ROCK, ICE AND ALPINE JOCKS

Billed as a “web site for the committed!” this is a pretty neat climbing site and worth a check. The layout looks minimalistic, but click on in … some good stuff. Go to PSYCHOVERTICAL.COM

PEARL HARBOR VICTIM ID’D

A neat little item from the American Forces Press Service. You can read the entire story HERE.

The gist of it is that a once-unidentified sailor killed in the Pearl Harbor attack was laid to rest March 29 with full honors and a grave marker bearing his name, thanks to sleuth work by a Pearl Harbor survivor and U.S. Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command's (JPAC) expertise.

The sailor was Seaman 2nd Class Warren Paul Hickok of Kalamazoo, Michigan, who was 18-years old when he was killed during the December 7, 1941 sneak attack.

Ray Emory, a Pearl Harbor survivor and researcher who has spent the past 12 years trying to help match names to unknowns, was the sleuth who put it together. Emory is 84.

Nice story, and a nice “never leave anyone behind” tale.

SOUNDS LIKE A VACATION

If I have to read one more story about how well Jill Carroll, the kidnapped journalist was treated, or hear another f-----g interview of her talking about going to the bathroom and not being hit, I’m selling my tickets for Florida and vacationing in Iraq.

Sounds like she had a f-----g party for three months. And Ms Carroll lose the Arab headdress crappola. You’re an American, try and look like one.

“Where you going, now that you won the Superbowl?”

“I’m going to Baghdad.”

Hey, lookit. I’m glad we — and she — were spared any head chopping, but you’re free now, honey, you’re gonna make a million on the lecture circuit, and you KNOW the book deal is already signed and the movie rights are in the wings, so say thanks, go home, shut up.

Jesus.

CAN YOU SAY “STARVING IRANIANS”

No? How about “Glowing Iranians?”

Ahhh, finally. Payback’s a bitch.

Iran announced it will, in no uncertain terms, NOT stop its nuclear program pissing off even the UN folks, who will now impose economic sanctions. (Theoretically at least. We’re not exactly talking about an organization that gets anything accomplished.)

So: starve or have the Israelis nuke you before you nuke them. Hmmmm, let’s think about this.

Buzzzzzzzz. Times up. Buh-bye now.

This is what happens when you let whack jobs and fundamentalists of ANY stripe take over your life.

And to think Persia was once the center of the world.

GAS PRICES

A neat little gizmo for finding the cheapest gas. When it comes up on the screen, scroll down. There’s a small area to enter your Zip code and you’re off.

Go HERE.

AN OBSERVATION: COMBAT VS. RACING

An interesting interview on IndyCar.com included this comment from Rahal/Letterman team driver Danica Patricks discussing the death of her teammate Paul Dana last weekend.

I mention this because it seems applicable to the job combat troops have. I’m not comparing the occupations (or the remuneration!), just the “head” involved. There’s a certain combination of fatality and ego in combat troops and it seems as if race drivers have it as well.

You know you “could” die, but you also “know” it’s going to happen to someone else. Anyway, BS philosophy aside, here’s Patrick’s take on racing.

“I’m OK. I’m not more scared that I’m going to die. It’s just [the] underlying thing that everybody knows. Everybody knows that we’re sort of tempting it with what we do … That’s my job, and that’s what I’m going to keep doing.”

For those interested, a memorial fund has been set up in honor of Paul Dana. Donations can be sent to:

The Paul Dana Memorial Fund For Renewable Energy
c/o National Bank of Indianapolis
107 N. Pennsylvania St., Suite 100
Indianapolis, IN, 46204

THANKS AGAIN IVAN

A few days ago, a story broke about the Russian Government having tipped off the Iraqis prior to our invasion.

WHAT they tipped them off about, and WHO they tipped off isn’t quite clear, but , nonetheless, LRRP’s World would like to formally request the Russians to tip off the next people we have to invade.

MORE NON COVERAGE - BODY ARMOR

Not too long ago the media was practically foaming at the mouth over the lack or insufficiency of the body armor the troops were getting.

Well, in their usual never-follow-up-a-story style, here’s another one the liberal media has chosen to ignore.

US Marines in Iraq who have been flooded with the new plate sets since the media hoo-hah about inadequately covered troops (and Hummers) have by-and-large opted not to wear the new plates if given the choice. Some Marine commanders have made wearing the plates mandatory.

Apparently the 10 pounds the plates add to the ground pounders already-60 and 70-pound loads don’t exactly help their mobility, something the guys KNOW is essential in combat.

"Before you know it, they're going to get us injured because we're hauling too much weight and don't have enough mobility to maneuver in a fight from house to house," said S/Sgt Thomas Bain of Buffalo, NY, who is assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. Bain was quoted in an Associated Press report. "I think we're starting to go overboard on the armor."

The height of the body armor controversy was gleefully reached and reported in the media when some American GIs confronted the Secretary of Defense over the issue. That the confrontation had been a set up, was not reported, nor will this be except when buried amongst the adds for “gentlemen’s” clubs.

NEXT TO HANG FROM AN OVERPASS

This was reported by the Associated Press on Saturday, March 25. Of course, since it didn’t have anything to do with letting dogs bark at terrorists, or Muslims blowing each other up, it made the news pretty much no where. Too bad the scumbags responsible weren’t found hanging from an overpass. At least the media would have had to say they were hung because they defaced a sign honoring an American hero.

This lovely little tale is out of a place called Cheshire, Massachusetts, about 140 miles out of Boston in the state that continues to elect a murderer as its senior senator, and who bring new meaning to the word waffle. A f-----g lovely tale.

The words "oil," "Bush," "Christian Crusade" and other phrases were written in black marker on a brown metal trail sign honoring Daniel Petithory who was killed December 5, 2001 in Afghanistan along with two other Special Forces soldiers when a U.S. bomb landed about 100 yards from their position north of Kandahar. Petithory was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart.

STAY AWAY FROM MOTORS

Interesting little cautionary tale.

The man who flew a hang glider over Mount Everest (something that "couldn't" be done), Angelo d’Amigo, and who also crossed the Sahara following the path of desert eagles, and crossed Siberia following Siberian cranes, all via non-powered flight, died in an airplane accident at an airshow in Italy on Sunday. He wasn’t piloting the craft.

D’Amigo’s last project was to release two condors he had been training to fly. He had previously soared over Aconcogua and picked up the fledgings during that journey.

Condolences to his wife and three children.

SALUTING

Here’s a letter I received from an SF buddy on the subject of whether vets should salute or place ther hands over their hearts. My bud got the letter from the administrator of the Special Forces Association. Sounds like a good idea to me.

“ “Military Officers” magazine asked veterans what they preferred, hand over the heart or saluting. When last I looked, some 583 veteran respondents had voted 81 percent in favor of the salute. In addition, my email address was in the questionnaire and I've had about 150 responses, with all but a dozen or so in favor of the salute. Obviously an overwhelming majority of the veterans want to salute.

There are no regulations telling us veterans what we can and can't do in this matter. If we decide we want to salute, who will dare to tell us no?

It is a matter of personal choice. We've earned the right to render a salute. Now the challenge is to get the word out. I believe the unit and branch associations are the best way. The commanders of the American Legion and VFW never answered my emails, presuming they even got them. If we can get this started it will take on a life of its own. Those who object can continue the hand over the heart thing. Gradually the custom will change, as well it should.”

Pass it on.

PAUL DANA DIES AT HOMESTEAD

IndyCar Series driver Paul Dana died Sunday after a horrendous accident during a warm-up lap at Homestead Raceway in preparation for the Toyota Indy 300, the opening bell of the IndyCar Series season.

Dana, who was making his first appearance for the Rahal-Letterman team after recovering from a broken back suffered last year, hit Vision Racing driver Ed Carpenter after Carpenter slid into the corner two wall and had almost come to a full stop. Dana appeared to have hit at nearly full speed, which would be in excess of 210 mph. Carpenter was kept over night at the hospital, but is expected to be okay. Dana, a Rookie of the Year contender this year, was from St. Louis. He was 31 years old. Carpenter, of Indianapolis, is 25.

Rahal-Letterman DNF’d Dana’s teammate’ cars (Buddy Rice and Danica Patricks) for the race. The opener was won — literally by less than a foot — by Dan Wheldon (Target-Ganassi-Honda-Dallara) who beat Helio Castroneves (Mobil-Penske-Honda-Dallara) to the line in an incredible wheel-to-wheel (with a touch or two) battle.

My condolences to the Dana family.


NASCAR NEWS

Race five of the Nextel Cup was held at the infamous Bristol half-mile, and the race was the usual survival test: crashes, mangled cars, short tempers, more mangled cars and more crashes. There were 18 yellow flags, two shy of the record that has been reached three times.

Oft maligned comeback kid, Kurt Busch driving the Penske Miller Lite 2 car, pushed race leader Matt Kenseth out of the way with three laps to go, and held off Kevin Harvick for the win. Kenseth and Jeff Gordon, who was running fourth at the time, pl,ayed tag resulting in Gordon dropping into the 20s, as well as some pushing and shoving after the race.

It was an all-Busch weekend — little brother Kyle won the Busch race Saturday. He also finished in eighth today.

Points leader Jimmy Johnson cut a tire early and was never a factor.

The points lead swung quite a bit: Kenseth now leads with Kahne eight points behind. Johnson, Martin, K. Busch, Earnhardt, J. Gordon, Mears, Stewart and Jarrett, round out the top 10.

THIS WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS

Remember the show TW3 (That Was The Week That Was)? Just a thought.

From the folks at Musician’s Friend.

Beethoven died in 1827 this week.

This week in 1968 Otis Redding’s “The Dock of the Bay” hits number one on the charts, but Otis had been killed in a plane crash three months prior.

The first rap song, “Rapture,” by Blondie hits the top of the charts in 1981.

There’s a bunch more, some pretty cool, so check the Website.

STUPIDITY IN PRINT, OR …

They’ll believe anything as long as we write it.

Okay, if you read here you know I rail against the mainstream media on a fairly regular basis for their inability to report, preferring to pontificate. So here’s a good one:

“Iraq Violence Kills 56 Iraqis; Wounds Many More”

If I ever handed this into a professor or editor anywhere in the world in order to obtain either a mark or a paycheck, I’d be booted out either’s door faster than you can say “Tom Cruise is a cultist.”

Wounds “many more?” Obviously this is a result of the media’s prior fascination with the former occupant of the White House, because that surely is Clinton-esque semantics.

Let’s define wound. Let’s define many. Is many some, a few, five, three, 40, 100, 1000?

And everyone involved — the person who wrote the story, the person who edited it, the person who wrote the headline, and the person who put it on the wire — is bringing home paychecks.

Let’s hear it for accuracy in media.

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES

Or whatever Forrest Gump said. I believe this story ran in The New York Timnes under the heading of “Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight” or somesuch. I’d heard about this last week and it slipped my mind, but I just saw it again on the SCUTTLEBUTTweb site.

Anyway … two US Navy patrol boats — get this — the USS Cape St. George (CG 71; a guided missile cruiser) and USS Gonzalez (DDG 66 – a guided missile destroyer; I believe a cruiser is bigger than a destroyer) returned fire on a group of suspected pirates in the Indian Ocean, killing one and wounding five, approximately 25 nautical miles off the central eastern coast of Somalia in international waters on March 18.

Here comes the fun part:

The suspected pirates opened fire on the Navy ships first.

Cape St. George and Gonzalez returned fire with small arms in self-defense. One suspected pirate was killed and a fire ignited aboard the main suspect vessel. Boarding teams from Cape St. George and Gonzalez took 12 other suspects into custody, including the five injured. The Navy boarding teams also confiscated an RPG launcher and automatic weapons. No U.S. Sailors were injured in the engagement.

Ya gotta love those crazy pirates!

IT’S A FAMILY AF-FAIR-AIR

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Courtesy of the DoD, here’s a family story you’re unlikely to hear.

First Sgt. Steven P. Crawford was reunited with his stepdaughter, Lance Cpl. Beverly A. Thornhill, at Camp Fallujah where she has been stationed for seven months.

Thornhill, a 20-year-old embarkation specialist assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 8, just finished her tour at Camp Fallujah. Her father is just starting his tour here at Camp Taqaddum, a base west of Fallujah.

Thornhill’s mother, Master Sgt. Marguerite F. Crawford, is assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 13 in Yuma, Arizona, and is there now taking care of a younger daughter, Anna.

Damn. Semper-f-----g-Fi!

THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE?

Not when you start out with nothing but lies.

Go to this PAGE at Military (dot) Com for an article from the Atlanta Constitution regarding the Pat Tillman death. Tillman was the Army Ranger who had enlisted after turning down a lucrative NFL contract and died during a firefight in Afghanistan. The US Army awarded him a Silver Star for some heroic deeds, but it turned out he was killed in a friendly fire incident.

The lies kept piling up and too many people knew what was going on, and now the Army is in its fourth investigation, and some heads — from generals on down — should start rolling.

The warrior code is based on honor and integrity, and there was a hell of lack of either characteristic in this story. The article indicts the Army as an institution, which may be too broad a brush, but is not an argument without merit.

It's ALWAYS harder to keep track of lies than to accept the repercussions of telling the truth.

My condolences — not that they mean all that much — to the Tillman family.

MUCHO COJONES

I always knew test pilots from Chuck Yeager on up had mega balls, but I never really thought about the testing that has to go into getting “plain old” civilian aircraft ready to fly me and you around the world. Well, HERE is a video of Boeing test pilots landing a 747 and a 777 on some hidden air strip in Brazil (I think it’s Brazil, because the accompanying print seems to be Portugese). It’s really incredible to think that an airplane is strong enough to withstand this kind of abuse. I've been told the testing is to prove the strength the engineers said the plane will have is really there. Amazing stuff.

If you’re a afraid of flying, watch this. If your next pilot is half as good as these guys, you’ve nothing to worry about.

MOTORSPORTS

For those that missed yesterday’s Malaysian Grand Prix (the second race of the season), it’s starting to look positively 2004-Ferrari-esque for Renault. Alonso came in second and number two driver Giancarlo Fischella scored the win, with Button (Honda), Montoya (McLaren) and Massa (Ferrari) filling out the top five. Takuma “Search and Destroy” Sato put on a superb show of driving in a four-year old Super Aguri, ending up with a fourteenth place.

In NASCAR, the Atlanta 500 was rain delayed and just wrapped up at around 2:45 p.m. East Coast time today. Casey Kahne in a Dodge took the win (the first time — to the day — since 1977 that a Dodge has taken the race. King Richard was driving). Martin, Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Stewart filled out the top five. Robby Gordon had third locked until his tires went with about five laps to go. Johnson, Menard, Petty, Jarrett and Sorenson filled out the top 10. Good runs for the seventh through tenth place cars.

ASIAN RECORD CIRCUIT

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Ellen MacArthur, she of fastest round-the-world solo time, has embarked on a series of runs that will set various pace records for distances in and around Asia. The record attempt will be run with crew and will use her distinctive 75-foot tri, “B&Q.”

She is looking to establish new records between Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore –a total distance of around 4,505 miles, the equivalent of sailing from England to Mexico. The first run — from Yokohama, Japan to Dalian, mainland China via Jeju Island, South Korea, start March 25.

To follow the attempts go to TEAM ELLEN.

FIREPOWER

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USMC regimental Combat Team 5, stationed at Camp Fallujah, got the first shipment of the new M-32 sixshot 40mm grenade launcher. This will replace the single-shot gun that fastens under the M-4/M-16 as well as the stand-alone M-203, both of which have been around since the Viet Nam War.

The M-32 is a modified Milkor MGL-140 with additional features like the buttstock, sights, foregrip, etc. It can put all six rounds on target in under three seconds, and can fire "normal" M433 40mm grenades or specialty rounds. Specialty rounds include HELLHOUND rounds with twice the lethal radius of the M433, which will breach doors and kill anything behind them; DRACO thermobaric rounds; and even HUNTIR rounds with cameras in them that descend on a parachute and send back video.

The Corp has reportedly ordered 9,000. Good hunting, guys.

F-14 MEMORIES

Photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Michael Cole. The Blacklion (Fighter Squadron VF-213) F-14D Tomcat (aircraft number 201) is being flown by Lt. Ken Hockycko and Lt. Roy Emanuel off the USS Theodore Roosevelt

Some interesting video — especially some interesting viewing angles — of the famous F-14 Tomcat. The last squadron goes out of business September 2006. The video has a nice tribute to all the different squadrons towards the end, there’s a shot of the first ejection, the music is “Out Here in the Field,” and the video can be found HERE.

Trivia question: Who has the largest remaining F-14 combat fleet?

Answer: Iran.

WHAT'S IT GOT TO DO WITH SEX?

For the fifteenth time, the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization (ILGO) was not allowed to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Contrary to what you will/have read/heard, the Grand Marshall of the parade, John Dunleavy, did NOT compare gays to Nazis or the Klan. What he said was if there was a Jewish parade, Nazis wouldn’t be allowed to march and if there was an African American (I hate that African American crap, but I’m trying to be civil here) march they wouldn’t allow the Klan to participate. That’s a bit different than “comparing” ILGO to the aforementioned.

Here’s what I want answered, and if you can give me ANYthing resembling a logical answer I’ll back you to get in to next year’s parade:

What the hell does St. Patrick’s Day, Irish heritage, Ireland, green beer, bagpipes, marching bands, the color green or ANYthing having to do with the parade have to do with sexual preference?

That’s a simple question. If you can come up with an answer I’m all, er, heterosexually ears (versus homosexually ears).

(BTW. I do have a question of lesser import. How come it’s “lesbian” and “gay,” not “gay” and “lesbian?” Wouldn’t “I-GLOW” or even “IG-LOW” be a better acronym than “ILL-GO” or I’LL-GO?” Just asking.)

JUST IN CASE YOU’VE STILL GOT YOUR HEAD UP YOUR ASS

More on Iraqi involvement with the terrorist community prior to the invasion. You won’t see any apologies OR any references to any of this anywhere else, so you may as well read it HERE

By the way: This is a follow up to something I wrote about on January 15.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

101st JOINS IRAQI 4th IN MAJOR AIR ASSAULT

(Photo by SFC Antony Joseph, USA)
Soldiers from the Iraqi army's 1st Brigade, 4th Division (reportedly 800); the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team; and the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (reportedly 700) conducted a combined air and ground assault to isolate suspected insurgent operating areas northeast of Samarra.

Attack and assault aircraft provided aerial weapons support for the operation and also delivered troops from the Iraqi army's 4th Division; the "Rakkasans" from 1st and 3rd Battalions, 187th Infantry Regiment, of the U.S. Army; and the "Hunters" from 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army, to "multiple objectives" according to a Multinational Force Iraq statement. Forces from Iraq's 2nd Commando Brigade then completed a ground infiltration to secure numerous structures in the area, officials said.

More than 1,500 Iraqi and coalition troops, more than 200 tactical vehicles, and more than 50 aircraft participated in the operation, according to the MNF-I statement.

ALAS POOR JANE...

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Meanwhile back in 2006 ... some dopey Dems in Georgia wanted to honor Jane Fonda for all her charity work, seemingly forgetting or ignoring that the broad once encouraged the NVA to shoot down us mean old Americans (among other activities).

Although her office tried to stop the proposal, Georgia Republicans pushed it forward so they could vote it down.

Hail Georgia.

If you'd like to read the text of a speech she broadcast at the time go to THIS SITE

OUTDOOR NEWS

A recap of some of the things, people and stuff having to do with the world of outdoor adventure.

PEOPLE
Roz Savage, a 37 year old, five-foot, four-inch rower crossed the finish line of the ATLANTIC ROWING RACE 2005 on March 13, 2006, 103 days and 2,550 nautical miles after she started. She was the final competitor to complete the Canary Islands to Antigua race. There were 26 teams entered, only two of which were solo and Savage was one of the solo rowers. Her craft was 23-foot carbon fiber boat and of the 26 boats that started only 20 finished the race …

STUFF
Here’s a NEAT KAYAK if you’re into speed and have the arm strength and spinning coordination to make it work Foiling … I made something similar to these for a rowing shell, but this one took the design and made it SMART AND WORKABLE. If you’re looking for something to get those sea kayaks, canoes, shells, etc., down to the water without dropping a nut (or whatever it is women drop when they’re straining) check out this site. Prices are right, too ... we don’t have a lot of rivers around here where this would work, but I’ve talked with these guys and if they get out in this direction, I hope to be trying this on, say, the UPPER HUDSON. It’s called River Boarding and it’s Here

THE MOST AMAZING THINGS …

Turn up your speakers and go HERE

This is one of the most amazing things I’ve EVER seen, the music rocks, and if you don’t clap when it’s over there’s something wrong with you.

BTW: The guy’s name is Chris Bliss.

CONNING AMERICA

This is too long to reprint in its entirety, but THIS is a piece entitled “CAIR: Islamists Fooling the Establishment.” CAIR is the Council on America Islamic Relations, and the article is by Daniel Pipes and Sharon Chadha, from the Spring 2006 edition of Middle East Quarterly.

I guarantee you’ll end up with your mouth agape.

IT’S CALLED AN OFF SWITCH

The FCC fined CBS television a record $3.8 million for ostensibly showing teen orgy/group sex shots during an episode of "Without a Trace." CBS denies any wrongdoing and said it will appeal the fine.

I don’t know about you, but that show’s going on my must watch list!

Seriously, this is going a bit far. I didn’t see the episode, but I seriously doubt there was anything shown beyond the intimation of sexual activity. These fines can be brought (over 300,000 backlogged claims were settled along with the CBS one) by as little as one complaint from a viewer. For instance, Fox-TV was fined when something called the Parent Television Council expressed its displeasure when bubblehead Nicole Richie and co-bubblehead (and dumb as a fox!) Paris Hilton used two profane words.

Heart be still. Two profane words, Janet Jackson’s breast … Good Heavens.

I’m not a big defender of the press’ use of the first amendment to defend virtually everything it does because I DON’T believe we have a right to know EVERYthing. But, if this isn’t a first amendment issue, then I don’t know what is.

If you don’t like what you’re seeing or hearing, there’s an invention called the on/off switch.

IS IT JUST ME?

Or does anyone else get the inherent humor in the fact that Mike Wallace, long time 60 Minutes talking head, is being hailed as some kind of journalistic enfant terrible?

He’s f------g 88 years old, and he’s the best mainstream journalism can come up with as an idol? The people lauding this guy are the same ones who were calling Ron Reagan “senile,” “too old,” etc. The Gipper was 78 when he FINISHED being president in 1989!

And I don't give a CRAP about "he's as clear as a bell," or all the other age-justifying Aesopian fabling. I'm 32 years younger than him and I'M not clear as a bell, so don't give me any of THAT BS.

Jeez. No wonder liberals haven’t a clue.

EVEREST 2006 SCORECARD

There are, by my count, some 40-odd teams heading for the summit this year. This includes commercial teams, teams for diabetes, teams for double amputees, teams from America, Russia, Poland, Spain (the most it looks like with five), Ecuador, Northern Ireland, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, India and more. There are teams climbing for world peace, to put the first teenagers on the top and one huge group from the 7 Summits Club (said to have 30 clients and 43 support personal).

The going price for a commercial Everest expedition is around $65,000, a number that hasn’t changed dramatically over the past 10 years or so. You can do a three-week trek to ABC (Advanced Base camp at around 21,000 feet) for around $6,000 not counting airfare, etc.

The weather window — he said forecastingly — looks to be mid-May, but there will be earlier times (like this week) when the jet stream will be in an ideal position.

AND ANOTHER THING …

I love auto racing. Formula 1, CART/IRL, Rolex cars, NASCAR, Busch (sometimes), Craftsman (sometimes) … hell I even watch the shows on cable that tell you how to build, customize and hot rod cars. So yeah, I like auto racing.

With that in mind, aside from keeping track of goings on on Everest, I’m also going to keep you all informed about what’s going on in the wonderful world of wheels as well. Mostly open wheel stuff, but I’ll posts winners and big losers in most of the wheel sports every Monday.

For those of you who missed it (6 a.m. on Speed, live), the Bahrain Grand Prix kicked off Formula One season with Renault driver Fernando Alonso, the current world champ, beating the former world champ, Michael Schumacher by 1.2 seconds, which isn’t close in Formula One. The best performance was by a a rookie (first season, first race named Nico Rosberg driving a Williams> He started at the back of the field and finished seventh.

The nice surprise was American driver Scott Speed who drove his first race for Scuderia Toro Rosso (Red Bull), He finished a lap down in 13th. The photo above comes from Renault

ONE I MISSED

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(The above photo of Mount Suribachi in the distance is by U.S. Navy Journalist 2nd Class Brian P. Biller. That’s the USS Essex in the background)

Though I did note the battle of the ironclads Monitor and Merimack on March 9, I unfortunately neglected to note that March 8 marked the 61st anniversary of the Battle for Iwo Jima.

Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) along with Sailors from USS Essex (LHD 2) and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) paid a visit to the volcanic island of Iwo Jima to support the 61st anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima on March 8.

A ceremony was held with veterans of the battle, from both the United States and Japan. Sailors and Marines from the Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) used Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) from Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5 Detachment Western Pacific and helicopters from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 262 (Reinforced) to “storm the beach” with equipment and personnel to support the annual ceremony.

Members of the ARG climbed Mt. Suribachi to look down upon the landscape of one of the most storied battles of World War II. Several Marines and Sailors reenlisted upon the famous sands of Iwo Jima, atop the legendary flag-raising mount.

For a full report by Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Brian P. Biller, of the USS Harpers Ferry Public Affairs go to The Navy News Stand

CAN’T SAY IT ANY BETTER

"Hollywood is...about self: self-congratulation, self-promotion, and above all, self-protection. This is human and basic, but let's not kid ourselves. There is no greatness there in the Kodak Theater. The greatness is on patrol in Kirkuk. The greatness lies unable to sleep worrying about her man in Mosul. The greatness sleeps at Arlington National Cemetery and lies waiting for death in VA Hospitals. God help us that we have sunk so low as to confuse foolish and petty boasting with the real courage that keeps this nation and the many fools in it alive and flourishing on national TV." — Ben Stein

MAYBE THEY’LL FLY INTO MILWAUKEE NEXT TIME

That’s if there’s any buildings tall enough. Wisconsin senator Russ Feigold wants to officially censure President Bush over the domestic terrorist wiretapping.

Uh, Russ, the only thing I can say is I hope this bites you on the ass when you push for the presidential nomination. Civil libertarian, my ass. You’re getting your 10 minutes of fame. Go have a beer and leave the rest of us alone.

THE SEASON STARTS

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It’s that time again: the climbing season on Everest gets underway. Check in here every once and while — I’ll be posting news briefs of what’s been happening on Cholomunga this season.

Everest photo by Peter Potterfield from the Zone Network.

WHO’S OUT OF TOUCH?

It has long been said that those folks living “east of the Hudson River” and “west of the San Andreas fault” were out of touch with the rest of the America … which in many circles is called “the big fly over.”

Well, the “big fly over” votes with their pocketbooks and if the following is any indication, those people “west of the San Andreas” really don’t have a clue. I always knew they were talented people whose thoughts I rarely wanted to hear, but this is a look at how their arrogance hurts them the only way they can be hurt: economically. I thank the Patriot Post for doing the legwork on this. The numbers in parentheses in the first paragraph are their ranking on the money-earning chart.

“In Hollywood's estimation, the "Best Picture" nominees were Brokeback Mountain (26th), Crash (49th), Munich (64th), Good Night, and Good Luck (89th) and Capote (100th), in order of each movie's box office gross—in other words, America's opinion of these pictures. In all, Hollywood's Fab Five grossed $235,643,912 and averaged $26.3 million in profits.

“On the other hand, the top five picks according to the rest of America were Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Chronicles of Narnia (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), War of the Worlds and King Kong. These films grossed $1.41 billion and averaged $125.4 million in profits.

“In fact, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a film based on one of Christian writer C.S. Lewis's Narnia books, grossed more than all five of the Academy's nominees combined.”

WHY WE SHOULD STAY IN IRAQ

Here’s an erudite explanation, which if read beginning to end, presents a difficult-to-argue-against dissertation on why it behooves us and the stability in the region to stay in Iraq for the immediate future.

No matter how liberal or conservative your views, I suggest reading THIS.

Unless, of course, you’re too blind sided by the fact-less opinions of others.

50 KNOTS

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The Sailrocket is a one-off boat designed for one reason: to break and keep the sailing speed record. At present, the record of 48.70 knots (56 mph) is held by Irish boardsailor Finian Maynard (set at Weymouth, UK on April 19, 2005). Speedrocket is gearing up for a 50 knot run (58 mph). These speeds are the average of two runs over a 500 meter (1640 feet) course. The Speedrocket has already hit 28.1 knots (32 mph) in 18 knots (21 mph) of wind and is merely awaiting the next gale to blow through before attempting the new record.

Speedrocket is designed by Malcolm Barnsley and Paul Larsen. The latter is the craft’s pilot. For more on Speedrocket go HERE.

…AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT …

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According to a report from ABC News, an Iranian government spokesperson speaking about the UN taking Iran before the Security Council over its nuclear program, a move that could result in economic sanctions against the renegade government, said: "The United States has the power to cause harm and pain. But the United States is also susceptible to harm and pain. So if that is the path that the U.S. wishes to choose, let the ball roll."

SKYDIVING

Check out this site for some truly high quality air action. It’s a promo for an in-production movie and features a woman named Roberta Mancino (above) who is described variously as an actress, model, porn star, calendar girl and Playmate. The above is the only shot of her I could find with clothes on (for decorum sakes), but the video has some nice skin (mild) and some high-energy jumping. The music and commentary is lousy, but this is worth watching.

Truck1

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LEST WE FORGET

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An e-mail making the rounds recently concerns the Shafer, MN truck driver, John Holmgren, who, along with his wife Amy and the assistance of an outfit called Applied Graphics from Fargo, ND, turned his semi into a rolling memorial for the victims of 9/11. The picture above doesn’t do it justice, but for some more shots go here

The odd thing about this e-mail is that it only made it to my computer today and I was able to track down a Department of Defense story about it dated May 3, 2004! National Public Radio didn’t cover it until September 11, 2005, and I couldn’t find any references to it after a not-so-thorough search of any “mainstream” media.

Ya think it was ignored by the media?

Be still my heart!

NEWS FROM THE SARACENS

And Sometimes a .45 Round in the Mouth Gets Rid of a Headache.

Today’s Al Jazeera reports that: “Sometimes dictatorships, despite how merciless and unjust they could be, are needed to protect their nations from the disaster they could face if a civil war broke out.”


No Connection Whatsoever

Both Al Jazeera and Kavkaz Center, a Chechen/Muslim website, ran a story about five Iraqi women who were in New York to demand peace in Iraq. Not mentioned in either story was that everyone’s favorite mom, Cindy Sheehan, was back for 10 more minutes of face time. You think there’s an international conspiracy going on?


The Art of Going Wrong With Confidence

The Teheran Times lead story: “Iran’s logical diplomacy calms atmosphere at IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency].” This brings to mind American writer and naturalist Joseph Wood Krutch’s quote that “Logic is the art of going wrong with confidence.”


HOLL-ee-wood

A Canadian-based website named Jihad Unspun has this for its members: “… an exciting lineup for March with dozens of uncut clips and some very special feature films including the brand new release … of the Last Will of Abu Abbas Al-Janoobi, the 911 Martyr responsible for the Pentagon attack with English subtitles.”

There’s more, but you get the, er, picture. As I keep saying: you can’t make this stuff up.


If It Walks Like a Duck …

On Friday (March 3) an Iranian student who graduated from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) last year, drove a Jeep Cherokee Laredo into a crowd of students to “avenge the American treatment of Muslims.” They charged this mutt with something like 18 felonies, including eight counts of attempted first degree murder, but none of charges included anything to do with terrorism.

But I’m sure I’m the only one that didn’t hear anything about this. Right?

WANNA PLAY?

For the next couple of years expect to see (when the media decides you CAN see) new pics of the famous (from our POV; infamous from the bad guy’s POV) JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munition). These are the precision 500-, 1000- and 2000-pound bombs that were a mainstay of every opening segment on every evening newscast when this version of the Gulf War started.

JDAMs are actually a guidance system that is attached to the bombs so the entire package is very cheap to produce … well, relatively. For you or I they represent a not-very-expensive new car (I’m talking mid-size or smaller)… but, hey, what price can you put on precision target acquisition?

Future upgrades to the 10,000-unit order will include a laser sensor for finer target correction and the ability to hit moving objects, according to a report in Defense Industry Daily.

Can't you picture Major T.J. "King" Kong (Slim Pickens in Dr. Strangelove) riding one of these puppies down?

Yee-hah!

TIN SOLDIERS AND NIXON COMING …

Speaking of centers of ostensible higher academics (see below), the Supreme Court just ruled that colleges and universities cannot keep military recruiters off campus as a means of protesting the war.

The justices noted that if the school receives Federal money, they must allow military recruiters on campus, just like any other recruiting agency.

According to a report in the Christian Science Monitor “Supporters of the law schools’ position were undeterred. "We're disappointed with the legal outcome of the case ... but this unanimous opinion is a call to arms to the law school administrations across the country," says Chai Feldblum, a law professor at Georgetown University and a board member of FAIR (Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights). The organization hopes “to see every single law school helping students to organize protests" against military recruiters on campus, "because the Supreme Court has told us that the way to exercise our First Amendment beliefs is by speaking out more."”

Four dead in O-hio … Four dead in O-hio …

I was in Nam when Kent State happened and I distinctly remember the conversation we had: “Only four dead? Musta been NGs," said one of the team. At the time, NGs, the National Guard, was composed mostly of people trying their best to stay out of the Southeast Asian War Games.

Oh, and Professor Feldblum: should a Kent State like situation arise … make sure you have the courage of your convictions and lead from the front.

NEW GUY FOR LRRP’S WORLD MUST READS

What started off as research on wireless technology for one of my magazine columns eventually led — as searches on the Internet are wont — to a guy named Mike Adams. Adams turned out to be a tenured criminology professor (i.e., it’s Dr. Mike Adams) at the University of North Carolina (Wilmington). He is also known nationally as a conservative commentator, and most importantly, a chronicleer of the academic establishment who has a wit and manner of expression as sharp as a razor honed Sykes Fairburn. And seemingly as lethal.

Being that I’ve long maintained that the major problem with journalism today is what is taught by the Dr. Phillip Barbay’s of today’s J-schools, Adams give me hope that just maybe there is a vein of reality at work in the loftier halls of academia.

Regardless, I like reading this guy, and you will too.

Be prepared to spend some time reading, but have a taste here

PLEASE, RELEASE ME, LET ME GO …

An editorial in today's WAPO notes (here's a surprise ... again) that Gitmo should be closed. The editorial carries the subtitle, “The U.S. Has an Obligation to the Prisoners It Is 'Releasing' Overseas.” The single quotation marks refer to the fact we’re releasing these mutts to other prisons, usually in their home countries, and usually a whole lot more unpleasant than Gitmo was ever going to be.

Meanwhile, the Arab world's version of WAPO, Al Jazeera, lead todays news with a story about Gitmo titled "They Forced Me To Pray Towards America, Not Mecca" or a reasonable facsimile thereof. The inmate says that US MPs pointed him the wrong direction.

Okay, class, repeat after me: "The sun rises in the east and sets in the west."

Uh, boo-hoo, boo-hoo. Bite me on all counts.

WHO’S NOT OBJECTIVE? WHO’S NOT CONSISTENT?

An Associated Press reporter, Tom Raum, writing about President George Bush’s trip to Afghanistan sees it this way even if the Prez DID say ol’ Shorty would be brought to justice someday. The reporter’s take? “Analysis: Osama Haunts Bush in Afghanistan.”

The upside is that at least there’s no question of any “alleged” subjectivity on Raum’s part. Conveniently Raum also identifies Shorty as the architect of September 11. You absolutely KNOW this guy has written something somewhere questioning the validity of the government’s claim regarding that, but, hey, as long as it fits your topic who cares about consistency …

As funny as this is, it brings up the consistent talking-out-your-ass-and-mouth characteristic of most Dems and other erstwhile liberals. These are the people who are screaming about the government (i.e., Republicans) allowing an Arab company to receive a US port operations contract.

These are the same people who say that checking any Arab looking/speaking individual getting on a plane is racial profiling (or stopping only black/white motorists when looking for a black/white criminal is the same), but apparently it’s okay for them to indict a complete Arab business as a terrorist front and not be guilty of racial profiling.

Ya gotta love ‘em.

And to think, nearly half the voting public does.

YOU NEEDED A POLL TO TELL YOU THAT?!?

A poll conducted in Iraq amongst nearly 1,000 US servicemen, funded by Le Moyne College’s Center for Peace and Global Studies, arrived at a startling conclusion: over 70 percent thought it was time to get out of Dodge.

The head of the pollsters expressed amazement over the poll results.

The poll was conducted without Pentagon approval, but supposedly with the knowledge of zone commanders.

Show me a soldier who WANTS to go to - or be in - a war and … well, I’ll show you someone who has been in-country too long.

I’d provide a link for the entire poll, but it’ll be all over today's and tomorrow’s papers anyway, so why bother.

All together now: what are these people thinking?

NEW RECIPROCOL CARRY PERMIT LAW

If you have a carry/concealed permit and travel state to state, you know the kind of hassle — and legalistic Never Never Land — in which you’re putting yourself. Here’s a new bill that attempts to solve some of the problem. Go to this NRA Fact Sheet

TED KENNEDY ARRESTED FOR TOPLESS BOATING

For all the details, go to Here ... and please note the officer’s name.

(Pssst: This is good!)