Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

So SG and I head down to House of Big Fish in Laguna for some blackened sea bass and brewskis and there is this big party there, maybe 13 or so, with t-shirts that say "Pageant of the Masters, The Last Supper, 2011".

The Pageant of the Masters is a Laguna Beach tradition where locals volunteer to be models in live recreations of famous paintings. It's all very professional with pro directors, lighting people, make-up folks, costumers and set designers. It is quite amazing, done after sunset in an open air theater every summer at this time. Pretty much every year, one of the paintings is Da Vinici's The Last Supper.

So anyway, SG and I know what it is and the first question we have is who is you know who? There is one guy with a pleasant smile and rocker hair, maybe him? How about that one over there?


Finally, after an oyster shooter and a pitcher of Shocktop, SG decides to go ask. It turns out it is they guy with a chrome dome is the big guy. He looked like Telly Savalas after 2 months on Weight Watchers [:D] Funny as Hell..well maybe you had to be there..or maybe it was the beer.

[CaptDave]

At least you can take heart in the fact that West Virginia didn't exist in 1860. I don't know about 1860(c), though...

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: sprior

Maybe we should hold off taking Palembang just to keep them interested?

Nah, just let them sink something. Preferably something that belongs to George. [:)]

You've already let them do that. It must be your tirn.

[sprior]

This is a cool pic:

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: sprior

This is a cool pic:

Alien invasion!

[sprior]

This is where we went today: http://www.musee-ceret.com/mam/index.php

The Picassos were fun, I like Matisse, Chagall was cool but Antoni Tapies was completely beyond me.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: sprior

Maybe we should hold off taking Palembang just to keep them interested?

Nah, just let them sink something. Preferably something that belongs to George. [:)]

You've already let them do that. It must be your tirn.

See, I KNEW you were still sore about Warspite.

[sprior]

Out of Office message, 1943:

Caller - Hello, is Admiral Lord Sprior in?

Mrs Lillian Lovelever - No

Caller - Could yo tell me when he'll be back?

Mrs Lillian Lovelever - After he's drunk Languedoc-Roussillion dry.

Caller - So, next week then?

Meanwhile in L-R

Moi - Combien est sa boutteille du vin?

Le keep du magasin - Un spondulick 50

Moi - Je will take dix. Et quelque sangria pur la mem-sahb. Merci bien.

[sprior]

See, I KNEW you were still sore about Warspite.

No, just reminding you as it seems you'd forgotten.

[Cap Mandrake]

Moi - Je will take dix

[:D] You didn't tell us you were bilingual.

I was in Paris with my kids once. The Metro was closed because we were out on the town in the Marais, so we climb back to the lighted realm and try to hire a taxi. The first driver is some surely SOB from North Africa. He either doesn't or pretends to not speak a word of Engrish. So I ask my daughter who is taking college level French at UCLA to hire the cab. She freezes in terror. Hory crap! What now?

I think about the 5 Pemsleur tapes I listened to before the trip. I can do this! Just be confident.


"Nuestro hotel avec luh hardeen Tulerie"

He nods. We get in the taxi.

We get in the taxi and my son says, "Dad, I think that was Spanish"

[Cap Mandrake]

*******************Jan. 27. 1943(c), Gilroy, Calif.********************



<A darkened room lighted by scented candles. In the center there is a round table covered in a white tablecloth>


Father Kerkorian: <closes eyes briefly. He is uncomfortable but thinks about the new community hall the very generous donation from the unkown donor will fund. Moral ambiguity. St. Thomas Aquinas had something to say about this, didn't he? Oh well, half a bottle of Liberty School cabernet has steeled his will.>

En nomeni patri et fili spiritus sancti, we call upon the spirit of Capt. Yossarian, United Stated Army Air Corps.


Elderly gentleman with very bush eyebrows: Yes, the one whom the Army says went MIA in New Scotland......

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

*******************Jan. 27. 1943(c), Gilroy, Calif.********************



<A darkened room lighted by scented candles. In the center there is a round table covered in a white tablecloth>


Father Kerkorian: <closes eyes briefly. He is uncomfortable but thinks about the new community hall the very generous donation from the unkown donor will fund. Moral ambiguity. St. Thomas Aquinas had something to say about this, didn't he? Oh well, half a bottle of Liberty School cabernet has steeled his will.>

En nomeni patri et fili spiritus sancti, we call upon the spirit of Capt. Yossarian, United Stated Army Air Corps.


Elderly gentleman with very bush eyebrows: Yes, the one whom the Army says went MIA in New Scotland......

A Catholic Priest conducts a seance for a gentleman with a Jewish last name. It seems the "melting pot" of cultures includes spiritual beliefs! That's OK because we all call on the same spirits of dead people - or the missing. Now if we could just get through to our governments as easily ...
Maybe we need to speak in Cap M's "Franish" or "Spench"?

[Onime No Kyo]

....and why does the end of the movie Beetlejuice come to mind? [:D]

[Moondawggie]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

So SG and I head down to House of Big Fish in Laguna for some blackened sea bass and brewskis and there is this big party there, maybe 13 or so, with t-shirts that say "Pageant of the Masters, The Last Supper, 2011".

The Pageant of the Masters is a Laguna Beach tradition where locals volunteer to be models in live recreations of famous paintings. It's all very professional with pro directors, lighting people, make-up folks, costumers and set designers.

Finally, after an oyster shooter and a pitcher of Shocktop, SG decides to go ask. It turns out it is they guy with a chrome dome is the big guy. He looked like Telly Savalas after 2 months on Weight Watchers [:D] Funny as Hell..well maybe you had to be there..or maybe it was the beer.

Good Lord, Cap, that "pageant" was tacky beyond belief in 1969; I can't believe that you're still hanging with those clowns in 2012...

We even used to cite that event as an indefensible example of bourgeois tastelesness when arguing the moral superiority of Marxism with our parents when we were High School students in Pacific Palisades in 1968.

I hope the "big guy" bought you a bunch of free drinks. But now I'm worried that you're poised to install Henry Wallace as 3rd Fleet Commissar come the next turn...[:'(]

[Cap Mandrake]

I hope the "big guy" bought you a bunch of free drinks

To tell you the truth I was a little miffed. I think he was flirting with SG because Mary Magdeleine wasn't there.

Bastards left a 5% tip too.

[Cap Mandrake]

**************Jan 28, 1943(c), Pranning***********


No intel on the Ternate garrison. Poor intel starting to come in on Manado but as we push the Catalinas to forward bases we spot some inbound transports for Manado?

The attack on Ternate will have to wait a day. 503rd PIR is reporting some suppry issues...and there is the intel problem too. Follow on US Army RCT for Ternate will arrive off Boela today.

Kendari just has fighters. B-24's ordered to attack again.

[Cap Mandrake]

**********With 503rd PIR, Boela, DEI, 18:40, Jan 27, 1943(c)**********


<supply hangar>

Jumpmaster: HERE'S THE NEW SUPPLY OF CHUTES, BOYS! LET'S GET 'EM ON THE TABLES AND INSPECT 'EM.

Pvt. Geronimo: <start's unpacking chute> I'm excited about the jump.

Pvt. I.N. Dolence: What are you, some kind of crazy ****** ******, chief?

Pvt. Geronimo: Yeah, that's me, a crazy ****** ******. Hey look, it says "Property of His Majesty's Government" <he opens a paper inside the chute. It reads>


"Another fine product from M&M Enterprises: Aviation Support Division. Managemtn not responsible for lost or stolen articles".

[BBfanboy]

Pvt. I.N. Dolence, and a paratroop named Geronimo - only from the mind of Cap Mandrake! [8|]
Priceless! [:D]
Ever thought of writing for "Modern Family" or any of the other satires on TV??

[Cap Mandrake]

**************Jan 28, 1943(c)***************


Quiet, almost too quiet.

Koepang: Washington finally finishes her luxury cruise and bombards Koepang. Not very effective.

Night Naval bombardment of Koepang at 68,116

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Ia Tony: 5 damaged
Ki-61-Ia Tony: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 5 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Washington

Japanese ground losses:
84 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)



Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 4
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

Lautem: Nells from ? go after some APD's unloading supplies at Lautem. They are waxed by the local CAP. The LYB unit at Lautem is revealed to be the 8th Tank Regiment. I dont think there is any way they can drive off a full USMC Regt and a Marine Def. Bn.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Lautem at 73,116

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
A6M3a Zero x 4
G3M2 Nell x 3



Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 16


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
APD Brooks