Sunday Dinner With Grandma - Maine Style

This is how we do a family Sunday dinner in Maine.

 

2 pound Lobstahs fresh off the dock only $6.75 a pound,

Fresh corn on the cob $0.50 an ear unshucked,

Pasta salad and Sea Dog beer less than $1.00  

 

Family time in the North Woods of Maine PRICELESS!

The Border Crisis As Most People See It

US Airways Flight Almost Eats The Weeds

So our US Airways fight 2056 out of Boston is hurdling towards Charlotte, running the Ivane 3 arrival, basically straight in from the north, which is good, but doing "S" turns to comply with traffic separation which is bad.

Finally we get to the Ivane fix with radar vectors to intercept the localizer and then swing right to line up on 18R.

Over the threshold he's hot, and I tell Mrs Cedar "he's way too fast".

Looking out the window we are burning up runway at an amazing pace. The A321 needs 5000+ feet fully loaded and we use up 2500 before we have main gear touch down. I'm pretty sure we are well past the grease spot and nearly 2/3rds the way down the runway.

Touch down is perfect, just a little power and we grease the landing.

But guess what?, we are out of runway! Brakes and thrusters are hit so hard that the rivets start rattling and the overhead bins pop open as everyone is slammed forward into their seat belts.

 

 

 

Got to love these former Navy pilots and their carrier landings!

 

Mrs. Cedar looks out the window as the plane veers left taking the last highspeed taxiway, where she notes that the end of the runway is less 100 yards away. We are still moving at V1 as we barely make the exit still trying to bleed off some speed.

At this point they should have cued the theme from Taxi, yes the melancholy "Angela" from jazz great Bob James.   

 

 

Perfect for the long ride to the gate while the guy in the right seat reflects on his landing. 

Mrs. Cedar looks to me and asks "how did you know?" 

Let's see your husband is a pilot with about a 1000 landings and ten times that flying as a commercial airline passenger. 
 

I add the wisdom of my first flight instructor Ben: "A great landing is meaningless if you run out of asphalt in the process"

Drifting down the runway to squeak the landing trying to impress the grey haired guy in the left seat is a rookie mistake. 
 

The trouble with being a pilot and backseat flier is you know exactly what is normal and what is not. I expect that 99 percent of those who die in plane crashes never knew what happened. I will be in the 1 percent who knew. 

I-485 Construction - New Guard Rails Fail

Photo Credit CFD Station 24 "B" Shift

 

Photo Credit CFD Station 24 "B" Shift

 

Photo Credit CFD Station 24 "B" Shift

Photo Credit CFD Station 24 "B" Shift

 

Photo Credit CFD Station 24 "B" Shift

 

Oddly Mrs. Cedar noted that removing the Jersey Barriers while the road was so uneven was not smart just 15 minutes prior to this accident in which the driver lost control after catching the "lip" of the new asphalt.

Just east of Johnston Road, Exit 61 on the "inner" loop side. According to a former DOT expert the guard rail did its job, protecting other motorists from idiots who lose control.

Frances Medlock Mother of Former CMPD Deputy Chief Harold Medlock

We note the passing of Frances Olivier Medlock, mother of Fayetteville Police Chief Harold Medlock.

Frances Olivier Medlock, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother passed from this life into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Sunday, July 13, 2014.

Mrs. Medlock was preceded in death by her husband of fifty one years, Reverend Harold Medlock, Sr.; father Adam H. Olivier, mother, Mary S. Olivier and sister Mildred Collins.

Mrs. Medlock is survived by her children; Carol Royston, Connie Avery, Harold Medlock, Jr., Scott Medlock and their spouses; six grandchildren, their spouses and five great grandchildren.

Mrs. Medlock was an active member of First Baptist Church, Lowell and was a member of the Gleaners Sunday School Class and the Keen Years Club.

Services to celebrate Mrs. Medlock's Homegoing will be held on Wednesday, July 16, 2014, at First Baptist Church 400 W. First Street, Lowell, N.C.

Visitation will be at 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.  Celebration service follows at 2:00 p.m.  Interment will immediately follow the service at Gaston Memorial Park.

Our sincerest thoughts and prayers to all of the Medlock family.

CMPD Never A Dull Night

Charlotte has become a never ending freak show. Go ahead caption this photo.

"Seriously, for you drugs are better that hugs, because if you try and hug me again I'm going to taze your nutty ass!"

Monty Python Parrot Sketch

Mrs Cedar found the above bird in this unusual postion, the apparent victim of a head long charge in the store front window after a night of non stop fireworks.

Dismayed that it was dead I assured her that the bird was perfectly fine, "just resting....."

Without missing a beat she replied, "Oh I see its a Norwegian Blue!"

Monthy Python first aired the Parrot Sketch in 1969. Palin and Cleech flawless dead pan humor makes this still the funniest damn routine. Even just reading script. Timeless comedy.

A customer enters a pet store

 

 

 

Customer: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.

(The owner does not respond.)

C: 'Ello, Miss? 

 

Owner: What do you mean "miss"? 

C: I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!
O: We're closin' for lunch.
C: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
O: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?
C: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!
O: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.
C: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.
O: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, isn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage!
C: The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead.
O: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
C: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up!
(shouting at the cage)
'Ello, Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you show...(owner hits the cage) O: There, he moved!
C: No, he didn't, that was you hitting the cage!
O: I never!!
C: Yes, you did!
O: I never, never did anything...
C: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) 'ELLO POLLY!!!!! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o'clock alarm call!
(Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.) C: Now that's what I call a dead parrot.
O: No, no.....No, 'e's stunned!
C: STUNNED?!?
O: Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin' up! Norwegian Blues stun easily, major.
C: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.
O: Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.
C: PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?
O: The Norwegian Blue prefers kippin' on it's back! Remarkable bird, innit, squire? Lovely plumage!
C: Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the first place was that it had been NAILED there.
(pause)
O: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that bird down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent 'em apart with its beak, and VOOM! Feeweeweewee!
C: "VOOM"?!? Mate, this bird wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised!
O: No no! 'E's pining!
C: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!
(pause)
O: Well, I'd better replace it, then.
(he takes a quick peek behind the counter)
O: Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh, we're right out of parrots.
C: I see. I see, I get the picture.
O: I got a slug.
(pause)
C: (sweet as sugar) Pray, does it talk?
O: Nnnnot really.
C: WELL IT'S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?

CMPD Officer Andrew Paul "Andy" Molatch, 56

Over the weekend CMPD Officer Andy Molatch passed away. 

Those who knew Andy had expected the worse over the last month or so, but couldn't help but think he would somehow beat that "C" word.  Andy was full of life even battling cancer he was going at life full throttle. 

To say he'll be missed is an understatement, he was missed at CMPD, ask anyone about Andy and you're likely to start a long conversation with a dozen colorful stories. After 30 years you'd expect a few stories, but Andy had some of the best. Andy left CMPD in 2010.

Beyond CMPD Andy has a life that was never "off duty" more about Andy's life in his own words - Police officers, like other public servants, must find work to supplement their families. I worked night shift for years and did carpentry by day. For the last 34 years, I’ve have “moonlighted” in the carpentry and furniture making trades, while at the same time, pursuing my passion for photography.

Andy's official obituary is below, he'll be formally remembered today at the First Baptist Church in Indian Trail, North Carolina. The service tonight is at 7.

Andrew Paul "Andy" Molatch, 56, of Stanfield, went home to be with the Lord Sunday morning, July 6, 2014.

Andy lived every day of his life honoring his Beloved Savior, Jesus Christ.

His is remembered as a loving husband, father, CMPD officer and chaplain.

Andy never met a stranger or missed an opportunity to share his love for Jesus. His other passions included hunting with his family, hiking the Appalachian Trail, and building furniture and endless projects.

He is survived by his loving wife, Denise; his sons Jordan and Graham; daughters in law, Heather and Keri; grandson, Logan ;special son, Shawn McMichael; brothers, Greg, Walter, and Stephen; sister, Barbara; and several nieces and nephews. Additionally, he was blessed with countless brothers and sisters in Christ. He will be especially missed by a multitude of young people who knew him as a mentor/friend.

* In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made to Wilderness Scout Ministries 

UTAir 767-300 Near Miss - Why We Fly Is Beyond Me (The Case For High Speed Rail)

I used to fly a dozen times a month, and I suppose the events of 9/11 have a lot to do with eventual change of employment. I seriously felt like I was risking my life for clients who could have cared less. Long hours, doing race track waiting for the weather to break, in flight thunderstorms and more near terminal landings than I care to think about.
 

 

I don't hate to fly, in fact I picked up my private pilot ticket in my early 20's, IFR rating shortly there after. The glut of post Vietnam pilots made aviation a poor career choice, at the time and so I settled into my first class seat 1A for the better part of 20 years.

 

I love to fly as long as I'm in the front seat, being in the back of the bus is a rather uneasy feeling. The truth is knowing how to fly is more a burden than not knowing. The trouble is, pilots know what sounds normal and what doesn't during a flight.

And the sound of a go-around over the threshold is pretty damn un-nerving on a clear day.
 

From the AP: A passenger plane preparing to leave Barcelona’s El Prat airport on Saturday taxied across a runway just as another plane was about to land, forcing the arriving plane to abort its landing and climb sharply to avoid a possible disaster.

 

 

Miguel Angel Ramirez captured the dramatic moment Aerolineas Argentinas Airbus 340 crossed the runway as an aircraft from Russian airline UTair was descending in a video taken on Saturday.

(CP's take: Ramirez is an aviation buff, who uses a zoom lens to capture planes landing and departing from outside the fence. The zoom lens gives the impression that the planes are only feet from each other.  Now AENA will assure everyone that at no time where the aircraft in danger of colliding, and that the pilot of the 767 did as he was supposed to, and executed a go-around. But what if this had been during a CAT III operation zero visibility heavy rain and fog?)  

Spanish airport authority Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (AENA) said Monday the UTair plane, which officials described only as a Boeing, circled back and landed safely. None of the passengers on either plane was hurt.

AENA said it has opened an investigation into what happened. It had no details on how close the planes were at the time of the incident.

The interesting thing about Ramirez's video is that is shows just how vulnerable aircraft are to human error. Watch the UTAir plane land after the go-around, sloppy landing why, because the pilot had a load of shit in his boxers.

High Speed Rail - Because uncontrolled decent never turns out good.