Air Traffic Mike's

Sunday Funday Pays Dividends

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Splitty the Maul had the day off.

He was still reading up on his new camera. I wanted to go visit Gen. Douglas MacArthur's grave.

I left for downtown Norfolk.

Splitty opted for a sit on the porch.

MacArthur's grave was nice. Fitting for a man, although controversial, was indeed a great leader. Many men have achieved the rank of General over the years, but few have had the loyalty of their soldiers like that enjoyed by MacArthur.

I've stood before the graves of many famous men and women, but few had the hallowed feeling of that place.

I wasn't feeling particularly photographic yesterday, so I left my camera back in the Highlander.

After the grave site I was feeling sort of hungry/thirsty and the football games were on.

I opted to go to a little Mexican style bar. I'm glad I did.

The Washington Redskin/Dallas Cowboy game was winding down. I was half interested in it. The place was quiet, sort of a slow, lazy Sunday. Three of us were sitting at the bar.

I didn't really notice the bartender until she asked if I wanted a second beer. We started talking some small talk. I have a tendency to look people right in the eyes when I'm talking to them (except when driving). It dawned on me that she was extremely attractive. The mini skirt/sweater/over the calf boots didn't hurt either. Jen was also well spoken.

We started telling each other about ourselves. I told her I was divorced. She told me that she's in the middle of a divorce. Apparently, her husband of seven years had been cheating on her.......a lot.

That's when I asked the rhetorical question that opened a lot of doors.

"What man in his right mind would cheat on YOU?"

She was a bit startled. I realised two things immediately:

1. It sounded like a really cheesy pick up line.
2. She was flattered.

She realised that I hadn't meant it any other way than as a question hiding a nice compliment.

I liked her even more at that point.

We kept on talking about family, our lives, the usual stuff. I couldn't have told you what time of day it was. I became oblivious to everything but her.

Her shift came to an end. I asked if she could stay for a bit. I really wanted to know more about her.

She said she wanted to, but had to pick up her five year old daughter from her soon to be ex. She was waiting for the kitchen to finish her daughter's tacos, having promised the wee one she would bring some home for her.

Mature, beautiful, well spoken, and her priorities in order. What wasn't to like?

Kudos to the child, too. The tacos they serve there are excellent, especially served with the salsa they make from scratch.

You Memphis folks know what I did next. I intercepted the server who rang them in and paid the bill. It wasn't much, but I knew she hadn't made much in the way of tips especially from the other two customers that had been sitting with me at the bar.

Like really is too short to be cheap.

I walked back over, sat back down and said nothing. I told the server not to tell her anything other than it was taken care of.

Jen, having been given her go order and told it was taken care of, persisted in grilling the server.

The server gave me up.

I got a big hug and a really nice kiss. Wasn't expecting the kiss.

Being a nice guy does have its benefits.

She made me promise to come see her on her Tuesday day shift.

I try to keep all my promises. This one, I'm really looking forward to.

A new door opening perhaps?

Time will tell.

I'm just excited to see her again. I'd be happy just to be her friend. She emits good vibes. I can't have enough of that sort of people in my world.

Remember folks, this is Thanksgiving week. If you can, step out there and do something nice for someone.

You never know, you might meet your own "Jen".

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

The Chrysler Museum of Art and SPLITTYCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:18:00 +0000

Splitty the Maul couldn't wait to get out yesterday.

I gave him my old camera so he could join in on the roadtrip fun.

Splitty was so happy he could hardly contain himself.

I stopped to fuel up the AirTrafficmobile. Splitty, knowing the Chrysler Museum didn't allow mauls into the building, decided to test out his new rig while en route to the city.

Splitty digs Taj Mahal's music.

Personally, I thought he did an excellent job given it was his first assignment.

As feared, Splitty was not allowed to enter the museum.

Splitty took it in stride. He took the time to learn more about his new camera.

The Chrysler Museum came to be courtesy of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., son of the founder of the Chrysler Autombile Company. I 1971, he donated his extensive collection of art making the then Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences one of the premier art museums in the nation.

Good people doing good works deserve a shout out here at Air Traffic Mike's.

The view of the Hague from in front of the museum.

The front of the museum.

A close up of the sculture out front.

I went inside, asked a docent about the history of the museum. She explained it and suggested I start on the glass exhibit.

I got really excited. I love glass art. I would not be disappointed either.

This breathtaking piece was created this year. It's named, "Startled Jealous Viper" by its creator Stephen Rolfe Powell. It was a beautiful start to a beautiful exhibit.

As I am wont to do, I wandered around the exhibit in no particular pattern. Whatever catches my eye I go to next, even if it is in another room. Have no fear, I DO go back to see if I missed anything, but going from piece to piece is not my style.

The docent assigned to the gallery came over. She immediately took my focus off the glass. Jackie is tall, brunette, around 26 years old, with the most remarkable eyes I've ever seen on a woman.

She also knows glass art like the back of her hand.

We got along famously.

She pointed over a a gallery of Tiffany Glass. She said, "If I'm not mistaken we have the second largest collection of Tiffany Glass in the nation.".

I don't have the words, but I do have the videos.

Tiffany vases.

Tiffany lamps and windows.

I spent 30 minutes in this gallery. As fascinating as the glass was, Jackie was that much more fascinating. Sheer beauty aside, she has a wealth of knowledge on glass art. She was absolutely a delight to talk art with.

There was a lot more museum to see and the hours were running short. It was time to move on.

I'm just going to post pics for a bit.

Here are a couple of the more interesting pieces of glass art.

They also had a nice gallery of Egyptian artifacts.

More pieces from various galleries:

Ceremonial Japanese armor.

The lobby taken from the second floor.

A nice example of Norman Rockwell's art.

"Wounded Indian". Nearly life sized, pictures don't do it justice.

What art exhibit would be complete without Snoop Dog's "Pimp Cup"?

Okay, so maybe it isn't from Snoop.

He'd still look good strolling with a "Pimp Cup" looking like this.

I was really looking forward to the museum yesterday. I must say it was an outstanding.

I spent so much time there, I missed the hours for Gen. MacArthur's grave.

Hopefully, he'll be in this afternoon.

In the meantime, I'm cooking down a fryer for either chicken/sausage gumbo or chicken dressing. I'll decide in a bit.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air traffic Mike, ret.

Voices Of A Midair Collision

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:51:00 +0000

The responsibilities that come with being an air traffic controller far exceed that of many jobs.

Other safety related, high stress jobs such as being a fireman/firewoman and policeman/policewoman have great responsibilities as well. They differ in two aspects:

1. They are reactive jobs. Both generally are called to duty by alarms or reports phoned in by the public.

2. They put their lives on the line every time they clock in.

I have nothing but the highest respect for the men and women who work in those fields.

Air traffic control, by its very nature is a proactive endeavor. It can be reactive if the controller gets behind the workload, but that's a story for another time. As far as putting their lives on the line, I'd remind one and all that the wreckage rarely hits the Control Tower/TRACON/En Route Center. Controllers are more likely to die of heart failure rather than being killed in the line of work. The main difference in responsibility is that if a mistake goes unchecked, ATC has the opportunity to kill hundreds in the air and more on the ground.

Here's amateur footage of the crash taken from the Hudson River.

Pretty brutal, isn't it.

There were nine souls aboard the two aircraft. None survived.

Because accidents/incidents happen, and because of the liability that can stem from either, the FAA keeps audio tapes of all transmissions made between ATC/aircraft, ATC/ATC via telephone lines, and in many cases telephones to the outside world. Newer radar displays also permit video replay of what happened. Such was the case on this fateful day. When an accident occurs, voice recordings are generally the first thing that will be listened to. What the manager/staff/investigators should hear is precise phraseology, professional conversations regarding any landline communications, and hopefully a clue as to what went wrong.

What they got was this:

Teterboro Tower Tape From Midair Collision

The tape covers 30 minutes. The opening part, with the controller talking about a dead cat, is key to the time frame in which the plane and helicopter collided. I strongly urge you to give it a listen in its entirety.

If you want to hear a shorter version, here's an animated version with partial recordings from the NTSB.

About 12:40 minutes into the recording, N71MC (November Seven One Mike Charlie is what you're listening for) calls ready for takeoff. Keep listening. The plane is given its takeoff clearance, is subsequently radar identified (listen for the phrase "Radar contact"), and the controller exchanges traffic between N71MC and an inbound helicopter. Pretty standard stuff. The term "Radar Contact" advises the pilot he has been identified on radar and will receive traffic advisories and in some cases separation services. In this case, N71MC was operating outside of the Class B airspace around New York City and traffic advisories would be given as an additional service. Unfortunately, the helicopter involved here was not the helicopter N71MC would end up hitting.

What happens next is unconscionable. The controller gets on the recorded phone, and resumes a conversation about a dead cat the tape opens up on. He misses the pilot reading back an incorrect frequency for Newark. Newark would next have had the responsibilty to issue traffic to the departing Piper. It was during this time that the VFR target (the sightseeing helicopter) popped up. The New York TRACON and the controller had discussions about the Piper during this time. The traffic had become a factor for N71MC, they needed to be in radio contact with them and issue them a turn to avoid the traffic.

They never got the chance. N71MC never called.

The result was every air traffic controller's and pilot's nightmare. A midair.

You might ask why an air traffic controller working airplanes was on the phone talking to someone about a non job related topic. You might ask, "Where was the supervisor during this and why didn't he stop the controller from engaging in such behavior?".

Well, the fact of the matter is that the controller should NOT have been engaging in that activity. It is spelled out very clearly. The supervisor, who was supposed to be in the tower, was absent from the work quarters. His job is to provide general supervision. He in fact was not.

Negligence on the part of both.

Normally, these actions would have gone unnoticed by the FAA, the media, and even the most of the employees. It was a quiet day just short of noon.

What could possibly go wrong?

Well, to quote myself:

"Complacency is catastrophe's doorman."

I came to that conclusion the hard way once upon a time.

They were complacent.

One man distracted by non-job related behavior.

One man missing from his assigned area.

Nine people dead.

The FAA has proposed termination in both cases. There is an appeal process in place for matters as such.. I'm quite sure both will avail themselves of it and that of legal counsel.

Both, it seems, were derelict of duty. It will be an extremely difficult battle for them to win.

I have no doubt both men are deeply sorry for what happened that day. Myself and every air traffic controller/supervisor I worked with cared about pilot's and passenger's lives with all their hearts. I saw many a controller break down in tears after close calls and fatal accidents.

It was, and is, a private Hell that is almost impossible to explain.

I can sympathize for the pain they must be going through.

I can sympathize more for the families of the victims.

My opinion as to whether the men deserve firing will remain private.

You folks can draw your own conclusions.

Until next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Karma vs. My Camera, A New Title To The Blog, and A Qucik Bruce Update

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:56:00 +0000

There's a reason why I put my karma on the line everyday.

It's because I'm a dumbass.

Yesterday, while perusing Facebook, one of my friends was inquiring about a new digital camera.

I glanced across the table at mine and thought, "Man that little Nikon sure has been a *road warrior* this year. I wonder how long it will continue to take this abuse?"

An hour later I dropped it on the hard tile floor and got my answer.

It's the damnedest thing though. The video screen on the back is all screwed up. It has this fractured looking image on it, yet the actual camera/video portion still works. I just have no reference as to how the image is framed.

That just wasn't good enough for what I want to do with it.

Battered karma and wallet in hand, I went to Best Buy yesterday afternoon. I like Best Buy for these types of purchases. They had a large selection of digital cameras spanning a wide price range. For what I do, taking random shots out and about, I really didn't need a big rig. I travel light, carrying my camera in my pocket. I need for it to be handy because so many shots are fleeting.

I looked at thinline cams with rechargeable batteries. I liked the compactness, but not the rechargeable aspect. I want to know that the camera is always ready. My cell phone dies at least once a week because I'm poor about keeping up with its recharging schedule. I just can't be bothered, I'd just as soon keep an 8 pack of lithium batteries handy.

That limited my selections, but not too badly. The young lady waiting on me really knew her stuff about the products on hand. With her help, I finally decided on buying another Nikon. It is about the same size as my old one, uses the same lithium batteries, and made my learning curve a very short one. It has better zoom features, a slightly larger video screen (that works), and has better resolution at 10 megapixels.

High enough tech for what I do, low enough tech for me to understand, and a low enough price that allows me the freedom from worrying that I might wreck it.

My young sales associate pointed out that for an additional $29.99 Best Buy would throw in a 4GB memory chip, a flexible tripod/mount, and a case. The 4GB chip cost nearly that much anyway, so I opted for it. I have little use for the case, but the chip was a necessity, and the the flexipod mount gave me an immediate idea.

Splitty the Maul, through a stoke of bad luck and inspired genius will now be shooting movies from the vantage point of the passenger seat of my Highlander.

Look for upcoming short films shot in "SplittyCam".

Remember, adversity = opportunity here at Air Traffic Mike's.

Oh yeah, because there is a Memphis Mike out there on the web and in order to brand myself uniquely, you'll notice the title change.

Fear not. It'll still be the same acerbic, irreverent, introspective, grouchy ass me, just better defined.

Today the older bro and I will be installing some new electric receptacles in his house. He has a few older receptacles that are the two pronged variety. No problem, I've installed plenty of them.

Bruce took chemotherapy on Tuesday. He's a bit hoarse and feeling a bit puny, but it sure is better than where he was last week at this time. Some folks would think, "Wow, that's a rough one when you're having to work UP to get to chemotherapy.". It sucks, but we call it a "win".

Tomorrow the new camera and I have a date at the Chrysler Museum and General Douglas MacArthur's grave in downtown Norfolk.

Maybe even a "SplittyCam" film.

We shall see.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Congratulations Coach Pastner And U of M Tigers!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:09:00 +0000

It is not often that a loss is greeted with *congrats*.

Then again, it isn't often that a college coach under contract for millions of dollars and multiple years, leaves and takes the number one recruiting class with him, thereby gutting a major program.

As a parting gift, the former coach also left a time bomb in the form of an NCAA investigation as to whether his star athlete was even eligible to play, thereby likely erasing the team's 2007-08 season and Final Four appearance.

No, without a doubt Coach Josh Pastner was left with barely a crumb in the cupboard, save the returning players and his wits.

The University of Memphis hired him after pretty much every other available NCAA Division 1 coach sniffed at the job and walked away.

His signing bonus from R.C. Johnson besides a tattered program apparently was a note written in crayon saying, "Good Luck".

The crayon note is just a rumor, the tattered program a fact.

Personally, from day one, I liked the hire. It would have been easy to ride Cal's coat tails a few more years. Josh Pastner stepped up and announced he was ready to take the helm.

I believed he was then and is now.

As you all know, I've been busy from May on with family matters. There was no way I'd have had the time to interview Coach Pastner myself.

Fortunately I have the gang over at Air Traffic Mike Heavy Industries, LLC. (the official social think tank of Air Traffic Mike) for occasions such as this.

I sent my ace U of M sports reporter, Floaty over to the University of Memphis to talk to Coach Pastner about the program, the recruiting, and what we can look forward to in the coming seasons with him at the helm.

Floaty, it's all yours.

"Thanks Mike. It's really good to be back."

Nice to have you back.

"Some retirement for you."

It's okay Floaty, things are slowly getting back on track. So what can you tell us about Coach Pastner and his plans both present and future?

"First off, he's a genuinely nice fellow."

I gather that from his interviews.

"There's just one thing......."

Oh? What's that.

"He's really white."

Well, shouldn't we expect that given the fact he is a white guy of Jewish heritage?

"Um, Mike? I don't think you understand what I'm saying here. He's really, really white."

Floaty, I would remind you that I have little tolerance for stereotypes. It is NOT in keeping with our policies.

"No Mike, I mean....please hear me out."

What? Is it because the guy doesn't drink, smoke, or dance? Is it because the harshest word from his mouth is "Dang"?

Floaty, I'll NOT hear another word of this.

"Damn it Air traffic, look at this picture!"

HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I told you!"

Holy cow Floaty, he could give the Pilsbury Doughboy(tm) a run for his pigment.

"I caught up with him on the sidelines at St. Louis the day before the Tigers/Jayhawks game."

I need to catch my breath. Go ahead and roll the interview Floaty.

*click*

"Coach Pastner, thanks for agreeing to this interview. I know time is short, so let's get to it. Where do you see the present Tiger men's basketball program?"

"Right over there in Section 108! Hi guys!!!!!"

"Um, no Coach...I mean where do you see them going?"

"Floaty, we have strict rules on my team. They'll be going right over there in the locker room if they need to relieve themselves at ANY point before, during, or after the game."

"Yeah....okaaaay..... Coach, I tell you what. Tell us about how the Summer went as far as getting the remaining guys in shape, your recruiting efforts, and what you expect this season to look like."

"Well we got off to a rough start. Coach Cal sort of took everything. He took the recruits. He took the coaching staff. He took the secretary. GOSH DANG IT, HE EVEN TOOK THE ROAST BEAST!!!!!!!"

"Easy Coach. Watch the *D-bombs* We're recording this."

"Sorry Floaty. I get really jacked up when some putz *Dr. Seusses* me."

"We all do. No prob."

"Anyway, we went to Wal-Mart over in West Memphis, replaced the roast beast, and hit the recruiting trail."

"Must have been rough, especially after just getting married. Where is your lovely bride?"

"Right over there in Section 108! Hi honey!!!!!"

"Okay, the roast beast problem solved, new marriage underway, and on the road to recruit."

"We got on the road and found our first likely candidate. He had great grades, great presence, and Coach Cal said he was being recruited heavily."

"That's terriffic Coach. Who is he?"

"Well, just so happens he's here tonight."

"Really? Where?"

"Right over there in Section 108 finishing up his sliders! Hey Eddy, Hi!!!"

"Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!"

"Oh YEAH!!!!!!! It's "Sweaty Eddie" Alberghetti!!! He was the biggest name available. I don't know how we're going to get all of "Alberghetti" on the back of his jersey."

"Don't worry about the size of his name. It should fit around his waist."

"Don't worry Floaty, he's a guy we can build our program around."

"You're gonna have to. He's already got his own zip code."

"Floaty, tell Air Traffic Mike an all the viewers that the U of M men's basketball program is back on track!"

"Okay coach, I sure will. Before I go, I understand YOU coined the slogan for the 2009-10 men's team. We've yet to see it or hear it. Can you give us the scoop and tell us what it is?"

"Sure will Floaty. Okay? Here goes."

*drum roll*

(baritone voice over from announcer)
"Your University Memphis Tigers..a proud past...a brighter future...where will we take you next?............"

"DAAAAAAANNNNG....RIGHT OVER THERE IN SECTION 108!!!!!!!!."

*click*

Thanks Floaty. Take the rest of the day off with pay.

"Thanks ATM!"

Anytime Floaty.

As for me, I'm outta here too.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Fort Mott Photos/History And Floaty Checks In...

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:03:00 +0000

I was going through some of my pictures on my laptop this morning.

It has been quite the trip this time around and I have the pictures to prove it.

Some of the folders were pictures I had taken for the purpose of posting here. Most of those made it on to the blog. Others had not.

One group made it in a partial fashion after I'd decided to take up a different tack with the blog.

The folder dedicated to "Fort Mott" was one of those.

One more photo based blog. I promise I'll be getting back to commentary soon.

Fort Mott is located in my hometown of Pennsville, New Jersey. Given the width of the Delaware River, cannon technology of the day, and the need to defend the ports of Wilmington, DE, Camden, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, and the capital city of Trenton, NJ, the federal government authorized the construction of of the fort after the Civil War.

Construction stopped in 1876.

In the mid to late 1880's, a review of the military's ability to defend the U.S. coastline was headed by Secretary of War William Endicott, construction of coastal defenses began anew on what would become known as the "Endicott Fort System". Fort Mott was a part of that system.

For my southern friends, if you've ever been inside Fort Sumter, that glaring concrete structure inside the old walls of the fort is part of this program as well.

While it looked good on paper, technological advances in gunnery and ships soon rendered the system outdated fairly quickly.

Fort Mott was active from 1897 to 1922, with a caretaking attachment stationed there from 1922 to 1943.

Like most of the coastal defenses, she never fired a shot in defense of the country.

By the time our family moved from northeastern Maryland to South Jersey, the Fort had been property of the State of New Jersey for 21 years. For us it wasn't a historical site, it was home to the only hills locally we could sled down in Winter.

It was also fairly open. We went all over and inside that place over the years growing up.

It also served a place where teenagers would go hang out and do what teen aged boys and girls did when left to their devices.

Eventually, the State realised that they had quite a bit of liability exposure on the property, and tightened up security.

Nowadays most of the batteries and buildings are secured. There has been some long overdue and necessary preservation as well. Not enough mind you, but with the economy the way it is, you take what you can get.

One fine Sunday morning, after visiting my late parents' and brother's graves, I stopped by to take some shots of the old fort.

Hope you like them.

Looking back across the parade grounds at the Commander's House, Officer's Quarters, and Battery Control Station #1.

Battery Gregg is the first of the fortifications. It housed two "rapid fire" five inch guns.

One of the two gun mounts.

The Battery Commander's Station.

The view from inside.

Next in line are Battery Harker and Battery Arnold. They both comprise the big gun emplacements.

The view of Battery Harker/Battery Arnold from atop Battery Gregg. The earthenworks sure seemed a lot higher when I was a child.

The view from behind Battery Harker. The iron stairs are still in relatively good shape, but the ironwork for the walkways and planks are long since gone.

Black powder was stored under and behind the gun mounts.

Hoists like this were directly below the gun mounts and used to bring the bags of black powder and artillery shells up to the gunnery crews.

One of the gun mounts from Battery Harker.

The Delaware River from atop Battery Harker, Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island in the distance.

Same vantage point, with some zoom lens added.

Midpoint on the ramparts.

Looking back at one of the Battery Arnold gun mounts.

Continuing past the Battery Harker/Battery Arnold emplacements, Battery Edwards and Battery Krayenbuhl are next. Once again, these were smaller guns designed for rapid fire.

Gun mount at Battery Edwards.

Just like at Battery Gregg, the Battery Commander's Station and Battery Control Station #2.

A closer view of Fort Delaware from Battery Edwards.

As children we just "KNEW" that this structure was a secret, underwater tunnel to Fort Delaware. It is, in fact, an early magazine.

Unfortunately, South Jersey was low lying land with really high water tables. Still is. The magazines at the fort proved ill suited to keeping the black powder dry. Another solution had to be found.

This was it. As uninformed little kids, we alays thought this was a rail station at the fort. It turns out it was a raised magazine, set behind the ramparts, built in 1903.

The reason we all thought it was a train station. The tracks were installed to move the black powder to the Batteries.

As is the case with any operation, the behind the scenes work helps ensure success. Communications was one of the keys. This building, located at the northwest end of the Batteries, housed the plotting room and the switchboard room.

A section of the overhead rails used to move shells, etc. from Battery to Battery.

This door leads to ostensibly the site where most of the military history took place at Fort Mott. Behind it are where one of the two original latrines were located. The incoming/outgoing tide carried the waste away.

Today the old Fort serves as a State park. Besides the history, it has picnic facilities, a huge flat expanse of land well suited to flying kites, and a pleasant view of the Delaware River.

Many of the Endicott era forts are long gone. Of those that remain, some are inaccessable.

Fort Mott, though a bit worse for the wear, is still open for those who wish to walk back into history.

It was good to get the chance to go back and do that again.

I've mined the "photo based blog" style enough of late, I now return you to commentary from both myself and the gang over there at Air Traffic Mike Heavy Industries, LLC. (the official social think tank of Air Traffic Mike).

University of Memphis Tiger Basketball is back and so is Floaty the Dead Gator.

"Hi Mike, glad to be back."

Got some news on the Tiger men's program your floatness?

"Remind me, who's your best dead employee?"

You're the carcass, Floaty.

"Sweeeeeeeeet."

Another season of madness begins.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Battleship/Drinking In Church

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:33:00 +0000

As promised I got in the Air Trafficmobile and took a trip down to Norfolk's Waterside.

I am so glad I did, too. The weather was perfect for short sleeves and a bit of touristing.

It only takes about 15 minutes to drive there via the interstate.

My first destination: The USS Wisconsin/Nauticus complex.

As I approached the building I saw a ton of folks coming out. My first reaction was, "Wow, thank God that large group is leaving.".

I don't mind crowds but given my "druthers", I'd just as soon have the place to myself. I read and look at EVERYTHING in museums and exhibits. Somebody went through all the trouble to assemble this historical stuff. The least I can do is show my appreciation by taking it all in.

That was short lived. I approached the door. A really pretty young lady, obviously a staff member, informed me that they had a fire alarm go off and an evacuation was in progress.

I always say "Adversity equals opportunity.". I wanted to get pictures of the battleship from various angles anyway, so off I trod with the camera at the ready.

I had just got off the phone with my ex (she was always up for day trips like this) when I noticed something on top of the Nauticus building.

Blue Angel A-4 Skyhawk on a stick.

I continued my walk around the pier.

The bridge.

Battle ribbons earned with the sweat and blood of her crew.

"The Lone Sailor". I really liked this statue. He's standing, facing the battleship, almost acting as a sentinel. You really can't tell if he's anticipating an upcoming journey or taking a last look at the ship after he's come home. Either way, I found it a moving piece of art.

With the fire alarm secured, the museum reopened. It is an interesting arrangement. If you wish to go into the science museum there, it costs $14.95. If you just wish to see the ship's museum and the battleship, it's free with donations accepted if you wish.

I opted for the ship and its museum. I also made a nice donation for the cause.

Inside they had different things on exhibit. I had no idea that a battleship would have silver service.

I found the history of the silver service as fascinating as the fine work in the silver itself.

There was a nice exhibit chronicling the life and service of Carl Brashear. He was the first African-American Navy diver whose life story was the basis for the film "Men Of Honor".

Another small exhibit chronicled the history of the USS Wisconsin.

The main museum was dedicated to the history of the Navy in and around Norfolk. They had some really neat artifacts on display.

It is said a ship's bell is the soul of the ship. I have no reason to doubt that. I remember when divers returned the Edmund Fitzgerald's bell to dry land. It was treated with reverence due the Holy Grail.

In my opinion, deservedly so.

They had a number of ship's bells on exhibit much to my delight.

USS Alabama BB-60

USS Breese DD-122

USS Virginia BB-13

I did have one objection to one of the bells. The USS Alabama is on display in Mobile Bay, AL. I'm not sure how it ended up in Norfolk, but I do think it would be the honorable thing to do to give the bell to the group overseeing her.

Other stuff I thought interesting:

SONAR unit. My oldest brother was a SONAR operator aboard three different destroyers during his six year hitch in the Navy. this one's for you Kev.

The ship's wheel from the USS West Virginia BB-46. Now I really want to pilot one of these.

A scale model of the USS Maine ACR-1. If you venture into Arlington National Cemetery, one of her masts serves as a memorial for the men that died in Havana Harbor in 1898.

An engine room clock.

Finally, after an hour and a half, I wandered out the door and onto the deck of the ship. I've been on various retired Navy ships and submarines. For sheer size, an aircraft carrier wins hands down. For cramped quarters, nothing can touch a submarine. In terms of heavily built, the Iowa Class Battleships win going away.

Various views of the 16 inch guns:

Of all the materials used aboard the ship, nothing surprised me more than this:

They used concrete in addition to steel on the guns.

Norfolk's waterfront has had some improvements over the years. I wanted to catch up on the games, so I wandered over to a Jillian's on the Elizabeth River. It was a typical Jillian's. However the service was sharp, the beer ice cold, and they had the NFL Package.

I really like the waterfront here. It's busy. No bones about it, the Elizabeth River is a working river.

I walked right by the Hooter's. I had no desire for what I consider average wings. However, I did enjoy the landscaping.

A look across the docking facilities at a dry dock not in use.

One berth over, a dry dock in use.

I stayed at Jillian's for the end of the early games. I was getting hungry, but I really didn't want dinner at the place.

I had my eyes on another place. My brother and sister in law pointed it out to me coming home from the hospital.

Freemason Abbey was formerly a Presbyterian church. It's now a really nice restaurant.

I really liked the main dining room.

As is my wont when dining alone, I had dinner at the bar.

I don't think the manager liked my suggestion to rename it the "Christ, I Need A Drink Lounge".

I guess that's why I'm not in marketing.

A plate of pan seared scallops, a nice dry white wine, and one football game later I called it a day.

This week, hanging out with big bro as he continues to mend.

Next weekend, the Chrysler Museum.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

It Was Either Take Photos Or Drink Beer

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

As you will see, the latter won out.

I left out of here with the intention of taking some shots around the Virginia Beach area.

I got off to a good start.

This house is down the street from my brother and sister in laws place.

Pretty obvious that Dominion Power hadn't arrived here yet. I thought to myself, "Maybe I should take a ride to the beach and get some pictures of the surf.". After all, the winds were still blowing in and I really like the beach regardless of the season.

I found a place to park right behind a seafood restaurant on Atlantic Avenue. I'm a huge seafood fan, especially shellfish when steamed.

This place specializes in steamed seafood.

I walked in, ordered up a beer, and "Clam Jam 2009" was on.

I am convinced there is no more perfect food than steamed clams. This was the first of four dozen. My beer consumption was commensurate with the clam consumption.

I can not over emphasize the importance of a well balanced diet.

Sadly, all the balance was left at the diet as the beer consumption steadily passed the clam consumption.

That would be the end of my picture taking for the day.

PUI, Photographing Under the Influence, rarely yields quality results for me. For some it works well. I've watched my friend Paul take many a picture eight beers into the day, with remakable results. Sometimes even one handed. Mine always come out looking like the camera and I were racing each other to the floor.

Sometimes we were.

So then, today I'm going to head off to downtown Norfolk, camera in hand, and take some shots around town. I think the Memphis gang will understand my desire to do so. Norfolk's downtown is sort of like Memphis', except they have a battleship in their river.

We really need to get a battleship in the Wolf River harbor. A broadside salvo on the Fourth of July would be really cool, especially when everybody in West Memphis would collectively shit their pants at the noise level.

If there really is a "brown note", I would have to think it would be the broadside firing of an Iowa class battleship.

BB-62 in all her glory.

Of the four ships built, the USS Iowa, USS New Jersey, USS Missouri, and USS Wisconsin, only the USS Iowa remains in mothball status. The New Jersey is a museum in Camden, NJ. The Missouri is a museum in Pearl Harbor. The Wisconsin is a museum here in Norfolk.

The Iowa is slumbering in Suisin Bay north of San Francisco. It is available for donation as a museum, but only under the condition she remain sea worthy. If needed for service, it would transfer immediately back to the U.S. Navy.

I think Memphis would be a dandy home for the USS Iowa.

It would have a lot of uses.

Carjacking in Midtown? No problem. With modern GPS, set the coordinates....."FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!!!".

Jumper on one of the bridges? I think the anti-aircraft guns would be able to talk them down.

Got a Pyramid you want to get rid of? Give it all nine 16 inch guns.

Melvin parking cars illegally? It woulkd be overkill, but a nine gun salvo would send a message to all the other scammers.

Like I said before, useful.

In the meantime I'm off to the USS Wisconsin to see what I can see.

Maybe this time I'll get some pictures.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air traffic Mike, ret.

....And After A Short Power Outage, We're Back..

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:25:00 +0000

Finally.

The Nor'easter that rocked the region the last three days is gone from here.

Shortly after posting Thursday's Bruce/weather blog, the power went out. Trees around the area, their root balls soaked by heavy rains, began to do what trees do best in windy, wet conditions. They began to fall on the closest power lines.

Not to be outdone, local transformers started to blow, and at least one local telephone pole decided it had taken enough of this crap.

Meh, it seemed a bit top heavy anyway.

So shortly after 6:30 pm Thursday night, the power went out.

Not much we could do about it. Bruce was safe in the hospital. They had power, just not too many employees. There were a number of roads that had become impassable due to flood waters in the tidal areas and areas where the Fall leaves had choked the drains off.

We stayed put and waited it out.

Yesterday morning bought another electricity free day, lots of wind, rain, and blustery weather. It also bought some good, albeit ill timed, news from the hospital.

They were releasing Bruce. His fever had been bought under control. With a few medical instructions to follow, he could come home. The only problem we had here was all of the roads leading into the downtown Norfolk area were still temporarily closed. There was one we knew would open late in the morning. All we had to do was wait for the Hague to reach low tide. That would take a couple hours.

Low tide came and off we went. Other than the requisite flood debris and the formerly repaired potholes where the asphalt had been washed out, the route we took was good and the trip uneventful.

The route we took led us past an area of Downtown called "Waterside".

It must be a rough part of town. In spite of all the new construction, the new houses/condos, and businesses, they had the USS Wisconsin (BB-64) keeping a close watch on the neighborhood.

I don't know much, but I do know if a battleship gives the order, "Halt, or we'll shoot!!!!", you'd best comply.

Any ship, that even 65 years ago, capable of throwing a shell the size of a Volkswagen Beetle 20+ miles and be within 100 feet of it's target deserves a lot of respect.

So do the men who served aboard her. To the veterans who served aboard "The Whisky" and the men and women of the armed services past and present, happy belated Veterans Day. Thank you for your service to our country.

We finally arrived at the hospital. It didn't take too long to get Bruce discharged. There was a small glitch that took a bit of time. After Bruce and Sis put them straight, we were on our way back home.

Unfortunately, the power was still out.

Welcome home.

We made the best of it. There were contingency plans in place should the outage continue overnight.

Bruce sat and visited with his daughter and son in law, Sis notified their friends and family that Bruce was home, and I read a 1975 book on the Watergate scandal by candlelight.

Bruce's sister in law called to tell us the electric company expected to have power restored in this area between 8 pm and 10 pm.

I took the opportunity to hit the sack. After all, it WAS 6:30 pm.

The power came back on a little after 8 pm. Bruce's cheer woke me up.

Hey, don't blame the guy for cheering. He was home, his heater was back on, he was in his reclining chair, and the HD flat screen, cable enabled, remote controlled link to all things home repair, sports, and poker had returned to the power of his right hand.

Cable television is to the "Man Cave" what fire was to the original cave.

Anthropologists will be studying that for years just as soon as the next infomercial is over with.

Sorry, I couldn't resist putting that one on the blog here just one more time.

So, to recap the events of the last 36 hours:

It's just short of 3:30 am here in the Tidewater area.

The Nor'easter has left the area.

The power is on.

We're wondering if Bruce and Donna's beach house in Nags Head took any damage.

So far, we haven't heard the USS Wisconsin fire a salvo.

Most importantly, Bruce is back home, sleeping in his own bed.

I can't worry about what comes next.

Right now, everything is good enough.

Right now, that's good enough for me.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Nor'easters And Rainy Day Stuff...

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:33:00 +0000

Nice.

Day two of a "Nor'easter" courtesy of the remnants of Hurricane Ida meeting a Canadian high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean/East Coast.

What does that mean for Virginia Beach, the southern portion of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and the Outer Banks? Heavy rains, high winds, heavy surf along the coast, and everybody's favorite......flooding.

It's been rougher than a cob here today. A lot of the roads were closed between my brother/sister-in-law's house and the hospital where Bruce is staying, Norfolk General.

We actually had to wait for low tide to drive down there due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the local waterways. Water covered many of the main thoroughfares for most of the morning.

After we got to the hospital we could only stay for about 45 minutes due to the tide starting to rise again.

Bruce was a bit sleepy when we got there. They were administering another pint of packed red blood cells to him. Given a few minutes to awaken, it was good to see his color looked better, his voice was stronger, and his level of "Walker Grouchiness" was almost back to normal.

For my readers who used to work with me, in the words of Grandmom, I "didn't lick it off the ground". We get it from the Walker side of the family.

We're simultaneously amazed and aggravated that none of you can read our minds.

Apparently we're the only ones who get it.

All y'all at MEMT thought I was just being mean?

Sheesh.

All I ever did was take the handling of people's lives seriously and wonder why you couldn't read my mind.

Ask the folks I hung out with away from work what I'm really like.

However, I digress.

With Bruce sort of getting back to being Bruce, we expect he'll be home by Saturday at the latest.

Don't let that fool you. He's still a very sick man. His "normal" these days is a far cry from the Bruce of old.

We could care less about that. He's still with us. We can still sit and talk to him. His mind and his tongue are as sharp as ever. He still has that big sense of humor, that passion for doing the right thing, and that big heart that belies a sometimes gruff exterior.

Sound familiar former co-workers?

So anyway, the wind is blowing about 25-40 knots tonight. For those not familiar, a "Nor'easter is a low pressure system that goes over the ocean, stalls, and pumps cold, wet air that comes in from the northeast. Low pressure systems rotate in a counter clockwise fashion.

The waves are crashing into the beaches from the Outer Banks northward to the southern portion of the Eastern Shore. Branches are down all over the place. Signs have been blown down.

Know what? Here at Bruce and Donna's place we're making the best of it. Bruce is being well taken care of. Sis and my nephew Chris took the opportunity to go to their rooms and take a well earned nap each. I put a pot roast in the crock pot this morning and am putting the finishing touches on it now.

For all concerned, it isn't perfect, but it isn't a bad compromise all things considered.

Where I come from it's called "Counting your blessings".

I hope all of you are doing the same and if not, get the chance to today.

In the end, the way I see it, it is all we have.

Random thoughts on a stormy day.

Until next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air traffic Mike, ret.

More On Bruce

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:21:00 +0000

Yesterday was a much better day for him.

After terminating the first blood transfusion Tuesday night due to a temperature increase at the halfway point, they were able to give him a pint on the second try.

He was groggy when I arrived there yesterday morning. Sis and his daughter were already at the hospital.

I stayed for a few hours in the morning. I started to feel kind of poorly, came back to his house, and took a nap.

It was a much different Bruce in the afternoon when I got there at 3:00 pm. He was feeling better, alert, and fairly chatty.

He ate a good bit of his dinner. The last couple days he sort of picked at every meal.

Hopefully Sis and I can get him up and out of bed for a little bit today.

From what the doctor said we expect him to be in the hospital for at least a couple more days. They have to make sure his fever spikes are over. His temperature stayed pretty close to normal most of the day. A change of catheter seemed to help quite a bit.

Knock on wood, but I'm hoping we're on the upswing. We would love to see him in a position to take a chemotherapy treatment this week. It doesn't look likely, but the way these things go it's hard to predict.

I'm thinking about having him write a blog here when we get him home. I don't know that he'll do it, but I'm going to offer him the opportunity.

In the meantime it's time to get ready to drive through the remnants of Hurricane Ida (now a stalled nor'easter off the Outter Banks) to the hospital to see what today will bring.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

The Latest On Bruce

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:41:00 +0000

The last 48 hours have been busy.

As most of you are aware, my older brother Bruce has been fighting colon cancer for the last 5 1/2 years. Two years ago it metastasized into his lungs. Then it metastasized into his liver.

A friend of mine, upon hearing the news, said to me, "Man, he's had a tough year.".

Honestly, tough doesn't begin to describe it. He's undergone chemotherapy. He had that interrupted twice by two bacterial infections. Each one of those left him in the hospital for a week to ten days followed by a recover period lasting six to eight weeks. During those periods he was unable to take chemotherapy due to the fever, infection, and healing needed to continue on.

Tough? I rate it as "brutal" at a minimum.

Monday morning came and brought more "brutal" with it.

He woke up with a fever of almost 102F. We all figured it was one of two things, either the flu or another infection. Neither one of these had any upside over the other.

His wife told him he needed to go to the emergency room. He refused.

I went back and told him he needed to go to the emergency room. He still refused.

His daughter arrived and told him he needed to go to the emergency room. He still refused.

He told us that none of us were doctors, he was fine, and that we needed to leave him alone.

Sis had given him ibuprofen. His fever broke, temporarily as it turned out, and he was pretty sullen for the day.

By late afternoon the fever had returned. He was dizzy, nauseous, and his color was no good. He didn't have the strength to fight going to the hospital.

He didn't have the strength to get to the car either.

Sis and I had to assist him the twenty feet to the living room. I went out and pulled the car across the lawn, right up to the front door. We got him in the back. Sis took the wheel and took it right across the rest of the yard, onto the street, and right to the emergency room at Norfolk General.

The ER folks were outstanding. He went past the lot of people with flu like symptoms and into the back. One look was pretty much all they needed.

The nurse took his blood pressure and temperature.

His BP was 77/41.

I'm not kidding.

77/41

That pretty much locked him in at the number one slot known as, "Next??????????".

They took him to the back and placed him in a bed in the "Critical" section.

It was now around 6:00 pm. The nurses came and took blood for tests. Soon he had IV's hanging off him, followed by three different antibiotics. They ruled out the flu via one test. It was another infection. They didn't know where, hence the broad spectrum of antibiotics.

He was having some pain. The catheter he's currently attached to didn't seem to be working as well as it should. The nurse worked on the catheter and in the meantime gave him morphine for the pain.

This went on for quite a while. Finally he settled in.

Around 9:45 or so, the doctor came back. Definitely an infection of unknown origin or location. Bruce would need a transfusion because his blood counts were off and his pressure remained low.

Ever the optimist, Bruce asked if he'd have to schedule to come in for a blood transfusion or would they give it to him at his oncologist's office on the next visit.

He was hoping he could leave.

The doctor informed him that wouldn't be necessary seeing as how he was admitting Bruce to the hospital that evening.

None of us like hospitals, my brother included. I gotta give him credit though, he tried.

It would take another three and a half hours before we got him upstairs. By the time they got him settled in, it was just shy of 2:00 am.

Yesterday, after sleeping in a bit to recoup, Sis and I got to the hospital around 11:00 am.

His blood pressure was still low so they were pumping him full of IV solution at the rate of 1 litre/hour. That little pump was running on full tilt. Antibiotics were given through the day as well.

He rested comfortably most of the afternoon. However, because of the amount of fluid they gave him, his hands and face became slightly swollen. That got him a little upset.

They started the transfusion at 6:00 pm. It called for two pints at a rate of one pint/3 hours. The nurse warned of the possible side effects including chills, dizziness, and chest pains. If any occurred while she wasn't there we were told to notify her.

The first hour and a half went okay. He's a very sick man so ups and downs are to be expected both physically and mentally. At the 1 1/2 hour mark he started to get uncomfortable and his mood changed to "quiet". Ten minutes later he started to shake. It looked like some of the tremors he's had over the last few weeks. Five minutes later it was obvious he was having some distress. He was shaking and complaining of feeling cold.

The nurse came in, took his vitals, and called the doctor.

The doctor ordered the infusion stopped immediately.

His temperature had risen, his pulse rate was high, and his blood/oxygen level had come down a bit too low.

It was tense for a few moments. He was not feeling well, was obviously frustrated, and like the rest of us, concerned over what had happened.

At this point we still don't know what happened.

Bruce's daughter and son in law had left prior to this happening and his sister in law left shortly after the nurses got things under control.

Sis and I stayed until he settled back in. He started to get sleepy and his vitals had returned to a comfortable level. We left around 9:00 pm.

She's back up there this morning early. I'm heading there in about an hour.

We're hoping today will be a better day for him. We're also hoping to find out what's been causing this latest infection and what we'll need to do about it.

Before I go, I just want to thank the Lord for my brother's wife, in laws, son, and daughter/son in law.

If a man's life is measured by the love around him, then truly my brother Bruce is the most blessed man I know.

I also want to thank my friends in New Jersey, especially my best friend Pat, my old college buddies that follow me over on Facebook, my ex-wife who lets me vent, and a special thank you to the Memphis gang.

Like I told our good friend Paul, I'll see you guys/gals in Memphis as soon as I can.

Time for me to hit the shower and make the sojourn back to the hospital.

Until next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

1860 Bank Barn: In Memoriam

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:13:00 +0000

This is by far the most photo intensive blog I've ever posted.

Enjoy the show.

Let's start by saying I'm a huge fan of old buildings. The workmanship, the materials used, the quality, all of which are difficult to replicate these days.

Okay, damned near impossible.

As many of you know, in June I travelled to New Jersey to assist my best friend in the post storm clean up of his farm.

Trees were down everywhere, each one more dangerous than the next. The barn was damaged. Just how badly damaged, we weren't sure. It would have to wait. We needed to re-establish order and safety to the grounds.

Initially we thought the barn might be salvagable.

Sadly, that was not the case.

After exhausting all avenues, my best friend with left with one option. The barn would have to come down.

I can't tell you how hard that was to swallow for Pat. Besides being a storage building, a home to chickens, miniature horses, occasional livestock, and once upon a time "Blink" the blind bull's crib, it was Pat's place to go. He'd put a lot of hard work, time, and capital into saving it.

It was sort of like a "man cave", but just a lot more rustic and bucolic.

Initially we were going to take it down ourselves, but a better idea came along. An offer came in to take it down. I'll spare y'all the boring details.

I'd like to think that there are few books written on how to take down a barn. It has to be done in a meeasured and well thought out manner. It was going to be a big project. The crew that came in obviously understood this. From talking to them, especially the man heading up the crew, we knew pretty quickly that they were coming in with a plan.

They went to the barn and got to work. Like many projects on a scale this size, it was done in phases.

They started by taking a small section of the roof off to see how to best approach that problem. It came off relatively easy, so they moved on to the next step.

They removed some of the wood. Figuring out how to take a building apart is just as difficult as it is to build one if you wish to keep a good margin of safety.

Next they worked on a system by which they could sort and stack the various pieces that would be coming out.

While they were working out the kinks on how their system would work, I figured I'd go into the bottom of the barn and get some pictures of the failed foundation.

Maybe not my brightest idea, but I WAS wearing my digital camera for protection.

As you can see, the south wall failed right in the middle. What you don't see is the same section of the north wall had failed also. It was the north wall's failure that led to the demise of the structure. Water had weakened it over the years. When the 75+ knot winds hit the north wall of the barn, the north wall of the foundation couldn't take the pressure.

By day's end they had figured out their plan. The barn would be coming down in sections starting from the east end.

The next weekend, they got to work in earnest.

The value of an old telephone company cherry picker can not be over estimated. It provided the men a significant advantage and high margin of safety.

Like I said, they worked on the weekends. The above pictures were taken on Sunday. The next day was one of those gorgeous Fall days that makes one appreciate the change of seasons. I took the opportunity to take pictures from the inside of the barn. I wanted to capture some of the workmanship that led to this barn lasting 149 years.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves for a bit. I have included some later pictures in this section to further illustrate just how well this was built. Please click on them to see them full sized. You'll be glad you did.

Week three. The third phase would entail removing the remainder of the siding from the south wall and removing most of the remaining metal roofing.

Phase Four would entail dropping the second section of the barn. With all the siding and roofing removed, one of the men went across the roofing ribs and cut them one by one. Next, the foreman went up in the cherry picker and cut the headers and supports with a chainsaw.

A rope was tied to the apex of the structure, another to the northeast corner. The other ends were tied to a truck.

The truck pulled on the structure. It took a bit of effort. Here's the actual footage.

At this time I'd like to state for the record that at no time were any chickens injured during the filming of this clip.

The crew broke for lunch. We took the opportunity to go up and visit with them a bit. Nice group of fellows. While Pat was talking to the head of the group, I took some more shots of the work in progress.

I'd been in this barn well over 100 times over the years. I'd never noticed these scribed marks until the light of day hit them.

It doesn't any more "old school carpentry" than that.

The work continued on until late in the afternoon. This was the weekend for the "Big Push". The weather was perfect and the crew was on a roll. Pretty soon the third section came down. The guys were hauling and stacking wood at a brisk pace.

Pat and I were up at the house. I was at the sink. I looked out to see the last remnant of the barn standing.

Out of habit, I took a shot of it.

A little while later we heard that all too familiar noise.

I walked outside, camera at the ready.

And with that, that beautiful old barn was no more.

Doc couldn't bear to go down there. I couldn't blame him. He'd put a lot of work and money into that structure. It was special to him. It was a piece of history that he'd personally saved. It was a dying structure when he accquired the place. Most folks would have probably just gone ahead and torn it down. He would have none of that. Despite his best efforts, it was now just a memory.

I took my camera down to the site after the crew had packed up for the weekend.

It took a bit of effort for me not to well up. I took my pictures and then walked around the site to take it all in.

The above are by no means all the pictures I took of the project. For the sake of space I limited the number of shots I included.

Having said that, I'm going to post up just a few more.

First, all the stall doors from the south wall. These were taken on a day somewhere in the middle of the project. I found them interesting in their similarities and contrasts.

From left to right on the foundation:

Now then, just to give you folks an idea of what real lumber looks like.

Try getting one of these at your local lumber yard.

Not so impressed?

Here's the side view:

Like I said, this thing was "old school carpentry" all the way.

Prior to our departure, Splitty the Maul asked to have his picture taken by the remnants of the foundation.

No prob, Splitty. I'm always glad to hook a brother up.

In closing, I'd like to take this time thank Doc.

Doc, over the years we've worked on a myriad of projects. With this barn I was afforded the opportunity to have a hands on experience with history. From the Summer evening when we "chased" the pigeons out, the winter storm in 2003 when we installed the mercury vapor lamps during a blizzard that left 42 inches of snow over a three day period, the times we had to muck the stalls on the east end, to the mortal blow it was dealt this June past, to its demise last month, I've learned from this building. I'm grateful I had the opportunity to do so.

Thanks for having me along for the ride.

As for the rest of you good folks, i hope you enjoy the pictures and take the time to really look at them close.

It was beautiful to look at, but its real beauty lied in the details.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

.....And Sometimes We Cook

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0000

One of the greatest pleasures I've had on this trip has been the opportunity to cook with my best friend.

Pat is an excellent amateur chef. I know a lot of amateur chefs, myself included. I have to put him at the top. He's relentless when persuing perfection. His crab cakes are superior to any other attempt I've tasted.

Don't even attempt to argue that point with me. Everybody I know has their own crab cake recipe. I've tried every one of them. They've all come up short.

As is my wont, I took pictures of our adventures in cooking.

So then, I present to you a gallery of Doc Lloyd and Air Traffic Mike's "Culinary Adventures 2009".

Beef ribs marinated in red wine, light soy, herbs, and cayenne pepper.

The ribs after smoking/slow cooking on the grill for three hours

Doc roasted these fresh South Jersey red bell peppers to accompany the ribs. The balsamic vinaigrette was a hit.

I took charge of the potatoes. Diced russetts, white onion, sage, thyme, garlic, black pepper and salt. Roast at 400F in a preheated cast iron skillet for 25 minutes.

Sometimes you just have to take advantage of what's in season to plan future meals.

"Tomato Frenzy 2009". We put up 150 pounds of ripe South Jersey Roma tomatoes for the Winter.

Speaking of what's in season, who doesn't like fresh blue claw crabs? Bet you've never had them this way.

Doc Lloyd presents "Mom Lloyd's Fried Hardshell Crabs". These are hard shell crabs, mashed down between two plates, and sauteed in butter. We made a lot of these through the Summer.

So what did we do with the claws?

I took them to the pot with a proprietary blend of beer and spices. Hey, I'm not going to give away all of our recipes' secrets.

One fine Saturday the good Doctor and I found ourselves at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.

I spied and purchased this prime(real USDA Grade Prime)rib:

It was the best $185 I've ever spent.

After being generously seasoned using our own prime rib seasoning it made its way to the rotisserie.

Prime rib at rest. Medium on the outer cuts, rare in the middle.

At the other end of the meat spectrum....

Scrapple! Note the ingredients. It's the pork snouts that keep it moist.

Speaking of pork remnants, "Air Traffic Mike's Southern Fried Chicken"!

The motto: "Where the bird from the yard meets seasoned flour and lard."

More comfort food:

My version of Shepard's Pie using garlic mashed potatoes and a parmesean cheese topping.

One of the nicest treats were these:

Fresh figs from the side yard.

On yet another excursion into Philly, we found ourselves in the Italian Market and nearby Oriental Market. As always, we came home with the truck fully loaded.

Bread from Sarcone's Bakery. They make a "tomato bread"(flat bread with a pasty thick tomato sauce) that is to die for. This day, having already had something to eat, we just got some nice crusty loaves of fresh Italian bread.

Next stop, Fiorella's to pick up some Italian sausage. If you're thinking, "Hey, that guy looks like he's worked there all his life.", you're right.

We got to Esposito's shortly thereafter. It was a tough choice between the calves feet and the Kobe burgers. After careful consideration, we opted for a case of the Kobe burgers.

We hadn't been to the Oriental Market in some time, so we loaded up our supplies from the Italian Market and made our way over there. The Oriental Market has a lot of stuff, most of which you don't see in American grocery stores.

They have a wide selection of rice, most of which are available in 50 pound sacks.

I'm a big fan of the barbequed duck and pork.

They have an unusual assortment of live "seafood" in the back.

Live bullfrog. There used to be a sign that read, "Not For Pets", but apparently they finally got their customer base to understand the concept.

They have a fine selection of fresh shellfish.

Live crab. It doesn't get any fresher than, "It was swimming when I bought it.'.

Not quite as fresh as his family pictured above. It doesn't get any deader than, "All eight are pointing up.".

Fancy and fresh is nice, but sometimes good old fashioned oven recipes are called for. We hit the first cold spell of the Fall.

"Air Traffic Mike's Chicken Pot Pie". Cast iron skillet is preferred, but onion soup crocks work nicely too.

Speaking of onion soup....

Doc showed me how to make a small, quick batch for two to four.

One fine day we decided to make some meatloaf. Neither of us could agree on the ingredients. "The 2009 Meatloaf Challenge" was on.

I went first, gathered up my spices and seasonings, and made this work of art. Satisfied I had things well in hand, I went upstairs to shower up.

When I came downstairs 20 minutes later, Doc presented this masterpiece:

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the 2009 Meatloaf Challenge Champion of the World!

On yet another trip to Philadelphia, these fine young crustaceans waved at us:

Aren't they cute?

We thought so too. They looked cold so we took them home and gave them a nice hot bath.

See? All nice and clean.

They eventually made their way into "Doc Lloyd's World Famous Lobster Thermidor". You've never had better because better doesn't exist past this point.

One of our more interesting meals was when Doc, in a moment of sheer insiration, ordered a case of hanger steak through a friend of ours. If you've never had hanger steak, do yourself a favor. Try one. Prepared properly, that being not more done than medium rare, you'll never have a better tasting piece of beef. Better than ribeye, strip, and filet.

We bought ours untrimmed. The price was less than $2.00/pound. I would remind you that is a wholesale price for the whole piece of meat, fat, scrap, and all. Even so, after some deft trimming by the two of us, our cost was still only $3.50/pound.

We trimmed four whole pieces, yeilding eight pieces of steak. Doc took four, I took four.

"Iron Chef Pennsville - Hanger Steak Battle" was on.

Doc opted for a chinese BBQ based marinade, I opted for my red wine/soy/ginger/garlic marinade.

Doc's entry draining prior to hitting the grill.

Doc's entry on the left, mine on the right.

The outcome? Close, but Doc prevailed with me casting the deciding vote. The Chinese BBQ left a really nice crispy char on the outside and the five spice seasoning went very well with the meat. Not overbearing, just a nice background to a very, very tasty and tender piece of steak.

Our last big foray would be one of my favorites. "Pat and Mike's Cream of Mushroom Soup". We were up near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania on some farm business. Kennett Square is the "Mushroom Capital of the World" by their own boast. I doubt the claim of the world, but they are indeed the "Mushroom Capital of the United States".

We stopped at one of the local growers who sells retail. We left with 3 pounds of fresh shitake, three pounds of fresh portabella, three pounds of fresh oyster, three pounds of fresh crimini, and three pounds each of medium and stuffer white button mushrooms.

How fresh were they? We waited while they cut them. All of them.

A lot of people make cream of mushroom soup using chicken stock or vegetable stock as their base. We don't. We make mushroom stock.

Sautee the stems, carrot, celery, thyme, and bay leaves in butter.

Once softened, add cold water and simmer.

Melt butter to sautee the caps.

Think we're going to have enough to share?

Believe me, the mushroom caps will cook down.

After the caps cook down, add flour and cook on low to make a roux.

Strain the mushroom stock and add to the caps/roux mixture.

Simmer until reduced by 1/4, add cream. Heat until just before it reaches a boil.

Serve with crusty bread and a medium dry white wine.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm full.

In spite of all the heavy lifting and hard labor we endured over the Summer, what you see above is what we did to relax. Neither of us has ever found cooking to be an onerous chore.

The nice thing was that I learned a few things from Doc and he from I. We've always worked well as a team. We put together some wonderful meals and more importantly made some more memories.

It doesn't get much better than that.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Meanwhile, Back In Virginia.....

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:10:00 +0000

One thing I'll say about road trips, there's always something to see if you look hard enough.

Splitty the Maul was looking forward to a return trip to Virginia.

He was buckled in and ready to go.

NOTE: Splitty ALWAYS wears his seat belt.

Now remember, Splitty has had some fun adventures in Virginia and some not so fond memories.

Such is life for men and mauls.

We crossed over the Delaware Memorial Bridge into New Castle, Delaware.

Splitty was on the lookout for cool roadside stuff.

It didn't take long.

He pointed out a Catholic church off our right. I grabbed my camera and one handed the shot while driving. I took this picture:

This is quite possibly the largest aluminum BVM* in the history of BVMs.
*Blessed Virgin Mary

I don't care where you're from, THAT'S a lot of recycled beer cans out there blessing the highway.

Due to the amount of weekend traffic, the inherent dangers of driving and taking pictures simultaneously, AND the really inherent dangers of making fun of the Virgin Mary I decided that it would be best to put my camera down for the remainder of the trip.

Splitty said the Rosary and asked God to forgive me.

Things like that make Splitty an invaluable wingman on road trips.

We got to Virginia Beach by late afternoon.

Bruce was able to take one of the two chemotherapies he's been taking on Thursday afternoon. He was a bit tired, had a sore throat, and his color was still off. His spirits were good however, and all in all I thought he looked pretty good. He hadn't slept well Thursday night, but honestly none of us have slept well of late.

I was just happy to see him again. He still has a lot of fight left in him. That's the Bruce I've always admired. In high school he won cross country races over better competitors many times.

They had great legs, but they didn't have his heart.

On the golf team he put away some of the best high school golfers in the state. They may have out driven him, but they didn't have his mental toughness or his finesse on the green.

He's still fighting. He's sick, but he perseveres.

It is both breathtaking and humbling to watch just how hard he is fighting this match.

I just wish it was taking place on a golf course instead of inside his body.

Our oldest brother came down yesterday as well. Today it is college football, visiting with each other, playing some poker, and cracking jokes on one another.

Just like we've always done.

No disease can take that from us.

Ever.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

One For The Highway

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:39:00 +0000

Diet coke?

Check.

Scrapple and cheese sandwich from the Italian Kitchen?

Thanks Gino.

Check.

Splitty the Maul?

Check.

Okay kids, color me "gone".

Until the next time, live from Virginia, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Homeward Maybe.........

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:18:00 +0000

Tomorrow morning at "0 dark 30" I'll be heading south to Virginia.

My work here, at least as much as I was able to complete, will be done.

Honestly, I've been stressed out this week. My older brother was unable to take chemo this Monday past. His blood numbers were way out of line. He's become jaundiced.

The doctors performed some liver function tests. He'll get the results today.

I fear for him. If the cancer has entered into his liver there is little the doctors can do but make him comfortable until the end.

For those of you who left me spirited messages on Facebook regarding the Yankees beating the Phillies in the World Series be advised I deleted them.

I've not had the time or disposition to talk baseball or shit talk baseball since I got this news.

Baseball is a game, cancer is not.

So then, my trip back to Memphis begins. My time in Virginia will be based on the needs of my brother and his family. He may end up being okay and my stay will be brief. If not, then I'll be back in Memphis when I can.

Either way, for my Memphis friends, I'll let you know.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Stand By Me

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:22:00 +0000

I had this forwarded to me this morning.

I think it is, without a doubt, the most creative music video I've ever seen.

Ben E. King would be proud.

Safe for work.

Enjoy.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Now Leaving The Top 25 For Good......

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:52:00 +0000

"Ole Miss".

Better luck next year.

The Home Stretch

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 09:17:00 +0000

Another month down.

Huh.

It seems just like yesterday that I set out on this six month sojourn. The warming breezes of Spring were just beginning to yield to the hazy, hot days of Summer. The Memphis Championship BBQ Contest was still the next big thing on the Downtown gang's radar screen.

It wasn't for me. My road led elsewhere. At that time I thought I knew exactly where it would take me.

A summary.

I set off, headed eastbound on I-40. Nashville came and went in a blur. Soon I was sailing over the Cumberland Plateau. The flowering trees dotting by the millions the darkness of the woods. Knoxville was in my rear view mirror in the next blink it seemed. A night in Bristol. Rest and some well earned beers.

I-81, I-64, Virginia Beach. Five weeks of tending to my brother. For him, rest and healing. For me, five weeks of making up for lost time since we parted company in 1977 when he joined the Navy.

50th birthday celebration for the older bro, health returning if only fleetingly, cruising down the highway for Nags Head and the beach. I'll be home in less than a week, mission accomplished.

Phone call from best friend. Trees down, damage beyond description. Help!

No Memphis for me. Something even better. Five weeks with my best friend and his family. Big trees broken. Barn totalled. Chainsaws running six days a week. Heavy lifting, brush hauling, asleep by 7:00 pm. Fishing, crabbing, boating somehow squeezed in after working and on the one day off. Primary work completed, plans made to finish job in Fall.

Finally time to go home. Hazy, hot days in full swing. A cooling stop in Asheville, NC. The dark, foreboding Smoky Mountains at dusk. Cold beer, live Irish music. A bartender named Susie I'd met on a previous trip the year before. Closing time! Let's go! Wine by the pool. Skinny dipping at 3 am. Obliged!

A "See you next time." that will never come.

*wink*

Why is it called a "one night stand" when most of it happens laying down or on your knees?

I-40 westbound. The Summer heat baking the Interstate turning roadkill into jerky.

Home. Three weeks. Friends, fun, rest. Phone call.

"Bruce has another bacterial infection.".

Back to the East Coast. Late nights of worry. Pacing, thinking, praying, wondering. Long days of healing. He responds well to treatment. Time to finish work up in New Jersey.

Barn starts coming down. Maintenance work for two weeks. The hazy, humid days of Summer get pushed aside by the brusque winds and rains of Fall. Soybeans, green yesterday, gold the next. Wood, lots and lots of wood to be split. A Phillies game and a 16th birthday. Two new puppies. Wood to be split. Soybeans brown and harvested. Some knee maintenance. More wood to be split. Healing.

Not much more wood to be split.

Whew!!!!!

Today I'll finish up the remaining black walnut here and get as much of the cherry next door as I can. Tomorrow, God and weather willing, I hope to get the rest of it finished up.

The good doctor has a follow up appointment early this week coming up.

Doc's gonna need a good wheelman again.

As always, it's my pleasure.

The nice thing about entering into the home stretch is that no matter how I get there, I always take time to enjoy it. On my last week of work I took the time to savor every last minute of it. I knew that I'd never do it again.

This week I find myself doing the same. The main reasons for this trip are circumstances that I pray will never be repeated.

Should it happen again, I am prepared to respond accordingly.

Again.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Air Traffic Mike vs. Filet Mignon And Some Philly Art

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:28:00 +0000

The good Doc had some business to attend to yesterday in Philadelphia.

Nothing big, just some maintenance on his left leg. He needed a good wheelman to get him to and from.

Glad I could help.

Seeing as it would be an early appointment, we went up Wednesday night. Doc picked out a restaurant for dinner.

Doc knows food.

It was another of our famous "Beef Runs". We went to a place called appropriately enough, "The Prime Rib" at the Warwick Hotel.

I had the 10 oz. bone in filet mignon. Note Doc's prime rib in the foreground. It really is THAT big. I had a small sample. It is now the benchmark by which I'll measure all other prime rib.

Yesterday, while Doc was getting his stuff done, I had the chance to walk down Market Street towards City Hall. I didn't get all the way to it, but I walked a significant distance.

Philadelphia is a city of art. Most people don't realise that, even some of those who live close by.

So then, here's a small sample, taken by yours truly, on an eight block walk down Market Street from 38th Street to the 30th Street Terminal.

"The Consultation". University of Pennsylvania Presbyterian Hospital.

Untitled located in the Science Center.

"Face Fragment". Science Center.

Untitled. Campus of Drexel University.

"Mario The Magnificent". Campus of Drexel University.

Paul Peck Center. Okay, so it's not a piece of art. It is a magnificent piece of restoration work on the old Centennial Bank building built in 1876. Campus of Drexel University.

"Anthony Joseph Drexel", partner of J.C. Morgan and founder of Drexel University. Campus of Drexel University.

Soon my walk took me just south of Drexel's campus. I arrived at the 30th Street Station.

30th Street Station was a part of the old Pennsylvania Rail Road system. Amtrak calls it home now.

I hadn't been in here since 1966 when my great grandmother took the train to go see her youngest sister in Hartford.

But that's not why I went.

This is why I went. I went to see this piece of art. This statue is dedicated to those Pennsylvania Rail Road employees who lost their lives in the Second World War. It is a magnificent tribute to those men. Take a good look at the faces of the angel and his charge. It's as if he's trying not to cry as he carries out his duty. I tried, but I couldn't hold back the tears. My Dad and Doc's Dad both fought in that war. The young man in the angel's care could have easily been either one of them.

Citing the time, I took a cab ride back to the hospital.

Doc was good to go about an hour later. We stopped at a tavern on the way home, had a couple of killer roast pork sandwiches and got home late in the afternnoon.

Today it's back to the splitter and tending to Doc. He'll be on crutches for a few days, but he'll be fine.

Enjoy the artwork.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

"I'm Splitting In The Rain.........

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:31:00 +0000

.....just splittin' in the rain.
What a damp and soggy feelin',
I'll not be dry again."

Whew.

Yesterday's and today's weather has been less than ideal for any outdoor activity.

The "sealand" container was ACTUALLY supposed to be delivered today. The company called and inquired about the conditions where the container was to be placed. I walked down there.

Much too soggy to attempt a delivery today. There was a slim chance it might have worked, but the odds were greater that the truck would get stuck. No doubt it would have left large ruts that would require us to go back and fix.

"Not worth the risk" was my decision.

I went down to the splitter. The rain had stopped temporarily. It was slippery, but not unmanageably so.

I lost yesterday due to the rain, I wasn't prepared to lose another day.

So today, I started splitting the largest of the pieces we cut. Solo. These things are massive. The job was barely within my comfort zone in regards to safety.

To give you an idea of the sections' size here are some pictures.

Me standing behind the unsplit trunk sections.

Me standing on a trunk section set up at the splitter.

If I slip and one of these lands on top of my leg it will shatter it like a toothpick.

I finally called the operation to a halt at 1:00 pm. The rain stopped but the area I was working in finally muddied up to the point where safety became an issue. At least for a one man operation.

I'm off to the shower. Doc and I have another project tomorrow up in Philly. It is mostly in order, but we have some things we need to discuss and get set up.

I'll be back here late tomorrow or early Friday with the next blog.

Until then, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

Decisions, Decisions.......AND A FUMOT!

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:16:00 +0000

Normally I have little to no difficulty making a decision.

I was a professional "decision maker" for over 25 years.

So what's the rub?

It's sort of a three pronged situation.

A job opening is coming available after the first of the year. It is a contractor job to provide training back at my old place of employment, the Memphis Air Traffic Control Tower.

To say it's "right in my wheelhouse" is a major understatement.

I'd be doing some tracking work but mostly running the simulator in the Radar Simulation Lab. I'm very familiar with the lab. I wrote and developed most of the scenarios when I was medically disqualified for two years.

How good of a job did I do?

By the time I was finished with it, controllers and staff alike would stop in the Lab for various reasons and ask, "Is that live traffic on the scopes or one of the scenarios?".

One day I was beta testing a scenario in which a squall line of thunderstorms crosses the airport during an afternoon inbound. Two of the Support Specialists looked in, saw the "weather", and ran upstairs to close their car windows.

Sadly for them it was 85 degrees and sunny outside.

Oh yeah, one more thing. We reduced training time on live radar by a little over 30%.

The work is low stress. The pay is okay, around the mid 50K range. The co-workers already working there are some of my favorite people hands down.

So what's not to like?

The hours. After six months of retirement I find I like the hours retirement offers. I would prefer to work part time, maybe three days a week. That's not available.

Another offer became available as well. The pay is off the hook and it would be the adventure of a lifetime.

It could also prove fatal.

Presently, American contract controllers handle air traffic duties in Afghanistan. The money is in the 160K+ range with a large portion of that tax free. A two year hitch would be a nice post retirement boost. It also offers living quarters, travel to and from back home during the leave periods taken, and all the danger one can stand.

I have no fear of dying, just the desire not to.

Still, it is a compelling offer.

Then there's a personal situation. I have this woman friend. She's floated in and out of my life since two years after my divorce. We get along marvelously. We're alike in many ways and just as different simultaneously.

Right now she's sort of in a state of flux. With my returning home soon, it would be easy for me to have her join me (move in), let her get some focus, and see where it goes from there.

My gut feeling is it would work out very well. I'm just not sure if she wants to move back to Memphis. I'm sure I'd really like to stay there.

Guess that puts us both sort of in a state of flux.

Two of the options are doable simultaneously.

Come to think about it, she actually might entertain the idea of going to Afghanistan as well.

It has all been cascading through my brain for the better part of the last five days. Sleep comes in pieces. Last night I had to get out of the house and get a change of scenery so I could think.

With the Eagles playing the Redskins on a big screen TV at my 12 o'clock position, I hardly saw any of the game. I ate 7 wings out of the 24 and don't remember anything about them.

I hope I didn't eat any of the bones.

A "sounding board" would have been nice, but my best friend wanted to stay in.

I had no problem with that. It was probably best anyway. I wasn't very good company.

I'm still not today.

Contract job, dangerous contract job, and a home lifestyle change.

Not a "full plate" but three pretty big choices off the "Buffet of Life" table.

The saving grace is ultimately I don't have to do any of them and I'll still be just fine.

Its just that the possibilities are so tempting.

I'll figure it out.

Just not on this rainy Tuesday morning while waiting for a "sealand" container to be delivered.

Before I go, here's a FUMOT for the Saucer gang.

Any lower it would be in its own hole.

See you guys soon.

Until the next time, all y'all take care of yourselves.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.

.....And This BULLSH@T Answer Is More Acceptable????

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:08:00 +0000

?

Go. Both of you just go. Get a job where you both can only kill yourselves due to your character flaws.

Laptops over passengers?

Are you kidding us?

Good luck with that.

I hope the two of you never fly again, period.

You don't deserve to.

Once Upon A Time Before The Internet...

noreply@blogger.com (Air Traffic Mike) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:45:00 +0000

I wonder who I'd get if I called this number today?

I guess I'd have to use this.

For the record, the phone above is in fact original to the house. It is no longer connected (obviously), but the magneto is still inside and hooked up to the crank.

Note: the painting is an original by Dr. Lloyd of his beloved late dog "Hokie". He was as fine a dog that ever trod a farm.

Miss ya boy.

Air Traffic Mike, ret.