Ed. here. Today we turn the blog over to Agent 17's old buddy, Terry. Terry is 80 years old and flew the Meteor, Vampire, Canberra, Argonaut, VC10, 747 and 777 -- amongst others! He was a BOAC/BA training captain, and later flew for Virgin and SIA. He writes...
An Old Pilot's Reflections - (Only pilots can truly relate to these.)
· Pilots are people who drive airplanes for other people who can't.
· Passengers are people who say they fly, but really just ride.
· Fighter pilots are steely eyed, weapons systems managers who kill bad people and break things. However, they can also be very charming and personable. The average fighter pilot, despite sometimes having a swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy and caring. (However, these feelings don't involve anyone else.)
· Flying is a hard way to earn an easy living.
· Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist invents the airplane; the pessimist, the parachute.
· Death is just nature's way of telling you to watch your airspeed.
· As a pilot only two bad things can happen to you (and one of them will):
a. One day you will walk out to the aircraft, knowing it is your last flight.
b. One day you will walk out to the aircraft, not knowing it is your last flight.
· There are rules and there are laws:
The rules are made by men who think that they know how to fly your airplane better than you.
The laws (of physics) were ordained by God.
You can and sometimes should suspend the rules, but you can never suspend the laws.
· About Rules:
a. The rules are a good place to hide if you don't have a better idea and the talent to execute it.
b. If you deviate from a rule, it must be a flawless performance (e.g., if you fly under a bridge, don't hit the bridge.)
· Before each flight, make sure that your bladder is empty and your fuel tanks are full.
· He who demands everything that his aircraft can give him is a pilot; he who demands one iota more is a fool.
· There are certain aircraft sounds that can only be heard at night and over the ocean. Most of them are scary.
· The aircraft limits are only there in case there is another flight by that particular aircraft. If subsequent flights do not appear likely, there are no limits.
· "If the Wright brothers were alive today, Wilbur would have to fire Orville to reduce costs." (President, DELTA Airlines.)
· In the Alaskan bush, I'd rather have a two-hour bladder and three hours of gas than vice versa.
· An old pilot is one who can remember when flying was dangerous and sex was safe.
· Airlines have really changed; now a flight attendant can get a pilot pregnant.
· I've flown in both pilot seats. Can someone tell me why the other one is always occupied by an idiot?
· And my favourite: You have to make up your mind about growing up and becoming a pilot. You can't do both.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Third Secret of Fatima document genuine, BUT...
In today's "Vatican Insider" blog of La Stampa, noted Vaticanista Andrea Tornielli reports that a respected Portuguese paleographer has confirmed the authenticity of the document said to containn the famous Third Secret of Fatima. But, he notes, questions remain as to whether the "vision of the bishop in white" text released by the Vatican in 2000 is the complete document.
Professor Maria José Azevedo Santos, of Coimbra University, examined the document, which is held in the archives of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and proclaimed it "a genuine, true document, written by Sister Lucia" (the principal Seer of Fatima). Although the document is not signed, Doctor Santos said that the handwriting clearly matched other writings known to be in Sister Lucia's own hand.
The document became the focus of controversy immediately on its publication in 2000. The version shown and "interpreted" by since disgraced Cardinal Bertone described a vision of a bishop dressed in white, seen being killed by soldiers in front of a cross on top of a hill. The text contains no words of Our Lady of Fatima to explain the vision.
Cardinal Bertone said the Third Secret belonged to the past, and implied that the vision referred to the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II. The late pope said he recognized himself as the "bishop dressed in white" who was killed, but did not even attempt to explain how, if this was the case, he was still alive. Cardinal Ratzinger, as he then was, told journalists there was no "official explanation".
However, when he visited Fatima in 2010 as Benedict XVI, the "Pope Emeritus" was more cautious in his comments, suggesting strongly the possibility of the prophesy not yet being complete. For more on this astonishing volte-face, see "Vindication: The Latest Chapter in the Story of Fatima", which references the best book on the controversy, Christopher Ferrara's The Secret Still Hidden.
You can buy The Secret Still Hidden from the Fatima Shoppe ($9.95) -- tell them Walt sent you -- or read it free online.
Professor Maria José Azevedo Santos, of Coimbra University, examined the document, which is held in the archives of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and proclaimed it "a genuine, true document, written by Sister Lucia" (the principal Seer of Fatima). Although the document is not signed, Doctor Santos said that the handwriting clearly matched other writings known to be in Sister Lucia's own hand.
The document became the focus of controversy immediately on its publication in 2000. The version shown and "interpreted" by since disgraced Cardinal Bertone described a vision of a bishop dressed in white, seen being killed by soldiers in front of a cross on top of a hill. The text contains no words of Our Lady of Fatima to explain the vision.
Cardinal Bertone said the Third Secret belonged to the past, and implied that the vision referred to the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II. The late pope said he recognized himself as the "bishop dressed in white" who was killed, but did not even attempt to explain how, if this was the case, he was still alive. Cardinal Ratzinger, as he then was, told journalists there was no "official explanation".
However, when he visited Fatima in 2010 as Benedict XVI, the "Pope Emeritus" was more cautious in his comments, suggesting strongly the possibility of the prophesy not yet being complete. For more on this astonishing volte-face, see "Vindication: The Latest Chapter in the Story of Fatima", which references the best book on the controversy, Christopher Ferrara's The Secret Still Hidden.
You can buy The Secret Still Hidden from the Fatima Shoppe ($9.95) -- tell them Walt sent you -- or read it free online.
Young Americans and foreigners disillusioned with Obama: imagine that!
In the current Economist, "Lexington" has a few words to say about what he calls the abolition of privacy in the USA. "Cyber-spying", the columnist writes "hardly dominates national debate" in America. He (or she) says the National Security Agency's snooping into every corner of our personal lives -- Americans and foreigners, VIPs and ordinary folks, rich and poor, anyone and everyone -- seems not to concern Americans, perhaps because they've become resigned to it.
But it should! "Lexington" continues:
Young Americans and foreigners...have made parallel journeys towards disappointment.... Young Americans and foreigners of all ages, notably in Europe, fell heavily for Mr Obama, thinking him a break with politics as usual. Both groups have had high hopes dashed....
Start with Mr Obama's foreign fans. There was always a dose of naivety to their zeal, not to mention clunking racial tokenism. Many Europeans mistakenly assumed that because Mr Obama opposed the policies of George W. Bush and so did they, he would be in some sense their president too. Now they have learned their lesson: their idol is, first and foremost, America's leader.
Mr Obama also faces domestic fallout. His approval ratings among young Americans fell markedly in 2013, making a once-loyal age cohort look more like other adult Americans.... Mr O bama needs the young to believe in government solutions.... Instead, the NSA saga has given America's most tech-savvy generation fresh reason for cynicism.
At home and abroad, Mr Obama can ill-afford this latest loss of faith.
Thanks to Agent 34 for sending the cartoon comment.
But it should! "Lexington" continues:
Young Americans and foreigners...have made parallel journeys towards disappointment.... Young Americans and foreigners of all ages, notably in Europe, fell heavily for Mr Obama, thinking him a break with politics as usual. Both groups have had high hopes dashed....
Start with Mr Obama's foreign fans. There was always a dose of naivety to their zeal, not to mention clunking racial tokenism. Many Europeans mistakenly assumed that because Mr Obama opposed the policies of George W. Bush and so did they, he would be in some sense their president too. Now they have learned their lesson: their idol is, first and foremost, America's leader.
Mr Obama also faces domestic fallout. His approval ratings among young Americans fell markedly in 2013, making a once-loyal age cohort look more like other adult Americans.... Mr O bama needs the young to believe in government solutions.... Instead, the NSA saga has given America's most tech-savvy generation fresh reason for cynicism.
At home and abroad, Mr Obama can ill-afford this latest loss of faith.
Thanks to Agent 34 for sending the cartoon comment.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Pope Francis worries about children of divorced and gay couples
If you feel a little light-headed today, it could be because the world is turning upside down. What was normal is now abnormal, and vice versa. And I do mean vice.
Last week the husband of an Ontario politician died. The politician was a great friend of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, the proud lesbian, and a former member of the province's too-Liberal government. His [sic]name is George Smitherman. Walt doesn't know whether to call him "Mr" or "Ms". What do you call the, errr, "female" half of a homosexual "marriage"? How do you even tell which is which? Maybe it depends who's on top.
What about the children? Curious George and his late "husband" had kids, albeit from a previous "straight" marriage entered into by one of them before he decided he was gay. [How come we call them "gay", rather than "homosexual"? Is "homosexual" the new n-word. Ed.] But under Ontario's progressive family laws, they could have adopted a child, a nice little boy perhaps.
Shouldn't society as a whole, and the Church in particular, be doing something special for the children of gay couples? According to Agence France Presse, that's the concern that's at the top of the mind [forgive the overstatement. Ed.] of Francis the Party Pope.
The Holy Father has called for a rethink in the way the Church deals with the children of gay couples and divorced-and-remarried parents, lest they feel rejected because the Church considers there might be something wrong with their parents' relationship. (Whether this is still Church teaching is debatable, thanks to the confusion caused by Francis' quasi-magisterial interviews.)
In a speech to the Catholic Union of Superiors-General, published on Saturday, the Pope said, "On an educational level, gay unions raise challenges for us today which for us are sometimes difficult to understand." No arguing with that. But, he added, family make-ups are also changing. "I remember a case in which a sad little girl confessed to her teacher, 'My mother’s girlfriend doesn’t love me.'" Cazart! How awful! The poor kid has only one mommy instead of two!
The pontiff told the educational leaders "We must be careful not to administer a vaccine against faith" to the children of gay and divorced couples. Walt thinks it a pity that there's no vaccine against sexual depravity...or stupidity.
Pope Francis, the darling of "progressive thinkers" and the LGBT crowd for his willingness to "embrace diversity" -- "Who am I to judge?" -- has also called an extraordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops next year to discuss the Church’s position with regard to the family. The gathering is expected to address inter alia the "problem" of divorced Catholics remarrying and of the children of divorced parents.
Comment from John Vennari, editor of Catholic Family News:
With the extensive rot crumbling the Church? Heterodox theologians in positions of influence? "Catholic" universities where our children’s faith is destroyed rather than buttressed, lunatic and scandalous liturgies, tens of thousands of parents who have to homeschool at great personal sacrifice because we can’t trust the curriculum our own bishops give us, "Catholic" politicians who support contraception, abortion and homosexuality and remain Catholics “in good standing”, catastrophic worldwide doctrinal confusion among the faithful... this is what is important to Francis?
This is delirium straight from the sickbed! He is truly a "Martini" pope, as this is the type of thing that was important to the radical Martini, all in the name of "compassion".
Last week the husband of an Ontario politician died. The politician was a great friend of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, the proud lesbian, and a former member of the province's too-Liberal government. His [sic]name is George Smitherman. Walt doesn't know whether to call him "Mr" or "Ms". What do you call the, errr, "female" half of a homosexual "marriage"? How do you even tell which is which? Maybe it depends who's on top.
What about the children? Curious George and his late "husband" had kids, albeit from a previous "straight" marriage entered into by one of them before he decided he was gay. [How come we call them "gay", rather than "homosexual"? Is "homosexual" the new n-word. Ed.] But under Ontario's progressive family laws, they could have adopted a child, a nice little boy perhaps.
Shouldn't society as a whole, and the Church in particular, be doing something special for the children of gay couples? According to Agence France Presse, that's the concern that's at the top of the mind [forgive the overstatement. Ed.] of Francis the Party Pope.
The Holy Father has called for a rethink in the way the Church deals with the children of gay couples and divorced-and-remarried parents, lest they feel rejected because the Church considers there might be something wrong with their parents' relationship. (Whether this is still Church teaching is debatable, thanks to the confusion caused by Francis' quasi-magisterial interviews.)
In a speech to the Catholic Union of Superiors-General, published on Saturday, the Pope said, "On an educational level, gay unions raise challenges for us today which for us are sometimes difficult to understand." No arguing with that. But, he added, family make-ups are also changing. "I remember a case in which a sad little girl confessed to her teacher, 'My mother’s girlfriend doesn’t love me.'" Cazart! How awful! The poor kid has only one mommy instead of two!
The pontiff told the educational leaders "We must be careful not to administer a vaccine against faith" to the children of gay and divorced couples. Walt thinks it a pity that there's no vaccine against sexual depravity...or stupidity.
Pope Francis, the darling of "progressive thinkers" and the LGBT crowd for his willingness to "embrace diversity" -- "Who am I to judge?" -- has also called an extraordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops next year to discuss the Church’s position with regard to the family. The gathering is expected to address inter alia the "problem" of divorced Catholics remarrying and of the children of divorced parents.
Comment from John Vennari, editor of Catholic Family News:
With the extensive rot crumbling the Church? Heterodox theologians in positions of influence? "Catholic" universities where our children’s faith is destroyed rather than buttressed, lunatic and scandalous liturgies, tens of thousands of parents who have to homeschool at great personal sacrifice because we can’t trust the curriculum our own bishops give us, "Catholic" politicians who support contraception, abortion and homosexuality and remain Catholics “in good standing”, catastrophic worldwide doctrinal confusion among the faithful... this is what is important to Francis?
This is delirium straight from the sickbed! He is truly a "Martini" pope, as this is the type of thing that was important to the radical Martini, all in the name of "compassion".
Sunday, January 5, 2014
CBC's "The House" reviews the Wrights and wrongs of l'affaire Duffy
Note from Ed.: This item is of interest only to Canadian political junkies. This does not include Ted Cruz, who is surely a political junkie and a Canadian (as of this writing) but we didn't mean it that way. If you're not fascinated by Canadian politics -- that's what we meant -- wait until tomorrow and we'll have something else.
This week's edition of CBC Radio's fine political programme, The House, was devoted entirely to the ongoing scandal over repayment by Nigel Wright -- formerly Chief of Staff to Canuck Prime Minister Steve "Stephen" Harper -- of expenses fraudulently claimed by the Honourable [sic] Mike "Mike" Duffy, the once and future senator from Prince Edward Island... or possibly Kanata, which is where Mr. Puffy lives.
The radio programme is well worth listening to in its entirety (about 52 minutes). It focuses on court documents filed by the Mounties in the course of their investigation into the scandal. You'll hear excerpts from a number of damning e-mails, read by actors portraying Mr. Right ["Wright", surely! Ed.] and others, as well as the Puffster's mendacious and self-serving speeches in the Senate.
Radio-Canada Ottawa bureau chief Emmanuelle Latraverse and CBC senior political correspondent Terry Milewski -- Walt likes Milewski a lot -- join host Evan Solomon for the journey and give their analysis of what it all means.
Before you listen, if this is all kind of new to you -- or if your eyes glazed over back in May or June -- you might take a look at Walt's previous posts on the subject:
"VIDEO: Rex hexes Canadian pols"
"Canucks too polite for their own good?"
"Print your own Duffybuck!"
"Emotional and over-refreshed, Senator Puffy denies having his snout too deep in the trough"
"Wright was wrong! Wright is gone! But WHY?!"
"'Bring me the head of Senator Duffy!'"
"Moron* Mike Puffy"
[That's enough Duff stuff. Ed.]
This week's edition of CBC Radio's fine political programme, The House, was devoted entirely to the ongoing scandal over repayment by Nigel Wright -- formerly Chief of Staff to Canuck Prime Minister Steve "Stephen" Harper -- of expenses fraudulently claimed by the Honourable [sic] Mike "Mike" Duffy, the once and future senator from Prince Edward Island... or possibly Kanata, which is where Mr. Puffy lives.
The radio programme is well worth listening to in its entirety (about 52 minutes). It focuses on court documents filed by the Mounties in the course of their investigation into the scandal. You'll hear excerpts from a number of damning e-mails, read by actors portraying Mr. Right ["Wright", surely! Ed.] and others, as well as the Puffster's mendacious and self-serving speeches in the Senate.
Radio-Canada Ottawa bureau chief Emmanuelle Latraverse and CBC senior political correspondent Terry Milewski -- Walt likes Milewski a lot -- join host Evan Solomon for the journey and give their analysis of what it all means.
Before you listen, if this is all kind of new to you -- or if your eyes glazed over back in May or June -- you might take a look at Walt's previous posts on the subject:
"VIDEO: Rex hexes Canadian pols"
"Canucks too polite for their own good?"
"Print your own Duffybuck!"
"Emotional and over-refreshed, Senator Puffy denies having his snout too deep in the trough"
"Wright was wrong! Wright is gone! But WHY?!"
"'Bring me the head of Senator Duffy!'"
"Moron* Mike Puffy"
[That's enough Duff stuff. Ed.]
Friday, January 3, 2014
15 stupid warnings
Walt is reaching deep -- about 10 years deep -- into the slush pile for this one, but it gave me a chuckle on a day with little to chuckle about, so.... In case you needed further proof that the human race has fallen into a deep and abiding stupidity, here are some warnings from the labels of assorted consumer goods.
1. On a Sears hair dryer: "Do not use while sleeping." [Gee, that's the only time I have to work on my hair!]
2. On a bag of Fritos: "You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside." [Evidently, the shoplifter special.]
3. On a bar of Dial soap: "Directions: Use like regular soap." [And that would be how?]
4. On some Swanson frozen dinners: "Serving suggestions: Defrost." [But it's *just* a suggestion.]
5. On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom of box): "Do not turn upside down." [Oops, too late!]
6. On Marks and Spencer Bread Pudding: "Product will be hot after heating." [As sure as night follows the day.]
7. On packaging for a Rowenta iron: "Do not iron clothes on body." [But wouldn't this save even more time?]
8. On Boot's Children's Cough Medicine: "Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication." [We could do a lot to reduce the rate of construction accidents if we could just get those 5-year-olds with head colds off those forklifts.]
9. On Nytol Sleep Aid: "Warning: May cause drowsiness." [One would hope.]
10. On most brands of Christmas lights: "For indoor or outdoor use only." [As opposed to what?]
11. On a Japanese food processor: "Not to be used for the other use." [I gotta admit, I'm curious.]
12. On Sainsbury's peanuts: "Warning: Contains nuts." [NEWS FLASH!]
13. On an American Airlines packet of nuts: "Instructions: open packet, eat nuts." [Step 3: Fly Delta.]
14. On a child's Superman costume: "Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly". [I don't blame the company. I do blame parents for this one!]
15. On a Swedish chain saw: "Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals". [Was there a chance of this happening somewhere? Good grief!]
1. On a Sears hair dryer: "Do not use while sleeping." [Gee, that's the only time I have to work on my hair!]
2. On a bag of Fritos: "You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside." [Evidently, the shoplifter special.]
3. On a bar of Dial soap: "Directions: Use like regular soap." [And that would be how?]
4. On some Swanson frozen dinners: "Serving suggestions: Defrost." [But it's *just* a suggestion.]
5. On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom of box): "Do not turn upside down." [Oops, too late!]
6. On Marks and Spencer Bread Pudding: "Product will be hot after heating." [As sure as night follows the day.]
7. On packaging for a Rowenta iron: "Do not iron clothes on body." [But wouldn't this save even more time?]
8. On Boot's Children's Cough Medicine: "Do not drive a car or operate machinery after taking this medication." [We could do a lot to reduce the rate of construction accidents if we could just get those 5-year-olds with head colds off those forklifts.]
9. On Nytol Sleep Aid: "Warning: May cause drowsiness." [One would hope.]
10. On most brands of Christmas lights: "For indoor or outdoor use only." [As opposed to what?]
11. On a Japanese food processor: "Not to be used for the other use." [I gotta admit, I'm curious.]
12. On Sainsbury's peanuts: "Warning: Contains nuts." [NEWS FLASH!]
13. On an American Airlines packet of nuts: "Instructions: open packet, eat nuts." [Step 3: Fly Delta.]
14. On a child's Superman costume: "Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly". [I don't blame the company. I do blame parents for this one!]
15. On a Swedish chain saw: "Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals". [Was there a chance of this happening somewhere? Good grief!]
Enough snow, already!
No news or commentary today. We're a little under the weather... literally!
Thanks to Agent 6.
Thanks to Agent 6.
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