Sic Semper Apparatchiks…


A quick look at the sidebar will reveal a variety and number of books read over the course of the past year, oft times engendering discussions off-site as to selections and purpose. Looking at the current working stack on my desk, I thought I’d take this opportunity to talk to why these particular selections.  Understanding…
Christmas comes at a time of year where we, perforce, count our blessings, tally our losses and generally reflect on the year past. We find this action common across national boundaries and racial divides and, all too commonly, it ends there. The accountants’ take of the past year and if the blessings outweigh the losses,…
Last couple of weeks we have been serenaded by Brood 2 offspring of the 1996 round of 17-year cicadas. With a background noise like a bad 50’s special effects soundtrack, they’ve been pretty constant but this weekend, overcome at times by the sound of Merlin and Wright piston engines as the CAF brought a P-51,…
There is a long-standing tradition in Naval Aviation that no screw-up goes unrecognized…just check out the variety of callsigns out there. Sometimes though, the screw-up is so monumental that it deserves special recognition — sort of like, um, landing on the wrong carrier. Recognition is afforded not unlike re-branding a steer that wandered off its…
He Is Risen 1. Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the…
Lockheed C-121 ConstellationIf ever there were an example of art brought to life, the Connie has to be it. And just as a reminder of what air travel USED to be like (before generic widebodies crammed like sardine tins, like the one I’m headed off in tomorrow…)-SJS