birdguy

Yeah Dave. I do most of the time. May I have...? May I sit here? May I get you something? But I confess to saying 'Can I......' sometimes. Usually depends on who I'm with. Noel

In the Amish country of Pennsylvania it is called the 'Necessary Room'. I first saw it on a sign in a restaurant in Intercourse PA. Yes, the town was named 'Intercourse'. It's not far from 'Kitchen Kettle Village'. Noel

I use irregardless but I have no idea what Zod means. It seems I've lived past my expiration date. Noel

Ah! The vagaries of the English language. I love it! Keep em coming. My Mom, for whom English was a second language, used to use the examples of bomb and comb to illustrate the differences in pronunciation of two words spelled almost identically. Noel

The following is a 30 minute history of Fisherman's Wharf. When I was a growing up in San Francisco we lived within walking distance of the wharf. I fished there as a kid. Also fished from Muni Pier at Aquatic Park. When I was a weather forecaster in the Colorado Air Nation Guard I would make periodic trips to the 6th US Army HQ in the Presidio . The last time I went was after the Loma Prieta earthquake where I was responsible for weather support for the emergency response teams. I always tried to dine at Scomas at the wharf when I was there. Aliotos is no longer there. And wharf as I knew it as a kid with restaurants my Dad printed menus for has been turned into an unrecognizable tourist trap. Tourists love it. The natives stay away. Noel

Giant iceberg turns over near Greenland's coastVideo captured by a passerby showed the moment the iceberg collapsed, creating a big wave.Noel

No Charlie, more like the Russian Massacre by Major Kutchakokoff. Noel

A man was attacked with a starter pistol and a relay baton. They think it was race related. Noel

At 92 I've given up my flight simulator but I still play card games like solitaire, hearts and free cell to keep my mind sharp. Also play Chess and Scrabble on my computer. Noel

It didn't look like the people in her audience were in on it. Noel

Are we turning into animals? Is nothing sacred anymore? Perhaps I am lucky to be living with a group of my own generation and only looking out the window to see how much civil behavior has changed. To me jokes aren't funny if they are directed to hurt someone; especially adults taunting youngsters. Our society seems to be devouring itself. I don't find this funny at all. Noel

When I was a young Marine I came that close. I went to a tattoo shop with a buddy who got 'Death before Dishonor' tattooed on his arm. I was going to get one to. But while waiting there I chickened out. One the best chicken outs I ever made. Noel

Here where I live I see it all around me all the time. But it doesn't have to b a bad thing. It's usually worse on those around them than it is on themselves. My best friend here, Jerry, has it and sometimes it's worse than other times. We sit in the common living room and tell the ladies that pass by how good they look. He's a real wolf. We watch television and cat call the characters and commercials. Sometimes he forgets where his room is and I have to lead him to it. But I treat him normally and he usually responds well, especially to dirty jokes. Most of the ones who have it respond to being treated normally. I think it's harder on those who watch it happen to someone else, especially a loved one, than it is to the person himself. Noel

I also have no service or memorial planned either Alan. I just wish to be cremated and have my ashes scattered where, my wife's and son's ashes are scattered. But I have had many friends and acquaintances during my trek through life and I want to celebrate that life; what it was like and how it affected me and others. Sort of like a memoir for friends and kin. I have never told my grandkids or my great grandkids what life was like for me in any detail at all. What I did and how I related to others. Because the time of my life will be nothing like the time of their life. And they just might be interested. Wouldn't you be interested in your grandfather's life? The one I wrote for myself is 3 pages long. And believe it or not flight simming and Hangar Chat are a part of it...a small part. At age 92 I won't have a lot to add. But it will become a family heirloom with a lot more detail than one written by a relative or friend who doesn't know you as well as you know yourself. Genealogy is quite popular. Wouldn't some details of your life be of interest to someone in your who was into genealogy after you're gone? Noel

I distrust television and newspaper news anymore. For some time I scrolled through google news selecting the stories and sources I felt comfortable with. That's getting more and more difficult anymore. Paywalls - subscribe walls - signup walls - give us your e-mail address walls make finding what used to be free access to news more and more difficult. Maybe the answer id to remain fat, dumb, happy and word not allowed of knowing the details of things I have control over anyway. Noel