Another 539,000 jobs down the drain in April.

So, economists were expecting a job loss of 620,000 for April, but, surprise, the job losses were only 539,000. I guess the good news is that we have as many job losses in the first four months of 2009 than we had in all of 2008, but it could be worse.

Yet, the real estate market is rebounding. Really? See, there was a little thing called liar loans that did not just deal with falsified income and other documents. A good portion of liar loans were people claiming that investment properties were primary residences. The actual numbers are unknown, however, millions of these loans were made. So, in addition to the millions of bank owned houses that have yet to hit the market and the 1.8 million or so bad ALT-A loans we have an additional 2.5 million unemployed in 2009 thus far, who is going to be purchasing real estate?

Will the buyers be paying market value or distressed sale prices, which will end up being the market? Anyone who thinks the economy has bottomed out is sadly mistaken. Seventy percent of the U.S. employers are small business. How many small businesses have to begin hiring or how many new start up business do you need to absorb 2.5 million people who are out of work?

The better than expected employment news gave stocks a boost. Only in America can 539,000 people losing their jobs give the stock market a boost. The next time the market tanks it's going to be really ugly and the ignorant who have gotten back in are going to take a tremendous hit, while the more savvy investors might still make some coin.

From AP: "There are glimmers of hope. We are moving in the right direction in terms of layoffs. They are measurably less bad than what we've been through," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com.

Still, companies will remain cautious in hiring, making it harder for laid-off workers to find new jobs.

If laid-off workers who have given up looking for new jobs or have settled for part-time work are included, the unemployment rate would have been 15.8 percent in April, the highest on records dating back to 1994. The total number of unemployed now stands at 13.7 million, up from 13.2 million in March.

Companies also kept a tight rein on workers hours. The average work week in April stayed at 33.2 hours, matching the record low set in March.

Since the recession began in December 2007, the economy has lost a net total of 5.7 million jobs.
As the recession eats into sales and profits, companies have turned to layoffs and other cost-cutting measures to survive the storm. Those including holding down workers' hours, and freezing or cutting pay."
----------------------------

Here's a news flash, Mark Zandi is, apparently, an idiot and if you have no job it's a bit difficult to make a mortgage payment. Also, if you had a full time job paying 60-80k/year and you now have a part time 30 hour per week job at minimum wage, you still cannot make a mortgage payment.

Obama's 2010 3.55 trillion dollar budget request asks for everything but actual assistance for homeowners who could use it. There are provisions for health care, education and infrastructure as well as for clean energy, but for the little guy who could really use a break, nada. The bright side is that the forecasted deficit is only 1.17 trillion dollars. Yippie!!!!

No way in hell are we anywhere the bottom of this mess.
------------------------
Update............From Peter Schiff's latest article: Strike up the band, boys, happy days are here again! Recently released short-term economic data, including unemployment claims, non-farm payrolls, home sales, and business spending, which had been so unambiguously horrific in February and March, are now just garden-variety awful. With the Wicked Witch of Depression now apparently crushed under the house of Obamanomics, the Munchkins of Wall Street have sounded the all clear, pushing the Dow Jones up 25% from its lows. But the premature conclusion of their Lollipop Guild economists, that the crash of 2008/2009 is now a fading memory, is just as delusional as their failure to see it coming in the first place.

Once again, the facts do not support the euphoria. Over the past few months, the government has literally blasted the economy with trillions of new dollars conjured from the ether. The fact that this "stimulus" has blown some air back into our deflating consumer-based bubble economy, and given a boost to an oversold stock market, is hardly evidence that the problems have been solved. It is simply an illusion, and not a very good one at that. By throwing money at the problem, all the government is creating is inflation. Although this can often look like growth, it is no more capable of creating wealth than a hall of mirrors is capable of creating people.
We are currently suffering from an overdose of past stimulus. A larger dose now will only worsen the condition.

The Greenspan/Bush stimulus of 2001 prevented a much needed recession and bought us seven years of artificial growth. The multi-trillion dollar tab for that episode of federally-engineered economic bullet-dodging came due in 2008. The 2001 stimulus had kicked off a debt-fueled consumption binge that resulted in economic weakness, not strength. So now, even though the recent stimulus administered a much larger dose, we will likely experience a much smaller bounce. One can only speculate as to how much time this stimulus will buy and what it will cost when the bill arrives.

My guess is that, at most, the Bernanke/Obama stimulus will buy two years before the hangover sets in. However, since this dose is so massive, the comedown will be equally horrific. My fear is that when the drug wears off, we will reach for that monetary syringe one last time. At that point, the dosage may be lethal, and the economy will die of hyperinflation.
-------------------

I think we will see hyperinflation in less than two years. And this from Americans for Democratic Action: "WASHINGTON - May 8 - The real unemployment rate released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 15.8%, nearly 7 points higher than the rate officially reported.
The real rate includes marginally attached workers which the BLS reports “are neither working nor looking for work but indicate that they want and are available for a job and have looked for work sometime in the recent past. Discouraged workers, a subset of the marginally attached, have given a job-market related reason for not looking currently for a job. Persons employed part time for economic reasons are those who want and are available for full-time work but have had to settle for a part-time schedule.”

Yeah, 15.8% sounds about right.

Forgotten History: Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron of WWII

Most school history textbooks today give only a cursory mention of the Second World War. Even in cases where the books allow four or five pages on WWII, much of the facts about the war are omitted.

In the United States, one of the interesting things that happened as a result of WWII was that women had to work in jobs that were traditionally reserved for men, since the men were fighting overseas. Most folks today are aware of the women who were employed as factory workers. "Rosie the Riveter" became the icon that represented all of the women employed in the defense industry during the war.

The American industrial output during WWII was staggering. By V-J Day more than 300,000 (not a typo) aircraft had been produced by the U.S. for use by ourselves and our allies. In fact, by early 1944, more planes were being produced than could be used by the Air Corps. As a result of this huge production it became necessary to use female pilots to ferry the completed planes to the front lines.

From the U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission:

The Soviet Union, which already had a tradition of women in combat, was the first nation to use women pilots. After suffering huge battle casualties in 1941, the government ordered all women without children who were not already engaged in war work to join the military. There were three all-woman regiments: fighter, bomber, and night bomber. Other women flew with male regiments and pilot Valentina Grizodubova was even the commander of a 300-man, long-range bomber squadron. With the exception of Turkey’s Sabiha Gokcen, the Soviet women were the only women who flew in combat. German pilots were often surprised suddenly to be circled by Russian planes and hear female voices shouting to each other. Lily Litvyak became an ace, downing 12 German planes until she was shot down in 1943. Twenty-three women were given the "Hero of the Soviet Union" medal. When Marina Raskova, who had helped organize the female pilots, was killed in combat in 1943, the government held its first state funeral of World War II, entombing her ashes in the wall of the Kremlin as a sign of gratitude for all Soviet women who flew.

Fascist ideology dictated that a women’s role in society was as a mother and frowned upon women working in any capacity. A few German women did find ways to work, some in jobs such as ferrying and test pilots. Melitta Schiller was awarded the Iron Cross for conducting 1,500 test dives of new dive bombers. And Hitler favorite Hanna Reitsch, a record-breaking glider and test pilot before the war, flew every Luftwaffe plane and helicopter. Denied permission to organize a women’s flight squadron, she organized a suicide squadron that would use V-1 rockets modified with seats to hold pilots to attack British industrial centers. The program was eventually dropped. In the final days of the war, she flew a Luftwaffe general through Soviet artillery fire and fighters to land on a road in central Berlin and meet with Hitler just days before he killed himself.

Although Canada and Australia did not allow women to fly military planes, Great Britain used women to ferry planes as part of the Air Transport Auxiliary. Organized by Pauline Gower, eight women began ferrying single-engine Tiger Moth trainers around England in 1940. Despite their unpopularity among the male pilots, the women proved themselves capable pilots. The variety of planes increased and more women joined the program--not only from England, but also from the Commonwealth nations and from Poland, Chile, and the United States. Ferrying planes in England was not without dangers, and pilots encountered barrage balloons, artillery, anti-aircraft batteries, Royal Air Force training flights, radio silence, and German planes. The women were expected to fly anything assigned to them, even if they had to consult the Ferry Pilots’ Notes to learn the basic information on an aircraft before taking off. The ATA women survived all their obstacles admirably, with an accident rate equal to their male counterparts, earning the respect of their countrymen.

In the United States, with the support of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who called them a "weapon waiting to be used," record-breaking pilot Jacqueline Cochran tried to use her influence to form a woman’s squadron, but seeing that it was hopeless, she took a group of women pilots to England to fly with the British ATA. During her absence, the U.S. Army organized the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps in 1942 (WAAC) (changed to the Women’s Army Corps (WACs) when the group was militarized in 1943). The WACs were assigned to non-flying aviation positions such as Link trainer instructors, radio operators, mechanics, photo interpreters and parachute riggers. The Navy established the WAVES (Women Appointed for Volunteer Emergency Service) in 1942 to perform the same assignments as the WACs, as well as become control tower operators, a controversial decision since detractors worried that women could not handle the multiple tasks required. But the women excelled and the only problem was that the WAVES uniform skirt was too snug for climbing the ladders into the towers.

The U.S. Air Transport Command had been investigating, through pilot Nancy Love, using women to ferry planes from the factories to stateside military bases. Although U.S. Army Air Force Chief of Staff Henry "Hap" Arnold had promised Jacqueline Cochran and the White House that Cochran would have command of any women’s unit, that was not to pass. Military politics led to the announcement on September 10, 1942 of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), under the command of Love. The first WAFS group arrived, after an intensive screening process, at New Castle Air Base in October. Although civilians, they began flying military planes in the contiguous United States.

As a peace offering to the angry Cochran, Arnold organized the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) to train pilots.

The WFTD training school was at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, where 1,074 women were taught to fly "the Army way" while living the military lifestyle with uniforms, drills, regulations, and morning reveille. Although never officially made members of the military, the women still behaved as if they had been.

In August 1943 the two women’s groups were merged, under Cochran’s command and renamed the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs). The WASPs accumulated an amazing record. They flew every airplane in the USAAF’s inventory, including half of all pursuit planes delivered during the war. When male pilots were afraid to fly the new B-29 Superfortress because of mechanical difficulties experienced during testing, two WASPs took one, Ladybird, on a tour of air bases to show the men how safe the plane was. And the women’s duties increased beyond ferrying. They towed targets for aerial gunnery practice, simulated strafing, served as flight instructors, and ran check flights for recently repaired aircraft. And Ann Baumgartner worked as a test pilot at Wright Field where she became the first woman to fly the YP-59 jet. Thirty-eight WASPs were killed performing their duties. In total, the female pilots logged 60 million miles flying their planes.

By the end of 1944 it was apparent the war in Europe would end soon. Male pilots, wanting to avoid being sent to the Pacific, lobbied hard for the duties the WASPs were performing. It was announced that on December 20, 1944, the WASPs would be deactivated. Cochran lobbied for a one-day militarization, which would at least give her women veteran status and access to GI Bill benefits, but she was denied.

********************************

Now, the really amazing thing was that women were able to handle the B-29. Unlike today's aircraft, there was no hydraulic assist for the flight controls. Flying the B-29 was similar to driving a big semi truck without power steering.

A bit of forgotten history that is well worth remembering!!

WAFS ClassRosie the RiveterWASP PilotsWASP Pilot on cover of Life
B-29 Superfortress

Swine Flu virus man made.

I'm not an epidemiologist or virlogist, however, something is very, very wrong. The current swine flu virus is a three strain hybrid combining human, avian and pig strains. Two strain mutations are uncommon and the three strain mutation, as it manifested, is simply not a naturally occuring disease.

Typically flu viruses originate in Asia, this one started in central Mexico City. A more logical progression would have been a genisis in a rural area which then spread to the cities.

Here is an interesting tidbit from an article by the University of Minnesota, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. (Link: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/panflu/news/jan1404hybrids.html )

Excerpt: "Jan 14, 2004 (CIDRAP News) – One of the worst fears of infectious disease experts is that the H5N1 avian influenza virus now circulating in parts of Asia will combine with a human-adapted flu virus to create a deadly new flu virus that could spread around the world.

That could happen, scientists predict, if someone who is already infected with an ordinary flu virus contracts the avian virus at the same time. The avian virus has already caused at least 48 confirmed human illness cases in Asia, of which 35 have been fatal. The virus has shown little ability to spread from person to person, but the fear is that a hybrid could combine the killing power of the avian virus with the transmissibility of human flu viruses.

Now, rather than waiting to see if nature spawns such a hybrid, US scientists are planning to try to breed one themselves—in the name of preparedness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will soon launch experiments designed to combine the H5N1 virus and human flu viruses and then see how the resulting hybrids affect animals. The goal is to assess the chances that such a "reassortant" virus will emerge and how dangerous it might be.

CDC officials confirmed the plans for the research as described recently in media reports, particularly in a Canadian Press (CP) story.
Two ways to make hybridsThe plans call for trying two methods to create hybrid viruses, CDC spokesman David Daigle told CIDRAP News via e-mail. One is to infect cells in a laboratory tissue culture with H5N1 and human flu viruses at the same time and then watch to see if they mix. For the human virus, investigators will use A (H3N2), the strain that has caused most human flu cases in recent years, according to the CP report.

The other method is reverse genetics—assembling a new virus with sets of genes from the H5N1 and H3N2 viruses. Reverse genetics has already been used to create H5N1 candidate vaccines in several laboratories, according to Daigle. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) said recently it would soon launch a clinical trial of one of those vaccines.

Of the two methods, the co-infection approach was described as slower and more laborious, though closer to what happens in nature.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

So, the CDC has been screwing around with dangerous hybrids since 2004 and earlier (1997).
The larger questions are: What government would benefit the most from an outbreak of this type? and What nations are scummy enough to launch a viral attack that could kill millions of people?

There is also the issue that this virus concentrates it's attack on the most healthy instead of the most weak. Flu fatalities tend to usually be either the old or the very young. The current Swine Flu strain is having very bad effects on those in the 20-50 year old age group.

We should also consider the financial aspect of this. Our government has a stockpile of 50 million doses of flu vaccine which needs to be periodically replaced. A worldwide man-made pandemic could be a windfall for certain companies who produce these flu vaccines. (This also includes businesses that produce anti-viral drugs)

As I say, I'm not sure what the big picture is, but this latest Swine Flu outbreak is no accident.

(Time to bone up on the Book of Revelation)

America's tent cities......what to do?..what to do?...Zyklon B anyone?

Photo by Rico Simke

While the United States has always had an underclass that included a limited number of folks living on the streets or in tents, we are seeing the number of tent cities swell in proportion to the worsening economy.

There are now fairly large tent cities in California, Nevada, Washington and Tennessee while smaller tent cities are springing up in Florida, Ohio and many other states across the country.

Some of these tent cities are well organized, while others have no general supervision. As these tent cities are unsightly, many areas are attempting to disband them. If the unemployment situation continues unabated, we will have another 5 million people out of work by the end of the year. Where will they go?

Photo Scott Sady/AP

Tent City in Reno, NV

Many homeless shelters are at capacity and many food banks are running out of food. Nationwide, fully 10% of the country is on food stamps. (Although climate is not much of a factor in the south, the colder northern climate is going to make it tough on the homeless/tent dwellers. ) Perhaps they can relocate to all of the soon to be vacant commercial property.

Photo Credit Jim Wilson/NYT
Fresno Tent City

You can almost hear the Oval Office speech now......"I've tried my best, I've tried harder than anything else in my whole life (cries a single tear from the left eye only) to deal with this horrific economy that I inherited from my numbskull predecessor, but, as the number of homeless has reached critical levels and disease is running rampant, I have no choice other than to round up certain segments of the population who are not able to become productive citizens and ship them off to one of the concentration camps that have been established, so that they can be humanely euthanized. Together we can get through these tough times, we'll just be doing it with a few less of our citizens. Allah, PBUH, bless you and Allah, PBUH, bless the United States of America."

Here's a few more NYT tent city photos:

We are going to be in BIG trouble soon.

Heads Up!! Swine Flu is on the way.

LET'S BE CAREFUL OUT THERE FOLKS.

The following is a significant excerpt from this article: http://www.rense.com/general85/mxx.htm

Flu WORSE Than Said

San Diego County - 'Stay Home If You Feel Sick'From Edgar J. Steele
4-25-9

Ok, folks - Now this is beginning to get serious. The death level in Mexico has ratcheted to over 80, per two-day-old news, and I've just received a report of an outbreak in New York (not in the article below, which is noteworthy for discussing the various alert levels). This would be a good time to go to the store and stock up for a self-quarantine in your home of up to a month or so.

If this blossoms beyond what already has occurred in California, Texas and, now, New York, I'm pulling up my own drawbridge for the duration.

If I lived in California or any state bordering Mexico (or metro NY, from which there now is an unsubstantiated outbreak report), I already would be back from the store with my supplies and would have closed the front door for the duration.

For what it's worth: An hour ago, I received an email purporting to be from a doctor at a Mexico City hospital, who claimed that things there are much worse than being reported, with thousands already infected.

Maybe this will blow over by early next week or maybe we will see it mushroom.
Whether this is the pandemic I have forecast for many years (read my book) or not, rest assured that it is coming. If not now, then later this year or next year. Mark my words well. I have been wrong about very little in what I have forecast for America in recent years, a forecast made before the good times peaked, even. What should concern you, though, is not about what I have been right so far, but what I have forecast for the coming months and years.

The timing is right for an engineered disease pandemic just like what Dick Cheney repeatedly promised for us, not to mention a world war. Mexico is on the verge of collapsing into a 5-drug-cartel ruling junta "government" and the American dollar is on its very last legs. There is an anti-government movement spreading across America (witness today's "Audit the Fed" demonstrations).

and we have these excerpts: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/25/AR2009042502404.html

Excerpt: "New York City Health officials reported today that at least eight students at a private high school had "probable" swine flu.
About 200 of the 2,700 students attending St. Francis Preparatory High School in the Queens borough of the city missed school earlier in the week due to fever, sore throats and other flu-like symptoms, prompting school officials to notify the health department."

http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2546290520090425

Excerpt: "LOS ANGELES, April 25 (Reuters) - A seventh case of the swine flu that has killed up to 68 people in Mexico was confirmed in California on Saturday, state health officials said."

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE53O2JY20090425

Excerpt: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Kansas state health officials have confirmed two cases of swine flu, just minutes after New York health officials said they had eight probable cases, CNN reported on Saturday.

=========================

One has to wonder what impact infected illegal aliens will have on the spread of this disease in the U.S.

School Pizza..........Yum..Yum

Pizza!

One of the nice things about our son's school is that they will let you come and eat lunch with your kids. I always find this to be a real treat. If your children's or grand children's school does not advertise they will let you do this, give them a call and see if you can. Even if it's only once or twice a year I find it to be a real treat.

As to the point of the post, when I visit my son ( I got married later than most, so it has been a while since I've been in an elementary school) I go through the line and buy a lunch. One of the meals served is pizza. Although it has been many years and I attended a school in another state, the pizza they served in my son's school tasted identical to the pizza I used to get. The first bite of that pizza sent my memory, such as it is, zipping back in time to when I was my boy's age.

One other aspect of these visits that is kind of neat is that although the kids have a limited fund of knowledge due to their age, they can still be pretty clever. It is amazing how many different ways kids eat their pizza. My son will sometimes turn his pizza over and eat it, however, on today's visit, he ate the cheese topping off the pizza and then dumped his Goldfish snack on the dough, folded it over and made a sandwich out of it. It is part of the fun of the visit to just sit and watch what the kids will do.

There was always something about school pizza. The thick crust was doughy, the sauce was bland, but sweet, and the cheese (that is one thing that they did not skimp on) was a bit crispy on top, but gooey on the inside. (think creme brulee) I have never been to any pizza shop or ever had any store bought pizza that was identical in taste and texture to school pizza. I guess part of the appeal of school pizza was the fact that you were getting only the basics; no artisan crust, no freshly spiced sauce and no imported Italian mozzarella cheese..........just the basics. Nothing special about the smell of school pizza either, and yet......................chewy, cheesy bliss.

This is one thing the homeschoolers miss out on. Anyone who has ever been to public school and eaten school pizza can immediately relate to this. (and hopefully have some fond memories as well)

I hope the photos and the post bring back some good memories for everyone. Enjoy!!

Ready for the oven...........
mmmmmmmmm... The pizza getting served

Goldfish and pizza sandwich.

No more Mr. Nice Guy, it's time to nuke Canada.

Admittedly, Canada has, until recently, been a decent ally. They have also done a couple of good things such as selflessly sacrificing over 900 of their soldiers in the British planned (and thus doomed to fail) Dieppe raid of the second world war and they also allowed some planes to land on their turf when we went to a nationwide ATC Zero during 9/11.

These few decent acts in no way negate the horrendous atrocity the Canadian vermin have been perpetuating on us. As an aside, the Russians are again flexing their muscle and asserting their belief that Alaska is still theirs, so after we depopulate Canada we can bring our own troops in and mount a better defense of our territory.

Of course, the atrocity I'm referring to is that for years Canada has been sending BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) infected cattle to the U.S.. These infected cattle cause Mad Cow Disease. The CDC indicates the presence of Mad Cow in Canadian cattle is 18 to 48 times higher than that of U.S. cattle. It has been an open secret that whenever a Canadian farmer encounters a cow with Mad Cow that the cow is killed and buried on the farm and the authorities are not notified.

Here in flyover country some restaurants will let you know they serve no Canadian beef. I also try to buy beef from local farmers.

The World Organization for Animal Health indicated that Canada's heightened BSE risk CANNOT be effectively mitigated with the basic ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban that was initiated in 1997. In a side outrage, our idiotic FDA is planning to delay the April 27, 2009 launch of it's upgraded BSE feed ban, which will allow more high risk Canadian cattle into our country. (Just what kind of crap ISN'T our government complicit in, from Aspartame to 9/11, Uncle Sugar does not have our best interest at heart)

Now, I have to tell y'all straight up, when you start messing with a man's meat you are just askin' for trouble. Other than God, Country and Family, there is little else I value more than a good steak...........and when it gets to the point that those Canuk bastards are jeopardizing my divine right to eat a home grilled burger then you're dang right the missiles are gonna be leaving the silos.........BASTARDS, that's all I can say,..BASTARDS!!!!

Time for some humor.......

I'm taking a break from all of the depressing news and posting some jokes/humor. Some of these may be a bit off color.
---------------------------
US Air Force Maintenance
Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by US Air Force pilots and the replies from the maintenance crews.
Problem: "Left inside main tire almost needs replacement."Solution: "Almost replaced left inside main tire."
Problem: "Test flight OK, except autoland very rough."Solution: "Autoland not installed on this aircraft."
Problem: "The autopilot doesn't."Solution: "It does now."

Problem: "Something loose in cockpit."Solution: "Something tightened in cockpit."

Problem: "Evidence of hydraulic leak on right main landing gear."Solution: "Evidence removed."

Problem: "DME volume unbelievably loud."Solution: "Volume set to more believable level."

Problem: "Dead bugs on windshield."Solution: "Live bugs on order."

Problem: "Autopilot in altitude hold mode produces a 200 fpm descent."Solution: "Cannot reproduce problem on ground."

Problem: "IFF inoperative."Solution: "IFF inoperative in OFF mode."

Problem: "Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick."Solution: "That's what they're there for."

Problem: "Number three engine missing."Solution: "Engine found on right wing after brief search."
--------------------------------

This is allegedly a true story, told by the driver at his first AA meeting, according to the newspaper account.
From Herb Caen's column in the San Francisco Chronicle:
A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. He later received in the mail a ticket for $40, and a photo of his car.

Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40.

Several days later, he received a letter from the police department that contained another picture - of handcuffs.

--------------------------------
An oldie but goodie..

Good Luck, Mr Gorsky
When Apollo Mission Astronaut Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon, he not only gave his famous "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" statement but followed it by several remarks, usually common traffic between him, & the other astronauts and Mission Control.
Just before he re-entered the lander, however, he made the enigmatic remark, "Good luck Mr.Gorsky."
Many people at NASA thought it was a casual remark concerning some rival Soviet Cosmonaut. However, upon checking, there was no Gorsky in either the Russian or American space programs.
Over the years many people questioned Armstrong as to what the "Good luck Mr. Gorsky" statement meant, but Armstrong always just smiled.
Just a few years ago, (On July 5, 1995, in Tampa Bay, FL) while answering questions following a speech, a reporter brought up the 26 year old question to Armstrong. This time he finally responded.
Mr.Gorsky had finally passed away and so Neil Armstrong felt he could answer the question.
When he was a kid, he was playing baseball with a friend in the backyard. His friend hit a fly ball, which landed in the front of his neighbor's bedroom windows. His neighbors were Mr. & Mrs. Gorsky.
As he leaned down to pick up the ball, young Armstrong heard Mrs.Gorsky shouting at Mr. Gorsky: "Sex! You want sex?! You'll get sex when the kid next door walks on the moon!"

--------------------------------

Police arrested Malcolm Davidson, a 27 year old white male, resident of Wilmington, NC, in a pumpkin patch at 11:38 pm Friday. Davidson will be charged with lewd and lascivious behavior, public indecency, and public intoxication at the County Courthouse on Monday.
The suspect allegedly stated that as he was passing a pumpkin patch, he decided to stop.
"You know, a pumpkin is soft and squishy inside, and there was no one around here for miles. At least I thought there wasn't." He stated in a phone interview from the County Courthouse Jail.
Davidson went on to state that he pulled over to the side of the road, picked out a pumpkin that he felt was appropriate for his purposes, cut a hole in it, and proceeded to satisfy his alleged "need".
"I guess I was just really into it, you know?" he commented with evident embarrassment. In the process, Davidson apparently failed to notice the Wilmington Municipal police car approaching and was unaware of his audience until officer Brenda Taylor approached him.
"It was an unusual situation, that's for sure." said officer Taylor. "I walked up to (Davidson) and he's...just working away at this pumpkin."
Taylor went on to describe what happened when she approached Davidson.
"I just went up and said, "Excuse me sir, but do you realize that you are screwing a pumpkin?"
He got real surprised as you'd expect and then looked me straight in the face and said, "A pumpkin? Damn...is it midnight already?"

----------------------------------

One Smart Redneck!

"Hello, is this the FBI?" "Yes. What do you want?""I'm calling to report about my neighbor Billy Bob Smith! He is hiding marijuana inside his firewood.""Thank you very much for the call, sir."

The next day, the FBI agents descend on Billy Bob's house. They search the shed where the firewood is kept. Using axes, they bust open every piece of wood, but find no marijuana. They swore at Billy Bob and left.

The phone rings at Billy Bob's house."Hey Billy Bob! Did the FBI come?""Yeah!" "Did they chop your firewood?""Yep.".........."Merry Christmas Buddy"

------------------------------

Letter home

(Now at Camp Pendleton, San Diego, Marine Corps Recruit Training)

Dear Ma and Pa:I am well. Hope you are too. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer that the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but I am getting so I like to sleep late.

Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay... practically nothing. Men got to shave but it's not so bad... there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie, and other regular food. Tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you 'til noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

We go on "route marches," which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. ]Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.The country is nice but awful flat. The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds and he's 6'8" and near 300 pounds dry.Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join up before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding on in.


Your loving daughter,
Alice

---------------------------------

How to install a Redneck wireless security system:

Go to a second-hand store, buy a pair of men's used work boots ... a really big pair. Put them outside your front door on top of a copy of Guns and Ammo magazine.

Put a dog dish beside it ... a really big dish. Leave a note on your front door that says something like this:"Bubba, Big Mike and I have gone to get more ammunition - back in 30 minutes. Don't disturb the pit bulls, they've just been wormed."

---------------

The end y'all.

Don't take the gas, just kick their ass.

Commentary will follow excerpts.

From UPI: "WASHINGTON, April 14 (UPI) -- Gulf Cooperation Council members -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman -- are getting ready for what many now assume will be retaliation from Iran following Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities later this year."

and

From PressTV: "Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mahdi Safari says the contract to buy Russia's S-300 advance missile system is still on track. "There are no problems with this [S-300] contract," RIA Novosti quoted Safari as saying at the end of his visit to Moscow on Wednesday.

Alexander Fomin, first deputy director of Russia's Federal Military and Technical Cooperation Service declared on Wednesday that there are no S-300 deliveries to Iran, the Interfax news agency reported. "

========================

I have actually been quite puzzled as to why Israel has not attacked Iran yet. I mentioned in a previous post that the S-300 deployment will force an attack on Iran. Israel has an estimated 300-500 atomic bombs (thanks to the French and their breeder reactor that they sold to Israel in the 1950's) which can, in general, only be delivered by aircraft. While any good military develops counter measures to enemy defenses, the Russians have incorporated some counter-counter measures into the S-300 such that any Israeli attack on Iran after the deployment of S-300's in quantity would result in a huge loss of Israeli aircraft.

In addition to needing planes for nuclear weapons delivery, no modern military can survive without air superiority or air supremacy. Israel simply cannot afford to lose a significant portion of it's air force in an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

Although the S-300 contracts have been signed, the Russians have yet to begin scheduled delivery of the AA system. The main reason for this is that the Russians know that the Israelis will attack Iran as soon as these systems start showing up in quantity. This would necessitate a Russian response on Israel. While the Russians have been engaging in limited modernization of their military and they intend to upgrade most of their weapons systems, most of their current arsenal is aging and in need of constant maintenance. Despite their rhetoric and, accurate in my opinion, assessment that Obama is weak regardless of his use of force authorization on the Somali pirates, the Russians would not prefer to deal with the U.S. military that would have to respond in the event of an Israeli strike on Iran.

As the first excerpt mentions, all of the GCC members are considering an Israeli attack on Iran as a foregone conclusion. The Russian withholding of the S-300 deliveries will only delay the inevitable. I might also take this opportunity to note that the Chinese will be a bit pissed at Israel as well over an attack on Iran.

So, we know an Israeli attack on Iran is going to happen. We should also know that we will have to respond, and perhaps respond in a big way, militarily. Knowing this, Obama has indicated he wants to cut the defense budget by 50%. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has indicated he is also OK with cutting the F-22 JSF program, possibly leaving us at an extreme disadvantage with out fighter aircraft. Our own arsenal is in need of upgrading and modernization due to the almost constant use of our hardware since the early 90's.

If congress approves the requested cuts in the defense budget and we have to continue to rely on older equipment, then we could be setting ourselves up for some real trouble. We will not just let the Russians and/or the Chinese attack Israel if Israel attacks Iran, but Obama and congress could put us in a pickle if we are not able to field the latest technology, in quantity, to defend our troops.

As a side issue, a 50% reduction in defense spending will really decimate the economies of states that have a heavy presence of the military. Considering the current condition of the economy, a severe chop in defense spending would be an idiotic decision at this point in time.

Although wars have been used to get us out of economic troubles in the past, I think in this case that the potential consequences of an Israeli strike on Iran would be disastrous due to the nations that would be involved and the rapid escalation that would result. On the other hand, Israel simply cannot allow Iran to build up a nuclear weapons stockpile.

Well, the attack will come. We cannot respond with a weakened military.

Zachary Taylor National Cemetery

While visiting relatives over the Easter weekend, I stumbled across a little gem of a national cemetery. The Zachary Taylor National Cemetery is located off Brownsboro Road in Louisville, Kentucky. If you have the opportunity to visit that area, the cemetery is well worth a stop.



The United States maintains 112 national cemeteries and this is certainly one of the smaller ones. In the 1920's the Taylor family led an effort to turn the family burial grounds into a national cemetery. In addition to the Taylor family, veterans from the Spanish-American War forward are interred there.



Zachary Taylor's presidential term lasted from March 4, 1849 until his death on July 9, 1850. Although the official cause of death was gastroenteritis, there was some speculation that he had been poisoned. In fact, he was exhumed in 1991 and additional tests were performed on his remains in a vain effort to detect if he had been poisoned.




Taylor had a long and distinguished military career (he was known as "Old Rough and Ready") serving in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War (1832), the Second Seminole War (1835-1842) and the Mexican-American War. He was a member of the Whig Party, which was formed in opposition to the Jacksonian Democrats, but was considered rather indifferent to politics.




Zachary Taylor was also a southern slave owner, but he did oppose the expansion of slavery.




The photo below is an 1840's
Daguerreotype of Taylor in uniform.

Below are photographs of the cemetery, including the crypt that houses Taylor's remains.

The below photo is of an aircrew that was killed on August 21, 1945 six days after Japan's formal surrender announcement.