Airlines Under Attack

News Flash - EPA Wants to Regulate Airline Emissions.  If you are either a Democrat, or you truly believe that mankind is solely responsible for destroying the earth, then you need read no further.  This article is not for your eyes or your mind.  Enjoy your day.

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I see where the EPA, that most divine of our Federal Agencies, has decreed that the airlines must limit their emissions.  OMG, our airlines are polluting the skies with their nasty JP4 residue.  Can you spell G-L-O-B-A-L  W-A-R-M-I-N-G?  How about
C-L-I-M-A-T-E  C-H-A-N-G-E?

Well, being a retired airline employee, I agree!  It's high time we got off the love of turbines in our airplanes and developed a good hybrid, like the auto industry has.  After all, jets have all the necessary components to produce unlimited power from the two elements they fly through with ease - sunlight and wind. 

Not only do the airlines have an abundance of solar and wind potential due to the altitude and the speed at which they cruise, but the pilots don't even have to concern themselves with clouds or calm air.  They fly above the clouds and they create their own wind with their forward thrust.  What more could you ask?

Here's my plan for Boeing.  Build a jetliner that uses its two engines to lift off and get up to altitude above the clouds.  Then a computer shuts down the engines and the wings, which have solar panels built into the top convert sunlight into electrical power.  That is assisted by the now silent turbines, which are gathering and absorbing the air passing through them (i.e. - wind) and also converting that into power.  Those two sources of natural power are used to propel several blades that can be extended from the tail cone and the wings on either side of the turbine engines.

In effect, we will have a hybrid jet that becomes a propeller plane once it reaches flight level.  Of course, it will fly a heck of a lot slower than today's air transports, but we'll be saving the planet.  That is, if there is a reason to "save" it.  Oh yes, I forgot.  That the planet is disintegrating is "settled science" according to Al Gore and NPR.  And then, according to our president, "climate change constitutes a serious threat to global security," (and) "Denying it or refusing to deal with it endangers our national security. It is a dereliction of duty." (Actual quotes from his speech to the Coast Guard Academy graduating class on May 20, 2015)

Now, can you spell I-N-S-A-N-E?

NBC Poll Message

I recently received one of my most often-repeated messages over the email circuit again.  I'm certain that you have also seen it numerous times, but just in case you missed it, here it is:

NBC POLL

Do you believe in God?

NBC this morning had a poll on this question. They had the highest Number of responses that they have ever had for one of their polls, and the Percentage was the same as this:

86% to keep the words, IN God We Trust and God in the Pledge of Allegiance 14% against.

That is a pretty 'commanding' public response.

I was asked to send this on if I agreed or delete if I didn't .

Now it is your turn . .. It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a mess about having "In God We Trust" on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Why is the world catering to this 14%?

AMEN!

If you agree, pass this on, if not, simply delete.

I have seen this message literally hundreds of times over the past ten or so years, it is always NBC that takes the poll "that morning" and the results have never varied even one-percent . . . It is always 86% for and 14% against.  In fact, those same percentages come up frequently in other polls that are sent over the email circuit, usually having to do with some religious subject.

I ask myself what the true question was.  Was it "Do you believe in God?" as stated in the second line and again referenced in the next paragraph, or was it "Do you want to keep the words, 'IN (sic) God We Trust' and 'God' in the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Does that even make any sense?  "In God we trust" isn't in the Pledge of Allegiance!

Is it possible that 86% of Americans are deeply religious Christians, and only 14% belong to some other religion, or are possibly Atheists.  It certainly doesn't seem to be the case, based on the behavior and culture in America today.  I'd say it might be just the opposite.

The "Pledge of Allegiance" was made up in 1892 by some fool who was promoting his Boys Life Magazine.  It got adopted by the American schools, eventually spread to other public meetings and venues and has undergone several revisions to the wording, but  

we are one of only two nations that has such an instrument.  That in itself should be enough to make it weird and silly.  With all the other insane changes we've seen in America over the past few decades, I'm surprised anyone still recites it.

Regarding that 14% negative poll result, (Why does NBC get to be the network that gets picked on, by the way?) we cater to a mere 2% of our population that is LGBT, so why not give in to the wishes of a whopping 14% that want the "God words" taken out of our Pledge  of Allegiance and our currency?  If it's good enough for the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, it should be good enough for the devils.

While we're on the subject, let's have a poll (maybe ABC or CBS could conduct this one) to see how many people would like to quit singing the National Anthem.  After all, it is very offensive to the Brits, and the melody is taken from a song that refers to "Heaven".

Besides, it is really, really hard to sing.  I'll wager that if we did take that poll, 86% of respondents would opt to keep it and 14% would want it replaced by Kumbaya or I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.

In case you're wondering, I didn't forward that message.  NBC has apparently been conducting that poll every single day since sometime in 2004.  That was when Snopes first got word of it and debunked it for the first time. 

Oh, The Philippines is the other country that has a pledge, and they borrowed it from us when they were a United States Protectorate.  How silly is that?!

The Century Plant

I've written a column about the century plant in the past, but it was several years ago and when we lived in El Paso where they were common among the desert flora and as yard plants.  The one I'm writing about this time is the only one I have ever seen here in Augusta.

Cactus is not native to this region, although there are several prickly pear cacti here that seem to be growing wild along the roadways.  The century plant, also known as agave, has a long life, but not the 100 years its name would imply.  They normally live 20-to-30 years.  The leaves grow to a 5-foot length or more.  The plant only blooms once, and when it does, it withers and dies within a few weeks.

The specimen I have been watching for about nine years was still in its growth stage until recently.  I passed it several times last week and did not see any change in its spiky fullness.  Then, today (Friday, June 5) I drove past and there was the familiar stalk that had shot up to a height of almost 25 feet with a diameter of about 4 inches.  And at the top were those beautiful flowers that form the seed pods to propagate the species.

I know that it sounds incredible, but that stalk actually grew to that length and thickness in just a few days.  It is amazing, and it is almost possible to watch the spurt is so rapid.  I wish I had known earlier, or that someone had taken timed exposures to show it.  It is truly one of the wonders of nature.

The stalk will last about one-to-two weeks, and then it will turn brown and the entire plant will shrivel and die.  The seed pods will have dropped their precious cargo, though, and it is possible that some new plants will grow in place of the deceased one.

Oh, one other fact . . . the agave plant is the one from which tequila is made, so besides its rare beauty, it also makes a great tasting alcoholic beverage. 

The plant isn't fully blossomed yet , so I'm including two older pictures that show the century plant I wrote about in El Paso.  I also wanted to show the blooms that come out on those arms way up the stalk, so here they are.

Warlock and Witch Hunts

You might have heard the news that Dennis Hastert, former Republican Speaker of the House, was indicted this week for 'structural withdrawals' from his bank account. The whole story is yet to come, but it appears that he was paying blackmail to a unnamed person with whom it is alleged that he had some inappropriate behavior while he was a high school wrestling coach.

I'm not going to try to analyze the situation regarding Speaker Hastert's long-ago conduct.  My aim here is to examine the cash withdrawals and how they affect not only the accused, but what it portends for all of us.  There is a lesson to be learned here, and I believe that we all had better pay attention!

The withdrawals in question were for slightly less than $10,000, An amount that triggers a bank report to the federal authorities.  However, any unusual cash transactions can also trigger the same notification if the bank employee finds it suspicious, regardless of the amount.  And once the government gets involved, it is possible that the entire account can be confiscated without any recourse. 

That's right, you're in jeopardy of losing all the money in your account, quite possibly your entire life savings, and the chance of recovery is nil.  You May not even be charged with a crime, but your property is forfeited nevertheless.  

The same is true when you carry large amounts of cash with you.  A recent case in point involved a man who was carrying several thousand dollars with him to purchase a car he bought online.  He was pulled over by the police for a minor infraction and the policeman either saw the cash or the man volunteered that he had it.  Once it was identified, it was confiscated as 'suspicious activity' and he never recovered it.

I listen to the Dave Ramsey Show, and I know he advocates for debt-free living, but when you pay cash for everything you run the risk of triggering the above scenario.  So, while it is great to live debt-free, be aware and careful how you transact business.  Use check or (Ramsey forbid) credit card, which you always pay off within the grace period. Try to avoid large cash deposits and withdrawals and withdrawals and request a money order or cashier check, if you do need to do so.

I don't want to alarm you, but the incidence of government confiscations is becoming highly intrusive and the Patriot Act has made it much easier for such invasions of privacy and fortune to occur.  Beware and be prepared. 

Undisclosed Near Disaster

Six years ago, in June of 2009, I started out on my first solo road trip.  I had planned a two-week trip to the Northwest in my little 2007 Ford Taurus without Judy - she said she didn't care much about that part of the country - and I was delighted to be able to do all the driving myself.  This is the previously untold story of how close that trip came to an end before it had gotten started.  Yes, even Judy has never heard the full story of all the mishaps that befell me on that fateful trip.

First of all, about a week before the start, I had a minor fender bender, but the damage was mostly cosmetic, and I thought nothing of it.  However, I now think that it was a harbinger of things to come.

The day I left I drove up past Chattanooga to a rest area on I-24 and stopped for my lunch.  And when I got back in the car and turned the key, there was a click and nothing else.  Dead battery seemed the problem, so I called AAA for a service call.   The truck came in about 45 minutes and jump-started me.  I gave him a tip for his trouble, and got back on the road.

About sixty miles up the road, in the town of Manchester, Tennessee, I stopped for gas.  When I turned the key again, the same click resulted, so I again called Triple-A.  This time the responder tested the battery and found a dead cell.  He recommended an auto parts store in town, and I drove there after the jump start to purchase a new battery.

Because of the two-hour delay, I had to drive the last 100 miles to my hotel in the dark, and I nearly hit not one, but two deer on the way.

I had a late and less than satisfying dinner and went to bed hoping for a better second day.  But before I could get through the first night, I actually rolled out of the motel bed and hit the night stand on my way to the floor.  Fortunately, it didn't render me unconscious, but it did put a nice lump on my head.  I imagine the people in the room under my second floor accommodation were awakened by the thump in the night.

The second day, rather than backtrack 40 miles down to the interstate highway, I decided to take a local road, Highway 50, over to St Louis.  Forty miles into the drive, a semi had gone off the road into a ditch, and the trailer was blocking the entire highway.  I waited about half-an-hour for the wrecker to clear it before I finally turned around and went back the way I came to get on a passable road.  That delay put me behind again, so I had to cut a planned combined lunch stop and visit with friends in Kansas City.  Even so, I barely got to my motel in Sioux City. Iowa for the second night before dark. 

At this point, I was almost ready to turnaround and head back home.  I mean, how many times does misfortune have to occur before you get the idea that God doesn't really want you to make this trip?

Well, from that point on things started to improve, and I had no further problems on my 15-day sojourn.  As a matter of fact, I believe I enjoyed that trip as much as any I have ever made, and it has inspired several more trips back to Oregon, one of my absolute favorite states to visit.   

The Heel-lock, Lace-lock Shoe Tie

Twice in my road trip travels I've experienced a problem with heel and toe pain, and in both cases i eventually developed blisters on my heels and lost my toenails on both of my big toes.  The reason was that I was walking up and down inclines that caused my athletic shoes to rub against my heels and push back against my toes; in other words, slippage caused the injury.

This week I learned something I have never seen before, and I am pretty certain that you also are unaware of this method of tying athletic shoes - sneakers, for those of you in my generation - to prevent slippage of the kind that caused my injuries.  I came across a video on Youtube that shows how to use those two little extra holes at the top of your shoe opening to secure your laces in such a way that your foot is locked into the shoe.

We've all seen those two extra holes in most sneakers that usually don't have a metal eyelet on them like the other lace holes do.  They are placed far enough back that it would seem silly to try to use them as the top lace hole.  So, what the heck are they there for?

The extra holes have a very specific purpose, but she shoe manufacturers never disclose it, maybe to sell more shoes, since they wear out faster when used improperly.  Whatever the reason, here is the correct way to tie the laces so that the shoes do not slip forward and backward as you walk or run. 

When you lace up your shoes to the top hole with a metal eyelet, make sure you insert the lace from inside to outside through that hole.  Then push the lace back through the small hole to form a loose loop on the outside of the shoe.  Do the same on the other side.

Now thread the ends of each opposite lace through the loop on the other side of the shoe.  Next, and this is important, pull the ends downward against the sides of the shoe so that the loops are made nice and tight.  Finally, go ahead and tie your shoelace into the familiar looped knot.  You now have a perfect lace-lock support around your ankle.  It will keep your foot from moving back and forth inside the shoe.

If you would like to try a lace-lock tie on your regular shoes to get firm support, try this.

Lace your shoes from the inside out through each eyelet up to the second last ones. Then put the ends through the top hole from outside to inside without crossing them-straight up-leaving a little space so that you can thread the opposite end through the loop formed between the adjacent holes.  Pull down to tighten the lace and then tie your knot as you normally would. Here is an online

If you didn't understand the instructions, you can watch this video demonstrating the technique like I did.  For dress shoes, or any laced shoe without the extra hole, here is a website that will show what I described in the last paragraph.  And if you doubt the security that the lace-lock provides, try it out for yourself for a few days and see what you think then.  It might amaze you how much more comfortable the shoes are when tied with the lace-lock method.

Oh, one more thing.  You don't have to perform this every time you tie your shoes.  You can untie and leave the laces just like you threaded them up to the last step.

The Real Gun That Won The West

I have published this story in the past, but I truly love the telling of it, and several new people have joined the list of recipients of the Weekly Wisdom Column since January of 2012 when I last sent it out.  I have not changed a word of it, and it does prove American exceptionalism in a most unique way. Here it is for your reading enlightenment and enjoyment.

Any of us who have studied the history of the United States is probably familiar with the title of this column, The Gun That Won the West.  Of course, you will likely recall that a movie was made in 1955.  No, it didn’t have John Wayne as its star, and the real star of the movie was not a person, but a gun, the Springfield Model 1865 Rifle.

That history is nice, but not completely accurate, as I am about to prove.  It was another gun altogether that truly “won the West” for our country. It wasn’t made by Springfield, nor Colt, or any other American gun manufacturer, and it didn’t even use bullets and black powder to fire its deadly hail.

The gun I’m referring to was made in Italy around 1790.  It was the Girandoni Air Rifle, and it was used by the Austrians against Napoleon in its first battles.  The Girandoni found its way to the newly formed United States and was first used by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1803 to explore the new territory known as the Louisiana Purchase.

I recently watched a video presentation produced by the National Firearms Museum that told the history of the Girandoni air rifle as it related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Senior Curator, Phil Schreier, explained how the gun worked and he showed a model of the gun.  I downloaded the video from YouTube, so you can watch it too if you’re interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pqFyKh-rUI

One of the questions that has always baffled me—and apparently it also been asked by historians—is how did the party of 38 men and one woman (Sacagawea) traverse thousands of miles of Indian territory without ever being attacked and massacred by the overwhelming numbers of hostile natives? 

The answer lies in the fact that every single time that the exploration party encountered native tribes, they provided gifts and then Meriwether Lewis would demonstrate the Girandoni Air Rifle for the tribe. The fact that the rifle could fire 22 rounds in less than 30 seconds with extreme accuracy must have really impressed (and scared) the natives.

Now, here’s the wrinkle that makes this gun so historical.  Lewis and Clark only had one such rifle with them!  Of course they never divulged that secret to the Indians.  Better to let them think that the firepower of the few white men was far more than the huge difference in numbers possessed by the tribes.

According to Mr. Schreier, the journals of the expedition contain no less than thirty-nine references to the Girandoni demonstrations, and it was probably this alone that provided safe passage for the expedition all the way to the Pacific Ocean with no conflict at all.

It is my opinion that, had Lewis and Clark not used that Girandoni Air Rifle as a means to demonstrate their superior firepower, we might not have had a “West” to win.  True, the Springfield Rifles and those pioneers who carried them did their part, but it was that single gun that opened the territory to exploration and settlement.

Mr. Schreier also refers to the Indians as being armed, but I have read some of the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and I contend that the natives were armed mostly with primitive weapons.  True, they had superior numbers of warriors, and bows and arrows, knives and lances were not to be scoffed at.  But those were the main weapons, although some of the braves had obtained guns from earlier trappers and traders. It was only after the pioneers started their migration to the western lands that the tribes became well equipped with firearms. 

Imagine how anxious the tribes would have been to obtain some of those Girandoni Air rifles!  It was the first “repeater” they had ever seen.  The chiefs certainly must have believed that the entire band of explorers was armed with those formidable weapons.  There were many tense confrontations, but they always ended with no hostilities and the chieftains backing down.

There is one other point that Mr. Schreier makes in the video that our present day leaders seem to have forgotten.  The Girandoni Air Rifle demonstrations brought peace through strength. None of those 46 caliber balls ever had to be used in anger.  Lewis’s parlor trick was enough to ward off any thoughts of war by the tribal chiefs.

If you really care enough to read about the expedition without having to pore over the thirteen journals and one million words penned by Lewis, you can get a great version from the book by Stephen Ambrose, Undaunted Courage.  It is available at Amazon or can likely be borrowed from your local library.

If you are more interested in a visual/oral demonstration and history of the Girandoni Air Rifle and its subsequent more modern versions, you can stay on YouTube and find all manner of videos detailing the mechanics of the gun.  It is quite a piece of weaponry.