

We at the Refuge would like to thank him for his continuing service, and wish him a safe return.

Even though I am The Blogger Whom ToM Hateth.

Mere Words

cannot explain how hilariously disturbed this person is.

HT: Marko

I Have No Problems

admitting when I am wrong.

Congratulations to Senator Lisa Murkowski, who has won her re-election bid as a write in candidate.

This is the first time since 1954 that a write-in has won an election.

I have to admit though that it leaves me a bit confused. If this is who Alaska wanted as their Senator, why didn't they just give her the nod during the primary?

I guess this is why truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.

Latest Hero

Staff Sargent Salvatore A. Giunta became the eighth, and first live, recipient of the Medal of Honor for the campaigns of the Global War on Terror in a ceremony on 16 November 2010. This is the first time since Vietnam that the MoH has been awarded in person.

On October 25, 2007 then Specialist Giunta's patrol was ambushed near the village of Landigal in the Koringal Valley, Afghanistan. Lobbing grenades and firing their weapons, the soldiers of his unit fought back against the ambush.

SPC Giunta saw that his squad leader was down, and fearing for that Soldier's life dragged him back out of the line of fire to receive medical aid. Seeing that the squad leader was being cared for, he then ran forward to join with a buddy who had been on point and saw his wounded squadmate being dragged off by two enemy insurgents. Without hesitation he charged, firing the rest of his rounds, killing one and wounding the other. He then provided first aid to the fallen man until the rest of his squad could catch up.

From the citation: "Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta's extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry Regiment, and the United States Army."

He downplays the significance of that action, remarking that the soldier that he rescued (who later died of his injuries) was a better Soldier than he is himself. His hope is that all America will remember those who are now serving. "This is for all of us," he said. "This is for everyone who sacrifices for their country, who sacrifices for America."

Well done SSGT. We at the Refuge will remember.

To Your Health

My health insurance bill is going up starting in January. The explanation is roundabout and full of hot wind, but the reason is simple; Obamacare.

Thanks 52, you bunch of goat bothering slobbering imbeciles. Damn you and all your kind to the deepest pits of hell where you and that failed ideology you worship rightfully belong.

Today in History

Mostly Cajun reminded me of a milestone.

Twenty one years ago today a wall was toppled in Berlin, Germany. Along with that wall crumbled a regime and an ideology that our brightest analytical minds thought would last forever.

I was onboard USS Forrestal (CV-59) in the Med the day that it happened, a member of one of the organizations responsible for that wall coming down. A few weeks later President George H. W. Bush brought us a chunk of that wall.

Twenty one years later kids starting college have never lived in a world where there was a Soviet Union and two Germanys. You could say it is a better world because of it.

Twenty one years later our "brightest analytical minds" still think the ideology should last forever. Unfortunately for us they are in charge of our government now instead of the USSR's.

Worst Person In The World

Statement from Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC:

I became aware of Keith’s political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.

UPDATE: Never mind.

Write-Ins

I think way too much is being made of the fact the write-in candidate leads in the race for Alaska's next Senator.

Of course the person that started the ball rolling, Lisa Murkowski, has declared herself the winner. She fails to realize that the "write in" candidate is a total and is not necessarily indicative of support for one candidate in particular.

There were around 150 write-in candidates for the Senate seat in question. If each of the 150 writes in their own name, and if their friends and family do the same, some of that 13,439 vote lead of the "write-in" over the Republican candidate Joe Miller is accounted for. Other votes will likely be accounted for in small parties.

I think it would be hilarious for Murkowski to actually garner about half of the write in votes, with the rest of them going for one of the other 150 write-ins or for purely imaginative candidates (Mickey Mouse is a perennial favorite). If that happens, look for Murkowski to become an internet verb.

Election Results

Here in rural Franklin County, North Carolina the Republicans won big this cycle.

Straight ticket voters were more likely to vote Democrat than Republican (57% to 42%), but Richard Burr (edit, thanks James) won re-election to his Senate seat by a 52% to 46% margin (2.1% was split between write-ins and Libertarian candidate Mike Beitler) and Renee Ellers beat Bob Etheridge for the NC-2 House seat 52% to 46% (with Libertarian Tom Rose picking up the last 2%), although the Wake County voters put this margin at 50%-49% for the combined District 2 total (Rose got less than 1% of the vote in the entire District). The results are being contested by incumbent Etheridge since the spread is less than 1%.

Elsewhere in Franklin County, incumbent Doug Berger lost to Republican challenger Micheal Shriver for State Senate District 7 by a wide margin (43% to 57%) but the voters in the other counties in his district took him to victory, and Democrat John May lost to Republican Glen Bradley by a narrower margin (49% to 51%) for State House District 49. In the last contested race, Republican Harry Foy handily defeated Democrat Rosemary Champion (55% to 45%) for Board of Commissioners At Large.

Let's put that in perspective: in every contested race in Franklin County the Republican candidate won, and the only races that were won by Democrats were those that were not contested by the Republicans, even though the straight party ticket went Democrat by a large margin.

That makes for a pretty good night for the Republicans.

A Real Bad Day

If you are turning yourself in for an outstanding warrant, be sure to take all dead bodies out of your trunk.

This public service announcement was brought to you by the Arapahoe County, Colorado Sheriff's Department.

Congratulations To Renee Ellmers (R/NC-2)

Boxing Bob is going home.

Election Day

I did my part. Go do yours.

Notes On Hippie Punching

As it turns out, maybe not such a good idea after all.

Irony. Surprisingly ironic.

Answer Day, Part 2

Today is 11/01/10.

Without the divisions that is 110110, or 42 in digitally-coded base 13.

Douglas Adams later joked that "I may be a sorry case, but I don't write jokes in base 13."

Take it as you will.

Project Valor IT

It's that time again.

I missed it last year, but this year I'm back on Team Navy.

It's a good cause. I made my donation. Any little bit will be appreciated.

IT Follies

Now Confederate Yankee is listed as porn and I can't access my hotmail account either.

Someone needs to let the IT squirrels out for some air.

Certain As Death And Taxes

One of the things that really annoys me is the practice of several Eastern states to levy a property tax on motor vehicles. Virginia at least made some noise to the effect of eliminating it once, but as far as I know North Carolina never has.

The personal property tax on vehicles is levied by each individual county and is a completely separate thing from the sales tax that you pay on newly-bought vehicles when you put the tags on them. The State collects the sales tax.

I got the tax hit for the Mustang today. Four bills, amounting to about 1% or $100 per $10,000 assessed value. I also got the trailer bill, which was a little over $5.00 (I paid a little over $500 for the trailer).

It's a little concerning to me that I didn't get the tax bill for the Baja since I bought it before the Mustang or the trailer either one. I'll have to call the Franklin County tax assessor's office tomorrow to see if it got sent out. That will be another C note if the 1% rate holds true.

Last year I paid less than a hundred dollars for all my vehicles, but then again last year all my vehicles were crap anyway.

Ellers for Congress?

One of the seats up for grabs in this round of Congresscritter elections is NC2. The current incumbent is Democrat "Boxing" Bob Etheridge and his challenger is Republican Renee Ellmers. Etheridge is expected to keep his seat, and I can tell you why; Ellmers is just not a strong candidate.

When she announced her candidacy I checked out her website and emailed a question about her stand on the Fair Tax. I got no reply, but found the information elsewhere (she's all for it, for what it's worth).

After Boxing Bob showed his street cred to a couple of aspiring journalists, I decided to send in a donation to the Ellers campaign. At the same time I sent another Email message asking for a yard sign. Once again, nothing.

I did get a nice email letter from the candidate thanking me for my donation and then asking for more. This was, to say the least, irritating since I had made what I thought was a pretty substantial donation from someone who makes less than 250K a year and so by definition isn't one of the evil hated rich. I round-filed the nice little note and made up my mind to McCain her (hold my nose and pull the lever for her because she isn't as bad as the other guy).

A couple of weeks later I got yet another email bleg, which I responded to (it came from the email address listed on the website as belonging to the candidate) by saying that I had not gotten a reply from earlier emails and if I wanted a Congresscritter to take my money and otherwise ignore me I already had that.

Once again, no reply.

Looks like I'll be voting for the Libertarian. Predictably the Republican party and their "candidate" (who hasn't show that she really wants the job all that badly) will not understand why.

Never underestimate the ability of Republicans (both the Party and the individual candidates) to shoot themselves in the groin.

Schadenfreude

The Russians get it, the Germans get it, why can't we get it?

An excerpt:

"What could help would be a return to the American Way, the approach which made the US so historically powerful. The success of this model is illustrated by history. In 1820, twice as many people lived in the United Kingdom as the US, and its economic performance (measured by gross domestic product) was three times as strong and the average standard of living (measured by GDP per person) was a quarter higher. Today, there are about five times more people living in the US than the UK, America's economic performance is about seven times better than Britain's and the average American is about 50 percent better off than the average Briton."

Remember in November. Vote accordingly.

How Is The Turkey

at the VFW?

I'm sure by now everyone knows about the kerfuffle over the VFW-PAC endorsements.

I had a chance to join the VFW but didn't because they have their meetings on Tuesday nights when I work.

I'm glad that I didn't because I would just have to un-join now.

UPDATE: Looks like the rank-and-file made their objections clear. HT to Patrick.

Staff Sergeant Robert Miller, US Army

We at the Last Refuge of a Scoundrel somberly honor Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller, US Army, for his service as set forth in the following citation:

"Robert J. Miller distinguished himself by extraordinary acts of heroism while serving as the Weapons Sergeant in Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3312, Special Operations Task Force-33, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan during combat operations against an armed enemy in Konar Province, Afghanistan on January 25, 2008.

While conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol through the Gowardesh Valley, Staff Sergeant Miller and his small element of U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers engaged a force of 15 to 20 insurgents occupying prepared fighting positions. Staff Sergeant Miller initiated the assault by engaging the enemy positions with his vehicle's turret-mounted Mark-19 40 millimeter automatic grenade launcher while simultaneously providing detailed descriptions of the enemy positions to his command, enabling effective, accurate close air support.

Following the engagement, Staff Sergeant Miller led a small squad forward to conduct a battle damage assessment. As the group neared the small, steep, narrow valley that the enemy had inhabited, a large, well-coordinated insurgent force initiated a near ambush, assaulting from elevated positions with ample cover. Exposed and with little available cover, the patrol was totally vulnerable to enemy rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapon fire.

As point man, Staff Sergeant Miller was at the front of the patrol, cut off from supporting elements, and less than 20 meters from enemy forces. Nonetheless, with total disregard for his own safety, he called for his men to quickly move back to covered positions as he charged the enemy over exposed ground and under overwhelming enemy fire in order to provide protective fire for his team.

While maneuvering to engage the enemy, Staff Sergeant Miller was shot in his upper torso. Ignoring the wound, he continued to push the fight, moving to draw fire from over one hundred enemy fighters upon himself. He then again charged forward through an open area in order to allow his teammates to safely reach cover. After killing at least 10 insurgents, wounding dozens more, and repeatedly exposing himself to withering enemy fire while moving from position to position, Staff Sergeant Miller was mortally wounded by enemy fire.

His extraordinary valor ultimately saved the lives of seven members of his own team and 15 Afghanistan National Army soldiers. Staff Sergeant Miller's heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty, and at the cost of his own life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army."

Staff Sergeant Miller was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously on October 6, 2010. He becomes the seventh recipient from the campaigns of the Global War on Terror. We at the Refuge mourn his loss, celebrate his life, and welcome him into the Last Refuge Hall of Heroes.

Interestingly enough, the only anticipated living recipient from the GWoT campaigns has not yet received his medal. We at the Refuge cannot help but wonder why.

Photo: Stars and Stripes

Quotes

On April 27, 2009 a Russian by the name of Stanislav Mishin, writing for Pravda, had this to say:

"The proud American will go down into his slavery with out a fight, beating his chest and proclaiming to the world, how free he really is. The world will only snicker."

That brings to mind another Russian who wrote "In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet, and say to us, "Make us your slaves, but feed us." "

We will see what happens in November.

The Answer

Today is 10/10/10.

101010 in binary is 42.

UPDATE: Welcome to all who have come by way of Word Around the Net.

Next answer day is November 1, 2010.

What Color

for prostate cancer awareness month, which was September?

How about lung cancer awareness month? Who can tell me what month that is without looking it up?

Cancer is a terrible disease. I don't need a color to make me aware of it.

Coexist

The last one can be had here.
HT: Legal Insurrection for a link to Everyday, No Days Off for a link to here.

Fate Does What She Wants

I have just been informed that Middle Daughter, she who wanted no children of her own, has found out that Fate is unconcerned about her wishes.

The new arrival should be here in June, two months past their first anniversary.