They Need a Weather Channel Man

It was April and the Aboriginals in a remote part of Northern Australia asked their new elder if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.

Since he was an elder in a modern community he had never been taught the old secrets.

When he looked at the sky he couldn't tell what the winter was going to be like.

Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the tribe should collect firewood to be prepared.

But being a practical leader, after several days he had an idea.

He walked out to the telephone booth on the highway, called the Bureau of Meteorology and asked,
'Is the coming winter in this area going to be cold?'

The meteorologist responded, 'It looks like this winter is going to be quite cold.'

So the elder went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared.

A week later he called the Bureau of Meteorology again.

'Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?'

The meteorologist again replied, 'Yes, it's going to be a very cold winter.'

The elder again went back to his community and ordered them to collect every scrap of firewood they could find.

Two weeks later the elder called the Bureau again.

'Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?' he asked.

'Absolutely,' the man replied.

'It's looking more and more like it is going to be one of the coldest winters ever.

''How can you be so sure?' the elder asked.

The weatherman replied, 'Our satellites have reported that the Aboriginals in the north are collecting firewood like crazy, and that's always a sure sign.'

Signs of a Bad Economy

Our daily lives are affected by the economy downturn, so badly that we have to cut back on a few things.

No more tissues for runny noses.

Even dishwashing liquid is out of the budget.

Hi Grandma in PA, relax,
he is just pre-rinsing the plate.

The other kids have the final rinse.

Winter

Winter is still here!

We are talking about 1 foot of snow, 4 wheel drive, drifting snow etc etc.

And reading the updates on the police scanner online,

http://hancock.oh.scanamerica.us/index.php. The Modern scanner.

The best way to get around is defintely like this:

Although we can end up like this:



And still smile!

Pictures to come...

Taking Chance

There is a lot of hum around the blogosphere about Taking Chance, which will be shown on HBO. A true story about the return of a Marine to his home. Somehow I do not feel the urge to watch it. Why? I already know the details 5 years ago when Blackfive broke his story into the Milblogsphere. 5 years ago, April 2004, I cried as I read LtCol M.R. Strobl's account of the escort of LtCol Chance Phelps home.

Here is an excerpt from April 2004,

23 Apr 04 – The enclosed article was written by LtCol M.R. Strobl USMC who is assigned to MCCDC Quantico, VA and served as the officer who escorted the remains of PFC C. Phelps USMC from Dover AFB, DE to his home. PFC Phelps was
assigned to 3d Bn, 11th Marines – an artillery unit functioning as a povisional infantry battalion during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 2. PFC Phelps was killed in action from a gunshot wound received on 9 Apr 04 during combat operations west of Baghdad. He was buried in Dubois, WY on 17 Apr 04.

TAKING
CHANCE

Chance Phelps was wearing his Saint Christopher medal when he was killed on Good Friday. Eight days later, I handed the medallion to his mother. I didn’t know Chance before he died. Today, I miss him.

Over a year ago, I volunteered to escort the remains of Marines killed in Iraq should the need arise. The military provides a uniformed escort for all casualties to ensure
they are delivered safely to the next of kin and are treated with dignity and respect along the way. Thankfully, I hadn’t been called on to be an escort since Operation Iraqi Freedom began. The first few weeks of April, however, had been a tough month for the Marines. On the Monday after Easter I was reviewing Department of Defense press releases when I saw that a Private First Class Chance Phelps was killed in action outside of Baghdad. The press release listed his hometown—the same town I’m from. I notified our Battalion adjutant and told him that, should the duty to escort PFC Phelps fall to our Battalion, I would take him.

Continue the rest here ..... Taking Chance at Blackfive.net

HERE WE GO

HERE WE GO, STEELERS!
HERE WE GO!
PITTSBURGH GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!

Remember the commercial,
"How can you watch 9 hours of football over the weekend?"

Simple, watch and cheer from the couch!

Here is the weekend!

What a weekend to look forward to....
Endless winter, too much snow, freezing temperatures.
The APEX, the CRUX, the THING....

FOOTBALL!!

Let's see how the Steelers will shut the loud mouth thug Ray Lewis.

McNabb, how thou should behave against the Cardinals, before they peck your little hiney. Singletary, fly like Michael Jordan.
Reed, stop spitting.

Ahhh.... what ever ... watching for Hines Ward's smile and the waiting for the sound of the helmets crunching each other. It is FOOTBALL baby.

Back to work, I had to get it out... can't really shout it out here... people will think I am weird.

Not sure if you want to be here

As the new year begin, we reflect on what we accomplished and set goals for the next 12 months.

Or in the meantime before all planning begins, we get to keep warm and not freeze.

How cold??

The thermometer read a chilling number this morning, cold enough that the dogs were ready to come in ..........


-19F

Yes you read it right...... -19F!!

It took 3 turns to start the car.
The roads are slick because safety salt is ineffective.
Steam from a soybean processing plant froze as icicles on their awnings.
Cold enough that the kids did not want to play outside.
Schools are cancelled due to concerns of frost accidents as well as heating the schools.

Yep it is cold. Err ... very cold.
If I don't like you, then I wish you are here without a coat, winter boots or indoor heat.

Nah... that is really cruel. (hehehe)