Going and Coming

Sort of an NRAAM post, pics on the way there and on the way back...

All photographs © 2019 D.W. Drang and The Cluemeter.

On climb out from SEA

It got a bit hazy once we made altitude, but this gives you an idea of the local terrain.
(Click to embiggenate.)
I was on the wrong side of the plane for shots of Mt. Rainier.
Too far south for Mt. Adams, Mt. Baker, or Glacier Peak.

Somewhere over the Mississippi weather started to close in.
Last 45 minutes or so of the flight into IND was rough.

On final into SEA, sunset over the Olympics 1

On final into SEA, sunset over the Olympics 2

On final into SEA, sunset over the Olympics 3

SEA has airplanes hanging from the ceilings, so naturally, IND displays race cars...

Obligatory local color/architecture shots:

The buildings in that part of town are all connected by a series of skywalks.
Most of them are not this fancy.

Read The Label

So, did you hear the one about the two women who set sail from Hawaii on a three hour week trip to Tahiti, and got rescued of Japan five months later?

Two women rescued after 5 months adrift in the Pacific - CNN

This being the 21st Century, the story started unraveling rather quickly.
Questions raised about sailors' story after months stranded at sea

The best analysis is found here: 19 REASONS THIS “SURVIVAL” STORY SMELLS FISHY – UNREASONABLY DANGEROUS ONION RINGS (h/t Insty.)

Aside from the fact that I may have to start reading the Unreasonable Dangerous Onion Rings blog just for the name, this is essentially a detailed fisking of the entire story. In this case, go ahead and read the comments. (Note: If you're going to click through to the Daily Mail's coverage, you might want to warn your spouse lest she look over your shoulder when you reach the part about how one of the principles in this story led a "Shades of Grey" lifestyle. AMHIK.)

Anyway.

What brought me here was that, out of curiosity, I looked up de-salinators on Amazon, because, 5 months at sea you'd obviously have to have one.

The search returned 29 hits, most of which are filters or purifiers, not de-salinators.

Removing bugs and contaminants from salt water doesn't do you much good if you still can't drink the water...

Anyway, two rules:

1. Always read the product description. 
2. Never read the comments. 

Exception to 2. above:

• Unless you still have questions about the product description.

Now it can be told!

Yesterday evening we returned from a Hawaiian Cruise celebrating our 25^th anniversary.

No, I don't know how she does it.

My parents joined us; other family members were either not able to change plans, or, in the case of many of Mrs. Drang's family, have bad memories of previous cruises, which typically involved 14 hour days of chipping paint and "hot-bunking" with some guy from Alabama...

Itinerary:

• Board San Francisco
• Four days at sea
• Hawai'i, AKA "The Big Island"/Hilo
• Oahu/Honolulu
• Maui/Lahaina
• Kauai/Nawiliwili
• Four days at sea
• Ensenada*
• One day at sea
• Disembark San Francisco

*Stop in Ensenada mandated by US Government regulations intended to favor US flag carriers, requiring that non-US flagged passenger vessels make at least one stop in a foreign port on any voyage. Other US Government regulations make it prohibitive to flag cruise ships in the US, so there are none. This makes Seattle an attractive port for cruises, since Vancouver and Victoria are so convenient; Ensenada gets the love from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Alas, Alaska is the only cruise destination convenient to Seattle, and that's not a year-round trip like Hawai'i and Mexico/Central America. (There are rumors of Pacific Rim and round-the-world cruises starting in Seattle Any Year Now...)

Right now the consensus is that a 15 day cruise is at least 3 days too long, maybe 5. (How long a vacation is too long? When you get tired of fine dining and having someone else do your housekeeping...)

Maybe if the consecutive days at sea were fewer, and there were more port calls, we would not have felt this way. I don't know. Maybe we need to look into that 19 day L.A. to Ft. Lauderdale cruise, with Panama Canal transit and a stop in Mexico, Central America, and various Caribbean Islands to say for sure.

Anyway, I'll be posting some pics and videos here, although many of the videos need editing.

Here's a taste:

This is a somewhat crappy cell phone video taken on March 17th off Lahaina, Maui, of a humpback whale doing "pedunkle slaps."

Briefly made us wonder why we paid money for a separate whale watching cruise, if I could watch one from the buffet line...

(It was totally worth it, BTW.)

Quintana Roo, April 2016

Another Mexican Photo Post, most of the pics are after the break. (All photos copyright D.W. Drang and the Cluemeter.)

So, all-inclusive resorts are pretty cool,the food was pretty good, just wander up to the beach bar and grab a mojito.  Or, you know, the staff comes by and brings you one in your cabana.

We were staying at a place just south of Puerto Morelos, which is between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (AKA the Great Mayan Reef) is just offshore; we were told repeatedly that Jacques Cousteau had called it the second best SCUBA Diving and snorkeling spot in the world.

We made plans to visit Chichen Itza, but the morning we were supposed to go we had some medical problems and so did not. Guess we'll have to go back. There are other Mayan sites as well. Didn't do any of those, either. Maybe if/when we go back...

"Look, honey, there's a cabana right outside our room!"
Turns out you can get sunburned while lying in your cabana drinking your mojito.

"What does it mean?!"

Spent a few days down in Seaside a few weeks ago. I decided to give the dashcam I got for Christmas a try for the drive down.

Rained pretty much all the way down, and just before the turn-off to head over the Columbia, this sight greeted us:

"What Does It Mean?!"
Photo copyright 2016 D.W.Drang and The Cluemeter

Looks like one of those ends in Brigid's Dad's backyard...

This is a screenshot from the dashcam video, the only editing was slight cropping (and the copyright notice.)

If you don't get the title of this post, go to YouTube and search for "double rainbow"...

Mexican Riviera Cruise, December 30 2015 - January 9 2016

Mostly a photo post. Lots of pics, not lots of talk.
All photos copyright D.W. Drang and The Cluemeter, or Ms.Elaine-ious, and Bearcat's Spin, 2015 and 2016.

All photos after the break, so as not to overwhelm slow connections...

Earworms, 01/09/2016

A great trip, but good to be home. Cats seem to have forgiven us already, which is worrisome...

QOTD, 10/09/14 (edited)

 "Civilization Is A Disease Vector"
Roberta X

 Go read the blog post, and reflect on the fact that among those who wish to eliminate the vector are many who enjoy it's benefits.

No longer pining for the fjords

Oh, who am I fooling? I'm certainly going to miss them...

Sawyer Glacier

(Tracy Arm on Wikipedia and Google Maps.)

These don't even begin to be a sample of the pics we took this morning. I don't know who to feel sorrier for, those who have not and likely will never have the opportunity to view this beauty, or those who recoil at the thought of it.

While sailing up and then back out,  Mrs. Drang and I could not help but ponder having a cabin or lodge here.  You'd need a large enough boat to sail for supplies at least once a month, and maybe a plane as well.  Wonder if you can get a satellite connection this far north...?

Oy

So, got to work today and, before I even had a chance to take my jacket off, had someone demanding of me "Hey, did they really pass a law establishing National Concealed Carry?!"  (HR822 Passes! UPDATES)

My first reaction was to say something like ""What am I, your news service?" or "Ah, been listening to the Libtard RUMINT Network again!" or maybe "Aren't you old enough to actually follow reputable news agencies and do some research on your own?"

But, no, I patiently explained that HR822 simply says that, per the Full Faith and Credence¹ clause of the Constitution, any state which issues a concealed carry permit (under whatever name) to it's own residents must honor those issued by other states to their residents, just like a WA Driver's License, or marriage license, is valid in Florida.  I further pointed out that this meant you still wouldn't be able to carry in Illinois or DeeCee, and offered up a second grade Social Studies observation that, just because it had passed the House does not mean it's law, it still has to pass the Senate, and then by signed by the President.

Jeeze, Louise, people, pay attention.

Of course, these people were the gun owners who are uncomfortable with no training requirement for a CPL, and who think a long gun purchase should have the same background checks as handguns, and waiting periods, etc.  (And went and got a Curios & Relics license for the discounts, and other benefits...)

(See Tamara's post View From The Porch: Sea Change., which I also referenced in my previous post, She's right, you know.)
At first, as I posted here somewhere, I was wavering on this issue; like this guy, I thought it was a "State's Rights" issue.  As I mulled over the issue, I came to realize that States Rights don't trump a citizen's Constitutional Rights; Tamara & Shootin' Buddy responded to that guy much better than I could have phrased it .

I personally believe that this bill will die in the Senate, UNLESS all the Democrats who are up for re-election next year decide they need this to suck up to the gun owners in their districts; if this happens, it will be because The Fix Is In and His Imperial Majesty is going to veto it anyway.  I mean, you just have to realize that Hawaii has "discretionary issue" on the books, with a grand total of ONE permit issues in the entire state, to a county prosecutor.  Most permits in California have been issued to the rich and famous friends of the powerful--Jim March pretty well proved that the way to get a carry permit in Cali was to make a healthy donation to the county sheriff's re-election fund.  (Note that this has changed, in some counties.)

Eventually, however, I believe that we will have some form of nation-wide reciprocity².

Another point, sort of related, and which I believe Sebastien brought up, is that, with the technology behind the (so-called) Instant Background Check, there is really no need for the current restrictions on purchasing a firearm in another state.  Why shouldn't I be able to go to Reno, say, for Gun Blogger Rendezvous, and bring home the pistol I win in the raffle there, instead of having to have one FFL transfer it to another FFL?³

And what about silly rules, like the hyper-control on suppressors, or the short barreled rifle/shotgun/Any Other Weapon/Destructive Device rules?  Why does a certain combination of cosmetic features render a perfectly respectable home defense firearm--say a shotgun, standard butt stock, 18" barrel--but shorten the barrel by HALF AN INCH and/or replace the stock with a pistol grip, and it becomes a restricted item, good for a trip to Club Fed if you haven't filled out a slew of paperwork.⁴

All in good time.  Again, as Tamara pointed out in Sea Change, ten years ago none of us dreamed we'd be where we are today.  If you had offered a bet, I would have gone for a House vote in 2011 passing a bill allowing us to keep cap and ball revolvers locked up at the club, not HR822.

***

1.  NOT the Commerce Clause.  Which is a good thing; like a lot of Libertarians, I am unhappy with the way Congress and the Executive Branch, enabled by the Supreme Court, have used and abused the Commerce Clause to poke the government's nose into and and every facet of society.
2. Note that it is incumbent upon the individual traveling to keep track of local laws; for instance, in Oregon, you can carry in a bar, but in Washington, you cannot; you can, however, carry in a restaurant, and even have a drink with dinner.  Meanwhile, in some states, you cannot drink alcoholic beverages at all while carrying, and in others, just being in a restaurant will cause your pistol to jump out of the holster and start shooting...  I foresee a booming trade in the "Gun laws for travelers" field, which so far as I know, currently only has a couple of titles.
3.  Aside from the fact that I never win these things...
4. Or, you know, having the FBI besiege you and murder your wife and baby.

SeaTimes: "Tips to finding a tasty wine from uncharted store shelves"

The Seattle Times' Wine Adviser shares Tips to finding a tasty wine from uncharted store shelves. Handy when you're travelling.

4 Thumbs Up!

Klamath Basin Brewery, The Creamery Brewpub & Grill.
Mrs. Drang is having Drop Dead Red, I'm having their seasonal Vanilla Porter.
We're sold, and lunch hasn't arrived...
UPDATE:
My fish and chips were OK, Mrs. Drang's bread bowl of clam chowder excellent--she took the leftover  bowl home!--and we picked up a growler of the Vanilla Porter.

Not sure when we'll come back for a refill, but... Consider it incentive.

On the road to...

Klamath Falls.

Not today, I don't think...

Apparently, a foot or so fell in the last 24 hours...

Not quite as cold as it seems...

You wouldn't think they'd need to be told.
They certainly won't need to be told more than once...

Obama defends TSA searches, though he admits that he doesn't know how invasive it is

From John Lott: Obama defends TSA searches, though he admits that he doesn't know how invasive it is:
Because, of course, the TSA doesn't screen everybody about to board Air farce One.


OTOH, and FWIW, Glenn Reynolds shares this:

SO IS THIS CONSOLATION, OR DOES IT MAKE THINGS WORSE? TSA Agents Absolutely Hate New Pat Downs, Find Them Disgusting And Morale Breaking.

I imagine they would.  Last I heard, there 40-50,000 screeners employed by the TSA, and I have a hard time believing they are all such unfeeling drones that  they would enjoy this process.  Not to mention the absolutely lousy PR.

Too bad His Imperial Majesty has managed to make a poor economy worse, so the choice for these folks is an unsavory job, or unemployment.

UPDATED:  Also by way of Instapundit, some further thoughts from No One Of Any Import.

The real problem is this:  ”zero tolerance” policies.
Libertarian and conservative types are particularly repulsed by zero tolerance policies, methinks.  We want to be treated as individuals.  We want to use our own God-given common sense, and we want others to do the same.
Zero-tolerance policies do not allow this.  In fact, such policies are created to stop case-by-case judgments.  The individual TSA agent is technically not allowed to make any tough calls.  He must simply implement policy, regardless of the result.
...
I will say this:  exception-making is a deal-breaker.  I understand that CAIR has requested an exception for Islamic women who wear long, tent-like coverings.  Nevermind the zero tolerance policy.  Nevermind the fact that, regardless of the religious persuasion, large swathes of draping fabric can hide just about anything:
{video removed.  DWD}

The whole reason we are supposed to be willing to suffer this crap is because everyone is supposed to suffer it, no exceptions.  Isn’t that the point to frisking nuns and preschoolers?  To say, “see, we aren’t discriminating against anyone.  We don’t make exceptions!”
If they make exceptions,  then I will have a problem with resigning to TSA’s zero tolerance policy.  Even if I have to PCS across an ocean.  I’ll let you know if I expect to be the star in my very own “don’t touch our junk” video exclusive . . .

Doin' it wrong

So, the Intert00bz are full of Sound and Fury over the TSA and their latest and "greatest" "New and Improved!" "Hopey-Changey" security measures. 

In a display of the ever-growing American faith in technology to do the dirty work, the TSA has begun fielding "backscatter X-Ray" machines at checkpoints.  Despite early demonstrations, which, while seeming to add 50 or so pounds to a person's image, did not seem too explicit, the devices being fielded now seem to be pretty, well, graphic.  Plus, while the TSA swears on a stack of the-religious-text-of-your-choice that they will not be saving any images, it seems that, in fact, the US Marshal's service has been using the same (or similar) devices for security purposes and has been saving images.  I'm sure what's-his-name in charge of the TSA would like to meet whoever is in charge of the US Marshal's Service in the private screening area...

Seems to me that part of the problem is that the TSA has not articulated what threat this new and "improved" process is supposed to prevent, especially since, as soon as it was fielded, the Blogosphere was full of people pointing out that it would not detect any threats implanted or imbedded in a Supermodel's body, let alone an even slightly overweight (or heavily muscled) person's body.  (Some of these people might have even known what they were talking about...)

Plus the possible health and safety hazards.  Denied by the TSA and other government agencies, of course. (Look, TSA... No.  Look, Uncle Sam in general:  people simply don't trust the government, get it?  We went through this a couple of weeks ago, remember?)

Not to mention the fact that the new devices are accompanied by a "new and improved" pat down procedure that sounds suspiciously like what a cop does to a suspect. 

• Except that we're not talking about "suspects" here, we're talking about Americans going about their lawful business. 
• And telling them that they have a choice between having some stranger see them nude, or being frisked like an accused criminal, is a false choice.  
• Let alone the possibility that children will be subject to these searches!

***

OTOH.

Some of the rantings in opposition are, well, more like ravings.

Unhinged, in some cases.

Those who wish to return to the halcyon days of checkpoints staffed by minimum wage English-As-A-Second-Language non-citizens who think it's just dandy to let the nice Wahabist have his box cutter...  Are you serious?  Don't you remember what got us into this mess?

Look, I've explained before that terrorism has long been something of an interest of mine, not to say an obsession, along with counter- and anti-terrorism operations.  And I've done some security work.  One thing I've learned is that, once you've identified a threat or a weakness, and have devised a procedure or measure to deal with it, you can't simply drop that procedure without having a replacement in place*.  So, the rumors that the 3 ounce liquid ban was going to be dropped?  Not unless they have a way to prevent that particular threat from, well, threatening, again. 

Now, I don't know if the new procedures were devised with a particular threat in mind, or not.  I kinda suspect that the new frisking procedure is intended to entice, if that's the word, people into doing the nudie show backscatter radar/X-Ray instead.

 As for those who don't want to simply go back to private screening agencies, but to do away with airport security altogether...  You think the terrorists have won now? Are you prepared for it to rain airliners?

I've said it before, even if you allow passengers to fly armed, how are you going to keep bombs off of planes?  (Aside from the question of what happens to me and my guns when I fly into Noo Yawk City?)

***

One argument often heard is "The TSA hasn't apprehended a single terrorist since it existed!" People who say this often use it as proof that the TSA is a total waste and should be disbanded.

IMHO, this is offset by the obvious response by the TSA, "There hasn't been a single terrorist attempt on US aviation since the TSA was formed!"  Those who say this are attempting to use a negative to prove a positive.

Reminds me of the old joke that "There are no lions within 100 miles!" "See? The lion repellent works!"  In this case, I'd have to say that the burden of proof is actually on the "That trick never works!" side.

***

And now it seems that there are two protest actions planned for next week, the day before Thanksgiving supposedly being the busiest air travle day in the USA. 

One, the "National Opt-Out Day", calls for any and all travellers who are directed to go through the backscatter X-Ray devices to opt out, and get the full body frisk experience.  Be prepared to show up several hours before your flight...

The other, "National No Fly Day", calls for folks to buy airline tickets and not fly.  Because nothing shows government bureaucrats what you think of them like giving them nothing to do...

***

Seems to me we're missing  a bet here, folks.

Write.  Write, email, fax, comment on web pages.  

Write your congresscritters, write the White House, write various executive branch personages--TSA, DHS, FAA, Commerce--write the airlines and the chambers of commerce and the states' visitors bureaus...  If you're not a US citizen write your embassy.  If you might otherwise plan an overseas trip, write the embassy of the nation you would have been visiting. 

***

Oh, and did I mention that the TSA is about to be allowed to vote on union representation? 

***

On the plus side, this whole brouhaha shows that the fears some have expressed about Americans turning into a bunch of sheep may have been exaggerated...

***

*Or are damned sure the threat no longer exists.  Good luck.

Just when you thought the TSA couldn't get worse...

Comes word, via GovExec, that they will be allowed to hold union elections.

Sent to you via Google Reader from my Motorola Droid.

A scanner, darkly...

Sunday's Seattle Times Travel section had a sidebar item on How to report problems with airport body scanners.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center has set up an online form for travelers to report problems they may encounter where the Transportation Security Administration is using full-body scanners at airport security checkpoints

To file a report, go to http://epic.org/bodyscanner/incident_report/

There has to be an answer to aviation security somewhere between the Israeli model (which includes unabashed racial and ethnic profiling, possibly understandable under Israel's circumstances) and no security at all.

Sleepin' Swimmin' wit da fishes

Been reviewing the video I shot snorkeling in Paradise. It would probably have been a good idea to make time to try the Kodak Playsport ZX3 out in controlled conditions, or maybe the snorkeling equivalent of a "bunny slope", to get the hang of things. Here is one of the first pieces I shot that was savable:

A lot of it turned out that way; too short, kind of jerky, trying to shoot subjects too far away to get any detail. There is a tendency for the camcorder--or the person holding it--to bob around in the current, which accounts for much of the unsteadiness.  Plus, as Dirtcrashr points out, zooming in and out underwater doesn't work well for a variety of reasons.

I was thinking that the audio would turn off when I switched to "underwater" mode, but it did not.  Most of the noise is what you hear underwater anyway--those sea critters are loud!  Some of it is me breathing.  (The boat motors--Yamaha 150s--were amazingly quiet.)

So far, all the video I have reviewed was shot in, off Honaunau, or, to be more precise, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, "The City of Refuge."  This is a lovely spot, a National Park, which was a designated sanctuary to which people who had violated kapu ("tabu", "taboo") could flee to avoid the penalty, which was death. Losers in battle could also avoid death here.  Theoretically, having survived to arrive at the City of Refuge, one could be purified by a priest, and leave safely.  The only way to get there, or to leave, was by water.

Out of the two dozen+ videos I have reviewed thus far--discarding over half a dozen outright--these are the best two I took:

 These colorful guys are Threadfin butterflyfish, Hawai'ian name Kikakapu,and easily the most colorful (and easy to viedo/photograph) fish I've seen while snorkeling.  (Which isn't saying much, as I've been snorkeling twice now...)

I still have at least another two dozen videos to go through, so I will definitely be posting more.  Like I said, maybe this will help me get over not being there anymore...

This always happens

Whenever we go snorkeling--twice now--Mrs. Drang gets to swim with Great A'Tuin, but I don't even know about it until later...

And Lesser A'Tuin as well...

She shot some video footage with her fancy digital camcorder-in-a-dive-mask, which I will try to post later.

Review, preview

So, with one week on The Big Island, and almost two years between visits, we try to cram two years of "We gotta do that again!/Wish we's done this last time!" in.

Monday we got a quick tour of the Natural Energy Lab of Hawai'i--a natural for science and technology geeks of all stripes--followed by a visit to the sea horse farms.

Tuesday, we slept late and missed our window for driving to the other side of the island to visit orchid gardens.  (A Mrs. Drang favorite, she was the one who suggested bagging it, not me!)  Then we did another sunset dinner cruise, this one on a Body Glove dive boat, and with a historical theme.  (Music by LT Smooth, who was nominated for a Grammy last year.)

This morning we went snorkeling.  After perusing the options, we told the concierge to show us the trip with the most actual snorkeling, and wound  up on a five hour tour with Sea  Quest.  I ran the battery dead in my Kodak Playsport waterproof digital camcorder, and Mrs. Drang did the same in her newest toy, a dive mask with built-in digital camera/camcorder.  Pics to follow; video if I can figure out how to edit and post them...

Tomorrow is a "Volcano and Lava" tour.  Fourteen hours!  Friday is a "culinary tour" in the morning, followed by (maybe!) a tour of the Kona brewery.

Unless we can arrange an accident--or jobs--we fly back Saturday.  s*i*g*h  (Just in time to miss King Kamehameha Day.)

By the way, it's cooler here than in Seattle.