The initial reports of the pair of earthquakes in Venezuela sound very very bad. We have video from Caracas, but that is 100 miles away from the epicenter. There are collapsed buildings there and closer to the epicenter it will be far worse.

Now that we have the possibility of removing sanctions on Iranian oil and gas due to the peace deal, I expect there to be renewed interest in the proposed Russia to Iran gas pipeline and perhaps for the older idea of an oil pipeline. I also expect more trans-shipment of Russian oil via the Caspian.

2 million dollar missile. 10 dollar tent. Camel butts are nervous. IndoPacCom is crying.

"Will you still need me? Will you still feed me?"

I wondered why I'd heard Alice Cooper's No More Mister Nice Guy several times tuning around on the radio, and then saw someone reposting Trump's Truth Social tweet.

The Iranians partially blockaded the Strait of Hormuz. So now, the US will blockade the Strait of Hormuz. I guess this is an application of the age old strategy of "If you can't beat them, plagiarize from them."

CentCom air operations controllers at the end of today:

Well, you got the donut spare replaced with the new tire. It did, however, take three tries. First the scissor jack digging into the mud and the car nearly falling (remedied by a handy piece of OSB) and the jack breaking through the jacking point on the frame due to rust. - (but, wait. There's more)

Strait of Hormuz closure: One option being considered is sending thousands of troops for occupying Iranian shoreline and a deep enough buffer zone "temporarily". What could possibly go wrong with that?

Now this is an "interesting" way to reassure the oil markets and keep oil prices down. I'm sure they'll be impressed. Not reassured, but certainly "impressed".

Current investor sentiment on world stock markets: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6WD7B_I_9c

Slim Pickens / Major Kong riding the bomb

YouTube video by Rob Fehily

youtube.com

No worries. It's all offset by the leveraged oil futures his kid bought before the bombing started. Winning!

(Some here on BSKY may find this confrontational, but remember it's from an old former soldier who's concerned for people needlessly getting killed.) Have people forgotten that it's a good idea to set up .50 cal. positions around soft targets?

Operation "Epic Furry"? (Picture shamelessly stolen from Reddit)

Thanks for the Music, Neil. RIP Neil Sedaka. www.usatoday.com/story/entert...

Neil Sedaka, 'Breaking Up Is Hard to Do' singer, dies – 'A true rock and roll legend'

Neil Sedaka, the legendary singer-songwriter behind tracks like "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "Oh! Carol," has died at age 86.

usatoday.com

Is there something on TV tonight? I think I'll watch something more educational and believable instead. Like a Bugs Bunny cartoon.

Greenland battle plans: I think we have now equaled or surpassed Saparmurat Niyazov for levels of self-absorbed vanity.

If I were a nuclear engineer with weapons experience and no ethics, a good job market worldwide just became an excellent one.

Caracas: I had just taken gotten ready for bed and thought I'd check Bluesky one last time before calling it a night. Videos of Chinooks over the city. This is a little different from the usual playbook. I wonder if this is a mission to take out/capture their high command.

A Lord of the Rings cover band called The Arrogant Wormtongues.

Jessica Zellers@stellagarp.bsky.social · 8mo ago

A Lord of the Rings cover band called the Shirelles

Mathematicians working for the Department of Justice have determined that the number 468 is wholly imaginary and thus can't refer to anything real. As such, all entries related to it have been deleted from their website.

Pro tip: Do not try to tow a salvage shuttle bus through a tight spot on your property when you're tired and it's getting dark. After getting it stuck under a branch (of a tree I don't like anyway) letting air out of the tires wasn't enough to get clearance. A chainsaw was. Tired Hartree.

Who's your favorite Jedi? (Wrong answers only)

KT has a new dishwasher!@kinkyturtle.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Who's your favorite Jedi? (Wrong answers only)

Feh. My oxygen regulator doesn't. No brazing today. (Yes, I keep a fire extinguisher at the ready.)

Sorry for the short notice, but I just received this: The online memorial service for Karl Meyer (Crim Mip) on Second Life will be livestreamed at: www.youtube.com/live/aTMyOYw... I believe this is California time so this will be 4 PM Central today.

Celebrating Crim Mip Memorial Service

Celebrating Crim Mip Memorial Service

youtube.com

What do you bet a bunch of largely anonymous investors took out heavily leveraged put options on Kenvue on Friday. (Kenvue owns the Tylenol brand.)

Many of the people on my friends list know Karl Meyer (Crim). I just received word that he had passed away. I don't know much as yet save that it was apparently natural causes. I wanted to make sure that his family knew before I made a public post about it. I'll post more info as I find out.

I'm not a Charlie Kirk fan, but to hell with political murderers and attempted murderers.