Ten Interesting Facts.....

1) Only in America could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000 a plate campaign fund raising event. 2) Only in America could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when we have a black President, a black Attorney General, and roughly 18% of the federal workforce is black. 12% of the population is black. 3) Only in America could we have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner, the head of the Treasury Department and Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways and Means Committee, BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes. 4) Only in America can we have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash. 5) Only in America would we make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege while we discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just become American citizens. 6) Only in America could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country's Constitution be thought of as "extremists." 7) Only in America could you need to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote. 8) Only in America could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. oil company (Marathon Oil) is less than half of a company making tennis shoes (Nike). 9) Only in America could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a trillion dollars more than it has per year for total spending of $7 million PER MINUTE, and complain that it doesn't have nearly enough money. 10) Only in America could the rich people who pay 86% of all income taxes be accused of not paying their "fair share" by people who don't pay any income taxes at all.

Short Wave Radio At Sea

Even though I haven't be able to get a Reciprocal Operating Permit from the country where our ship is flagged, I do bring my little Grundig G3 shortwave receiver with me. On days like today, I enjoy going out on deck and tuning around the bands to 'see' what I can 'hear'. This weekend is Museum Ships Weekend, and I was able to hear KH6BB, onboard the U.S.S. Missouri anchored in Pearl Harbor. I'm going to send them a reception report, with an SASE, of course, and hope they get a kick out of being heard from 4*17'N, 149*43'W.
We're chugging along at 19 knots, and hopefully will be back in Home Port  next Saturday the 9th.
I'll miss my YF's birthday, but I ordered her some of her favorite flowers from ProFlowers.com, the BEST place I've ever dealt with when it comes to sending floral arrangements.

The little Grundig is a better radio than I expected. It has Synchronous Detection for AM use, which helps eliminate fading, and although it has 1kHz tuning steps, the fine tuning control has a greater than 1kHz range, making it very easy to tune in SSB.
It also receives standard AM broadcast, FM stereo (with headphones), Aircraft Band, and has most of the standard Shortwave Bands available at the touch of a button.
Pleasant little radio for under $100, and would make a good addition to your bug out/emergency kit.

Successful Launch

Launched right on time, successful spacecraft separation, and successful spacecraft acquisition.

We'll pack up and stow our stuff Friday, and head for home.

L-1 hour, 30 minutes

And counting.

Probably gonna be a bit too busy to post anymore tonight......

L-4 Hours......

And counting........

"Wizard of ID" Nails It, Too......

Maybe there's some, small hope for us yet.......

San Francisco To Rename Street After Nancy Pelosi

As usual, Ramirez nails it......

All Gave Some, Some Gave All....

Thank you to all our Veterans on this day.

We've Arrived

Actually got here sometime last night/early this morning.

Won't be posting much while I'm here due to "Employer Paranoia".

I'll try and come up with some other topics when I have time.

Bullit Points

If you're a fan of "Bullit" with Steve McQueen, I think you'll find this little 99 cent download very interesting.
And best of all, ALL of the proceeds go to Steve's favorite organization, The Boys Republic, in Chino, California.
The Boys republic is the place McQueen went to during his somewhat troubled youth, and he creits them with turning his life around.

Get it here: http://www.bullittpoints.com/

Day 5 At Sea

Reporting from 10*13'N, 143*26'W, 19.2kts.

Had our second rehearsal today, the one where they throw all the faults, failures, and 'anomalies' at us.
We came through with flying colors, as usual.

We're supposed to catch up with the launch platform around 0300 or so, and then we'll steam along with them down to the launch site at a leisurely 11kts or so. We'll do all our systems checks using our line-of-site microwave links, and run the last rehearsal.

Then it's one day to set up, one day to launch, one day to tear down, and head for home.

Just hanging out in my cube tonight watching "Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex".

Was going through a link a Ham buddy sent me, and I found a QSL card from the guy that taught me Morse Code oh so many years ago. Cel was quite a guy. He had served many years as a shipboard Radio Officer, and could talk to you, smoke a cigarette, drink a cup of coffee, and carry on a conversation in CW at 20+ wpm on the radio.

Quite a guy........