More Old Drunks still around than old Doctors

I knew if I waited long enough, just about everything we ever learned that was "BAD" for us.....would be determined to be "GOOD" for us.

I see in the news today that scientists now say "drinking" is Healthy!

Regularly drinking a moderate amount of certain alcoholic drinks could reduce a person’s chances of developing diabetes, according to a study.
Consuming alcohol three or four days a week was associated with a reduced risk of developing diabetes – a 27% reduction in men and a 32% reduction in women – compared with abstaining, scientists found.

Soon, I expect to read that smoking cigarettes improves our health and life expectancy.

Oh, wait a minute.......that's OLD news:

-Ed

See the World for 7 cents

As 6 or 7 year olds, it was our world. And for a nickle and two pennies we could ride the bus all over Charlotte, getting transfers here and there, all day long.

We didn't do that of course, but we could have. All we had to do was, keep asking for "transfers" and never having to put another nickle in the "machine" next to the bus driver's gear shifter. Also, Mr. McKeever (we knew most of the bus drivers by name) would want to know why we wanted a transfer.

Being sneaky and getting into trouble wasn't easy back then.  But, we managed.

-Ed

Low Fuel

This is one of many memories of Crusader Pilots who are a part of our Crusader Assn.  This one is so much a representation of “Days Gone Bye” that I thought you may find interesting.

Regards,

R.L. Clark

[Low Fuel]

I enjoyed reading Dick Shaffert's account of the exciting, desperate, and frustrating Dick Hartman rescue attempt. I remember flying several Res-Cap missions during those three days. At that time, I was the junior pilot in VF-162.

As Dick Shaffert mentioned in his narrative, I also remember being one of those guys "saved" by KA-3D tanker pilot Lcdr Tom Maxwell, although not during the Hartman operation.

On one fine day, returning to the ship in my F-8E after being relieved on the Northern Bar-Cap a little bit late, I called the ball with about 1100 pounds. Unfortunately, I got a fouled deck wave off because the pilot ahead of me had trouble clearing the arresting gear. Other than the two tankers, I was the only one left in the pattern. To my surprise, I was told to make a second pass rather than tank. I made the tightest pattern I possibly could and called the ball with 800 pounds, below the normal minimum fuel state for tanking.

These many years later I clearly recall that second pass as being: "Great tight pattern by an enthusiastic 22 year old youngster followed by a steady-as-a-rock groove and an OK 3 wire spoiled by a hook skip caused by an under serviced hook damper; not the pilot's fault at all". The unsympathetic LSO simply logged it as a BOLTER while the Air Boss said, "Superheat 213, your signal TANK".

The duty A-4 tanker was goofing off at 3000 feet on the other side of the circle oblivious to what was going on, so it took a lot of my remaining fuel to climb up and chase him down. He streamed his drogue and I hit it on the first try; ... no joy. He recycled his package, I hit it again; ... still no green light. He mumbled something about resetting some switches and I plugged the basket a third time. Sour package was the final verdict, dang. Why didn't he confirm his tanking gear was operating correctly before I desperately needed fuel?

I snapped the throttle to idle and started down in a left turn. I remember thinking I had only a slim chance to make a successful landing. I was looking at about 200 pounds and wondering if I could survive a flameout in the groove. I was reviewing my ejection procedures when I got a call from Tom Maxwell who said, "Superheat, keep it turning".

Tom, who took his A-3 tanking job a lot more seriously than the guy flying the A-4 tanker that day, had been listing to the whole thing and knew exactly what to do. I looked in my mirrors and saw the Whale at 6:00 o'clock bellowing black smoke and closing at a terrific rate. This image is forever etched in what is left of my brain as if it were a high definition DVD. Funny how that works.

Tom skimmed under my belly just outside my radius of turn, pulled up directly ahead of me, went idle and speed brakes, streamed his drogue, and almost put the basket on the end of my probe. It was as fine a piece of airmanship as I have ever seen, before or since.

A touch of throttle and I was coupled up and taking on fuel. From the time Tom extended the basket until I was connected was literally only a few seconds with almost no maneuvering other than adding a little power. That's how accurate Tom's rendezvous was.

Problem solved and things went back to routine, or as close to routine as combat carrier ops can be. That was the day that Lcdr Maxwell became my new hero and earned a case of Scotch Whiskey on our next visit to Cubi, gift-wrapped no less. Thanks again Tom.

Bob Walters (Pagan) VF-162
13 July 2017

Hurry Up......and Stop!

That's the way many of our fellow drivers approach a red light; and that's going to be the title of my next book.

Well, that may be a little misleading since I've never written a book. Except in my mind.

But, if I had, my next one would be directed toward drivers.....Those brain dead bozos. The majority of whom are young whippersnappers....who, unlike those of us who grew up riding bicycles, instead of playing video games on a computer.... learned basic physics first hand!

Like, when it's raining, the road is slick.  You can't stop on a dime.  I still have an ugly scar on my knee to remind me of that lesson. 

You have to really be dumb to follow the car in front of you with about 4 feet or less,separating the two of you.  How do you know he's not going to slow down or stop unexpectedly?  Are you a psyhic or something ?

You really think he'll never have to stop suddenly....and if he does....that you will be able to react quickly enough to avoid ramming into his rear end?

But of course, perhaps you're lonely, and miss the give and take of human contact....well, keep on tailgating....I guarantee you'll soon have a lot of human contact...mostly lawyers.

Also, I recommend being a little paranoid.   A number a years ago, a terrorist walked down Route 123 not far from my house in Virginia...murdering the drivers lined up to turn into the CIA headquarters.  The cars were bumper to bumper...leaving them no room to escape,

Ever since that episode, I make sure I don't "pin myself in" and leave enough room in front to allow me to get the Hell out of there if I have to.

In fact, people a lot smarter than me have advised drivers for years to constantly look for possible  ways to escape" as
you drive along...just in case the unexpected happens.

And it will.

-Ed

LDL HISTORY

By Jerry Gaudet "LDL" (Let's Do Lunch) has continued to meet monthly as a low-key lunch gathering of Charlotte Central High School classmates of the graduating class of 1954.  Almost 100 different classmates have attended one or more luncheon, with several considered as "regulars". These gatherings were started by Shirley McLanahan Maynor, to meet on the second Tuesday of each AND EVERY month, with the first meeting on October 14, 2008, with twenty-five classmates attending.  Though Shirley passed away on 9/6/2010, she is considered to be in attendance at each AND EVERY gathering. Here's what last Tuesday, July 11, the 105th gathering, looked like... -JG ​   LDL 071117A.jpg 3.3 MB Reply Forward

The Real SECRET to Sucess is...

.

FAILURE!

Take my own profession for example, Radio and TV.

Successful announcers and personalities come and go with the whim of the fickle public and Broadcast executives.  These same executives never "fire" their own.  They retire with Gold Watches.

Meanwhile, washed up old "announcers" wind up sleeping on city grates...preferably with lots of steam coming up in the winter time.

And just how did these management executives get into such positions of power?

In many cases....they entered the business as announcers and performers........but FAILED".. ...they simply weren't good enough at those jobs to last, but were well liked by management hence they  often accepted a less glamorous position at the station...rather than being "let go."

(I can hear the executives talking now..."What the Hell are we going to do with "old so and so?"  He's terrible on the air!...Our ratings at that time period have dropped to almost nothing....He's a nice guy, but he's killing us.  I have a great idea...let's promote him to management....and we'll get him off the air that way...without hurting his feelings..or having any lasting bitterness." ) 


This is likely  the way in works in many businesses.

Now, I'm not advocating that ambitious young workers should NOT do their best at those entry level jobs....but I am advising them not to stay in those jobs too long.

How long?

If I knew that....I'd be relaxing on the beach in the Bahamas right now instead of sitting in my basement writing on my high school website!

-Ed

(Just kidding. No matter how wealthy I may or may not have become, ...I am living life and doing exactly what makes me extremely happy and content! )  

1. 
   

LDL Tuesday!

By Jerry Gaudet

Wow, is it ever hot outside!

Well, it is July after all.

But it's COOL to be at (and in) Jimmies!

"LDL" (Let's do lunch) will be held on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, 11:30 AM at "Jimmies" Restaurant in Mint Hill.

We'd like to see you.  Please help spread the word!  Invite other classmates to come!  Even better, bring someone with you! Just be sure YOU, come!

Be cool !

AND.....BTW........Letty and Don Nance inform us they are coming down out of the hills of Virginia to attend "LDL".  And, Don says he'll be bringing jams and jellies.

Bring your empty (and clean) jars for return to him. 

-JG

***

Whatever Happened to...

...Amelia Earhart?

People have been asking that question since 1937, when she and her navigator, Fred Noonan disappeared during their attempted "around the world" flight.

Amelia Earhart

Innumerable theories have been constructed as to what happened to them, the most common one was, "they simply ran out of fuel and crashed into the sea."  Another, more fanciful one was they they landed on an island and were captured by the Japanese who executed them as "spies."

I heard where one of the TV networks is promoting a show that features their theory of what happened.

Personally, I believe that a very professional organization known as TIGHAR has come closer than anyone to solving that mystery.  I interviewed TIGHAR'S archiologist, a few years ago, who made a very compelling case.

It's 29 minutes.....and you can watch it here.

Tom King (Pt 3)"Search For Amelia" - Out of the Past - 2012 from Chuck Langdon on Vimeo.

Bevely Harkey Kearns UpDate

By Jerry Gaudet

Beverly and Maurice continue a long battle following Bee's stroke.  We have this update from Maurice.

 ..."we are in Florida and on 12 July we will go to our Daughters in SC, then on Friday (14th) we will move back to our home outside of Helen, GA.  The house has been empty for 2 years, I just returned after spending 5 days there cleaning.  How long we will be back Home is unknown, Beverly wanted to go Home so that is happening.  Beverly at this point is about as good as she will be, but we Pray every day for progress which is very slow now.  She requires 24/7 assistance.  We appreciate the Prayers for Beverly's condition.  We Pray for all her Classmates,

Maurice

"BO...B.O. BO"

It was either Miss Terry, the second grade teacher at Elizabeth School, or Miss Carr, our third grade teacher.....anyway....it was the first day of school and she had each student stand and introduce him or herself to the class.

"Ed Myers,"I said, "Charles Mateer," "Wilson Snell," "Betty Pressley," "Charles Stone," "Bo Madden"....

""No," she said, "That's your nickname. I don't want any nicknames....only your Real First and Last names. Now you may continue."

"Bo Madden," he said.

"No, No" she replied.  "Bo is your nickname.  Bo is short for your real name....BO is your  nickname.....I want your real name."

Frustrated he replied, "BO B.O. BO!"  and sat down.

She had unwittingly given him a new  nick name which we called him thereafter,

"BO....B.O.BO"

-Ed

Moving Again Soon? Nope.

Earlier, I thought this site might have to move....However, now it appears that we can stay exactly where we are!

That's real good news because moving everything after all these years at the same location is "disruptive" at best...Your kindly old webmaster has forgotten most of what he used to know about computers and websites....so this is a real relief for me.

Also, my dear readers can continue reading about good old CHS....without interruption.  Just one more thing we can just leave in place.

Whew!

Ed

:"Act Your Age"

That's the advice the adults used to give us when we young whippersnappers were being roudy and unruly.

That's the advice I'm tempted to give out to some of our chronologically gifted classmates.
Some of them simply refuse to acknowledge that people who live as long as we have are OLD....and Dammit, ought to act like it!

Bodie Island Lighthouse

Otherwise they'll make the rest of us sitting around in rocking chairs jealous!

Take, for example, Don Nance.

Last week, he and Letty traveled to the outter banks and saw "The Lost Colony."
Then visiting  places like Ocracoke and Hatteras then to where that big lighthouse is...at Buxton, I believe....and climbed the lighthouse there!  As if that weren't enough, he traveled on to Bodie Island and climbed the lighthouse there!

No question that the 82 year old Nance is in good physical shape.
The only question this old couch potato has........is about his sanity!

OK,OK...I admit it; I'm just jealous!

-Ed

PS...With my eyesight getting dimmer and dimmer, I can't read the sign on Don's back.  But I think it says, "Stop me, before I climb again."