Friday, December 31, 2010

Those Smart Alecky Cops

Ok, a cute one to start off 2011.

These are purported to be transcribed from actual recordings from police videos in South Carolina. I'm not confirming that they are real, but as a former police officer, I can tell you that cops have a great sense of humor. And, I can believe that these were said, by one officer in some district, somewhere at some time.

Read, and enjoy. And, I refuse to confirm that I have ever even considered using any of these lines. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 1. "You know, stop lights don't come any redder than the one you just went through."
 2. "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while."
 3. "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document."   
 4. "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."
 5. "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you." 
 6. "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"
 7. "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?"
 8. "Warning! You want a warning? O.K, I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket."
 9. "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"
10. "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop."
11. "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."
12. "In God we trust; all others we run through NCIC." ( National Crime Information Center )
13. "Just how big were those 'two beers' you say you had?"
14. "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can."
15. "I'm glad to hear that the Chief (of Police) is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail."
AND THE WINNER IS....
16. "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here." (Oh, and how I wish I had used that one. On more than one occasion. Does remeind me of a state trooper...initials L.C. mean anything to any of you...who wrote a movie star a ticket while she was shooting a movie in Wilmington. She was so ticked she even wrote a letter to the newspaper. One of those "...how dare him! Doesn't he know who I am" letters. Aww...)

Happy New Year. Let the fun times begin.

Immigration...what happend?

"Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country". Theodore Roosevelt
You remember him, right?  He was quoted a lot, and I like a lot, if not most (perhaps even all) of the ones I've read.

Imagine. A hundred years ago. A no nonsense president. Yeah, me too. I have no idea what happened after that. Well, with a few, a VERY few, notable exceptions, our leaders of the past hundred years have been mostly forgettable. Oh, how I wish that the legacies they left behind could be forgettable. Along with the mess they, and our other elected representatives, left us with. Ever notice how much legislation is proposed/adopted with every change of the leadership, legislation that is meant to straighten out the legislation that was adopted before?

I think it's high time that we, as I've said before, get back to the basics. The Constitution. It's the framework of our great nation. Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Obama. It is a great nation, and nothing you do during your one term will change that. This great nation is made up of people, people who have become, thanks to the Obama-ites, much more aware of how important it is to remain strong. People who are sick and tired of working hard to support those who aren't. People who have had all they are going to take.

The Constitution. It contains, without further ado, the basics needed to run this nation. All of the interpretations are unncessary. A few amendments, of course, have been needed to keep up with the times. But, the basics need not be changed. They're in place for a reason, and they've served us well for a long time. They'll continue to serve us well as long as meddling idiots leave it alone. It's kind of like cooking a big pot of homemade soup and having meddling people start adding "stuff" to it. Most often, it ends up in the back yard where only my daughter's dogs will eat it (inside joke to see if she actually reads this).

From the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin of Ontario, California: California Supreme Court upholds decision to allow ILLEGAL aliens the right to in-state tuition. That means, folks, that LEGAL residents who pay TAXES are paying the tuitions for ILLEGAL aliens who don't pay taxes. What the heck is this all about?

And, to make matters worse, adding salt to an open wound, California's budget has, shall I dare say, problems. Too many giveaway programs, along with the infracture required to support the ILLEGAL alien population. Infracture, you ask?  Yep. The jails, for one. Widely publicized and verified figures show that ILLEGALS commit a lot of crime, and that the jails and prisons are housing, at TAXPAYER expense, ILLEGALS by the thousands. What a double dose of castor oil this is! First, the crimes committed against LEGAL residents, resulting in loss of property, damage to property, loss of life, and serious injury. Follow this up with a heaping spoonful of "we caught 'em, at great expense to the LEGAL taxpayers, and we're gonna provide them with a warm/cool place to rest up, along with two or three square meals a day, again...at the expense of LEGAL taxpayers".  Bravo Sierra, I say.

And, as another writer has pointed out, we're bending over backwards to be ever so freakin' politically correct (two words, when used together, that just irritate me to no end), that we fail to take care of our own. Kids of LEGAL residents go to bed hungry every night. We have senior citizens that even our president (and, yes, I'm using a lower case "p" for the rest of his one term) has abandoned. We have thousands of kids waiting for adoption in this country. But, they take a back seat to the wants of ILLEGAL aliens.  We have hospitals who have to raise their rates so LEGAL taxpayers and insurance companies can pay for the FREE care provided to ILLEGAL aliens.

At some point in time, the real citizens are going to stand together and take this country back. We managed to take control more than 200 years ago. Seems like we're facing the same problem our forefathers faced at that time. It was called Taxation Without Representation. Please, if you can, explain to me the difference today. We pay taxes, and I certainly don't see that we, the taxpayers, are being represented. We've come beyond taking up arms to kick the bums out, but we certainly have another way of doing just that. It started in November 2010. The bums are fewer in number. With any luck, another bunch will get the boot next go 'round. And, of course, the symbolic head of the bums will be gone. The bookies should have a field day with that one, just figuring out what the odds will be for the "point spread".

I told a very good friend earlier today that I was not going to say anything too "not nice" about anyone until after the new year. Ok, so sue me. I couldn't help myself.

2010, politically speaking, ended a little better. And, I'm counting on 2011 being a pretty cool year as the inept start running for cover. You can be on the lookout for articles and pictures of your congressman returning even more of your stolen money (tax dollars) to his/her district. It's called, any way you look at it, vote buying money.

Here's hoping that all of us LEGALs have a Happy New Year. And, for the ILLEGALs, either leave this country and come back LEGALLY, or just leave and stay gone. We don't want you here unless you do it the right way.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be reporters

Oh, boy.
The fun begins.
This is longer than I wanted it to be.
But, it's something that a number of acquaintances have encouraged me to write for some time.
Gonna make some folks mad. No doubt.
If I offend any one in particular, it's by mistake. I may have some particular people, or organizations, in mind, but, really, it can apply across the board.
For those who aren't "in the business", this may be totally boring.
However, if you watch TV news, or did when it was actually good, you may find it somewhat interesting.
Opinionated, of course.

After quite a few years as a TV news director, I dare say that I've read all or part of several thousand resumes from young, naive J-School grads wanting to "break into the business". Those of us who have been in this biz for any period of time, those of us in news management, anyway, are fully aware that a large number of those young folks just want to be on TV. It was a standing joke at any time news directors got together.

I remember when...WAY back when...journalism was an honorable profession. In fact, at one time, Walter Cronkite, longtime CBS evening anchor, was the "mosted trusted man in America". Somehow, all of that changed. Not overnight, mind you, and it was difficult for those of us on the inside to see the change as it happened. Somehow, "showcasing", "news you can use", "live shots", became the most important parts of the daily news. Content? Well, the "stuff" that makes up the news suddenly took a backseat. And, those "radar wars". You remember. Which station had "live doppler" radar first, and which station had a "2.79 second advantage" over the other station's radar.

Puhleeze!!  

That's when television news content was taken out of the hands of real, dyed in the wool, hardhitting journalists, and was turned over to "Marketing". That's just a fancy word for promotions. You know, promos: those announcements that proclaim Station A's team is better than any other station. That they had the story about the big weather system that came through on the air 10 seconds before anyone else mentioned it. The promos that keep showing Cutsey Caitlin falling down because the "hurricane force winds" were too strong for anyone to be standing along the shore.

So, who's to blame? Consultants? Not necessarily so. But, perhaps, partially. How about the broadcast groups themselves? Well, maybe. They have been grasping at straws since cable TV invaded local TV markets in the 1960's and 70's. Beginning with cable, and now including satellite distribution, local stations must compete with entertainment and other alternative programming, including news, from all over the country. Even the BBC has invaded most markets in the U.S. Local TV stations, usually two or three in a market, shared close to 100% of the viewers in their communities, but now compete with hundreds of other stations, not to mention the internet. Local stations, these days, are lucky to be able to split up a small percentage of the viewers in their towns. Facts are that the masses are NOT WATCHING LOCAL TV NEWS.

So, stations had to do something to lure viewers back to the sets. The something was "entertainment news". Every story had to be entertaining and "compelling" (one of many buzz words used by consultants and marketing guys). At one time, news managers..news directors, assignment managers, producers, even reporters...decided what stories were worthy of being covered. Not any more. Promotions guys are in that loop. Even if trained and experienced journalists can see a story in an event, marketing managers all too often weigh in and say "I can't sell that story to the public". The story is not told.

Back to the problem. Or, maybe it's just me. Way back when, the FCC had a law. No one person or group could own more than a total of seven radio or TV stations. In other words, the Acme Television Company could own three TV stations, two AM and two FM stations, or some similar combination. And, NEVER could they own more than one of each (AM-FM-TV) in any one community. All that has changed. Broadcast groups own, oftentimes, dozens of TV stations all across the country. In many cases, they control and produce programming for more than one TV station in a community. That's part of the reason all the news in one town looks alike.

Ever travel around the country, turn on the "local" news and see the same on-air graphics, same stories (often produced by the same reporters on your station "back home")...with little or no local flavor? Unfortunately, "cookie-cutter" news has become a way of thinking for corporate broadcast news gurus. The stations they own can share their "local" stories with ease, via sophisticated internet connections. One of their stations in Alabama will feature a "local" story from one of their stations in Georgia, another "local" story from a station in Arizona, another from North Carolina, still another from Mississippi. Like the viewers who want LOCAL stories give a crap about a local story from Milwaukee.

It's a way to reduce the number of reporters and photograhers at each station. It requires a certain number of reporters to gather and produce enough material to fill up a newscast. However, if the stations can rely on each other's reporters for content, then they don't need as many reporters. That's simple math. The viewers in each community are shortchanged, because their "local" stations are not covering as much "local" material. They are, as has become all too commonplace, "filling up a newscast" with material from everywhere else.

That's my two cents analysis.

But, on to the rest of this story. There's a pretty cute video making the rounds that, I'm sure, causes every veteran news director to laugh. It's attached here. Every prospective (aka "wannabe") reporter needs to look at this and decide whether you're wasting your time by pursuing a career in broadcast journalism for all the wrong reasons and with expectations that are unreasonable. Please don't get me wrong. There are some great guys and gals out there who really, truly want to report. They want to do more than just be "on television". I can count, maybe using all my fingers and a couple toes, the total number of that kind I ran into during the last ten years of my stint in TV. Those were the reporters who got excited about a story, about digging for details, about scoring the big scoop. Those are good reporters. Again, though, not too many more than a dozen.

The facts are simple...these are the ones that few J-school professors ever mention. Even if you are at the top of your class, you are just another person looking for a job. Unless you can work for peanuts, without complaining, unless you can give up, on a moment's notice, any social engagement on your "busy" schedule, unless you're willing (key word) to work nights, weekends, holidays (regardless of your faith, if any), and at any time anyone calls in sick (the repeat "sick" offenders usually disappear soon), then TV news is not for you. You see, to get to that glamorous spot in a large market (by "large", I mean top 50), you will have to start at the bottom. That means you will work for less than $20,000 per year for two years, you will work long hours, and the conditions will be miserable. You must earn the right to move on. Unfortunately, you must also work for companies that are being forced to reduce expenses, for bosses that have very little experience; and, their bosses, the top of the food chain in a station, the general manager who is making news judgment decisions based on his/her own whim. It's such a small world, this world of television news, that anything you do that ticks off anyone higher up the ladder than you will follow you wherever you go.

All of that is to say that you actually get a job in the first place. And, given the cutbacks, that's not even likely. Not as unlikely as winning the lottery, but not too far from it. If you actually get a job, make the most of it. Work hard, don't patronize senior reporters or, for goodness sakes, the news director. Many will help you move forward in your career. But, only if they truly feel like you are working for it. Unless you're one of those dozen, we're not even likely to remember your name after a year or two. Others will resent the fact that you want to better yourself  by moving to another market. You'll have to check with reporters who have worked for that news director in the past to see how he/she operates.

If there is enough interest, I'll post some tips on building a resume and cover letter soon. Let me know.

Meanwhile, take a look at this video. You might see yourself or someone you know depicted here. The ND could be one of many I've known, though I don't have blond hair.
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8094263/

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Marine Justice

Dare I say that Marines take care of their own?
Kinda like cops.
Deep, deep, radio voice....
From the wires of the Associated Press.
Dateline: Augusta, Georgia.

(Sounds like my days as a reporter)
                   A U.S. Marine reservist collecting toys for children was stabbed when he helped stop a suspected shoplifter in eastern Georgia.
                   Best Buy sales manager Orvin Smith told The Augusta Chronicle that man was seen on surveillance cameras Friday putting a laptop under his jacket at the Augusta store.
                   When confronted, the man became irate, knocked down an employee, pulled a knife and ran toward the door. Outside were four Marines collecting toys for the service branch's "Toys For Tots" program.
                   Smith said the Marines stopped the man, but he stabbed one of them, Cpl. Phillip Duggan, in the back. The cut did not appear to be severe.
                   The suspect was transported to the local hospital with two broken arms, a broken leg, possible broken ribs, assorted lacerations and bruises he obtained when he fell trying to run after stabbing the Marine.
                   The suspect, whose name was not (immeditely) released, was held until police arrived. The Richmond County Sheriff's office said it is investigating.

Gotta love those marines.
Reminds me of the time when, as a reporter in Wilmington, I responded one Sunday evening to a report that an incoming Piedmont (before USAirways took over) plane, inbound to Wilmington (NC), had been hijacked. Yep. A Wilmington-bound plane was hijacked by a lone male who demanded that the pilot fly him to Cuba. Back in the 1960's and 70's, as some of you may recall, that was the "thing to do". Go to Cuba. Never could understand why.
At the airport, we got word that the plane was now headed for Myrtle Beach, that the hijacker had been subdued. A bit of a disappointment for us, as we had to regroup and haul butt 75 miles to the Myrtle Beach airport, which, at that time, was an Air Force base. That meant that there was no real way we could get close to the action. But, being diligent journalists, we were going to try.
Then, rejoice! Word came back that the pilot was bringing the plane to Wilmington, as originally scheduled.
A host of New Hanover County deputies and a couple FBI agents, as I recall, were on hand when the plane landed. I'll never forget the "suspect". He was about 50, a little short, and he was bleeding about his head and face as though he'd hit a windshield. 
The real story begins to unfold.
The plane had marines on board, returning from various parts of the country, headed to their base at Camp Lejeune.
Once they determined that this "armed hijacker", who was obviously drunk, had nothing more than a finger in his pocket, instead of a gun, they jumped him, and "neutralized the threat". The hijacker apparently fell to the deck (that's a floor, ya'll) when the plane touched down in Wilmington.
Like I said. You gotta love those marines.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Grandma and the Airport

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qdb6wC0Iz4
The song conatined in this attachment is funny. Yep, real funny. Reminds me of that little ditty Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer. Lyrics were cute first time I heard it, and they still are.
But, after listening to this "cute" song, there's a message at the end that we need to consider.
A lot.
We are slowly being stripped of OUR rights.
The ones that our forefathers fought and died for.
The same ones that our brave troops fight to maintain every day.
In order to spare the feelings of a FEW, a miniscule minority when compared to those affected, we must surrender our rights.
What happened in this country? Have the terrorists actually won?
If we want to safeguard our citizens, and I really hope we do, then why not do what I do at home when I don't want bad people coming in? I LOCK the door, set the alarm, and keep the "ultimate" close by (just in case all else fails). I certainly don't stop every car driving by, or confront every pedestrian walking in front of my house, and strip search them, telling them that unless they allow such action, I won't let them go any further.
What, I ask again, has happened to us? I really thought "us" was in charge. But, alas, that certainly isn't the case. "Them", the minority who's feelings we would hurt if we profiled them, is in charge.
The terrorists are winning this war, not in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Pakistan. Our marines, soldiers, airmen and sailors are seeing to that.
They are beating us on our own soil.
They, not "us", are taking away our freedoms, one at a time.

Friday, December 17, 2010

TGIF...or, maybe not. Christmas Parties and Whatnot

This might sound more like a New Years commentary, but I have a reason for the timing.
In a week, it will be CHRISTmas.
A time to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
A time to rejoice, regardless of one's faith...or lack of.
It's also the season of partying. Partying with friends and relatives, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous, the politicians.
Oh, yeah.
Them.
As an "always on duty" journalist, way back then, I could never go anywhere or do anything when I didn't think of "news". Even though I'm 18 months away from that life, I often (some...my wife...will say too often) find myself still thinking like one.
I remember those parties, and I took advantage of them. And, I'm not ashamed of it. What better time to get the truth from a political "leader" than when he or she is "partying"? The truth serum freely flows t most of these events. And, as normal citizens, you can sorta do the same thing I did. And, you can go one step further, as constituents. Do you have a message that you want to get across to those you elected but can never reach "during business hours"? I can see your wheels turning,
Well, let me tell you, a bit of Christmas cheer can make YOUR leaders readily accessible.
Something stuck in your craw? Something your mayor, county commissioner, congressman--whatever--do that you don't like? Have they been dragging their heels instead of working? For you? Been recklessly spending your money?
Well, no one promised them a rose garden when they were elected, but as I recall, pretty much each and every one of them made that promise to us as part of their campaign promises. In one way or the other.
So, why not take advantage of them when their defenses are down? Not like they haven't taken advantage of us while ours were down. Right?
Meanwhile, as they say, "...back at the ranch...". Time to change horses. Yep, in mid-stream.
Just a week to go before the big day.
Forget the presents and efforts to impress friends and relatives with how much "stuff" you can buy them.
The best Christmas is the one when you're together.
Want to know how much those "gotta buy 'em something" gifts mean? Check out Craigs List or one of the on-line yard sales sometime, say, the first week after the new year. You might see the stuff you gave being sold. At a fraction of the price you paid. My suggestion is that you buy it back. Next year, if you insist on overloading your friends and relatives with junk gifts, you won't have to spend as much.
An exception to this, as there is with pretty much any rule or suggestion:
Don't forget the kids.
Christmas GIVING is for them.
Not us.
If you think you MUST give people like me a gift, then buy a gift for a kid, and give it to the Toys For Tots guys. You can send me a note saying that the gift you have for me is a whatchamacallit toy that went to this fine organization.
Might be a little late for this year's distribution, but I'm reasonably sure they stockpile toys for next year, too.
Merry Christmas.
And, yes, I'll have more next week.
(If you bump into any political leaders, tell them I said "howdy")

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Two more marines killed...another 6 seconds of news copy

Back in November, just a couple weeks before we were all looking forward to a great Thanksgiving dinner, two marines were killed. Another suicide bomber attack. Another 6 seconds of the evening's news, a time when two more nameless heroes were destroyed. It was not a happy Thanksgiving for their families and friends, just like it wasn't a happy holiday for countless other families.
War. Gotta hate it. Can't understand it. For many, you don't get to live because of it. Countries, it seems, can't live without it.
But, these two marines were the subject of a speech by USMC Lt. General John Kelly, a speech he gave on 13 November to the Semper Fi Society of St. Louis. A speech he gave only four days after his son, Lt. Robert Kelly, was killed by and IED (a coward's bomb) on his third combat tour.
General Kelly never mentioned his son's death during his speech. He didn't make it personal. He is not a politician, looking to gain sympathy and votes any way he can. He's a warrior, and the leader of warriors. He's an American.
General Kelly did, however, highlight the last six seconds of two other marines killed by a coward, in the name of "religion". The last six seconds of the lives of two marines, doing their duty. An unimportant six seconds to news producers, but oh-so-important to these marines, their families, and the men they saved that day.


"I will leave you with a story about the kind of people they are.about the quality of the steel in their backs.about the kind of dedication they bring to our country while they serve in uniform and forever after as veterans.
Two years ago when I was the Commander of all U.S. and Iraqi forces, in fact, the 22nd of April 2008, two Marine infantry battalions, 1/9 "The Walking Dead," and 2/8 were switching out in Ramadi.  One battalion in the closing days of their deployment going home very soon, the other just starting its seven-month combat tour. Two Marines, Corporal Jonathan Yale and Lance Corporal Jordan Haerter, 22 and 20 years old respectively, one from each battalion, were assuming the watch together at the entrance gate of an outpost that contained a makeshift barracks housing 50 Marines.  The same broken down ramshackle building was also home to 100 Iraqi police, also my men and our allies in the fight against the terrorists in Ramadi, a city until recently the most dangerous city on earth and owned by Al Qaeda.
Yale was a dirt poor mixed-race kid from Virginia with a wife and daughter, and a mother and sister who lived with him and he supported as well.  He did this on a yearly salary of less than $23,000.  Haerter, on the other hand, was a middle class white kid from Long Island .  They were from two completely different worlds.  Had they not joined the Marines they would never have met each other, or understood that multiple America 's exist simultaneously depending on one's race, education level, economic status, and where you might have been born.  But they were Marines, combat Marines, forged in the same crucible of Marine training, and because of this bond they were brothers as close, or closer, than if they were born of the same woman.

The mission orders they received from the sergeant squad leader I am sure went something like: "Okay you two clowns, stand this post and let no unauthorized personnel or vehicles pass."  "You clear?"  I am also sure Yale and Haerter then rolled their eyes and said in unison something like:
"Yes Sergeant," with just enough attitude that made the point without saying the words, "No kidding sweetheart, we know what we're doing."  They then relieved two other Marines on watch and took up their post at the entry control point of Joint Security Station Nasser, in the Sophia section of Ramadi, Al Anbar, Iraq .

A few minutes later a large blue truck turned down the alley way-perhaps 60-70 yards in length-and sped its way through the serpentine of concrete jersey walls.  The truck stopped just short of where the two were posted and detonated, killing them both catastrophically. Twenty-four brick masonry houses were damaged or destroyed.  A mosque 100 yards away collapsed.  The truck's engine came to rest two hundred yards away knocking most of a house down before it stopped.  Our explosive experts reckoned the blast was made of 2,000 pounds of explosives.  Two died, and because these two young infantrymen didn't have it in their DNA to run from danger, they saved 150 of their Iraqi and American brothers-in-arms.

When I read the situation report about the incident a few hours after it happened I called the regimental commander for details as something about this struck me as different.  Marines dying or being seriously wounded is commonplace in combat.  We expect Marines regardless of rank or MOS to stand their ground and do their duty, and even die in the process, if that is what the mission takes.  But this just seemed different.  The regimental commander had just returned from the site and he agreed, but reported that there were no American witnesses to the event-just Iraqi police.  I figured if there was any chance of finding out what actually happened and then to decorate the two Marines to acknowledge their bravery, I'd have to do it as a combat award that requires two eye-witnesses and we figured the bureaucrats back in Washington would never buy Iraqi statements.  If it had any chance at all, it had to come under the signature of a general officer.

I traveled to Ramadi the next day and spoke individually to a half-dozen Iraqi police all of whom told the same story.  The blue truck turned down into the alley and immediately sped up as it made its way through the serpentine.  They all said, "We knew immediately what was going on as soon as the two Marines began firing."  The Iraqi police then related that some of them also fired, and then to a man, ran for safety just prior to the explosion.  All survived.  Many were injured.some seriously.  One of the Iraqis elaborated and with tears welling up said, "They'd run like any normal man would to save his life."  "What he didn't know until then," he said, "and what he learned that very instant, was that Marines are not normal."  Choking past the emotion he said, "Sir, in the name of God no sane man would have stood there and done what they did."  "No sane man."
"They saved us all."

What we didn't know at the time, and only learned a couple of days later after I wrote a summary and submitted both Yale and Haerter for posthumous Navy Crosses, was that one of our security cameras, damaged initially in the blast, recorded some of the suicide attack.  It happened exactly as the Iraqis had described it.  It took exactly six seconds from when the truck entered the alley until it detonated.

You can watch the last six seconds of their young lives.  Putting myself in their heads I supposed it took about a second for the two Marines to separately come to the same conclusion about what was going on once the truck came into their view at the far end of the alley.  Exactly no time to talk it over, or call the sergeant to ask what they should do.  Only enough time to take half an instant and think about what the sergeant told them to do only a few minutes before: ".let no unauthorized personnel or vehicles pass."  The two Marines had about five seconds left to live.

It took maybe another two seconds for them to present their weapons, take aim, and open up.  By this time the truck was half-way through the barriers and gaining speed the whole time.  Here, the recording shows a number of Iraqi police, some of whom had fired their AKs, now scattering like the normal and rational men they were-some running right past the Marines.
They had three seconds left to live.

For about two seconds more, the recording shows the Marines' weapons firing non-stop.the truck's windshield exploding into shards of glass as their rounds take it apart and tore in to the body of the SOB who is trying to get past them to kill their brothers-American and Iraqi-bedded down in the barracks totally unaware of the fact that their lives at that moment depended entirely on two Marines standing their ground.  If they had been aware, they would have known they were safe.because two Marines stood between them and a crazed suicide bomber.  The recording shows the truck careening to a stop immediately in front of the two Marines.  In all of the instantaneous violence Yale and Haerter never hesitated.  By all reports and by the recording, they never stepped back.  They never even started to step aside.  They never even shifted their weight.  With their feet spread shoulder width apart, they leaned into the danger, firing as fast as they could work their weapons.  They had only one second left to live.

The truck explodes.  The camera goes blank.  Two young men go to their God.
Six seconds.  Not enough time to think about their families, their country, their flag, or about their lives or their deaths, but more than enough time for two very brave young men to do their duty.into eternity.  That is the kind of people who are on watch all over the world tonight-for you.

We Marines believe that God gave America the greatest gift he could bestow to man while he lived on this earth-freedom.  We also believe he gave us another gift nearly as precious-our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardsmen, and Marines-to safeguard that gift and guarantee no force on this earth can every steal it away.  It has been my distinct honor to have been with you here today.  Rest assured our America, this experiment in democracy started over two centuries ago, will forever remain the "land of the free and home of the brave" so long as we never run out of tough young Americans who are willing to look beyond their own self-interest and comfortable lives, and go into the darkest and most dangerous places on earth to hunt down, and kill, those who would do us harm.

God Bless America , and..SEMPER FIDELIS!"

Please remember those who protect us, abroad and within our borders, in our states, towns and communities, every day. The men and women in uniform, whether it's military or civilian, are on duty 'round the clock, protecting us from one enemy or another, whether it's another man, a natural disaster, a fire.
May God Bless each and every one of them.  

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Tis that time of year.
Again.
First, there was Thanksgiving.
Now, Christmas is upon us.
Interesting thing about family and friends gathering on those holidays, especially. Food, of course, is at the forefront. And, that's as it should be. Friends and family, together, breaking bread. Better than exchanging gifts, what with all the commercialized nonsense that goes along with that chore.
But, one thing I've noted over the decades. One has to be able to either read minds, or actually translate the response one gets when extending invitations for the festivities.
All of us would love to have everyone we love to be with us on holidays. Not a reality, of course, for one reason or another. One GOOD reason is that the invitees have, oftentimes, two or more places they'd like to visit each holiday. Divorced parents, his/hers parents. Whatever. I remember some basic physics laws from school, one of which goes "you can't be in two places at the same time" (or words to that effect).
It's nice not to want to hurt anyone's feelings. But it's kinder to be upfront from the git-go, and come out with-- "hey, this year, we're going to Sally's parents' for Christmas". Instead, when the invite is offered, say around mid October, the lies begin.
I've learned to interpret responses to invitations, not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but for other events, as well.
The stage is set early.
"We haven't quite decided what we'll have to do this year. You know, we were at your house last Christmas, and Sally's mom really wants us to come there this year. However (the shimmer of hope word), you never know, and we really haven't decided, as yet. We could just as easily be with you".
Bravo Sierra, is about all I can say.
The translation, as I've come to learn, is thus: "We don't want to hurt your feelings, but we feel obligated to see Sally's parents. It's only fair, and I'm sure you can appreciate that. But, if we just keep you hanging on to a thread of hope, the hurt we cause at the last minute won't last as long, and we won't feel as guilty".
The decision was made, probably before October. I still cannot get why it's so hard to just spit it out. The hosts just want to know how much stuff to buy, how many places to set, whether they need to stock up on extra booze...whatever. Or, maybe...just maybe...they'd like a definite "no" so THEY can make other plans, and won't feel obligated to hang around until the last couple days to learn that you're not coming.
It's a bit late for this year, unless you're still keeping them hanging on to a glimmer of hope that you'll show up for Christmas lunch/dinner. If that's the case, be kind. Call them, tell them your plans. It's a kind thing to do. And, don't forget about that when you're making plans for next year.
And, now. For the other side.
Parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles, what-evah: don't make the people you'd like to share the holiday with you feel guilty if they tell you they have other plans. Don't pry into those plans, it's none of your business. Don't be persistent, offering to hold lunch until 2:00 so they can join you. Don't play your son or daughter against their spouse. "Oh, you'd rather go to Sally's parents for lunch than be with me. You can see them anytime. I'm getting old, you know, and this might be my last Chrismas. I'm not sure that I even want to celebrate this year. If you're not coming, there's no real need for me to get a tree. It'll be the first Christmas, ever, that I haven't put one up".
Pardon me while I get sick.
And, no, these are not stories from my personal experiences. They are, however, situations that friends, co-workers, and some of my former staff members have shared over the decades.
If you see yourself in either scenario, you might want to give it some thought.
Wherever you are at Christmas, I hope yours will be filled with the true Christmas spirit, that happiness will be with you.
Merry Christmas.
(No, this is not the last blog I will write before that day. I just wanted to tag out with it, ok?)

Monday, December 13, 2010

TSA..."where the stupid started"

TSA: Those Stoopid Arses.
I can't think of a better description. Things have really gotten out of hand. Common sense has disappeared. It's been replaced by TSA inspectors.

Granted, some sort of action had to be taken to safeguard this country from increasingly cunning terrorists who want to kill us. Yep. That's the bottom line, they want to KILL us. Not because we're at war. Just because we are us.

In the process of protecting us, the government came up with Homeland Security.
Not a bad idea, I suppose.

And, they gave the Coast Guard, which had been part of the US Department of Justice, a role in protecting our shorelines from these guys who want to KILL us. Sure seems like the shores are safe from invasion. The Coasties are taking their jobs seriously. And, from all reports, professionally. No groping.

That was one part of the plan.

The plan has evolved over the past decade. We have airport security guards. TSA inspectors. Those men and women who are charged with making sure none of us board an airplane with nail clippers or anything else that could be used as a "weapon" to take over a plane and crash it into the White House, or another high profile target, creating another 9-11 tragedy.

Ok, so far, so good

Really? 

It's true that any half-trained US (and many foreign) commando can pretty much use anything as a weapon. That includes even those little plastic knives, forks and spoons we get on planes. In fact, there are non-metallic composite daggers and knives that have been sold all over the world, claiming they can't be detected by metal screeners. And, it's true. These weapons can be driven through a 2x4 with a hammer. I know. I bought two and tried them out. As part of a story I was preparing when I was a TV journalist.

But, was anything done to stop the production and sale of these devices? Of course not. Homeland Securty, with it's wide range of super-powers, took no action.

They did step up the screening process at airports.

They continue to confiscate nail clippers and bottles of shampoo, mouthwash, and the like. In large quantities. You might not be aware that this contraband is later sold. Yep, I have bought some of it at flea markets. Got a couple really neat multi-purpose screwdriver/pliers tools for a buck each. Never found any good deals on any bombs or guns they seized, though.

Now surfaces the story of a group of heavily armed US soldiers coming home. On a civilian plane, which is often the practice.
The "cleaned up" version:

>> As the Chalk Leader (this is the guy who handles on-board logistics for the troops) for my flight home from Afghanistan , I witnessed the following:
>>
>> When we were on our way back from Afghanistan , we flew out of Baghram
>> Air Field. We went through customs at BAF, full body scanners (no
>> groping), had all of our bags searched, the whole nine yards.
>> Our first stop was Shannon , Ireland to refuel. After that, we had to
>> stop at Indianapolis , Indiana to drop off about 100 folks from the
>> Indiana National Guard. That's where the stupid started.
>>
>> First, everyone was forced to get off the plane-even though the plane
>> wasn't refueling again. All 330 people got off that plane, rather than
>> let the 100 people from the ING get off. We were filed from the plane to
>> a holding area. No vending machines, no means of escape. Only a
>> male/female latrine.
>>
>> It's probably important to mention that we were ALL carrying weapons.
>> Everyone was carrying an M4 Carbine (rifle) and some, like me, were also
>> carrying an M9 pistol. Oh, and our gunners had M-240B machine guns. Of
>> course, the weapons weren't loaded. And we had been cleared of all ammo
>> well before we even got to customs at Baghram, then AGAIN at customs.
>>
>> The TSA personnel at the airport seriously considered making us unload
>> all of the baggage from the SECURE cargo hold to have it reinspected.
>> Keep in mind, this cargo had been unpacked, inspected piece by piece by
>> U.S. Customs officials, resealed and had bomb-sniffing dogs give it a
>> one-hour run through. After two hours of sitting in this holding area,
>> the TSA decided not to reinspect our Cargo-just to inspect us again:
>> Soldiers on the way home from war,
who had already been inspected,
>> reinspected and kept in a SECURE holding area
for 2 hours. Ok, whatever.
>> So we lined up to go through security AGAIN.
>>
>> This is probably another good time to remind you all that all of us were
>> carrying actual assault rifles, and some of us were also carrying
>> pistols.
>>
>> So we're in line, going through one at a time. One of our Soldiers had
>> his Gerber multi-tool. TSA confiscated it. Kind of ridiculous, but it
>> gets better. A few minutes later, a guy empties his pockets and has a
>> pair of nail clippers. Nail clippers. TSA informs the Soldier that
>> they're going to confiscate his nail clippers. The conversation went
>> something like this:
>>
>> TSA Guy: You can't take those on the plane.
>>
>> Soldier: What? I've had them since we left country.
>>
>> TSA Guy: You're not suppose to have them.
>>
>> Soldier: Why?
>>
>> TSA Guy: They can be used as a weapon.
>>
>> Soldier: [touches butt stock of the rifle] But this actually is a
>> weapon. And I'm allowed to take it on.
>>
>> TSA Guy: Yeah but you can't use it to take over the plane. You don't
>> have bullets.
>>
>> Soldier: And I can take over the plane with nail clippers?
>>
>> TSA Guy: [awkward silence]
>>
>> Me: Dude, just give him your damn nail clippers so we can get ... out of here. I'll buy you a new set.
>>
>> Soldier: [hands nail clippers to TSA guy, makes it through security]
>> To top it off, the tsa demanded we all be swabbed for "explosive
>> residue" detection. Everyone failed, [go figure, we just came home from
>> a war zone], because we tested positive for "Gun Powder Residue". Who
>> ... is hiring these people?
>>
>> This might be a good time to remind everyone that approximately 233
>> people re-boarded that plane with assault rifles, pistols, and machine
>> guns-but nothing that could have been used as a weapon. 
>> Can someone please tell me: What ... happened to OUR country while
>> we were gone?


I wish I could answer that one, Soldier. Seems somebody got a bad case of the stupid. I guess one way of reducing unemplyment is to hire additional TSA inspectors. It would be interesting to look over the backgrounds of those they hire.  I'll bet that the ones that didn't make it through screening are a really strange breed.

Keep in mind, as you're being groped next time you're flying out of an airport, that TSA has not profiled anyone on the plane with you. But, you're perfectly safe because no one is armed with nail clippers or deadly mouthwash (having flown with some oddball co-passengers in close quarters over the years, I really wish Homeland Security would actually force them to use mouthwash AND deodorant).

Thursday, December 9, 2010

I am Polarized

A lot of people are described as being "polarizing". Those who like them, really like 'em; those who don't, really don't.
But, I'm gonna discuss a different type of "polarizing".
It's a filter.
Goes on the front of your camera lens.
For you non-shutterbugs, it's those sunglasses that take the glare off the water, or off your car's windshield. 
Polarizing filters act the same way. They can subdue glare, and often make for a much "richer" image. Passing by a demolition site earlier today, a lone satellite dish on top of a pole caught my eye. The sky (not skies...there's really only one, in spite of what TV weather guys say almost every night) was a rich, royal blue. Low humidity contributes to this. Too bad there were no white, billowy clouds, to make it even more pronounced.

Picture number one. The scene without a polarizer:
Looks nice, and all that. With a little enhancement, courtesy of PhotoShop, I could spruce it up a touch. But, as a photographer that started with film (and I still love it), you gotta shoot it right, under most conditions, to get the perfect image. Especially when dealing with transparency films. Not a lot of enhancement opportunities, and film is not very forgiving.

Now, picture number 2. With a circular polarizing filter.
Much richer.
On the water, at the beach, or on snow scenes (once the sun comes out), you'll be impressed at what a polarizer can do for you. Don't buy those $4 ones, though. Remember, you're putting something between your subject and an expensive lens. You don't want to degrade your image. Good quality polarizers, depending on their sizes, can cost $40-$100.
Pick up one. And, good shooting.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Guam is going to Tip Over

The U.S. House has a bunch of "representatives".
They help run this great nation of ours.
Some are smart, some are not.
And, some are just downright stupid.
I cannot...I really cannot...believe that real people elected this clown . The video, alone, is probable cause enough to launch an investigation into voter fraud. There's really no other explantion.



If, for some reason, this does not open, and you need some serious comic relief, send me an e-mail, and I will forward it to you.


Monday, December 6, 2010

"Where's the Line to see Jesus?"

An interesting story goes with this attachment. You may have seen it by now...or, you may not. It's pretty good, and you don't need to know much. The words tell it all.
The song was inspired by a small boy, in the store, who wanted to know where he should wait in line to see Jesus.
There's a lot more, but you will get the drift from the song.
Crank up your speakers and pay attention.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=pPViKJRHyZo&vq=medium

Sunday, December 5, 2010

"I Like Guns"

This is a little "extra" sent to me.
You might like it.
You might not.
It's kinda cute.
And, though I have a bit more hair,
This guy could be me.

http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=5dc8bc4895&view=att&th=12cb321e575aee3f&attid=0.1&disp=attd&zw

CHRISTmas

Yep. Do not take Christ out of  Christmas. I had an elementary school teacher...can't remember which year...that was totally opposed to abbreviating Christmas as "Xmas". She said it took Christ our of Christmas. With everything going on today around this annual celebration of the birth of Christ, I wonder how she would feel about the "Happy Holidays" crap.
Oh, well...enough of that.
The Jacksonville (NC) Rotary Club-sponsored flotilla was this past Saturday night. Here, in the sunny South (yes, with a capital S), the last thing we expected on 4 December were a few snow flakes/flurries, and either frezing rain or sleet (there is a difference, I know, but when ice falls from the sky as little chunks, I could care less what you call it. Meteorologists can explain it, and get upset if I call it the wrong thing...you know, meteorologists. The guys who daily report clear, overcast, sunny...whatever..."skies". Like there is more than one?). But, ice pellets and a few snow flakes actually appeared for the annual Christmas Flotilla.
Nice.
A mood setter, for sure.

The boats were decorated with loving care.

 Reflections dancing in the water. Crowds lined the bridge along Old Bridge Street (closed to vehicle traffic for the event).

Boats, big and little. Every skipper was proud.
It was fun for all, including yours truly and his crew of a half dozen, or so.


My dad would have been proud. This was his boat. A small one, great for clamming. And, the Tarplees did a bang-up job in making her shine for the evening.


Lotsa boats. Lotsa fun. If you have a boat, you've got a year to make her ready. And, Robie (my wife) and I have plans to make ours sing out Lima Charlie in 2011 (you don't know what that means? Ask any serviceman or former serviceman).


By the way, thanks to the Jacksonville (NC) Daily News for sending a photog out. The pictures in the Sunday paper were nice. I'm sure all appreciated the coverage. The photos here are from me.

Merry CHRISTmas to all.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Lights, Camera, Action

...with an emphasis on ACTION!!!!!
The advanced shutterbugs among you know about this, so you can probably just move on.
With today's cameras that do pretty much everything but cook dinner, there's not a lot of thinking involved in getting a good picture. And, that's not necessarily bad.
But, it's not totally good, either.
By their very description, "still" pictures are just that. They don't move. When you snap the shutter, you've frozen a moment in time.
That moment is when it all happens. And "moments" vary in just how long they are.
You can, with the right shutter speed, stop a hummingbird's wings, and even a bullet moving at 3000 feet per second. That's a real quick moment. And, there are times when photographers want to do just that.
But, there are other times when a photographer may want to show a little action in his pictures. Here are a couple examples I shot yesterday.
You'll note the blades in the top shot of the Osprey are virtually frozen. This was at the "automatic-program" setting on my Nikon D300. The shutter speed was programmed for 1/500th of a second, a part of the camera's automation package. Pretty fast, but not mind boggling. Fast enough to "almost" stop the props dead in their tracks.
The problem with a shot like that is the whole pictrue looks like it's a fake. A model, posed against a gray seamless background. Blah.
Next shot...I set the camera to Shutter priority, and selected a shutter speed of 1/60th of a second. The D300 adjusted the aperature for the conditions of the moment. I could have used an even longer exposure, i.e., slower shutter speed, but handholding this shot with a zoom set at about 250 mm was all I could manage, and keep the camera steady. No need to add camera blur to the process.
The blades, you'll note, are blurred. Not from camera motion, but because they're turning. It adds life to the picture.
Action! if you will.
This works well with moving water, too. Set your camera on a tripod, and adjust the shutter speed so you'll be shooting at 1/4 to 1/15th of a second (always fun and educational to experiment), and take some shots of a brook or stream. A waterfall is a great subject for long shutter speeds.
Not a lot of waterfalls in eastern NC, but we do have the ocean. And, that big body of water is always moving.
Set your camera on a sturdy tripod. Best time is after sunset, and with a full moon (keep the moon out of the picture area), and expose the scene for about 30 seconds. If you are near a fishing pier, put that in part of the frame for a reference. If the pier has lights on it, you'll need to set your aperature manually. Otherwise, the pier's lights will confuse your camera.
You will be surprised at just how artistic you can be with your camera.
(Oh, yeah. Make sure your flash is turned off for these exposures)

Fresh Trout

Thanks to a fishing friend, I ended up with another speckled trout last night. I was prepping my boat for the Saturday night flotilla in Jacksonville (NC) when lo and behold, Duane pulled up to the docks at Tideline Marine.


Nice Boat, too
(Notice that Power Pole on the stern? That's the bomb!)

Duane, you must understand, loves fishing. But, he doesn't eat a lot of fish. Almost none. But, he loves catching them. In most cases, he catches, then turns 'em loose. Duane is a true sportsman. He will save one now and then to give to anyone who wants fresh fish. Like yesterday. He had a 20 inch speck in his live bait tank (he would have turned it loose if no takers were on hand).

A heckuva nice fish

Now, I could tell you where Duane was fishing. But, in keeping with the true spirit of fishing, I'll only tell you that he caught this beaute "in the mouth". Yes, he was fishing in New River. Sort of. Not far from Jacksonville. Not too far. Part of the fun of fishing is finding the fish. Go out, take some time, do some exploring. Even if you don't find 'em, you'll have a great day on the water.

I could also tell you the bait Duane used. But that would do no good. What they were biting on yesterday isn't necessarily what they prefer today. Best to take a variety of old reliables...MirrO lures, and various colors and styles of plastics.

I'm getting a lot of reports of lots of trout. Some say they have caught 75 or a hundred in one day. A lot of fun, they said, but almost all were very small, and ended up going back in the drink so they could grow up. But, as I've reported before, there are some nice 'uns out there. Including the one Duane brought back.

My wife, Robie, and I had Duane's trout for dinner last night. I used a variation of a recipe that a couple really good friends shared last month. I didn't have everything on hand, so...in keeping with the way I do things...I improvised.

First, You Take and Onion
1 large yellow onion, sliced and chunked
2 medium size yellow squash, sliced about a quater inch thick
2 carrots, cut into one inch pieces. Slice the "big end" of the carrots. Make it the same size as the small end.

Prep
a tad of olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish (ok, about 12 inches long)
line the squash on the bottom of the pan
salt and pepper the squash...I also added a little "secret" spice; feel free to use Old Bay here
sprinkle part of the onions on top of the squash
add the trout filets (I always skin mine...oh, yeah...gotta give you a lesson on that, as promised)
add salt, pepper and any spice you like to the fish
sprinkle the rest of the diced onion to the top of the fish
add a small amount of lemon juice or lime juice to the fish
cover the dish with foil or a lid
pre-heat oven to 430 degrees...yep, seems a bit hot, but it works
cook, covered, for about 30-40 minutes
remove cover and cook until carrots are done

I went one further step last night. Once everything was ready, I kicked the broiler on "high", and put the uncovered dish under the broiler for about a minute. It added a slight crust to the fish.

Serve immediately. It's really, really very good. And, it's soooo simple.

I can see all sorts of variations...and, I'll be giving them a whirl.
Once Duane shows up at the docks with more fish. He says he has caught and released a number of red fish of late, too. He didn't know anyone who wanted them!!!
Now, he does.

Good cooking and good eating, ya'll.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Fiish-y Stew, Just 4 You

I noted, in a posting on Facebook, that I had made a fish stew, a bit of an "appetizer", on Thanksgiving Day. Perhaps it was more of a Turkey Alternative, as I knew of the inevitable leftover bird dishes that awaited us.

The stew was good, good according to more than just me. And, I had a few requests for the recipe, a result of the Facebook post. And, since I had promised, in the beginning, to regularly post recipes on this blog, here goes.

As with almost everything I cook:
"First, You Take an Onion".
In ths case, you'll need a couple medium to large ones. I like sweet yellow onions, Vidalias when I can get them. But, pick whatver kind floats your boat.
Do I need to tell you to peel it? I hope not.
Slice the onions  into quarter-inch thick "wheels". Do not separate, or split up, the circles as you would if you were making onion rings. You want the onions to look like thick slices of salami that would go onto a sandwich.
Next, wash, then slice medium to large red potatoes the same way you did the onions. Do not peel the taters....the skin is good and it's good for you. Just wash them well.
With skinless filets of fish, you should "chunk" them into half-inch wide pieces. What kind of fish? You can use a variety. I like speckle trout, stripers, red fish (aka puppy drum, red drum, reds). If you catch them, so much the better. If you have to resort to the fish market, either a "real" one, or the ones at your local supermarket, take a look at the eyes of the fish before opening the wallet. If they're glassy, move on. If the fish has a strong fish-y odor, move on. If you push the flesh with your thumb and it has no "life" to it, move on. You MUST start with a good quality fish.
Like I stated, I like my fish skinless. Makes the stew less greasy. If you don't know how to skin one, have the fish market do it. I'll post an article, soon, on the art of skinning fish.
Ok, back to the stew.
I use an 8-qt stock pot. Seems to be enough room for most of my stews. I do have a 16 quart pot in case the stew, soup or chili is going to be the main course and it's for a big group, but that's usually a bit of overkill.
Go ahead and fry some bacon. Yes, I know. "Bacon"? Good for seasoning and stuff. And, as long as you don't eat it every day...like my late 92 year old grandmother did...you should live a long and healthy life.
Fry it until it's crispy. When it cools, crumble it up.
Now comes the "layering" process.
  • Place a layer of tater wheels on the bottom, followed by a layer of onion wheels, followed by a layer of fish chunks.
  • Salt and pepper to your liking.
  • Repeat until you're about three inches from the top of the pot.
  • Add two cans of chicken stock.
  • Add enough water to just cover the ingredients.
You now have a choice. If you like your dishes "seasoned" (that usually means "spicy"), you can add finely diced peppers of your choice. I like a mixture of sweet banana and jalapeno peppers. Remove the seeds from both, and remove the white "veins". You'll retain some "heat", and lots of flavor. You can sprinkle this on top of the last couple layers. Too much, and you'll overpower the stew.

  • NEVER, EVER even THINK of stirring the ingredients during the cooking process!      Just Don't!

On a stove, start out at medium-high. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to allow for a slow simmer. It's a good time to cover the pot, but don't just cover it and walk away. If it starts to boil, you'll likely have a stove that's gonna be a mess to clean up. So, watch the pot, and if it starts to boil up, uncover it, then reduce the heat a bit.

Depending on the amount of stew, your pot, and the stove you're using, cooking times will vary from a half hour to an hour, or so. Using a fork, check a potato after 30 minutes. Once that potato is fork tender, your stew is (almost) good to go. At least, this phase is ready.

You still have another option. If you like shrimp or crab meat (real crab meat, not that stuff they call imitation crab), you can add some to your stew. Remember, shrimp doesn't need much cooking. Drop a handful in, and let them turn pink. Don't let them hang out in the hot bath too long or you'll be chewing on leather. Same goes for crab meat. I like fresh claw meat, but don't put in too much. It's not needed. 

But. You're not ready to serve it, yet.

Here's the kicker. Once everyone is assembled, bowl-in-hand, start cracking and dropping in eggs. What!?! Yep, drop in a half dozen, or so. They will poach in the hot concoction. Give them 2-3 minutes of cooking, then...for the first time, you should stir, gently, the stew. With a stout ladle, dip from the bottom of the pot, making sure to get a good mixture of all of the incredients. Gently ladle it around to mix it up, making sure to leave the floating eggs intact on the surface.

That done, dip out a bowl of stew, then add a poached egg to the top of the bowl. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

Have salt, pepper, and hot sauce available for those who want it.

Great any time, but really good when there's a nip in the air.


This just in...
...a good friend, and my "other" boss, Bill Tarplee (Tideline Marine in Jacksonville NC) sent this e-mail detailing what sounds like another good stew recipe. And, you can bet I'll give it a whirl, as soon as he and I go find some fish:

Raeford,
   As I said before the fish stew was great. Another similar but slightly defferent result comes from the way an old friend taught me -- incidently, his family lived on the east side of Pamlico sound north of Adams Creek  and survived a Hurricane in the 30's on the roof of their house, followed by disassembling what remained, transporting by skiff to Oriental, and rebuilding.
  In a large skillet fry some bacon until crisp - pull out the bacon and save. Add chunks of "ice" (irish) potatoes to the hot bacon grease and brown - don't try to cook- just brown the outsides. Remove potatoes to a stew pot with water to cover. Add salt and black pepper to taste. bring to light boil, then turn down the heat.  Back to the skillet - if you have enoug grease proceed, if not fry some more bacon. Add slices of onion to hot grease and brown. Removeand save. if you have enough grease continue, if not fry more bacon. In the hot grease brown chunks of fish - drum,  red or black or mullet are preferred because they are a little coarser textured than trout or flounder but you can use whatever is available.  When fish are done ( the potatoes should be done by now - check them and cook longer if necessary). Dump fish and remaining grease in to the potatoe pot. Dump in the browned onions. Break up the crispy bacon and add to the mixture. Stir and simmer until onions are fully done.
  All this takes quite a while and I don't know if it is the beer that often accompanies the preparation or the good friends that are usually participating in the event but it has always come out great!  The only complaints I have ever had dealt with the amount of pepper!
BT

Friday, November 19, 2010

Pirates on the High Seas

We often glamourize the pirate lifestyle, making heroes of those pirates of yester-year. Without going into the legal vs. illegal aspects of privateers and pirates, I have come across some video that you might find, eh, rather interesting. The modern day Somalia pirates have been a problem for vessels, large and small, for quite a few years. It seems that all of the modern technology has not been able to handle the problem, mostly due to political correctness.
Until now.
Seems those bad dudes, with their Russian AK-47's and other small arms, ticked off Russia . They took over a Russian vessel. Much to their surprise, Russian commandoes responded. And, enforcing the laws, or lack of, on the high seas, the commandoes proceeded to secure the pirate "ship", and secured the pirates to their vessel.
In this video, which is obviously shot by the commandoes to document their work, you'll see the pirate ship join Davey Jones in his locker.
Virtually all of the audio is Russian. If you don't speak-a the language, I think the pictures can be considered Lima Charlie. That's Loud and Clear.  There is one point where a pirate, in English, proclaims that their boat is a fishing boat. Judge for yourself. The AK's, I would venture, are to protect them from sharks. Yeah, right.
I would bet that the word is making the rounds of the Somalia barbary coast watering holes: let's not target any more Russian boats. Those guys don't understand political butt-kissing like Americans.
Yes, I know. Our Seal Team did an outstanding job when they eliminated several pirates. But, this was done after so much Washington-interference that it was pretty much a joke. I'm not necessarily an admirerer of Russian ways, but High Seas Justice could being a quick end to the piracy that is running unchecked off Somalia. 
http://true-turtle.livejournal.com/85315.html

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Ham Radio

I'm sure a lot of you have heard of it. Might even be a few "hams" out there. Officially known as Amateur Radio, it's been around for a long, long time. It was made up of tinkerers, those who like to build their own radios, modify military surplus radios, and whatever.

Hams have been the communications lifeblood during natural disasters from the beginning. When all forms of comemrcial communications, these tinkerers managed to get a rig on the air and make contact with the outside world. And, they are still in existence, in spite of the internet, cell phones, satellite phones, and all of the modern marvels of today's communications world. You know, the devices that all too often fail to work during times of disaster.

I was recently reacquanited with amateur radio. I had my first "ticket" (license) back in 1961, as a kid, I will add. I "worked" stations (other hams) all over the world from my "shack" out back. It had to be there because the equipment was pretty large and would have consumed way too much of my bedroom. My transmitter occupied the biggest chunk of space, and managed to provide enough heat, a byproduct of very large vaccuum tubes, to keep the shack warm in the coldest winter months.

I graduated to a much smaller combo transmitter/receiver as I approached high school graduation. This transceiver found it's way into my bedroom, as it was small enough to fit on a card table in a corner. From that little corner, I talked with other hams all over the country, in fact, all over the world. I still have many of the QSL cards (postcards we exchanged "confirming" our conversations) from England, Germany, South Africa, Antartica, Puerto Rica, and dozens of other countries.

Like I said, I have found myself involved in this wonderful hobby once again. I passed an FCC exam (there's some technical stuff on it), found out my original call sign had become available, applied for it, and I am, once again, WA4HMR.

It's amazing to hear and reach out and talk with perfect strangers again, strangers that are fast becoming friends. My first "long distance" contact this week was a gentleman in Omaha. All of this with a transceiver slightly larger than today's C-B radios. Amazing advance in technology. I intend to mount this rig on my boat, and I'll be able to use it in my truck on long travels. Much more entertaining than listening to commercial radio (or even satellite radio), More personal than any social networks on the internet...you actually carry on conversations with people of all kinds.

If you've ever thought about taking up this hobby, I can highly recommend it. Ham clubs all over give free classes. There are several license categories, some requiring the barest of knowledge to get started. To be able to work folks, as I do, all over the world, you will want to "move on up" to a higher class of license so you can work on the HF (high frequency) bands. You'll learn, soon enough, that each "band of frequencies" has its own characteristics. At different times of the day and year, different parts of the world are at your door. If yu ahve an interest, check out the web...you can likely find a club in your community. And, you can bet that hams are the absolute friendliest people in the world, always willing to help a fellow ham...and, they want no money for it.

Now, that's a unqiue group of people.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Pubs and Clubs

From time to time, along comes a video that is absolutely moving and inspiring. Such is the one I've attached here. I get lots of videos from all sorts of folks. I look at them. Well, honestly, I look at the beginning of ALL of them. But, as I'm sure it is with you, there's not a lot of new stuff making the rounds of the internet that I haven't seen before, or seen something pretty much like it. True enough, a lot of them are worth seeing again, and I do enjoy them...again. My wife says I can look at them a second time because I've reached an age that doesn't allow me to remember seeing them the first go-round. Saves money on buying books, I'll tell you. And, at this rate, I never have to see re-runs on TV. They're all new, as far as I'm concerned.

Which brings me to the topic of "age". What is "old age"? Ask a 16 year old, and he'll tell you it's time to dump in the dirt on folks 30 or older. Brats. What's old age, I think, is a state of mind. True, there are things that some older folks can't do any more. Of course, I know a lot of 30-year olds who could NEVER do some of the things I've done in the last five years.

To move on to this video. It's a clip from Britain's Got Talent. Yeah, me too. I've seen all of the 3, 8 and 12 year olds performing like they were 20 year old stars. Natural talent, they say. And, "they" are likely right. There's a lot of untapped natural talent running around out there.

Then, along comes another video clip. However, this one's not about a pre-teen wannabe star. This woman has....well, you really, really need to "take 5", crank up the speakers, and give a looksee and listen. If you're not impressed, I'll give you double your money back.

http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/7464575?fr=yvmtf

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Gettin' Frisky at Airports

Wanna get frisked by a $17,000 a year airport security guy/gal? Talk about a cheap thrill. The minimum wage for a TSA staffer is a tad over $17k. If you protest going through the new government approved X-ray screening devices coming to an airport near you (already in a few cities), then you have two alternatives:
  1. subject yourself to up-close and very personal searches
  2. drive your car, take a taxi, ride a bus, or hitch a ride
No doubt, you've followed on-line, on the tube, and in the newspapers, the reports of the one young guy who vehemently protested the X-rayed screening as well as the body search.  If not, check it out at your convenience:  http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/15/california.airport.security/index.html

Ok, so you say "no big deal". In the X-ray screening, this is what the unseen TSA screeners see:

The TSA bureaucrats say these images will NOT be saved, and no names will be attached to them.
I believe them, don't you?

 
One Hundred Naked Citizens: One Hundred Leaked Body Scans

Soft Light

For us shutterbugs (wonder why "enthusiasts" for certain hobbies get cute names, but shooting enthusiasts are labeled as "gun nuts"?), soft light can bring out the best in us.
This morning, for example, as a "front" approaches, the morning sunrise was mostly covered by clouds. But, this diffused light did wonders for a naturally contrasty subject, such as the annual "changing of the leaves".

Maple leaves are great to shoot. With "backlit soft light", and positioned against a background, with a small aperature and a long lens (this renders the background out of focus), the leaf really stands out.


You don't necessarily have to travel far to get a good fall picture. This was taken this morning in our backyard. Selective compostion is the key. The white adds a lot to the already colorful scene.

I could use PhotoShop to rid this image of the rather unsightly but necessary utility pole and power lines. Of, I could have driven to a location that would have allowed me to capture these gorgeous clouds "without interference".


The last of our mums for this year. Actually, this is one we saved from our wedding in 2006. It was a rather small critter back then, one of a whole bunch we got for our backyard nuptials. It has held up rather well, and continues to get bigger each year. Remind me to show you pictures of our rosemary "tree" one day. Need some for that Christmas prime rib? We have plenty.

Get up early, folks. You never know what the day will bring. The half hour before sunrise, through a half hour after the sun makes its appearance, as well as the last half hour before sunset through the first half hour after sunset, are known as the Magic Hours. Best times of the day for photographers. Take advantage of it. You'll never, ever find two days that are exactly alike.

A final picture...from a couple days back. A beautiful morning, it was. Didn't see the sun because the fog had rolled in.

                                                    Weather makes for great pictures.


Monday, November 15, 2010

Waterfront Pictures

You really are missing life if you don't take the time to ride down New River from Jacksonville (NC) at sunset. It might be a little cool, but that's what jackets, sweatshirts and the like are for. You don't have to go far, just a little ways will do the trick. Be sure to take your camera. You won't be disappointed.

Sunday night, along New River, down to Southweat Creek. For no reason whatever. And, if you don't have a boat, I'm sure you know someone who does.

Lovely Homes

Beautiful Boats

Fabulous Feeling

What a daily view they have

Reflections

Sunset Flight of the Gulls