Spooling milkshakes

In the foolhardy hope that the Times Online won't change it's article 'Ridgback armour secrecy deprives British troops of Afghanistan vehicles' once it hits 'spelling' on it's software, here is the link.
And here are the first few lines of the article:

Fifty of the Ridgback vehicles, shown here next to a Snatach (I think they mean Snatch) Land Rover, are due to be delivered later this year.



Secrecy sounding (I think they mean surrounding) the armour on new vehicles destined for British troops in Afghanistan is preventing them from being flown into the conflict zone.

So even though they have used spell checking software they haven't written the article as they originally wanted.

I think it just proves that nothing beats reading it yourself. Slowly.

kthanxbai!

Afghanistan 1st Hand

If you have been wondering about what life is like for troops on the front line in Afghanistan then you need look no further than Michael Yon's excellent blog 'Resurrection'.

Sangin is an active battlefield. To describe missions with other than vague details would present danger to these soldiers and to the next rotation. This is not like the sweep from Kuwait into Iraq, wherein the previous week’s missions were tantamount to ancient history. Here in Sangin it’s a daily brawl over the same terrain and sentiments, morning and night.

A couple minutes after the explosion in the photo above, an Apache flew over to take a look but like so many times, it’s just a mushroom with no known cause. A few days ago, in this area, another RPG was fired at a British helicopter and missed. The area within these photos contains more IEDs than perhaps anywhere else in Afghanistan. The British managed to locate one of the worst places in the country and proceeded to build bases all around.

Some excellent reporting that really should be read by more people. He has archived articles from Iraq and Afghanistan on his website Michael Yon, online magazine.


kthanxbai!

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

AW1 Tim commented on a similar post at the Phibian's place -

"Leadership by Example".


Or lack thereof.

This pic is everywhere on the 'Net. But the best commentary with it so far is in an article at

The American Thinker by Thomas Lifson.

Sergeant Crowley, the sole class act in this trio, helps the handicapped Professor Gates down the stairs, while Barack Obama, heedless of the infirmities of his friend and fellow victim of self-defined racial profiling, strides ahead on his own. So who is compassionate? And who is so self-involved and arrogant that he is oblivious?

Shamelessly stolen from Bostonmaggie - it was just the perfect post!

kthanxbai!

Rapping steward

My friend Neil sent me a message on Facebook stating that he'd just come off a SouthWest Airlines flight with a singing steward - but that he was not a patch on the rapping steward above.



kthanxbai!

Car Jack?

Image via Wikipedia

Do we always have to fall to the lowest common denominator?

Two friends of mine independently told me about a carjacking in the area where I live. Its the first time I've heard of a carjacking anywhere in the city, and my connections in the Police force agree that it is very unusual.

It wasn't a Lamborghini or a Ferrari but a Honda Civic that was carjacked.

I drive a Honda Civic.

Both of my friends mentioned that now, whenever they get into their cars they lock all the doors. And I think I'll be doing the same.

So due to one incident, which seems to be exceptionally unusual, a whole group of the population are not only going to lock their doors whenever they get into their vehicles, but they'll also have that little adrenaline rush and thought about danger in the backs of their minds.

So why do we always have to fall to the lowest common denominator?

kthanxbai!

Related articles by Zemanta

• WTF: Bikini-Clad Woman Accused of Carjacking (blippitt.com)
• Have You Seen This West Portal Car Jacking Suspect? (sfist.com)
• You: Husband, not carjacker, charged in wife's death (cnn.com)
• Carjackings up in Vancouver: police (cbc.ca)

Who says older isn't better?

Back in 1919, when most of our parents were just a sparkle in the corner of their ancestors' eyes, some fantabulous photography was being created.

Englishman Arthur S Mole and his American colleague John D Thomas took these incredible pictures of thousands of soldiers forming icons of American history. Arthur's great nephew Joseph Mole, 70, says: "In the picture of the Statue of Liberty there are 18,000 men: 12,000 of them in the torch alone, but just 17 at the base. The men at the top of the picture are actually half a mile away from the men at the bottom"

They took the photographs in camps across the US using soldiers returning to America after World War I

Mole and Thomas: The Living Uncle Sam: 19,000 officers and men at Camp Lee, Virginia, January 13, 1919

kthanxbai!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Mole and Thomas: living pictures formed by thousands of US soldiers (telegraph.co.uk)

Woodstock reality

This ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here wrote a very interesting introduction to a highly poignant article yesterday; 'Panel 19 West, Line 43-64'

Its about a certain section of the Vietnam War Memorial and the 109 American soldiers who died between August 15 and August 18, 1969. That date? Woodstock.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

For something interesting, and even meaningful, to go with your coffee, go over and read it.

And by the by, its a great blog to read on a daily basis too.

kthanxbai!

"Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash

Allow me to introduce to you "Folsom Prison Blues" performed by Wesley, 5 years old, at the 2009 Spring Coffee Shop Jam, at The Columbia City Theater in Seattle, WA.

(And this post is a kind of 'test,test' as Scribefire does not allow Mozilla to display Flash in an editor. Who'd a thunk it?)

So the vid is as cute as a button.

5-year-old boy plays "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash

kthanxbai!

They're in my pants

Image via Wikipedia

Whilst making a bottle for His Highness the Baby I noticed a few mini-ants running around the surface. It was 3 am so I didn't want to pay much attention to them.

At 8 am when I made Her Holiness's coffee I noticed them again, this time around the sugar bowl.

Normally I'd just call the exterminator and have them chemically removed but we're moving house in less than a month and I don't want to spend the money.

So my question to you, dear reader, is;

Short of hiring an anteater from the local menagerie, do you have any cheap and easy ways to abate the flow of ants into an apartment?

Answers in the Comments please.

kthanxbai!

Cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Britain's last World War I veteran, and the World's oldest man, Henry Allingham, passed away recently at the ripe old age of 113. And what did he say was the key to his longevity?

"cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women."

But all jokes aside, he was a modest man who served as Britain's conscience, reminding young people time and time again about the true cost of war.

More at the link

kthanxbai!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Old soldier was 'truly a gentleman' (guardian.co.uk)
• World's oldest man Henry Allingham dies (telegraph.co.uk)
• Henry Allingham: haunted by the Great War (telegraph.co.uk)

Kelly hearts Kelly - and we're cool with that

Image via CrunchBase

A young Meg Ryanesque Florida gal named Kelly Hildebrandt discovers a shirtless, Matthew McConaughey-type Texan with the exact same first and last name on Facebook.

Kelly girl sends a cyber shout-out to Kelly boy, and he answers back. Three weeks of viral flirting leads Kelly boy to head east to Florida to meet girl Kelly. A couple of months later, he’s relocating — and come October, just eight months after their first connection, Kelly Hildebrandt will marry Kelly Hildebrandt.

More at the link

kthanxbai!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Kelly Hildebrandt and Kelly Hildebrandt (neatorama.com)
• Facebook couple with same name to marry (guardian.co.uk)
• Kelly Hildebrandt to marry Kelly Hildebrandt (telegraph.co.uk)
• Facebook romance blossoms for same-name couple (timesonline.typepad.com)

Using a blog to your advantage

A Day In The Life Of An Ambulance Driver: Dear Cycles & More... is a post that began a revolution!

AD took his motorbike to be repaired after a nasty bump (which he blogged about) and was so insulted by the shop that he decided to share his experience with his loyal readers. The side effect of him blogging about Cycles & More in Louisiana is that he has reached the number 1 slot on Google for Cycles & More, just one spot above their own website!!

"What you have failed to do in three weeks, a pair of semi-literate high school shop students could have done in four days"

Go and read it for yourself. Actually, the more people read it the longer it'll stay high on Google, hopefully teaching Cycles & More to be nicer to their customers.

Have a nice day now y'all!

kthanxbai!

An unexpected larf

Laugh? I nearly got smile cramps!

Thanks to Throw The Ball Already

kthanxbai!

World's Fastest Everything

Damn Cool Pics posted this on Tuesday. Okay, I'm slow on the uptake but i think you'll find this worth it.

World's Fastest Everything

kthanxbai!

The Insomniac's Guide to Ambulances

A childhood friend of mine is a medic in the UK and his blog is very witty and pithy. Last night's entry actually had me on the floor laughing;

The Insomniac's Guide to Ambulances

Hope you enjoy it.

kthanxbai!

The reality of it all

Epijunky is the blog mistress over at Pink Warm and Dry where she blogs about her job as an EMT. I've been reading her blog for quite a few months now and she never fails to deliver.

Her reality check about MJ's death, as opposed to other things happening in the world, were a wake up call for some people out there.

Click on the link - and have a tissue ready, as like myself you might find that you 'get something in your eye'  at the end of the story.

My Reality - by Epijunky, July 9th, 2009

kthanxbai!

Jerusalem Terrorist Attack First Hand

Doubletapper is a blog I read regularly. Normally lighthearted and always interesting today he blew me out of the water with his blog;

It was seven years ago. On 9 of the Fourth Month (Tammuz)/June 19, at around 7:00 pm, a Yishma'eli (Arab) blew himself up at the trempiada (Bus Stop). Seven Jews were murdered as a result. Many Jews were injured. I was one of them.

Read the rest here

kthanxbai!

What happened to the news today?

Yes, dear reader, not 'what happened in the news' but 'what happened to the news today?'.

Firefox has a very useful gadget called Morning Coffee where at the click of a button your preloaded websites come popping up together. Every morning I make a coffee, press the Morning Coffee icon, take a few sips and start to read the morning news from around the world.

After weeks of monotonous news about white/black pop stars popping off this mortal coil, and politicians being crooked (who'd a thunk it?) this morning I was flabbergasted to see the following ASTOUNDING headlines;

• Southwest Inspects Planes After Hole in Fuselage
• Upcoming Military Robot Could Feed on Dead Bodies
• New Jersey Woman Struck by Ambulance While Sitting on Porch
• Father Dies Trying to Save Son From Irate Driver in Chuck E. Cheese Parking Lot
• Motorist Plunges to His Death After Driving Over Edge of Grand Canyon

I mean each of these headlines can be discussed over the water cooler in their own right, but all of them together? What a start to the day!

And to cap it all off my sister just told me that my 13 year old nephew at stay away camp has come down with the swine flu.

kthanxbai!

Multifaceted post

In my language, calling someone "multifaceted" translates into them being two faced... but here is what I wanted to draw your attention to;

Passenger fixes faulty airliner over at Throw The Ball Already

A discussion about (German) honor and glory over at This Ain't Hell

A series of funnier and funnier jokes proving that Some things shouldn’t be said… edited (heavily probably) by Mostly Cajun, All American and Opinionated

MJ in Candied Story - again from Throw The Ball Already

And to finish off, an obituary of a gallant and heroic WWII secret agent, Peter Lake.

Have a good week.

kthanxbai!

July 4th reminder

America’s Place In The World

Stephen Fry is a world class actor, writer, author and comedian. As the presenter of QI (Quite Interesting) in the UK he has, yet again, propelled himself to the forefront of imaginitive television. He has appeared in comedies and dramas on both sides of the Atlantic and is generally perceived as the star of his generation. Recently Fry has become known to American audiences for his recurring guest role as Dr. Gordon Wyatt on the Fox crime series Bones. You might also know him as the voice that reads the Harry Potter books on tape, cds and pirated MP3 downloads.



Anyway, I digress. Mr Fry recently gave a very interesting talk to the Royal Geographical Society in London, which he posted on his website on July 4th. And yes, it is a very eye-opening, non-diluted view of America and one which I think you'll appreciate.

America’s Place In The World

He explains the roots for his love of nature, his love affair with America and his beliefs as to what will tear the USA asunder in years to come.

Enjoy the speech, I definitely did.

kthanxbai!

Summer Classes for Women

Brazenly copied / stolen from Mostly Cajun, All American and Opinionated

At THE ADULT LEARNING CENTER
REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED
by Tuesday July 30, 2009

NOTE: DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY AND DIFFICULTY LEVEL
OF THEIR CONTENTS, CLASS SIZES WILL BE LIMITED TO 8 PARTICIPANTS MAXIMUM.

Class 1
Up in Winter, Down in Summer – How to Adjust a Thermostat
Step by Step, with Slide Presentation.
Meets 4 wks, Monday and Wednesday for 2 hrs beginning at 7:00 PM..

Class 2
Which Takes More Energy – Putting the Toilet Seat Down, or Bitching About It for 3 Hours?
Round Table Discussion.
Meets 2 weeks, Saturday 12:00 for 2 hours.

Class 3
How to go to the powder room by your self without taking anyone with you for 3 Hours?
Round Table Discussion.
Meets 7 Days a week 12:00 for 3 hours.

Class 4
Is It Possible To Drive Past a Wal-Mart Without Stopping?–Group Debate.
Meets 4 weeks, Saturday 10:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 5
Fundamental Differences Between a Purse and a Suitcase–Pictures and
Explanatory Graphics.
Meets Saturdays at 2:00 PM for 3 weeks.

Class 6
Curling Irons–Can They Levitate and Fly Into The Bathroom Cabinet?
Examples on Video.
Meets 4 weeks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM

Class 7
How to Ask Questions During Commercials and Be Quiet During the Program.
Help Line Support and Support Groups.
Meets 4 Weeks, Friday and Sunday 7:00 PM

Class 8
Can a Bath Be Taken Without 14 Different Kinds of Soaps and Shampoos? Open Forum.
Monday at 8:00 PM, 2 hours.

Class 9
Health Watch–They Make Medicine for PMS – USE IT!
Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 10
I Was Wrong and He Was Right!–Real Life Testimonials..
Tuesdays at 6:00 PM Location to be determined.

Class 11
How to Parallel Park In Less Than 20 Minutes Without an Insurance Claim. Driving Simulations.
4 weeks, Saturday’s noon, 2 hours.

Class 12
Learning to Live–How to Apply Brakes Without Throwing Passengers Through the Windshield.
Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, location to be determined

Class 13
How to Shop by Yourself.
Meets 4 wks, Tuesday and Thursday for 2 hours beginning at 7:00 PM.

Class 14
How to Fight Cerebral Atrophy–Remembering To Take a List To The Store,
Avoiding Separate Trips for Each Item Needed.
Cerebral Shock Therapy Sessions and Full Lobotomies Offered.
Three nights; Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 7:00 PM for 2 hours.

Class 15
The Stove/Oven–What It Is and How It Is Used.
Live Demonstration. Tuesdays at 6:00 PM, location to be determined.
Upon completion of any of the above courses, diplomas will be issued to the survivors.

And there is a great reply in his comments section, go check it out.

kthanxbai!

Disco tune saves man's life

Debra Bader was taking a walk in the woods with her 53-year-old husband one morning when suddenly he collapsed. At first she thought the situation was hopeless
Debra Bader was prompted to perform CRP on her husband, Christopher, after recalling a public service ad.

"I looked at him and said, 'He's dead,' because he wasn't moving or making any sounds at all," Bader remembers. "But I pulled the cell phone out of his pocket and called 911, and then a public service announcement I'd heard on the radio popped into my head."

The one-minute PSA from the American Heart Association instructed listeners, in the event of cardiac arrest, to perform chest compressions very hard to the beat of the 1970s Bee Gees song "Staying Alive.

Bader says doctors at the hospital where her husband was treated have an alternative song. "They told me they do CPR to 'Another One Bites the Dust,' which also has about 100 beats per minute," Bader says. "Doctors have kind of a dark sense of humor."

So does Bader like the song "Stayin' Alive"?

"I do now," she says

Hat tip to totwtytr

kthanxbai!

The Good, The Bad and the 'OMG!'

MJ is no longer (still) but there are some great leaches that have sprung up since his demise.



Some bloggers are arguing that MJ was passed his prime and that there shouldn't be such an outcry about his untimely death. CNN having an MJ watch 24/7 is a bit much but then again, I haven't trusted their 'reportage' in years.

True talent must never be overlooked.


Tina Fey truly is a genius. If you don't know who she is then spank yourself and then Google her. Trust me, she's worth it.

And just when you thought things were settling down in the Universe, Bob over at The Drawn Cutlass directs us to shocking video proof of new life in the Solar System. Where else but in the sewer system of North Carolina!! The footage is somewhat stomach churning so don't watch it during, or directly after eating.

kthanxbai!

George W was a no BS guy

Wirecutter over at Knuckledraggin My Life Away has a great 2nd Amendment 'motivator' that i thought I'd share with you.



kthanxbai!

Lest we forget

So MJ is no more. Shame. As can be seen by the graph below, some people still understand the reality of the world;



And lest we forget, others who passed on this week are Mollie Sugden aka Mrs Slocombe of 'Are You Being Served' fame as well as Karl Malden who not only acted opposite Marlon Brando in 'On The Waterfront' but won an Oscar for his role in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.


  


 An unlikely pairing I must admit!

kthanxbai!!

You want to cry? Just read on

before you continue reading I strongly suggest you get a tear receptacle, be it a tissue, sleeve or a favorite blanket.


Colby Curtin, a 10-year-old with a rare form of cancer, was staying alive for one thing – a movie.

From the minute Colby saw the previews to the Disney-Pixar movie Up, she was desperate to see it. Colby had been diagnosed with vascular cancer about three years ago, said her mother, Lisa Curtin, and at the beginning of this month it became apparent that she would die soon and was too ill to be moved to a theater to see the film.

After a family friend made frantic calls to Pixar to help grant Colby her dying wish, Pixar came to the rescue.

The company flew an employee with a DVD of Up, which is only in theaters, to the Curtins’ Huntington Beach home on June 10 for a private viewing of the movie.

The animated movie begins with scenes showing the evolution of a relationship between a husband and wife. After losing his wife in old age, the now grumpy man deals with his loss by attaching thousands of balloons to his house, flying into the sky, and going on an adventure with a little boy.

Colby died about seven hours after seeing the film.

With her daughter’s vigil planned for Friday, Lisa Curtin reflected about how grateful she is that Pixar – and "Up" – were a part of her only child’s last day.

“When I watched it, I had really no idea about the content of the theme of the movie,” said Curtin, 46. “I just know that word ‘Up’ and all of the balloons and I swear to you, for me it meant that (Colby) was going to go up. Up to heaven.”

Pixar officials declined to comment on the story or name the employees involved.

Colby was diagnosed with vascular cancer on Dec. 23, 2005 after doctors found a tumor in her liver. At the time of her death, her stomach was about 94 inches around, swollen with fluids the cancer wouldn’t let her body properly digest. The rest of her body probably weighed about 45 pounds, family friend Carole Lynch said.

Colby had gone to Newport Elementary School and was known for making others laugh, family friend Terrell Orum-Moore said. Colby loved to dance, sing, swim and seemed to have a more mature understanding of the world than other children her age, Orum-Moore said.

On April 28, Colby went to see the Dream Works 3-D movie "Monsters Vs. Aliens" but was impressed by the previews to "Up."

“It was from then on, she said, ‘I have to see that movie. It is so cool,’” Lynch said.

Colby was a movie fan, Lisa Curtin said, and she latched onto Pixar’s movies because she loved animals.

Two days later Colby’s health began to worsen. On June 4 her mother asked a hospice company to bring a wheelchair for Colby so she could visit a theater to see "Up." However, the weekend went by and the wheelchair was not delivered, Lisa Curtin said.

By June 9, Colby could no longer be transported to a theater and her family feared she would die without having seen the movie.

At that point, Orum-Moore, who desperately wanted Colby to get her last wish, began to cold-call Pixar and Disney to see if someone could help.

Pixar has an automated telephone answering system, Orum-Moore said, and unless she had a name of a specific person she wanted to speak to, she could not get through. Orum-Moore guessed a name and the computer system transferred her to someone who could help, she said.

Pixar officials listened to Colby’s story and agreed to send someone to Colby’s house the next day with a DVD of "Up," Orum-Moore recalled.

She immediately called Lisa Curtin, who told Colby.

“Do you think you can hang on?” Colby’s mother said.

“I’m ready (to die), but I’m going to wait for the movie,” the girl replied.


At about 12:30 p.m. the Pixar employee came to the Curtins’ home with the DVD.

He had a bag of stuffed animals of characters in the movie and a movie poster. He shared some quirky background details of the movie and the group settled in to watch Up.

Colby couldn't see the screen because the pain kept her eyes closed so her mother gave her a play-by-play of the film.

At the end of the film, the mother asked if her daughter enjoyed the movie and Colby nodded yes, Lisa Curtin said.

The employee left after the movie, taking the DVD with him, Lynch said.

“He couldn’t have been nicer,” said Lynch who watched the movie with the family. “His eyes were just welled up.”

After the movie, Colby’s dad, Michael Curtin, who is divorced from Lisa Curtin, came to visit.

Colby died with her mom and dad nearby at 9:20 p.m.

Among the Up memorabilia the employee gave Colby was an “adventure book” – a scrap book the main character’s wife used to chronicle her journeys.

“I’ll have to fill those adventures in for her,” Lisa Curtin said.

Hat tip to Throw The Ball Already - the original artivle link is here

kthanxbai!

Damn cool pics

I found a number of really interesting posts this week at Damn Cool Pics including:

The World's Most Unusual Weddings

5,000 KM Beard Growth Time Lapse

Which is definitely worth a look as there is more to the story than the video alone.

And the worrying story of Kimberley Vlaminck, and her tattooed face.

Have a good weekend now y'all

kthanxbai!

Button hurt in F1 accident - caution graphic

Repeatedly posted around the interweb. But with the British Grand Prix tomorrow it is even more relevant. And it made me LOL (laugh out loud)



kthanxbai!

They don't make 'em like they used to

Back in the Old Country we used to read a newspaper every day. I still read the same paper, but online and I read the obituary page in Google Reader as there are just the most interesting people who have had the most astonishing lives, leaving us. I have found that the only way to learn life's lessons from such great people is to read their obituaries.

Here are a few snippets from the last few days:

Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Becke:

• After withdrawing to reload his tommy-gun, he returned to account for at least four of the enemy
• Becke demonstrated archetypal British pluck when, monocled and with moustache bristling, he defied a mob trying to sack the British embassy in Jakarta
• In 1974 Becke and his wife drove most of the way from Scotland to Australia

Major Philip James:

• As well as instilling such old-fashioned virtues as politeness and the correct way to eat peas with a fork, James was a useful member of the staff cricket team
• On one occasion he bombarded another regiment's officers' mess with flaming polo balls
• "The Major", as he was always known, was never unduly impressed by celebrities

Wing Commander Ken Mackenzie:

• He then slammed his wing tip on the Bf 109's tail which snapped off sending it diving into the sea.
• On his way to a POW camp, Mackenzie gave his guard the slip on a crowded Paris railway station but was soon recaptured
• Over a long period of time he feigned madness and developed a severe stammer for the purpose

They don't make 'em like they used to

kthanxbai!

I didn't say nuffing

I just think that Bobski has a great way of summarizing what people say.

Bobski's blog

kthanxbai!

Wowzers - what a week

Thanks to Captain Caveman back in the '80s 'wowzers' became part of my everyday lexicon.

And so it is with pride that I include him in what has to be a pivotal series of events in my life that have occurred over the last 100 hours;

On Thursday morning, a court case in which I have become tied down since March has finally been resolved - mainly in my favor.

On Thursday afternoon I signed a lease on a new, spacier, more modern apartment in a new city away from the hustle and bustle of where my little family currently live.

On Thursday evening, after over 12 months of looking for the right job . . . (wait for it) . . . I was informed that funds are being sought to bring me in to The Company I have been looking to work for, in The Position I have wanted - since February 06!! (fingers, and much else, stay crossed until I am actually in the office with a company email address).

So far so good. Or, more accurately, so far Thursday damn fine!!


Thursday evening was the first time in over 2 weeks that I actually ate a meal. I have noshed at different foodstuffs but generally not taken in more than 500 calories a day. Which is not too healthy. Unless you're a hamster in which case I think its just dandy. I lost 7kg / 15lbs in 2 weeks.

Late Thursday evening Mrs J and I packed our suitcases for the trip to New York and Chicago to see family. Actually Mrs J packed and I hindered, absconded and generally detracted from all of her efforts.

It's what I do. And I do it well.

Friday afternoon saw us driving off to a friend's summer apartment by the sea for 25 hours of relaxation. We were a total of 5 adults and our baby so he was spoiled rotten. The food was great, the people were fun and we just had a superb time. Which was lucky as our trip began at midnight on Saturday.

12 hours on a plane.
With a 3 month old baby.

Not a pleasant experience by anyone's account but it had to be done. And I did it without medication. And I was helpful to the wife. And I even smiled through most of it. Which I think shows just how much stress I had been under.

The court case had really knocked the wind out of my sails as it was a really pathetic case of 'he said she said' which can never be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. In the end a compromise was arrived at, a compromise to my ethics and my beliefs but I was dealing with potentially (see - I'm learning already) not 100% kosher police who were in it to only help themselves. Allegedly. Maybe.



And now it is over. All connections I had with the police have now been cut. And the real 'kicker' in the whole story? I had been helping the police in a volunteer role when I became bogged down in the whole story.

And that's all I've got to say about that.



So, a happier, friendlier, less stressed Jumblerant will be coming to you from New York an Chicago until the end of the month.


kthanxbai!

Those Jews don't mess around

I've seen a fair bit of antisemitism in my day in London, Warsaw and Lebanon (ahem...) so i do smile when I find a post that 'gets it', understands what Israel is all about and why it does, what it does, on a regular basis.

I support Israel because I believe that if the terrorists would simply stop attacking them, all hostilities would cease. I also believe that if Israel stopped fighting the terrorists, Israel would cease to exist.

From "Those Jews don't mess around" by Robb Allen over at 'Sharp As A Marble'.

Abd this one? Already on my blogroll

Yes, I admit it. I put this blog onto my blogroll before I even told you about it. Yes, it's that good.

kristen's blog for today, 1 Down, 999 To Go had me smiling but her blog I'm Sorry had me nearly blubbering.

In other news I missed out on the 65th Anniversary of D-Day due to my illness, and the fact that in these cost cutting times we cancelled our cable package. In the midst of my illness I did manage to catch a few interesting blogging though:

This Ain't Hell, But you can see it from here has a very well written article about a 94 year old Phony paratrooper at D-Day Ceremony

The Mudville Gazette has some films from the time "Original video from the day, narrated by the men who were there...."

McQ over at Blackfive has a thought provoking blog about D-Day,  and the men and emotions involved. D-Day Plus 65 Years

And, again at the Mudville Gazette, Grayhawk has a modern day blog for today, June 8th 2009, to bring us back from the past and into the present. The Call. (You might need to 'take a moment' after reading this one).

To lift the mood of the blog slightly its over to Iraq and Steven Colbert of the Colbert Report who has gone 'high and tight' in support of the troops.


kthanxbai!

No, I am not an innkeeper

I don't even remember how I came to start reading the blog Behind the Blueberry recently. I just know that I like it.

In my exceptionally arrogant way I assume that you are the same as me and will also love it. Not so arrogant? Well I found this blog first, so I'm better than you - and there's the arrogance.

I guess I'll have to start working on that.

But go here and read their blog first. Before you take vindictive action against the Jumblerant....

And I have started talking about my persona in the 3rd party already. Oh bugger.

kthanxbai!

I'm back baby - oh yeah

Apologies for not blogging for what feels like forever but I had a really bad dose of the "I really don't know what I have but I don't want to eat and I sleep the whole time and you know what? Just leave me alone in bed please".

Luckily its not catching because Mrs Jumblerant was amazing through it all. Basically I didn't really eat for a week and then slowly began building up what I ate until (YAHOO!) I ate a whole bagel and some tuna today.

Who said you learn nothing from reading blogs?

So I'm back baby - oh yeah.

Whilst reading blogs in bed thanks to my Nokia N95, I came across a very interesting 'happening'. Apparently, a group of bloggers were invited to an overnighter on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier. Which, to put it bluntly, is insane!! From blogging about anything to being invited onto an aircraft carrier?!?!

I read a few of the blogs about the trip and found them exceptionally interesting. It looks like the US Navy is trying to get some good feeling going on the blogosphere.

Good for them.

And it leads to some very interesting blog titles such as: I’m not dead but I was technically in prison so I have a good reason for not posting or epic - which contains the astounding quote 'I was XO at Top Gun, not CO' - and I get to read your blog? I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!! The detailed blog that reports it all is 24 Hours at Sea on the USS Nimitz by Guy Kawasaki over at How to Change the World and I like his style.

Thats all for now - but it is good to be back.

kthanxbai!