Someone told me a while back that, of all the immortal Douglas DC-3s still in use in the United States, well over half are flying in Alaska. I haven’t taken the time to confirm that but we do see DC-3s regularly passing overhead, sometimes two a day. They’re great for small Alaska airfields: Rugged, rough-field capable, dependable, and able to carry big loads. I expect we’ll see them in use here in the Great Land for some time to come, which is pretty good for a model of aircraft which once carried the Old Man from Lowry Army Airfield, Colorado to Victorville, California, in 1945. He described that trip in an Army C-47 as “being sealed in a tin can full of bolts and shaken,” but then, his sorties in B-25 and B-17 bombers in that time frame were very similar, or so he always told it.
Here’s a neat video of a startup and takeoff of a Swissair DC-3. What a beautiful old bird. It’s great to see them still in use.
Now then:
On To the Links!
Beer. Is there anything it can’t do?
Elder Versus Newsom: Two Radically Different Views of the Soul of America. That’s something of an understatement.
Amazon’s Answer to Delivery Driver Shortage: Recruit Pot Smokers. Note to self: Stop ordering snack foods from Amazon.
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving cackling harpy.
Up to 60% of Americans think President Biden(‘s handlers) should resign over the Afghanistan catastrophe. Problem is, he has a great life-insurance policy, namely that nobody in either party wants Heels-Up Harris in the Imperial Mansion.
Why not just ditch the monarchy altogether? Seriously, Brits, it’s way past damn time.
How Has Joe Biden Become So Unpopular? Well, his constant incompetent fucking up may have something to do with it.
Timing Biden’s exit? He may not have much say in it. He likely isn’t coherent enough to have any say in it.
Wait, we don’t call them tornadoes any more? Seriously, is there anyone left on the planet that can’t see that this guy is too far gone to blow his own nose, much less be President?
This Week’s Idiots:
MSNBC’s Hayes Brown (Repeat Offender Alert) is an idiot.
Slate‘s (Repeat Offender Alert) is an idiot.
The New York Times‘ (Repeat Offender Alert) is an idiot.
New York Magazine‘s Eric Levitz is an idiot. Seriously, do none of these dimwits ever give a moment’s thought to what happens when the shoe is on the other foot?
The Atlantic’s Jemele Hill is an idiot.
MSNBC’s Tiffany Cross is an idiot.
Guardian‘s Lawrence Douglas is an idiot.
This Week’s Cultural Edification:
Mike Nesmith is probably best known for his tenure with The Monkees, but the post-Monkee Nesmith did some… interesting stuff. Among other things, he was one of the pioneers of the themed music video, along with his buddy Frank Zappa and the prescient David Bowie.
In 1981, Nesmith released a video album (on Laserdisc!) called Elephant Parts. It was odd, to say the least, but worth a watch. Here, from that album, is the classic work Cruisin’. Enjoy.
