Folks:

Fittop:

Interesting post. You may be right about Infrared rather than RADAR. My son was once visiting a pal of his do9wn at Pope AFB at Bragg. He was allowed to sit in a war ready F-16. Now I know this was against all regs. but he was. He claims that during this exciting experience, he apparently managed to paint the base control tower. All hell should have broken out but somehow it did not. A buddy of mine spent quite a bit of time down in Boluxie where he was coaxed by the USAF into becoming a RADAR officer. He has explained to me certain interesting features of RADAR sets during that time. There were indeed safety restrictions. Certain "things" had reportedly burst into flame when caught in a RADAR scan that was very close by. I can imagine that, though much, much weaker being painted by a RADAR beam that set their hair on fire, while useful in illuminating the vehicle if the headlight were off or faulty might help the jaywalker it might be rather unpleasant for the driver.

Incidentally, I've read that a so-called "death ray" has just been tested by the military. Those previously tested had been most useful in warming c-rats so this latest test must have melted a tank or something.

Tinfoil outfit?? Why Fittop, you know those are only useful as protection from alien and CIA mind melding. Everyone knows that. You would need a water cooled jacket lined with lead for RADAR protection and pray you never had to swim with that on.

Jens:

A great and, as usual, interesting post that was not too long for my enjoyment. All I've read about Volvo or Valve-O as I always call it has been the boldface headlines. I should have read further. Thanks for the added input. Yes, fuel cells may well be the thing of the automotive future. Isn't Tesla is working hard on something similar especially for the home which would make photo-voltaic produced electricity much more attractive?

As for your speculation regarding Mr. Churchill, I'd say that the enormous military SAFU code-named "Operation Rutter" early on and later "Operation Jubilee" when plans were final, at Dieppe France may have had a good deal to do with his concerns as well. I believe the Dieppe Raid, as it is usually called, was considered a live ammo rehearsal for "Operation Overlord". Mostly Canadian troops took part in that battle and many died or were taken prisoner.

I am delighted you got the sunshine. It is not yet cooler here. Feel free, however, to break into singing the old song "You are my sunshine" anytime you are reminded of moi.

Dux:
Indeed, the Pythons did sing the praises of SPAM. I must admit that I have never cared much for that over the salty canned variety of pressed ham. I have tried it and I can manage to get it down when well fried and chased by a strong and tasty beverage. Many do like it and there are, I understand, whole cookbooks devoted to preparing SPAM. Is it true that Webster's New Obscenity Dictionary is filled with entries coined by American troops in WW2 who were fed that stuff?

You saw a very large denizen of the deep you say? Good thing you were in the boat or on shore. Otherwise, like me, had I been there, no one else would have stood a Popsicle's chance in Death Valley to win that coveted listing in the big book of world records for the fastest retreat from an unfrozen body of water by man or woman 16 years or older not being threatened by gunfire.

OG:

Folks,

OG:

You mean to say the weather wasn't below freezing in Denmark? I'll have that sunshine back then Jens. Don't you cry foul. You can have it back when winter arrives, especially since I never received the cooler weather I traded for.

Folks,

No rain, no clouds this Friday morning. At 9 AM the temp was 78°F. with a nine mph wind from the SW. The barometric pressure 29.94 in. and the humidity a wet 79%. As predicted, we have been experiencing highs around 92°F. every day and today is expected to be no exception. It is, after all, summer. It is these uncomfortable days of high temps and humidity that will make fall so welcome.

When the old swelter meter goes "TILT" and boils over it is tempting to think of higher elevations and cooler temps right above us. Oddly enough, the temperature of the atmosphere actually heats up when you get above the dense gas altitudes. Above the Ionosphere the temps of molecules can vary between 2,000 (3,632° F.) and 3,000 degrees C (5,432 °F.).

And even in the lower atmos[here there is a thermal inversion zone where temperatures can go from 0 degrees C to around 35 degrees C in a matter of a few hundred meters. Our atmosphere just doesn't keep getting colder the higher you go. Ask Dux, he's been known to get rather high now and then. As have we all.

In the lower atmospheric regions (up to altitudes of approximately 40,000 feet or 12 km), temperature decreases with altitude at a pretty uniform rate. Because the atmosphere is warmed by conduction from Earth's surface, this lapse or reduction in temperature is normal with increasing distance.

Although the actual atmospheric lapse rate varies, under normal atmospheric conditions the average atmospheric lapse rate results in a temperature decrease of 3.5°F/1,000 ft (6.4°C/km) of altitude.

Folks,

It is now 10:45 this new Saturday. The temp is a warm 82°F. with a humidity of 79% and a 10 mph wind from the SW and a reported visibility of 10m. Only a few distant white clouds can be seen from my window. It rained a bit last night. In the distance, I watched with interest a display of cloud to cloud lightning. The internal flashes brought out colors in the cloud I had never noticed before. It reminds me that so often the the display in the heavens far exceeds anything seen on TV or the silver screen. Nature has its moments of unmatchable beauty for us all to marvel upon, even for jaded folks of my age.

Oh joy, the high temp today is supposed to be one degree cooler than the last few days. I'd cheerfully go back to 92° if the humidity would just drop to 50% or less. You know a little ice on the pond would even be nicer than that However, at this usually hot time of the year I do not think our churches could accommodate the overload this aberration of the weather would cause Sunday. Yes, Dux, I heard that dubious suggestion. I possiblyly should either shut up or move to Denmark where they may actually have larger churches and ice on their ponds in July.

Folks:

Several interesting events occurred on this date:

July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 176 days remaining until the end..... I mean of the year.

8th July, 1932 : The French Submarine Prominthee sank while doing testing maneuvers in Cherbourg Harbor taking 66 crew members to a depth of 130 ft, poor conditions due to tide and strong winds are hampering attempts to locate the Submarine and it is thought unlikely any survivors will be found.

8th July, 1947 : There were a number of reports of a mysterious flying disc (spaceship) landing in Roswell, New Mexico. At first, reports were denied by the U.S. military, then a report appeared which stated they had been lucky enough to obtain one of the DISCS which was later denied. The debate whether an alien spacecraft actually landed in Roswell, New Mexico, still continues today with many believing it was a government cover-up.

8th July, 1960 : The US Pilot of a U-2 Spy Plane Francis Gary Powers is charged with espionage in a Soviet Union court.

8th July, 1987 : Oliver North has broken 10 months of silence concerning the Iran-Contra affair when he testified before the house senate committee investigating the Iran Arms Sale, that all his orders came from senior members of the white house staff including orders to shred documents and to prepare false statements

8 July, 2000 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I believe Stephen Fry says this is his favorite Potter film.

8th July, 2008 : Gas prices around the US hit new highs as the demand for oil increases and the price of a barrel of oil reaches new highs resulting in much higher gas prices, the price of a gallon of gas ranges between $4.20 and $4.85 in different states.
8 July, 2013 - Scotland Boeing 787 Takes First Flight

8th July, 2012 : Ernest Borgnine, an Oscar-winning film, and television actor died of renal failure at the age of ninety-five. Borgnine won an Academy Award for the 1955 film Marty and was known for appearing in The Poseidon Adventure and The Wild Bunch.

8th July, 2013 : The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has taken its first long flight from Glasgow, Scotland to Cancun, Mexico. Boeing claims the aircraft to be the world's most efficient and it is now being introduced for selected flights throughout the world. The plane had been launched more than a year previously but had been plagued with problems.

Celebrating Birthdays Today

Wolfgang Puck
Born: July 8th, 1949, Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria.

Known For:
Wolfgang grew up learning to cook at home, and went on to study it as a trade. He moved to Provence and Monaco to learn his skills as an apprentice, and moved to the United States. He lived in New York, before becoming the senior chef at Ma Maison in Los Angeles. In Hollywood, he opened his own restaurant, which was called Spago (despite his reliance on typically French culinary preparation). His original recipes meant that Spago was able to develop a number of celebrity clientele. He opened a few other restaurants under that name; as well as a Chinese restaurant, which was equally applauded and he produced a number of cookbooks, which led him to the presentation of a T.V. show.

I wonder what happened tomorrow?

Folks,

Another Sunday and this one is well named. The sun is out (with his hat on, Jens) and quickly warming the land around me. We have a beautiful day today. The temp is 83°F. The humidity is a tolerable 64% making the temp seem 87°F. There is a 7 mph wind coming from the NE. Visibility is reported to be 12 m. We had quite a lot of heavy rain last night requiring several warnings. The sky was filled with rumblings and flashes. Our lights flickered but did not go completely off. The A/C did kick off but resetting the breakers got it back on. This morning there is no sign of the deluge that I can see from my sunny upstairs window. The one with the drowsy cat in it.

Speaking of the drowsy cat, I think she is the bossiest, most mouthy female cat I've ever encountered. She has a whole arsenal of tricks and actions to get her way, whatever it might be. Being in heat 3 or 4 days a week this time of the year gives her plenty of opportunities to use every one. This hopefully will wind down as soon as the days begin to get shorter once more. If not, I'll likely be asking for suggestions for a reliable psychiatrist. One for me and at leats two for the cat. One to tenderly hold the cat and the other to do all the talking.Hint: the one doing the holding may wish to wear metal lined gauntlets and a full suit of armor. Thye other should wear comfy running shoes. She is fine with me but doesn't suffer strangers gladly, especially those who do not pay deferential attention to her demands.

For those who may not know, the cat who allows me to fill her every desire without complaint and to call her Zena (Xena?) is a rescue cat who went through unimaginable hell before she came to live with us in 2016. The vet, who had already planned euthanasia because, in his opinion, she was not going to be socialized advised us to allow to put her down. It has taken me the best part of a year to tame her to the point she can be in polite company without fear of bloodshed. Most days she is now like any other docile house cat. She still hides under the bed when strangers poke their head in. She has accepted my granddaughter and grandson into her circle of friends. I have become quite fond of her. This is, I admit, put to the test on nights when, in the grip of Estrus, she whines and complains all night long.

After a delightful lunch of tacos today I can't help remembering the Sunday lunches of yesteryear. On a day in July at my grandmother's table, we would have enjoyed southern fried something, probably chicken. All manner of veggies right out of her garden, especially white butterbeans and cucumbers in vinegar salt and pepper and diced tomatoes in vinegar and sugar. There would likely be desserts like banana pudding or strawberry shortcake. My dear late wife's table would have been groaning with about the same but with veggies straight out of the market, not the ground. Back then, the family sat together at meal time. Granddad walked the three blocks home every day at lunch and I the six blocks from my school if the school was in session or from wherever I was playing with friends in summer. We convened at grandmother's table to listen to the news and weather playing on the console radio in the background and dine on what (in spite of having eaten at many famous restaurants) now seems to be the best food I have ever tasted. Sadly, I am afraid we all took it for granted back then. You probably have similar delicious memories from your childhood.

What will the kids of today remember? No one seems to have or take the time to sit together for meals anymore. We settle for fast food eaten on the run or almost and meals seem to just be an interruption to more important things of our day rather than being equal to or more important. I wonder how long it may take before we find a way to eliminate the need to stop to eat at all? Technology is changing our lives; the future is coming. We must prepare for it now. They say the first person to live to be 200 years old has been born. Some say it is the first person to live 1000 years. If you think the world changed when Guttenburg invented the press or during the industrial revolution or the falling of the A-bombs, hang around. When natural progression finally allows the wealthy to live forever what then? Will the poorer population rebel until death is eliminated for all?

When no one dies will new births be regulated or even prohibited due to limited space and resources? Will we follow Prof. Hawking's advice and seek out another world to move our excess population to or will only wrong doers be sent to a stellar "Australia"? Will new mind altering methods even allow for wrong doing? Will "bad " behavior also be eliminated? Will there be no more Heaven or Hell preached in church? Wil there be churches and what might they be like? Will the Bible be "modernized"? Will there be police or the need for them?

Think about just one technological advance, autonomous driving cars. Beyond the obvious change that will make, look for your insurance cost to skyrocket if you decide to drive yourself for fun because the rate of accidents by autonomous cars will, by then, be almost non-existent. However, when one does have an accident, who does society charge? All the information pertaining to the accident will be available. Who is liable? The owner of the car? The passenger? The manufacturer of the car? The age of robotics will likely explode. So human-like will they become that robots will have legal rights. Lawyers will have to specialize in this area, might the constitution have to be changed? Could there ever be a robot president? The sex industry will certainly take advantage of the robot revolution bring on many other laws and concerns along without any benefits.

It is all so fascinating to contemplate. Also deeply concerning. Concerning for some. An interesting thought exercise for the rest of us who will not likely live to be 1000 years of age. Perhaps not even 100. Who will be the last person to die? "The Brave New World" is coming. Prepare for Huxley's AD 2540, it may arrive sooner than expected.

As they say, there is no bad weather as long as you dress right for the weather you have so I wore an extra jacket on today's bike ride. The day started somewhat cold 15 degrees C and with a bit of wind. Later on the clouds gradually disappeared and eventually we reached about 20 C. Hopefully we are headed for a period of more stable weather with less wind and less rain.

Allow me to be somewhat sceptical about the imminent arrival of Brave New World as in frustration and disgust I had to disconnect HAL, errrr I mean disable Google's attempts at AI today. As I have perhaps pointed out before, to me AI stands not for Artificial Intelligence for for Artificial Incompetence, or Imbecile. The thing is; the other day I wanted to check out the distance and possible rout to drive from my home to somewhere else and since I used Google Maps for my desktop reconnaissance, the idiot computer has been forwarding the route to me on several occasions, not being able to discern against a plan and an actual desire to make the trip. Furthermore, the algorithms responsible for showing me targeted "relevant" or "useful ads" suffer from the dame idiocy as they mindlessly show me ads for products I have checked out in the past but either bought something else or not really having an interest in buying after all. Do computers might be trained to play chess or fly and land aeroplanes, but they are still best when programmed and dedicated to a single purpose. Re. Microsoft 's chatbot which learnt racism and bigotry from watching endless numbers of conversations by real people.

Actually in my old telecom's job I was involved with a system which was claimed to be "AI" but this was yet another example of marketing hype.

Folks,

Jens:

That's it... I'm hunting down my passport and buying my ticket for chilly Copenhagen tomorrow. .

One man's deeply frozen landscape is another man's skiing paradise, I guess. No doubt the continued pervasive cold is as frustrating for you as the increasing heat and humidity can be for me. In my case, it is at least a seasonal heat I have every reason to expect. We will not ask the Danes what they think of scientific claims Global Warming is upon us.

I'd say your experience is enough for you to begin, in spite of your technological savvy, to both embrace and sing the praises of the pleasures of the Luddite way of life. Be skeptical all you wish. Those items I mention are not mine but rather they are questions propagated by scientists of repute. How could I say you are wrong? Many of us now living may go reluctantly to our low tech hole in the ground still wondering about what the future holds for our loved ones and what is remaining for the earth. There are also those who pose the possibility that man, like so many other creatures, may go extinct and be replaced as master of the Earth by some other creature less hazardous to the environment.

Looks like the Tour De France riders are having some problems today. I must say, however, that it was a delight to see that tradition of riders not taking advantage of another rider's misfortune not caused by themselves. They waited while the race leader, who experienced equipment failure, changed bikes before resuming the race. That's sportsmanship at it's best, I think. I was previously not aware of that tradition. You probably were.

Folks,

This past Sunday and week must have been one of reflection, as I have learned much from just reading this thread and treating myself to some pondering.

I'm sure the musings were helped by Mother nature as it has locally knocked the power off to the area with its rays of lighting and thundering scaring humans and other animals. Scared of lighting, am I?
Yep, I feel very vulnerable if I'm a little late retracting the solar shades and the thunder seems overhead by that time. Nature's play and release managed to knock off electrical power to the area; at least twice a day on two consecutive days.

It did cause a nice break from the time-wasting qualities of the digital age. And yes, a chance to catch up on the paperwork.
But I was looking forward to some human conversation, at least until I realized the house-mate's tablet was charged and full of games. The pile of papers was somewhat reduced.

I'm glad that a couple of years ago I replaced the entire home electrical panel and installed a whole house surge protector to hopefully protect the electronics. Having spent a pretty penny for a decent desktop (to me) I have also gotten a back up power source for it. That seemed to be a necessity when all the new construction around me started and it seemed that the local power company cut the electricity at least once a week to accommodate the building trades.

Nevertheless, fires caused by lighting seem to be frequent lately. Someday I might install lighting rods but that may be a reach. So many other things can go wrong.
Meanwhile, domesticated animals like Zena look at their human and search us for signs of concern then promptly return to their nap or head for their food dish.
Apparently it isn't until they get older that thunder seems to bother them more.

Folks,

Overcast and hot is the weather headline for the day. The temp at 11:15 AM is 76°F. The humidity is a positively gurgling 91% and there is no measurable wind from any direction. Visibility is predictably recorded to be 10m. We had no rain last night and the predicted high temp for today is 86°F.

Most of you have seen at least one cartoon where some character gets in a big hurry for some reason and just stands in place while his feet blur they are moving so fast but getting him nowhere. We have a downstairs cat that can do that in the dining room tiles. When overweight Borders gets in a hurry, usually to beat the other cat or the dog to their food, it is funny to watch and to hear as well. All our pets are rescue pets and carry some kind of psychological baggage from that experience. Brody or Borders, as the kids call him, was neglected and nearly starved to death by his previous owner. We are working on the weight issue. He might die sooner than if he were less blimp-like but he will never starve again.

Have any of you dudes ever had a dream in which someone played a major part yet it was someone you had never met or even seen before in your life? I had one of those last night and when I woke I simply could not forget that unknown person. The trouble is I cannot recall ever meeting anyone like her or ever even seeing her anywhere before. So real was the dream that I lay there for some time wondering if it was just a dream or some sort of subliminal or suppressed memory being replayed in my mind. Kinda like Scrooge says "... more of gravy than of grave." Maybe she was more Fajita than fact? She was a lovely girl indeed. Too lovely perhaps to be anything other than a figment of the imagination.

If I were still painting or even creating computer graphics I might try to paint her. It would be painting a thought or maybe like painting the memory of a ghost . I'm not sure I could do it.

Fittop:

Lightning should frighten everyone even the cat. According to the NOAA, over the last 20 years, the United States averaged 51 annual lightning strike fatalities, placing it in the second position, just behind floods for deadly weather. In the US, between 9% and 10% of those struck die, for an average of 40 to 50 deaths per year (28 in 2008). I once had neglected a small leak on our roof. When a hurricane was coming our way I remembered it and was still up on the roof when the first band of storms hit us. I could easily have been a crispy critter after that. A lesson learned the hard way.

My mother once told me she had a close call from lightning. She knew better but chose to take a leisurely bath during a thunderstorm. According to her, during said bath, there came an unusually loud clap of thunder followed by a large and very bright fireball through the open window above the tub. She was unhurt even by her rather prompt retreat from the water and hasty exit across the wet floor. It did, however, require a visit to the emergency entrance to her hairdresser to ever get her hair to lay down again.

Folks,

Did I indicate it was hot yesterday? Well, friends, today is going to be hell. Having said that, the temp will be a good deal below the 100 + it has been other places and possibly is today. Today, we are advised the high will be 93°F. It is reported that the current temp over most of eastern NC is the mid-80s already at 11:00 this morning. Here the humidity is 82% with a 6 mph wind from the SW. Visibility is reported at the usual 10m. No big deal for those with air conditioning. But so many are still without that relief even today. I grew up without A/C back in the 50s and survived without complaint possibly because no one else had one. For that cool, we had to go shopping or to a movie.

Not until a neighbor had the first A/C in the neighborhood did I begin to really feel the heat and to complain about it. Their kids came out of their house cool and crisp after the hottest, most humid nights. I, on the other hand, came out of mine already wilted and dripping with perspiration on those same mornings. How much more is the suffering today when cooler homes are common and almost everyone (but not all) who want an A/C of some type has one? It is in a way psychological as it was with me, however, the elderly and the sick without heat relief are truly at risk without even an electric fan. On extremely humid days when sweat evaporation fails to cool a fan is of very little use.

Before we got an A/C I built a personal one using a tray full of ice cubes and an electric fan that helped a bit. We are lucky. Even on the hottest, most drippingly humid days when taking a deep breath risks drowning, one can go through the day without noticing the heat. We can go from our air conditioned homes to our air conditioned cars to our air conditioned offices or to other places hardly even exposed to the temperature of the day. Mostly we take that for granted, especially so if born after air conditioning became common.

I've read that the bears in our NC mountains have learned how to open car doors now. People are being warned not to leave food in their cars or anything that might be pleasantly attractive to Bruin's noses. Several nosey black bears have been trapped in cars this year after sneaking in. Now who in his right mind would have taught bears to unlock doors? Can you imagine what that call to OnStar would have sounded like? "Er, I'm locked out of my car you see. Well, we're vacationing in the NC mountains and there is this bib, hungry, smelly black bear..... "Remind me to tell you about my experience with black bears sometime. I'll tell you a story about Dux avoiding the heat later today as well.

Folks,

Remember before you gasp in disgust that i warned you this was coming.

The Great Pond Monster

Dux probably remembers the time he tried to 'beat the heat', one incredibly hot and humid day, by diving into Turtle Pond. The heat had been oppressive for several days. Everyone was suffering equally, even the brass hats. He found the pond rather warm and disappointingly not very refreshing. Assuming the water must be cooled down below, Dux dove down and found the lower region quite cool and pleasant.

Rising to the surface, Dux cut a reed from the edge of the pond and, putting it to his lips tested it for air flow. Finding it functional to draw air, he put one end in his mouth and holding it there, he sank as low as possible while breathing through the reed. He found he could not sink deep enough to reach the cooler water below him. Frustrated, Dux rose and walked dripping to the edge of the pond where he spied a large stone. He picked that up noting how warm it was. Walking back into the pond he had almost reached a depth where his chin was now under water when he remembered the reed. He needed that to breathe. What had he done with it?

Looking about, he saw the discarded reed floating just in reach. Wait, it took both his hands just to hold his ballast rock. If he let that go to reach for the reed he might never find that rock again hidden in the silt on the bottom. On the other hand, if he failed to get the reed it would be a short dive that would hardly cool him. What to do? Further frustrated, Dux considered tramping back out of the pond to place the rock on dry land, returning for the reed, then going back for the rock.

Now our Dux was not a lazy man but he was quite hot and tired. Holding the rock tightly, he moved over to the floating reed and managed to pick it up with his mouth without taking in too much pond water. Splutt! Splutter! He realized he needed another hand to hold the reed vertically. Drat!! He was really frustrated now. Inadvertently at that moment he took an additional step to keep his balance and suddenly found his head was below water, eyeball to eyeball to an equally startled turtle, the reed still clenched in his teeth. Surprisingly after blowing hard, he was still able to breathe.

The reed was buoyant and rose in the air as he descended into the cooler depths of the pond one tentative step at a time. As he went deeper his feet disturbed the silt beneath his feet and visibility already getting darker became almost nil. Cooler now Dux was congratulating himself relaxing and blowing bubbles and watching them rise to the surface. He was already thinking about needing to feel the warm sun on his back again as his body temperature had begun to lower. At that moment he felt something big move from under his feet. He had trod upon something alive.

Onshore, Farmer Drubbins had recently arrived on scene with a large tackle box, rod, and reel. Where was the stone under which he always found some juis=cy, black worms the fish of Turtle Pond could not resist, he wondered? He found where it had lain but the stone was missing. Those rotten kids have thrown it into the pond he decided. He dug where the stone had been and soon drew out a fine, long and wriggly black worm. Placing it expertly on his hook, he cast his line out toward where he had just seen bubbles rising to the surface.

Out there luxuriating in the cool depths of the pond, Dux had regained his composure after the fright of something big being underfoot. There was a loud PLOP! and a hook, sinker and worm descended right in front of his Roman nose. It dangled there for an instant then fell beneath his gaze.

Back on land, Farmer Drubbins was pleased with his first cast. He began reeling in his lure which was now near the bottom of Turtle Lake and falling neatly between Dux’s legs as it slowly settled toward the muck below.

Below that muck and only just resettled lay a very large snapping turtle. Large and hungry. Bringing its gnarly head up a bit so one nostril and a single eye peaked above the sediment. The single eye popped oped and peered up right at the descending worm who was by now quite tired of the whole angling business and wriggled all the more trying to get free.

This new motion of the bait caused the turtle to shake itself free of the adherent silt and begin to float upward, it’s powerful jaws were now gaping wide open.

On dry land, the farmer was still reeling in his line. Slowly, slowly hoping the line would not snag anything as it was being retrieved. All of a sudden there was a great yank on the line.

Beneath the warm ripples above, Dux was surprised to feel something sharp attack his behind... Er, from behind. Before he could reach back to find what that was something large and heavy struck him. The turtle had clamped its powerful jaws down on the bait whose hook had just snagged upon Dux’s war surplus pair of genuine Jacques Cousteau brand swim trunks.

Onshore, Farmer Drubbins was already seeing in his mind the bold face 92 point headlines sure to be in all the newspapers.... ENGLISH ANGLER LANDS MONSTER, PROVES LOCH NESS RUMORS POSSIBLY TRUE. Farmer Drubbins pulled hard on his rod, wait, make that, pulled hard on his fishing rod and reeled in his line. That’s better, don’t you think?.

Out on the pond, there came a great thrashing. A large amount of water rose into the air. What had been small ripples now became waves. Several swear words ,unrepeatable here but heard by Farmer Drubbins, also filled the air.

Back on land, Drubbins was startled to hear the beast swearing in English, only pulled harder lest the creature get away. If a water monster was worth thousands of pounds then a swearing water monster would be worth far more, he reasoned. He really put his back into it now.
Less than a hundred yards away, approaching the pond from the East at all possible speed, was fearless Constable Allo. He was pedaling his bike down a overgrown bike path having been summoned by a frightened farm boy sent by the excited Drubbins. As requested, he brought along his new Kodak camera and a new roll of film.

Out of breath, he could now see a figure standing on the bank reeling like the very devil. Out on the pond the water was in a absolute turmoil. The good constable jumped off his bike not bothering to let it stop first. It kept on going right into the pond. The splash of the bike and the sudden movement of the constable alarmed the deeply concentrating Drubbins so that he almost lost control of his fishing rod. There, notice I was more careful with my words that time?

Out on the pond, Dux was taking in water from every orifice or seemed to be. His lungs hurt, his ass hurt him even worse and he had just dropped the heavy stone on his foot. Behind him, although the worm was getting the worst of anybody, the turtle was now also hooked by the same barb. Turtles of that kind are never noted for their good humor in the best of circumstances. This one was positively in a very bad humor indeed. He began to thrash about and bite deeply. Each time he did there was a satisfying scream from somewhere above and a great motion in the water. The turtle seemed to be getting free.

On land, the constable was lending Drubbins a hand and they seemed to be getting the better of whatever they had on the other end of the line. Whatever that was it certainly would not likely be allowed to be viewed by children and polite company. Such was the obscene words emanating from the thrashing beast. But then again, one should consider the source thought the good policeman who was a lifetime supporter of the Church of England and reverent attendee of Sunday services.

Below the waves, Mr. Turtle was almost away with Mr. Worm now. One more tug and he was away carrying away with him most of Dux’s swim duds, the hook and line. The lucky worm fell free and floated to the surface where Dux’s splashes began to propel him toward dry land and becoming the less than enthusiastic guest of honor at an impromptu Avian diner.

Back ashore, Drubbins felt a sudden lurch upon his line and both men witnessed a sudden calming of the pond waters and the end of the line moving rapidly away toward the deepest water. So great was Drubbins dismay that he almost plunged into the pond to physically lay hands on the retreating beast and drag it forcibly to shore. Then he reconsidered realizing the monstrous thing might have both sharp teeth and a reasonable disinclination to come with him.

Drubins sat dejected on the grass and reeled in his broken line while Allo began to pack away his camera. His camera! His bicycle was in the pond! Soon, out it came and a relieved constable and amateur photographer sighed in delight. He was about to return his camera to its waterproof case when out on the pond another water eruption occurred.

Waterlogged, sodden, soaked, nearly drowned, cold and sans pants, Dux was breathing through his reed when a large water bug lit upon the top and was sucked into his mouth. Spitting, coughing and sputtering, up came Dux to the surface where he spits out the insect and commenced to thrash about and move toward the shore issuing old and newly coined profanity along the way.

Just as the constable’s camera shutter snapped several times, Dux realized there were others presently enjoying a full frontal view of his birthday suit.

When his cold bum was warmed by the hot sun it all too soon regained its feeling and Dux having borrowed the policeman’s trousers, managed to make it to the infirmary where Matron, having heard harsher and more profane words in the past, was not i the least put off by his swearing as she applied her healing skill to his nether portions. Very soon he was right as rain and more even tempered.

The very next Sunday edition of the Studley Grange Gazette carried a somewhat edited photo of our thoroughly water soaked Dux, his fist held high, mouth wide open as he shouted ribald complaints regarding personal privacy and the serious lack thereof. Complaints thickly spiced with a veritable cornucopia of disreputable metaphors. Dux was not amused but Olga and, I must admit, all the rest of us at HWH Hall just fell down laughing.

Only LeRoy held his composure that morning. For you see, he had once been swimming in Turtle Pond, luckily he had just rolled on his back at the time, when attacked and ravaged by just the same sort of turtle. He still bore the scars and the memory of the very close call.

Folks,

Apologies. There are far too many typos and errors remaining in that post. My eyes aren't doing so well today. OK, I heard that suggestion from the Peanut Gallery. Yes, it is likely that my mind isn't doing so well either and as for your request, that seems physically impractical.

Folks,
JRT:
Thank you for today's and most every day's diversion when I check in. No, I did not notice any errors on your entry; but I really was not looking for them.
I was too busy drawing mental cartoons based on your tales of adventures and keeping track of my coffee cup as I was reading them.

Thank you !

Your piece is better than the comics in the digital additions I have been reading.
It certainly brings out a smile and allows forgetting of the tribulations of climbing into a hot attic to relight a water heater.

Yes, another piece of doubtful engineering. This may not be common earthquake country, yet.

But the thought of seven hundred pounds of heater and hot water literally over one's head along with the associated water and gas lines does not inspire confidence in builders and planners' concern for the populace.

I doubt that I could blame that on the local A &M or engineering schools as I have seen similar arrangements in other parts.
It's more of what we as consumers will trade - as two square feet of space in house or garage versus OK, the unlikely possibility (cartoon picture) of the sight of a very short range unidentified tubby missile flying out of a roof in your neighborhood.
I should, but really do not want to check the high pressure relief valve on the heater.
There is always tank-less heaters, but then you need higher gas pressure lines, etc.
The mind boggles...Think I'll re-read your adventure tales. Thanks again!

Folks
It will be a real scorcher here today. Unlike yesterday, I will not be out and about all day long. At 11:30 AM the temp is 86°F. headed for 94°F. or higher. The humidity is a wilting 71%.

Fittop:

I appreciate your reading through that mess but thanking me for writing it pleases me more than you know. If you smiled one extra smile that day it was more than worth the effort. It is not uncommon to receive only polite snickers from friends in the Peanut Gallery or thoughtful, indulging silence. Now I'm smiling.

Indeed, water heaters have been known to leave houses like ICBMs leave their silos. I do not think I would care to have one in the attic but the basement might be worse. Having it up there might increase the water pressure, however. Perhaps there is some benefit from the high summer temps in the attic? You probably have good insulation up there and maybe an exhaust fan as I used to. Not many houses have basements around here. Water heaters are usually secreted in a closet. Here we have two. One for upstairs and one for downstairs. They are gas heaters that do not heat water until needed. They supply hot water on demand.

Speaking of the danger from above. My wife and I were once looking around in an older house that had heavy plaster ceilings. It was raining hard and there must have been a leak. That heavy plaster ceiling gave way. Part of it came down along with a good bit of water. It fell between the two of us hitting neither. A very close call indeed. We got out of there pronto. Today, you do not have to have a water heater in the attic or be in an old house to be endangered from above. There are meteors and such plus man-made space detritus spinning around above us any one of which might put out our individual light or even end life on this planet as we know it. A veritable 'Sword of Damacalese' hanging above our heads all the time. Like "Duck and Cover" of the 50s, we have had to learn to accept it and just go on with our little insignificant lives as best we can.

It is I who thank you, sir, for your encouragement though I fear you may read to regret it.

Folks, JRT:

I am a little surprised that your temperatures are so warm, though I should not be. A friend in Ashville boasts of being in the seventies there with highs of 89s, but that may be due to a higher elevation.

You are barely three degrees cooler than these latitudes. We expect a high of 97 after starting at around 78. The humidity does make a difference though. It has been holding at around 51%. It's somewhere above 61% that a small towel or bandanna is needed to appear dry.

I have seen the cartoons depicting a water heater imitating a short-range missile, but had assumed that was just an exaggeration. I would really prefer to have the tank-less variety. The last time I checked the cost of new installation was around four times the normal tank job.
Besides, around here the age and condition of gas line installations cause more house as launchpad explosions than fake-missile launches.

Working Real Estate many years ago I found out about the deeply buried gas lines running from Texas-Oklahoma all the way to Boston. The subject came up while doing some deed research. Same year I heard that the same gas was cheaper in Boston than it was in the Dallas area. Some congressional sausage-making was involved.

A reunion once provided the benefit of access to an Air Force facility that tracks all those thousands of pieces of space litter buzzing around the planet like summer bugs over grass.
It was surprising to learn how many are man-made, and the potential of damage to a space station or satellite from a very small piece of debris.
Yes, we were shown pictures too!

We've all see meteors in our lifetime and I remember watching one nightly some years ago.
To avoid the local light it was best to go stand out front with the glasses. The best position was across from the neighbors house. The passing cars were no concern but my thought was I had a good excuse if the police were ever called. "See the comet, right there?"
Thankfully, no black and white ever showed up, but within a month the neighbors put a heavier shade on that window. I wonder if?...

Gents,

It seems like my dear old NAS has found it's feet again (fingers crossed) with no further action from me, asides removing some of the folders with stuff that I put there. It now reports itself ready for duty with my other units so, happy days.

We're still in a patch of low pressure and with mostly cloudy but dry weather I ventured out on the bicycle to combat a moderate wind but dressed more like it was October. Weathermen say that next week the temps should get higher and the showers should stay away. I hope they're not just saying this to boost morale.

Roger; I enjoyed your recent Dux adventure and thought that Dux was very lucky to survive that outing because as I remember, there is a certain maximum length that a snorkel or straw can be, before it becomes impossible to get all the used air pushed out of the lungs and out of the straw and inhale only fresh air into the straw and the lungs. Perhaps Dux did get the strw a little too long; that would explain why his reactions were a bit sluggish and his presence of mind was slightly off, not at all like the sharp mind he usually exhibits.

Fittop; Indeed there is a lot of hardware circulating Earth. I found this impressive illustration.

Folks,

We enjoy more summer warmth today. The temp is 86°F. at !0:57 AM. The humidity is a wet 71%. We expect 94°F. to be today's high. Hmmmm. 92, 93, now 94 degrees. I think I see a pattern developing. There is an 11MPH wind from the SW and the normal 10M visibility is reported. I do not envy Fittop's 100-degree weather. Knowing as I do that the same will be here before I can make enough ice cubes to put some under my hat and keep my pockets full all day. Soon the crop duster diving on the farm close by will be heard and the Cicadas too. Late July and August will be hot enough to fry eggs on the shady part of the driveway and all the kids will look like those seen a suntan lotion ads. The little dog hates the heat. He only complains he needs to go out when his bladder enlarges enough to stop his lungs expanding. I expect to see fried birds dropping from the trees any day now. Before long we will be able to go down to the shallow beaver pond and net fish already boiled and nearly ready to eat... OK maybe not.

MG:

I am sorry to hear about your equipment failure but equally delighted to read about its resurrection. I have my fingers and eyes crossed plus my thumb in my fist that holds a rabbit's foot. The other hand holds a lucky horseshoe. Maybe that is too much? I'll put away the rabbit's foot. After all, he had 4 and they were not so lucky for him.

Yup, I thought of that little fly in the ointment when I wrote it. There is a limit beyond which the reed would not work. Water pressure beyond a certain depth presses upon the body making unpressurized breathing impossible. Of course, Dux was fit and had exceptional almost superhuman lung capacity. The reed was the perfect diameter. And if that were not enough we can lean on "poetic license", eh?

Thank you for reading and for your long time (decades) support of my writing. I know of no one else who wrote they actually copied my early efforts. I have only written one 'published' book. Well, as I was about 12 at the time it couldn't have been much. I typed it on my Thom Thumb typewriter. That was almost a full-sized typewriter for kids that I received the previous Christmas. My favorite uncle on my dad's side actually read and claimed to enjoy it. He actually believed he could get the thing published. I let him take it home with him. By Christmas when I saw him again he told me he had shown the manuscript to the editor of his local newspaper and he liked it too. He said they wanted to serialize the thing on four separate Sundays. I was stunned. I gave permission and it was done. No money was paid me and I don't think Unc got anything either.

The best of the short stories in the book was about a very unlucky fellow who had the worst luck all his life you could imagine. Then one day when he was in his 70s, his luck changed dramatically. The Golden Gate Bridge had just been built and opened for traffic that year. His vehicle was the one millionth to cross the grand new bridge. For that, he was to receive thousands in cash, a new car and a trip around the world for two.

Was he beside himself with amazement and joy? Was he speechless with excitement? He was indeed speechless but not from joyous excitement. Sadly the man was dead. He was riding on a hearse. He had died the day before. OK, I said there wasn't much to the thing. I never even got the manuscript back.

Fittop:
I guess it was both exciting and sobering to see what a junkyard we have made of space. Even in space, sometimes what goes up must come down. The Earth is large and we are small targets but sooner or later someone will "win" the lottery.

That very thing happened in Oregon I think. A water heater lifted off and went through the roof of a domestic dwelling. It was said that as far as anyone knew it was the first time in 25 years that the man and his wife had gone out of their house together.

Folks,

On this day in history, French revolutionaries storm Bastille on Jul 14, 1789. In the past, some of our readers were French. We would be remiss if we did not remember this date.

However, you can wish someone Joyeux Noël, Joyeuse Saint-Valentin, or Joyeuses Pâques, but you don't say “Happy Bastille Day” ... Or Bastille Day at all. Or so I understand. I believe. In France, the national holiday is called la Fête Nationale Française (abbreviated Fête Nat.)

So I guess something like Joyeuses Fête Nat. mes Amies might be acceptable.

When I had satellite subscription I could enjoy La Fete Nationale parade and flyover. It was an impressive sight.
Of course, I then also enjoyed the French movies and variety TV programs that somehow seemed more refreshing since they were in a different language and if I may say so, sometimes slightly different take and tone.
For example, the movies did not always have a "happy ending" wrap up. -A factor that appears unthinkable to some.

I managed to be in Paris a couple of times on Bastille Day.

I remember my first time, while in college; greeting the morning sunrise of the 15th while sitting on a sidewalk curve somewhere near Les Halles with a couple of Spanish ladies that were working their way though their college years waiting at tables at the hotel where we were staying.

In my pocket I still had enough Metro tickets to get back, some francs and a few unspent ladyfingers firecrackers.

Think the ladies had their metro cards and I had enough presence of thought to forego lighting firecrackers a day late.
I did intend to make my flight to our next destination without playing the Ugly American.
I remember buying coffee and something else for all and afterwards we all headed to our respective abodes.

The market at Les Halles has been long gone now, but the area still has a welcome air for me. I'm sure the Au Pie de Cochon restaurant is still there.
Good times.
I wonder if the sixteen year-old metro tickets in my file cabinet are still good? Or I could renew my Metro card.
If I remember right, it was also good for the buses, which is a fantastic way to see Paris.

(Yes, I know I have left off the accents marks, and that Microsoft provides them still, but it's hard to remember where they go. Maybe you'll forgive me?)