My Great Uncle Robert Mansell was KIA over Palau on August 28, 1944. 

He was a gunner in a B-24

https://www.facebook.com/groups/266750903815982

Always amazed at how young the crew is in the pictures on the facebook page.

-Dan

My wife read something interesting.  Apparently Trump might have an alterior motive with renaming the Gulf of Mexico.  From what she read some of the crap that Biden signed to ban drilling is only related to the Gulf of Mexico, not the Gulf of America….

-Dan

NY Times just called NC for Trump

I live at an airpark just across the N.C. line in Tennessee.  It is a mess here, but NOTHING close to what Western N.C. got.

I didn't even realize that we are completely bound by the mountains and the Nolichucky River.   The storm took out (temporarily) every single bridge that lets us get in or out.  Fortunately, they have managed to get two back open.  My 15 minute drive into town is now 45, but at least I can get in/out. 

We lost water, internet and power.  Thank goodness I put in a whole house generator after the Texas ice storm (right before we moved up here).  We got power and internet back late yesterday afternoon.  An amazing effort by the line crews considering how much infrastructure was gone.

Not sure what the ETA is on water, but I'm sure I'm not smelling the best, and really want a shower.... 

Overall we are extremely fortunate.  No property damage to speak of, and just an inconvenience.  I'm really afraid the death toll is going to climb a bunch.  Our local community facebook page is full of posts looking for missing family member .  Houses gone, destroyed, etc. 

The bridge down the street that was destroyed had water at the top when it went.  It is normally about 60-70 feet above the water level.  I would have never believed it was possible to crest that brige.  I've been through a lot of huricanes in Texas, but never seen anything even close to this.

-Dan
-Dan

Just finished and did first flight on my RV-14A.

Wife has been very patient since we have been plane less for over a year (sold the other plane a little too soon).

Anyway, we are looking at a couple day trip to Mackinac this summer sometime.  Went years ago and it was really nice.  Would love to do the grand hotel, maybe we will splurge for it.

-Dan

Sorry your cruise got spoiled Dan.

Thanks, we are obviously disappointed, but absolutely nothing compared to the Israelis.  Feels way more personal being this close.  Plus I’ve been talking with our guides for several months getting things setup.  We feel like we have friends that are involved.  Quote from one of our guides, after we cancelled and told him we would be praying for him and Israel.   Got to admire the determination:

“It is what is is
We are counting casualties
No much options.  Harsh Times.
The next few days Hell will be largely provided.”


-Dan

I think that by far, the biggest catastrophe of the COVID episode was the closing of the schools.
I'm hearing that the military is finding it even more difficult to find recruits that can pass the written tests.  It was bad enough when the fat kids couldn't pass the physical test.  We not only screwed the younger generation, we screwed every generation that will depend on those younger kids for generations.

RDS fought that more than anyone and was accused of abusing kids.

My company is in high schools all over the country, so I see a pretty decent cross section of kids around the country.  We are going to be paying for closing down the schools for the next 20+ years.  And, as frequently is the case, the kids that could afford it the least, got impacted the most.  We had schools closed for three months (~March - May) up to almost 18 months. 

I'll never forget what one of my really good teachers told me.  This school had been closed for 18 months and was just starting up again.  He was just beside himself at how many of his students were gone.   No record of what happened to them, or were they went..

These are the impacts of Covid that no one talks about....

-Dan