Fall is finally here, and working while sick

Hooray, Fall is finally here in the Old North State!

Temps in the seventies, around fifty at night.

Soon the leaves will be turning. We are going to Boone in three weeks, they should be at their peak then.

I am meeting with my prospective partner this afternoon. I have been getting intimations that he is going to back out.
We'll find our for sure today.

I have had two companies get back to me that I met with in Vegas, asking me to represent them.
One is a German test equipment mfg, their web site is in German, although they do have a domestic sales office and warehouse here in the States.
That should be fun!

I already had one located here in Raleigh that I will firm up tomorrow, and another that I have previously spoken to before going to the conference.
That one is a low % line, but I will probably take them on anyway.

If I go solo, it will be a lot of windshield time and long hours for awhile.
But it will be ours!
I will eventually add associates, but not a partner if this is my path.
The Queen is my partner, and the Lord my backer!
Wow, but developing day to day faith is not for the faint at heart though!

Ariel has a raging case of the flu, and cannot stay home and sleep until he gets over it.
Their fall FTX (Field Training Exercise) starts tomorrow at Ft Jackson SC, and since he is part of the officers cadre now he can't miss it.

Such is the life of an adult! Y0u're sick and need to stay home, but your employer, be it the Army or a company won't allow it.
So you are miserable, work sick and make certain that everyone around you gets your affliction.

Is it my imagination, or do bosses somehow seem immune?
In my experience the rascals seem to never get sick.

Such is life fellow Pilgrims!

Rock on Lt Harvey, and feel better soon!

Freak Show!

Las Vegas!
How can I even begin to describe it?
Suffice it to say that we two rubes from Mayberry NC felt like Salmon swimming the wrong way in the wrong stream when we first arrived late Saturday night!

The conference/expo we attended was in the MGM Grand complex, the newest and most ornate of the "New Vegas" Casinos.

We got in around 11:00 PM.
First off, the shuttle driver backed completely over the sidewalk at the airport, nearly running over a young man who was waiting as we were for his ride. His friends yelled and pulled him out of harms way in the nick of time.

When we pulled into the massive driveway at the Grand, we were caught in a traffic jam consisting mostly of stretch limos.
I had forgotten that there was a championship prize fight in the arena at the Grand that night.
The fight had just ended, welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather had come out of retirement to win back his title.

Our 'driver' and I use the term loosely dropped us off in the middle of that vortex of traffic and left us to pull our suitcases and run for our lives to the lobby!

We had a hard time even spotting the check in area, the mob of people was so massive.
I think every thug, ner'do' well, hooker and celebrity wanna be in North America was there.
The rest of the country was safe that night I think, all of the low life types were at the Grand!

We were exhausted and just wanted to get into our room and crash.
When I opened the door, I could see that the room had not been cleaned from it's previous occupant.
After calling the front desk I was told to wait there and a concierge would bring up keys to another room for us. He finally arrived, and said "You did want a smoking room, right?"
Absolutely not I replied.
He apologized profusely and said "Wait here, I'll be right back with the key to an appropriate room for you"
Due to all of the hassles, they upgraded us to a beautiful suite!
It was most certainly a room normally given to high rollers, by far the nicest hotel room I have stayed in during all of my travels.

The Lord does work in mysterious ways, and in the heart of Sin City to boot!

More on our journey to 'Oz later, with pictures that the Queen took.

Off to Vegas

Finally at the age of almost 56 I will experience Las Vegas.
We are heading out to the fall BICSI conference, where I am meeting with one manufacturer and hope to get the interest of others in getting this business off the ground.
The aviation term is "rotate speed".
That is the speed at which you become airborne and slip the bonds of gravity and soar off into the deep blue sky.

I'm itching for this venture to hit rotate speed!

The Queen is looking forward to "Bright Light City" as Elvis put it.
I'm sure that we will see him.
Maybe he'll buy us a Caddy!

I'm just hoping that it is profitable business wise, and that maybe a few days in the dry desert air will improve both of our allergies.
They have been miserable the last few weeks here.

Oddly, I have not flown for three years, almost to the week.

Should be fun!

Vegas, Baby! The Queen will be in her element!

Missing Persons Report.

Has anyone seen Code Pink, Grannies Against War, Veterans Against War, etc etc.?
Since George W. Bush left office and the Democrats assumed total power they have been absent without leave.
Press Conferences and Congressional Speeches have not been interrupted, camp ins in front of the White House or the Presidents vacation home have vanished, and (Believe me I am not complaining about this!) Cindy Sheahan has all but disappeared from view.

Are they all on Holiday together, dancing around the camp fire singing Kumba Ya?
Have Aliens abducted them?
Or is it true that they are only against the military when a Republican sits in the Oval Office?

I make it a point to read the names of all of our young men who have lost their lives in Afghanistan.
I note their age, their home towns, their families.
Sadly there are lists almost daily now.
And it is not just our young men.
Their are combat aviators from Canada, the U.K. and our other true allies losing their sons all too frequently now.

The President has talked about increasing our troop levels by 35-40,000 men.
To what purpose?

Are we willing to ignore the Pakistani border and pursue the Taliban and Al Queda wherever they may flee? Just think of Laos, Cambodia and the Ho Chi Minh trail here, circa 1966-1973.
Are we willing to use any and all conventional weapons to destroy their mountain sanctuaries?
Are we willing to give them a deadline on their evil trade in Opium Poppies, and to utilize our incredible Agricultural knowledge to teach them how to grow cash crops to feed themselves and advance their economy?
Are we willing to tell them that further suppression of their women and the few non-muslim amongst their population will no longer be tolerated?
Do we have the political backbone to do all of these things and more?
As yet I have seen no evidence of that.

My son will be joining them in theatre all too soon.
I resent the fact that he will most probably be risking his life for nothing, just as too many of my friends and neighbors did during the Vietnam era.

Are we willing to do whatever it takes to secure Afghanistan?
Are we willing to ask the Obama Administration and the Democrat Congress the hard questions?
Is there a realistic chance that we can drag Afghanistan out of the Stone Age and create a viable, reasonably free nation?
Are we willing to militarily untie the hands of our soldiers and Marines to get the job done?
Are we willing?

If the answer to any of these questions is No, then we need to secure what towns there are, make Pakistan understand in no uncertain terms that we will tolerate no incursion from their side into Afghanistan, and get the heck out of there.

Now Mr. President!

We want answers!

Post script to the main stream media.
I've seen absolutely no critism from you or questioning on our deepening involvement here.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

Random bits and Pieces

Great football game last night, and it restored the Miami/Fla State rivalry to its place amongst the best in college football.
After watching bits of several games this weekend past involving ranked teams that were sloppy and poorly played it was nice to see two teams who were ready.
A hard hitting but clean football game, even though there is normally no love lost between the two arch rivals.
I am going to miss Coach Bobby Bowden when he finally retires.
Or should I have said "Dadgummit, I'm gonna miss the old coach!"
He is one of the most naturally funny people in sports, and a fine old Southern Christian Gentleman to boot.
During a pre-game interview he said and repeated "Football is not my God. Probably not even third or fourth on my priority list"
I like that.
Our newly minted 2LT and his friend Nathan made the road trip of their lives and were at the game.
One text he sent on the way down "South GA is so Poor!" spoke volumes of his maturation.
I sent him on that route from Brunswick GA through Valdosta and Thomasville to Tallahassee because it seemed to be the most direct.
Old Dad also had the ulterior motive of showing him that not everyone is as fortunate as he has been.
There is still a lot of poverty and struggle for survival in this country.
The current ruling party in my opinion is making it far more likely more will join that group, but that is for another discussion in another venue.

I am not looking forward to my cell bill, the texts flew back and forth during the game.
"Was he in?" referring to my ability to watch replays during the several officially reviewed plays. All of them went Miami's way, not the usual outcome of our encounters with the officials.
Several times it seemed that both teams were making mistakes that would cost them the game, but then they came storming back to tie or take a slim lead.

With just over a minute and a half left, Miami took a four point lead.
One of the few poor coaching decisions gave the Noles the ball at mid-field after a squib (Short) kick off.
Oh no, I thought, they only have to go 50 yards to pull this one off!

And they pretty near did, after a 20 yard QB draw and a questionable interference call in the end zone gave them the ball at our two yard line.
Two tipped passes by Cane defensive backs who were several inches shorter than FSU receivers brought the game to one final play, double or nothing winner take all.

One last official review after their receiver apparently trapped the ball in the end zone had 81,000 people in Doak Campbell Stadium and millions watching on TV on pins and needles.
Would the call on the field stand and Canes win, or will it be reversed and Florida State reign supreme?
Hollywood could not have written a more suspenseful ending.

"The call on the field stands, the game is over!"
WOW, CANES WIN!

What a way to start the season!

Once again no one can dispute that Florida football is the most competitive in the nation.
Favored to win their third National Title in four years, the Gators have yet to play anyone good.
But Miami and FSU proved last night they can play and hold their own against anyone.

Look for all three schools to finish in the top ten and play in BCS bowls in January.