According to reports, a battle was won recently in Copenhagen. An action group has been lobbying for the past year for equal treatment between men and women. The City's Culture and Leisure Committee voted to allow topless bathing at all swimming venues in the city.
The group called the 'Topless Front' had stated that women should be able to swim like men, bare chested. The campaign leader, Astrid Vang stated "We women would like to decide by ourselves when our breasts should be sexual and when not". I understand her reasoning, but when her bosum is a sexual object, is sad to say, not her choice.
In Stockholm, a similar group has been expanding their protests by dis-robing at soccer matches, public pools and organizing street marches. According to reports I've read, here in North America, Vancouver, Canada has allowed topless swimming at pools and beaches for the last couple of years. But then in Paris, France, where topless swimming was practically invented, too many topless ladies were showing up to swim in the Seine. The embarassed city fathers decided to ban the practice completely all along the river.
On the home front, It has been a controversial cause in Florida for quite a few years. Miami has batted around the idea of making it official for quite a few years. Matter of fact, South Beach is a top optional beach by deed if not in name. And with the low value of the Dollar against the Euro, expect a large influx of foreigners this summer to our shores. And many will bring their easy ways with them. From what I understand that most on the lower Sun Coast are prepared to look the other way at many of their beaches.
Except for some of the more remote beaches, it is a different story on this side of the peninsula. Maybe Pinellas and other coastal counties might consider designating a topless beach or two for the continental tourists to enjoy. Of course the chance of that happening is about as much as Rhonda Storms becoming a night-club owner after leaving politics. But then maybe with this new invasion, the times might be a-changing!
It was a 2 year secret program that would of made Flash Gordon proud. Boeing Corporation partnered with the US military is in the final stages of perfecting a Airborne Laser that can melt a tank. Finally last December, a Laser prototype was installed in a Boeing C-130 plane at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. It will have its maiden voyage sometime this year.
It will be able to send a beam 4 to 20 inches in width, instantly heating its objective to thousands of degrees. It can melt trucks, puncture tires, ignite anything combustible. And if a bird gets in the way, it will cease to exist. After a couple of seconds it will melt a perfect hole into any metal object.
No one is saying what the Advanced Tactical Laser would do to a man, but you can be sure that technical papers will be produced on the physiological process of such an occurrence.
I just wonder if this might be the end of Daylight Savings Time in Florida. A bill in committee in Tallahassee might be the beginning of the end of it all. Republican Senator Bill Posey proposed the bill in which Florida will not change clocks at all. It has to pass through 3 committees before being sent to the senate for a vote. It has passed one comittee, has 2 more to go. Lets hope it does well. Check out my previous entry for more details on this insanity. Daylight Savings Time for Convenience Stores!
When I heard of the budget cuts in NASA that was going to curtail the Mars Rover Research Project, I thought someone needs to start drug testing for those senior administrators responsible for the ultimate bone-head decision. The letter ordering cut-backs in the Mars Exploration Program was sent by manager, James Green. He is responsible for NASA's planetary science divison. The letter stated that 40% of the Rover's $20 million a year budget would need to be used elsewhere. Some of it would of gone to a future large rover project on the planning board.
But after the initial news reports of the Rover Team trying to figure which Rover to temporarly turn off, all of a sudden the top management rescinded the letter altogether. NASA administrator Michael Griffin states that he was never informed about the letter. He says that he had no intention of shutting down or limiting the Rover Program at all. However, he makes the final decision of where the money will be taken from. What did he think? That the Rover people would make up the short-fall by limiting coffee supplies?
I guess you can call this a prime example when the executives in charge of NASA are more specialized in accounting than in research. Why would anyone with a smattering of research education even consider gutting the most successful exploratory program in the last 20 years? The Rovers are a well spring of data about the planet Mars. And if you want to count the pennies, it is the most cost-effective program that NASA has ever produced.
The two Rovers were expected to produce data of the Red Planet for around 12 weeks. Both are still working since landing back in 2004. Even thoughRover "Spirit" is down to 40% efficiency because of 'gunk' that accumulated on the solar wings. "Opportunity" also had gunk/dust on its wings, however it was blown clean by winds last year. Who knows how long they will last in such a inhospitable environment. But at least the danger of being 'gunked' back here on earth has been blown away by a justified public outcry.
My son bought a motorcycle recently. It is something that many in my family have had nightmares about since. But I guess maybe the time has come to accept his choice and possibly consider it as an alternative too. With world oil selling at $125+ a barrel, it is probably a foregone conclusion that the days of relatively cheap fuel is gone for good.
It is just amazing how much gas we use on a daily basis. Just take a moment to look at Florida Avenue here in Lakeland at around 9 am. It is a literal madhouse of vehicles heading out at a fast clip, some at breakneck speed. Wouldn't it be nice if most of those vehicles were converted into small bikes and conveyances. Of course, that scenario will probably never happen. But it doesn't hurt to dream.
On local television the other day, there was a piece about how scooters, relatively low hp bikes, are the rage at the moment. Some of these motorcycles get from 50 to 100 mpg on the highway. For most of us, that is about one tank a week. And these tanks usually hold less than 5 gallons. Paying $15.00 a week for fuel sounds great. But then there are negatives on this scenario.
For anyone who has had a bike in their younger days, you probably remember how you had to suffer with the environment. Summer afternoon rains are a bothersome detriment. Also the two seasons a year of love bugs is another problem. And most of all, the traffic you have to contend with is a fright. You literally put your life in your hands when riding a bike with cars and SUVs zooming by. Many a bike rider has met their maker as when some inattentive driver pulls out in front of them.
As the high gas prices are expected to be a permanent fixture in our lives. Maybe it is time that Lakeland city authorities might consider making a street for limited pedestrian and bike traffic only. I remember back in the 70's, Tampa converted Franklin street into the Franklin Street Mall with only bike and pedestrian traffic. After all the years, it is still a great destination and it helped revitalize downtown Tampa at a time when inner-city blight was a major problem.
After all the work on the promenade, it would be nice to see pathwork around downtown in which you could bike without the fear of being plowed into. Parks are nice, but safe travel around downtown would make for a much more enjoyable Lakeland. Yes, I am aware of the bike paths designed on the side of many streets. However the fear of being hit by a Cadillac Escalade is all too real. And those bike paths were not made for motor-bikes.
I know I am dreaming out loud this morning. You and I both know that the fuel crisis is forcing changes on our daily lifestyle. Whether we take advantage of the changes or suffer from them is all up to us and the powers that be.
It was distressing to many in the Tampa Bay area this week when news of a security breach at the parent company of Sweetbay Food Stores. The Hannaford Brothers Company apparently had an 'inside' pilfering of credit and debit card data from its Portland Maine headquarters. It is estimated that 4.2 million accounts were compromised while in 'transit'. That is a difference from all the other 'thefts' reported the past couple of years. It seems that the data was retrieved while purchases were occuring. And to make matters worse, apparently the company isn't at fault. A preliminary investigation has shown that the company followed all the standard security protocols.
Now specific details of the break is not forthcoming. The company is understandibly concerned with releasing too much information on their security system. But from what I have read, somewhere in the sequence of a card purchase, while the information is non-encrypted, the data was recorded 'off-line'. This non-encryption is a necessary evil, if not the computer systems would bog down doing encryption instead of transactions. So how to fix this hole is going to be interesting, to say the least.
Now, even though this is a distressing bit of news for many, it is not what brought this to my attention. It is the sad end to the city of Tampa's influence in the food industry. Our area has been known for originating many a national brand from this sunny side of Florida. From Outback, Checkers, Hooter's and various other companies... Tampa Bay has been the source for some of the more successful companies in the nation. But most brands have their national headquarters somewhere else these days. Thankfully, its good to know that Publix is still controlled nationally right here in Lakeland. But alas, Kash N' Karry, now known as Sweet Bay is corporately controlled from New England.
Sometimes, I feel like I've been living under a rock. There is so much information that we are bombarded with on a daily basis, your're bound to ignore or passively read information that later becomes important to you. Sweetbay is one of them. I, for a long time knew that Kash 'N Karry/Sweetbay was having trouble finding their niche in the local grocery scene. Along with Winn-Dixie and Albertsons, finding a spot of success between high-end Publix and discount level Wal-mart has been a daunting task.
But with Sweetbay, most of us 'old-timers' have a 'sweet' spot, no pun intended, for the grocery chain. As a little boy, I remember going on a regular basis to the Kash N' Karry on Broadway Avenue (MLK Blvd) on the east side of Tampa. It was unlike stores today, it was a wooden building with few of the conveniences available today. But like all early memories, there was a nostalgic tint to the place. But it was in the day, when you knew your grocer by name, and valued their opinion. But times have changed, and it is a shame that we have few neighborhood grocers anymore.
So I was amused to hear on the Today Show the other day, some of the hosts were talking about how they were amazed how the rest of the country had these huge grocery stores to shop in. It seems in downtown New York, you can only shop at the corner grocery or deli. There are no box stores, or convenience stores to speak of. I've been through New York a few times, and my wife was raised just north of the city. But I never noticed it to be that way. It is comforting to know that there still is a place where the old fashioned corner store is the only place to buy groceries.
After a little research, I find that 3 years ago Kash N' Karry was bought by the Delhaize Group, an international company based in Belgium. Also owning The Hannaford Brothers Company, Delhaize has been quietly increasing its success in the grocery business. From what I hear, Sweetbay is now being marketed as a high-end competitor against Publix. The company dumped the 90 year Kash N' Karry brand to help fix a persona which included multiple management changes over the past few years.
The Tampa Bay area has always been a small fish when it comes to capital and business opportunity. These guppies were bound to be gobbled up, sooner or later. And you know, I guess it is probably for the best, but it still seems a shame that they dumped the Kash N' Karry brand that goes way back to days of the Greco family and that old wooden store on Broadway. Just as the Maas Brothers brand is barely remembered, so too the Kash N' Karry brand will fade into history.
I'm not trying to make this blog into an obituary list, but it is hard to stay silent when great actors of the world leave us.
Today it is the death of Paul Scofield. Most of you probably do not remember the man. But what he did do on cellulite was enough to warrant a notice of passing. He won an Oscar for "A Man For All Seasons". Most, myself included, had little exposure to his work. The bulk of his career was in the theatre, with only a smattering of film productions. His presense was noted in Hollywood first in Burt Lancaster's "The Train", and then the role of a lifetime, of Sir Thomas More in "A Man For All Seasons". Later years he worked the title role in "King Lear", the French King in "Henry V", and even played the Ghost in Mel Gibson's "Hamlet". Gibson once commented that playing a scene with Paul Scofield was like being thrust into the ring with Mike Tyson.
One thing to admire about Paul Scofield was that he was a different type of actor. He lived a life of relative obscurity, displaying no ego to speak of. After plying his craft, he would travel daily (if possible) back to his modest home where his wife and children lived. It was located only miles from where he was born. It was said that he had turned down hundreds of roles in his lifetime.
Scofield was rumored to have been offered a knighthood which he declined. Once, asked why, he stated it wasn't something he would like in his life. He said that if he needed a title, what's wrong with Mr.? The greatest praise you could ever recieve would be from others of your chosen profession. Richard Burton once said of Scofield: "Of the 10 greatest moments in the theater, eight are Scofield's."
One of his last jobs in motion pictures was his performance in Robert Redford's "The Quiz", in which he was nominated for an Academy Award as "Best Supporting Actor" in 1994. He also was praised for his work in 1996 as 'Judge Danforth' in "The Crucible".
Scofield died as he had lived, quietly at the age of 86, in a hospital near his home town of Sussex, England.
Arthur C. Clarke has left us. The visionary died at his home in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He was a giant in the world of Science Fiction. As a predictor of future technology, He was very influential in changing the attitudes toward space. Many of today's scientists and space travellers claim their career path was influenced from something he wrote.
Clarke is considered the father of the communication satellite. He wrote a technical paper in 1945 on the feasibility of geo-stationary satellites. He was dissuaded by a lawyer from copyrighting his concepts. Later, he made fun of his faux pas, with the short article, "A Short Pre-History of Comsats, Or: How I Lost a Billion Dollars in My Spare Time."
But most will remember him as the author of 2001: A Space Odyssey. His book was an exceptional story about aliens bringing the human race to the next level of evolution. Sadly, Stanley Kubrick's movie adaptation left the ending muddied and nearly incomprehensible.
I, like many baby-boomers, grew up reading his books. His creations helped stoke my love of Science-Fiction and have a revered place in my library. His books are next to other pioneers in 20th century science fiction. The early decades of the genre had only a few 'stars'. Clarke was one of the few. I consider him in the same vein as A. E. van Vogt, Frederik Pohl, Poul Anderson, Ray Bradbury, Issac Asimov, H. G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Jules Verne.
His books are still vivid in my mind. My favorites are:
Childhood's End
2001: A Space Odyssey
Hammer Of God
The Songs of Distant Earth
Imperial Earth
Rendezvous with Rama
Clarke's love for the oceans prompted him to move from his native Britain to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He spent his later years Scuba Diving and running a successful Dive business. He also served as a consultant for CBS News for some of the Apollo moon launches, and collaborated with other authors on various writing projects. His vision, ingenuity, and enthusiasm will be sorely missed.
I have a personal stake in the new HBO mini-series called "John Adams". My Grandmother was an Adams and her father had stated that we are related to the two presidents with that last name. In my years of research, I have yet to find the connection between the Adams of Massachusetts and my family tree. I've successfully researched my branch back to the 1600s but in Virginia and Jamestown instead of Massachusetts. Over the years, Most of my great grandfather's statements have turned out to be true. And I have no reason to dispute him on this.
But putting family aside, being a fervent History Hound, I relished the first two installments of Tom Hanks' production Sunday night. Some critics have panned the series as being rather dry, lacking in enjoyment. I want to dispute those detractors. This mini-series is one of the best I have ever seen on HBO. And that says a lot when you think of the excellence of 'Band of Brothers' and 'From the Earth to the Moon'.
I will admit that there are segments of the first two episodes that would be very difficult for some x-generation people to sit for. It is best described as watching and listening to a political speech. Sometimes, there is less action, and more oratory than what the younger generation would find pleasing. But to get into this mini-series you need to get into the right frame of mind. This production is all about time travel, experiencing what the founding fathers went through. It emphasizes relative accuracy and imperfectness in an attempt to portray how human these people really were.
But there are, as in all film productions, some literary license taken with the overall facts. I don't condemn Tom Hanks or Director Tom Hooper for their changes. There is always a trade-off between being historically accurate and making a enjoyable story. Some of those changes are made for pacing reasons. For example, in the trial of the British troops responsible for the 'Boston Massacre'. In that episode, Adams defended the soldiers, in which he successfully defended all to acquittal. In reality, the captain and the soldiers where actually tried separately. And two were found quilty of manslaughter, even though the verdict was reduced later on a technicality. In reality, the trial would of been plodding and rather difficult to follow.
It is interesting that the same critics that have complained about the accuracy of the product, are pretty much the same that complain about the 'dryness' of the story. To correct one, would of made the other worse. No, Hanks and company did a great balancing act on this portrayal. There is little that I would of done better. Oh, wait a moment... it would of been nice to have seen a segment involving the 'Boston Tea Party'. It was skipped over, with only a cursory comment on it after the fact. I get the feeling that it probably was left on the cutting room floor. Maybe we will see it on the DVD release.
A moment about the actors. Paul Giamatti as John Adams was a stroke of genius. He portrays a plain imperfect John Adams. As in reality, Adams was a pudgy, bombastic, 'full of himself' individual who publicly was saved by his partner in life, Abigail Adams. To say that Adams would never have become the president without her is truly an understatement. Laura Linney is superb as Abigail. She portrays a woman not afraid to speak her mind to her husband. Their partnership is really the center of this whole mini-series. Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin is another great selection. When he first enters the drama, he isn't wearing his glasses, and you think of it as being a mis-cast. But when he puts on his trademark glasses, he looks very much like our mind's eye of Franklin. He plays him frail and looking all of his 60+ years. And finally, David Morse as Washington is uncanny. The eyebrows, the large nose, even a look of a man struggling with bad teeth, truly amazing. If for nothing else, I expect this mini-series to get awards for casting.
Expect segments of this series to be shown one day in schools. An amazing portrayal of those times. Along with the story, it shows the warts and rabble of revolution. The dirty, unkempt, disheveled look of a young America. And it shows that these people were not that different from us.
There is one scene that condenses how common these men were. After unanimously voting to declare independence from Britain, for a couple of minutes, the room is silent, no one stirs... it is as if all are stunned in what they had just done. You can just see the realization on their faces of the massive moment in time they had just lived. Superb!
In closing, it is said that exceptional people are not born, they are made by exceptional times. And this film series is the best portrayal yet made of such times.
I have never been much of a fan of Oliver Stone. His films usually are a little too sensational for me. And I doubt I will seek out his next project either. But in production right now is a film called "Pinkville". and I pray it will bring a spotlight to the despicable injustices our country's military meted out in the Vietnam War.
If you are on the young side, I guess you are excused for not knowing of our personal atrocity. Codename: "Project Pinkville" was better known as the "My Lai Massacre". American GIs killed as many as 500 Vietnamese villagers in a futile attempt to wipe out Viet Cong units in the surrounding area. Most of the bodies were of old men, women and children.
Military intelligence had claimed that the villages at My Lai harbored elements of Viet Cong's 48th NLF Battalion. Anyone there was considered Viet Cong or an Ally. Before the raid, the colonel in charge told his men to "go in there aggressively, close with the enemy and wipe them out for good". Some of the officers told their troops that all the 'good people' had left for the day's market and anyone else were Cong Sympathizers and were to be eliminated.
When the troops landed, no fighters were found, but officers told their troops that they were probably hiding under the huts. The slaughter started, then increased expontentially. Later on, a three man scout helicopter crew landed and went to the defense of the villagers. The pilot, Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson Jr., as he helped survivors to the relative safety of his aircraft, told his crew that if any of the soldiers fired on the villagers, they had his order to shoot them.
In the aftermath of this (can't think of another word) atrocity, the military covered up the facts pretty well. Various letters from witnesses were sent to the government. Almost all were ignored. But one in particular went to US Representative Morris Udall. He helped push a congressional investigation that helped bring out much of what we know of the occurence. What happened and why is a long drawn out affair. It is something that every person advocating American intervention in a foreign land should read. Here is an excellent account from the University of Missouri' Law School.
Some would ask why I bring this up now, when there is so much more we could talk about? Today is the 40th anniversary of this horror. Survivors and family returned to the site today, to talk about forgiveness and hope for the future. The Associated Press Report that I have seen is difficult to read. It tells of personal stories how these innocents were horribly wronged.
Many detractors still say that they were complicit with the Cong and got what they had coming to them. Just read the article and ask yourself how babies and children could be so threatening? Even today, we talk about waterboarding and doing things to adversaries that are justified for our continued security. There is a moral boundary that we need to remind ourselves of. No matter how threatened we are as a people, our faith and devotion to what is right should never be compromised for any reason.
It is difficult to blame our soldiers for being in such a situation, when their officers forced them into this massacre. Some were willing participants. Many killed for revenge for fallen buddies recently killed in action. But quite a few refused to fire on the people. And others gave in after being threatened themselves. But you know it seems then, as in now, the upper ranks of the military never face justice in such crimes.
It seems that the common soldier, the one that placed his life on the line, is ALWAYS the one blamed. As in Abu Graib or 40 years ago at My Lai, the people really responsible, never face their punishment. But then, maybe in the next world they will!
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Note: Helicopter Crew: Pilot Hugh Thompson Jr., Crew Chief Glenn Andreotta, and Door Gunner Lawrence Colburn were given the "Soldiers Medal" in 1998 for their bravery in rescuing the survivors. Today, Lawrence Colburn is at My Lai. Earlier, he was given a well deserved hero's welcome.
One good thing about our modern calendar is that we don't have to wait long to celebrate something. Yes Campers, it is time for another holiday, St. Patrick's Day. This is another religious holiday that someone said "Hey, I'll drink to that" which in turn snowballed into a celebration in debauchery that would of made Marquis de Sade smile.
You have your size z Green Hat, your Cloverleaf Boxer Shorts, Green Hair, the traditional Tankard/Sippy Beer Cup, and your 'made yourself' Green Dyed Ybor City Devil Crabs. Hey, you are ready for the mayhem. So what are we celebrating? Who the Hell Cares!!
Seriously, this is one of the traditional Catholic holidays that has lost its way. I bet you can ask anyone in a sports bar on Monday why we celebrate SP Day... you will get one dominant answer. FOR THE BEER. Even if you have a little of the Emerald Isle blood floating in you, it is hard to find much in the celebration that would remind you of the Saint that this is supposed to be about. Of course, it has been designated as the official national holiday of Ireland. But only Ireland and parts of Canada consider it an official holiday. The rest of the world celebrates it after work (or play). It is an official Catholic holiday in which it has become a designated official "Feast Day". Surprisingly, the largest St. Patrick's Day Parade is not even in Ireland. It is done every year in New York City. More than 2 million people will attend or participate. Only half a million is expected to turn out this Monday at Dublin's official parade.
When it comes to holidays, this one has some of the weirdest traditions. You probably have seen pictures of Chicago's river dyed green. Did you know that Savannah Georgia each year dyes all its city fountains green. The main canal in Indianapolis also turns an emerald shade. And 12 city blocks at the University of Missouri is 'mopped' green just before their annual parade. In Denmark, they have a 'Three-Legged' Charity Race put on by the local pubs of Copenhagen. 50,000 participants will dance and drink in the streets of Buenos Aires to celebrate the holiday. It will continue until around 8 a.m. in the morning. In the Tipperary Hill section of Syracuse, New York, it is the location of the famous "Green on Top" traffic light. Every SP Day at midnight, a shamrock is painted on the street under the light. In Baseball spring training games in Florida and Arizona, a couple of the teams will wear green uniforms, but many more will wear special green caps.
Well enough of this, hope you all have a great St. Patrick's Day... The tradition states that anyone not wearing green can be pinched. So remember on Monday, you can pinch (Without the chance of a sexual harrassment lawsuit), or be pinched. And remember to Drink Responsibly. If you do get caught drinking and driving, just remember that "The Leprachaun Drove" will not be accepted as a legitimate excuse.
Today is the 129th birthday of one of the greatest geeks that have ever walked this earth. I am talking about Albert Einstein. He has been revered for his theories. His work changed the scientific community of the 20th century, and helped contribute to the explosion of knowledge in his lifetime. Now everyone has heard of his theory of relativity and how he helped map out the harnessing of nuclear energy. But most are not aware that he had a well defined sense of humor. In later years, he hated his celebrity status and tried to stay recluse. but so often he would quip something showing his humor and social sensibility.
To commemorate his birthday, here are some of his more famous quotes:
"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
"When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it seems like two hours, that's relativity!"
"If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith"
"If A equals success, then the formula is A = X + Y + Z. X is work. Y is play And Z is keep your mouth shut"
"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources"
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former"
Now some would object of me calling Einstein a geek. However, he had many of the trademarks. He was nearly 4 years old before he would talk. And when he did, under his breath, he would try out a sentence to himself before saying it out loud. At the age of 6, he was forced to learn the violin by his mother. Which wound up giving him an life-long appreciation for violin concertos. He loved hearing or telling jokes. It is well known that while living in the US, he would sometimes forget his address.
You know he rarely wore socks. Once, someone asked him why, his reply..."When I was young I found out that the big toe always ends up making a hole in a sock, so I stopped wearing them."
Now, if for anything else, that is a man to remember!
Yesterday, a low-key retirement ceremony was conducted at Hollowman Air Force Base for the 27 year old F-117 Stealth Fighter. It is being put in mothballs at the Tonopah Test Range Airfield in Nevada next month. Back in the 80's, when the existence of this advanced fighter finally became public knowledge, it was touted as able to sneak through enemy radars, and even with a 'fighter' designation, effectively dropped bombs on enemy targets.
It was used in the Invasion of Panama in 1989. In 1991, it bombed targets thousands of times in the First Gulf War. And has been used sporadically since. Only one aircraft was lost to enemy fire. Back in 1999, an F-117 was shot down in Serbia, when Serbian Missile Command determined that they could detect the aircraft for short periods of time when they set their radar detection equipment on a long wavelength pattern. Speculation is that the limited use of the fighter since, was because of this detection zone and that it has become common knowledge in the military world.
Including the one lost in combat, 7 planes were lost in it's operational history. The 58 plane fleet will be kept in retirement, in a condition that would make it easily re-deployable if a situation arises. But will they continue to have pilots trained to jump into the cockpit in the future? In 2006, the Air Force closed the F-117 pilot school. The first 10 planes were retired at that time. The rest will go in mothballs in April. I wonder how long it would take to man the planes in a crisis.
The stealth technology will continue though. The deployment of the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning will keep stealth fighters in the active fleet. Of course, F-117's sister ship, the B-2 Bomber is still in the arsenal and will continue for many years to come.
Considering these planes cost $122 million each, you get the feeling the military wants to retire these planes with little fanfare considering how much military money is being retired with these things. It is interesting, except for a couple of newspaper articles, very little has been reported on this retirement. Considering the 24 hour news cycle, you'd think one of the television news networks would note it.
This week has been designated 'Girl Scout Week' here in the US. And you can be sure that the troops will be out selling those wonderful cookies in your neighborhood. It has been a 90 year tradition of the Girl Scouts selling cookies. Unlike years before, there are "cookie booths" available now everywhere. In Polk County, the booths are in front of all Wal-Mart and Publix stores.
Not well known by the average consumer, the cookies are baked by one of two national bakeries. ABC/Interbake Foods and Little Brownie Bakers are the two licensed for this year's cookies. Each scout council decides which one will make their product. And also, there are only 3 mandatory types of cookies that each baker must provide. Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos and Trefoils are always available. Many ask for 'Samoa's each year. Actually, 'Samoas' are a copyrighted cookie of Little Brownie Bakers, while Interbake provides 'Caramel deLites', a similar cookie. Each baker can have as many as eight varieties each year. And it is up to the baker to develop the other five'.
Now, the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida this year have selected "Little Brownie Bakers". At the booths around town, the following cookies are available:
Sugar Free Chocolate Chips: For those who need or prefer a sugar free cookie.
Do-Si-Dos: Crunchy oatmeal cookies with peanut butter filling.
Lemon Chalet Cremes: Sandwich cookie with a touch of cinnamon-ginger spice.
Samoas: Vanilla cookies, covered in caramel, rolled in toasted coconut, with strips of chocolate.
Tagalongs: Cookie topped with peanut-butter, then covered in chocolate.
Thin Mints: Thin pepermint wafer, covered in a chocolate coating.
Trefoils: A classic shortbread cookie.
If you are planning to buy some, be quick, the cookie sales will completely end this weekend! If you would like to volunteer to help the Girl Scouts, go to West Central Florida's website for all the details.
Bon Apetite
Oh by the way, eat a Samoa for me... being diabetic, it is just too much.
It always hurts when jobs and money are sent overseas. And it stings when it is our own government that sends them there. But it is the right thing to do, with it being the price to be paid for dishonesty and skulduggery by a defense contractor. Today's headlines are screaming that Boeing supporters are targeting John McCain and the present administration for letting the military select a European aircraft company for a $35 billion dollar contract for Air Force refuel tankers.
Back in 2001, The Air Force started plans to replace the aging KC-135 refueling tanker fleet with a new aircraft. Initially, Boeing won a contract for 100 new tankers. It would of been more cost-effective with Boeing, since the KC-135 planes are of Boeing design. Well, to make a long story short, the contract awarded looked pretty much as a sweet-heart deal. There were other bids that were more favorable. But they were ignored and a fast-track Boeing contract was awarded.
After some newsmen started questioning the contract, an investigation was started in Congress. The man in charge of the committee, you guessed it, was John McCain. Subsequently, two individuals were sent to prison over the contract. Found out that Darleen Druyan, the Chief Air Force Procurement Officer responsible for picking the contract was set to become a Boeing executive in the near future. She was recruited for that position by Boeing's Chief Financial Officer, Michael Sears. It was determined that the awarded contract was payback for her new job. Both were convicted and sentenced to prison.
Now before you complain about the money going overseas, here are the facts. The contract was awarded to Los Angeles based Northrop-Grumman Corporation, along with its parent company, Europe's Airbus. It is not the first time that our government has done business with Northrop. Our B-2 Stealth bomber was developed and produced by this company. Also Northrop is developing the next-generation aircraft carrier designated CVN-21. Executives have stated that they plan on developing and producing the tankers at a new assembly plant to be built in Alabama. So except for the executive level of operation, most of the money will be spent in this country.
So in the long run, Boeing is expected to formally protest the contract, and will inundate subsequent news cycles with woe-is-me stories about how an injustice this decision is. And McCain, along with other officials will be branded as villians. But it is right for government officials to penalize a company for their deceit. It seems that for a long time, our military contractors could do whatever they wanted, since they believed the government would be afraid to go out of their circle for procurements. Since globalization is blurring national boundaries, and our government is opening up to doing business with multi-national contractors, we just might start seeing a better return on our military dollars!
Yesterday afternoon I put up a blog about Patrick Swayze. I quoted information I obtained from a UK news source, and confirmed it at a newspaper site in Massachusetts. Late last night much of that information was refuted by Swayze's doctor. It is with great relief that his cancer isn't as bad as first reported.
As you might of read, the reports stated that doctors had given Swayze at best five weeks to live. That he had lost 20 pounds and was on a liquid diet. Apparently most of it was incorrect. Here is the statement from Patrick's doctor:
Dr. George Fisher stated "Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment. All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic."
It is said this morning that Swayze is active and is currently working on two film projects.
Even though his pronosis is much better than first reported, a 'Pancreatic Cancer' is one of the worst and is very serious. Let's pray that yesterday's report isn't a fullfilling prophesy. May his future be long and productive.
Coinciding with our usual Spring 'rabies' outbreak, it is time for the 'Daylight Savings Time' insanity once again. This Sunday you are obliged to set your clock one hour forward. It is a singular madness that seems to agitate our life this time of year. And these days, you can thank your local convenience store for sponsoring it.
[ Fanfare ] A quick rundown of the facts. DST was originally created by an englishman named William Willett in 1905. He did it so that Londoners would have more time to ride horses and play golf. During the two world wars, both England and America enacted DST. Winston Churchill was an avid supporter. The controversy of changing the clock for purposes of having more daylight hours has flourished over the years. After World War II, most of the world reverted back to Standard Time. Daylight Savings Time was used sporadically here in the states for a few years.Then it was voted into law in 1966 making it a national standard. It was renewed for 20 more years in 1987.Thanks to a successful lobbying campaign by the makers of Kingsford Charcoal (Clorox). After another 20 years, our current law was passed in 2005. it was lobbyed heavy by the National Association of Convenience Stores and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. To save energy, the new law even extended the duration of Daylight Savings Time. With this new legislation, we are now on it longer than Standard Time.
Originally, it was usually the first Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October. Thus the phrase 'Spring forward, Fall back'. However, with the current extension, it has changed to the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November. Some have proposed the catchy phrase be changed to 'March forward, Fall back', since Spring hasn't arrived to most of the country yet. When the new law was written, it gave all states the option to not use DST. But if the state did, it had to use the same dates. Florida did enact it and is in step with most of the country. Hawaii, Arizona, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands opted out and will stay on standard time this Sunday.
A scientific study just released last month, states that we used more energy last year than before. It pretty much states that the whole idea of DST has worn out its effectiveness. Back when most lived on a standard work schedule, it made sense to have more daylight hours. But with a world that is 24/7 in scope, changing the clock for daylight seems meaningless.
Now in this story, there is something that I personally don't understand. Why would a 'Convenience Store' association get involved in lobbying for the extension? Wouldn't it be to their profitable benefit to have more Standard Time, since most convenience stores make their living by catering to the after-hour crowd? It seems the reasons for their campaign is beyond my limited intellectual capacity. But then the whole idea of manipulating the clock for a little extra sunlight has always seemed rather stupid and shortsighted.
It was once delayed, and reworked by the director. Then it was made the primary PR promotion of the Fox TV Network. You'd think it was the second coming of the Almighty. Considering the hype over the past 6 months, let's hope it isn't the second coming of 'Howard the Duck'. If it is only half as good as the promos, it should be a welcome addition to this 'writers' mangled tv season.
New Amsterdam is a drama with a common sci-fi construct. It is about New York police detective John Amsterdam (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). He started out in life over 300 years ago as a dutch soldier. He saves the life of a native american girl, who in turn makes him immortal. The only way he can die is to finally find his true love. For what I hear, the series is more a cop drama, than a romantic one. And many of the critics are complaining of the writing. Most, even the ones that like it, say that the writing could of been a lot better. Maybe that is the reason it was 'redone' last year before this debut. Supposedly, he has had many wives (and girlfriends), and there are a lot of his children around the city that keeps his secret. An interesting quirk that I hope they capitalize on.
Well to get you in the mood, here is a little critique from people that make a good living reviewing these things...
Mark A. Perigard of "The Boston Herald" “New Amsterdam” is a bit “Highlander” mashed with “Angel” and relies on flashbacks to tell B-stories about John’s past. It has cult show stamped all over it. Its heart is in the right place; its brains seem to be in a different time zone.
Tim Goodman of "The San Francisco Chronicle" They spent a lot of money on the pilot of "New Amsterdam," but maybe not enough on the writers. Or, more accurately, the plot.
Glenn Garvin of "The Miami Herald" If the premise of "New Amsterdam," a Fox drama originally scheduled for last fall that makes its delayed debut Tuesday, sounds a little comic-bookish, the show's execution is anything but. This tale of a lonely cop left behind by everyone - partners, friends, lovers, even the criminals he pursues - has a piercing melancholy that elevates it way above its fantasy trappings.
Tom Lowry of "Variety.Com" Fox can easily be accused of coasting with mostly safe and undistinguished scripted choices since being doused in the glow of "Idol," and this latest entry does little to dispel that impression. The series offers a message, though, that the network's development team should take to heart -- a reminder that in TV, too, nothing lives forever.
Anyways, I hope it turns out to be decent. If not, well it is back to the mediocrity of waiting for a new House episode.
After pondering Henry the VIII, it is only fitting that I voice my feelings on current royal events. In so doing, I'd like to talk a little about the outing of Britain's Prince Harry this past weekend. A little background...
Prince Harry, third in succession to the Windsor throne, last year, wanted to go with his unit to Iraq and serve on the frontline. But after an Al-Qaeda communique stating that he will be hunted down and executed, the military refused to put him in harm's way. They couldn't take the chance. It would of endangered him, and the troops that would serve with him. After the denial, the whole situation faded into the past. Then this weekend, the story was leaked that he has been serving on the frontline in Afghanistan for the past couple of months. How the world learned of his deployment is the real story I'd like to tell.
First off, he was deployed after a personal request was made by his grandmother, the Queen. After agreeing to her request, the defense ministry contacted all the news outlets asking them not to make his deployment public. They agreed and kept their promise to their monarch. In modern British journalism, it was an astounding achievement. You might not be aware, that the media outlets in Britain are about the roughest, cut-throat competition on the planet. To have all of them agree to NOT release this information is just short of a miracle. These newspaper rags practically fisticuff it on a daily basis. Their self-servant attitude makes Geraldo Rivera look timid.
So it was left to 'colonial' sources to out ole poor Harry. Back on January 7th, the magazine 'New Idea' in Australia posted a notice that Prince Harry was serving in Afghanistan. It was mostly ignored by the world's media. The mag is a 'womens' magazine that doesn't get too much into the news of the hour. In retrospect, the editors now claim that they were unaware of the news-blackout and didn't think much of the announcement when first posted. Note: A german magazine noted the deployment too, but being in German it never got any traction. Anyways, Matt Drudge (the Drudge Report) got wind of it, and then the premiere Muck-Raker of Western Civilization made sure that every man, woman and child (and some pets) knew that Harry was serving in Harm's Way.
Now, many are condemning Drudge for not sitting on the story. But in fairness to him, 'New Idea' should get most of the blame. Even though he isn't totally innocent, you can't blame Drudge for being who he is. This isn't the first time he has outed people in the sake of being true to his journalistic ideals (I am being sarcastic!). His Monica Lewensky outing is the most famous. And in the past few weeks, the Barack Obama'Tribal' picture was first posted at Drudge Report, with Matt claiming it came from a Clinton political hack. He has effectively become a lightning rod for any dirt that needs to be 'aired'. It is rumoured that political operatives on both sides of the creek have used Drudge to out information on opponents. And being an opportunistic bas.... er, reporter, he openly offers his podium as their door to the world media stage.
Now the situation with Prince Harry is a whole different thing. Unlike most who deserve to be outed, Harry Windsor hadn't harmed anyone. Most are praising him for doing what many would be reluctant to do. He believes in his country and should be admired for leaving his life of leisure and pomp, to serve in the ditches, dirt and danger of Afghanistan. In response, he said in yesterday's first interview back in Britain, that it was the best time of his life. Here he was in the trenches, no one knew who he was. He was just another soldier serving his country.
Okay, in closing, I believe Drudge should of delayed his scoop on Harry. Only thing he accomplished was to make the man a target. What would Drudge's reputation be like if, heaven forbid, Harry was killed there because of the outing? I expect it would of minimized the importance of this 'journalist' and people would probably look at his efforts with a whole different light!
A new movie is coming out that brings us full circle again with the most infamous 'relationship' in history. The name of the movie is 'The Other Boleyn Girl'. And you guessed it, Henry the VIII is the man with the roving libido. It is a perennial storyline that has been done quite often in Hollywood. This version is about, well the 'Other Boleyn Girl'.
Mary Boleyn was the mistress of Henry before her sister Anne came on the scene. Since I have not seen this movie, I cannot review it per se. However, from the comments of some who have, it seems that this is more soap-opera than an historical account.
In fact, Canadian Jay Stone of Canwest News states that the movie is 'a glum but galloping epic that turns the 16th-century court of England into a season of All My Children, but with sillier hats'. Also, I hear that the two girls vie for the attention of ole Henry, which is so far from historical records.
It is well documented that Anne kept Henry VIII at arm's length, and resisted his amorous advances. Her requirement of marriage is widely attributed to causing Henry (and England) breaking away from the Catholic Church. That break caused repercussions that are still felt to this day. The 'Troubles' in Ireland was caused by this schism between Catholics and Henry's Protestant followers. Thousands have died over the years, many by the torch, for the wandering liaisons of Henry the VIII. Pardon my french, but it wound up being a very high price for a royal 'piece of ass'.
However, It will be interesting to see an account of Mary Boleyn. In history, and in Hollywood, she has always been a bit actor in this royal drama. Her role in English history is rarely accounted for in Hollywood storytelling. I will probably see this movie for that purpose. But then, I'm a history hound and usually see these type of movies anyways.
Something that few in this country know, Mary Boleyn was also the mistress of King Francis I of France before getting involved with Henry. After that affair ended, she was thrown out of France and came home to England. She married Court Courtier, Sir Henry Carey. Amazing, Henry was a guest at their wedding. It has been said that the subsequent affair resulted in both of her children being sired by the King. Of course, in such moments of the heart (and other organs), historical evidence is extremely rare, and most of this is pure speculation. However, there are accounts claiming that Mary's son, Henry, was the spitting image of Henry.
But after all the centuries since, who really cares. History is something that cannot defend itself. It is what it was, and movie directors know that a 14th removed relative is not going to file suit against them. A better portrayal of these affairs would be 'Anne of a Thousand Days' starring Richard Burton and Geneviève Bujold. It had it's moments of 'Literary License'. But considering all the others, it was an exceptional Bio-Pic. I highly recommend it. We, as the viewing public have to accept these bio-pics as just as what they are, entertainment. No matter how much we want to consider these events as being fact, it is all a writer's creation. Even plays by Shakespeare were more fiction than fact. Hey, if Willie can do it... why not Hollywood.
