I found an account of the Elliot’s sinking in the July 14 edition of Jet Observer, a Navy newspaper covering NAS Oceana, Virginia. Page seven has the article.

The jet jockeys probably thought they’d have the job done in time for a mid-morning coffee break. Instead it took 3,000 pounds of explosives and half a day to do her in. Damn straight! It’s because of all those coats of paint I put on it.

Note to VFA-195 PAO: I take issue with “rusting hulk.” You got the Elliot mixed up with the Standley.

—

VFA-195 plays important role in ‘Sinkex’
by Ens. Matt Myers

Maritime dominance has been the mission of the U.S. Seventh Fleet since its founding over 60 years ago. During Operation Talisman Sabre 2005, a three-week cooperative exercise with the Royal Australian Navy, Army and Air Force, Carrier Strike Group Five demonstrated critical war at sea capabilities against two decommissioned U.S. Navy ships. The threat may have been simulated, but the guns, bombs and warfighting skills tested during the “sinkex” were very real.

The ex-USS Standley (CG 32) sank early under a barrage from the guns of Destroyer Squadron Fifteen and air-to-surface missiles from the Strike Group’s two helicopter squadrons.

When the smoke cleared, it was time for Carrier Air Wing Five’s strike fighter squadrons to unleash their firepower on the ex-USS Elliot (DD 967). The airwing scheduled a full day of sorties against the rusting hulk, but less than halfway through the flight schedule, six 500 pound bombs from Lt. Cmdr. Brian Bronk and Lt. Brett Dresden of the “Dambusters” of VFA-195 sent the ex-Elliot to the bottom of the Coral Sea.

The sinkex tested every aspect of Carrier Air Wing Five’s readiness for combat operations as low-lying clouds restricted weapon delivery profiles and two weeks of intensive flying kept maintenance departments working overtime. The Dambusters’ aviation electronics and armament shops found themselves in the spotlight since Sinkex participants were tasked with putting ordnance on target and bringing back the cockpit video to prove it.

“A sinkex as successful as this one demonstrates the incredible lethality of the Hawk-Five team,” summed up Mike Patterson from VFA-195. “The Chippies are proud to be a player on that team.”

Ens. Matt Myers is the PAO for the VFA-195 “Chippies”

I wrote our senators recently to ask that they not tie the hands of our wonderful, public weather source: the National Weather Service. I wrote an eloquent letter emphasizing the lifesaving importance of this information.

Today I got a letter from Richard Burr’s office (say what you want about the guy, but at least his staff responds to inquiries). Here’s his response:

Dear Mr. Turner:

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about the National Weather Service (NWS) Duties Act 2005 (S. 786). I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.

I believe that the NWS provides an essential service to protect life and property. In North Carolina we rely on weather information, particularly along our coast. I am concerned about any legislation that undercuts the ability of NWS to provide essential information, such as hurricane and tornado warnings.

S. 786 was introduced in April 2005 by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for consideration. S. 786 allows all data, information, guidance, forecasts, and warnings received, collected, created, or prepared by the National Weather Service (NWS) to be issued in real time, without delay for internal use, in a manner that ensures that all members of the public have the opportunity for equal access to such data, information, guidance, forecasts, and warnings.

Hearings and additional study will help show us if any changes are needed to ensure the essential mission of NWS is being carried out, while not creating a mission-creep into areas that the private sector can provide information.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If you have any additional questions or comments on this issue, please feel free to contact me or visit my website at http://burr.senate.gov.

Sincerely,

(signature)

Richard Burr
United States Senator

RB: asn

So, let’s pick this apart, shall we?

“I believe that the NWS provides an essential service to protect life and property. In North Carolina we rely on weather information, particularly along our coast. I am concerned about any legislation that undercuts the ability of NWS to provide essential information, such as hurricane and tornado warnings.”

Okay, so I connected with this one. The value of the data is unquestioned. He’s with me here.

“S. 786 was introduced in April 2005 by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for consideration. S. 786 allows all data, information, guidance, forecasts, and warnings received, collected, created, or prepared by the National Weather Service (NWS) to be issued in real time, without delay for internal use, in a manner that ensures that all members of the public have the opportunity for equal access to such data, information, guidance, forecasts, and warnings.”

This paragraph is generally in agreement, too. I’ve highlighted a few key points. One of them is “all members of the public.” This is code for “businesses, too,” though generally I don’t consider a business to be a member of the public. Perhaps Certain Commercial Forecasting Companies Based In Pennsylvania (CCFCBIP), in particular. I believe the crux of the bill is that a CCFBIP didn’t think NWS was being free enough with its information. Thus, the “equal access” part. None of the sites I’ve found seem to say exactly what that information is. Thus, the “equal access” part. I seems to be some private beef which has now been taken to Congress. Anyone with further information is welcome to share.

“Hearings and additional study will help show us if any changes are needed to ensure the essential mission of NWS is being carried out, while not creating a mission-creep into areas that the private sector can provide information.”

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Anytime someone says “it will take more study,” they mean “I’ve made up my mind and you lose.” I’m not buying for a minute that Burr’s on the fence here.

Now for the coup de grace:
“while not creating a mission-creep into areas that the private sector can provide information.”

Burr’s saying “I don’t want to tie the hands of the NWS, but … I’m going to tie the hands of the NWS!” There you go. Big business wins. We the people lose.

I’ve got nothing against commercial forecasting companies. Indeed, some of my best friends are commercial forecasting companies. If you want to compete with a free service, knock yourself out. But if your product sucks to the point that you resort to hobbling the public service, particularly one which has been around for almost one hundred and fifty years, good luck. Maybe you should fix your business plan instead, hmmm?

This should be a wake-up call to open-source advocates as well. The NWS uses a ton of open-source tools to create its forecasts. If this bill becomes law, would the NWS be prohibited from sharing these open-source tools with the public, especially if the “private sector” sells one? Or would they be prohibited from developing tools in-house to create the forecasts of commercial ones exist?

The whole thing smells fishy. Burr’s response only confirms it.

I had just pulled into the parking lot of Char-Grill, ready for a tasty Friday afternoon burger. A black Jeep Cherokee in front of me stopped to look for a parking place. Before I know it, the Cherokee is backing up straight for me. I lay on the horn for a second or two but its no use. She backs right into my left headlight, crumpling the hood.

I traded contact information and insurance information but decided against filing a police report. I’m going to head over to the body shop to see what we’re looking at to fix it.

And just what is it about my cars that attracts Jeep Cherokees?

I went swimming for the first time this weekend since my fundoplication surgery in March. I was a bit nervous about it, actually. You see, when I’ve gone swimming in the past, whenever I get up to my waist, I could feel my stomach making a beeline for my throat.

Seriously, I used to feel my stomach flipping around when I first went swimming. It was weird. I’ve read some things about diving reflex and wonder if it might be related to that. At any rate, I’m convinced that whatever was happening there was making my reflux problem worse.

This time, swimming was totally uneventful. My stomach stayed put and I felt comfortable in the water. Part of this could be that the water was 108 degrees. Ok, I’m exaggerating, but you get the idea. A dip into cold water might be a better test.

So that’s all more than you ever wanted to know about my gut. Questions?

The News and Observer ran the Oculan jobless story in today’s paper. Article is in the Work section, lower front page, called Pink -Slip Party Finds Relief In Timing. It also has pictures.

I got quoted, though my “finding work in one week” seems pretty stupid in print. Amazing what beer can add to an interview! The reporter, Vicki Parker, did call me up yesterday to see if I had actually performed this amazing feat. I ‘fessed up that, no, I had not.

Overall, though, the article is a positive thing. Folks sound pretty positive, and that can only help in finding work. Parker kept the door open for a follow-up article in a couple of months. Let’s hope she’s got more good news to report.

I had a very strange experience going to the Coastal Federal Credit Union at lunch today. I was there to reopen my account, which had been closed a few years ago. I thought it’d be no big deal, but I was in for a surprise.

Sure, there was some paperwork involved, and a required $25 deposit to maintain the account, but the bank required one thing I was not prepared to give: a thumbprint.

The branch employee placed the signature card in front of me to sign, in order to have a copy of my signature on file. No problem with that, I suppose. I expect them to verify my signature.

Then she put an inkpad down in front of me and told me she needed my thumbprint. Well, this is new, I thought. I suppose the fact that I’ve had an account (albeit dormant) at the credit union for over twelve years isn’t proof enough that I am who I say I am. They certainly didn’t ask me for a thumbprint when I first opened the account. So, I wondered, why now?

A plaque on her desk showed a picture of the flag with the words “The USA Patriot act requires positive identification to open an account.” I felt all patriotic when I read that. Hey, no problem with that, either. I happily supplied my driver’s license as ID.

After doing some pecking around, I’ve decided that the print was needed only for the credit union’s anti-fraud measures. That’s why it went on the signature card. When I banked at a commercial bank, I refused all efforts to provide my thumbprint. Yet, I gave in and supplied it today.

As far as I know, the Patriot act doesn’t require fingerprints. At least, I hope it doesn’t. But the whole thing would have been more palatable to me if they’d explained the reason they needed the thumbprint. And thumbprints aren’t part of the non-public information they claim to collect in their privacy policy.

C’mon, guys. Save the fingerprinting for the crooks, ok?

(All this from a guy who just days ago ranted about there being no more secrets. Man, am I a contradiction or what?) 🙂

Bay Judge W.F. Turner dies at 81

By David Angier
News Herald Writer
747-5077 / dangier@pcnh.com

PANAMA CITY
Judge W. Fred Turner thought that when he died he’d be remembered only for his part in one of the biggest court cases in American history.

But Turner’s colorful 81-year life — complete with his trademark red socks, pickled shrimp and the famous court cases he was involved with — will be the things that people will remember about him.

“Fred Turner’s the kind of guy you never forget,” Circuit Judge Glenn Hess said Monday. “Just meeting him added to your life.”

Turner was found dead Monday inside his Kings Point home.

“With his passing, we lost a lot of wisdom and a lot of history,” Circuit Judge Don T. Sirmons said. “He was a colorful guy. Everyone has their Fred Turner stories.”

“He was the last of what I consider to be the most colorful people of this local bar association,” Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet said. “Compared to him, we all seem to be such vanilla jurists.”

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Wilson Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Turner’s accomplishments ranged from his involvement with the Flying Tigers in World War II, to his part in one of the most significant U.S. Supreme Court cases in history.

Turner defended Clarence Earl Gideon in Gideon’s famous retrial in Panama City 40 years ago. Gideon was forced to represent himself at his first trial and was convicted in 1961 of burglarizing a local pool hall. His appeal to the Supreme Court, known as Gideon v. Wainwright, established the Public Defender’s Office in Florida and much of the nation.

In 1963, Gideon returned to Panama City to stand trial on the burglary charge, this time with Turner, who was appointed to represent Gideon.

Turner joked earlier this year that if he hadn’t won the retrial it would have undermined the Supreme Court’s argument.

Hess wasn’t joking Monday when he said Turner made history with that acquittal.

“That Supreme Court decision would have been a footnote among moldy volumes of law if it hadn’t been for Fred,” he said. “The Supreme Court said there’s a reason for somebody to have a lawyer at trial and he proved it.”

Turner had said that despite his long court career, he suspected he would be remembered only for Gideon.

“When I die, they’ll probably put over my grave, “Here lies Gideon’s lawyer,” Turner said.

He said that his life had grown quieter since 1997, when his wife, Helen, died. Gideon anniversary celebrations, like the ones this year across the state and nation, were the only excitement left to him.

“He seemed like such a lonely soul in those last few years,” Overstreet said.

Turner was honored in August for his participation in the Gideon case. He presented a historic marker at the Bay County Courthouse and met Gideon’s sons for the first time.

Sirmons said it was fortunate that the community had the opportunity to recognize Turner while he was alive.

Turner also was known at numerous golf courses in the county for his proficiency, personality and bright red socks.

Sirmons said the socks were his trademark trial apparel. He said he noticed Turner’s conspicuous absence this weekend from a golf tournament to benefit Millville schools.

“That’s the first thing I asked when I got there,” Sirmons said. “Fred wouldn’t have missed that tournament. He was a big supporter of Millville.”

Hess said the fox squirrels at the Panama Country Club will miss him as well.

“They would know Fred’s cart,” he said. “When they saw Fred coming they would run out and greet him because he would give them peanuts.”

Overstreet said the courthouse never will be the same without Turner’s visits with his famous pickled shrimp in hand.

Turner was born in Millville on April 17, 1922. He graduated from Bay High School and joined the military. He rose to the rank of captain before leaving for the University of Florida. He graduated in 1948 and returned to Bay County to practice law.

He was a private attorney until 1979, when he was elected to circuit judge. He stayed on the bench until 1991 and retired at the age of 70.

Turner had said he tried 109 murder cases in his career.

“Fred was proud to be from Panama City and Panama City had a reason to be proud of him,” Hess said.
—
This ran today in the Panama City News-Herald.
Here’s a link to the original story.
And here’s a PDF version of the paper (warning: 11MB file. High-speed users only).

I got a call late yesterday evening from a technician at the local sleep clinic. “You are supposed to be here tonight,” said the tech.

I had had my doctor schedule me a sleep study, but never heard back from their office as to when it would take place. I had 30 minutes to decide whether to go through with it or postpone it. I bit the bullet and went.

The building was near Carter-Finley Stadium, so finding it was not a problem. In fact, I’d driven by it many times. I parked my car in the patient space and rang the bell to be let in, pillow in hand.

My friend Tanner has a gallery of pictures showing the damage Hurricane Isabel caused to Eastern North Carolina. Tanner and his family spent the weekend volunteering their services as amateur radio operators, providing emergency communications between the various shelters and the Emergency Operations Coordinators (EOCs).

My hat’s off to Tanner and Janell for their hard work in support of the needy folks Down East. Makes my volunteer efforts seem tame by comparison.
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