Crisis De-Escalated

He had it all, just like Bogey and Bacall:

WH defends Obama's Key Largo vacation

White House spokesman Josh Earnest defended President Obama's weekend vacation in Key Largo, despite the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, arguing Obama would be able to monitor events from Florida.

“What the president will be doing this weekend in Florida is essentially what the president would be doing back at the White House. It's just that the weather will be a little warmer,” Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Obama still has his pen and his phone. And he still doesn't have any plan, so he might as well be useless down in the Keys.

We file this under "Most Improable White House Claim Ever, Or At Least, Today:

“We have complete confidence the president can handle all the responsibilities he has," Earnest said.

Waddya mean "We"? Surely he's not earnest.

Comments

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

"Josh Earnest", as WH spokesliar? There's a misnomer if I ever heard one.

Obummer doing the same things in Key Largo? Does that means that if he were back in DC he'd be sharing the Bong, the Kools and the condoms with Reggie Love as well?

[Beasts of England]

He's just pivoting to vacay!

[henry]

He's working on his March Madness brackets with assists from what NK mentioned.

[Jane]

I just want to know how much it is costing us.

BTW we need to pay close attention to the nominee for surgeon general. Besides being about 6 months out of medical school, he believes that taking people's guns is part of his job.

[Beasts of England]

I saw an article about him, Jane. Just another fascist in the Ozombie Army.

[Ignatz]

Barry in Key Largo eh?
Which quote of Johnny Rocco is most apropos? [Picture Barry mugging Edward G's style]

1."After living in the USA for more than thirty-five years they called me an undesirable alien. Me. Johnny Rocco. Like I was a dirty Red or something!"

or

2."You'd give your left arm to nail me wouldn't you? I could see the headlines now, 'Local Deputy Captures Johnny Rocco'. Your picture'd be in all the papers. You might even get to tell on the newsreels how you pulled if off, yeah. Listen hick, I was too much for any big city police force to handle. It took the United States Government to pin a rap on me. And they won't make it stick. You hick, I'll be back pulling strings to get guys elected mayor and governor before you get a ten buck raise."

Pretty sure TK would go for #1. :)

[Threadkiller]

You know me too well, Ig.

:-)

[Barry Dangerfield]

One time I went to a hotel. I asked the bellhop to handle my bag. He felt up my wife!

I tell ya, I just don't get no rspect.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Key Largo-- a bit sappy, especially the ending. But Bogey and Becall were great, Rocco's drunk girlfriend was superb, and a fantastic turn for Edward G going back to his gangster roots, but portraying the gangster as having tremendous charm and sinister evil. His shave speech about corrupting pols in prohibition is a must hear.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

heh @3:35.

[narciso]

For folks supposedly without a plan, they seem to following one;

operatinhttp://www.interpretermag.com/ukraine-liveblog-day-20-a-military-standoff/

now the Spetznaz raid on Kabul, or the assault on Grozny are too obvious.

[Account Deleted]

Narciso,

Why shouldn't the Russian mafia follow it's plan? The EUnuchs are under the same de-escalation as BOzo. I went through fifteen EUtopian newspapers this morning (UK, Italian and German) and Ukraine is now way below the fold with photos having disappeared.

[Jeff Dobbs]

We're headed to the cotillion ball where I shall dance a waltz with princess hit and run.

Yay!

In my absence, the normal line of succession for running JOM is in effect.

Thank you.

[Jim Eagle]

Bo and Moo are at Ocean Reef club in Key Largo up island. Pretty nice yacht marina and golf courses. There was a comment the other day that the Keys have become gay but thats not correct. Key West has a sizable gay community during the winter months but not along the chain from Key Largo, to Tavernier, Islamorado, Marathon. Mostly snowbirds looking for bone fishing, trailer their RV's and want to enjoy the warmest part of the state.

BTW, if you stay at one of the major hotel chains in Key West its very family oriented not gay. The gays dominate the B&B's though.

Our favorite thing to do there is hop the sea plane over to Dry Tortugas and day visit old Fort Jefferson. If you are ever in Key West you have to do that day trip.

[Jane]

In my absence, the normal line of succession for running JOM is in effect.

Oh good, I'm in charge. Watch out you turkeys!

So when Barry goes to a hotel is everyone forced out except those in his party - which I would guess numbers close to a 100?

And how long is this vacation?

[narciso]

Now the thing is, when it mattered, he didn't speak up'

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/03/09/video-gates-sees-defense-cuts-as-showing-a-lack-of-seriousness-by-us/

[miss Marple]

Jane, The usual MO is that all guests have their reservations cancelled and they close access for almost everyone.

Lots of rumors of grumbling coming from the area.

Makes him no Nevermind, as he doesn't care about anyone but himself.

[peter]

Bacall is still alive. Bogey died almost sixty years ago.

Totally OT, I am having a senior moment. Now that it is daylight savings time, is solar noon actually at 1 PM? or 11 AM? thanks. I'm leaning toward 1 PM DST, but it is making my head hurt.

[jimmyk]

1pm, Peter. Think of it this way. Yesterday it was at noon, but then we moved the clocks one hour ahead, so noon became 1pm.

[Jane]

Can you imagine Miss Marple, planning your vacation for a year, having your plane reservations, being all packed and ready to go and then being told to screw because Bambi wants to visit. Who would ever go back?

[MaryD]

The Ocean Reef Club is not a hotel. It's privately owned houses and condos that go for millions of dollars. I can't believe that the owners were told to vacate for BO and MOO!

[Beasts of England]

As only Dave Barry can do...

http://ideas.time.com/2014/03/04/dave-barry-learns-everything-you-need-to-know-about-being-a-husband-from-50-shades-of-grey/

[narciso]

'It's good to be king;

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2014/03/09/kerry-cruz-and-crist-poke-fun-at-gridiron-dinner/

[MaryD]

I also can't believe that most of them WOULD vacate for BO and MOO.

[Stephanie VIP shhhhh its fight club]

Yeah but the condos are mostly in absentia owners who rent out. Cancel those reservations.

We rented there about 10-15 years ago and hated it. Moved to the I think it was wyndam hotel a few miles down on the right. No beaches at ocean reef as they didn't import any sand. The hotel was not so inclined and had a nice cove with beach which better suited with two young kids. That was the year it rained every freaking day and the parking lots and such were flooded out. Ruined my catalytic converter going to dinner as the lot was about a foot deep.

Worst keys vacation ever.

[MaryD]

Stephanie, your vacation sounds a lot like what happens on the Vineyard when the Obamas invade.

[Jim Eagle]

Stephanie,

Ocean Reef Club is not like it was 15 years ago, believe me. The yacht people have made it so. I know, why would they not just stay on their yachts? Because they don't have to. Comprende?:)

Damn tough golf course because of those winds. I hope BO has gone through a dozen rocks - he can't play a ProV1, so it has to be something solid like a Pinnacle or Noodle.

[Account Deleted]

Any bets as to whether the Russian repo men will take Donetsk? The Crimea is nice and all but it doesn't produce enough revenue to pay off the Russian loan sharks. Donetsk is coal and steel and could at least theoretically make some payments. ISTM a proper squeeze would be to take Donetsk and let the EUtopians ransom it in exchange for Russian banks taking first position in the BK.

When will EUtopian banks have to mark the Ukraine loans to market? When will Draghi and the rest of the EUnuch finance ministers present their smoke and fog solution?

[narciso]

From the maps at the interpreter link they seem to moving north from the Crimea, Donetsk is Yanakovich's home town, allthough they've had more unexpected trouble in securing itm

[glasater]

Look at this pronunciation of Donetsk:

Donetsk (Ukrainian: Донецьк Ukrainian pronunciation:

[doˈnɛt͡sʲk]

What in heck is that even supposed to mean?

[Danube on iPad]

My brother and his wife are members at Army-Navy in Arlington. Bill Clinton, both during and after his presidency, would show up unannounced for a round of golf, and the Secret Service would clear everyone off thge course, engendering just the feeling you would expect.

A few years back he showed up for a round wearing blue jeans, which is strictly forbidden. After he started his round the clubhouse guys huddled to decide what to do, and concluded they had no choice but to tell him he couldn't continue, and they elected one of their number to go out on the course and break the news. When he did, Clinton turned bright red in the face and flew into a towering rage, stalking off the course and vowing never to return.

The clubhouse guy became an instant hero to the members.

[Jim Eagle]

DoT,

You know why BO doesn't play Army-Nary Arlington or the Fairfax course - too damn hard compared to Ft. Belvoir and Anderson. Have it on good authority - an ex Top Man with the SS who retired down here last year. Also, he picks up after bogey. Vanity handicap and all that stuff:)

[Eric in Boise]

That sappy pop song made "Key Largo" sound like a romance. It wasn't until I saw the movie a couple of years later on late night TV that I realized it was an adventure film.

[Bertie Higgins]

Eric,

Thanks. Just to let you know, I have since shaved the beard, given up cigarettes and married that girl.

[narciso]

Seriously, what do we have these measures for anyways,

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/09/malaysia-airlines-loses-contact-with-plane-carrying-23-people/

[Stephanie VIP shhhhh its fight club]

JiB

We go down and rent a house in marathon now when we go. Much easier to get to Miami or key west from there. Very centrally located and close to Sombrero beach and Bahia Honda. Love the little par three on Key Colony Beach.

Ocean reef was just not suitable and even if I was gifted a weekend there I'd decline now. Much prefer renting a house and a boat for the week to dock at the house and go where we want when we want.

[Jane]

When did Bruce Jenner decide to become a chick?

[narciso]

Didn't Carl Lindner, of Chiqiita Banana, aka
United Fruit, who was the Koch like bete noire for eons seemingly, involved with Ocean Reef.

[narciso]

When it's a theocracy of a certain typr, it's puppies and kittens all around,

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/03/spinning-the-death-penalty-in-iran-into-a-good-news-story/#comments

[Danube on iPad]

Tom M is doing a fine job for us, if you catch my drift.

[henry]

Yes, Hit's "heh" count is a fun reminder.

[Jane]

He certainly is. My thanks TM.

[DrJ]

I think Marty had his Watters broken.

[Barry Dangerfield]

When I was a kid I tell ya I got no rspect. The time I was kidnapped, and the kidnappers sent my parents a note they said, "We want five thousand dollars or you'll see your kid again.

One night I came home. I figured, let my wife come on. I'll play it cool. Let her make the first move. She went to Florida.

[Jim Eagle]

narciso,

Yep! Carl, jr. had a home in Ocean Reef, of course, since he owned it, in a way. GWHB and Mitterand had a meeting there back in 89 or 90 IIRC. But he's not with us anymore. Not bad for a guy with a bunch of milk stores, eh?

[narciso]

So ,it's like Higgins was Robin Masters type deal.

[narciso]

Well Levin has some notions, but on balance.

http://twitchy.com/2014/03/09/not-real-encouraging-future-of-conservatism-panel-introduced-shortage-of-conservatives-spotted/

[Threadkiller]

NASA now acknowledges what NBC Bay Area's Investigative Team first uncovered last year--that the government agency has been effectively giving a price break on jet fuel to a private company.

In a letter to an Iowa senator (PDF), NASA’s associate administrator for legislative and intergovernmental affairs admits the agency was selling jet fuel at below market rates to H2-11, a company owned by the founders of Google.

Senator Chuck Grassley says he received the letter on Thursday although it's dated Feb. 24. In the letter, NASA's Seth Statler writes, “in light of the concerns expressed with those agreements, NASA has reviewed its pricing approach and…is now charging a ‘market rate’ for aviation fuel at Ames research center.”

According to the fuel records, H2-11 purchased jet fuel for prices ranging from $2.37 to $3.20 a gallon. At nearby local airports, the exact same jet fuel goes for between $5 and $8.50 per gallon.

According to the inspector general’s report, the discount fuel saved Google’s principals between $3.3 million and $5.3 million since H2-11 was able to purchase the taxpayer subsidized fuel at Ames.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/investigations/NASA-Admits-to-Selling-Discount-Fuel-to-Google-Execs-248922181.html

Two Americas...

Maybe Boehner and Rove can use this strategy to garner some LIVs' votes? Cheap gas is a winner!

[Ignatz]

Thanks for the Dave Barry link, Beasts.
Hilarious, as usual.

[Ignatz]

I wonder if Page and Brin whore for Leviathan because it gives them things or if Leviathan gives them things because they whore for it.

[Ignatz]

Headline at Time online Girls and Nudity: Why Naked Women Don’t Have To Be Titillating
The subject, unsurprisingly, is one Lena Dunham.
The column has been nominated for the No S*** Sherlock award and is expected to win going away.

[narciso]

I would click, but psychic scarring would result, which already happened with the Daily Mail

[Roux Polloi.]

Heh, dibs on 'Muddle Kingdom'.

[clarice]

I saw Key Largo one afternoon when I was a kid. If scared me so I threw up.

[Eric in Boise]

Thanks for setting me straight, Bertie. For whatever reason I'd always assumed that that was a Rupert Holmes song!

The things I learn on JOM.

[Danube on iPad]

“It’s a realistic expression of what it’s like to be alive,” [Dunham] said. “If you’re not into me, that’s your problem.”

Au freaking contraire, mon petit chou. Not my problem at all.

[clarice]

*It scared me so*

[pagar]

I thought NASA was to do Muslim outreach under the Obama regime. Does NASA think the Google guys are Muslim?

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2010/07/white-house-nasa-defend-comments-about-nasa-outreach-to-muslim-world-criticized-by-conservatives/

[daddy]

Just turning 9 AM here in Japan, so probably 8 AM down in the Malay/Viet Nam area. Just mentioning that so that you'll know that nighttime is over down there and search and rescue forces and planes are now out in force in daylight looking for wreckage, and if anything is found it would probably be found during the next 12 hours or so starting now.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Back from the Grand Ball. princess hit and run was resplendent. I managed to avoid stepping on any toes.

Missed you last night, daddy. There I was at 3am wide awake, and talking to myself here like I was rich.

I outlasted the night crew.

It's been a while since I was the one to turn off the JOM lights for the night.

[Jim Eagle]

Mrs. JiB has asked me to watch an MSM program toinight - Amazing Race. Boy is this fun since it brings back pangs of nostalgia when I live in Borneo albeit the Indonesian part and not the Malaysian. So, talk about being topical but by mistake.

[Chill, pal; heart right, head wrong. Bid 3NT. Lead hearts.]

Yikes, spring forward to February 8. What happened in the night?

[daddy]

Hi Hit!

Cecil had an excellent point 2 threads back on Passports. I had written:

China does not check our fingerprints, and if they are examining our photos that is not obvious when standing in front of the Customs desk.

Cecil pasted that, then commented:

And judging by the number of times I've been handed the wrong passport back (when getting checked in groups of 2-4), I'd suggest the photo examination is a bit on the cursory side.

Ha! Very true. The joke is we all look alike. He's exactly right. You're standing at your facilities Customs Counter chatting with your ops gal while the Chinese Customs guys behind the counters are doing their business, and when they finally hand the Passports back to us they give a quick glance at the Passport pic page and then look at us, and easily 50 percent of the time they give it back to the wrong guy. So as I said "We all look alike" is sort of a running joke.

[Patriot4Freedom]

Tom M -

Many thanks for taking time to engage in a litle "site clean-up." Your efforts are deserving of a site free from those who seek only to diminish the experience for everyone else.

[Jim Eagle]

daddy,

I have two passports, one USA and the other EU. When I travel to Europe I use my EU and save at least 15 minutes at Brussels and London. Nothing new.

[Robin, almost out of the conservative closet]

Good evening! There was a site clean up? That Dave Barry column was a classic. I read 50 Shades because all of my local friends with advanced degrees were reading it and raving about it. Could not believe that someone could become a best selling author with that tripe. Makes me mourn our civilization.

[narciso]

I gave an example, of Cruz's self depreceating humor;

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2014/03/at-gridiron-dinner-congregation-of.html

with Lurch, it's other deprecating, in his Fick TRacy Al Pacino mask,

[daddy]

The RNC should establish a Betting pool: Guess How many more Vacations Barrack will take prior to Leaving Office.

People should be able to send in a dollar and place bets on 3 things:

1) How many more vacations for Barrack thru leaving office in Jan 2017.

2) How many unescorted vacations for Michelle during the same time.

3) And total cost to the Taxpayer, as estimated by some accountant at the RNC, estimating costs for lodging, transportation, food, soiree's, security, and just about everything else.

The bet you'd place would go something like this:

Barrack vacations: 37
Michelle (unescorted by Barrack) vacations: 12
Total Cost to Taxpayers: $570 MIllion.

When it's all done and tabulated after Obama leaves office, the top 5 or 10 folks who got closest with their bets should receive an exclusive all expenses paid vacation to some location---either Calvin Coolodge's home (who probably took close zero vacations while in office) or to the French Palace where Marie Antoinette lived, followed by tours in Paris where she said "let 'em eat cake" and then had her head sawed off.

Just a suggestion, but it might bring renewed and continuing visibility to just how much money these miserable, thankless grifters are costing us, and perhaps cause enough embarrassment to whomever follows them into office that they limit their gross splurging on the public dime as well. .

[Robin, almost out of the conservative closet]

Daddy, I love it! Please send that to Prebius.

My bet:

Barack: 19 (3 each spring, Christmas, summer, Thanksgiving, 7 longish weekends)
Michelle solo: 6 (2 per year)
Total cost: $250 mil.

[Robin, almost out of the conservative closet]

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/03/07/progressive-groups-launch-new-campaign-tackle-student-debt-college-affordability

Reduce student loan debt by taxing high income earners!

Warren outlined new legislation she plans to introduce that would allow all federal student loan borrowers to refinance their debt at a 3.86 percent interest rate. She proposed paying for the refinancing program by raising taxes on wealthy Americans under the so-called Buffett Rule, which would impose a new minimum tax rate on personal incomes higher than $1 million.

The refinancing effort, Warren said, would effectively cut in half the interest rate on many existing federal student loans and save borrowers with the maximum federal loan for undergraduate education about $1,000 each year.

So there you go.

[Jim Eagle]

daddy,

The problem is he's on a permanent vacation. He only changes locattions from Washington, D.C. to Honoulu, Martha's Vineyard, Key Largo, et. al. But in Washington he relaxes, smokes his Kools, plays a little golf, eats foods that Moo doesn't want us to eat and literally smokes and mirror's the media.

When you use socratic thinking, he is the most transparent POTUS in history. Even a blind man can see through him.

[Ignatz]

Why not just raise the tax until Warren Buffet and his pals put everyone through school debt free?
Surely Warren could just dig a little deeper and do just a little more. I think every pinko rich guy should be taxed to the limits of his conscience and the courage of his convictions.

[Jane on Ipad]

The colleges should be co-signers on every single loan.

[Heh.]

There's no good Warren but a Red one.

[narciso]

Kurtz, twit that he is, downplayed the speaking truth to power, that Wahl and Martin did this week, sidestepping the point that it's Russian state propaganda in the first place;

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/09/how-to-justify-russian-aggression.html

[Jane on Ipad]

Daddy,

I agree about sending that idea to the RNC. We need to start mocking these guys.

Have you heard anymore about the plane. At this point it seems inevitable to me that it was terrorism.

[Nice link @ nine two seven.]

I'll bet that's Michael C. Moynihan, not to be confused with other Michael Moynihans, eh, n?

[jorod]

We can always be sure the president is out to lunch.

[daddy]

Have you heard anymore about the plane.

Jane,

Nothing yet concrete. Over here on Osaka TV all I have is CNN International and BBC. BBC does a decent job breaking in with the latest press conferences out of Malaysia, but so far nothing concrete.

They just had on some US Security guy who said that one of the terrorism scenarios that they have been worried about is the ability of 2 or more individuals to board a plane with components of a bomb that do not individually set off detectors, but that once having passed thru Security screening they can be carried onboard, and then when airborne they can be joined together in the rest room and then be detonated. Scary.

[Baht in Siam, I keeel myself, I am, I am.]

Yeah, Jane, ongoing tikkets to the EU, which meant no customs inspections, seals it for me. I'd be surprised if it didn't blow up, somehow.

[And Lurch is out for soup.]

The President is out to Lurch.

[narciso]

the CNN report, one of the false passport borders was directed to Amsterdam, another
to Frankfurt, that seems an odd trajectory,
they also suggest the Andaman sea, which is northWest of Thailand is a possible seatch area, which tells me they don't have a clue,

[Eric in Boise]

My daughters live in Spokane and Santa Barbara, and visit us often. I'm just trying to wrap my head around going to the airport to meet their plane…and it doesn't arrive.

And two days later, there's still no answer as to where it is.

Prayers for the families. There are no words that can express what they're going through right now.

[Is there any rating done now?]

I once heard an admission's rep brag that his school had an excellent rate of student loan repayment. When I asked if that qualified its students to a lower rate, he was dumbfounded. The idea hadn't occurred to him.

[DrJ]

There are no words that can express what they're going through right now.

Indeed. And I crawl onto a plane tomorrow. Yikes!

[Jane on Ipad]

So Daddy is it possible that the plane was blown to smithereens so nothing remains, or have they just not found the debris? It is amazing to think about.

[Well planned. Why no declaration? Downright inscrutable, heh. I'm easily amused.]

I think both to Amsterdam then one to Kobenhaven and one to Frankfurt.

[sbwaters]

Jane, there will be large pieces. Think Lockerbie.

[narciso]

Well TWA 800 comes to mind, sadly,

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/09/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/

[Jane on Ipad]

I dunno SBW, I just read something that said it could have disintegrated in mid-air. I guess that means the people would have disintegrated too. (It was on Drudge)

It is very hard to wrap my brain around.

[Eric in Boise]

Serious question for all, did the Lockerbie pilot(s) radio a distress call? It doesn't matter at this point, but I was just wondering.

Thanks in advance.

[miss Marple]

I have to admit I haven't kept up with all of the details, but wasn't a debris field spotted by a Vietnamese airliner? Wasn't there a report of a door found floating?

Now it seems we are back to no one knows where it is.

Were all of those reports in error?

[Jane on Ipad]

Apparently not Eric, although someone in radio contact heard a noise. And SBW, they refer to Lockerbie as "disintegrating" so you are right.

[narciso]

No, apparently not, according to the links;

we had the Valujet crash, many years ago, down here thinking about it, gives me chills still,

[Jane on Ipad]

They were in error Miss Marple - since confirmed.

[Ignatz]

Jane, disintegrate in this context means it came apart; no longer integrated. Doesn't mean vaporized.

[miss Marple]

Thanks, Jane.

I have been busy today and didn't have the news on.

I will try to keep up now.

Thanks also to daddy for the reports from Asia.

[daddy]

is it possible that the plane was blown to smithereens so nothing remains, or have they just not found the debris?

Jane,

I would think that there would be debris of significant size remaining even if a hole was blown in the fuselage at altitude thus leading to immediate ripping apart of the plane at altitude. If you consider the PanAm 747 that was blown apart by explosives over Lockerbie, or the Airbus that tore itself apart in the stall descent over the Atlantic, there were significant chunks of both eventually recovered.

FWIW, one of my very first missions ever was a Search and Rescue for this crashed A-3 jet:

on 4 August 1982, the squadron suffered its first fatal aircraft accident in more than a decade and its first EA-3B loss while operating from an aircraft carrier. The Skywarrior, piloted by LT Frank N. Kercher, disappeared over the Indian Ocean near Diego Garcia, while operating from Ranger. The subsequent rescue and debrief of a single surviving crewmember. P02 Robert Lee Huff. indicated the EA-3B may have broken up in flight after control failure. The remaining crewmen were LTs Michael F. Brown and David A. Pies; POs William B. Snider, Brian S. Watson and Airman Terry D. Smith. They were presumed killed or lost at sea. A subsequent JAG investigation blamed the accident on a zero-gravity maneuver.

I knew one of the dead guys pretty well from Boot Camp, Pies, an excellent man.

The crew was doing astronaut Zero-G horsing around stuff at altitude, The one survivor was an enlisted guy strapped into his ejection seat in the back, not participating in the activities. IIRC, reports suggested that somebody floating in Zero-G hit something that caused an explosive hatch to blow, causing immediate decompression and the craft to tear itself apart.

The survivor, secured in his seat, survived the plummet. (I believe he was unconscious or basically out of it during initial descent) and I believe at whatever altitude, (probably around 14,000 feet) he was automatically separated from his seat and his chute automatically deployed and he touched down safely in the ocean. He was able to gather his wits and inflate a small raft, and begin emergency transmissions.

What I recall was that we were flying right over top of him at very low altitude (a couple hundred feet) and he was saying "You're right over top of me", but it was impossible to pick him out---I just couldn't see him, tho' my co-pilot, an ex-VietNam pilot with a ton more experience than I, was able to pick him out, probably because he had a better idea of how to look. (I know that sounds crazy but he'd had war-time experience at knowing what such things looked like from such an altitude.)

Anyhow, the survivor was safely rescued and that's how they got the info that the aircraft disintegrated as a result of a decompression explosion, as a consequence of screwing around doing Zero-G maneuvers. I think a P-3 took over site control, and some ship I believe came in and picked him up.

I say all that just to give an idea of how hard visually it can be to pick up objects floating in the ocean that don't create a long wake. The US Navy guy who keeps popping up on CNN or BBC in charge of a US Navy ship with a Search and Rescue Helo is saying that their radar equipment can pick up objects floating a bit smaller than the diameter of a basketball.

[Jane on Ipad]

Yeah I figured that out Iggy, thanks. So do the people "disintegrate' too?

[narciso]

Seriously how much alcohol has to be consumed for this to make sense,

ttp://pjmedia.com/tatler/2014/03/06/guarantee-reading-this-salon-article-on-white-belly-dancers-will-make-you-measurably-dumber-also-possibly-racist/