tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177386236272435632024-03-28T16:03:55.116-05:00Thoughts & Ideas From Truckman...A place for the random strokes of genius and madness which spring forth unbidden from the labyrinth of Truckman's mind...Caution: commentaries, media reviews, proclamations and dire warnings may be seasoned with a unique humor tasting strongly of tongue-in-cheek...Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-63403821663741747122023-10-10T14:51:00.000-05:002023-10-10T14:51:39.764-05:00Determined to serve...<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> <span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;">Americans have consistently, and notably been determined to serve our country when the need arises...We are mostly aware of men like </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy" style="background-color: white; color: #1102ea; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><u>Audie Murphy</u></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;"> because of the fame he earned as a beacon for call to arms during WWII, but others continue to pop up from anonymity such as </span><a href="https://www.military.com/history/navys-newest-destroyer-named-marine-corps-youngest-medal-of-honor-recipient.html?ESRC=airforce_231010.nl&utm_medium=email&utm_source=airforce&utm_campaign=20231010" style="background-color: white; color: #1102ea; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><u>Jack Lucas</u></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;">...Two days ago the US Navy commissioned its newest Arleigh Burke-class destroyer the USS</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;"> Jack H. Lucas</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;"> (DDG-125) named for the youngest Medal Of Honor recipient of WWII...A mere lad of 14 when our nation was attacked by Japan in 1941, he let his anger seethe until the next year when he forged his Mom's name to enlistment papers and took the oath as a US Marine...Eventually ratted out as being too young to fight, the Corps allowed him to train as a truck driver in Hawaii, but this did not deter Lucas from his goal of combat against the enemy...</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;">Fearing he would miss his opportunity, he deserted his post and stowed away with the other Marines aboard the USS </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;">Deuel</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;"> (APA-160) bound for Iwo Jima...His moment to show what makes a US Marine came days after his 17th birthday when two Japanese hand grenades landed among his 4 man fire team...Without hesitation Lucas shoved one Marine aside, covering a grenade with his own body while taking the other grenade in his hand and pulling it under his body...The one in his hand failed to ignite, while the one under him exploded...His team went on to complete their assignment, while Lucas lay where he fell until the following day when he was found to be alive...The corpsman trying to save him had to kill another Japanese while administering medical aid...</span></b></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Quoted from the Military.com article:</b></span></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #f2f6f8; color: #3e3e3e; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b></b></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>More than 250 pieces of metal in his body were removed during surgeries. Despite how much was removed, there would be enough shrapnel inside him to set off airport metal detectors for the rest of his life. While Lucas never saw combat again, he would join the Army in 1961, become a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne and train young troops for combat in Vietnam. He died in 2008 at age 80.</b></span></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;">More about his life can be found in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacklyn_H._Lucas" style="background-color: white; color: #1102ea; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><u>Wikipedia</u></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;">...The citation accompanying his </span><a href="https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/jacklyn-h-lucas" style="background-color: white; color: #1102ea; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><u>Medal of Honor</u></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;"> is shown below...</span></b></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #f2f6f8; color: #3e3e3e; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b></b></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 20 February 1945. While creeping through a treacherous, twisting ravine which ran in close proximity to a fluid and uncertain front line on D-day plus one, Pfc. Lucas and three other men were suddenly ambushed by a hostile patrol which savagely attacked with rifle fire and grenades. Quick to act when the lives of the small group were endangered by two grenades which landed directly in front of them, Pfc. Lucas unhesitatingly hurled himself over his comrades upon one grenade and pulled the other under him, absorbing the whole blasting forces of the explosions in his own body in order to shield his companions from the concussion and murderous flying fragments. By his inspiring action and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice, he not only protected his comrades from certain injury or possible death but also enabled them to rout the Japanese patrol and continue the advance. His exceptionally courageous initiative and loyalty reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Lucas and the U.S. Naval Service.</b></span></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>I join a grateful nation in saluting the service of men like Jacklyn Harold Lucas...</b></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images02.military.com/sites/default/files/styles/full/public/2023-10/mil%20jack%20lucas%20medal%20of%20honor%201200.jpg?itok=aUvAZGgj" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="621" height="414" src="https://images02.military.com/sites/default/files/styles/full/public/2023-10/mil%20jack%20lucas%20medal%20of%20honor%201200.jpg?itok=aUvAZGgj" width="621" /></a></div><br /><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666;"></span></p><blockquote><a href="https://www.military.com/history/navys-newest-destroyer-named-marine-corps-youngest-medal-of-honor-recipient.html?ESRC=airforce_231010.nl&utm_medium=email&utm_source=airforce&utm_campaign=20231010" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Jack Lucas receives the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman on Oct. 5, 1945. (Department of Defense</b>)</span></a></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #3e3e3e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></p>Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-44803161908965146542022-11-17T09:43:00.001-06:002022-11-17T13:45:21.723-06:00Credit...<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> This <a href="https://www.aol.com/finance/credit-card-debt-jumps-largest-222049310.html">article in my newsfeed</a> this morning and the below quoted blurb led me to wonder how others manage their debt...</b></span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>"Credit card balances surged from July to September as Americans continued to sink deeper in debt amid rampant inflation, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Tuesday."</i></b></span></blockquote><p></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My method of controlling personal debt is probably a little austere to most people, but once I got accustomed to it, it became manageable, and allows me to live within my Social Security income...I have zero ongoing debt in that my home is mortgage-free (not even a HELOC), and my truck was paid for before I drove it home that day...I use credit cards for whatever merchants and vendors will accept them without penalty...I've never had a debit card of any kind...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My five credit cards are "reward" cards which pay me a percentage of whatever I charge every billing cycle...None of mine have any annual fee or other associated use charges...If the balance is paid in full at the end of each billing cycle, there is never an interest charge...I use cash only at gun shows and garage sales when the occasional bargain surfaces, and the occasional lottery quick pick when the jackpot is big enough to catch my attention...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Each card issuer has it's own hook to justify its use...For instance American Express pays me 3% for whatever I buy at grocery stores...Two of my VISA's pay 4% at gas stations (even for a Slurpee) and 3% at restaurants including the fast food joints...My other VISA pays in "points" which equates to 2% of all charges which I apply against the monthly billing balance...My Discover Card (my very first credit card which I've had for 36 years) pays me 5% on certain categories which change quarterly...For instance I get 5% for Amazon buys right now, so I usually wait until this time of year for most of my planned Amazon expenses...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Therefore the CC companies pay me to use their services, and the only money they get is in merchant fees (which I fully understand is paid indirectly by us, the consumer)...But unless there's a cash discount by the merchandiser, there is no point in my paying cash...It's been many years since I carried a balance into another billing cycle on any of my cards, the last time in memory being when my ex-wife charged her divorce lawyer's fee on my Discover Card as a parting gift on her way out of my life...At that point I could not find the means to pay the balance in full, and was forced by the circumstance to pay the usurious monthly percentage for a short while...Since then, they've gotten nothing from me but the monthly balance...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>So referencing the above news article, I see only misery in the future of those individuals and families trapped into carrying a balance on their credit cards...I know why they do it, and I also know what it will take for them to be released from the self-induced debtor's prison in which they reside...I also foresee the day when CC companies will get tired of people like me who contribute nothing to their bottom line, prompting them to eventually do away with paying cardholders anything...I'm curious how my readers here manage debt, and why your method works for you...Let me know in the comment section below...</b></span></p>Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-60399784668940245202022-03-23T14:26:00.002-05:002022-08-29T16:44:08.668-05:00A Small Niche in History...<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>One of the things I cherish most about owning guns is the history that accompanies each of them...I've written in the past of my being the direct descendant of a lineage of gunmakers whose fine firearms became a benchmark for accuracy and reliability, being put to practical domestic use as tools for stocking the larder in many frontier homes, to establishing and defending not one, but <i>two </i>nations...Prized for their accuracy Bean rifles were known to be used by marksmen in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 as well as by Col. David Crockett in his role in defense of the small Alamo Mission establishing the Republic of Texas...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Neither of the Bean rifles thought to have been taken to Texas by Crockett are known to have survived, but I continue to look for one to add to my own collection...In the meantime other paths are taken, and as paths do, they occasionally cross in time...On December 2, 1968, James C. Parrish, a US Navy veteran of WWII and now employed as a civilian mathematician at Holloman AFB, NM bought a S&W Model 14-2...This was a finely crafted target revolver with 6" barrel, and was purchased new at the nearby town of Alamogordo, NM...It is unknown how skilled of a shooter Mr. Parrish was, although his obituary in 2011 described him as a firearms enthusiast...Also unknown is whether his family shared his enthusiasm, but it is known that until last week his S&W Model 14-2 was for sale at a gun store in Albuquerque, NM where he lived his retirement years...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Following my finding the revolver in an internet search, and a 14-2 variant not being one I presently owned, I bought it and had it shipped...Yesterday when I received it, It was exactly as described...It has been shot, and obviously carefully cleaned and stored away from the elements...I suspect that Mr. Parrish not only understood the need for cleanliness, but also knew the value of storing guns separately from any boxes or papers with which they were originally shipped...The only marks on the gun are the carbon rings left on the front face of the cylinder from shooting it...There are no rub marks in the bluing to indicate it was ever in a holster of any kind...The cylinder has a very faint turn line...The walnut Magna grips are numbered to the gun's frame, indicating they were handfitted at the S&W factory during assembly and shipped on the gun...There are no marks anywhere on the metal nor wood to indicate any rough handling...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Inside the very crisp cardboard box which originally housed the revolver when shipped, I found the papers and seemingly unused cleaning tools and sight adjustment tool still packaged in the plastic wrapper from S&W...The anti-rust vapor paper with which S&W still wraps new firearms was still present in the box carefully folded...Under all this was the original invoice from which I obtained the information on Mr. Parrish, including his check number, and his promise to pay the balance owed, $50.00, within 30 days...Obviously his credit was good...At the time Mr. Parrish bought the S&W which I now own, I had been stationed at his place of work, Holloman AFB, for about six months, having returned with my wing to our new desert home from Spangdahlem AB in West Germany...At that time of December 1968 we were making preparations to return to Spangdahlem to support the Joint Forces War Games, an annual event...A few months later, we returned to Holloman where I received my honorable separation from service...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>It is unknown to me whether Mr. Parrish and I ever saw or spoke with each other...It is possible since I interacted with many civilian contractors, both on and off duty...Either way I am glad that our mutual love of fine firearms allowed this second crossing of our paths in history...</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/firearms-and-shooting.html">Firearms and Shooting...</a></i></span></b></p>Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-90956998102519088432021-04-23T11:59:00.004-05:002022-08-29T16:44:36.964-05:00Notes Concerning Honorable Service...<p><span><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My longtime friend, Kevin, inspired this article with his answer to a thread I started in the Cracker Barrel, one of the few forums in which I regularly participate...Kevin pointed out the sometimes questionable circumstances for which certain awards are cited...I decided to post my thoughts here...Thanks Kevin!...</span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>I've studied many of those early awards, and although the service of the recipients was honorable, and the cited action noteworthy, I believe the honor associated with the Medal was diminished somewhat by its wholesale distribution to those who should have been recognized for their service in another manner...In those early days even civilians, such as Billy Dixon, whose actions at the Battle of Buffalo Wallow as a scout doubtlessly qualified for the award, were recipients...The 1917 Review Board revoked Dixon's award citing his ineligibility as a civilian, a technical error later reversed in 1989 by an Army Board of Corrections of Records...Dixon died in 1913 unaware of the discredit heaped on his memory, nor the later restoration of his well earned citation...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Another later recipient of the nation's highest military honor certainly knew of the discredit assigned to him by politicians, many of whom could not claim military service on their own records...But these politically motivated aspirants were happy to deny earned honors from those who did serve and had invoked the wrath of unforgiving partisan officeholders besmirched by other actions of the recipient which were completely unrelated to the cited activity...Theodore Roosevelt, who had resigned his position as Undersecretary of the Navy to accept a commission in the US Army during the Spanish-American War, was nominated for the Medal of Honor for his combat actions at the Battle of Kettle Hill in Cuba...Before the award could be confirmed by Congress, it was blocked for political purposes by those deskbound soldiers who were insulted by the embarrassment heaped on them when Roosevelt published a letter in US newspapers revealing the deplorable treatment of sick and wounded soldiers who were left behind to garrison Cuba and ensure the peace...More than a hundred years passed before the award was presented posthumously by a grateful nation in the office of then President William Clinton...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Valor can also run in family bloodlines as evidenced by another Roosevelt, Theodore III who certainly was not required to volunteer for service in WWII at the age of 56...Yet he not only successfully argued for an Army commission, but despite his own physical infirmities led the Allied invasion of Utah Beach in Normandy on 6/6/1944...His decisive leadership on that beach while under fire, even knowing that his unit's position was far from his approaching reinforcements, contributed greatly to the eventual success of the Allied invasion...Like his father before him he died unaware that the nation had awarded him its highest honor, as he died days later from a heart attack in Normandy...His widow accepted the award on General Roosevelt's behalf in the presence of Allied commanders and the US Secretary of War...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>It is certainly true that some presentations of the nation's highest military award may not have been the result of direct combat, but in my opinion were justified as they took place in war zones with the intent of bringing that war to a successful close...Two examples follow another family bloodline, that of Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher and his nephew, later Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, each of whom were nominated for the Medal of Honor for their actions in battle at Vera Cruz in 1914...Although the citations accompanying their awards seem lackluster in comparison to others, I contend that they are both well within the standards of the valorous service for which all Medals of Honor have been awarded...Both men were in command and performed their duties under fire, exhibiting the conspicuous leadership necessary to inspire the confidence of those men in their commands...In addition both men lent their names to US Navy destroyers after their deaths...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>I cannot close this article without pointing out that although some high awards have been said to be overrated, others are severely underrated...Exemplary of this is the service of US Navy Cook 3rd Class Doris Miller...Miller was on board the battleship USS West Virginia when the ship was attacked along with all other ships in Pearl Harbor on the beginning morning of the Pacific War...Although untrained for combat operations nor medical service, his quick, unflinching and decisive actions were instrumental in saving the lives of many wounded...Using his great physical strength he gently moved his ship's captain to a more secure and comfortable position allowing that commander to direct combat operations and die in relative safety...He then assisted two junior officers in operating a .50 Caliber machine gun against the invading Japanese fliers...When they became disoriented in battle and unable to continue, Miller, with no training whatsoever with the heavy caliber gun other than watching the two officers, took control of the gun after seeing they were in a safe position, and was responsible for the downing of at least one, and likely two of the Japanese aircraft...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>For his service that day Miller was awarded what was then the 3rd highest Navy decoration, the Navy Cross...The award itself was later upgraded to the Navy's second highest award...The Pacific Fleet's new commander, Admiral Chester Nimitz, himself of above average height, lifted himself on his toes to personally pin the medal on the chest of the towering Miller in a shipboard ceremony...Miller went on to further service, yet still as a Mess Attendant (later Steward's Mate), aboard the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay until that ship was attacked and sunk by the Japanese in the Gilbert Islands...Exactly two years after Miller's meritorious action after the Pearl Harbor attack, his parents were informed by telegram that their son was missing in action and presumed dead along with two thirds of his crewmates...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Miller was further honored in the 1970's when a US Navy frigate was commissioned bearing his name, and most recently it was announced that the keel was laid for America's newest nuclear aircraft carrier, CVN-81, USS <i>Doris Miller</i>...Admiral Nimitz, a man with no political aspirations but one who understood the importance and effect of politics on the Navy, used the award ceremony for Miller to springboard the need for sailors and soldiers to serve in positions for which they were qualified, not just because of the color of their skins...Even in death Miller inspired the work of civil rights leaders of all races to advance the uniform service of all members of the nation's military, regardless of race...Others, convinced that racial qualities should govern service in some areas, argued against the idea...Today that struggle continues, but the weight of the actions of men like Miller, and the influence of men like Nimitz continue to equalize opportunities for all...Perhaps in generations to come it will be decided that Miller's award deservedly be upgraded to the Medal of Honor...Until then I will point out that Miller's Navy Cross citation states that he continued his fight against the enemy until he was <i>ordered </i>to stand down...Such instinctive service in the face of certain death is exemplary of actions taken by all whom have been awarded the nation's highest military honor...</b></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Such after-battle actions by committees are the work of politicians, and the toadies who seek favor from those politicians...Above all that stands the unflinching service of those noted in each citation, none of which asked to be present at the noted scenes of action and sacrifice, nor raised a hand for recognition...This is why I have always argued that awards of merit in our military are never "won," as often stated by misinformed writers...They are instead awarded to the often unwilling recipients by a grateful nation as a small token recognizing the valor of not only those who came home to wear the ribbons and medals, but also those who fell on the fields of honor...</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/in-air.html">Warriors and Militaria...</a></i></span></b></p>Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-43699751398632215032020-12-25T18:58:00.002-06:002022-08-29T16:44:56.948-05:00Legislating gun shows out of existence...<p><span><b><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I like to attend gun shows...I like the atmosphere, the variety of guns, ammo, memorabilia, accessories and other items I see...I like talking to the people I meet there, many of whom I've known for decades and not all by name...Some I meet and exchange ideas with whom I may never see again...I usually carry a gun with me to these events, sometimes more than one...I like to trade and otherwise acquire guns for my personal collection...This year I added several guns to my household property, while at the same time divesting myself of other personally owned items, including firearms...I like to alter the content of my gun collection by trading because it keeps me sharp concerning the relative values of firearms...Sometimes I buy outright, other times I'll sell one or more of my guns to finance the acquisition of others...The variety of the guns which hold my interest is what keeps me involved in this activity...</span></b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Upgrading the content of my meagre collection is the intent of my participation in this hobby, just as it is with collectors of other types of items...I should interject another thought at this point, I don't really consider myself a collector, rather an accumulator as I increase my knowledge in a specialized field of firearms, namely revolvers, and specifically Smith & Wesson revolvers of the 20th Century...I accumulate some of my gains in personal property through mainstream venues such as licensed gun stores and pawn shops where I've uncovered some real gems, in addition to some real clunkers...Even the clunkers have their value as they can be stripped of their more valuable parts and accessories, while trading away the remains to someone who needs the parts...In my eye there are no unloved firearms, only those which need to be relocated to a more appreciative owner...</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It is well known that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for guns, as headlines are made everyday concerning those who feel it necessary to strip me and all other Americans of our constitutionally guaranteed right to do as we please as long as we don't harm others...Many of these rabble rousers are actually well-intentioned but misguided fools who simply have not thought the subject through to a logical conclusion...These can at times be convinced of the error of their ways of thinking, but the most dangerous ones are those who use the subject of gun ownership and use as a springboard to personal power, and control over wealth...Politicians, both those who are elected to office and those who prefer to own and direct the officeholders, are the true dangers to our always fragile republic...Many of these power-seekers choose to fulfill their lust for control through the fear generated by a public which feels helpless against criminals and the insane who are merely bent on death and mayhem in their frustration over their unsatisfactory lives...</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The power hungry who in their insatiable greed for more and more control over the lives of others know that they cannot achieve ultimate power as long as an armed populace exists to stand in their way...Therefore they have learned that they must disarm those who would stand in their path by either convincing them they are safer disarmed, or to forcibly disarm them through legislation which makes it ever more inconvenient to hold ownership of firearms as personal property...This has been done incrementally at all levels of government as the power brokers continue to find </b><span><b>elected</b></span><b> officeholders who are willing to accept support in election campaigns at the expense of debt which can only be repaid with legislation which serves to increase the power of those supporters...The latest in those incremental steps takes place in a few days in Texas...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>On January 1, 2021, enforcement begins of an interpretation of </b><span><b><a href="https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=34&pt=1&ch=3&rl=316">Rule §3.316 of Subchapter O of Chapter 3 of Part 1 of Title 34 of the Texas Administrative Code</a>...This bloated title will begin to affect gun shows in Texas through the enforcement of sales tax collection on the occasional sellers of private property...For those unaware of the people who populate gun shows, sales occur not only with licensed firearms dealers who already collect sales tax on purchases, but also collectors who sell and trade from their own collections of privately owned firearms and other items...It will make these private individuals responsible for collecting a sales tax from purchasers of their collectibles and disbursing it to the various taxing entities, both state and local, who greedily present their outstretched palms...The money thereby collected will be used to finance yet another layer of government which must be added to ensure this new source of public income will be drained of its potential...These newly appointed public servants will of course be dedicated to wringing every possible penny from these previously private sellers, making sure that their careers stay intact...</b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>The effects on the gun shows will be multi-layered...The pushback from participating vendors who have never seen their activities taxed will be immediate and vigorous...Taxing authorities will choose some of the more entrenched vendors for exemplary punishment when they resist becoming tax collectors for the state...Attendees such as myself will resist becoming the unwilling financiers of this new layer of government, and sales will fall...Eventually as vendors and attendees drop out, the promoters of the shows will see their own incomes drop to the point where they must fold their tents and close...This has the effect of reducing the circulation of available cash leading to yet more unemployment and recession...As gun shows begin to be reduced in number, the newly appointed tax code enforcers will begin to use their interpretive powers as it applies to the law to visit their presence on those vendors at flea markets, seasonal festivals, Girl Scout cookie sales, church rummage sales, private garage sales and those who advertise their personal belongings for sale on CraigsList...No rock will remain unturned as the tax code enforcers justify their own existence...</b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But there will be joy in the encampments of the power brokers as their control over people and the available wealth slowly increases at the expense of rapidly depleting democracy and freedom...The only question remaining is that of who will be left at the top when there is no longer a bottom...</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/firearms-and-shooting.html">Firearms and Shooting...</a></i></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/us-events.html">US Events</a></i>...</span></b></p>Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-63351549892682715492020-12-02T12:40:00.004-06:002022-08-29T16:45:25.488-05:00Keeping It Safe...<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>This article was inspired by the questions from a young lady friend who is thinking ahead to her first gun safe purchase...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I've only owned National Security safes personally...That company was acquired by </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.libertysafe.com/&source=gmail&ust=1607012663695000&usg=AFQjCNHYKQA0joAhadrGF8-47DOvUP0XXw" href="https://www.libertysafe.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Liberty Safe</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> some years ago...When I had my first FFL, I eventually bought two more National Security safes besides my original to hold everything...When I entered business as Shooter's Station, I put two of those safes into inventory, but kept the original which I still have...After buying the third safe I remembered the advice my first service manager gave me as a new auto mechanic when I was thinking about my first roll-around tool box...He said, "Try to imagine which tool box will hold all the tools you ever expect to buy in your lifetime, then buy one twice as large and it may last you five years before you have to buy a bigger one"...And he was right...The same principle applies to gun safes...</span></b></span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>If I was buying a new one today it would be a Liberty...I think they have the best product as well as the best customer service...Liberty also still sells the National Security brand for those who don't mind paying more...You'll also find out while shopping that there are "gun safes" and there are "gun lockers" as I call them...A gun "safe" will have rounded corners which indicates 100% seam welded construction...Gun "lockers" have square corners and are spot welded which can be cracked open like a walnut shell by any experienced thief with a 12 pound sledge hammer and a prybar...I prefer safes with Sargent & Greenleaf locks (either dial or electronic), any other brand is second rate...You also want the locking mechanism to have thick bolts driven from all four sides of the door edge (mine has 16 1" steel bolts), and a glass relocking system which prevents the safe from being opened even if a thief has cut away the complete outer lock mechanism...</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Ask about the thickness of the steel used in all six sides of the safe...On mine they used 1/4" steel on both the inner and outer walls on five sides (some safes don't have an inner wall), and my door is one inch thick with alternating steel and copper plates which makes cutting torches useless...Weight is a big factor also when a safe is fire-lined...Mine has thick fire-liner between inner and outer walls, and this is where a lot of the weight comes from...The fire-liner rating is important, the higher the better and the more chance that whatever is inside will survive a house fire...Remember that you can protect not only your guns, but also any important papers, old photographs, jewelry, watches, etc...And the additional weight can discourage thieves from trying to move the entire safe...At Shooter's Station we had an additional safe (besides the walk-in vault we built) that was truly old-school - it was double walled with the cavities filled with three inches of concrete for fire liner...It weighed 3500 pounds and was installed with a fork lift during the construction...It's still there today...One of the photos in my article on the store's construction in my photo blog has a partial view of it...</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>When you choose where to place your safe, try to pick an inner wall if possible...Thieves have been known to steal a tow truck, tear down an outer wall, chain onto a safe and pull it out of the house to another location where they can cut into with a carbide saw...Mine is in an inner closet, under a load-bearing beam, where it would be very inconvenient for a thief to even bring in industrial cutting equipment to access it...It's best to have the people you buy it from to install it because they have special equipment and methods to move it in and out without damaging the floors or walls, even climbing stairs...It's well worth the delivery/setup fee...They can also bolt it to even a concrete floor with lag bolts...The best place I know to buy a safe locally is Lone Star Gun Safe on FM 1960 in Houston...If the same people who own it now are the same who founded it, they are great to work with...Another great place to do business for safes, guns and other items is CC Plus on Hwy. 105 in Conroe...</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/firearms-and-shooting.html">Firearms and Shooting...</a></i></b></span></span></div>Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-82697142163945103292020-11-29T07:48:00.001-06:002022-10-27T13:40:00.031-05:00Living with it...<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>These following thoughts were spurred by the words written to me by a friend who visited blame for destruction and theft of private property on a group of people not because of the choices they made, but because of an accident of birth...No other identification of this friend will be made here...</b></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">I kid and poke fun at a lot of people and ideologues when they involve the choices people make which govern their lives...In my mind, people <i>choose</i> which gender attracts them sexually; they <i>choose</i> whether and which religion to follow; they even <i>choose</i> how to vote for government leadership, and they <i>choose</i> what to ingest in their bodies regardless of the consequences...The paths they follow as results of those choices are of their own volition, and they have the further choice of reversing course and renouncing the choices which harm themselves and others...</span></b></p><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Two things I choose not to use for scorn or the purpose of humiliation are race and physical abnormalities...Neither were asked for, yet the consequences of both are something each individual is left to deal with over the course of a lifetime...None of us chose to be born of a particular skin color nor of the ability to move about under our own power, and yet we did choose to live and vote responsibly accepting the results of our choices, to earn our own living without harming others and to allow others the same opportunities...Or not...When the choice is made to take what seems to be an easier path to happiness, however temporary, then we must accept the consequences without falling back on the empty defense of being guiltless because of being born with less-than-popular physical characteristics...</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>I scorn those who wreck their own lives and the lives of others with drugs, crime and violence...I do not scorn them because they are not of the same race as I am since an accident of birth did not cause their actions; their own choices did that...I am not angry at my friend, merely disappointed...We also have the choice of recognizing our own errors and correcting the course of our lives...It's now been more than 50 years since I described anyone using the epithet now known as the "n-word"...It was slapped out of me by a friend who heard me use it to describe our mutual friend...I've always been grateful for the accidental timing which allowed that slapping to occur by someone who had my best interests in mind, and not someone who might have carried those actions further...</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>There is such a thing as slapping some sense into a person...</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/ither-thoughts.html">Other Thoughts...</a></i></span></b></b></span></div>Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-37139208608447516232020-10-13T13:53:00.005-05:002020-10-18T10:39:43.575-05:00Letting It Go...<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> I've heard it said by people much smarter than I'll ever be that none of us on Earth ever truly own anything, that we are merely custodians and stewards of what possessions cross our paths as we mark our time in this life...The kings and queens of ancient Egypt thought they owned it all, even the human beings that were kept alive to serve them...They imagined that if their wealth and their staffs of servants could be buried with them, they would always be in possession of their accumulations...But their bodies were scarcely cold and tucked away in their pyramid tombs before the ghouls ransacked many of their gravesites and carried off their precious wealth only to become yet again the temporary possession of fools who thought their property to be sacrosanct...Those few whose tombs escaped plunder were only later opened by archeologists who removed their contents and even their bodies for display in museums...When those museums are buried in the dust of collective ages to become the foundations of a thousand succeeding civilizations, those ancient rulers will be no closer to ownership of the baubles and trinkets they coveted in life than they were when they could still draw a breath...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>No matter our status nor position as we work our way toward the end of our allotted times here, the objects we have claimed during our years are no more ours to keep than the diamonds buried under miles of rock on distant planets...Even our own bodies which have been our only true homes since birth will be taken away from us eventually by the ravages of time...When we leave to find our next place in God's plan, nothing will remain of us or what we possessed but whatever memories we have bestowed in the minds of those who knew us...And even that will fade to nothingness with the passage of generations...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>What then of the physical possessions that mean something to each of us beyond their monetary value...Each of us has and still do have in our possession certain objects which retain for us a value higher than its market worth...When we are no longer in possession of even the life we were granted at birth, and even our souls are returned to He who created them and granted us temporary stewardship, those objects we coveted in life become the possessions of others who may or may not understand the value we placed on them...Not sharing a common history with us, the new stewards may merely exchange our trinkets for new trinkets which they now covet...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In the past year or so, I began to think of the things I possess, and to ponder over the value of what little earthly belongings I have gathered in a lifetime...That which I can still lay my hands on is hard earned, and in some cases fought over to retain...But I know in the end it will all remain behind me to belong to others, however temporarily...My closest family consists of only my two nephews, my late brother's sons, who have grown to manhood and both lead their own lives with their own values...I'm proud to leave whatever I possess to them as I move on at some point, but since their values and their experiences differ from mine, certain earthly items of mine will carry no more value to them, than the money they can be sold for...There are two items of mine which, although they carry a high monetary value in any case, they have a different value while they are in my stewardship...While I still have control over these items, I have decided to transfer ownership to others, to whom I believe they will not only retain my value, but will add their own value...Both of these new custodians are friends, one recent and the other of many decades...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The first item is a wristwatch, an Omega Speedmaster Professional which I bought new at a Canadian Air Force Base in what was then still called West Germany...Details in my memory have faded in the intervening 52 years, but to the best of my knowledge it was Zweibrücken Air Base where at that time an air show was being held, the first I had ever attended...I cannot recall exactly what led to my enamorment with the Omega Speedy Pro, but it may have been an article on personal timepieces in the pages of Playboy magazine, which at that time and place was required reading for any GI stationed anywhere in the world...I can only recall being influenced by many recommendations concerning fashion and accoutrements considered to be the proper choice of discerning gentlemen of the era...Whatever the source of the spark, it lit a flame in my heart to own a Speedy Pro, but the local Base Exchange not only didn't stock it, but had no idea when or if they could obtain one...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The year was 1968 and I knew I would not be making the US Air Force my career, but also knew this would be my one chance to see as much of Europe as possible...Together with three friends in my squadron, we pooled our two Volkswagens and as much camping gear as we could beg or borrow for a <a href="https://photosfrom1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/12/half-century-ago.html">20 day tour of Europe</a>, culminating in attending the Gran Prix of Monaco held in the streets of Monte Carlo...<i>[Note: the photo link just provided includes several photos of a very young Truckman wearing this particular watch]</i>...I wrote to my parents telling them of our itinerary, and to my delighted surprise they sent me a check for $300.00 so I wouldn't have to take the trip of a lifetime on the cheap...Before we were to embark our VW's to conquer a small chunk of Europe, we had a chance to attend the airshow the Canadians were hosting, and while there we visited their Base Exchange to gather a few supplies for the journey...Naturally I cruised by their jewelry department, and lo and behold, there sat a brand new Omega Speedmaster Professional under glass...Having my trip money in my pocket and knowing this might be my only chance ever to own this fine wristwatch, I asked the price...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>At this time the watch had not been announced as the choice of NASA for issuance to all astronauts, including those who would be chosen to wear theirs on the surface of the moon the following year...But it was still a hefty price tag even before it became famous...I was able to obtain mine on the spot for the princely sum of 95 US dollars...The remainder of what was in my travel fund found good use as we were able to check into the local hotels every few days, with genuine beds and actual hot showers...I was also able to take advantage of local bargains in quality goods such as leather items in Florence Italy, and hand-blown glass in Venice...When I got back to base, I applied for, and was granted a $300.00 loan from the on-base American Express office which I sent home in the form of a money order...Prompt repayment to American Express also helped with building my credit rating...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Speedy is what became known as a pre-moon watch since it does not have the (to me) gaudy NASA inscription on the back, but it does have the then new smoother more accurate movement and I have worn it proudly for 52 years...It has endured two divorces, an accidental dunking in a lake when I fell overboard (after which I sent it off for its first overhaul) and even though I shouldn't have, I wore it many times while working at various jobs...In recent years I had it overhauled yet again by a local watchmaker with many years of working on high-end watches as I was told...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Since then it gains about a minute every three or so days, and possibly due to my habit of working while wearing it, the chronometer knobs have both become detached, one of which I was able to recover...It needs another overhaul, and whatever the cost of that might be, it is well worth it to retain its value...But even then its true value to me is beyond whatever it might bring on the open market when left up to my nephews if it came into their possession...At this writing new Speedy Pros are listed at about $6500.00 while pre-moon watches in primo condition sell for considerably more when they can be found for sale...But I agonized over the watch's history being lost and forgotten if my nephews just cashed it in and it wound up on a new wrist...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Recently when my trusted friend of more than 30 years and I were off to yet another gun show, we took one of his fellow workers and friend with us who is also a firearm enthusiast...While talking he recognized and asked about the watch on my wrist...After several conversations it turned out the Speedy Pro is his dream watch, something he has admired for many years...I saw an opportunity here to continue the history of my watch in a new tradition which will see it passed down to one of his sons or grandsons...Being a young family man with the usual obligations, he could not justify draining their savings for either a new or used Speedy, but after talking it over with his wife it was concluded that he could fulfill his dream if he could use some cash and a trade for guns already in his possession...We established a fair price, and came to an agreement to trade for cash plus guns...I will continue to trade up in my own gun collection, and have some cash to put away in savings...This also alleviates the burden on my nephews whom I'm sure would find themselves at a disadvantage when it came to the responsibility of liquidating my assets...When the time comes for my new young friend to pass along the Speedy, which I'm guessing may occur some 50 more years down the line, it will be 100 years old, and he will know its entire history from its date of original new purchase...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>This takes a huge worry off my shoulders as I can concentrate on other events as time creeps up on me from behind...But there are still a few items which have some history for me, and I think I can rest easier knowing how they will be treated when they leave my grasp...I have a particular pistol which has not only commercial and intrinsic value, but even greater value as a memory prop for those who know its history...The gun in question is a Colt Gold Cup National Match chambered in .45ACP...I bought it for cash from a man I had dealt with before, but also had a reputation as one who is not always trustworthy...But I ran the gun's serial number through several databases purporting to contain complete lists of of stolen and missing firearms (NCIC is unavailable to me)...The number consistently returned as clean...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>When I first got it in the early 90's, it had already been refinished as blued, and some of the lettering had been lost in the process...It shot well in my amateur hands, but I knew it could be improved...I showed it to a friend, Art Collins, who was not only a chief of police at the time but also one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever known on the subject of firearms and shooting in general...Gold Cups are known to have excellent triggers out of the box, but Art cleaned up the action a bit for me, and the shot groups tightened...Later I decided I wanted night sights in place of the repulsive tall Millet target sights which would not even allow the pistol to fit a standard holster...Art sourced some adjustable Meprolight Tru Dot sights for me and installed them...In doing so he had to overcome the double staking on the front sight to correctly install the new ones...Being the consummate master gunsmith he was, it was performed without complaint and he merely passed the information along matter of factly...In the intervening 20 or so years following, the sights have lost most of their original glow, and to my knowledge Meprolight no longer offers this sight in inventory...However the slide could always be sent to Meprolight, or another source such as Miniature Machine Company (MMC) of Ft. Worth, either of which can drill the dead globes out and replace with fresh ones...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>At a later point I decided I wanted to refinish the gun again because I did not like the blued finish; it did not match Colt bluing and to my eyes, just didn't look right...In talking it over with Art, I decided on hard chrome which is an industrial finish just about impervious to wear or weather...The hard chrome pieces I had already seen elsewhere never came out as shiny and reflective as traditional triple chrome plating, but Art called a contact he knew at Checkmate Refinishing in Florida (no longer in business today)...He was told they were very familiar with hard chrome and could make it look as shiny as a '58 Cadillac bumper if I wanted...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Before sending the gun off, I also wanted a few changes to the gun...Art ordered a BarSto barrel and bushing, new steel magazine release, Ed Brown single-side thumb safety and wide grip safety...He ordered all new springs and new firing pin at the same time...When they arrived, he fitted each new part to the gun, which in the hands of a master craftsman like him, means that each part of the gun was perfectly mated to the pieces it came in contact with...He took it to the range and shot it, then being satisfied with its performance, he again disassembled it down to the last pin and spring...The parts which were to be hard chrome plated were boxed and shipped to Checkmate...When they came back the job had been done exactly as he specified: flats polished to a mirror finish and rounds chromed in matte...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Plating adds a few microns to the dimensions of each part that is plated, and Art again hand fitted each of the parts on reassembly to a perfect mating...At this time he also hand fitted the slide to the frame, allowing for the new thickness on the parts, and fitted the barrel and bushing for a positive no-movement alignment...After shooting the gun to verify function and accuracy, Art cleaned and returned the gun to me...What, the reader may wonder, was the cost of performing this miracle of new accuracy and dependability?...Art charged me his cost on the plating and the parts used...For his expert labor and hours of painstaking, tedious work he wouldn't take a penny...We had always done each other favors, also watching each other's merchandise and money when we set up together at gun shows, with me selling guns and Art selling his custom loaded ammunition...To my knowledge, neither of us ever made a nickel off each other in our years of friendship...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Sadly Art died from his recurring bouts with cancer in 2009...His funeral was one of the most heavily attended I have ever witnessed with well wishers and mourners packing the overflowing chapel...The stories and accolades heaped on him from those who knew him both personally and professionally went on for hours...I have fond memories of my friend, and of everything he taught me about shooting, firearms, ammunition, history and most importantly - character...Today those memories and the Colt Gold Cup he built for me are all I have left of those days...My recent thinking about my watch also led to thoughts of this gun, and the few other earthly possessions I treasure...Again referring to my well-meaning but inexperienced nephews, they both know what to do with any money I leave them, and will invest it carefully...But the Gold Cup has a history which would be lost on them...It's just another of my guns, and would likely be sold or traded for far less than its value...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>To that end I decided the best thing to do would be to turn over custodianship to my friend who has attended so many gun shows with me, and who also worked for Art Collins as a policeman for many years, rising to the rank of Lieutenant under Art's leadership...He is several years younger than I am, and will likely be around long after I am gone...He is also the most trusted of my small circle of friends, and will treat the gun as it should be, shooting it and carrying it on duty...He has been my friend as long as I have owned this gun, and I can think of no better steward for it and the memories it inspired than him...He was even present when I bought the giraffe bone grips that now reside on the gun...As he pointed out to me, he has excellent taste in grips...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>At some point both these men will reach my point in life where they wonder what will become of the objects that have stirred their memories and marked their time on our planet...I trust that both will make suitable plans to pass on the custodial duties of a few shiny objects and the history connected to them...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/ither-thoughts.html">Other Thoughts...</a></i></span></b></b></span></p>Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-43683966463987486062020-09-28T12:29:00.001-05:002022-10-27T13:42:05.952-05:00Kind of a sad day...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>I've always had my private collection of guns which I kept separate from my FFL inventory...When the time came to finance my last divorce (and I do mean last), I sold off many of my military and custom made firearms, reluctantly I might add...But I suppose that's what they were for, financing unexpected expenses even though it really hurt me to part with many of them...I still had a few left when the dust settled, and in the 12 years since I only bought one, a Kimber Ultra Tactical which I alternate with my old Gold Cup for carry...Recently in going through my safe I got to thinking how many of my remaining collection have not seen daylight in so long, and some I haven't shot in who knows how long...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>In thinking about where these guns will go after I'm gone, I know my only two heirs, my nephews, will eventually sell or trade them for something else as they are gun users, not collectors...So this summer I made the painful decision to start testing the market on guns I love, but will never shoot again...The one that caused me the most angst was the S&W M37 (3" barrel, polished blue, square butt) in the original box with all papers, that I had given to my Dad for Christmas in the 80's...It was the only handgun he ever owned, even though when he served in the Army in WWII, he qualified as expert with both rifle and pistol...Given its pristine condition, and the rising market among panic-stricken buyers, I knew I could get a good price for it...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>I had been attending gun shows again this year after several years of inactivity, so I started carrying this one around just to see what offers I might get...Everyone oohed and ahhed over it, and I got many offers from dealers who naturally offered far less than I knew it was worth...But at the third show to which I took it, a small out of town show, I talked to an individual who wanted a small revolver for personal protection...I showed him what I had and told him my price (about 3X the original retail price I paid) and after getting approval from his knowledgeable friend, he started counting out $100 bills...Since he met my price without quibbling, I gave him a leather holster I had bought for it, and sold him a full box of ammo at a bargain price compared to what I saw elsewhere...I know the law, and I made sure he had a valid Texas ID before the transaction...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>It pained me to have it leave my possession, but it was the icebreaker I needed, and I do not regret it...Since then I started carrying a few guns to other shows, and found I enjoyed the dealings with others as much as seeing the guns and watching the people, many of whom I've known and dealt with for decades...I even bought another revolver, a Colt Detective Special 3rd model, which I found at a reasonable price...I started carrying my unfired S&W M686-3 (round butt, 2 1/2" barrel, Goncalo Alves grips), and my IMI Timberwolf rifle (.357 Mag, hard chrome finish) which I had owned for 25 years, but hadn't shot in 15...I didn't really care whether either sold so I decided on prices which more than tripled my money on the Smith, and would bring me about 8X what I paid for the rifle...Apparently I should have been a little bolder in pricing because as soon as I entered the local Conroe show, the very first dealer I passed wanted to see the revolver...I told him my price, and I was surprised that he counter-offered at $50 less than I quoted...I told him no to which he said, "OK, I'll pay it," and started counting out $100 bills...So we were both happy, although I could have held out for a little more happiness on my end, but I never renege on a deal...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The Timberwolf was a different story...I already knew how rare the rifle is on the market, since they shoot so well, and those who were lucky enough to buy one when they were still available new don't want to sell it...I found only older sales on the various internet auctions, and no current offerings...I also knew that the factory hard chrome finish plus the low 4 digit serial number and it being an original Action Arms import made it even more scarce...What surprised me was how few people knew what it was, even among dealers...Since it is a pump action, most assumed it was a .410 shotgun instead of a heavy barreled rifle...Some thought it was a .22, others that it might be a cheaper Rossi or Taurus import...Almost all were shocked at the price I quoted, thinking I was way overpricing it...I did get an offer last week of $1000 cash from a buyer in the gun show parking lot as I was leaving...I gently turned him down and left...I went to another out-of-town show yesterday talking to plenty of lookers, even selling another of my S&W handguns at my asking price...I finally talked to a dealer who had never heard of the Timberwolf, but he had a love for the unusual, and made me a cash offer which was considerably above what others wanted to pay...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>I told him I'd think about it and maybe come back...I knew that gleam in his eye having seen it many times in others, and truth be known even in my own reflection...On my way out the door I stopped again to talk to him letting him handle the rifle and work the action while I told him the story of what I knew of both the manufacturer and the importer...As I made ready to leave and reached for the gun, he made another offer which was very close to my asking price...Having been a dealer myself, I knew he couldn't stand having to pay asking price unless it was too good to turn down, so I nodded my head and let him have a small victory as he counted out a stack of $100's...We parted with a handshake, both of us happy...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The upshot of all this is that I find myself enjoying another aspect of life again, dealing with firearms for and from my collection, and interacting with other people of the same mind...Having left the business side of the firearms industry I can once again buy, sell and trade with my own collection already knowing the laws that govern me, and the unwritten laws which some understand, and others don't...I don't intentionally insult anyone's intelligence, I don't cheat others and I won't let others cheat me...Life is fun again even if it saddens me somewhat to think of parting with a few treasures, some of of which even carry memories of my childhood...But at the same time I know I'm creating new memories not only for myself, but others as well...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>This morning I dug into the back of my safe and pulled out the Remington M514 which my Dad bought in the mid 1950's to teach my brother and I how to safely handle guns and shoot...To my knowledge, it's the only firearm he ever bought...I had thoroughly cleaned it years ago when it went into my safe...It's in pristine condition along with the Remington cleaning kit Dad bought at the same time...It hasn't been shot in probably 60 years, and I know I'll never shoot it again, so I don't really mind finding another father soon who wants his kids to know the safe way to shoot and handle firearms...I know I'll never lose the memory of a WWII veteran teaching his hard-learned expert marksmanship lessons to two wide-eyed young lads in an open field with a dirt backstop many decades ago...</b></span><br />
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<b><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/firearms-and-shooting.html">Firearms and Shooting...</a></i></span></b></b></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-86899063826051307202020-05-19T14:51:00.004-05:002022-10-27T13:44:32.671-05:00Recovery Under Less Than Ideal Conditions...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>We're all familiar with the role aircraft carriers play in today's Navy, and we've all seen movies of the incredible action they see in combat...The scenes we're used to ordinarily take place in daylight with relatively clear weather, otherwise the movie wouldn't make much sense...In real life flight missions can and do occur in any kind of weather, at any time of the day...And although becoming airborne in those conditions may be somewhat routine, think about what happens post-sortie when it's time to recover these valuable aircraft and their priceless cargo, the trained and seemingly fearless aircrews...One of my regular sources for informative reading, <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone">The Warzone</a>, had <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3559/how-to-land-a-fighter-on-an-aircraft-carrier-on-a-stormy-night">this article</a> posted today in my regular newsfeed...It's not a short read at all, but worth the time spent, and its author, LCmdr. Joe Ruzicka, is as knowledgeable on this subject as anyone...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>My imagination boggles when I think of the level of concentration displayed by not only the pilot of the aircraft approaching its moving target, but all the others who work in step with others to bring their multi-million dollar rides down to rest at precisely the right moment and position on their never motionless multi-billion dollar floating airfield...The pilot must not only keep his or her aircraft steady at a prescribed rate of descent and decreasing speed, but must remain alert for signals from the ship's traffic controllers who have the final say in whether the recovery is a go, or whether to abort and circle around for another attempt...In the case of the F/A-18 fighter, its driver must also remember that his ride was designed to fly at supersonic speeds, and doesn't necessarily perform at its best at carrier approach speeds, usually 150-165 mph...He must also bear in mind that the goal line is also moving forward against the prevailing wind at a speed of 40-50 mph...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>If the traffic controller onboard the carrier does not feel the aircraft can make a safe landing (considered by most to be a controlled crash at best), the pilot is waved off for another attempt...In this case the pilot must remember that he is seldom alone in the air, and while circling for another try at recovery, the air is already crowded by those others who flew with him in his mission, and that they are awaiting their chance to be back aboard their home...In addition, flying at their own predetermined altitudes and tracks, are the aircrews of the unarmed EA-18G Growler versions of their own fighter, equipped for electronic warfare, and probably a Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye which was launched from the same carrier to maintain its AWACS function, as well as at least one F/A-18 which was launched unarmed but carrying three fully loaded external fuel tanks prepared to act as a flying gas station when a landing must be aborted by an aircraft with not enough fuel for another attempt...Another possibility for airborne interference could be a rescue helicopter prepared to recover an aircrew forced to eject before a successful recovery...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>The foregoing scenario would be enough to induce the early onset of old age in the more timid souls who remain earthbound for their existence, but is routine business for the professionals of the US Navy...Now imagine the same scene taking place in darkness, during a thunderstorm and possibly in the vicinity of an active enemy force...The same goal is there for the incoming aircrew, possibly bringing in a stricken or damaged aircraft hoping for a chance to land, be debriefed over coffee, sleep and repeat the same job a few hours later...This is compounded by the necessity to bring home all those support aircraft still in the sky after the last of the combat crews come in, all this in day or night, in any kind of weather, and in the presence of those ships surrounding the aircraft carrier, the cruisers and destroyers which make up its protective screen, any one of which could be mistaken in poor visibility for the targeted mother ship...At the same moment a combat air patrol (CAP) must maintain its launch and recovery schedule in its own mission to defend the ships under it...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>But to those engaged in the business of defending our nation, it's all just another day on the job, and that job is being performed around the clock in all the world's oceans where somewhere you can be assured, conditions are dark and stormy...But these people, from aircrews, to commanders, to deck crews and all those in support of the mission, are all continuously trained to perform their jobs proficiently...Millions of defense dollars are spent constantly in that training...The knowledge that was imparted during that training was paid for at an even greater cost...It may be embedded in textbooks and software now, but it was bought and paid for by those who first lived it in battle, some who came home to talk of it, and some who couldn't because their actions were only witnessed by others at the time of their deaths...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>Much of this subject was learned the hard way during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Philippine_Sea">Battle of the Philippine Sea</a>, 6/19-20/1944, sometimes referred to as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot...It was a resounding victory by US forces against the Japanese Imperial Navy, but also came at a terrible cost in lives...The Marianas Islands were secured for Allied forces during that battle, and paid for with the lives of at least 109 Americans who could not celebrate their own victory...But it might not have even happened if not for the uneasy decision made by Adm. Mark Mitscher to strike the newly discovered JIN carrier force knowing that a night recovery by the striking air groups would become likely...As the returning aircraft approached, Mitscher also made the unprecedented decision to illuminate his carriers for the recovery as night landings at sea were never an event trained for by his aircrews...The success of this battle was the beginning in a new era of naval training...A more detailed contemporary telling of this decisive battle can be found in Volume VIII of Samuel Morison's monumental <a href="https://www.amazon.com/History-United-States-Naval-Operations/dp/0762854316">History of US Naval Operations In WWII</a>...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>We're coming up on Memorial Day as I compose this, and it is appropriate to think of all the brave souls who launched from their floating homes, never to return to it, and those who gave life and limb to teach what today's aviators take as common knowledge in their everyday actions...</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/in-air.html">Warriors and Militaria...</a></i></span></b></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-59976539940729109172020-04-22T22:09:00.002-05:002022-10-27T13:45:11.661-05:00 Welcome to Hell, Ira...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The sulfur ridden fumes of the bottom and hottest level of Hell reeked with even greater intensity on April 3, 2020, when the foul stench spread from the soul of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Einhorn">Ira Einhorn</a> as it was thrown on the flames to writhe in agony for eternity...For those who may not remember, and certainly weren't as closely connected to the facts as this writer, some of <a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2016/07/a-lasting-memory.html">my earlier words</a> concerning the misdeeds of this miscreant should be read as a reminder of how low a human being can sink...Today is Earth Day, an invented holiday which was once claimed as the creation of Einhorn as he basked in the warmth of the adoration heaped on him by the drug-addled and gullible hippies of the day, as well as his powerful and wealthy backers who expected more of a return for their investment than they ever received...For several years I have used Earth Day as a reminder to check the welfare of the despicable cretin who took the life of my friend, Holly Maddux...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Today I learned that I had finally lived long enough to know that Ira Einhorn has belatedly received the punishment he earned from the murder of my friend 43 years ago...He is dead, and I rejoice in his death, the story of which was buried along with many other newsworthy items by the worldwide attention focused on the Covid19 pandemic...In looking for news coverage of the long awaited termination of this wasted excuse for a life, I found many articles including <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/philly/hp/news_update/20101014_Ronnie_Polaneczky_.html">this interview</a> ten years ago which seemed remarkable in that Einhorn held no recognition that his crimes should be subject to prosecution...Ignoring all the evidence that he murdered my friend and classmate, then slept with her decomposing body only a few feet away for nearly two years, he said to the arresting officer when confronted with the sight of Holly's broken, crumpled body, "Well, you found what you found"...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>At no time in the intervening years, which grew into decades as he was arrested, arraigned then skipped out on the bail posted by his wealthy and influential backers and entered a life as an international fugitive, did he ever exhibit any remorse, or even acknowledge his guilt...He even managed to beguile another woman, who bears a striking resemblance to Holly, both in ethereal beauty and sheer intelligence...He managed to marry this woman who, whether she knew of his crimes or not, supported him when he was in hiding, and did not waver in her loyalty even as he was taken into a reluctant custody by the cringing French who finally ran out of excuses for harboring the criminal...Some of that woman's story can be </b><a href="https://www.amicusint.org/ira-einhorn" style="font-weight: bold;">found here</a><b>...I should warn my readers that this link contains photos of Holly's remains as they were found in Einhorn's Philadelphia apartment, and these are not for those of weak heart, nor queasy stomach...Be advised...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>I can only say at this point I am glad to put to rest the knowledge that Einhorn fouled our atmosphere with his fetid breath for this long...But I am even more happy to return my thoughts of Holly to those memories of her as head cheerleader of our high school, the holder of a black belt in <i>jiu jitsu</i>, an accomplished dancer, salutatorian of our graduating class and most importantly, my friend...</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/insanity-vs-guilt.html">Crime and Punishment...</a></i></span></b></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-87189886523977920752020-04-12T11:43:00.001-05:002022-10-27T13:45:42.206-05:00A bright idea with a dim future...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Another friend involved in a discussion of US dependency on the burgeoning sourcing of products manufactured in China has suggested the establishment of new industries founded in Mexico which, on the surface, would curtail the growth of our addiction to the cheaper prices of items imported from China...This idea, while certainly having its merits if the results could stem the tide of illegal immigration, and the suffering of those Mexican citizens at the lowest rung of Mexican society, also has its detriments...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>One of Mexico's principal industries at this moment is the import/export of illicit drugs through South and Central America to North American markets...The primary goals of these criminal industries include not only keeping the channels open for movement of their product, but employing a back channel for the flow and usage of the money gained from their profits...A legitimate opening for the flow of such ill-gained profits would be the building of factories and distribution facilities for products previously sourced in China...By disguising this sudden flow of finance behind a mask of legitimacy, new industry and employment would be welcomed with open arms by those seeing the immediate advantages...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Such creative business practice was and is still exemplified by the Italian Mafia gangsters who assumed control over many parts of American and worldwide businesses, with the assistance of corrupt government players in every corner of the world...The Mexican cartels already operate by channeling some profit to members of governments who look the other way when drug traffic enters their field of sight...Using the Mafia's blueprint for success, it seems a natural for them to finance new legitimate Mexican business with the cooperation of multiple governments...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Everybody involved in this employment gets greased as crime continues to be rooted even deeper at the expense of the destroyed lives of those addicts whose existence is deemed unsalvageable and better off dead and forgotten...In my opinion I think we're in a hole which we keep digging deeper...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>One solution, and possibly the only viable one for long range victory, involves the commitment of military force with the cooperation of law enforcement and prosecutorial entities dedicated to eradicating criminal activities at any cost...The price paid of such an effort in both financial and human terms would be staggering and thus opposed by all levels of humanity...However, that same humanity cannot argue that infiltration of itself by the greed for power through criminality would be halted by the permanent removal of those who revel in it...As it stands now, that goal is an impossible one to reach as greed and the crime it spawns sinks its talons deeper into our existence...It is also known that the permanent removal of any criminal entity only results in the rise of more human scum in the stagnant pool we have created ourselves...Only a loud enough cry of <i>"Enough!"</i> will change that...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Swapping a source of products controlled by a diametrically opposed philosophy of government such as Red China and thereby increasing its power, for another which has been shown demonstrably as being susceptible to the influence of organized crime, only hastens our own demise at the expense of humanity...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>My thanks to Phillbo for starting the discussion...</b></span><br />
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<b><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/world-events.html">World Events...</a></i></span></b></b></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-39163749195674697552020-04-11T13:55:00.001-05:002022-10-27T13:46:06.608-05:00A meal for the mind, perhaps a feast for the soul...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>A friend in another medium furnished a <a href="https://www.thetablet.co.uk/features/2/17845/pope-francis-says-pandemic-can-be-a-place-of-conversion-">recent interview</a> conducted with Pope Francis in the interest of clarifying what seemed to be snippets of the Pope's words which were taken out of context...As usual, the original source provides a better understanding of the thoughts behind the words than the interpretation by a critic...In the linked interview I saw some of the Pope's expanded thinking as he attempts to reconcile Jesus' acceptance of all people regardless of birthright, earthly gains or deformities as opposed to the common norm of wishing to weed out and isolate the weaker, disenfranchised of us such as those he mentioned born with Downs Syndrome, or those whose innate strengths were sapped by the circumstances of life...It gives me a new perspective in the argument in favor of inclusiveness for those who not only look and behave differently, but also act and emote on a different scale...Definitely thoughtworthy...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The Pope also makes obvious his study of history, and the effect which its study can have on those of us attempting to either endure or alter our present lives...He exemplifies this by eschewing the notion of a welfare system for the poor, suggesting instead that they should be offered support not in perpetuity, but until they can provide for themselves...The most important part of that thought was that he did not suggest the equalization of wealth, rather the leveling of opportunity for self-reliance...To accomplish that, he suggests going among people of a different strata in observation of their methods of coping with what they abhor, and preserving what they adore...And since the Pope chose to concentrate his examples on differences in levels of earthly wealth, I suggest that people from any point in the spectrum of worldly gain could learn from that practice...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The Pope further suggests the Church (and even though he may have meant only the Catholic Church, I choose to think of it as all God's believers) as a "tension between disorder and harmony," which to my thinking infers a bridge between chaos and peace...It further suggests that individuals might cross from one to the other without the understanding that both cannot exist on the same plane, and that what is seen as desirable from one may entail shunning that which appears beneficial from the other...Such decisions are the reason God granted mankind the gift of independent thought...The actions we choose guide not only our own destination, but the direction in which those who follow might take...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The Pope's words were offered in a time of isolation for many of us, and uncertainty for all of us...It may not change societal thinking on a grand scale, but reading it may pry open a few minds enough to let a little light and new air into an otherwise stagnant room...Thanks to Dave for the link...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/world-events.html">World Events...</a></i></b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>More articles concerning<i> <a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/religion.html">Religion...</a></i></b></span></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-55979681368068467782020-01-25T10:06:00.001-06:002022-10-27T13:46:29.504-05:00A-salting the senses...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b style="color: #222222;">My muse presented me with some of her night thoughts which kept her mind aglow, preventing the onset of merciful sleep before the challenges presented by another day...In thinking her best course of action might lie in taking her latest puzzle with a grain of salt, she began to wonder why that axiom occurred to her, and in thinking she knew its meaning, she asked the Google ogre to confirm it...In its contrariness, the ogre disagreed with what her mind told her the </b><span style="color: #222222;"><b>phrase</b></span><b style="color: #222222;"> meant, yet she </b></span></span><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><b>knew the ogre could only parrot what other glottologists claimed was correct...</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>Diving deep into the well of consciousness to do your thinking means there is less light to guide you on your way...That is why it's so easy to get lost down there...You have to move slower, and use your other senses to define for your mind what you've found...And like the blind men trying to describe an elephant, those sensors can only tell your mind what is available to them of this strange concept in your path...It's up to your mind to put it all together accurately before you can know what to do with it...</b></span></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><b>Coming across that grain of salt with your daylight senses would also give different meanings...Your eye can see it's tiny and might dismiss it as insignificant, until the wind blew it into your eye, then it would know that its size belied its strength...Your finger might decide the eye was right about its size, but its texture is hard and has some strength, but not enough to prevent it from being crushed...Your ear can hear it being crushed and knows that whatever else it is, it is vulnerable to pressure...Your nose detects a faint odor reminiscent of the ocean, and reports that it's large and wet...Your finger brings it to your tongue where your sense of taste tells you it's good, but it needs more french fries...</b></span><div style="color: #222222;">
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="color: #222222;">I like it that she comes to me when her thoughts hit a roadblock...It gives me some sort of meaningfulness that I seldom get because so few come to me expecting enlightenment...Reaching an age closer to one's terminal end than where life began imbues a person with the desire to pass on whatever knowledge has been gained by the experiences of a lifetime...This is why </b><span style="color: #222222;"><b>it</b></span><b style="color: #222222;"> becomes increasingly significant during life's journey when another thinker presents the thoughts that defy the attempts to define it...All I can offer is my own concept of meaning based on my own experience, offered with my appreciation for the </b><span style="color: #222222;"><b>perceived</b></span><b style="color: #222222;"> value of my thoughts...</b></span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="color: #222222;">Whatever it is that your heart is telling you, it is no bigger than any other obstacle you've faced so far...Your experience in overcoming problems up to this point will guide you when it reveals itself...And in the later moments of your own life, you may find another wanderer who asks your guidance...</b></span></div>
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<b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/ither-thoughts.html">Other Thoughts...</a></i></span></b></b></div>
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Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-29913693747476386762020-01-13T13:42:00.003-06:002022-10-27T13:47:17.461-05:00Up to date...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Recently a young lady of my acquaintance evoked a recitation of my activities over the last several years...After thinking about my response to her, it occurred to me that it might make an informative article for those few followers who wish a brief summary of Truckman's activities since retirement from business...It began with an explanation of what I commonly refer to as the gun dealer's retirement program, or in more cryptic terms, the precious metals business...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>That term is how I've always referred to the hobos and winos who pick up trash in a shopping basket along the roads, and sell them to recyclers for their next meal or bottle or whatever...Now I'm one of them...I walk for exercise, and to lower my blood glucose reading on the advice of my endocrinologist, and the collection of discarded beverage cans I find along the way satisfies the capitalist in me as I sell them to a recycler when I visit my doctors...Sometimes I even get enough to finance the Medicare co-pay...My last divorce was final when I was 61...I was beat up emotionally, mentally and I was physically exhausted, so I said "To Hell with it all," sold my business (for less than it was really worth) and retired...I wasn't broke, but I was far from rich...I paid off all my debts, and since I don't drink, smoke, chew, dip, gamble, abuse drugs or rent hookers, my expenditures are low...Everything I have is paid for, and six months later I took early Social Security (even taking the 25% penalty for doing so), and for 12 years I've managed to live on that...<br /><br />After becoming self-unemployed, it didn't take long before boredom took root, so using the <a href="http://www.crackerbarrelphilosophers.com/forums/">internet forum</a> where I've posted since 2003, I created <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/1Truckman">Truckman Parody Studios</a> situated on the palatial Truckman Estate and populated by the cast of my videos (all reformed, retired and rehabilitated former Nazis including Mr. Hitler) and a rotating staff of my beautiful and unavailable nieces, plus the members of the forum in the personas of their internet personalities, and guarded by my vicious patrol team of Peke-a-Poos (RIP)...It became a minor hit with them, but was ignored by the rest of the YouTube world who seem to prefer poorly written, grammatically incorrect and profanity laden parodies instead...<br /><br />From that I moved to my <a href="http://leftyinthenews.blogspot.com/">Lefty In The News</a> blog which was a continuation of the parody world which I situated in the Hobby Airport area where an <a href="http://www.crackerbarrelphilosophers.com/forums/member.php/30-DanH">old friend of mine</a> lived with his daughter...I kept it alive until he went increasingly blind, and now he is deceased...I also proofread and edited<a href="http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/danzmark"> his books</a> for him since his blindness made that impossible...He led one of the most fascinating lives ever...Most people just thought he was the biggest bullthrower ever, and some (supposedly his friends) called him outright as a liar...I knew all he said true because I had seen the evidence, and it was all indisputable...I, and others, urged him to put it all down on paper before it was too late, and finally, since he was approaching 90 years of age, he let me help him...He assembled all his evidence collected over his lifetime (he never threw away anything), made digital images of everything, put down all the words and showed it to me...I proofread it, corrected spelling and typos and such, rearranged it all to be readable, all of which he approved, then he published it as <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/daniel-warvelle-harbaugh/memoirs/paperback/product-21937041.html">his memoirs</a>...<br /><br />All the naysayers got a chance to read the book, examine the evidence and decide for themselves whether it was true or just imaginary...Some of them just shut up completely, but most admitted that he had truly lived a remarkable life...From there I helped with his other books, and got them published...He even wrote one about Lefty under his pen name of Ifar Toften, which was mostly just copied from what was already posted in the forums...Afterwards I started publishing my own books <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/ben-young/lefty-in-the-news/hardcover/product-23090436.html">beginning with a reprint</a> (edited and expanded) from Lefty's blog, and including some new material...It's still at the top of the hasn't-sold-a-copy-yet list...But I was undeterred and went ahead and published my other unread masterpieces anyway...<br /><br />I started with <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/ben-young/thoughts-ideas-from-truckman/hardcover/product-23129448.html">Thoughts & Ideas</a> which was a re-written and expanded version of some of the articles I had posted on my <a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/">newer blog</a>, which I had started for some of my more serious thoughts which did not fit within the context of Lefty's blog...I did it mainly for the benefit of my Mom, who had told me my entire lifetime that she had always wished for an author in the family...Since she had never, and would never get near the internet or a computer, I did the editing on my already-posted articles and published them for her...Some of those articles included some research I had done concerning her younger brother, my Uncle Vernon...Little was known about his wartime service in WWII because he preferred not to talk about it...And since he had passed away when I was stationed overseas, little could be gained from other relatives, not even my cousin who had made a post-retirement project of genealogical research of that side of my family...<br /><br />With the help of my Mom I finally located some letters he had written to her from the Pacific during those years...Wartime censorship being what it was, he could tell her little of what he was doing or where, but from the postmarks I could at least know what ship he served as a crewmember...As it turned out, nothing had ever been written of his ship, and very little even of the type of ship, of which fewer than 100 ever existed...Everything I could find amounted to a booklength effort which I titled after the ship, <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/ben-young/apc-48/hardcover/product-23432137.html">APc-48</a> (ships of this size were never named, only numbered, the reason for which was explained in the book)...Its publication greatly pleased my Mom whose life's ambition had finally been realized...Following its printing, I came across a small, closed <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/452125738475268/">Facebook group</a> dedicated to knowledge of this type of ship, and I also located in the National Archives the official War Diary of APc-48, of which a portion was mysteriously omitted covering about a month just prior to the expected Japanese surrender...Not redacted, but completely missing...Other than that one month, All the time from its commissioning to its postwar decommissioning was covered...My efforts to find this missing month have been fruitless although some clues still exist...<br /><br />My new information led to a new book titled <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/ben-young/apc-48-journeys/hardcover/product-23432315.html">APc-48 - Journeys</a>, which I published separately...I later combined both books, edited slightly with a little new material, and re-published it under one cover as <a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/ben-young/apc-48-combined-edition/hardcover/product-23440175.html">APc-48 - Combined Edition</a>...Both books went to print before the passing away of my Mom, which pleased both us immensely...Other than some of the members of the aforementioned Facebook group, few copies ever sold, and I've left both of the originals available for sale for those who bought one or the other, but the combined edition is the better bargain for those new readers who have interest...My books are now featured as <a href="https://www.navsource.org/archives/books/books.htm">recommended reading</a> on the definitive source for all aspects of US Navy history, <a href="https://www.navsource.org/">Navsource</a>...My friend, <a href="http://www.navsource.org/archives/team.htm">Gary Priolo, who is Project General Manager at Navsource</a>, and I have stayed in contact about any new developments...With this I made the assumption that nothing else would ever be known about my Uncle's ship, or of his wartime service...I should have known better as later I was contacted by another writer, who happened to have a copy of the complete blueprints of the APc series of ships obtained from the Bureau of Ships (BuShips)...He sent me a high quality TIFF copy from which I was able to gain the complete specifications of construction, even including the types of wood and materials used in construction...With that, I started yet another book shortly before the death of my Mom, the knowledge of which pleased her greatly...<br /><br />Alas, further progress was curtailed by not only the many details and new duties I assumed following her demise, but by other events including my own health issues, two vehicle accidents which also initiated the search for another truck to replace my beloved Dodge, plus a sequence of repairs on my home and other events which caused my book research to lapse into disarray...My intention is still to take up research and publish another book to complete the tale of my Uncle's Navy service, and that of his ship...At this time of writing, I have about 200 pages of it assembled, and a basic outline of chapter headings...It occurs to me that some may wonder why I have never begun a book concerning my own life, and the reason is I am not a vain person, and think such an effort would receive little attention...If at some point, however, a future researcher found the project interesting enough, a thorough reading of my blogs, including my <a href="http://photosfrom1truckman.blogspot.com/">photo blog</a>, plus the mountainous chore of reading the more than 38,000 posts I've accumulated at my most prolific <a href="http://www.crackerbarrelphilosophers.com/forums/">internet discussion board</a> (paying particular attention to a careful reading <i>between </i>the lines of all sources) might find enough to make this laborious task come to fruition...But I suspect no one will ever find the time nor the energy and ambition for such a project...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In the meantime, those of my readership champing at the bit for more Truckman will have to satisfy their odd desires by tuning to this and my other blogs, and to the more frequent forum postings...</b></span></div>
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<b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/ither-thoughts.html">Other Thoughts...</a></i></span></b></b></div>
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<b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: 700;">More articles concerning </span><i style="font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/journalism.html">Journalism...</a></i></span></b></b></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-78555202371325078322019-12-11T20:44:00.001-06:002022-10-27T13:47:40.139-05:00Liebensraum Without The Bloodshed...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>A recent question posed by my friend, and fellow historical thinker who writes under the sobriquet "Independent Voter," has <a href="http://www.crackerbarrelphilosophers.com/forums/showthread.php/93659-More-Space">posed a question</a> on our common discussion board, <a href="http://www.crackerbarrelphilosophers.com/forums/">The Cracker Barrel Philosophers</a>, concerning Russia's decision to deny American astronauts shuttle service to the International Space Station by possibly not renewing the <a href="https://eurasiantimes.com/russia-nasa-astronauts-international-space-station/">transport contract</a> they have shared since 2011...The ultimate goal of space exploration by any nation, or any privately held enterprise is to afford suitable living conditions beyond the gravitational pull of Planet Earth...Such a quest has been imagined for centuries, but only in the last 50 years became a reality as American astronauts became the first humans to walk on the lunar surface...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>This makes me wonder how different the space program might have looked if Germany's elected leader in the 1930's had <i>not </i>been a raving lunatic whose only goal was to populate the world with his imaginary "Aryan" race, but had still been obsessed with his idea of <i>Liebensraum </i>(living space) for Germans...In which direction would a peace-minded Adolf Hitler have looked if his view from Berlin had only included the surrounding European nations, plus the cold waters of the Baltic and North Seas?...Germany already existed built upon the rubble of the many smaller tribes and failed conquerors which had come and gone before, and the only untapped direction he could have found would have driven his gaze upwards and out from the bounds of gravity into outer space...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Far-thinking Germans had established the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verein_f%C3%BCr_Raumschiffahrt">Society For Space Travel</a> in 1927, and conducted their first successful rocket launch in 1930, three years before Hitler became Chancellor of Germany...The later famous <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150428051040/http://efour4ever.com/44thdivision/vonbrauncapture.html">Werner Von Braun</a> was an early member, and later was chosen by <i>Der Fuehrer</i> to execute the deadly V-2 program...Fortunately for the postwar US space exploration program, Von Braun was quickly shuttled into the western side of the Iron Curtain when it came time to divvy up the pool of surviving German scientists...But had Hitler chosen to array Germany's formidable military forces in a defensive manner directed mainly at the Red Horde to the east led by the equally, if not more insane and bloodthirsty tyrant Joseph Stalin, the considerable scientific talent available to him within his own borders could have been used to leap into the areas beyond the clouds rather than set <i>Terra Firma</i> awash in human blood...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The concept of lunar colonization has also inspired fictional depictions, some of an <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034314/">entertaining nature</a>, and others of a sadder <a href="https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/luna/esp_luna_46.htm">belief in a fantasy world</a>...An escapee from the Hitlerian hell that Germany later became, filmmaker Fritz Lang directed the silent classic of 1929, <i>"Frau im Mond"</i> (Woman in the Moon), which dealt with moon colonization...Television of course inspired numerous series dealing with space exploration and habitation of other planets, notably "Star Trek" and "Lost in Space"...Fiction writers have long allowed space exploration to fuel their published tales...Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury have fired the imaginations of many readers, some of which went on to fulfill their dreams of stepping beyond the bounds of Earth, and into the limitless possibilities of space...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The founders of Germany's Society For Space Travel drew much of their inspiration from serving as technical consultants for Fritz Lang's work of film science fiction...Lang himself despised Nazism and all it stood for, wisely departing the country before his own Jewish family heritage could be discovered and held against him, and one of the Society's founders, Willy Ley, also successfully escaped the Nazi clutches, settling in America as a writer...Co-founder Max Valier experimented with rocket-powered cars and aircraft until one of his liquid-fueled rockets exploded on his workbench, killing him...The Society's driving force and other co-founder, Johannes Winkler, spent the remainder of his life in Germany designing rockets and RATO units for <i>Junkers Flugzeug und Motorenwerke AG</i> throughout the Nazi regime and until his death in 1947...The Society itself was disbanded in 1934, a year after Hitler assumed power along with his toadlings...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>If however Hitler had been able to channel his energies for bloodlust and hatred for all things non-germanic into the truly innovative solution to <i>liebensraum </i>of populating non-earthly but inhabitable heavenly bodies, his legacy in world history might have taken an entirely different turn...Speculating on the might-have-been has more value than fueling the scripts of more Hollywood epics; it can also be used as a value lesson in combining conjecture over turning points in history with possible future opportunities, planning roadmaps for action in avoiding future calamitous wars...Successful military units always have strategic plans for all possible events, most of which are never used because only one such event presents itself...Preparation for the one which does occur is why we hypothesize over the merely possible...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>If, after securing Germany's borders against a costly invasion from the east, Hitler had then seen the only real direction for expansion without bloodshed was skyward, the talent already present in </b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Deutschland such as the previously mentioned Werner Von Braun and others in his <i>Peenemunde </i>V-2 team, plus the untapped ability of thinkers like Heinz-Hermann Koelle, whose flair for forward thinking was wasted as a pilot in Reichsmarschall Goering's <i>Luftwaffe</i>...Following the war Koelle's interest in rockets led him to re-form the Society For Space Travel, and through this association, and his attainment of a degree in mechanical engineering at the post-war University of Stuttgart, he was recommended by Von Braun to join the US Army Ballistic Missile Agency, culminating in his design for the Saturn I rocket, and its success in the Explorer and Apollo programs...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Such thinkers combined with the other aeronautical minds existing in 1930's Germany could have led to early settlement of the space frontier by humans, and secured Hitler's place in history as one of humanity's greatest leaders, instead of being remembered as a practitioner of genocide...Colonization beyond Earth's atmosphere might have become reality in his time instead of remaining a far off dream even in this day...But alas, </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Der Fuehrer</i><b> was indeed a psychopath with a tunnel vision outlook focused only on reducing humanity to a godless, fair-skinned image with minds uniformly clouded with hatred...We can only hope to have learned the early warning signs of allowing such a costly error to go unchecked...</b></span><br />
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Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-70096604476511739862019-12-11T15:41:00.001-06:002022-10-27T13:48:07.145-05:00Dealing With an Enemy You Armed Yourself...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>My friend Mike posed the following question concerning the recent attack by a suspected Islamic terrorist on a US Navy base in <a href="http://www.crackerbarrelphilosophers.com/forums/showthread.php/93668-300-Saudi-Students">his own discussion board</a> where I have participated as a member for 16 years:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fafafa;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>"But, does it make sense to sell advanced arms to the same folks who are likely to use them against us?"</i></b></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Mike, I started this reply on your board, but got so long-winded as usual, I moved it here instead...</b></span></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The simplest answer is no, it does not, but bear in mind the purchasers in question are already using two of the oldest, and still most effective, weapons the world has ever known - fear and wealth...The wealth of course is a two-edged blade, and honed with fear...All gatherings of people everywhere fear the wealth of others, imagining how it can be used against them, but those in control of wealth quail at the thought of their own wealth making them a target for those jealous of those riches...They fear their own wealth can be taken away from them, as has been demonstrated by the various regime takeovers in the middle eastern histories...Thus the double-edged sword can cut against both those in front and those behind the blade...Some, the Saudis being the prime example here, are smart enough to study that history, and realize their mostly 14th century culture can't effectively manage and control a 21st century military necessary to maintain control of their treasures...I got a first-hand knowledge of this 50 years ago when the pompous and utterly ridiculous buffoon, Moammar Gaddafi made his power play in Libya...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Gaddafi (please substitute here your choice of the many westernized spellings of his name) deposed his predecessor, King Idris, a Senussi Muslim who had been chosen to wield power in Libya by the UN in 1951, before the discovery of oil within those borders...That event in 1959 changed the game permanently...The sudden wealth gushing forth caused all players to realize military power must make its presence known to prevent a bloodbath over its control...Wheelus AB, located just outside Tripoli and operated by the US Air Force, and Royal Air Base al-Adem, south of Tobruk and manned by the British RAF, were established for their strategic value in WWII following the surrender of Libya's former landlord, Italy...Wheelus gained in importance during the Cold War for its geographical positioning against the Soviet threat...My own unit, the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, and other European USAF units, used Wheelus on a rotating TDY basis, occupying it as a show of power while training for war on the nearby bombing range east of the base developed by USAF Brig. Gen. (then Colonel) Robin Olds, of whom I have written much in the past...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The Royal Libyan Air Force, under an agreement was allowed to occupy and operate its own small part of Wheelus for maintenance and training of its own small fighter force...</b></span><b>Please don't take the following as a racist comment, but rather an observation from one who was there...It was known at the time that even the most sophisticated young men of mideastern extraction, exposed to all the best of modern technology and teaching, were so steeped in the ancient culture of the region which was based on one of the most restrictive and narrowly focused religions the world has ever known, simply could not accept the more imaginative mindset that was necessary to command, control and maintain modern weaponry...Regardless of the quality or quantity of training afforded to Libyan and other mideastern aircrews and ground crews, many, if not most of them, simply could not grasp the concept of modern implements of war...Missiles and guns became daggers and swords...Electronic test equipment and specialized tools translated to measuring sticks and prybars...</b><b>When the only tool you know is a hammer, you find that not everything responds the same way as a nail...</b><br />
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<b>But it was known that under the right supervision, the best and brightest of these could perform their duties in a perfunctory manner, and with trained western observers watching every move, patiently correcting mistakes in procedure, a military unit could present a defensive and offensive presence at a minimal level...Therefore, at the time when Gaddafi executed his bloodless <i>coup d'tat</i>, swarms of Libyan "recruiters," with US approval prior to his making clear his true intentions, descended on European US bases to talk to trained personnel in key fields in an effort to lure them into accepting early separation from the Air Force in order to accept positions as civilian contractors in the Libyan Air Force...My own field of training in Weapons Release Systems was a critical one, and I was approached with an offer of the equivalent of $30,000.00 a year tax-free, plus housing and four weeks annual leave with paid airfare between Libya and home...This was at a time when my military pay, including separate rations, amounted to $340.00 per month before taxes...</b><br />
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<b>However, the appearance and manners of the "recruiters" reminded me of nothing more than the quintessential cutthoat snake-oil salesmen of legend...I declined the offer, but I knew some who were blinded by the prospect of great pay and benefits in exchange for what they were already doing as airmen, and who accepted the offer...With the events that shortly came to pass, I have no knowledge whether any came to regret their choice of suddenly being trapped in a contract on unfriendly soil...For with a minimum of forewarning, Gaddafi ordered all NATO aligned military units to leave Libya, terminating all lease agreements between his government and ours...His goal of course was to occupy a fully operational Wheelus Air Base (later renamed </b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Okba Ben Nafi Air Base and today Mitiga International Airport) from which he could expand his own area of control in the mideast...Such a plan was not to be realized however, as the Pentagon had already decided that Wheelus had lost its strategic importance, and its role as a deterrent to the Soviet threat could be better implemented in other NATO friendly locations...The exodus of the US presence from Wheelus is well documented in many sources, but what is not generally known is just how thorough it was...Gaddafi's dream of walking into his new airbase and merely powering up the air conditioning and turning on the water dissolved as the last USAF C-130 left Wheelus at 0841 hours June 11, 1970, carrying its last US commander, Col. Walter L. Russell, Jr., plus the last filing cabinets, tool boxes and mess hall supplies all bound for their next assignments...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>While I was still active in the Air Force in 1969, I heard of the plans to vacate the base leaving little that still moved...One of the largest unannounced airlifts in history unfolded as C-130's, C-135's and even C-124's were loaded with the contents of every hangar, repair facility, office and living quarters on the base...Included were the important items such as electronic equipment, technical manuals and anything pertaining to aircraft maintenance and operation...What isn't generally known is that transport aircraft which still had cargo room aboard were loaded with barstools and beer taps from the on-base enlisted and officers clubs, barracks doors and even toilet seats and lids...Every item that wasn't already nailed down, plus some that were, had been placed on board every departing aircraft having enough space within its loading limits for a coffee cup, and airlifted out of Libya for possible use at its next destination...I have also heard but cannot confirm that a number of accidents occurred before the US exit concerning explosives which were kept on base for use by the civil engineers...If these third-hand reports are true, no one was hurt in the accidents, but several buildings sustained considerable damage...Brotherly Leader & Revolutionary Guide Gaddafi not only couldn't gas up a Moped, he couldn't even relieve his own bladder with what remained after the US departure...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>But world politics being the cat and mouse game that it is, Gaddafi immediately gave residence to Soviet forces who brought with them a number of MiG 17, 19 and 25 fighters plus a few TU-22 medium bombers as well as an array of SAM missiles...It is my guess that the Russians soon reached a vodka-swilling level of frustration over the mostly untrainable Libyan air and ground crews...Their consolation lay in the knowledge that Libyan oil was denied to the western world, and that NATO forces had one more gun barrel pointed their way on the Mediterranean shore providing yet another shift in the ever changing balance of power...My answer to Mike's question lies in the foregoing narrative, but the short answer is unless America and its allies can sell advanced weaponry to the less troublesome of the mideastern nations, some of which harbor as much hate and fear of their own neighbors as they do the western world, then other powers such as Russia or China, which are also opposed to the astounding success of the nations which embrace democracy, will gladly exchange military weapons and technology for oil resources and a new position of power against an old adversary...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The only real advantages to selling warfare technology to those we know are ideologically opposed to us is the exchange of wealth, and the knowledge that if they turn against us, they must necessarily destroy their own purchases in combat against us...We can also take heart in the knowledge of the lightning-like speed with which technology has moved, making what sold as the latest and greatest yesterday the obsolescent and obsolete junkpile of tomorrow...In addition, since we already know what makes our military hardware so desirable by other nations, we also have a leg up on what it takes to defeat it should it be turned against us...In my opinion, the most effective way of guarding against unfriendly action by supposedly friendly factions is to limit what training they receive for the hardware they buy to facilities within their own borders, thereby limiting any opportunities for harm or the gathering of outside intelligence...It is my further estimation that any practical knowledge received by mideastern students in regard to usage of hardware or software will be negated by what I know to be their inability to advance their own skills through independent study and research...</b></span><br />
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Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-90827709198867640152019-12-07T16:01:00.001-06:002022-10-27T13:48:41.073-05:00Just so it's not forgotten...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Today marks the 78th anniversary of a craven sneak attack by a foreign power on a US Navy installation...It was perpetrated by a group who had long since made public their intentions to dominate those whom they deemed as less than human and too weak to resist...In their cowardice, they chose to strike on a day of traditional religious observance, and without a formal declaration of war...Not satisfied with the incremental advances they had made on weaker nations known to be internally divided, and unable to mount a unified defense, they chose to widen their attack with consolidated strikes against the multiple outlying targets of several sovereign nations...In doing so the assailants, and those who pulled the strings of their puppets, thought to instill such disorganized fear among their victims that retaliation would come far too late to prevent the establishment of a new, and wider power base...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Yesterday another attack was implemented by another foreign power against another US Navy base, another in a series of incremental assaults...Again this one was planned as part of a cumulative series of aggressions designed with one goal in mind - the reduction of the American way of life in which many band together from many cultures under one flag to enjoy a life of freedom and liberty...In the shade of that flag, Americans are able to clearly distinguish the other populations of the world to whom distinct, precise views of free enterprise is hidden behind curtains lowered before their eyes by those desperate to remain in power...The wish to share the freedom of democracy is seen by the tyrants who wish to retain their power, whether in the guise of theology, various forms of socialism, outright slavery or any other ideology, as the main threat to their retention of that power...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The strikes against America since WWII have come from many directions and in many guises...But our myriad of enemies, all hungry to either gain or retain power, have learned from their own studies that military might alone will not topple our nation, not when directed from a distinct and recognizable source such as a sovereign nation with definable borders...The powerful now pull their strings from behind the shadows of hatred with the assistance of those who fancy themselves as journalists, political "leaders," business people, clergy and most important of all, the gullible and disillusioned idealists who imagine they are paving the road toward a better world...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>But they are all drawn by the same magnet of power and wealth, and all follow the same path of destruction as their predecessors in history...The only real question remaining is how many more times can history be repeated before either the lesson is learned, or no one is left to learn?...</b></span><br />
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Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-78191250926395259942019-12-06T11:46:00.002-06:002022-10-27T13:49:11.475-05:00As many here know...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>I am not a fan of booze, and I'm well soaked in memories of its effects, not only the temporary and long-term physical consequences, but also the accompanying financial and psychological burdens borne by those with little or no control over their own intake...The latter issues must also be endured and contended with by the imbiber's family, and everyone else of a social or professional acquaintance...To be precise, this is not to imply that every person who allows alcohol to pass his or her lips will become a blubbering drunk like I was with no concept of how disgusting I appeared to others...In my own family examples exist to confirm all extremes, and every level between them...My only brother could hold his own in any drinking exhibition with me or any other participants...He began drinking at an earlier age than I did, yet he did not become dependent on it as his older brother did...On occasion he could drink to the point of losing any vestige of self control, but at other times he could consume one mixed drink, or one beer as a perceived social obligation, and then resume his normal course of life with no further thought of alcohol...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>My mother never in her life took her first drink...She had no desire for it at any time...Yet she watched her father and her brothers drink to varying degrees of intemperance, and sadly buried her younger brother at an early age because he allowed his uncontrolled thirst for alcohol to become the centerpoint of his existence...I have written of him in my published books, and regret to this day that I not only failed to take note of his example, but that alcoholism robbed him of his life, and took from the nation he helped defend any further contribution he could have made to national success...The man my Mom chose to marry and with whom she would share the remainder of life, was also a drinker...I do not know the increments by which he allowed alcohol to increasingly strengthen its grip on his life, but I do know that it lasted more than 40 years, and in that time wrecked his liver...In the course of time he came to realize the enormous price he had paid to do what he thought was required of all men in his position, to flow with the crowd on a river of drink in order to be successful in his chosen field, and to provide the best living possible for his family...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>At the age of 60, the consensus of several doctors confirmed that his thinking that his body could overcome what he had always heard that alcohol could do, was wrong...His liver had become irreparably damaged, and was causing other parts of his body to weaken and fail...Ulcers developed in his esophagus causing blood to drain into his stomach, congealing there to cause painful blockages in his digestive tract...This necessitated several trips to the ER, followed by time consuming hospital stays before his condition could be temporarily stabilized...Due to the fortuitous existence of excellent medical insurance, the science of gastroenterology was advanced by a considerable degree just from what they learned by working on my Dad...Sadly the best they could do was extend his life in some comfort for another 12 years during which Dad never again took another drink in any form...His lesson was finally learned, but in the end his damaged liver took his life in painful misery as his own family watched in helplessness...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>His oldest son gained the value of that lesson shortly after my Dad...Prior to his decision to stop his own drinking, I had begun my journey down the path of alcoholism, taking 12 years to reach the bottom...The self-imposed destruction of my first marriage, and the irretrievable decision of my first wife to salvage what was left of the remainder of her life and that of her children finally shocked me into making the determination to quit...Although I may have packed nearly as much alcohol consumption into my shorter drinking career than my Dad did in his 40+ drinking years, I was fortunate enough to avoid his cirrhotic fate as my own liver is healthy even today...However, the ancillary addiction to tobacco combined with the alcohol to leave lasting damage to my heart and circulatory system...Dad reached the same decision as I did to end the cigarette habit at the same time with the alcohol addiction...By the Grace of God, both our lives will be said by future generations to have ended having escaped the grip of both dependencies...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>Today my own life has been immeasurably improved and lengthened by freeing myself from the voluntary slavery of alcohol and tobacco 42 years ago...I am positive my Dad thanked God daily for finally opening his eyes, and surely wished it had occurred many years earlier...I curse my own decision to take my first drink at the age of 18...I did it because I was convinced it was my step into adulthood, and acceptance into the adult world...I have no idea whether careful thought and consideration of the consequences, or deliberate study of those around me would have altered that decision, but I do know that until I stepped over that brink, and into the abyss, I did not know that I was predisposed to the addiction it became...I only know of the harm it caused, and the costly struggle it took to break the bonds, as well as the never-ending vigilance to avoid another fall...</b></span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>On our separate ways, my Dad and I both achieved our goals through self-determination...By that I mean we each took the "cold turkey" method, leaving a lifetime habit behind and never looking back...I thank God every day for our decisions, and His help in staying the course...I also know there are other, and probably better ways to regain one's control over life...The 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous has helped many to quit the path to uselessness...The basic tenets of this method are so successful it has been adapted to fit many other addictions, allowing countless individuals to attain their goals of sobriety and freedom from the merciless grips of the monsters waiting beneath the narrow footpath of life...The almost invisible hands are waiting to help those who need it to regain control of their own existence in any direction they might turn...Exemplary of this, I recall being on a Caribbean cruise </b></span><b>after many years of sobriety, w</b><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><b>here the abundance of alco</b></span><b>ho</b><b>l offered its temptation at nearly every turn...And yet for those who needed, signs were posted in many locations, stating simply that <i>"<a href="https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2971">Friends Of Bill</a> Meet Here"</i>...Help is always available for those who are ready...</b><b>I can only hope that this narrative will not go unnoticed by others who might see their own image in my mirror...Anyone who might benefit by my experience is not only welcome, but urged to contact me...</b><br />
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<b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/ither-thoughts.html">Other Thoughts...</a></i></span></b></b></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-22823717718724350982019-11-07T18:48:00.002-06:002022-10-27T13:49:42.278-05:00Hiding in plain sight...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloaking_device&source=gmail&ust=1573256184988000&usg=AFQjCNFMWRKDL5KYBWHrp6zfUNJcoLSXZg" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloaking_device" target="_blank">Hiding in plain sight</a> of your enemy whether for offense or defense has eternally been the holy grail of military engineers...Some have seen limited success while others have been more successful, but not generally incorporated because of cost or easily conceived countermeasures limiting their useful lives...The latter was demonstrated historically if a student follows the development of radar technology in WWII...<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/during-world-war-ii-allies-invented-cloaking-device-and-it-was-failure-25232&source=gmail&ust=1573256184989000&usg=AFQjCNFFMqfDvI9Ksrkq7YBzAHj1b_wfAw" href="https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/during-world-war-ii-allies-invented-cloaking-device-and-it-was-failure-25232" target="_blank">This article</a> presents a very good overview of other attempts at cloaking in WWII and beyond...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>In popular beliefs, the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Experiment&source=gmail&ust=1573256184989000&usg=AFQjCNHMwXzl7D1sxUmqOvBAPPItrfbsaw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Experiment" target="_blank">Philadelphia Experiment</a> remains the most widely discussed example among the non-Star Trek crowd, although its existence has always been denied by the Department of the Navy...And sometimes the most effective cloak is just the knowledge by your enemy that by the time he sees you, his goose is already cooked and on the platter...That intimidation factor can make him feel that he doesn't really <i>want </i>to see you, and therefore <i>doesn't </i>see you...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>One of the aircraft I worked with in the 60's was the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_F-4_Phantom_II&source=gmail&ust=1573256184989000&usg=AFQjCNHahN4c_HVvgEoU8s2K1IUCGfAhNA" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_F-4_Phantom_II" target="_blank">McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II</a>...Even though there have been other fighters since, some faster, some more more heavily armed and some more agile, this remains my favorite aircraft of all time because everything it did, it did very, very well...There were many variants, and of the more than 5,000 produced there were specific types used by the USAF, the US Navy and the Marine Corps...The Navy launched theirs from aircraft carriers and shore bases in combat air patrol and search and destroy missions, as did the Marines who used theirs as attack aircraft to support ground units...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Air Force Phantoms were mostly classified as fighter/bombers, capable of limited distance tactical bombing runs as well as fighter protection...In some cases they could even be used to emulate the characteristics of other aircraft, as evidenced by <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Olds&source=gmail&ust=1573256184989000&usg=AFQjCNG1XrKS5ED2KLcE77imRKMEtAMr4Q" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Olds" target="_blank">Col. Robin Olds</a> during <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bolo&source=gmail&ust=1573256184989000&usg=AFQjCNGA-glPTKk6d7xERO6ypByrH6n3Vw" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bolo" target="_blank">Operation Bolo</a> which he brought to fruition having been told of the theoretical plan hatched by his officers...Another iteration of the F-4 was <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-chico-the-gunfighter-the-very-unique-gun-podded-stormy-fast-fac-f-4e-phantom-ii-used-during-the-vietnam-war/&source=gmail&ust=1573256184989000&usg=AFQjCNF_ygtYRB9Ky09YONwVtAbYI1eZ1w" href="https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-chico-the-gunfighter-the-very-unique-gun-podded-stormy-fast-fac-f-4e-phantom-ii-used-during-the-vietnam-war/" target="_blank">Chico the Gunfighter</a>, conceived around the brand new F-4E and used to smoke out enemy emplacements in <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Weasel&source=gmail&ust=1573256184989000&usg=AFQjCNHm-6HyjvJjDDmQA4vauti_igvQZQ" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Weasel" target="_blank">Wild Weasel</a> exercises...My own wing, the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing, was equipped with F-4C, D and E models for tactical nuclear and conventional bombing deployment as well as combat fighter patrol and ground support missions with the US Army and other NATO forces...They could be configured to carry not only bombs of every possible description, but also rocket pods, automatic cannon, missiles for both air and ground attack, ECM pods, extra fuel tanks and even luggage...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>One often overlooked variant of many aircraft is the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.historynet.com/rf-4c-photo-phantoms-fly-into-a-war-without-weapons.htm&source=gmail&ust=1573256184989000&usg=AFQjCNGOU9NUuFNr4-yQgARqCMncuDxCtw" href="https://www.historynet.com/rf-4c-photo-phantoms-fly-into-a-war-without-weapons.htm" target="_blank">photo reconnaissance version</a>, and the F-4 is no exception...Over 500 were built as RF-4C's...Their mission was to overfly enemy held territory and bring back images and notes detailing possible enemy positions and build-ups...None of these ever carried any weapons, whether defensive or offensive, and their missions were always flown solo...This explains their motto, <i>"Alone, Unarmed and Unafraid"</i>...Their only burdens were their crews, all the extra fuel tanks they could carry and a plethora of cameras and recording devices for gathering the needed intelligence...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My wing, stationed in West Germany, was equipped with two RF-4C's, both painted solid matte black, and both always hangared, or in brief periods outside between flights, the canopies were covered to prevent anyone but authorized personnel from viewing what was inside...My only experience with these variants was in removing and reinstalling the unused missile launchers located under the fuselage, when engine mechanics needed access to the jet engines...It was never necessary for me to enter the cockpits as I routinely did with the fighter/bombers, and I never saw what was inside, although my Secret Clearance would have authorized me, but only if I had the need to know...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Our RF-4C reconnaissance aircraft often "accidentally" strayed past the Iron Curtain line into East European territory remaining unnoticed for several minutes (or often not at all) before zipping back across for home...In one such instance of the imaginary Iron Curtain being penetrated, one which was told frequently among my peers but which was never officially verified, involved the speediest of our RF-4C's...This one had been slicked down with every protruding rivet and screwhead having been flattened flush with the skin of the aircraft, and a coating of wax applied to make it slip through the airstream with maximum efficiency...Its two General Electric J-79 turbojet engines had been optimized to peak performance and were further enhanced by water injection...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>At this time in the very uneasy days of the late 60's, rumors were afloat of a new Soviet aircraft built to challenge the F-4 Phantom...Known to NATO as the "Flogger," it became known after its acceptance by the Kremlin as the MiG-23...Not deployed until 1970, its capabilities were virtually unknown until a chance encounter with the 49th TFW recon flight somewhere near the blurry Iron Curtain...As usual our flight drew the attention of a pair of Soviet MiG-21's, presumably fully armed and crewed by Soviet scalphunters who would have been delighted to carve a notch on their guns by forcing down an American "spy plane"...The RF-4C's crew were accustomed to and prepared for the impending arrival of the MiG-21's and were preparing to light afterburners and lead the way to the western side when they noticed an extra blip appear on their radar approaching at a greatly increased speed relative to the two bogeys...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Knowing they were unarmed and in the wrong neighborhood, our crewmen lit both afterburners, applied water injection and pushed both throttles full forward in a westerly direction, leaving both the MiG-21's and their unidentified companion as fast-fading memories in their trailing fumes...The rumors I was able to obtain told of this likely being the first known appearance of the MiG-23 even before it was accepted as operational...It would have been quite a feather in some Russian pilot's fur-lined helmet if he could have at least come close to the American, but instead had to explain to his bosses why he was flying several million rubles worth of the latest in Soviet technology, and had to eat the very smoky dust of a decade old US design...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The little guy pictured below is named Spooky II, and was the unofficial mascot of many F-4 Phantom squadrons including my own...I'm pretty sure I still have a shoulder patch somewhere here featuring my little pal...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/in-air.html">Warriors and Militaria...</a></i></b></span></div>
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Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-46210036949096297642019-08-01T15:22:00.003-05:002022-10-27T13:51:00.285-05:00Rebirth Update #10...<div style="text-align: right;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/01/rebirth-update-1.html">Click here</a> for Update #1...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/01/rebirth-update-2.html">Click here</a> for Update #2...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/02/rebirth-update-3.html">Click here</a> for Update #3...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/02/rebirth-update-4.html">Click here</a> for Update #4...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/02/rebirth-update-5.html">Click here</a> for Update #5...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/04/rebirth-update-6.html">Click here</a> for Update #6...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/04/rebirth-update-7.html">Click here</a> for Update #7...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/05/rebirth-update-8.html">Click here</a> for Update #8...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/07/rebirth-update-9.html">Click here</a> for Update #9...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>This update involves some cosmetic changes I've been wanting to make...I decided long ago that I did not approve of the corporate name change from Dodge to Ram...Being a traditionalist, I prefer the original moniker...The Dodge brothers began manufacture of trucks more than a hundred years ago applying the "Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicles" badge to their finished products, but as the current name change was instituted, the division's president, Fred Diaz, apparently sensed Truckman's impending annoyance when he publicly stated:</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Ram trucks will always and forever be Dodges. Ram will always have the Dodge emblem inside and outside and they will be </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">'vinned'</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> as a Dodge."</span></i></b></span></blockquote>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">At least partially true to his word, on my truck the digital overhead display proudly proclaims the name "Dodge" when the ignition switch is activated, and the VIN decodes as, "make - Dodge, model - Ram chassis cab"...However, Fred seems to have reneged somewhat on his promise as nowhere on the outside of the truck does the name "Dodge" appear as it was delivered from the factory in Saltillo, Mexico...Knowing Fred's heart was true, and that this oversight may have been merely an error in translation in instructions from corporate ownership in Italy, to plant personnel in Mexico, then to delivery in the USA, Truckman took it upon himself to correct this miscue...</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Relying on the world's supplier of everything imaginable, Amazon, new chrome "Dodge" badges were obtained, and since anyone with functional ears can easily discern the engine make of this truck, I also ordered matching "Diesel" badges to honor our founder, Rudolph Diesel...These have replaced the "RAM 3500 HEAVY DUTY" and "Cummins Turbo Diesel" on the doors of the beast...They were approximately the size of flatscreen TV's as seen in earlier pics...I was also not entirely happy with the embossed ram's head on the stock grille, and through the services of Amazon, I procured a replacement honeycomb grille complete with surround, and a retro design "Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicles" badge to mount in the center...This change also corrects the minor, yet annoying, bubbling present in the chrome of the original plastic grille...I'm certain Fred would approve, although we have never met...I also decided to replace the original but foggy-looking headlights with stylish new black ones, again from Amazon...</span></b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">My research on this do-it-my-ownself project led me to YouTube where at the very least, hundreds of videos are posted on the subject of de-badging a vehicle...Most of these involve the use of fishing line or dental floss, strung between the hands and used in a sawing motion against the adhesive between the badge and the painted surface...I started with this method, using monofilament 10# fishing line and quickly discovered the flaws in this method...First it hurts the hands without gloves, and gloves make it difficult to get a good grip with arthritic fingers...Secondly stopping momentarily in the sawing bonds the fishing line to the old softened adhesive causing the line to break easily when resuming motion...Dental floss may have worked better, but I'll never know because I found a much easier (although scarier) method...</span></b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">One of the YouTube videos showed the user starting his removal on a brand new car with dental floss, then grabbing a corner of the badge with a pair of common pliers, pulling away at the badge and using a screwdriver to gently pry off the badge...This brought a great hue and cry of anguish from commenters who were all worried about putting a gouge or scratch on the brand new factory paint...But it seemed to work well in the video...Truckman, being the fearless type he is, and wishing to reduce further damage to his fingers as well as spending less time under the blistering sun decided to give this method a try...Having already started a corner on the large RAM badge on a door, I noticed its edges were perpendicular to the painted surface allowing a good gripping surface for the pliers...</span></b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Careful to keep the steel plier jaws away from the paint, I gripped the plastic emblem, and found I could easily pull it away from the body panel enough to stretch and separate the adhesive...Using a small, thin-bladed screwdriver I carefully poked holes in the stretched adhesive while pulling steadily away from the paint...This separated more of the adhesive allowing me room to gently and slowly rock and twist the badge away from the paint until it popped free...The other badges had beveled edges making it impossible to grip with the pliers...For these I used one of the old plastic badge fragments against the paint as a fulcrum, and very carefully used my thin-bladed screwdriver as a lever to put pressure against the edge of the badge pulling it away from the paint...Any small non-marring material could be used as a fulcrum, but the badge fragment was handy...</span></b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">When the badge was separated from the paint a small distance, I was able to latch onto a corner with the serrated jaws of the pliers, and from there I could simply (and gently) rock and twist the emblem until it worked free from the adhesive...Using this method left no dents, scratches or other blemishes on the paint, but next came the hard part...The black, sticky and nasty adhesive in the shape of the removed badge remains on the paint...All the YouTube videos seem to work with brand new cars in which the adhesive is fairly new and pliable...The users merely sprayed it with Goo Gone, and easily peeled off the residue with their fingers...Not so in my case...The adhesive on my truck was old and had been baking in the Texas sun for ten years...</span></b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Goo Gone was worthless against this mess as it clung relentlessly to my original paint...I used an old credit card and a plastic kitchen dish scraper with the Goo Gone, and made some small progress, but I estimate I would have spent two to three full days per badge getting it all off...This was unacceptable...I remembered reading somewhere of a device called a 3M Eraser Wheel which was used to remove old pinstriping from paint, and decided to give it a try...I found it on Amazon, but wanted it that day, so off I went shopping with the ugly splotch on one side of my truck...Big box stores such as Lowes and Home Depot had never heard of it, but one man at a True Value hardware store had worked at a body shop in the past and actually had one in his toolbox at home...He said he had used it on pinstriping and decals with great success...He directed me to Tasco Auto Color in Conroe, a business that supplies custom mixed paint and other materials to commercial body shops...They not only had plenty in stock, but offered it with or without an arbor...</span></b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I chose with an arbor and bought it for less than the price I found on Amazon without the arbor...They also stocked a cheaper product, but I was advised by the business owner that it would do the same job, but would only last about half the life of the 3M product...I bought the 3M and a can of 3M Auto Adhesive Remover which he advised me was superior to Goo Gone for this purpose...I then headed home to try it...The Eraser Wheel is a solid rubber wheel about 4 1/2 inches in diameter with a threaded center for the arbor...I chucked it into my Dewalt cordless drill, and went to work on the adhesive...I was told that it worked just like a pencil eraser against paper, but was advised it made an unholy mess of powdered adhesive residue on the surrounding paint...He said to use the 3M adhesive solvent on a clean rag, and this would wipe away clean...He was right...</span></b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The remaining adhesive was quickly removed (remember to set your drill direction to tighten the wheel against the threaded arbor so it doesn't fly off), and the small remaining flecks of adhesive were removed easily with the solvent...This only left some "ghost lettering" which was the result of the contrast between the old sun-baked paint and the newly exposed paint under the removed badges...A few minutes with clean rags and Turtle Polishing Compound left a glistening surface with absolutely no damage to the clearcoat finish...</span></b></span><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The badges on the right side of the beast took several hours to remove counting my time with trial and error methods, and shopping time for the eraser wheel...The badges on the driver side were removed and all cleaned up in about a half hour with proper materials and a newly educated amateur technician...</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I remembered to take photos of the entire operation which can be found in the accompanying pictorial...Moving forward to the next badge removal, we find easier work although the badge itself is considerably larger...Evicting the ram from the grille involves replacing the grille altogether...Once again Amazon came through with a replacement grille complete with surround and three LED marker lights in charcoal gray from Tidal Automotive...Installation was simple and straightforward...The three lights were wired to the parking light circuit...The headlights turned out a little more difficult...The right one installed quickly, but on taking it back out later I found that the rear mounting stud just spins in its socket...And the left one was manufactured wrong making it really difficult to reuse the original parking light...Ingenuity won the day however, and they all work...They were marketed by Xtune through Amazon, and if anyone else is thinking of the same project, remember <i>caveat emptor</i>...For the grille badge I had to fabricate a backing plate to attach to the grille...Then the badge was attached to the backing plate...</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I can also update some info concerning my prior lighting adventure...I published my previous update before I had received the load resistors necessary to make the new LED turn signals flash at a normal rate...After receiving the needed parts, I installed the final LED's with the load resistors, and on testing all functions afterward it was found that the light strip which I had originally installed on the tailboard in prior months no longer worked correctly...It was suddenly backfeeding through the backup light circuit...This was a plug-and-play unit with a separately wired backup circuit...My troubleshooting led me to discover that if I simply unplugged it all the other lighting returned to normal function...I then noticed that the light strip had been incorrectly wired from the factory (yes, Chinese) crossing circuits on two wires...Using jumper wires, I found that even if I corrected this error, and completed the circuits as they should be, the unit would not work at all...At this point, I decided to just replace it with the same brand (Rampage, also a plug-and-play) which had worked flawlessly on my previous truck...After installation I had all functions again, but the Rampage does not have one feature which the Chinese product did have, sequential turn signals...I can learn to live without that neat feature since everything else now operates as it should...</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The <a href="https://photosfrom1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/08/beastly-appearance.html">accompanying pictorial</a> offers more detail... </span></b></span></div>
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<b><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/reansportation.html">Transportation/Motorsports...</a></i></span></b></b></div>
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Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-22291698141447712112019-07-12T11:57:00.001-05:002022-10-27T13:55:51.755-05:00Rebirth Update #9...<div style="text-align: right;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/01/rebirth-update-1.html">Click here</a> for Update #1...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/01/rebirth-update-2.html">Click here</a> for Update #2...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/02/rebirth-update-3.html">Click here</a> for Update #3...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/02/rebirth-update-4.html">Click here</a> for Update #4...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/02/rebirth-update-5.html">Click here</a> for Update #5...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/04/rebirth-update-6.html">Click here</a> for Update #6...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/04/rebirth-update-7.html">Click here</a> for Update #7...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/05/rebirth-update-8.html">Click here</a> for Update #8...</b></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/08/rebirth-update-10.html">Click here</a> for Update #10...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>At this date, most of the original ideas which developed in the mind of Truckman concerning his <a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2018/12/truckman-reborn.html">newest transportation acquisition</a> have been examined carefully and either brought to fruition, or abandoned entirely as unworkable...The progress was documented in the updates listed above for those who have either joined the discussion late, or just haven't been paying attention...This update will concern itself mostly with small details which have been ongoing since the inception of this project...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Lighting and visibility have been a major concern even before the initial purchase of this vehicle...My ability to easily see what is happening in my surroundings from the driver's seat has been a concern since the purchase of my (now gone) 2013 Challenger several years ago...The view from that seat was such a sudden change from the commanding position in my previous <a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2018/04/truckman-has-become-truckless.html">late, lamented ride</a> that the adjustment was difficult when switching vehicles for certain tasks...The change may have even been a factor in the no-fault accident which triggered the decision to trade the Challenger for the current truck...It was never decided whether the other driver was unable to see my vehicle for its smaller, lower profile, or if I was limited in side view range by the Challenger's smaller mirrors, lower seating position and limited side window vision...In either case, and in the interest of future safety, the decision was made to trade for the current truck...</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The primary focus of this update is new lighting to not only increase my ability to see my own surroundings, but to give other, less gifted drivers fewer excuses for not seeing the obvious large vehicle in their vicinity...For the latter purpose, I have added new redundant turn signals and brake lights to augment the factory installed equipment, and 18 new marker and clearance lights for increased visibility from front, sides and rear...I also added new high intensity Hella driving lights which are only usable with high beam headlights on, and fog lights synced for use when parking lights or low beams are lit...At the rear I added four tractor lights near the top of the headache rack, two of which are aimed at the deck of the flatbed to illuminate cargo at night as needed, and the other two directed just behind the tailboard for use as an auxiliary backup light...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Most of these items have been in my possession for a few months awaiting the completion of the <a href="https://photosfrom1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/05/a-beast-of-center-console.html">center console</a> from which to control all of them...Now the last of these has been installed, plus a few I added since the beginning...In addition, at the suggestion of one my loyal readers, Mr. Grist, I'm replacing the chrome plated screws and bolts which were used during the installation of some of the black finished accessories previously with fasteners finished in black oxide...I agree with him that they add some esoteric allure which might have been overlooked by the casual observer...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>An extra light was added to the center console, a Hella map light...They are a little pricey, but this particular one was the only one which fit my needs...It's fastened to the doorgunner's side of the console, but easily reached from the driver's seat...It's a gooseneck design allowing the 18 inch neck to ride in its own notched saddle until needed...It was furnished with two lenses, white and red...I chose the red to reduce the chance of night blindness, but the white lens is in the storage compartment if needed...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The old Rawson/Koenig toolboxes which were installed already when I bought the truck were no longer watertight, and various attempts at replacing and adjusting the latches still left doors which have become warped from use over the years, and thus do not seal against weather as well as they did when new...I ordered and installed new weatherstripping on both doors...Next heavy rain squall we get will tell the tale on whether further work is needed...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>While working on the headache rack, I noticed the parking lamp in one of the original 4" round lights in the upper corners had quit working...I assumed that I had disturbed the wiring while installing the additional lights, so I pulled that one out to check the circuit...The circuit was OK, so I bought two new LED units to replace both lights...With that done I finished all my wiring, checked light operation again and found the left lower parking light in the tailboard was not working...I ordered new LED's, and replaced both right and left...However, being so far removed from doing this for a living, I had forgotten the hyperflash condition that results when going to all LED...A couple of 6Ω resistors in parallel with the T/S circuits solved the problem...Since the side marker lights on the flatbed had been replaced with LED's when the bed was refinished, this means all lighting aft of the cab with the exception of the license plate lamps is now new...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Moving to the front, I installed my driving lights and fog lights using Nilight tube clamps on the front bumper guard...I'm happy to report that the clamps worked as advertised contrary to complaints I read from other users...I suspect their own lack of success was due to choosing the wrong size, or failure to understand the installation instructions...The new amber marker lights on the front bumper were a simple matter of "measure twice - drill once"...All new lights function as I expected, and I'm now gathering parts and pieces for the next report...</b></span><b>I'm a bargain hunter, as many already know, and if any of the lights I bought fail early, I suppose I'll have to blame myself for being too cheap to spring for name-brand products...One item I'm already less than happy with is the fog lights, repurposed from Blazer tractor lights...The housings were advertised as being rubber which makes sense for durability in the agricultural world, but the mounts are also rubber and are quite shaky...I'll see what the light is like while driving, and they may be replaced early with sturdier units...</b><br />
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<b>I'm still waiting for a few electrical pieces to be delivered to wrap up the wiring, but given the rapidly changing and uncertain weather conditions this week, I decided to install the remaining front amber marker lights on the bumper and take some photos while the sun is still shining...All the planned lighting has now been installed, and final electrical connections will be made as soon as Amazon delivers the few remaining wiring parts...I published a <a href="https://photosfrom1truckman.blogspot.com/2019/07/an-enlightening-update.html">pictorial on the project</a> without finishing the wiring...</b></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b><b>More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/reansportation.html">Transportation/Motorsports...</a></i></b></b></span></div>
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Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-44104592464346463872019-06-27T11:40:00.001-05:002022-10-27T13:56:31.029-05:00Rest In Peace, Blondie...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b style="font-size: x-large;">6/14/2005 - 6/27/2019</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>My little guy, my faithful friend, has now joined <a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2017/09/rest-in-peace-bitesize.html">his Momma</a> where all the grass is green (and short), and all the days are sunny...He was attentive to my every need and mood, always knowing whether I needed his cheerful attention, or just someone to lie quietly nearby...When there were still two of them they stood ready to guard our home against all threats...Being the bigger of the two, he accepted his role as Sergeant-At-Arms, while his Mom (although a lot smaller) was always in charge as Senior Guard Puppy...He always considered one of his primary </b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>responsibilities to be that of providing security for my breakfast...His effectiveness as a Breakfast Security Agent can be proven by the fact that I was never hijacked even once on my way from the kitchen to wherever I decided to eat...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Together they took on the additional duties of Federal Cheese Inspectors, announcing themselves in my kitchen one morning while I was preparing my breakfast...They flashed badges at me (which looked suspiciously like their rabies tags), saying they represented the Obama Cheese Administration (OCA) and were required to sample all cheese for purity before human consumption...Knowing that they were both Democrats, and therefore having mastered the art of welfare living, I accepted their story...Besides, I am naturally never one to question authority from two Peke-a-Poos, even when presented with an obviously concocted story like that, so I complied with their demands and submitted a cheese sample before each of my meals...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>When she passed on, he took over the duties of both Senior Guard Puppy and Chief Cheddar Inspector...He was also the best bed buddy anyone could hope for, always being willing and able to help anyone take a nap at any time...He could probably sleep on top of a picket fence if necessary...He and his Mom helped me through some of the most trying times of my life...Although during one year, during the darkest of times, I was denied the comfort of their presence...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>When I was betrayed and abandoned by my ex-wife she took both, obviously knowing how much they meant to me...She looked at them as mere property, something to own...When the divorce court demanded a division of property, she knew she couldn't keep both, and asked me which one I wanted...I told her then they were not property, they were family, that they had been together all Blondie's life and most of Bitesize's, and that I would be happy to care for both, but not just one if it meant further dividing a family...In her words she said I could have them both when Hell freezes over...But when the divorce dragged on for a year, and she was forced to move from her rented trailer house to a place which </b></span><b>apparently </b><b>did not consider all God's critters as respectable tenants, I got the call asking if I would take them both...I immediately accepted, and met at the designated place where they were unceremoniously dumped out of her patrol car, abandoning them as easily as she had abandoned me...</b><br />
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<b>They were both scared, dirty, ungroomed and very happy to see me again...I first fed them, then took them to their doctor at <a href="https://tenderpaws.net/">Tender Paws Animal Hospital</a> where I was informed they had not been seen in over a year...They both had complete check-ups, got their shots up to date and got stocked up on the recommended food...Their next stop was the groomer where they were bathed, hair and claws clipped and generally pampered...While at <a href="https://www.petsmart.com/store-locator/store/?storeID=1534">Pet Smart</a>, they picked out new collars, bedding, stainless steel water and food dishes and of course new toys and treats...Naturally, being Democrats, when it came to time to settle the bill, they backed away from the cashier leaving me to produce my credit card...</b><br />
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<b>Bitesize died at the age of 14 after succumbing to many of the infirmities which eventually claim us all...Blondie knew it, and although he was sad he knew I still needed him, and stood ready to accept whatever duties were presented to him...My only solace now is that the cancer that was consuming him can no longer cause him any pain, or discomfort...I can only hope that when I am gone somebody, somewhere might think my life had even a fraction of the value given by Bitesize and Blondie...I gave Bitesize her name just because I thought it fit her...Her only puppies were born in one litter...Due to their size, she had difficulty giving birth, and I transported her to the animal emergency clinic where they were born...I named them for the three main characters in one of my favorite westerns, <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/">"The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"</a></i>...Blondie naturally got the name of the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/characters/nm0000142?ref_=tt_cl_t2">Clint Eastwood character</a> because of his blond hair...His brother and sister, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/characters/nm0908919?ref_=tt_cl_t1">Tuco</a> And <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/characters/nm0001812?ref_=tt_cl_t3">Angel Eyes</a>, found new homes shortly after weaning...</b><br />
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<b>Both he and his Momma were fearless against any perceived threat, even when common sense should have brought caution, but they differed in one respect in that she was always scared of thunderstorms...Until she went deaf the slightest rumble of thunder at night sent her under the covers next to me to tremble and whine until it stopped...On the other hand, thunder and lightning didn't even faze Blondie...When she made a commotion about a storm at night, he always went to another corner of the bed to get away from her whining so he could get back to sleep...But that changed one night shortly after her death when a freak storm unleashed a bolt of lightning which struck a pine tree next door causing it to shatter the trunk with an explosive flash and roar...From that moment forward he was as fearful of thunder and lightning as his Momma had ever been...</b><br />
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<b>It was obvious they loved each other, and I'm sure they loved me...Even so they were competitive...At times either one of them may not have been feeling well, but at feeding time they each kept their noses in their bowls simply out of concern that the other might get a nibble of unauthorized food...They had a large tub of chewy toys to play with, but naturally the one they wanted most was always the one the other already had...Many battles of good-natured tug-of-war took place, usually ending by the victor being chased </b><b>all over the house </b><b>by the second-place winner until each forgot who was the chaser and who was the chasee...They just liked to run...But at some point, as Blondie grew much bigger and stronger than Bitesize, she got tired of always losing the game, and began to just quietly chew her toy of choice, with a low warning growl to anyone who approached...After she passed away, Blondie did not show much interest in the toys, and toward the end of his own life, could no longer finish his own meals...</b><br />
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<b>Blondie was born with a noticeable underbite which he always thought contributed to his appearance as a tough guy...It also gave him a smile that endeared him to every female he ever encountered, human or otherwise...They all loved him, and he knew it...He enjoyed his reputation as a ladies' man, although being permanently leashed to me always curtailed his chances at a more lasting relationship...However, he accepted attention when he got it, but always went home cheerfully with me...For that I am eternally grateful...</b><br />
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<b>So long, little buddy...</b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: verdana;">He lived to celebrate his 14th birthday recently...Now his patrols are at an end...He was a good boy, and being told so always seem to be his proudest goal...</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My eternal thanks go to his doctor, Dr. Joanie Ree, and all the caring professionals at Tender Paws Animal Hospital who all remain my friends...Also to Ellen Stanley who bathed, groomed and pampered both puppies the last few years of their lives, and all the neighbors and strangers who stopped to greet both of them when they were outdoors...</b><br />
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<b><b><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/ither-thoughts.html">Other Thoughts...</a></i></span></b></b></div>
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Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-86298914534584075352019-06-22T11:05:00.002-05:002022-10-27T13:57:01.684-05:00Combat and defense in Middle-Eastern waters...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>I am neither a naval, nor a maritime expert, but that never stopped me from drawing a few conclusions...Noting the recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman in the area bounded by Oman, the UAE and Iran, the blame for which has been attributed to the increasingly belligerent state of Iran, I am reminded of events which occurred during WWII...Commercial shipping only exists to supply the business interests of entities ranging in scope from the largest multi-national corporations to the smallest, singly-owned convenience store on a street near you...As I have pointed out in previous publications, a basic tenet of business is stated that nothing anywhere ever happens until somebody, somewhere sells something...Accordingly the step immediately following that sale becomes the transport of the product to the desired recipient...The interruption, or prevention of that step becomes detriment to the chain of interests dependent on that movement...The resulting impairment, to whatever degree it ascends, must be ultimately absorbed by the end user, and thus increases costs which are never fully recovered...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The addition of war to this composite formula, whether declared or implied, only adds new layers of complexity, of which some generate new business opportunities, but all add to the cost of the final product...This fact was known and felt in the immediate time following the opening shots in the conflagration that became WWII...How it was addressed determined the eventual outcome as well as the length of time needed to bring peace to the world's waters once more...In this study, I will only present the basic observations which have formed my own, admittedly skeletal, conclusions, leaving readers to flesh them out with their own thoughts...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>All government and military leaders are aware of the fragile network of commerce which keeps an economy moving...Maintaining that network becomes increasingly difficult when leadership must consider the political pressures brought about by concerns other than those of commerce...The Axis powers, being led from dictatorial standpoints, were less encumbered by restraints on their movements than the democracies which they sought to dominate...Initially this gave the Axis leadership an advantage in which they were free to move aggressively against their chosen enemies without regard to the long term difficulties they created, in their belief that such offensives would be shortly followed by the capitulation of those attacked...The actions and reactions of both Axis and Allied powers can be studied now with the distance of time for their positive as well as negative effects...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The German command, under the leadership of a single-minded, self-possessed man unwilling to consider the expertise in some matters of far more qualified minds, took the initiative in attacks on commercial shipping against their most immediate perceived enemy, Great Britain...The idea was correct in its goal of strangling the flow of goods toward the island nation, but flawed in its execution by not concentrating on its immediate strong suit, it's U-Boat fleet...<i>Der Fuehrer</i>'s desire to build an impressive surface fleet could only have been successful if he had allowed his undersea fleet unfettered permission to attack other shipping on the surface...They were instead cautioned against attacking the US naval presence expanding into the mid-Atlantic...Using the limited German resources in building his surface fleet, then keeping them bottled up in protected North Sea harbors, was unwise when his more learned <i>Kriegsmarine </i>advisers urged increased production of the undersea fleet to replace losses due to attrition...Such decisions gave his immediate enemy, Britain, the opportunity to acquire the allegiance of US manufacturing prowess in the procurement of both military and cargo vessels...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>President Roosevelt, being the leader of a democracy was fettered with having to balance preparation for the impending war against opposition from the large pacifist movement which joined forces with the isolationists, both of which wanted no part of a new naval war...Roosevelt knew the war was inevitable, yet was hamstrung by these groups in initiating new shipbuilding while still emerging from a worldwide depression...He found new ways to aid those he knew we would eventually ally with, but until the Japanese attacks in the Pacific, he could not release the full powers of the dogs of war...The lack of long-range planning for war also caused a long learning curve in the convoy system which ultimately saved England from capitulation...US Navy leaders were quick to see that severing commercial shipping lines on the open sea was effective warfare, and used this knowledge aggressively against Japanese powers...Shortening supply lines to the enemy, while reinforcing our own commercial shipping was instrumental in bring the war to an earlier close...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>The dictatorial powers leading the Japanese government from their military standpoint did not understand, nor did they employ the means they had at hand against Allied commercial shipping...The Japanese also had a powerful undersea fleet just like their Axis partners Germany and Italy, but hesitated to use them against the ever-increasing Allied Maritime fleet, choosing instead to target only combat vessels...They failed to understand that a military force can only exist as long as it is supplied with the means to wage war and feed its own personnel...Their final realization of the truth of this axiom came far too late, and only at the expense of their own fighting forces as they starved on outpost islands unable to receive vitally needed rations, ammunition, medical supplies and replacement troops...American naval forces destroyed Japanese commercial and cargo transportation at every opportunity, choking off the enemies lifelines...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>From the distance of history, those in the present leadership of politically and culturally opposed nations all understand the importance of world trade, and the implications of the effect on populations when the transportation of goods is curtailed by aggressive forces...The recent attacks on an importantly vital commodity such as crude oil and petroleum products in the Gulf of Oman is an obvious act of aggression either ordered or permitted by those in command in Iran...The power to protect these shipments is possessed in large strength by the US Navy, and in the opinion of this writer should be deployed aggressively and immediately toward that end...The costs of such protection is already being paid on worldwide markets...Allowing valuable commodities and their means of transportation to be attacked only adds to those costs...Why else do we maintain a naval force in that area?...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b>More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/in-air.html">Warriors and Militaria...</a></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><br /></b></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b><b>More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/world-events.html">World Events...</a></i></b></b></span></span></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217738623627243563.post-71826837579597252102019-06-18T09:17:00.002-05:002022-10-27T13:57:50.625-05:00Damage Assessment...<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>A question was posed on a political forum where I participate on occasion by a member named AlpineRAM, and since I have allowed an unplanned dearth of my political opinion on this blog, I thought I might answer his query here instead...Paraphrasing his question concerning the current American economy and the source of its robust energy, he asked:</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>"Do the good stats only reflect that which is not influenced by Trump, or is it just inertia that keeps the numbers nice?"</i></b></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>In my opinion, his actions, and the results of those actions, are very hard to analyze by most because those analysts are accustomed to observing politicians who interact with other politicians in an attempt to arrive at a final destination favorable to those whom they represent...But the final product is never final...It is always and consistently a compromise because that is the nature of politics as practiced by politicians...It is bloated with side deals which are engineered to gain temporary support for a position which would normally receive none...</b><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Trump was never a politician, and has admitted such on occasion prior to entering the political arena...He is instead a person who uses politicians to the benefit of himself and his own business interests...He was elected on that premise...He has said and continues to say things which are diametrically opposed to other things he has said...It's obfuscation, and it's intentional...It's also called lying...Stating that Trump is lying, or that all politicians lie is not a defense for any of them, or their lies...It is a reaffirmation that lying is part and parcel of gaining an advantage in politics, business, entertainment, even playing poker...The intentional absence of truth can also be defined as lying even if it's hidden as strategy, tactics, a script or a "poker face"...Those who practice the art of magic know it as illusion and misdirection...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>Donald Trump knows that media pundits, and those who attempt political analysis will consistently concentrate their focus on the obvious, that is his barrage of statements many of which are contradictory by design...This only gives those who follow such attempts at assaying his statements for their real value reason to either agree or disagree with the scrutiny, and keep the interest alive with either outrage or accord...Meanwhile the economy responds just as Trump knew it would by those whose means of existence is tied to it: with buying and selling, losses and gains which are always accompanied by overstocks in one inventory and scrambling for product in another...Empty pockets in one area are balanced to some (but not necessarily equal) degree by cash looking for something to buy...I believe Trump understands that the nature of value in wealth is not merely in its acquisition, but by its constant movement...Money by itself means nothing unless it can flow in one direction or another...In that respect it is like water; unless it's in a current where it's constantly refreshed, it becomes stagnant as in a pond...</b></span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><b>In <a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-obvious-comparison.html">another series</a> of <a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-obvious-comparison-part-ii.html">articles here</a>, I pointed out the similarities between Mr. Trump and another independent entry into the world of politics who had tremendous, although detrimental, influence on world events in the 20th Century...That person led his country to disastrous results by the application of separate overlapping lies told to separate groups, each of which focused only on the illusions he presented, and not on the likely result...He even outlined his own plan without the lies in <a href="https://1truckman.blogspot.com/2016/11/taking-bullet-for-my-readers.html">his book</a>, easily seen in retrospect, but presented in such a random, scattershot manner as to be difficult to find his main target...Mr. Trump also authored a book which, if read carefully, outlines everything he has done and will do to find his target...It is believed by this writer that his aim is more toward a target based on the love of construction of a better nation, rather than the hatred and destruction of a particular, and essentially misidentified section of the world's population...</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: verdana;">More articles concerning <i><a href="http://1truckman.blogspot.com/p/the-ob.html">Politics...</a></i></span></b></div>
Ben Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01117779536475809116noreply@blogger.com0