Ack! I've been spending too many hours at the controls of a train or a plane (but no automobiles, mind you) and thus I've missed this.

Happy Birthday (belatedly) to Erin Gray, whose role as Colonel Wilma Deering, United Earth Directorate, was a splendid high point in 1970s television sci-fi. Born 07 January 1950 in Hawaii, she's probably one of the better things to come to us from our Pacific lands.

I of course am embarrassed that I made the mistake of missing this monumentous occasion, especially given my somewhat obnoxious cheering for her a while back. I think I wound up calling Pamela Hensley's Princess Ardala a space whore, although that may or may not have ever been posted.

Anyways, in tribute to Colonel Deering, a brief selection of images I recovered from an old backup tape that I made when the Internet was new. I quite obviously favor the Defense Directorate dress blues worn in the pilot. Check below the fold for 'em. more...

Posted by: Country Pundit at 02:17 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Goooooooooooooooo Gators! Take that, you Yankee slime!

That is all.

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For the Attention Of: The State of Colorado
From: The Commonwealth of Virginia

Subject: Snow

STOP HOGGING THE SNOW, YOU THIEVING WESTERN SCUM.

That is all.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 11:50 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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A nicely configured Convair 990A screeching through the skies in Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2004.

In other news, I haven't watched a lick of La Pelosi; can't be bothered when the opportunity to read a book, drive a simulated passenger train, or fly a classic jetliner exists.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 11:59 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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About a month late, but who's counting?

The 2006 Norfolk Southern Christmas card. It's a nifty little Flash animation that I liked and saved.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 11:52 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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This came by way of e-mail recently:

Dearly Beloved,
We are gathered here today in accordance with the FRA, AAR, ICC, UTU and other regulatory bodies to unite these two units in M.U. service. If anyone takes exception, file your grievance or get in the clear.

(Groom's name), Do you take this woman to be your trailing unit, tying down your pin lifter forever, and permanently restricting yourself from interchange service, even with newer, freshly-painted units, remaining coupled despite flat wheels, sticking brakes, even unto bad orders and major derailments, until you are both rendered unto scrap?

If so, signify by sounding your whistle as prescribed by GCOR Rule 5.8.2, example 4.

And, (Groom's name), do you promise to pull this unit up ruling grade, using throttle and brake wisely to prevent rough train handling, broken knuckles, and pulled drawbars, applying sand as necessary to prevent wheel slip, so that you both crest the hill together, regardless of the trailing tonnage?

If so, signify by sounding your whistle as prescribed by GCOR Rule 5.8.2, example 4.

And do you also promise not to cut away from your trailing unit, even when her side sheets have rusted through, and her paint job has faded?

If so, signify by sounding your whistle as prescribed by GCOR Rule 5.8.2, example 4.

Now, (Bride's name), do you take this man to be your lead unit, tying down your pin-lifter forever, and permanently removing yourself from interchange service, even with newer series, high-adhesion, high-horsepower units, remaining coupled despite flat wheels, sticking brakes, even unto bad orders and major derailments, until you are both rendered unto scrap?

If so, signify by sounding your whistle as prescribed by GCOR Rule 5.8.2, example 4.

And do you promise to respond promptly to throttle and brake commands from your lead unit, handling your share of the tonnage, and helping your lead unit up ruling grade when necessary, being ever cautious to avoid unnecessary drawbar buff?

If so, signify by sounding your whistle as prescribed by GCOR Rule 5.8.2, example 4.

Do you also promise to remain coupled to your lead unit, even when he has a couple of traction motors cut out, and can no longer develop full horsepower?

If so, signify by sounding your whistle as prescribed by GCOR Rule 5.8.2, example 4.

Now, (Bride and Groom), as a token of your intent to M.U., make the joint and stretch the slack.

By the power vested in me by the General Manager, Superintendent of Operations, and the Road Foreman of Engines, I now pronounce you permanently coupled.

You may cut in the air.

I make no warranties as to the rules compliance of these statements.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 11:44 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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1 There are so many web-sites like this! Nothing special and nothing original! I will never come back here

Posted by: Just me at April 06, 2008 12:19 PM (w/QBm)

2 I don't know If I said it already but ...I'm so glad I found this site...Keep up the good work I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say GREAT blog. Thanks, A definite great read....

Posted by: BloggerDude at October 08, 2009 09:24 PM (xWLCc)

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Gratuitously stolen from Robbo:

Which Saint Would You Be?

Saint Clelia is praying for you! To learn more about this lovely young saint go to the Patron Saint Index at http://www.catholic-forum.com
Take this quiz!

Quizilla |
Join

| Make A Quiz | More Quizzes | Grab Code

---

Since I, like Robbo, don't have the slightest clue about any saints other than the ones in the Bible, I had to look this lass up. From her entry at the Catholic Forum, "From her earliest life, she paid no attention to this world, focused solely on the spiritual life. Founded the Congregation of Minims of the Sorrowful Mother who concentrate on ministering in hospitals and elementary schools to the sick, the aged, the lonely, and a prayer ministry for the poor. Since her death, her voice has been heard in the houses of her order, accompanying her sisters in song."

Her feast day(?) is 13th July, if I read the data correctly. And great, she haunts the houses of her order. Wonderful! I hope nobody calls the Ghostbusters. At least her heart seems to be in the right place, although I'd be interested in knowing what specific miracles were attributed to her in the canonization process.

For further information on this woman, here is an official(?) Vatican page on her.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 09:16 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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We are amused, said Her Majesty.

According to the Associated Press, the new United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, has found himself in a bit of a pinch regarding the UN's reaction to the execution of Saddam Hussein.

Mr. Ban, who replaced Kofi Annan earlier this year, did not follow the Annan policy of frequent mention of the UN's opposition to capital punishment. In response to a reporter's question earlier today, Mr. Ban stated, "Saddam Hussein was responsible for committing heinous crimes and unspeakable atrocities against Iraqi people and we should never forget victims of his crime," "The issue of capital punishment is for each and every member state to decide."

It appears that the UN press corps began asking whether there had been a change in policy based upon this statement. The spokesman for the Secretary-General, Michele Montas, denied any changes of policy while Ban himself noted that it was a personal nuance of his. Mrs. Montas' remarks included a reiteration of the UN's stance, but noted that states retain their own methods of applying laws regarding capital punishment.

Well, at least she recognizes a sliver of sovereignty. Perhaps it will be interesting to see what other nuances that Mr. Ban is capable of.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 09:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Felgercarb.

I took my 2006 railroad calendar down yesterday, and now there's a giant white space on the wall where it used to be. My 2007 calendars haven't been ordered yet, alas. Time to stick one of the porcelain signs up there for the time being.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 04:29 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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I want approximately 109 minutes of my life back. Last night, I made the mistake of assenting to watch a movie that was brought over, and that movie was The Devil Wears Prada. This movie is a waste of celluloid, but I could have figured that out from simply knowing its subject matter.

Honestly, fashion? Does anyone outside of Milan, New York, Paris, or the like actually care? Yes, I know it creates employment for lots of people, but so does the illegal narcotics trade. Come to think of it, there's probably a bit of overlap between the two. Disposing of both would be, I think, a cultural benefit.

Suffice it to say that I didn't like any of the characters in the picture. Emily Blunt's character was annoying and unlikable; my only regret is that she was struck by a car and not a locomotive. She reminded me of the girl who's so desperate to be on the cutting edge and embraced by haute couture that she winds up being nothing but a reactive shell. For crying out loud, have some backbone!

Andrea Sachs is yet another one of those people I can't stand, the type of folks who have such a poor sense of self that they get swept up in enabling other people's dreams at the costs of their own, et cetera. I can't figure out if I have more sympathy for her or Emily, because although I frown upon Sachs' stomping of Emily, I'm sure the latter has done that herself. In other words, the Zhukovsky Principle: "They were ruthless people. They got what they deserved." I can state with considerable certainty that I wouldn't maintain a relationship interest with Miss Sachs for long, especially when her life is focused upon pleasing Miranda Priestly.

And here we come to the center of our discontent. I'm not a Meryl Streep fan, but I don't loathe her as I do Julia Roberts, either. So, enough about her. Miranda Priestly is the kind of individual that I don't like, the one who despite being at a pinnacle in their industry, is a miserable person. Granted, I'm certain that she has to keep a pack of wolves (represented by Jacqueline Follet?) at bay. Granted, she has made choices and sacrifices that have shaped her (despicable) character. That does not, however, justify her attitude and behavior in my opinion.

Miranda Priestly is at some level a failure if she doesn't have strength of character or sufficient courage, intelligence, what have you to impose a manageable order on her workplace. I don't get the sense that she knows this, because she is apparently happy with the way things are---who wouldn't be, with fawning sycophants in the industry worshipping you---and the only apparent costs are that she's gone through husbands only slightly slower than Elizabeth Taylor. This might be more understandable if she was Dr. Miranda Priestly, National Security Advisor par excellence, the wily bureaucrat who advances America's interests at home and abroad.¹ But, she's not.

It's not like fashion is foreign policy.

The closing sequences are similarly unsatisfying. From what I understand about the novel, the written Andrea Sachs delivers a profane tirade to Priestly over a telephone, instead of chucking said cellular telephone in a fountain. Either action is inherently unprofessional, but it may be the best that can be expected from someone who thinks New York City is something to aspire to.

I suppose the only joy that can come from this misbegotten project is that a) Andrea Sachs turns her back on the world that Miranda Priestly offers and b) Lauren Weisberger's second novel was, reportedly, a commercial flop. Perhaps we shall hear no more from this whiny, self-absorbed woman. (On the other hand, Anna Wintour maintains her place, so perhaps we will continue to hear from an imperious loser such as her.)²

I'm sure someone will ask---I hope---"If you hated the movie so, why did you write this extended piece?" The answer is "Because I thought it valuable to openly and decisively reject the values of the Priestly world, and heap scorn upon her ilk while I was at it."

Chick lit/chick cinema and I don't mix. Bring on Transformers: The Movie.

---
¹ Er, Jeane Kirkpatrick, anyone?

² Of course, it could be that Wintour's great sin was failing to validate Lauren Weisberger's own life or whatever; you never can tell with these annoying Northeastern types.

Posted by: Country Pundit at 10:26 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Doing some behind-the-scenes stuff. A large portion of it is essentially thinking through the sorts of coverage that I'd like to provide. Haven't figured that out yet, since the whole election thing isn't really my scene any more. There's no money in it, you see.

In sports news, congratulations to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Better luck next year, Tennessee!

Posted by: Country Pundit at 11:40 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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