contraildash

These stories are great! I kept a monthly (and still going) journal starting with OTS. Maybe someday down the road I'll have something exciting to talk about, I doubt it'll top the stories here though, you never know! My old man was a helo pilot in the USCG for 25+ years. Didn't really talk about his early days till after he retired. I've gotten a few stories about flying a single engine helicopter out into the middle of a raging 'Nor Easter to rescue fishermen or pick up premature babies off Martha's Vinyard. Said he was just a scared sh*tless 26 year old LTJG and honestly thought on several occasions he wasn't coming home. This is back when the USCG's unwritten policy was "you have to go out...but you don't have to come back" for SAR. As I got older I remember mornings he'd come home from standing duty, said they flew "a rough one last night" and off to bed he'd go. Then you see a story on the news later that day about the USCG picking up some roughneck in the gulf with a severe head injury who died enroute. I can understand why he didn't talk much about the things he did....if he got sent out it wasn't because things were going well for someone. But on a more up beat note, the beer story was epic...that's stuff movies are made from (or should be) in my book! HiFlyer...glad you are here to share your lil bit of history with us...thanks a lot!

I've always enjoyed the Tucanos tearing it up in this video (3:40 is the good stuff):

2. They actually sell Chimay here in buttf*ck Oklahoma. I like the Blue. One more reason I'm looking forward to Ramstein!

I think NASCAR stepped in and put a stop to that happening... I still won't drink that beer. Women drink that stuff... Want hair on your chest? (and you don't want to go the route Discus takes) Stone's Double Bastard Ale. 10.5% ABV. Don't be a pu$$y..get a bomber. Enjoy. edited to un-edit censorship

Got this email today from Vizio: Dear Vizio Customer, After reviewing your email regards to your VIZIO TV, model #VW37L As for the power voltage, it is suitable for you to use in Germany. And you can purchase the cable in the local electronic store. Our Vizio TV mainly supports NTSC, while Germany supports PAL; so generally, it is not the best to use Vizio TV there. However there is some kind of converter that could transfer TV signal between PAL and NTSC. The converter is not so expensive, and you may find it in the local electronic store. Moreover, VIZIO TVs are designed for NTSC / ATSC/QAM broadcasting system, they may not display maximum quality with a TV signal transferred by a converter. Therefore, to ensure the best interests of customers, we always suggest them to use VIZIO in NTSC/ATSC countries. But if the customers don’t mind using Vizio TV by adding a converter; the Vizio TV may still have all functions with high quality. In addition, maybe you should consider the after sales service, if you purchase a new product, Our Vizio Company will give you a one year manufacture warranty but we only service you onsite nation wide mainly. Meanwhile, to meet the demand of the customers all over the world, we are trying to improve our technology to make our products be used and have freely service worldwide in the near future.

I'm 90% a beer guy. That said, I'm more of what they call "craft breweries" kind of guy. Tend to shy away from the typical big name American lagers. I will admit though, that American Ale wasn't that bad. I mostly like stouts, porters, darker ales, and there are quiet a few wheat and wit beers out there that I really enjoy. Being a Colorado resident, I've done many a brewery tour all up and down the front range and then some. (never been to the Coors one in Golden though...didn't care to go) Avalanche Ale will always be dear in my heart for topping off some great, and not so great, days at Breck. They have a damn good oatmeal stout, and the vanilla porter is yummy (yes I said yummy) Anything from Rogue, Stone, Sierra Nevada, and Ska breweries. If you ever go to Durango, CO, make sure you check out the Ska brewery. Those folks are really cool and I spent an entire afternoon there checking out the place and then drinking in their front lobby/bar. Sam Adams has only disappointed me once, and their summer ale is fricking awesome. Having spent a good portion of my life, and being my first real beer, I will always love anything from the Spoetzl brewery! 100th anniversary!!! Their black lager is pretty damn good...and great in burgers. I highly recommend that any beer lovers subscribe to Beer Magazine. (see below)

I used some Shiner Black Lager in my burgers tonight, fresh garlic, paprika, red pepper....lord it was awesome. I also drank several bottles as well...but beer has many a purpose!

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think kingpin has a good point of why would it be dual voltage and not take their signal, and I agree with your theory behind the built in tuner vs. the cable DVR boxes. I've decided that I'm gonna take it with me. Hell, worse case scenario I will have a 37' HD computer screen!

Because the people who made my TV won't answer my question.... I purchased a Vizio VW37L HDTV20A about a year ago and would like to bring it to Germany with me. I saw on the back that it's 100-240V, 2.5A. Does this mean that my TV is dual voltage and I can use it on the German power system? (with just a cord adapter and not a transformer) Another question on this subject is that of NTSC vs PAL. I know here in the US we use NTSC which is 60Hz, 30 per second, but in Germany they use PAL which is 50Hz, 25 per second. Does the 50/60Hz marking on my TV indicate that I can use it on the PAL system? Anyone here have an idea? I've been searching the net, emailed Vizio, and called their tech support. No help.

My field training was at Lackland. Excuse me for not realizing this was the "all gayness at Lackland, except field training" thread. Duly noted though, now go unwad your panties with everyone else who's all butt-hurt about my single solitary post that was off what I thought the topic was about....Lackland. I'm done with this thread.

Why so much hate? And in Spoo's defense, I do think you have him confused with BQZip. (I did enjoy the digs on A&M Spoo) If it makes you feel any better I was 'politely asked to leave' the Corps...so my brainwashing wasn't as complete as BQZip's! Hell I'm a red-headed step child...son of a Coast Guard pilot, A&M grad, and commissioned through OTS. ...that's at least three 341s right there...

you mean this bit from 2006??? The response: And some of the forward responses: Oh and home nugget even quoted "Just Like Heaven"....wow.

I may have been a CT...but better than that I was a bus driver. Best job I had in college by far...got me out of formations...march-ins (because standing in the middle of the street for hours waiting for the band to set up was soooo much fun)...got paid to watch home football games...and then there was the best route: Excel....right up and down University Oaks a.k.a. sorority row. Good times.

Prime example: Colonel Bud Day a.k.a. American Bad@ss Read his book and the book written about him. Absolutely amazing man.

Oh we had a 'dust bunny zoo' according to our pissheads at one point. Oh those were the days... Back at my FT, back in '00 at Lackland, I said I was "bored" at one point. I really was. After that, anytime anyone in my flight got a 341, so did I. Then during ultimate frisbee, I was getting really tired of some douche constantly calling "point of order..his shoelaces are not tucked it" that I supposedly yelled out "you've got to be f'ckin kidding me"...I thought I was just thinking about saying it. :) That equated into 341's anytime I spoke the rest of the day....I also had to stand and salute the rest of the game. Needless to say, I spent my entire Sundays working off 341s...lots of PT and cleaning up the barber shop.

I dunno, we weren't there....maybe he had killer bees in the cockpit. ;)

Screwed this one up nicely... Piper Aztec Runway Overrun

I'm sure the attendance average at regular season NHL games is significantly higher than at MLB games. For the life of me I could never figure out why they have baseball games in the early afternoon during the work week. 80% of the stands are empty! Nor the need for 164 games in a season (or whatever it is). If anyone became jaded with the NHL it was the major networks and with only Versus carrying games (or some local networks) it's almost impossible for the fans that do want to watch, actually watch. I know a ton of dudes that have bought the NHL online thing and hook up their computers to their TV so they can watch games. I think it'll come back with time, but it won't be fast enough.

First goal was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay weak, the go ahead goal was the product of some hard work, and they got lucky with the last one too, although I have to give some big ups to Abdelkader for his SA on the puck...catching it...and getting it on net. I was impressed with that one. Pulling for the Pens. Can't stand Detroit.

The Marines lost a Cobra crew this past month out in California. I have a old friend that flies Phrogs out there...knew the dudes pretty well. AH-1W Crash :beer:

Y'all can say what you want...but... He's in the Guard...that's like saying 'no offense'...it's in the Geneva conventions!!! Big ups for the flying with a broken neck!!! And for the patch!

Got the Tone up above 400 once. Just once. Nothing special.

Bellows is awesome. We stayed there as a kid, bungalow by the beach.