Tuesday Tidbits

 I went this morning for a AAA scan (Abdominal Aorta Aneurism).  It is a sonogram to tell if my abdominal aorta is about to spring a leak.   When they scheduled it a week ago, I old then it was a waste of time and money.  I'm okay.  The doc insisted, because he doesn't believe me when I tell him something.  Evidently, this test is VERY fucking important.

So, I went this morning and got the scan done. I was right.  It was a waste of time and money. Scan showed absolutely no problems. It was a wase of my time and your tax dollars.

On another note, I heard that the 82nd Infantry Division (Airborne) just got a warning order. The headquarters elements are moving east with the full division to follow shortly.  That is interesting.

On a more local note, we learned yesterday that our recently retired Sheriff was killed in what is characterized as a hit-and-run.  Rumors abound.  I worked for that man for eight years, and while I did not always agree with him, I always thought his heart was in the right place.  Rest in Peace, Sheriff.

F-35 Damaged

 I see that an F-35 was damaged this weekend by hostile fire.  The pilot is fine. Everyone is okay.

The pearl-clutches are wondering how this happened?  The F-35 is stealthy, invisible, invincible.  No, it's not.  It's an aircraft. It's a fine, technologically advanced aircraft, but it is still just a metal tube.

There is still a thing called the Golden BB, and it still comes into play.  Basically, if the enemy throws enough crap into the sky, a plane will inevitably run into some of it. The Golden BB has been around forever, and aviators know about it. Eventually, some sonofabitch gets lucky.

The pilot is okay, the airframe can be repaired.

Chuck Norris

 I learned yesterday of the passing of Chuck Norris.  He was certainly an icon. A proud US veteran, a movie and TV star,  He played larger-than-life roles He supported the troops, traveling to unnamed battlefields to entertain them.  He did it all with self-deprecating good humor. He celebrated the absolutely absurd memes that followed him, understanding that the fans needed to laugh.

He counted to infinity, twice.

He was in all the Star Wars movies.  He was The Force.

Chuck didn't die.  The Earth just moved into a lower plane of existence.

Rest in Peace, Chuck.

Spring Time

 Yeah, I know, it's not till tomorrow, historically.  But, according to Google, the vernal equinox is today. Regardless, here in sub-tropical Louisiana, it's been spring for a week or so.  The oaks are budding, along with the pecan trees.  It's spring.

I took the time this morning to put a couple of screws in an outdoor gate.  That should last another 20 years, barring hurricanes. I also changed the pool pump over from winter to summer mode. Cleaned filters, gave everything a good backwash.

Last night, Belle without prompting, flipped the hall thermostat from heat to cool.  We're in that time of year where the heat may be on in the morning, but the AC is on at night. I have noticed that the neighbors are starting to mow grass, but they are fanatics. They hail from suburbia, where a manicured lawn is a source of pride. I'm still a country boy, where grass is something that the cattle eat.

I know that my friends up North are still in the grip of winter, but down here, summer is just around the corner.  We down here still have a pre-Easter cool snap to get through, but after that, summer will come on with a vengeance.

Fractured

 This, from my buddy Termite, who is in the oil industry and (unless I am mistaken) is currently riding an oil rig somewhere in the Gulf.

WTI crude is $95, Louisiana light crude is $98. Western Canadian is $89. Mexican Basket is $92. Meanwhile, Brent is $108, Dubai is $135, DME Oman is $153. https://x.com/zerohedge/status/2034035587464761706/photo/1 This article is very interesting. https://gcaptain.com/the-hormuz-hypothesis-what-if-the-u-s-navy-isnt-in-a-hurry-to-reopen-the-strait/

Yeah, if you follow the links, you will learn that the Strait of Hormuz is a vital lifeline in the global oil market.  When you have a rogue, terroristic regime causing havoc with global shipping, it makes sense that prices are going to fluctuate wildly. 

Many of you don't remember the oil crunch of the late 1970s.  We here in the US had high prices, rationing, gas lines, and severe shortages.  That was Iran, too.  At that time the United States was not energy independent.  We actually relied on Mid East oil for our daily driving.

It could be a whole lot worse, but if we get the Iran problam solved, it could get a lot better.

Hummers

 Talking with a lady at the grocers this weekend, she mentioned that she had hummingbirds on her feeders.  I came home and hanged a feeder. on Saturday.

This morning I saw the first one, a little green buzzer taking advantage of the free sugar water. Winter might not yet be over, but the first hummingbird has arrived on my acre and I'm glad to see it.

Chili Tuesday

Awoke to a light frost this morning, and Belle decided that she had some hamburger meat she needed to cook and today was perhaps her last chance to make chili this season, so she made a big pot of chili.  That works for me.  What we didn't eat today, we'll recycle tomorrow as Frito Pie.  It won't go to waste.

I'm finishing up reloading ammo for Texas State next week.  Yeah, I know, I should have done this in November, but procrastination is a virtue.  I started a couple of weeks ago needing to reload roughly 7000 rounds, and today I'm within 700 rounds of being finished.  I'll be done by the weekend, even if my schedule in interrupted by some sort of catastrophe.  Here lately, I careen from one catastrophe to another. Who know what tomorrow might bring.

For example, last week I took the dawg to a groomer.  He's a little Lhasa Apso, named Benji.  I swear, that dawg is a reprobate.  I have owned good dogs, and he is not one of them.  So, this dawg is at the groomer, the same groomer he's had for four years, and she calls me.  The dawg is having seizures.  Belle goes into a six-foot hover and we go get the dawg.  The groomer tells Belle that the dawg had three seizures.  He's half groomed.

A half-groomed Lhasa is a pitiful sight, but Belle snatches him up and heads to the veterinarian.  Roughly $300 later, we find out that the dawg is an epileptic. He has to take medicine twice a day. I have to administer it to him. He'll growl at Belle, but he knows better than to growl at me.

I love dogs, I really do. I have had dogs my entire life.  But I will not tolerate a dog who thinks that he is the Alpha on my property. Every dog understands that there are rules in the pack, and I am the Alpha. I will give scratches and treats and regular kibble, but I do not tolerate growling or snapping.  

At any rate, I have a dawg who is an epilep, and I have to give him medicine twice a day.  Belle loves him, but I think he's a reprobate.  I guess he and I are okay, because I'm a bit of a reprobate myself.

That's what I'm dealing with right now.

Back To Flannel

 We had a cold front blow through last night.  Barely worth mentioning. A little rain, a little thunder, but the temps were in the mid 70s yesterday and this morning we're in the low 40s. So, I'm wearing flannel this morning. I know that our friends in the Midwest got damaging winds and tornadoes, and our friends up North got snow.

So, I'm out in the sop with the heaters lit to break the chill.  That heater I bought in February is proving its worth.  Easy to light, easy to move around, it sips propane.  Belle is a fan. She thinks it is just the best.

Belle wants ribs for lunch, so I have taken a rack out of the freezer. I'd best start figuring out what the sides will be.

Old Dominion Rocks

 Did y'all hear about this Aloha Akbar mother****** who wandered into a classroom at Old Dominion and started shooting? He shot the instructor, a retired military officer, but the cadets took things to the next level.

Students in the classroom reacted quickly once the shooting began. Authorities say several ROTC cadets confronted the gunman and physically subdued him before police arrived. Officials later confirmed that the suspect died during that confrontation and that he was not shot by the students who intervened. Investigators have not released details about the exact cause of death while the investigation continues. 

He died during the confrontation but was not shot.  I wonder how he died?  Regardless, that is one less enemy combatant we need to worry about.  It also sets the bar for others who have to deal with such nonsense.

Good Job, Old Dominion!

For True and For Certain

 If there is one thing I know for true and for certain, it is what this guy is telling me right here.

The best ones were married to a 4-speed manual transmission and a granny gear.  Want to haul a cattle trailer to the sale barn with a load of heifers?  No problem.  Need to get an overloaded hay trailer out of a field?  No sweat.  Oh, there was sweat in the hay field, but the engine could handle it.

The Ford 300 cubic inch straight six was a beast.  Bulletproof, reliable,  It was the perfect engine for a pickup truck.  Your do-it-all, around-the-farm rig.

My son has one in his barn, promising to rebuild it and put it in a clunker. I can't wait to see it growl back to life.

Little Mo

 As I eat lunch, listening to the news, I hear that the new Supreme Leader of Iran has made a statement, telling us all that he is going to close the strait of Hormuz.

I also hear that he is in a coma, having lost a leg in an Israeli attack.

I wonder why the mullah council in Iran would pick a comatose leader, but then I recall that the entire US population picked a semi-comatose president for the last administration.

So, Little Mo has threatened the two unforgiveable sins of the past 80 years.  1) he's threatening to touch bots, and 2) he wants to increase the price of oil. Those are sins that tend to skew the mortality tables.

Busy

 Busier than hell, lately.  Momma did in November and it's time to break up the estate.  My sister is handling the money.  Dad left Momma in fairly good shape, financially.  I'm handling the real estate.  Lawyers, appraisers, lists of heirs and the accompanying negotiations.  It's a busy time and I think I have turned the corner.  Everyone agrees and no one's feelings are hurt.

Of course, this is also the competition season for CFDA and I'm involved in that.  Just another layer of complexity.

Like many of you, I am  also watching this whole Iran thing.  I don't understand why the IRGC hasn't surrendered yet, or simply deserted.  They cannot win this fights.  The only question is what they can salvage.

Daylight Saving Time

 Here we go again in Louisiana.  At 2:00 am, some of our clocks jumped forward to 3:00.  Lots of folks are going to be late for church this morning.  As for myself, I'm wandering around, changing the old-fashioned clocks.

At this point, the twice-annual change is simply tradition.  I am convinced that none of the reasons we started this are valid today.  It's tradition, the ay we've always done it.

4.9 Magnitude

 

News reports are telling us that north Louisiana experienced a 4.9 magnitude earthquake in Red River parish.

LINKY HERE

We don't normally consider Louisiana to be earthquake country, but the times, they are a-changing.

I went out to tun errands this morning and saw that the car is covered in y3llow pollen.  The pine trees are shedding pollen.  Spring is just around the corner.

Bombs Away

 Cool video here about what purports to be an F-16 dropping munitions on an MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System). Personally, I have no clue what an F-16 cockpit looks like.  He could be flying a Beechcraft for all I know.

CLICK HERE

Still, it's cool video and that MLRS site ain't a threat anymore.

Spring Shower

 Iran the air conditioner in the shop today. Came in the house and turned the thermostat from heat to cool.  Looked outside and noticed that a little shower had popped up. I wasn't expecting that.

Looking at the news, I see that the Navy's Mark 48 torpedoes seem to be working.  First time since WWII that a submarine has taken down a ship with torpedoes.  I bet that crew was pumped!  Years of maintenance and training comes down to one good war shot. The Iranian frigate Sulemani is now on the bottom of the Indian ocean.

Elections

 Texas held their congressional primaries yesterday, and I see that Jasmine Crockett lost her bid to become a US Senator.  Republicans John Cornyn and and Ken Paxton are headed for a runoff in May.

We're going to miss Jasmine.  She gave us some incredible sound bites.

The Hercules

 Surfing tonight, I came across a video about an airframe that is beloved by the Army.  As a young trooper in 1973 we sang songs about it during our morning run.

"C-130 rolling down the strip,  Airborne Daddy gonna take a little trip."

That was back in 1973, and while I never went to parachute school, the C-130, while owned by the Air Force, is beloved of the Army.  It is out Uber, carrying us where we need to go, and it is our Door Dash, bringing is the 3-Bs (beans, bullets, band-aids).

The more I thought about it, the more I was impressed with the longevity.  I was a rookie in 1973 and the Army was already singing songs about it.

So there ya go.  It's a grand old airframe that has been around for a long time.  Long live the C-130.

TellingOnMyself

 I had a productive day.  Belle and I came in the house at about 4:00 and Belle declared Happy Hour. She poured herself a glass of wine, and I stayed in the kitchen to finish up a phone call. The kitchen was dark, no lights on.  I finished he phone call and found my cocktail glass to pour myself a drink.

The kitchen was late afternoon dark.  No lights on, just the diffused light from the window. I filled the glass with ice, poured a healthy shot of bourbon, the grabbed the Coke bottle.  Filled it, took a big sip, and spit that nasty taste across the kitchen. Gagged.  What the hell?

I turned on the light, looked again and found that I had poured myself a bourbon and Worcestershire sauce.  Who put that bottle over there?

I got out the mop and told Belle what had happened.  She collapsed in a gale of laughter.  I can't blame her, that is funny, right there.

I like Wash-your-sister sauce, I do.  But it is no good in Bourbon.

Meme

 A meme I've seen recently.

America:  I'm your huckleberry

Iran: Fights not with you, America.

America: I beg to differ, sir.  We started a game we didn't get to finish. "Death to America", remember?

Iran: I was just fooling about.

America:  I wasn't.

Epic Fury

 Watching news this afternoon, we learn that at least five US service members have been killed as a part of the ongoing operations against Iran.  We mourn their loss.

Part of the problem, as I see it, is that the freedom-loving Iranian patriots have nothing to fight with. How difficult would it be to gather a bunch of AKs, load them into gun cases with a couple of magazines, and "leaflet drop" them in areas where freedom-loving Iranians might find them. Sort of like what we did with the Liberator pistol in World War II?

I do mourn the loss of American service members and pray for their souls and that their sacrifice bears fruit.