From here to...well...it SEEMS like an eternity

[witpqs]

Here is a shot of a newspaper illustration in Belgium today:

[Yakface]

Very selective data in that article.  For example - rainy britain has suffered from uncharacteristic dry spells the past few springs.  What it doesn't say is the rest of the year it has done nothing but rain making it, 2008 one of the top 5 wettest years on record.  Global warming doesn't just mean things get warmer and drier.  One of the features is more erratic weather patterns.

[Chijohnaok2]

ORIGINAL: Yakface

Global warming doesn't just mean things get warmer and drier.  One of the features is more erratic weather patterns.

The entire matter can become very confusing. A week or two ago I saw an article where someone claimed that the recent decline in temperatures (this past decade) was proof positive that the rate of global warming was accelerating.

[witpqs]

Weather has always varied greatly and climate has always been changing.

But they tell us that any change in weather or climate is proof that global warming is real and we're all gonna die unless we do what they tell us to do... Yes, Master! [&o] [8|]

I say that Global Cooling caused WWII(b)! And I have here in my hand the names of more than 200 card-carrying climatologists in the Department of Defense!

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Yakface

Very selective data in that article. ...

Look at the date and author of the article. [;)] It's June 24, 1974(b) I'm guessing there is some left over inventory of winterized Quonset huts to "move".

[Cap Mandrake]

OT..if anyone here gave my email address to AARP you are in SERIOUS trouble. I'm not kidding, either.

[Cap Mandrake]

Attention anyone willing to serve on the Viking longboat search committee. It might be a good time to dust off your copy of Roberts Rules of Order

I am fairly certain it is going to be needed by mid to late Summer. I am partial to red oak. Oh, maybe a dragon on the front, too. No canvas needed and seaworthiness not that important.

[Cap Mandrake]

April 12, 1943(b)....the US Navy policy of wartime VIP ride alongs comes to a permanent end.

[Cap Mandrake]

************Bridge of Liberty Ship, USS Daniel S Lamont, Amchitka Harbor, 07;45, April 12, 1943**********


Ship's Captain: Did you ever think you would have a US Navy vessel named after you, sir?

Aged Fellow in Tweed Suit: No, Captain, I did not. The United States Navy was a small operation when I was Sec. of War.

Ship's Captain: Was that in the McKinley administration, then, Mr. Secretary?

Aged Fellow in Tweed Suit: McKinley? Oh, good heavens no! Grover Cleveland. Did you vote for Mr. Clevleand, Captain?

Ship's Captain: I'm afraid not sir. I wasn't of age.

Aged Fellow in Tweed Suit: Ah, yes. I forget myself. Mr. Cleveland was quite the host. We had Summer houses near each other on Cape Cod. <grows pensive> He was quite the ladies man, you know?

Ship's Captain: Grover Cleveland a babe magnet?! You don't say?

Aged Fellow in Tweed Suit: Oh yes, I remember once when two sets of identical twins....<The conversation is interrupted by the shouts of a lookout> "ENEMY AIRCRAFT BEARING 270!"

[Cap Mandrake]

Day Air attack on TF, near Amchitka Island

Japanese aircraft
J2M Jack x 31
B5N Kate x 6
G4M1 Betty x 14
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 16
Ki-21 Sally x 19

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 54

Japanese aircraft losses
J2M Jack: 5 destroyed
B5N Kate: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 34 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Craven, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Daniel S. Lamont, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Francis P. Blair, Bomb hits 1
AK George S. Boutwell, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Allen
AK Frederick J. Turner, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
266 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

The P-40's belonged to a reformed AVG, the original group having been merged into the now famous 24th FG. 54 P-40E's vs 49 Jacks and Tonys. It was ugly. Admiral "Tabpub" Theobald was not happy. So he got even. [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

************Pentagon, D-Ring, Office of Adm. King, 18;40, April 12, 1943************


Captain X: Sir, excuse me, but we just recieved word about the loss of USS Daniel S Lamont.

Adm. King: Daniel S. Lamont? That doesn't ring a bell. LSI?

Captain X: No sir, Liberty Ship, in the Aleutians.

Adm. King: Captain, you interrupted my call for a Liberty Ship? We EXPECT to lose some. That's why we ordered so many. It's a war, Captain.

Captain X: Yes sir, it's just that there was a VIP ride-along aboard...and he's missing.

Adm. King: Oh dear. Who was he?

Captain X: Daniel S. Lamont, former Sec. of War.

Adm. King: Hmmm...early Hoover?

Captain X: No, sir Grover Cleveland.

Adm. King: WHAT IN THE NAME...! Who authorized that? he must be 100.

Captain X: Late 80's sir.

Adm. King: OK, that's it! The ride along program is cancelled. I don't care if it the President's dog. Is that clear?

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

************Pentagon, D-Ring, Office of Adm. King, 18;40, April 12, 1943************


Captain X: Sir, excuse me, but we just recieved word about the loss of USS Daniel S Lamont.

Adm. King: Daniel S. Lamont? That doesn't ring a bell. LSI?

Captain X: No sir, Liberty Ship, in the Aleutians.

Adm. King: Captain, you interrupted my call for a Liberty Ship? We EXPECT to lose some. That's why we ordered so many. It's a war, Captain.

Captain X: Yes sir, it's just that there was a VIP ride-along aboard...and he's missing.

Adm. King: Oh dear. Who was he?

Captain X: Daniel S. Lamont, former Sec. of War.

Adm. King: Hmmm...early Hoover?

Captain X: No, sir Grover Cleveland.

Adm. King: WHAT IN THE NAME...! Who authorized that? he must be 100.

Captain X: Late 80's sir.

Adm. King: OK, that's it! The ride along program is cancelled. I don't care if it the President's dog. Is that clear?

Dang - now we'll never get to hear about the twins! [;)]

[Moondawggie]

Yow, Cap! [X(]

It sounds as though your relationship with Stalker Girl is getting formalized!

Congrats!

How many fire arrows you gonna want shot into the sails?

[witpqs]

It sounds like a deprogramming team and some electro-shock therapy are in order.

Do ya think she'll mind when we burn a scale model longboat at the nuptials? For good luck, I mean! [:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Moondawggie

Yow, Cap! [X(]

It sounds as though your relationship with Stalker Girl is getting formalized!

Congrats!

How many fire arrows you gonna want shot into the sails?

Well, she gave me a cool budoir photo collage for Christmas. I thought it was the least I could do. I'll see if I can find the picture with the rose petals.

BTW..the fire arrow idea is cool.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

It sounds like a deprogramming team and some electro-shock therapy are in order.

Do ya think she'll mind when we burn a scale model longboat at the nuptials? For good luck, I mean! [:D]

Wait till me family finds out. They will have ECT paddles out in no time.

Perhaps an ice carving of a longboat? Good idea.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

Dang - now we'll never get to hear about the twins! [;)]

War is Hell.

[Cap Mandrake]

*******Kai Island Airfield, April 15, 1943*******

<a group of men cluster around the North side of the runway near a number of Kai Island Greater Snatch nests>

Col. Irvine: Colonel, this is Mr. Skipper, from the SPCA.

Col. Corleone: Mr. Skipper, I am here at the request of Gen. Short. These are my lieutenants <motions to a group of junior officer with oddly thickend brows and broad shoulders>. Gen. Short has directed me to insure the full operation of Kai Airfield. Operation Inchorm II is dependent on this goal. Do I have your cooperation on this matter?

Skipper: Col., I have a court order from the 12th District, in San Francisco.

Col. Corleone: We know people on the 12th District.

Skipper: Fine, when you have a new court order come back and talk to me. Until then, the order stands.

Col. Corleone: But Mr. Skipper, a plane cant take off safely on one engine. I appeal for you to reconsider.

Skipper: You are right. I have reconsidered. I am hereby shortening the allowed flight operation window to 1 hr.

Col. Corleone: Mr. Skipper, it would be prudent of you to change your position.

Skipper: Col., you tell Gen. Short that no khaki boy scout tells the SPCA what to do. This beautiful snatch <motions toward a bird> will survive the ugliness that you and your ilk have brought into the world...........

[Cap Mandrake]

*******Adak Airfield, 07:00, April 13, 1943********

32 USAAF and RCAF B-24's warm their engines then begin to taxi into takeoff positions. Nearby, jeeps deliver the men of 6th Fighter Squadron to their waiting P-38's which are parked on steel mats. The weather is good by Aleutian standards.

120 miles to the West, a squadron each of Marine TBF's and brand new Marine Corsairs (some are even without paint save a roundel on the shiney aluminum wings) and half a dozen RCAF Kittyhawks go through a similar prep.

The target is Kiska.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Perhaps an ice carving of a longboat? Good idea.

Oooooo, how about we rig the ice sculpture with a tube from underneath attached to a hole drilled through. At the signal a few ounces of hi-octane pumps up and out the top of the mast and ignites...