Thursday Open Comments

During the liberation of Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, German SS guards were forced to clear the bodies of the dead prisoners. When they became tired, they were granted a brief rest by British and Canadian soldiers. However, they were forced to take it lying down in one of the mass graves.

The Liberation of the Bergen-Belsen Death Camp


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  1. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    It’s Thursday!
    I passed by on the way to the shower this morning.
    Mornin’ Gang

  2. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    1949 GMC FF353 Holmes Wrecker.
    Owned by Round Hill Service Station in Greenwich CT, the station is still in business but this first tow truck they bought in ’49 is long gone.

  3. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    FWIW; Shannon’s picture in #42 yesterday would make a neat O.C. Pix.

  4. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    From mharper’s # 65 last night:

    “OK, we got a huge earthquake going on in Seattle. Everybody be careful out there, all right?”

    The crew of American Flight 27, the Boeing 767, radioed that it was on final approach essentially irreversible. And the tower windows, three-fourths of an inch thick, began to shatter like champagne glasses tossed against a concrete wall.

    Schimpf’s colleagues dived for cover from the raining debris. But Schimpf was in the hot seat, tethered to his console, mere inches from the exploding glass.

    “All right, everybody on Seattle Tower,” he said, his voice still firm, though stressed, “I want you to use extreme caution. The tower windows have collapsed here. Asiana 272 … turn left here, hold short on 16 Left, remain on this frequency. And Horizon 301, I want you to turn left and I want you to go to the ramp and remain on this frequency. All the windows are gone from the tower but two.”

    Another pilot radioed that he was entering a left turn.

    “All right. I want everyone to pay attention here, because I don’t know what’s working and what’s not.”

    Finally, as his universe disintegrated, Schimpf too dived under his console. A few seconds later, the shaking stopped and he re-emerged.

    Better than a movie script.

  5. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    Bill And Hillary Clinton Are About To Go Away Forever?
    Gawd, I hope so, but I’m NOT holding my breath.

    Yes, people, the day is coming, and it’s coming fast: We’re almost done for good with Bill and Hillary Clinton.

    How can we be sure, you ask? Here’s how: Tickets to see them live and hear them blab about their lives are selling for the cost of a Big Mac meal at McDonald’s.

    Not enough proof? Well, there’s this, too: New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd is finally sick of them.

    The former first couple opened a 13-city speaking tour late last month with a premiere event in Toronto (why they think anyone in Canada wants to hear them whine about Hillary’s crushing defeat in the 2016 presidential election is anybody’s guess). They pulled just 3,000 people to an arena that seats 19,000.

    Then they took their road show, “An Evening With the Clintons,” to Montreal, but they fared little better (and not for lack of trying: In a case of classic Clinton pandering, each said that Canada was superior to America).

    And things kept getting worse. Ticket prices for their event in Texas plunged to just $6. Seems no one is interested in hearing them tell “stories and inspiring anecdotes that shaped their historic careers in public service, while also discussing issues of the day and looking toward the future,” which a press release promised.

    Why are Bill and Hillary traveling the country charging people top dollar to hear them bloviate? It’s not the money: The couple made $250 million in the 15 years after Bubba left office (and Hillary made bank selling access — and favors — while she was secretary of state).

    No, they just want … to be loved. Like poor Charles Foster Kane, they just need to be loved. “That’s why he went into politics. It seems we weren’t enough. He wanted all the voters to love him, too,” Jedediah Leland says in the classic Orson Welles movie.

    But one person has fallen decidedly out of love with the Clintons. Dowd has finally had enough of the self-serving couple and last week called them out, calling them “shockingly un-self-aware.”

    “I’m looking around Scotiabank Arena, the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it’s a depressing sight. It’s two-for-the-price-of-one in half the arena. The hockey rink is half curtained off, but even with that, organizers are scrambling at the last minute to cordon off more sections behind thick black curtains, they say due to a lack of sales. I paid $177 weeks in advance. (I passed on the pricey meet-and-greet option.) On the day of the event, some unsold tickets are slashed to single digits,” Dowd writes.

  6. Adee Avatar
    Adee

    Good morning Hamsters. Dismally overcast and 55 at 6 on the moors of the Brazos. Weather folk have forecast nasty rainstorms coming across us tomorrow and into early Saturday, maybe 4-5 inches in some places in SW Texas. Dreaded words about stream flooding possible have been spoken. Sounds like a batten down situation.

    A brighter note on the Clinton tour, if I recall correctly their stop in Sugar Land’s largest arena has been canceled. Due to lack of interest in paying customers.

    They just don’t get it, do they? As for Maureen Dowd’s belated awakening, what took you so long?

  7. phil Avatar
    phil

    Stealing is bad but “harvesting” is good.

    Another reason the GooPee in the Pot party is going the way of the Dodo bird.

    Me? I’m now a Banana Republican.

  8. El Gordo Avatar

    Morning gang. Overcast and cool here this morning. Rain chances increasing the rest of the week with some frozen precip mixed in there as another possibility. So it’s time to go buy batteries, fill the bath tub with water, wrap the pet, and bring in the pipes again I guess. High school football Friday, Thursday night edition, is upon us but I’m having a hard time getting in to it. I guess my football calendar rhythms are still out of whack, but hopefully they are working to get caught up. I watched the delivery of President Bush yesterday on TV, and I understand that 29000 was delivered in 1991, not quite 30 years ago. It’s still an impressive sight every time I’ve seen it, either when it’s flying or when it’s sitting on the ground. OK, not much happening here so far, so I’ll report back in when things start to pick up. Meanwhile, you all have a great day.

  9. Katfish Avatar

    I’ll leave this without comment ………………..

    USA Gymnastics goes under, and deservedly so

  10. El Gordo Avatar

    The earthquake/ATC stories, both at Seattle and at Anchorage, are interesting. The job of ATC is of course to provide separation between and among all the IFR aircraft operating in the area in this case. Interestingly enough, all IFR pilots have a procedure in place on how to proceed if they lose communications with ATC, so it’s not that they don’t know what to do if the tower goes out of service. Efficiency suffers, but the airplanes are not just going to all crash if ATC goes down. Speculating somewhat, I would imagine that those runways are so thick and strong that they are not going to separate no matter what the surrounding terrain may be doing, except in the most extreme cases. They may shake, rattle, and roll a little bit, like a boat in a storm on the ocean, but they should remain in tact. Still gotta hand it to those controllers though. Through thick and thin, the always seem to hold it together, not get excited, and make everything sound like it’s routine no matter what the crisis. The controller that handled that crazy guy that stole a Dash-8 in Portland and took it for a spin was talking to him and managing his other aircraft at the same time as if it was all in a day’s work. Here’s to ATC controllers.

  11. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    Now they can be famous for something other than going on strike. 😛

  12. mharper42 Avatar
    mharper42

    Morning every one of y’all. I’ve been up for a couple of hours but still feeling sleepy.

  13. phil Avatar
    phil

    I guess it’s getting to the point now that when a Chinese person sneezes the market goes down 500 points.

    This country really is weak.

    Make America Solvent Again.

  14. Tedtam Avatar

    Just heard from LD. The girls are very excited about my arrival tomorrow.

    Lil Darlin’ was in the car as Sunshine was being dropped off at school. LD2 told Sunshine’s teacher, very excitedly, “NOONA’S COMING TOMORROW!!”

    Warms the cockles of my heart, it does. It’s been way too long since I’ve filled my arms with giggles and hugs.

  15. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    Old house is separated and trucks there fickin to haul the halves out. I’m getting play by play pics from my Darlin’.

  16. GJT Avatar
    GJT

    Oh and, we saw the source for that wasp problem we were having last year. 😯

  17. El Gordo Avatar

    OK, I know that the Bush procession is underway, but out here away from the action, it’s time to start getting your game faces on for tonight’s high school playoff game. I’ve been slow to get started today, but now I’m starting to perk up with just over 5 hours to go until game time. Here’s an interview that Texas Football conducted with the head coach following last week’s barn burner.
    https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2018/12/09/insider-interview-san-saba-head-coach-jared-fikac?ref=article_preview_title

    As previously noted, SS easily defeated DeLeon a few weeks ago in the regular season, but DeLeon now has several key players returned from injury, and as evidenced by their run through the playoffs, they appear to be back in good form. I’m having trouble finding enough information to do the man to man comparisons, but I’m hoping for good play from out guys too. SS made a lot of mistakes last week, and mistakes get amplified in big, competitive games. Hopefully they’ve got those issues sorted out. MaxPreps seems to be behind on this one too, and I’ve having trouble getting information from them. The schedule change is affecting all of us I guess. Anyway, I’ll be reporting back as things become more clear.

  18. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Tracking the Train

    Your intrepid reporter has joined brisk traffic on Hwy. 6 at Hempstead, en route to Navasota or points West.

  19. mharper42 Avatar
    mharper42

    I’m going to the annual dinner at the Near Northwest Management District, a TIRZ which is managing the now-CoH-owned White Oak Conference Center. (Formerly a golf course’s membership club.) Since they dropped volunteer maintenance of the butterfly garden on the Center’s grounds — in favor of paid landscaping — I haven’t seen much of the garden this year. I’ll try to get there a bit early tonight to get a quick walk through the garden before it’s too dark.

  20. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Tracking the Train

    Trusting my instincts, I decide to eschew Navasota, which no doubt has grown exponentially today. North of Navasota is the exit for FM 2154 towards Millican.
    This is rural country and with nothing but ranches on either side. The rails run parallel to the road and there is a brush line blocking view of the tracks. But every once in a while there is a road crossing the tracks. At every such crossing there are hundreds and hundreds of cars filling the open areas with a view of the tracks.
    Extraordinary.

  21. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Rush is giving a history lesson extraordinaire today.
    God Bless Rush Limbaugh.

  22. El Gordo Avatar

    A real Texan would have got out there and cleared all that brush to open the sight lines so all could see – with nothing more than a pocket knife if that’s all he had. See, you never can please some people. Pictures when available please.

  23. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Tracking the Train

    The persistent sprinkle has turned into a persistent, cold, light rain here at a road crossing about five miles west of Hwy 6.

    Texpat
    Dozens of us have tromped through the high grass and across the ballast to place a quarter on the track.
    Couldn’t resist.

  24. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Pictures when available please.

    I’m really torn between taking a video or stills.
    I sure wish Texpat was here to help.

    I’m going to climb up on the back of the pickup when the time comes.

  25. El Gordo Avatar

    If you want to ride the train, here it is live on You Tube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ey2Cjh_Vws

  26. Sarge Avatar

    Need your brother’s help climbing into the back of the pick up now?

    I feel your pain.

  27. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    25 Shannon

    Get photos to post.

    RE: #17

    You know the person who described it this way is a Yankee from back East.

    Tiny Navasota, Texas…

    Now I never thought of Navasota as tiny, especially since it is twice as big as Bellville. A small town maybe, but not tiny. They have 7 or 8,000 folks in that place.

  28. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Tracking the Train

    Though I hear from a neighbor that the train is barely out of Magnolia, the excitement is building here.
    The rain is now back to a drizzle. American flags are breaking out everywhere among the hundred or so cars I am with. Alas, I only brought a little 5×7 flag.
    It’ll do.

  29. Sarge Avatar

    Piker.

    And you can’t even climb into the back of the pick up so folks can see it.

  30. El Gordo Avatar

    Watching from the train link above, people gathered at all the crossings along the way. Some waving, some with their crossed hearts, some saluting. Another slice of Americana that has almost been forgotten about comes out of the woods to show its respect.

  31. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Tracking the Train

    Word is that the train is passing Trinity Head, just down the road from Navasota.

  32. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    It’ll be awhile yet.

    Word is that the train will almost stop in Navasota.

    Also, word is that over twenty thousand are assembled in Navasota.

  33. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    Coming through Navasota now, Shannon.

  34. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    I think it just crossed the Brazos.

  35. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Tracking the Train.

    I can hear it coming!

    Drones and helos everywhere!

  36. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Praying to the camera god.

    🙂

  37. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    DPS helicopter with very loud speaker telling drone operators to desist immediately!

  38. Bonecrusher Avatar
    Bonecrusher

    What could possibly go wrong with a bunch of amateur drone operators and very expensive manned helocopters all operating in a very concentrated area?

  39. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Got me a quarter, smashed flatter than a dime.

  40. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Damn, Texpat. What the hell are you doing in New Jersey?

    /sniff

  41. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    George Jones is now on the radio singing, “Who’s gonna fill their shoes?”.

    Hmm.

  42. Tedtam Avatar

    Shannon!

    Trusting my instincts, I decide to eschew Navasota, which no doubt has grown exponentially today. North of Navasota is the exit for FM 2154 towards Millican.

    You may see Hubby there, at Millican!

  43. Katfish Avatar

    #40 – an heirloom piece no doubt!

    Didja squash me one????

  44. phil Avatar
    phil

    After all of this state run media funeral coverage, I’m Bushed.

    I need a nap.

  45. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    At the rail crossing in the middle of nowhere today I met some gracious folks. Americans. Americans that even ELGordo might want to spend a minute or two with. 🙂
    We agreed to exchange any decent photos that we might accidentally capture.
    When I get home I’ll share with the couch, but after a quick look at mine, I’m not too impressed.

    We do what we can with what we have.

  46. El Gordo Avatar

    #46 – Hey, I love Americans. Those are my kind of people. No matter where you go, all the stories are the same – it’s just the faces that change. Just everyday folks, going about their lives, taking care of their families, and their business, and paying their respects when due. I doubt that any one of them ever met a Bush, yet they loved him and showed the family their support when needed. No doubt they would do the same were it Obama on that train. God bless these real Americans.

  47. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Made it home.

    I never had a coin laid on the tracks that ended up with a hole in it.

    But then, now that I’m a rich, white oppressor and could afford to use a quarter instead of a nickel….

    This quarter is now shaped like like a bell.
    With knife-sharp edges.
    Witha hole at the top for hanging.

  48. El Gordo Avatar

    OK, thanks for the updates Shannon, and glad you are safely back home. Now it’s nearly time to get back to the serious business of high school football. Kickoff is at 6PM or about 15 minutes from now due to pending possible icy precip predicted for later this evening. I’m still not getting anything on Max Preps, so I assume they were not notified of the change from Friday to Thursday for this game. But, san saba radio.com is supposed to be carrying it live for those of you outside the normal range of local radio (estimated to be about a 15 mile radius around SS). So, here we go. Stay tuned for updates unless it’s bad news.

  49. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    I’m still not getting anything on Max Preps

    That is very bad news. It is my only way to follow the game!

    I have my Armadillo suit on and everything!

    Grrrrrrr.

  50. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    This completely unremarkable photo of the last three cars of the train is significant only because after I shot it, I quickly pocketed the phone and -finally- hoisted my 5×7” flag over my head and as the last domed car passed I could see at least a dozen faces and hands inside, waving back.

    Don’t you know that was a train ride of a lifetime for those inside??

  51. El Gordo Avatar

    Max Preps has SS up 14-0 on two turnovers, but radio says 13-0 with one missed extra point. Somewhere in there I guess is the actual score.

  52. El Gordo Avatar

    Score update SS 19 DeLeon 7. Fumbles plaguing both teams presumably due to rainy conditions. A few minutes left in the 1st quarter. Come on Shannon, we need some help here.

    Score update – still 19-7 end of first quarter.

  53. Tedtam Avatar

    I was excited to receive my wallet style phone cover for my new phone.

    Dang Chinese made it just a tad too small. I am now making a new one out of duck tape, contact paper, and some other items around the house. I want to take it with me this weekend. I have my phone set to stay unlocked when I’m using my headset, and I don’t want to butt dial anyone or turn off my radio station (like earlier today).

    So much for doing other stuff.

  54. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Come on Shannon, we need some help here.

    Watching every update.
    Toes crossed.
    Screaming with every update.
    Is Fay getting tired of it? I don’t know, I’ll ask her in an hour or two.

  55. Hamous Avatar

    Shannon

    Here’s the live action version of yesterday’s #60.

  56. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    57

    She actually had a lot of fun listening to my updates on the last game.

    I’m pretty sure.

  57. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    San Saba goes for it on 4th and Goal from the two. Dang it.
    Turned over on downs.

  58. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Go Armadillos.
    25-7. 2 minutes left in the first half.

  59. El Gordo Avatar

    Armadillos leading at halftime, but they are playing with fire. Mistakes and luck helping. Look for the score to tighten up the second half.

  60. Hamous Avatar

    Here you go, Phil. This is just begging for the MST3K treatment.

  61. El Gordo Avatar

    Wow, that looks like a pretty good movie. What better reason could you have for mandatory heat packing than being prepared for an attack from creatures like these. Think I’ll go watch the whole thing soon as the ball game is over.

  62. Hamous Avatar

    The whole thing is on YouTube

  63. El Gordo Avatar

    SS leads 31-17 at the start of the 4th quarter.

  64. El Gordo Avatar

    Final score – SS 31 DeLeon 17. We’re off to the semi-finals next week. I can go watch MST3K now to settle down. Thanks Shannon, we couldn’t have done it without you.

  65. Texpat Avatar
    Texpat

    Mazel Tov, San Saba !

  66. phil Avatar
    phil

    64

    Too bad they missed that one.

    This one is pretty good though.

    Just what the Dr. ordered for a rainy weekend.

  67. mharper42 Avatar
    mharper42

    Well, I got to my event before dark, but it was sprinkling so I didn’t walk though the butterfly garden. Been a very long time since I attended any affair where the meeting room was supplied only with bar-height standing tables. There were about 10 chairs around the edges of the room, largely in use by women to stash their purses, while we all stood at those tall tables. I was somewhat dressed up and wearing medium heeled shoes. After an hour and a half of standing, my feet felt like they’d been rode hard and put up bloody. But at least the presentation was interesting and the catered canapes were delicious. My table companion was Heidi Schiesele (sp) of Treesearch Farms, and her feet were hurting too.

  68. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Dang it, ELGordo,
    I fell asleep and missed the second half.

    Too much funeralizing today.

    That’s great.

  69. El Gordo Avatar

    Maybe that’s just what we needed. My summary is that they just made a few more mistakes than we did. I thought the field was turf, but it was grass so the rain made things more slippery and muddy that expected. We are a speed team, so a sloppy track slows our fast guys down while not doing much to the big bruisers. Anyway, first time in school history that the football team has made it to the semi-finals. Location and opponent yet to be determined for next week.

  70. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    San Saba’s next opponent is New Deal, Texas.

    Never heard of New Deal until last week.
    Yes, it’s named for you know what.

  71. Shannon Avatar
    Shannon

    Mom got drunk and Dad got drunk at our Christmas party
    We were drinking champagne punch and homemade eggnog
    Little sister brought her new boyfriend
    He was a Mexican
    We didn’t know what to think of him until he sang
    Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad

    Brother Ken brought his kids with him
    The three from his first wife Lynn
    And the two identical twins from his second wife Mary Nell
    Of course he brought his new wife Kay
    Who talks all about AA
    Chain smoking while the stereo plays Noel, Noel
    The First Noel

    https://youtu.be/P37xPiRz1sg

  72. El Gordo Avatar

    Wow, look how New Deal and San Saba stack up against each other. Every stat is just about even steven. The winner of this game should be in a good position to take it all.
    http://www.maxpreps.com/games/football-fall-18/new-deal-vs-san-saba/tba-G-XAWTDWjEq3lNiviSfh7w.htm#tab=matchup&schoolid=

  73. Super Dave Avatar
    Super Dave

    Friday?
    Eye Candy?
    Mornin’ Gang

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