Weekend open thread

| August 11, 2017

You’ll probably want to jump ahead to about 9:30 for the view of Sicily Drop Zone on Fort Bragg, because, in the military, life is hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror.

National Airborne Day is five days out.

Category: Open thread

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Silentium Est Aureum

First

Mick

Congrats!

Silentium Est Aureum

Than ya, than ya very mush…

Graybeard

Congrats, SEA.

Commissioner Wretched

Congrats! Outstanding!

desert

Practice well gentlemen..in case you have to go to Nork and kick phat boi’s ass for him personal delivery!!

Mick

2nd

Mick

AKA “1st loser”

Commissioner Wretched

Like Seinfeld’s riff about coming in second … “You come in third, you’re proud – you did well. You come in second – you missed winning by *that* much.” Or something like that.

Forest Green

AKA; “a first second”.

Mick

Schwing!

desert

batter, batter, batter!!

Graybeard

3rd

Graybeard

AKA “2nd loser”

A Proud Infidel®™

Top five and Honorary First!

AW1Ed

Happy weekend, TAH’ers!

ChipNASA

Top ten. I wasn’t going to pee in my chair just for a WOT second or first.

Mick

‘Depends’ are your friends!

Silentium Est Aureum

I’m sensing a distinct lack of motivation and desire in your voice!

ChipNASA

Well, the last time a NASA person was caught wearing diapers, it didn’t go so well. (LMFAO..OK not really, funny but not funny, ya know???)

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/us/06cnd-astronaut.html

Dinotanker

Totally with ya on the not funny but funny thing.

Happens all the time in our dealings with the Dept of Energy.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! Its supposed to drop from 106 to 86 between now and Sunday out here in eastern Washington. (Where is my parka!?)

Bill M

Not First!

UpNorth

Top 10?

Silentium Est Aureum

Actually, I’d like to congratulate TSO and Mrs. TSO for the latest additions to their family.

Hopefully all is well and you’re once again ready for all those sleepless nights.

Graybeard

Seconded.

Commissioner Wretched

Hear, hear!

Thunderstixx

Twins no less. Send money !!!
Congrats to the proud parents !!!

UpNorth

Let me add my congrats.

Graybeard

The agenda around the Graybeard Compound this weekend revolves around moving our d-i-l back across Texas to the Compound as our son works up to a coming deployment.

Wouldn’t you know it – he transfers out of his AB unit just in time to deploy with his new unit. At least on the GB Compound d-i-l has a strong support network.

David

May JJ Watt show up to help like an HEB ad.

Graybeard

That’s funny because our son works for a HEB Foundation entity.
Actually their church is showing up to load the truck, so I suppose JJ can spend his time helping those without the support network we have. (I wouldn’t decline his help, either.)

I’m primarily the truck driver – which includes responsibility for the logistics for balancing the load.

Commissioner Wretched

I figure I’m around 10th this week. C’est la vie.

Toasty Coastie

I move for pics of those beautiful additions to the TSO clan 😀 <3

Silentium Est Aureum

I’ve seen a few. To say big sis is happy would be a great understatement.

Graybeard

At least until she realizes just how much of the attention she is used to getting is now directed to those beautiful additions.

On the other hand, if TSO is lucky, she’ll be like our #1 granddaughter, who really has (mostly) enjoyed her younger siblings.

11B-Mailclerk

“Teammates for troublemaking!” said a young lady upon meeting her new twin siblings.

I -like- how she thinks! She will go far.

AnotherPat

2nd that motion!!

Sapper3307

First out the door, GREEN LIGHT, GO!

Sapper3307

cRAP THATS A CAMO NET!

IDC SARC

that could be a strain 🙂

Hondo

To use a phrase from the old “George of the Jungle” theme song:

“Watch out for that . . . tree.”

Just kidding. Not many trees at Sicily DZ as I recall, and the DZ’s pretty large. So probably not an issue.

Sapper3307

Its the D8 dozer and road grader (thanks 618th Nasty) parked in the dark that hurt the most.

Graybeard

Ouch.

I’ve heard that landing in tank tracks does bad things to legs as well.

AW1Ed

And not to forget the “Super Chicken” theme, “Ya knew the job was dangerous when ya took it…”

Trees? Pish. I had to worry about sharks!

*grin*
Jump!

IDC SARC

Pffft…Tea Bags stay wetter longer than you guys. 🙂

IDC SARC

Wo0t! Many a landing there.

Graybeard

Dang. I can’t see it at work. Have to wait until I return to the Compound.

Claw

Big doings here at Stately Claw Manor for this weekend and into next week.

Both sons and grandkids, plus adopted daughter, will all be congregating for Mrs. Claw’s 70th lap around the sun this coming Tuesday.

So may not be able to be a frequent commenter for a few days.

Scoobys ready for cake and ice cream. Wish us luck.

OWB

Luck, and congrats to Mrs. Claw.

Graybeard

Congrats to Mrs. Claw, and may the celebrations at Stately Claw Manor be enjoyable to all concerned.

AnotherPat

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Claw! Enjoy your special day!You are truly blessed with a wonderful husband and family. Is it true Mr. Claw will be buying you a new pair of white gloves for your future inspections with your son? 😉🎂

Bill M

Happy B-Day to the Mrs. Mine is coming up next week, same number. Where the H*** did the time go?

Ex-PH2

My grandmother used to say ‘It’s all uphill until you hit 70 and then it’s a slide to the end.’

Happy Birthday to Mrs. Claw and may her cackle fests go on forever.

Sj

Congratulations Madam Postmaster!

Hondo

Ten days, Danni-boi.

Lady Karma, I hear she’s comin’ to see ya. And I understand she ain’t smilin’.

Silentium Est Aureum

She’s a bitch, and she’s in heat.

Jessup, little Danni-boi. You’ll be passed around like mashed taters at Thanksgiving dinner.

Tallywhagger

Those lady-judges have been tearing his ass up in court.

Too bad they don’t do public whippings, anymore. Posers and pussy-hatters are being denied their social justice and civil righteousness.

Poor Danni-boi, if he can make it through the first week, or so, in jail, the spasms and convulsions will eventually subside.

Karma can be cathartic. Not to be confused with catheterized. I guess.

Hack Stone

Any truth to the rumor that when Daniel Bernath’s lawsuit against the airplane manufacturer got tossed out, he then sued the operators of Sisters Airport because if they would have installed their runway 200 yards to the south, he never would have crashed?

Tom Huxton

actually, the corn was too tall, or he would have made it. lawsuits against dekalb and monsanto in the works

Wilted Willy

Sorry, I didn’t even come in close this week! Wish me luck on my surgery next Friday, I am praying that I get to keep my bladder. I don’t really want to wear a piss purse the rest of my life! I hope you all have a great weekend, I should hear back from Trump’s VA hotline next week on the investigation into my pos brothers life of lies. Let’s hope he is presented with the silver bracelet award with valor!!!

Ex-PH2

My thoughts are with you, Willy!

Wilted Willy

Thanks Ex, I’ll be thinking about one of your wonderful meals! I’ll let you know how things turn out? Take care!!

Graybeard

Prayers for healing and health, WW.

HMCS(FMF) ret

WW – saying a few extra prayers for you.

IDC SARC

Wishing you the best possible outcome and a short, uneventful recovery .

Hondo

Same here. Get better soon, amigo.

AW1Ed

Hope all goes well, WW.

MrBill

Best wishes to you WW.

AnotherPat

Bill, thoughts and prayers are with you for your upcoming surgery as well as feedback from the VA on your brother. Hang in there-you are one strong soldier!💪

Thunderstixx

Praying for your recovery and your families peace during the operation.

UpNorth

Prayers and good thoughts, Willy.

Silentium Est Aureum

I know that feeling. Best wishes for you.

Bill M

Best of luck, WW.

Fyrfighter

Prayers and thoughts to ya WW. hang tough!

OC

Good Luck WW, you’ll be in my thoughts and prayers.

Regards, OC

David

I may have work to do outside but with 110 degree heat index in the forecast, I am going to invent every inside job I can… gotta install the wife’s new faucet and do some stock inletting for a friend. Maybe binge watch some car porn…

Silentium Est Aureum

I’ve had a bunch of people telling me I need to put “Ozark” on my Netflix binge watch list.

Anyone seen it yet and yea or nay?

Ex-PH2

I was out getting stamps and mailing stuff. Anything important happen? No? Good, ’cause I’m going back to running my errands.

Congrats to Mr.& Mrs. TSO and Viole(n)t.

It’s going to rain. Should be fun.

Mick

It’s raining in my grid square today, too.

Very dreary…

sj

Lot more room (and less noise) in that airplane than the ole C119’s and even the 130’s.

Those troopers had probably “getting ready” for that drop for around 6 hours of hurry up and wait. Airborne!

CCO

I noticed how clean it was.

CCO

New and shiny I meant.

26Limabeans

I got dizzy and almost heaved watching the first minute of that video.

Twist

Sadly I had to give up my Blue Heeler for adoption yesterday. No matter what I tried I couldn’t get her to stop nipping and herding the grandkids so I had to choose between her and them.

Graybeard

Sometimes that is all you can do.
I took in a dumped pup one time – smart as a whip and overall a good dog, except aggressive to the neighbors’ dogs to the nth. After I spent $350 fixing a neighbors’ fiest I hauled him off to the animal shelter and spent another $75 to keep from having to use my .22 on him.

I was always thinking of the chance that he could turn on my grandkids as well.

David

Had to return a lovely red heeler similarly… loved us but growled at the kids when they approached us. I’m much more a dog guy than cat guy but in a matchup with my kids…the dog was gone.

Twist

Mine didn’t growl at the kids, just nip and herd them. She was fine with other dogs as long as she wasn’t with me and then she got aggressive with them.

Ex-PH2

This is why I prefer German Shepherds and Dobies. Both smart as a whip, both loyal and sweet, both good at all obedience skills including schutzhunding. The only drawback for me with Dobes is the very thin coat they are born with, which is not a good thing in a cold climate. Shepherds – best dog I ever had was a Shepherd I found at an animal shelter. I still miss her after all this time.

Graybeard

I prefer Labrador mixes.
The best pup I ever cared for was my brother’s Golden Retriever. Excellent around kids, a terror to intruders. Hated to have to give her back to him. 😉

Ever since, whenever possible it has been a lab mix.

Picked up a Lab/Great Pyrenees from the side of the road once. Excellent with our kids/grandkids, but a real threat to neighbors. Had to be careful with him.

Twist

I still have my Labrador. He is an awesome dog, but sucks at being a lab. I swear he is the only one on the planet that hates water. If he gets loose he will roam the neighborhood checking out the ladies and won’t come to you until he is good and ready. The only way to get him to come to you is to get to where he can see you and then ignore him.

Thunderstixx

I have a Schlab.
Part Schnauzer and Lab.
Best dog with a Frisbee I have ever seen.
Loves to play with it but she has bad hips like so many dogs do nowadays.
She’s got the moustache of a Schnauzer and has a great personality.
I love my baby doggie.
Her idea of doggie fun is riding around in the car and barking at… Whatever…
goofy doggie…

Perry Gaskill

I’ve lately started setting aside items for the WOT that tend to reflect recent updates of other threads, or tie in obliquely. Here’s a first attempt at posting some:

Tennessean Editorial

Anybody following the immigration debate has probably noticed a trend in the mainstream media. It used to be that people who snuck into the country were called “illegal aliens” which was then changed to “undocumented workers.” Now it’s changed again to simply “immigrants” so there is no distinction between who’s here legally and who’s not.

Apparently, somebody at a major metro newspaper has decided enough is enough. An editorial in Nashville’s Tennessean calls out the rest of the press for an insidious trend. The Tennessean should get an attaboy for having the stones to go against the echo chamber.

Salon/Alternet On Mueller Probe

Giving credit where due, there was a strange piece in Salon about how, while the Russiagate probe has been annoying to progressive liberals, it hasn’t actually turned up anything, well, illegal. Basically, Robert Mueller couldn’t be on more of a fishing expedition if he carried a tackle box and bait bucket to work.

Yvette And The Food Guru

I’ll cheerfully admit to being a sexist pig on some topics such as, say, females playing in the NFL. Another area where the male gender seems to have the edge is when it comes to creatively crude and humiliating insults. Anybody who has ever watched a drill sergeant bellow in a recruit’s face, “When I talk to you, I want to see your ears point, maggot” knows what I’m talking about.

So it was with some surprise to see a truly gifted world-class rant by a writer named Yvette d’Entremont on the apparently charlatan food guru David Avocado Wolfe. Nicely done, Yvette. Your metaphorical and honorary Smokey-the-Bear hat is in the mail.

CCO

On Salon???

Perry Gaskill

The embedded link appears to be broken because I left off half of a quote pair. Here’s the raw link:

http://www.salon.com/2017/08/10/the-gripping-story-behind-the-case-for-trump-putin-collusion_partner/

CCO

Thanks.

Skyjumper

Didn’t even try to make “numero uno” today, was too busy picking cukes & ‘maters in the garden. Congrats SEA!

For all of my Viet Of The Nam brothers & sisters on TAH, here is the latest news about the VA deciding on adding more medical conditions to the roster concerning Agent Orange.

Looks like there might be a more than average chance of some of them being approved. Bladder cancer is one of them.

Might not be a bad idea to now start gathering, any and all information, documentation, medical records, etc. that you have if you have had this medical issue so that you can be ready to file.

http://www.military.com/military-report/va-considers-additional-agent-orange-ailments.html?ESRC=mr0807.nl

Texas Nomad

Hypertension? Rate among non-Vet population in that age group is around 70%. Every boots-on-the-ground vet with hypertension will be eligible.

The massive backlog will be glorious for veterans service orgs.

Ex-PH2

High blood pressure? And I’ve been so careful to avoid things that will cause that.

In regard to AO exposure from being in-country VN, I’d like to know how those studies and their results compare to the spill accident at a chemical plant in Seveso, Italy in 1976. Dioxsin is a major component of Agent Orange.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seveso_disaster

That would be an interesting comparison.

Skyjumper

A shout out to EX-Ph2!

Found a great cat t-shirt store for you.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/462181980491161438/

My 1st choice for you:

comment image

2nd choice:

comment image

3rd choice: (keep at the ready for HWSNBN’d encounters)

comment image

ENJOY!! 🙂

11B-Mailclerk

I have seen several SUV decals lately that may also be of interest.

Imagine an orange tiger-striped cat, drawn “Manga” style not he back window, sitting facing away (from the viewer behind the car). The cat is looking over its shoulder at the person, contemptuously scowling or sticking out its tounge.

The tail is the rear wiper, to which orange tape has been added to make tail-stripes. The wiper is on intermittently.

Too. Darn. Funny.

11B-Mailclerk

“On the back window”….sheeeesh..

Perry Gaskill

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Ex-PH2

Punkin has been tasked with the job of finding/killing/not eating the house mouse. So far, only excited noises. But she’ll get the little bugger. Good mouser stock in her.

Ex-PH2

Why, thank you, Skyjumper!!! I like those. I found a site that sells bunny slippers, among other kinds, and another that has cat pajamas and bathrobes. Glad that fall is coming, too.

ifcsguy

Hey Skyjumper – my wifey asked me to give a yell to you with a thanks for the link you posted for EX-Ph2 with the cat shirts. So, thanks. We be a buyin shirts from there now.

Yef

Well, this weekend I am playing/fighting with my kids, 5 and 3yo, then drinking PBR and playing Civilization 6 while listening to Paradise Lost’s new album and playing with the missus, then pass out, then wake up in the morning when the kids come out running and start jumping over me, then repeat.

What are you guys doing?

Twist

Sounds a lot more fun than what I am doing. I’m pulling 12 hour shifts at work.

Graybeard

Sorry to hear that. Hope it goes smoothly.

I do have to come in Saturday evening myself for a few hours. But not 12 hours worth.

Twist

The only thing going on is aerial gunnery so as long as they don’t crash it should be a weekend of surfing the net and answering a few radio calls.

Graybeard

Sometimes boring is good.

Hondo

Boring is always good when you’re in a hostile fire area.

Ex-PH2

Just running errands. Strawberries are incredible. I found Snickers ice cream bars at a cheap price, but no chocolate ice cream, so must repair to BasRobns for it.

What Navy schools are at Meridisan, MS, now? Ran into a sailor heading that way for “A” school.

26Limabeans

Pouring concrete.

Green Thumb

Shots.

Dealing with idiots.

Shots.

Dealing with idiots.

Drugs.

Dealing with idiots.

Repeat, repeat, repeat…………

HMCS(FMF) ret

Provisional Proxy First, yet again!

Ex-PH2

Always first in our hearts, Senior Chief!

Twist

When I was stationed at Camp Atterbury we had a female civilian employee had a sign on her desk that said “Sexual harassment will not be reported. It will be rated on a scale of 1-10”.

IDC SARC

**giggety!**

Graybeard

Oooh. And I’ll bet the score would be announced loudly enough that a guys’ buddies would be sure to hear – and watch the humiliation.

Twist

The woman had no shame. I was there about a week when she caught me in the break room and told me in detail about the dream she had where I was her gynecologist. The ladies at work called me “doctor” for the next 3 years. This was the first time in my career that I worked with females since I just came from Infantry land.

Graybeard

Women can be as crass, or worse, than men, in my experience.

It seems that the ‘sweet innocent’ routine is about as real at the makeup and girdles/spanx.

A Proud Infidel®™

I worked in a restaurant in my earlier years and overheard conversations between the Waitresses that would make a Men’s Locker Room seem tame.

26Limabeans

Used to go into the office at 5am and drink coffee while reading the paper. A few of the girls would show and start “talking” unaware that I was there.
Men have nothing on women’s vocabulary. Or the subject of conversation.

Graybeard

Worked in an insurance company office full of women (data entry clerks, filing clerks, etc).

If I had any illusions before they rid me of them. And they could not blame their sex drive on an excess of testosterone. I think guys were outnumbered 5:1 there.

Green Thumb

Its a shock.

Still feel the pain today…..

Roh-Dog

So National Airborne Day is five days out…?
-points to lower hatch-
That’s not the only thing that’s out.
Get it.
The python is loose.
HAPPY FRIDAY!

Frankie Cee

True to form, Stolen Valorist Kyle Barwan is still scamming, still using major lies in his game. He is telling people where he lives that he is an “agemt for the government” and he has a list of people that must be eliminated, and that if they bring up his name he will kill them too. He has duped one girl into thinking that everything at Gooogle about him, and at TAH is all lies. Also telling them that “Frankie Cee is trying to ruin his life. I found a message from a stranger the other morning, saying “Frankie, I need your help.” This lady laid it out to me, and I took her info to his Department of Corrections, Case Worker, who says that this could well send him “inside the walls”. The Case Worker says that he thinks that he is a crackhead, but is “pissing clean” for now.

A Proud Infidel®™

It sounds like that fart huffing pickle-taster will be the “Property” of Bubba & Thor soon enough…

HMCS(FMF) ret

Don’t be forgetting about Julio and MR. “Tiny”… I’m sure that KYLE BARWAN hasn’t forgotten about them.

Frankie Cee

Congratulations to Mr n Mrs TSO on the growth of the family. I just saw a post on facebook that all are out of the hospital. I got some education during their stay: I did not know that other than the mother was offered a bed, nor that the family was tasked with the babysitting of the newborn(s). I recalled the days of the birth of mine, (1968/1972), when the visitors were expected to leave after visiting hours, and the nurses kept the newborns in the nursery except for feeding and bonding with mother. We visitors looked through a window into the nursery to see the baby. The times they are a changin’.

Usafvet509

Eleventyseventeenth. Oh, well. Y’all enjoy the weekend best you can. Off to an AVO cigars event tonight before making a 150mi trip to the VA for an MRI

Commissar

Trump refuses to rule out military action in Venezuela.

Mattis has, of course, tried to ratchet down the rhetoric.

I really cannot think of any reason we should be even considering using troops in Venezuela.

Can any of you?

Usafvet509

The fuck that has to do with anything. …

Commissar

It is the “Weekend Open Thread”.

“Open Thread”.

The president willing to use military force in another country is not outside the realm of interest of a page populated by veterans and service members.

Commissar

I can see how a Air Force vet from a bombing wing would not consider the possibility of the President using GROUND forces as relevant to anything in his life or military experience.

A Proud Infidel®™

JUST pipe down and take your Meds for a change, willya?

Usafvet509

API, I’ve never even met him, and I can tell he’s a bitch on wheels with a very punchable face lol

A Proud Infidel®™

I’m amazed that he’s gone this far in life without someone hitting him in the face with a shovel. He strikes me as the type one would tolerate while repeatedly thinking “NOT WORTH the jail time…”.

GDContractor

Maybe, like you, he feels a responsibility to assassinate a Dictator?

Commissar

Touché.

Though I really meant that the people have a duty to assassinate a dictator in their own nation.

But I take your point. I actually would think it set a terrible international precedent to start assassinating world leaders we do not like.

But I would not feel sorry for Maduro if we did. As far as I am concerned he already earned a dictator’s death. Of course, so has Putin and Erdogan and Trump loves those guys.

Commissar

*I actually think it would set a terrible international precedent to start assassinating world leaders we do not like.

A Proud Infidel®™

I see YOU as THAT GUY who could dive into a swimming pool full of pussy and come up with a mouthful of cock and balls!

Commissar

We are still operating under Reagan’s executive order prohibiting any US government personnel from being involved in supporting, planning, or participating in any assassination of a world leader

So I guess, according to you, he came up with a mouthful of dicks when he issued that order.

Personally, I would prefer we kill world leaders rather than deploy troops to fight wars.

But it is hard to sustain democratic institutions and a stable international system if countries are potentially conspiring to assassinate or assassinating each other’s leaders whenever they travel outside of the country.

The prohibition on assassination is intended to let senior leaders engage in the international arena without constantly being targeted or killed by foreign powers.

GDContractor

“Personally, I would prefer we kill world leaders rather than deploy troops to fight wars.”

What criteria? Kill the Commies? Think of all the human suffering that could have been averted if Chavez was taken out before the election of Dec 1998. Or Lil Kim’s grandpa, or Mao, Lenin, etc… I’m cool with your “don’t fear the commie” protocol as long as the alternative is to shank them.

Thunderstixx

Shut up larsy-boi…

Usafvet509

Any chance tou could show me to that pool? I could come up with the proper mouthful…

IDC SARC

It called Australia 🙂

Silentium Est Aureum

Only you would find a way to be the pile of steaming horseshit in the middle of the parade.

Well done, Lars. Well done indeed.

Commissar

Yeah, I actually had not read the thread so was completely unaware of the tone it had established.

I shit on the parade.

As a former paratrooper I should have respected the discussion and not brought Venezuela up.

rgr769

There’s an idea–an airborne invasion of Civil Affairs officers. There would be a sight to strike terror in some commie er–socialist dictator’s psyche.

IDC SARC

I’ve seen some CA pookie I wouldn’t mind having parachute nekkid into my AO.

Commissar

The reason I was airborne was SoT-A. I went to Airborne School in 1992. Long before I was a CA officer.

It just worked out in assignments later.

Yef

A deployment to Venezuela would be waaaay better than all the shitty deployments I have done in the middle beast.

I’d go in a blink.

Commissar

Yeah, I agree with that.

Portably every day I was in Iraq and Afghanistan the though crossed my mind that I wished we would fight a war in a place that sucked less.

Commissar

*probably.

UpNorth

Your TDS pops up in every thread now, Kommissar.

A Proud Infidel®™

You mean his TARD (Trump Acceptance Resistance Disorder) which makes him a dyed-in-the-wool TARDO (Trump Acceptance Resistance Disorder Operative)?

UpNorth

Yeah, that too. 🙂

Commissar
UpNorth

And? What’s your point, other than the one on top of your head?

A Proud Infidel®™

JUST MAYBE you’ve already had one or three too many Juicy Bananas at The Blue Oyster?

Yef

Is that a gay bar?

Commissar

Yeah, from the Police Academy movies.

OLD98Z

Never seen a demographic here on breakdown of branch/amount of time served/Rank or grade when separated/MOS/AFSC/(WhatevertheNavyisnowcallingit),etc.
Any interest? Any ideas of what would be of interest to be coallated?

I’ll help building the table in the idea is accepted.

Else, peaceful weekend.

Roger in Republic

I want to talk about bad luck, or at least bad timing. On August 21 north america will be witness to the last total solar eclipse of the century to be visible across the country. I don’t live in the zone of totality but pretty close (70 percent). The problem is that at the time of the eclipse I will laying on a gurney at the heart institute having a bilateral catheterization. I have witnessed an almost total eclipse so it is not that big a deal. The problem is that my best friend is coming up to see us after he views it in central Oregon. If there is any complications with the procedure I may not get home in time to see him. I have known him for 55 years and haven’t seen him for about 4 years. Bad luck all around.

Ex-PH2

I wish you well, Roger. Your good health is more important than anything else. The eclipse will be on TV and online. Your friend will very likely come to see you at the hospital, if possible. Focus on getting well.

Thunderstixx

Ditto here Roger.
Just don’t give up ion God, he hasn’t given up on you yet.

IDC SARC

I hope you will be surrounded by weapons grade eye candy every moment of your treatment and recovery.

Roger in Republic

Sark, the last thing they do before you go under is slip you a shot of Versed. So no matter how wild it gets in the OR you have no memory of it. I always apologize in advance for any social faux paus that I may commit during the procedure. My wife said that as I was waking up from my bypass surgery someone was slapping me to bring me back, it was touch and go for awhile. She said that I never opened my eyes, but stated in sinister tone that she had never heard, “stop that or I will kill you”. I think there is a law that says that you can’t be held accountable for drug induced utterances, I hope so.

IDC SARC

I have many hours of working in surgery…seen all sorts of interesting behaviors under premeds/induction/recovery.

Happens so much I doubt you would do/say anything that hasn’t been witnessed by the staff. 🙂

Commissar

There are total solar eclipses in South America on July 2, 2019, and again in South America on December 14, 2020.

Maybe you can plan a trip with your best friend.

HMCS(FMF) ret

Here are a listing of solar eclipses for North America in this century:

https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/future/

Ex-PH2

Reminder: Aug. 21 is the eclipse (as if anyone is not aware of it owing to living in a swamp or on a desert island).

If you can’t get eclipse glasses, make a pinhole solar projector (camera obscura) with a cardboard box and a piece of white paper opposite the hole. Fiddle around with it until you can get the sun to stay in focus, but do NOT look directly at the sun until it is in TOTAl, unless, of course, you want to have severe permanent retinal damage.

I believe nearly a quarter million people will be at SIU at Carbondale, IL for this event. They are out of space now.

Link to time in your area is here:
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2017-august-21

Or watch it online or on TV. NASA will be providing a live look.

YOu’ll also be able to see Venus and other planets when the sun is covered. Be aware that the temperature will drop something like 30 degrees Fahrenheit when the sun is covered. Let’s hope for a clear sunny day. This won’t happen again in the USA until 2099.

26Limabeans

“This won’t happen again in the USA until 2099.”

Oh stop it. I’ve been hearing that ever since I was a kid. Last eclipse of your life time blah blah blah. Don’t look at the sun! as if I’m stupid enough to do that anyway. Buy these special glasses blah blah blah. Sheesh, ever heard of welding goggles?
Next thing you know they will warning you about the “storm of the century” for 50th time in ten years. Trust me, there will be another one next year.
The moon is going to block the sun for a few minutes. I can do that with a sheet of plywood. /s

Hondo

Not all welding goggles provide sufficient protection. As I recall, welding goggles of shade 12 and lighter are a NO GO; shade 13 are considered marginal; and shade 14 or darker are OK.

The eclipse glasses being sold are supposed to be certified to be dark enough to provide sufficient light attenuation to be safe during the partial phases of the eclipse. Cheap insurance if you don’t have access to something else, like a welding mask/goggles in shade 14+.

Warning: some eclipse glasses being sold are knock-offs or outright fakes that may or may not provide sufficient eye protection. Amazon has started refunding customers who bought eclipse eyeware through them that Amazon has questions about.

Such eyeware may or may not be safe for use during the eclipse. This article describes a test you can use to make sure, if you received such a questionable set of eclipse glasses (it’s probably too late now to get certified good ones).

https://www.romper.com/p/how-to-tell-if-your-solar-eclipse-glasses-are-fake-76096

Bottom line: if you put them on and can see anything except the sun itself through them, don’t use them to view the eclipse. They aren’t dark enough.

26Limabeans

I use 12 for welding and still can’t see the work, just the arc.
I use 13 to look at sunspots but only a brief glimpse.
I should be more careful
TNX

Ex-PH2

I like your spirit, 26LBs.

Thunderstixx

Speaking of your C-119’s, I just watched Rock Hudson and a few other stars in a movie that is just uplifting as can be.
The planes are featured in one of the end scenes, all five of them coming in to pick up over 400 kids.
“Battle Hymn”, It’s about Col Dean E. Hess and the orphans he fought to save while stationed in Korea.
What a great movie.

OWB

Had completely forgotten about that movie. Been many, many years since seeing it, so the details are long forgotten. But, do remember it being a great one.

Thanks for the reminder.

jonp

Wow, does that bring back memories. STAND IN THE DOOR!

Five Beers

Anyone who’s interested, there are beer fests going on all over everywhere. Craft beers – good.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/events/calendar/

Here’s another option: pick your place and date: https://beerfests.com/

There’s food, too, but you’d expect that, wouldn’t you?

A Proud Infidel®™

BEER, it’s NOT just for breakfast anymore! 😎

Ex-PH2

Beer is one of the necessary major food groups.