General – The Laughing Wolf

Quiet Day So Far

I try to stay off social media and such as much as I can on Sundays. Yesterday I took that a step further by unplugging, setting up a chair out back, pulling out a book, and spending a few hours reading and watching the clouds. Temps were wonderful compared to be heat and humidity earlier in the week. Gentle breeeze just made it all that much better.

I’m catching up on events a bit, but am also having to stay on top of the PT/Insurance issue. Meet with the doc early tomorrow, then maybe PT, will see.

Meantime, hope you all have a good week. More posts soon.

Odd Fragment

Something dislodged this and I wanted to write it down. Not sure it means anything, but for years I had this same dream/vision of my death. Think I first had it around the 7th or 8th grade.

A team of us are in the back of a C-130, ramp down, which I don’t think I had seen at that point in my life. We are low, and watching the evergreens below covered with snow flash by. So low, none of us has a reserve. Our job is to land, go over the mountain, and extract a biological (person) on the other side. Rescue? Didn’t matter. Somehow, I know I survive the jump, but don’t survive the mission.

Funny how the dreams of our youth do and don’t work out. I think I do have at least one more jump in me, but that reality forked off long ago.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, which include moving once we have medical issues cleared up, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

The Death Of Pringles

23 June. 23 August. Kinda hard to miss the message. Whether it was a S-300 enema or something onboard, the top leadership of Wagner and the group responsible for their part of the “coup” are dead. Surovikin has been dismissed and may have been detained. There are some other rumblings that seem to suggest more is going on behind the scenes.

I do find the timing interesting, in that I would have either expected it sooner or around next June. Wagner was/is a key piece of operations in the Middle East and more importantly, Africa. The latter is extremely important to the Kremlin (resources and blocking Western counter-terrorism activities and influence) and many of the relationships with various countries were built on personal interactions and relationships with Utkin and Pringles.

The coup in Niger was not just Russian backed, but was backed and apparently assisted and encouraged by the Wagner Group. How much assistance and guarantees of future assistance were made by the men on the plane? What does their loss mean for the coup and efforts to overturn it?

The pivot of Wagner to Africa and the Middle East after the “coup” made a lot of sense. It put them where they could do the most good and it got them (mostly) out of the war with Ukraine. Which is why I figured any retribution would wait for a year or so, until certain goals were accomplished. Between that and internal Russian politics previously discussed, I thought it would be longer. Which suggests that something has changed in Africa in regards Wagner and Russian influence operations, and/or something has changed the political calculus in Moscow.

Pringles was a member of the “St. Petersburg Mafia” that took over Russia after the fall. Quick aside, if you aren’t familiar with the tension (sometimes warfare) between the Moscow faction/leadership and the St. Petersburg faction/leadership, it really is fascinating and goes back almost to the day of St. Petersburg’s founding. It still exists and is very much in play today. Despite all the media and PR, Pringles was not a senior member of the group and despite his friendship with Vladimir he was as close to being the lowest ranking member as possible. As someone put it on Twitter, he was a vassal to a vassal.

Unless I’m mistaken, he is also the first member of that mafia to experience the tender ministrations of 29155. Again, message. There are several layers to the message, this one being no one is safe. Toe the line, or else.

I’ve gotten the impression that the silent backers of the “coup” are still not all identified, though a lot of people are looking for them for a variety of reasons. I’ve also begun to suspect that some messages from Pringles to Vladimir may not have been passed along. I think he was genuinely surprised when Vladimir took it as an attack on him, rather than an effort to remove those who were misleading and botching the war on Ukraine per Pringles.

If he thought that his friendship with Vladimir, and the Kremlin need for Wagner, would save him and the others, he was mistaken and not paying attention. Once Vladimir feels someone has betrayed him, particularly in public, no amount of new information, apologies, etc. help. You are dead and quite often in ways as creatively nasty as possible.

There are unconfirmed reports that Pringles regular pilot was not onboard and may have been involved. Patsy? Also, it may be that none of the regular crew was onboard. If the crew was essentially a pickup from an FBO, they would be the only ones for which I would feel sorry.

There is more to come, and I expect 29155 to be busy in the days ahead as payback continues. There are some interesting fault lines in both the Russian Federation, and in the political structure around Vladimir, starting to show. The times may be about to get even more interesting for those in the Kremlin.

Elon and Twitter

Yes, I’ve got some thoughts, but my last few headlines have been about thoughts so wanted to do something different. Fact is, I was on a panel with Elon about space commercialization years ago. It was not a pleasant experience because of Elon.

Elon is intelligent, how much so a subject of some debate and discussion. What I will say about him is that he seems get engineering and R&D on a level that few others do. Is he Kelly Johnson reborn? No, different type of genius and one who is smart enough to hire modern Kelly Johnsons and — mostly — listen to them on critical issues. I’ve heard over the years, however, that he can have a tendency to get so wrapped up in his concepts/plans that he doesn’t listen, not unless reality hits him hard with a cold douche.

Whether it’s because he’s spectrum or something else, he is not a people person. He doesn’t always get others, or seem to realize that disagreement does not automatically equate to enemy action. Or that less than 1,000 percent enthusiasm for project doesn’t mean you are against it. I think I said a while back that Elon was his own worst enemy when it comes to turning those who could or should be his allies into enemies. For some reason, he seems driven to do that, to be an ahole for no good or discernible reason.

That panel was a case in point. I was the NASA rep, working with the Space Product Development program, and simply because I (a mere contractor) was representing NASA, I was the enemy. That he saw NASA as the enemy at the time was not unfounded in many respects; but, the way he handled it set commercialization efforts back. Frankly, he was a rude, boorish, and nasty POS that night. Some of his comments apparently didn’t go over well in parts of NASA. As for me, what I witnessed along with things heard over the years (water cooler RUMINT), I would not want to work for him though I would love to work at a couple of his companies.

Fact is, before I got hit by lightning, I would have loved to work for Space X because they are doing, not talking. So long as it was down a few layers from the top so I was insulated from the storms that seem to hit Elon from time to time. He’s got a lot of good people working for him, and I would have loved to work with them. I think that right now they are the best shot we have at getting off this mudball and creating a permanent human presence throughout the solar system. I think that important and needed, especially as we seem determined to go the path of endless wars and escalation of same. Earth is the cradle of humanity, and it would be a shame if we became a case of crib death writ large.

I bring this up because over the weekend, Elon had one of his patented tantrums on Twitter (X, whatever) over removing the block feature. Elon wants to do it, and the peasants just don’t understand his grand plan and how this will make things better. He started blocking people who disagreed with the idea, told major accounts to delete themselves because they disagreed, and thought it was all funny. I thought it was fun (and funny) to block him so I may not be on Twitter much longer. We’ll see. The interesting thing is that with X/Twitter, the world gets to see the behavior on a large scale.

As for the block feature, I think it flat out stupid to remove it. First, various app stores (on which X depends) have rules that would seem to say no to this. Second, there are serious safety concerns for people who block because of domestic, terroristic, and other threats. I actually did try to point out the latter to Elon and others at X, don’t think it went anywhere. To my mind, it’s a liability issue with a capital L and a lot of dollar signs attached. Third, it’s my timeline and I like having the ability to block bots and others who do not have my best interest at heart.

I made the decision a while back to hang on and see what happens on/with Twitter/X. I don’t like a lot of what I see going on lately, but then again I’m not a multi-business billionaire with a track record of (mostly) success. I’m not part of the flounce brigade that every time he’s made a change has flounced to other pastures in protest (and mostly come immediately back). I’m going to let things play out for now, as Twitter is still the best platform for getting breaking news and intel.

I would love to see it more a true free speech platform, at least within what is allowed by our government, the EU, and others who hate free speech. I would like to have no filters, or at least visible filters and options, and curate who I follow, how, and why. Elon seems to want to make it a garden of nice, or at least nice as he sees it. Having survived the destruction of the blogosphere when we were tempted into the warm walled gardens of Facebook and other social media, which rapidly turned into thought prisons, I don’t trust promises of gardens that, really, trust us, this time are going to be nice and free.

Meantime, understand Elon is not your friend, a savior, or anything else other than a flawed human like the rest of us. He is an erratic genius, where it’s not the genius that is erratic but his behavior. I want to be fair and note that I have heard that he is not having a tantrum/being an ahole, he’s actually nice and even fun to be around. I’ve just never personally seen that side of him.

Because of him, a lot of good things are happening. To my mind, it’s worth dealing with the ahole component to get the good things. Not necessarily pleasant, but until some real competition comes along, he’s pretty much the only game in town on several fronts. When there are other realistic options, I will review and revise as warranted. If he goes completely off the rails in regards Twitter/X, I will leave with little fuss or muss. Meantime, I’m just going to sit back, watch, and probably shake my head a lot.

Your Thoughts Invited

Two quick things before I head to the gym for workout and “home” PT. I really would appreciate your thoughts on two separate things.

First, I think I mentioned that I had been considering getting a guitar to see if I could learn to play it. Someone had suggested it as a form of physical therapy, but it’s really not. That said, it could help test to determine if I can learn a complex new skill after the lightning strike despite memory and other issues.

I put it off a while back simply because I couldn’t justify it in the budget. Missed out on a sweet Ibanez that was on sale used, but just not in the budget. Oh, and I was shocked to find out how few used guitars are available. Still looking and hoping that maybe enough comes in through the tip jar to go for it. There is a nice Ibanez acoustic-electric available for a bit over $300, and I’m keeping an eye out for used. Want to go with the acoustic-electric as the thinner profile is easier on me post surgery.

To be honest, it’s a crapshoot. Positive is that if I can learn, it gives hope in other areas while giving me something fun and entertaining to do. If I can’t, well, I can at least torture the cats and maybe the landlord with my efforts. Not what I want, but I can sorta make it into a win. What are your thoughts on this?

Second, and this is way too soon, thoughts on an option a realtor suggested to me for the move. I still have to get the other shoulder replaced and recover, and that may take a while. For all I would like to get it done here soon, the right arm has to be recovered a bit more before we can do the left I suspect. How long that will take is a good question.

The option was to buy or rent an RV and use it to explore in the area where I want to move. The idea is, park the RV for a month in a general area, and explore on foot and by vehicle to get to know the area and look at options. Want to check out another area? Drive there, park for another month, and lather, rinse, repeat.

Question for you: does anyone know of any low-cost options for getting or renting an RV? I think it a good idea, but also am having to consider that the car is not doing well and replacing it is going to be a challenge. If it does hold on, and I’m not another year out from moving, any ideas on this or other options for exploring?

Yes, still looking primarily at Arizona, but also checking to see options in west or north Texas. My original thoughts of being a lone wolf out by myself isn’t going to work. Probably need to be close to/around more people, would be nice if they were good people. Near decent medical wouldn’t hurt. So, looking hard at Benson area, though it might be fun to check out Winslow or even Flagstaff. After all, a girl in a flatbed Ford might stop for me… If you get that, you might remember Pat Paulsen.

If anyone has any suggestions for a good way to get me out West, explore a bit, and find the right situation for me, please sing out. I just want to get my stuff out of storage and have a place of my own again one day soon.

Note/Reminder

For me as much for you. Working on a more serious post that I hope to get up later today but more likely tomorrow. Finding that trying to write, or much else, after physical therapy doesn’t always work out. At least one post, on the newspaper raid, on the way. Couple of other targets out there that need a spotlight and mockery as well. Also, check out this from Legal Insurrection, though it comes with a blood pressure warning. As I noted a few days ago, the food issue is not one base and seems to be getting worse. When troops are being given out-of-date/moldy MREs in place of proper food (another base), we have not just a logistics issue, but a major command failure at all levels. More soon.

Interesting Weekend

Sorry for the lack of posting, but my weekend got a bit interesting. A bit mixed on that.

First, my body and I started arguing for reasons that are not clear. Most likely something I ate, but it made for an interesting Sunday evening and Monday. Yesterday was better, and I started doing some “cure or kill” steps to move things along. So far so good on that.

The only thing I ate that was completely out of the ordinary was a small pastry. Housemate is back from visiting his parents and family in Algeria, and one of his sisters always bakes him several large containers of pastries. If she isn’t a professional pastry chef she should be as both the pastries and presentation (wraps, cups, etc.) put some of the high-end pastry stores in the main tourist section of Paris to shame. Baklava to die for. Tried a new-to-me concoction that was sesame on sesame on sesame with honey in a pastry cone. Thank goodness it was small, and that I had to leave quickly as he was offering me one of each type. I think she only did five to seven different pastries this visit. Also, don’t think this was what set things off.

On top of that, I was contacted Sunday by someone who wanted to let me know that Flo might be up for sale online. They had been looking at buying her, but in doing some research found my article, and was pretty sure the one for sale was mine. Or what had been mine, as the insurance company paid up and now owns her if found. No way to buy her back right now from them (or anyone else). The person selling her says he got her from an estate sale. No reason to doubt them, but I would dearly love to know what estate, when the deceased bought or obtained her, and from whom.

I’ve contacted both the relevant PD and the insurance company. Crickets. No apparent interest in pursuing this. No, not going to contact the seller either electronically or in person. Hard, but if this is my Flo, and I strongly suspect it is, such contacts rarely work out well and I have been having to remind myself that she is no longer mine. The lack of interest on the part of the proper authorities in pursuing justice both hurts and is not a surprise. Just another sad marker in the decline of civilization, the rule of law, and the Republic.

On top of that, I discovered that the big box store pharmacy I thought I had moved away from proved to be as competent at that as they have on other issues recently. Ended up taking phone calls from myself and the new pharmacy to finally get them to do what they were supposed to have done last Thursday. Good news is, now finally switched over and the new pharmacy is close enough I can walk to it when the weather is nice. Initial service is good, and they were thanking me for becoming a customer when I picked up my first prescription. Cautiously optimistic.

May be a food and a music post later. Trying to catch up on all that is going on, and take care of a few things that have to be dealt with. More soon.

General Update

For those that are interested, here’s where things stand as of this morning. Honestly, can’t complain (too much). My left shoulder can and does though. It hurts worse than the replaced shoulder.

I am doing and feeling better than I expected based on research. Pain has not been too bad, have had far more discomfort than pain since about the second week after surgery. If I, or someone else, do something stupid, I get the message immediately. Jerks, pushes, or impacts bring strong but thankfully brief bits of pain. The industrial cold pack does a good job on the rest. I’m not taking acetaminophen right now as I think it toxic as all get out, and am going to be exploring NAC and another option thanks to some comments.

My range of motion is improving, at least towards the front and up. We can’t yet start on taking my hand/arm backwards. Hoping by the end of the month we might can do that. Meantime, PT twice a week and gym at least three days a week.

I’m setting up at home to do most of the PT I do with the therapist. The initial PT really didn’t require any gear, but doing PT at home on the “off” days has really paid off. Besides, want to be set just in case insurance cuts back on PT (see below). So far, I’ve gotten the ice pack, the pulley system, a couple of other small things, and some PVC pipe. The latter needs to be cut so I can use it for certain lifts and stretches. Amazing how much you can do on the cheap!

I need to pick up some small weights (1, 2, 3, 5 lbs to start, may need to pick up some other soon as well) as we are now doing some of the stretches and exercises with those. Also, need a ball. I’ve gone from pure isometric pushing against a wall/door frame to pushing against the ball to get movement as well.

Still limited on how much I can pick up, carry, etc. Trust me, if I overdo that one I know it quick. Hoping the weight restrictions will come off by the end of the month.

At the gym, I am getting my aerobic/cardio and some core/lower body work in as well as some of the PT. Just added in some wall crunches to go with the ab work, as I have a gut to get rid of. Easing into the aerobic/cardio instead of my previous normal “jump in hard” mindset. As is, getting in at least two miles every session and am starting to ramp up. Have been keeping the BPM under 110, but as things settle I’m going to work up to the “optimum” target of 135.

At the end of the month, I go back to the surgeon’s office to evaluate where things stand. Already working up questions, including some on shooting and future shooting of rifle and shotgun. With luck, will get cleared to start the fun phase of working the arm backwards and handling some weight. We are also going to talk about the left shoulder and when to schedule doing it. I’m actually hoping for September, for all that it will make recovery interesting as I would still be doing PT on the right even as we start doing it on the left. We will see.

We will also have to see what the insurance will approve on PT. Theoretically it should not be a problem to get all the PT approved. Reality is, it doesn’t matter what the doctor or therapist say, it matters what the bureaucrat says. Always a fun game. I will have to say, however, that so far my insurance as been very good to me and I hope they continue to be…

Between carry limits and motion issues, “real” cooking is still a challenge. Thank goodness for the cooking I did before the surgery. I did do two pans of enchiladas this week, one beef and one chicken. An experiment in several ways: could I do it with the arm; I couldn’t get my regular cheat sauces (doing from scratch not an option yet); and, I couldn’t get my regular grain-free tortillas.

It went okay. Shredding the chicken after it slow cooked actually worked the arm a bit, but not too badly. The sauces were okay but I do prefer what I usually get. Not keto, but went with some good white corn tortillas which worked very well overall, and were a fraction of the cost of the grain-free.

Will do a separate post on the half-batch of Adm. Nimitz’s CINCPAC special I’ve made. It’s a drink made by the gallon, and was apparently considered a version of old fashioned despite no citrus. Letting it age a bit so that the whole vanilla bean (!) in it can make it’s presence known.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Between Annoyed And Giving Thanks

A week or so ago, I rejoined the local Y as it is close and they give seniors and those on limited incomes special pricing. Options being limited, having to make use despite how woke the Y has become as an institution.

Given that there were storms forecast for later this afternoon and some other factors, I went early as I was supposed to kick things up a bit today. After the aerobic/cardio workout, I was doing my E-gym work and was supposed to add in some regular machines afterwards. Right now, no upper body at all, concentrating on the aerobic/cardio and waist-and-below work. I’ve got goals in regards waist, lower-body, and cardio-response. For now, taking it very carefully and building.

The E-gym equipment is designed to make it almost impossible for people to screw up, and to get the most out of each workout. Not completely sold on the latter, but the former is a good thing for someone already in PT. You have to get a special wrist band, then you are fitted to each machine by a trainer, do an initial strength/mobility test, then the machine will guide you through a workout. Everything is stored in the wrist band, hit it near the sensor and you are good to go. Right now, hitting back extension, crunches, leg press, leg curls, and leg extensions. Not sure I will ever get back up to 400lb leg presses, but am curious how close I can safely get.

Today, if all had gone as planned, I was going to be adding regular weight machines for additional lower body strength (and some flexibility). Add in some of my daily PT routine, and it would have been a great workout.

Great plan. Right up until lightning hit very close by. As in I wasn’t sure the building (which is rather extensive) might not have been hit. We were informed that unless power came back on pretty much immediately, everyone would need to evacuate. While I had only worn my gym shorts, I was wearing my shirt jacket with all the pockets. One of which had a Streamlight stylus pro in the pen slot. Given that large portions of the upper floor area were pitch dark, I played lamppost and helped get people safely to and down the stairs. Think I’m going to put the Streamlight pro tac light I usually keep in a pants pocket in the shirt jacket from now on when only wearing gym pants. We really could have used those extra lumens.

So, annoyed that I didn’t get to add in the new stuff, and because I was rocking the last E-gym machine. Power went out right as I was about to finish. Giving Thanks that the lightning was no closer than it was. When it hit, part of my mind went ‘I know that tune…’

Remember, Preparedness Pays! And if you don’t have something besides your phone for emergency light, you are not fully prepared.

Alive Days Weekend

I will be trying to reply if and as needed to comments and such, but I also hope to mostly take the weekend off. I’m celebrating a bit this weekend.

This weekend represents a combination of alive days, including surviving getting hit by lightning on June 30 two years ago. Like I say, several days, one weekend of celebration/contemplation. Plan to relax, enjoy life, and give thanks that I’m still around to enjoy all of it.

More soon.