Overheard in Pantry

This morning while in the pantry I overheard the news story about the homicide rate in N.O. and the ability or lack there of for the police to handle the local everyday issues and the influx of people for Mardi Gras. misbeHaven was just walking down the hall getting ready to leave for the day.

misbeHaven: Did he just say Mardi Gras will be held on Tuesday this year?

Me: I am pretty sure he did.

misbeHaven: But it's on Tuesday Every year.

Me: Well, factually there is nothing wrong with his statement. It will be on Tuesday this year.

misbeHaven: ..........!?!?!!

Is it just me?

Constantly, when rain has come through our area it misses our ranch and pours just down the road from us. Kinda like it is doing right now. Getting 20MPH winds with 37MPH gusts but no rain while the surrounding area is pelted.
You see that big white hole? We're pretty much centered in it.

UPDATE: Average windspeed 26MPH, latest gust 40MPH!

Gunowner cars being "Tagged"

My uncles brothers cousins nephews sisters best friends next door neighbor was there. NO REALLY it has to be true!

There are wild stories floating all through the intratubes and by e-mails about cars being tagged at local gun shops and shooting ranges and national competitions where criminals then follow the car and break into it at another time to steal their guns. The worst of which is a story at a shotgun nationals match in San Antonio Texas about peoples tires being tagged with little red dots. Problem is, it is all bunk! THe marks people are pointing to are used by manufacturers to indicate thick beads on the tires and are there from the day the tires are released into the wilds. The story goes on to say it must be true because even teh local PD came out and talked to the folks at the match about it. Problem is that it never happened.

http://www.nssa-nsca.org/index.php/2012/01/nsc-response-to-rumors-about-gun-thefts/

Follow the link above for the true dope on it. I have received the story in three different forms from 8 different people so far. The latest being form a Denver gun store and a comment from a Gunsite instructor making it true. Well, it isn't.

Please, let's stop this before it get's more out of hand than it already is.

NASA Image of the Day

Great photo of where I work. This is one of the many projects we do with NASA. Fortunately it is public domain so we can talk about it. Most of the stuff we do and especially the really cool stuff is not allowed outside the building so we can't share. It's fun when something comes up that we can share.

Canton PD AssHat firing

Remember the Canton PD officer (and I use the term officer in only that he was wearing a uniform) that threatened a CHL and harassed the guy as well as the other two people during a traffic stop? He has finally been fired. It is about time. Now they just need to file multiple charges of assault and abuse under color of law charges and things will be right with the world.

Metric Conundrum

So riddle me this, Metric tool sets come with 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive sockets. WHY? I thought metric was all cool and shit. And don't embarrass yourself saying it is for the American market. I used to work for a German company working on European equipment with tool kits built and bought in Europe for the European market.

Just curious.

Moronic Parents and their clueless children

Sorry but this is just stupid. A father gives his 17YO daughter a gun "for protection" with no training and tells her to carry it. Breaking several laws as well as being stupid. She drops her purse at Starbucks and the gun goes off. Probably had something in the purse that landed on the hammer when it hit the floor. At least I hope so, if it was because she was carrying it cocked then she and dad really need to get their collective asses handed to them. What kind of idiocy is this? pro or anti rights doesn't matter in this case because what they did was just wrong and stupid.

AERO Nerd-vana

So I went on a little jaunt today to San Antonio Propeller. Had to drop off three sets of B-29 blades along with the hub and bearings and such that we use to make wind here at the tunnel.
Well boy do they have quite the assortment of kewl props there. All shapes and sizes were to be had in various states of repair.
The correct terminology for the prop blades above is OOPS! Really, they are not supposed to bend that way. The names have been blurred out to protect the guilty.
I probably could have spent a few hours there poking around in their piles of stuff but I wanted to get back home for the night and get the truck turned in.

From the Horrible, comes good

So, with the recent passing of my Mom, I have gotten motivated to continue a long overdue process. Years ago when my Dad passed away, I collected his Military records and other printed heirlooms and started scanning them. With the intended goal of getting everything scanned and DVD's made for all the kids in the family to share.This would be Dad being presented with his First Distinguished Flying Cross.

Anyway, the passing of Mom has motivated me to get back on track. After researching around I ordered a CanonScan 9000F and a couple software packages. You see, I also have boxes and boxes of slides from before Mom and Dad got married through his AF career to all the trailer trips we took as a family while I was growing up. Let's just say there are thousands of slides that need cleaning, scanning and then digital cleaning up. We shall see how this all works out. I may even share publicly some of the better scans. Like when I first discovered toilets that didn't have to be flushed.

Rare Occasion Indeed

It is a rare occasion when we can all get together anymore. It's sad that it only happens when bad things occur.

Mom

Marie Rose (Hujar) Kochan was led by the Angels to Paradise on November 27, 2011 at The Summit at Lakeway Healthcare Center. Marie was born on March 25, 1929 in Binghamton, NY then made her home and raised her family in Austin, TX for the last 52 years. Marie earned her teaching degree from Cortland College in Cortland, NY and taught kindergarten until she met and married the Air Force officer and pilot of her dreams, Chester T. Kochan, from Salamanca, NY.

Marie demonstrated how central her Catholic faith was to her life by participating in Saint Ignatius Parish and the Saint Edwards University Community. She remained an active member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority. While proudly raising her family, Mom enjoyed leading several scout troops, volunteering as room mother, sewing clothes and costumes for her family, creating various knitting, crocheting, and tatting projects, cooking amazing meals (especially her famous lasagna), and baking heavenly desserts. In her spare time, Mom worked her way up to being a nationally recognized Tupperware Manager, earning televisions, diamonds, cruises, and cars. Mom and Dad also extended the family and opened their home to foreign visitors and students through the University of Texas International Hospitality Club and the Saint Edward’s University Foreign Exchange Student Program. She continued to volunteer her time and skills until her passing.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents and husband. Left to celebrate and remember her life are her brother, Thomas Hujar and her children and their spouses, Mary K. Kochan and Jim Milholland; Mark Kochan and Laura; HelenAnn Busa and Ron; Teresa LaGesse and Daniel; John Kochan and Kelli. Marie adored and delighted in her grandchildren, Bailey K. Cummings; Dawn, Delaney, and Michael Kochan; Veronica and Thomas Busa; Adam and Sarah LaGesse. Marie is additionally survived by four (4) great-grandchildren and numerous beloved family members up north.

Her children would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the loving staff at The Summit at Lakeway who embraced their mother like family. In lieu of flowers, for those who desire to make a memorial contribution, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association.

A memorial mass will be held at 3pm on Friday, December 2, 2011, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Chapel on St. Edward’s University campus, 3001 South Congress Avenue in Austin. Family visitation will begin at 6pm on Saturday, December 3, 2011, with the Rosary at 7pm at Harrell Funeral Home, 4435 Frontier Trail in South Austin. Marie’s final resting place will be next to her husband at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

Marie Rose Hujar Kochan. 3/25/29-11/27/11

May you finally rest in peace. There are those of us who had the honor of calling you Mom! I miss you already yet am glad you are now at rest with Dad.

I still remember this picture and day it was taken. We were on our way back form a doctors appointment for me and the rabbit along with a guy in a station wagon were parked in the Dairy Queen parking lot on South Lamar. We stopped for ice cream and got pictures that he shot with his pinhole camera and then developed in the darkbox he had in the back of his wagon. I will always remember this and so much more. I Love You Mom!

HA

Sometimes, when you think life really sucks, God pops up to remind you that you don't know the meaning of the word suck!

Going Dim

Not quite going dark but for those dozen of you who are regulars here, things are complicated and busy right now so I am not going to be updating this blog very much if any at all. That's bad considering I haven't been updating much lately anyway.

Blog will still be here with all kinds of links to people who actually do write routinely and are much more interesting than I.

How HighTech can ya get?

This would be the dash and cockpit of a V-22 Osprey. All glass and digital until you park. Then you have to pull an old fashioned T handle. just fount it a bit funny I did.
They all fond up as well for space savings on board ship.We are graced with three of them for the flyover at the A&M football game tomorrow.