This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Who knows

  • Yer Saturday Chuckle – Things You See While Traveling

    Yer Saturday Chuckle – Things You See While Traveling

    On a recent trip, I took a route I hadn’t taken in 20 years. Much of the route was pretty much the same as I remembered. But there was one recent change that caught my eye.

    Now, I happen to like roadside billboards. Yeah, some of them can be pretty garish and ugly. But they are a source of info when traveling by car. And some of them can even be fairly entertaining.

    Thanks to LBJ’s wife, Lady Bird, and our “nanny state” Congress back in the 1960s with it’s “wonderful” Highway Beautification Act, highway billboards are now somewhat the rarity. But a few do still exist; some billboards in existence when that “wonderful” law was passed and which meet certain criteria were grandfathered.

    Here’s the billboard that caught my eye:

    Yeah, you read that correctly. “The best fudge is found in Uranus” – the Uranus Fudge Factory in Uranus, MO, that is. (smile)

    Seems the place opened about 2 years ago, in 2015. Previously, according to RoadsideAmerica.com it was “Big Louie’s Burlesque Saloon”. So the place has more class today than it did in the past. (smile)

    In addition to selling fudge, the place is apparently a general store. There’s also a gun shop, a tattoo parlor, a “party bar and grill”, and some other novelty items.

    Here’s one of those “novelty items”. (Yeah, DB Bunghole – I’m throwing you a slow, straight “softball” here. Hop on it!) (smile)

    And since they’re in Missouri – heavily influenced by the Democratic Party since before the days of the Pendergast Machine – you know their labor force has a union:

    Your guess is as good as mine regarding how they ended up with Local #2. I’d have guessed Locals 1 and 2 would be in Greenwich Village and the Castro District.

    On that last trip, I didn’t have time to stop. But I might be back that way again early next year. And if so, I’m gonna have to stop and see the place. Maybe have some wings for dinner.

    Not sure I’ll try the fudge, though.  (smile)

  • Michael Flynn to plead guilty to making false statements

    Michael Flynn to plead guilty to making false statements

    According to Stars & Stripes, Michael Flynn, the former national security advisor to President Trump is scheduled to make an appearance at a hearing in DC in a few minutes to plead guilty to making false statements to FBI investigators in regards to his contact with the Russian government;

    A plea hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. EST. The Justice Department announced Friday that the hearing will take place before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras at a D.C. federal courthouse. Flynn is accused of “willfully and knowingly” making false statements to the FBI while serving in the Trump administration. Court documents released Friday show Flynn has been charged with a single count of making false statements.

    Prosecutors with the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller say Flynn falsely stated to the FBI that he had not discussed sanctions with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States.

  • Rob Riggle; 12 Strong

    The folks at the Conan O’Brien show sent us interviews that Rob Riggle, a retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel, did with Conan this week. Riggle is appearing in a movie, 12 Strong, about the guys who went to Afghanistan in the early days of the War Against Terror. In the movie, Riggle plays his former commander Lieutenant Colonel Max Bowers.

    He talks about his invitational golf tournament that he does with our friends at We Are The Mighty to benefit the Semper Fi Fund;

    Here’s the trailer for 12 Strong;

  • Homeless vet, Johnny Bobbit, left Marines after an abbreviated tour

    Homeless vet, Johnny Bobbit, left Marines after an abbreviated tour

    Last week we all read the story of homeless former Marine Johnny Bobbit who gave a woman his last $20 for gasoline when she was on her way to a holiday gathering. She set up a GoFundMe account to pay him back and raised more than $381,000 so far.

    Well, the Marine Corps Times reports that Bobbit was indeed a Marine but left his job as an ammunition technician after 14 months and at the rank of Private (E-1) from his assignment to 1st Battalion, 10th Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He also never deployed to the war against terror.

    That doesn’t take anything away from what he did for that woman, nor am I saying that you shouldn’t donate to him, if you’re led in that direction. I hope Bobbit takes this as a blessing and does the right thing with his new found fortune. According to CNN, he says that he wants to use the money to buy a home and to help other people. I hope he stays on that course.

  • Boy, I Hope These Reports are Wrong

    Since both Fox News and the Daily Beast are already reporting this, I thought it was probably apropos to mention it here.

    Recent reports indicate there may be more to the recent incident regarding 2 Navy SEALs and one Army Green Beret that happened in Mali.  That incident left the Green Beret, SSG Logan J. Melgar, dead; Jonn’s written about the incident here.

    That incident is now under investigation by NCIS as a homicide.  Unfortunately, if recent reports concerning the incident from Fox News and the Daily Beast are correct the incident leading to SSG Melgar’s death may involve other criminal malfeasance as well.

    Let me be clear that these latest allegations are not yet confirmed.  All organizations concerned seem to be withholding official comment.  That’s to be expected, since NCIS is still investigating the matter.

    Still:  the story is already out there.  Read the linked stories if you’d like more details concerning the new allegations.  I’ve got nothing further.

  • HMS Vigilant; submarine booze cruise

    HMS Vigilant; submarine booze cruise

    Stars & Stripes reports on the UK’s HMS Vigilant, a submarine that has fallen under scrutiny after nine sailors tested positive for cocaine use and the commander and XO have been accused of fraternization with female crewmen. One sailor is said to have engaged in sex with a prostitute in a pool. All while they visited the United States to acquire some nuclear weapons;

    The Daily Mail did some math on what the recent developments mean for one of the free world’s strongest deterrents to nuclear war: “Around 10 percent of HMS Vigilant’s 168-strong crew have either been kicked out, quit, are under investigation or have been removed in what is believed to be one of the biggest sex and drugs scandals to hit the Navy.”

    The UK’s Sun reports that the sailor who paid a prostitute £120 for her time, then stole the money back. It happened in Kings Bay, Georgia;

    The report reveals the Brit paid the sex worker £120, slept with her and then pinched the money out of her purse while she was getting changed.

    Last night, a senior US cop accused other sailors from the Trident nuclear warship of lying to obstruct the investigation into the alleged theft.

    He claimed the suspect’s crew mates gave a bogus name – Stephen Dwight – for their pal and claimed he belonged to HMS Valiant, a sub which hasn’t been in service for 23 years.

    The hooker apparently reported the theft of her ill-gotten gains.

  • Joe Hernandez; Oregon security dude

    Joe Hernandez; Oregon security dude

    A couple of people have asked us about this fellow, Joe Hernandez of Eugene, Oregon where he has worked for a couple of years as a security guard. According to these radio hosts in the area, Joe has been suspended from his duties and the local sheriff’s department is conducting an investigation into his activities. I can’t find a trace of him on the internet, so he might not be involved in security work these days.

    Someone who knows him asked us to look into his military background because Joe made comments to him about being a “highly decorated” soldier. Yeah, he’s highly decorated, alright. He has the Army Service Ribbon and an Expert Marksmanship Badge with a Rifle and a Grenade after five months of service in the Army;

    I’m not saying this is stolen valor because I can’t find evidence that I can show you that he made claims to be something that he’s not, but obviously, there’s a public good in publishing his records.

  • The Road Goes On Forever (Continued)

    Well, not really. But this trip is indeed a longish one.

    US 70 – in the past called the “Broadway of America” – is still around, albeit no longer coast-to-coast (it now ends where it meets US 60 in Globe, Arizona). Still: parts of US 70 are indeed a drop-dead gorgeous drive.

     

    US 70 is particularly scenic through New Mexico. The photo above was taken between Clovis and Roswell – and that’s probably the least scenic part of the road in the state.

    Much of the rest of the highway west of Roswell is incredibly beautiful. Since I don’t want anyone to accuse me of “stolen religion” (smile), I won’t claim this trip is a religious pilgrimage – even though the road does pass the entrance to The Inn of the Mountain Gods. (Sidebar: I’ve stopped there to see the place, but I’ve not yet stayed. It’s a gorgeous inn, at around 7000’ elevation in Ponderosa pine country. Staying there for a weekend or longer one day is on my “try to do this if you can” list.)

    One of the most beautiful stretches on US 70 in New Mexico is the Tularosa basin. The following just seemed apropos while crossing it after an early start. And traversing the Tularosa basin during a red-tinged sunrise while listening to this was . . . nice.

     

     

    Y’all take care. I’ll check in while traveling as circumstances and time permit.

     

    PS: Skippy, don’t say anything. (smile)