From Jules
Bullet Points:
** Celery – For when you have that sudden urge to bite into water with hair in it.
** Availability (h/t Claudio) – WARSAW — As the ground war in Ukraine continues to grind ahead of the winter months, the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) are experiencing falling availability rates with their existing fleet of combat aircraft. The culprit is a combination of a high number of losses of fixed-wing aircraft combined with a drop in mission-capable rates due to the higher-than-normal number of flight hours being flown by those aircraft remaining.
In the UK MoD’s Sept. 28 defense intelligence update on the war, London estimated that since the start of the conflict, the VKS has lost 90 combat airframes. This includes significant numbers of the most modern Sukhoi aircraft models, which have become difficult, if not impossible, to replace. The situation has only grown worse in the weeks since when it was reported that Russia’s own air defense units had shot down two of their own Su-35S fighter aircraft within a few days of one another…
The VKS at this point in 2024 will also be facing a different Ukrainian force with more capable air defense systems and Ukrainian pilots now flying US F-16s and the Swedish JAS-39 Gripen. Ukraine defense firms that met at a Sept. 29 forum in Kyiv with some of their EU and NATO-nation counterparts have reported production difficulties experienced by the Russians, some of which predate the February 2022 invasion. While obviously biased, Ukrainian defense industry officials are an important source of industrial information about Russia, given the historical ties between the two sides’ defense industrial bases.
** The wind farm in Mt. Pulaski, IL, has been running for 3 1/2 years. They have been replacing the generators in all the wind towers this summer. There are 100 of them at this wind farm. So evidently the life span on the generators on these things appears to be just about 3 to 4 years. It takes 12 semi trucks and trailers, A 9 axle 500,000 pound crane, a 100,000 pound crane and 12 pick up trucks to change each generator. That is a huge amount of diesel fuel being used to maintain these wind towers. And the “Green Groups” would like You to believe they are all fueled by magic fairy dust.
The expenses involve dwarf whatever electricity they produce by spinning. It’s a good thing that the taxpayer (in the form of a $33 trillion deficit) is picking up the tab.
** Jules explores the shallow: Once upon a time (because twice makes it repetitive and thrice leaves us yawning) in a land somewhere lodged between our imagination and our delusions, there lived a beautiful young girl. Of course, our heroines are always beautiful and never disfigured or hit with an ugly stick. (She lifted todays stories from her own collection of short stories, which you should consider buying) Dyamontay was the name of our beautiful heroine because naturally, she had a one-off, made-up moniker that nobody could spell or even believe. She told everyone it was of French origin even though the only French word she knew was Paris which was the name of her biggest, female, high school competitor. However, Paris remained a size 2 despite being proficient at bulimia and could never match the perfect size zero of Dyamontay. In class or social photos, our heroine would make sure she stood next to Paris on purpose for digital proof of her superiority, and after two whole days of water dieting of course. It wasn’t long before the stress of it all got to Paris, who ended up being carted off to rehab with a serious twitch and an expensive addiction, poor thing. (more at the link)
** How much?
** “You keep guard dogs on a leash in your yard, not in your bedroom. Because they should threaten your enemies, not your children. To our neighbors, we are like fierce dogs that should be by Israel’s side, not in their homes,” explained Mahmoud, the driver, using an Eastern metaphor to illustrate Egypt’s reluctance to open the Rafah border crossing and allow the caravan of refugees from the Gaza Strip onto its territory.
“I believe I can now speak not only on behalf of the Jordanian government but also on behalf of our Egyptian friends: no refugees in Jordan, no refugees in Egypt… This is a situation that must be resolved within Gaza and the West Bank. You cannot shift it onto the shoulders of others,” the monarch stated quite unequivocally.
Nobody wants the human lice.
To aid you in your understanding of Spanish:
Movie Notes:
Much of the cast and crew of The African Queen got sick except Humphrey Bogart and John Huston, who said they avoided illness by living on imported Scotch whisky. “All I ate was baked beans, canned asparagus, and Scotch whisky. Whenever a fly bit Huston or me, it dropped dead,” said Bogart.
Wet Drapery
Just imagine the ability to render solid stone transparent. Giovanni Strazza possessed this incredibly rare artistic talent. His masterpiece, “The Veiled Virgin,” carved from flawless Carrara marble, stands as one of the most astounding achievements in the history of sculpture.
Strazza’s mastery of the “wet drapery” technique carried on the tradition of other Italian sculptors like Giuseppe Sanmartino, who, a century earlier, had crafted mesmerizing marble veils, exemplified by the renowned “Veiled Christ.”
This artistic tradition can be traced back to earlier sculptors, including renowned Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo, as well as the ancient masters from Greece’s Hellenistic era, who were celebrated for their intricate depictions of fabric folds.
However, in the mid-19th century, Strazza pushed this technique to its limits. The delicate, layered effect he achieved allows the observer to distinctly perceive Mary’s facial features through the translucent veil while simultaneously creating the illusion of weightlessness.
The process of how he transformed solid stone into something so soft and fluid, using only basic hand tools, remains a profound mystery.
Identify the Armor
1
2
3
Identify the Armor:
1. Stridsvagn m/42
2. SK-105 Kürassier
3. ISU-122
Got it!
Followed a link to a strategypage article saying that the Ukraine positioning from the latest push has put their troops into position to make Russian resupply efforts even more of a nightmare. Can’t say if this is good info or just noise.
IDA:
1. Stridsvagn m/42
2. M-60 Battle Tank
3. ISU-122
Everything is a distraction, and I have been allowing myself only a small amount of “keeping tabs” each day so as not to get too blindsided by the next thing while keeping my sanity (standing at the ‘pasture cove’ sign helps). Ukraine is being memory-holed by the evil insanity in Israel, which I believe was this Administrations doing by the backdoor, not only as a slap in the face to God’s Chosen people, but also to undermine PDJT and his righteous action with our ally.
Bogart- See, there’s always a solution to government created problems, especially since liqueur stores were keep open during The Lockdown. Washington State folks can forget NSAIDS, use Bogarts recipe for keeping illness and pain away…call it Bogarting. Win, win!
A huge Thank You for the Drapery sculpture…beautiful things are being assaulted and we need reminders every once in a while. I have never seen that sculpture for some reason (and I did a lot of art as a younger self)…it is absolutely stunningly beautiful. The mind that can create such wondrous things is truly a gift from God.
Last day here before Winter shifts into gear. For once I’m [mostly] prepared.
Are you prepared Paul? Do you have your firearms and backhoe ready?
-H
Heh, tractor with bucket is always ready. Firearms need a cleaning, but yeah, ready.
Here the rub for me: Most of us are not prone to reactive modes, such as violence, yet the boiling pot has increased the heat on We The Good People to the point we are fed up, so talk this way when normally we look at life differently. Trying to maintain ones sanity in a world of chaos is not easy, and seems to be getting tougher.
Philippians 4:13/Matthew 6:33
x2
X2 Paul. PDJT moved the embassy and worked the Abraham accord. ( His teams) to STRENGTHEN Israel and peaceful relations with their neighbors.
Now the tides of insanity have turned with all the armament left behind in A. and most recently Billions more released to the l.o.c. funding the Muslim Brotherhood.
MSM ” And now folks, the O’biden admin is, ” building back better our southern wall” Just in time for election cycle! Supposedly. I’ll believe it when I see it.
L.L. has posted today some humor and your pasture sign has given good therapy as well, thanks for sharing.
The NSAIDS going off the shelves in the people’s republic of Washington; Of note the Walgreens are able to sell liquor for those who may consider converting to Bogarting through “whatever ails ya”.
Following the 2030 Agenda could be some of the reasoning for taking the over the counter meds away from the middle class. You can see TPTB driving our economy toward a cliff, by making us pay for what the woke, marginalized ” can’t afford” or have been shoplifting in record highs. Same applies to houses with the solar panels, subsidized housing, wind, and whatever else you can think of that Robin Hoods from those who have earned it, to GIVE to the victims that deserve it.
Those same minorities are being used as pawns, dying in record numbers from gun violence, suicide and o.d. in the metro or on the rez, with the self sustaining motivation of justifying the never satisfied growth of the Beast, which sees that our 1A and 2A rights now hinder ” their Democracy”.
X2…Talk about a laundry list of what not to do to keep America and our allies strong and independant…but that is the agenda, not even hiding it anymore.
I’m waiting for the election surprise they have planned, maybe to eliminate the election altogether. The Dems have no one truly announced, as if they don’t need to, especially with the shenanigans against PDJT. I suspect it might be a multi-faceted approach (to use one of those corporate-speak terms…but it fits).
Will that be the tipping point?
Could be that “…throw off such Government,…to provide new Guards for their future security. inflection moment. I wouldn’t put it past the Deranged Dem’s to think The Constitution can be further undermined.
Ed. Completely off topic. I have, belatedly, answered your question on Monday Madness of 23 October. Sorry for the delay.
Thank you. I’ve re-read the passage in your book and I think I misinterpreted it.
I thought that you were indicating that other vehicles would not realize that you had a heavy MG in the Jeep.
The only way this EV nonsense makes any kind of sense is if somebody else pays for part or most of it and if the owner doesn’t actually have to go anywhere.
These are features, not defects, ya follow?
And don’t even get me started on ethanol/bio-diesel.
If you lived in a 15 minute city you could take a driverless uber wherever you wanted to go, you wouldn’t own anything, you’d eat insects and drink Soylent Green and you’d be HAPPY.
“If” in the Spartan sense, and besides, I detest Mountain Dew.
FYI both Soylent Green and the Omega Man are playing tonight on Turner Classic Movies.
It’s just a coincidence.
The Big Three are finding out what has been known for over 100 years (in the auto industry)…make what people want. EV’s are rotting in lots, no one wants them…and they are surprised. UAW at another plant went out on strike yesterday, further tanking production.
Good. Consequences matter.
So Add Whisky, To my list with Beans,Bullets and a Bible!
For Preps.
To stave off the winter chill?
Bogart. I do admit to having a glass of Glenfiddich or Jameson’s most evening. Not as a substitute for medicine though; just like the taste. Of course WA taxes the heck out of liquor but as I said in an earlier post I head over to Idaho for a lot of stuff already. What is one more commodity.
Winter is coming. Forecast was for a rain/snow mix and we have two inches of snow on the ground as I write with more coming down. A little behind in my winter preps but won’t take long to get ready.
Wet drapery. Thanks LL, I hadn’t seen that bust before. Absolutely stunning. First to have the talent to envision the result and then the skill to pull the final result out of hard cold stone. Wow is inadequate but Wow.
Availability. Can’t get over the feeling that we are being staggeringly lead towards WWIII and somebody somewhere has a plan for the aftermath that involves subjugating all the survivors of the conflict. Preparing as best you can is a necessity.
And here I was lamenting (sort of) the coming rain/snow mix tomorrow…you’re ahead of us Northern Coloradoan’s.
Despite 70 years of experiencing snowfall in the winter I still like snow so I am good. Don’t lament, enjoy.
Soon, I’ll go into the business of smuggling over-the-counter pain relievers to Washington by the kilo.
Standing in a dark corner, I’ll whisper to passers-by, “Ya need any NyQuil for that cold?”
They’ll shuffle up hungover after a night of overdoing the smuggled Yukon Jack and will ask for Tylenol in the two-pack.
It’s a grand vision…
If there is a market, the cartels will rush to fill it and they don’t like competition. You have some experience in that environment.
I figure that you could supplement your income as well. Give old Banner one of those Swiss dog rescue whiskey packs to carry around his neck. Put extra-strength Tylenol in it.
Smuggle by the kilo and sell by the ounce, what a grand business plan. To help maintain your anonymity don’t use the Raptor, I will lend you my truck for a discount.
Nature abhors a vacuum.
Nice way to polish up an illustrious career. LL the Pusher Man. 🤣
https://youtu.be/hCDAfa-NI-M?si=DcPvIpOW9NX0E9v8
To be more politically correct and appeal to the inner city’s need for aspirin, I might have to self-identify as black and lower the pick-up Ed_C has donated to the cause. Maybe put some fine bitches in the back of the truck to make a few bucks on the side by way of override commissions…
I know, if they had another pair of legs, they’d open in Olympia as well.
Speaking of legs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idtYckLIZnI
That was fun.
“fine bitches”
C’mon LL this is a family blog…who says they’d be fine?
That sounds about right.
Paul M. My buddy in New Mexico told me that it’s not enough to have a backhoe, that you need several holes already dug! Makes sense to me.
Some years ago now i needed to rent a mini excavator to do some driveway repairs on our recently purchased property. Having finished the tasks i needed it for I proceeded out into the woods to do exactly that. It made sense to me as well.
We always have a hole dug in a spot the horses can’t get to…ya know…just in case the Hydra-6 misses.
With Hamas running around Palestine underground like gophers, the holes are already dug, just fill ’em in…that is when The Stall-er In Chief and His Israel-Hating Handlers quit getting in the way (now damn near 3 weeks) of the IDF effort to rid the planet of these 1000 year throwback evil scum.
Everyone wins when Hamas has been eradicated. Next in line: Hezbollah. Tick them off one by one and the world will be a better place. Call it The Pale Horse Op.
Friends of mine have offered aircraft to be used for disposal – both rotors and fixed-wing. I have not availed myself. Apparently, there are places in Arizona and NMEX (much like the fictional movie Yellowstone) where bodies are dropped from above and where scavengers are known to make short work of them. You can also donate the carcass to science through channels. Some nursing homes have body brokers, who they can call and get $$ for an unclaimed corpse. These are bought up by corporate buyers. Some are bought by Santa Muerte buyers (in Mexico) where a pregnant corpse brings a premium. This blog does not operate a placement service, but there are options besides planting them in the traditional way.
I’m thinking of setting up a hog pen…Leave no trace is the Boy Scout motto.
My PhD brother at the university of Kentucky researched whether human dna would come out in hog manure. It will, but he suggested a really large pen of porcine. Dilution is the solution to pollution.
Everyone here has such great ideas!
It’s us [relatively] quiet ones they need to be looking out for…we have a wide selection of collective experience and skills (and heavy equipment), plus decent intellect to come up with even better solutions to problems as presented…and the wherewithal to execute them in a timely manner. “Don’t test us” should be the comeback.
I don’t like to incriminate myself.
Stay quiet…good advice (maybe too late for me tho so I’ll be out at the pasture-cove sign contemplating my next move).
Pigs and chickens will eat all parts of a human, including teeth.
Crabs and shrimps will pick a body clean, but leave the teeth and major bones untouched.
But all animals do better with an already chonked-up corpse. Just remove the teeth and a good chum grinder will process the bones.
University of Kentucky has the “Body Farm” where researchers and LEO’s can study decomposition in a variety of conditions. Maybe the “Stew Maker” studied there?
I love living in northern Nevada. Lots of empty holes to hide …things… Drop a dead pig to throw off scent-following dogs, and plant endangered species along the top so it cannot be (environmentally) unearthed. Plus, there’s a diatomaceous earth quarry nearby – absorb liquids?
Bogarting medicine? I used to keep several bottles of alcohol in the house for such medicinal purposes. Was very rigorous in my treatment
I wore out three spoons the first year
FHubert – “If you aren’t part of the solution, you’re part of the precipitate.”
Wandering Neurons
If the generators have a service life that short they were poorly designed. Even if they can be easily and inexpensively rebuilt and returned to service, they still suck because it’s a nightmare to swap them out. Didn’t these designers ever hear of “Total Cost of Ownership”? Did these things come with any kind of warranty? Are they meeting the published and agreed upon specifications? Were the generators individually tested to ensure they met the specs? Were the sample tested based on lot size? Making new ones from scratch and junking the old ones is “Green”? Explain how, please…..
This whole thing stinks of corruption at Every. Step.Of.The.Way. I haven’t decided which one of Bracken’s books we’re living out these days….
That’s a sculpture technique I’d never heard of. Stunningly delicate….
Kipling wrote a poem he titled, “The Post That Fitted” in which a clever lad proposed marriage to “the eldest of judge Bofkin’s daughters, who was otherwise unlikely to find a mate. The Judge had the future son-in-law appointed to a political posting in India. As soon as the deed was complete and before the marriage took place, he faked grand-mal seizures in public. The marriage was called off but the job remained.
In a world where we select prime contractors on the basis of their level of support for the democrat party or their plumbing or skin color or all three the “Total Cost of Ownership” doesn’t matter. We’re $33 trillion in debt. What’s another three or four billion?
Thing is…it’s stone..wood is one thing to carve, but stone in such a manner? ‘Stunning’ is right.