Category: True Stories

18 April 1942 – The Doolittle Raid

December 31, 2009 — Jonna Doolittle Hoppes speaks about her Grandfather, General Jimmy Doolittle from her new book “Calculated Risk” and the importance of recording history for future generations at the Historic Flight Foundation’s “B-25 Grumpy Welcome Reception”. This clip includes original film footage of the crews on the historic “Doolittle Raid” of WWII, which proved to the US and the Japanese Empire that America could and would strike back.

There’s obviously more to the story than we’re able to present here. The anniversary of the Doolittle Raid deserves recognition, as it was not only unimaginably dangerous and ballsy, but very necessary to send a message to Japan, as well as to the American public. It was created, orchestrated and accomplished in a little over 4  months after the unwarranted attack on Pearl Harbor.

Military Magazine recently published a first person account of a pilot who volunteered for the mission without knowing what it was. The mission wasn’t revealed until the modified bombers had been loaded onto the U.S.S. Hornet and the Hornet was at sea. Of the pilots who volunteered, all were given opportunities to decide for themselves whether they wanted to go on, without reprimand or dishonor, and not one of them sat down.

http://www.milmag.com doesn’t have the story on line yet, but it’s a must read.

[Crossposted here.]

Partisan Politics

Interpret it as you see fit. It’s kind of obvious to me.

For the source of the graph along with some excellent commentary, click here.

Saturday Matinee – Tea Party, Neil Innes, Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochran, Weird Al

The Tea Party protesters are really getting out of hand. Here’s footage from 20 March 2010 in Washington D.C.
[Update: Oop. My mistake. Those aren’t Tea Party people.]

Neil Innes was a protester before you were a protester.

Johnny Cash’s snare drum is awesome.

Turn up the treble for this classic from Eddie Cochran.

I’m 16% behind Weird Al on this, and 84% behind him on this one:

Have a great weekend folks.

Danger UXB: 2010 Edition

Captain Judith Gallagher of 11 EOD (Explosive Ordnance Division) Regiment displays an anti-IED robot known as the ‘Dragon Runner’ during a photocall on military technologies in London, on March 17, 2010. The robot weighs between 10-20 kg and is easily carried by a soldier in a backpack and is robust enough to operate in rough terrain.

Pure efficient awesome.

[Image and caption found  here via here.]

Welcome To Tiny Town

When I see an electron image of something as awesome as the USS Enterprise created in the land of the nano scale, I also think of this:

When I see an electron image of something as awesome as a toilet inside of the USS Enterprise created in the land of the nano scale, I think of this:

When I see an electron image of something as awesome as someone sitting on a toilet inside of the USS Enterprise that was created in the land of the nano scale, I think of this:

It’s a bacteriophage. It’s not a nano sculpture, it’s a living death threat that’ll jump right up your butt if you’re on the nano Starship Enterprise, sitting on a nano Starship potty, and you can’t kill it by stepping on it. When I see an electron image of something awesome like that, I realize that it might be better if I stopped nano thinking.

[Images found here, here and here.]

Retro Sleds

From the Conspicuous Consumption Department, these beautiful custom automotive works of retro art are priced in the seven figure range. Knowing that, I couldn’t sleep at night if one of these penismobiles were parked in my garage, but it’s nice to know that someone can.

[More at Delahaye USA. Link found at Nurse M.’s place.]

Saturday Matinee – The Tick, Phi, Ken Nordine, Bootsy & The Zappas

The Tick came and went, but lives on the Utoobage. Here’s Part 1 of my favorite 1/2 hour episode: “The Funeral.”  The next two parts are here and here.

Speaking of nature and mathema-Ticks:

The concept of Phi, graphically illustrated. [Found here.] Ken Nordine had a great take on the Fibonacci Sequence as well:

Bootsy’s New Rubber Band’s got a nice groovejam going with a left handed shredder.

Here’s a fun compilation, “Peavey Nation,” by the Sons of Zappa, featuring a cameo by Dick Clark.

Have a great Easter weekend, folks.

April Fools Day

If you don’t like this collection, click on the refresh button. Happy Birthday to all yinz what be done borned on April 1.

Guam is in danger of tipping over.

I thought this was an April Fools Day hoax.  Unfortunately  it’s true.

Representative Hank Johnson, Democrat from Georgia, expressed his concerns to Admiral Robert Willard, who commands the Navy’s Pacific Fleet.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) is afraid that the U.S. Territory of Guam is going to “tip over and capsize” due to overpopulation.

Johnson expressed his worries during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the defense budget Friday.

Addressing Adm. Robert Willard, who commands the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, Johnson made a tippy motion with his hands and said sternly, “My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.”

Folks, this kind of ignorance belongs in juvy hall remedial class, not in the U.S. Government.

[Story found via Snork.]

Saturday Matinee – The Manfred Mann, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin & Sonny Boy Williamson Connection

Manfred Mann sings Dylan’s “Just Like A Woman.”

Bob Dylan sings Memphis Minnie‘s & Kansas Joe McCoy‘s “When The Levee Breaks,” but for now,  let’s say it’s a Led Zeppelin cover.

Led Zeppelin rips off  Sonny Boy Williamson‘s “Bring It On Home,” at least for a minute or so and for a bit at the end.

“Nine Below Zero” by Sonny Boy Williamson with Otis Spann, and they didn’t rip off anyone.

Have a great weekend folks.