Friday Follies - (Snowfall Edition)

Well if it doesn't look like it should be CHRISTMAS outside.

The kids are home for the day (and the parents have already begun to self-medicate), the city is moving as a snail's pace, and the people in my neighborhood who spend every waking day doing NOTHING (but leeching off the taxpayers) are doing...well...nothing (as usual).

I've already shoveled the driveway and the front and back sidewalks (the ONLY person to do so in a 3 block radius), so "if" NCE wants to cite some people for NOT clearing their sidewalks, I won't be ticketed...BWAHAHAHAHA...like that's going to REALLY happen, especially TODAY!
So, without further ado, on to the "real stuff":

It's About Time -

Seems our very own ANG fighter wing, based here in Ft. Wayne is in the running to receive some spanking new JSFs, courtesy of the USAF (that's Joint Strike Fighter aka the F-35 to you "civvies"). This is a state-of-the-art aircraft, planned for deployment to the USAF, the USN, and the Marine Corps (in a VTOL version) in the next few years.

The F-35 is to replace the aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons, and the compliment of AV-8 Harriers.

It will also support the F-18s currently in flight ops onboard carriers around the world.

The 122nd FW Mission Statement:

In a national emergency, the 122FW may be ordered to active duty by the President of the United States. The primary federal mission of the 122FW is to achieve and maintain the level of operational readiness that will provide trained and equipped combat-ready tactical units, capable of global deployment, ready for immediate integration into the active Air Force to assure air offense, air defense, or joint action with ground forces.

The 122FW is available on orders from the Governor of Indiana to assist local authorities in the event of a disaster, disturbance or other emergency. The units of the 122FW are capable of supporting rescue and relief operations, aiding in recovery from natural disaster, along with protecting the citizens of Indiana and their property. Be nice to get some pictures as they overlfy my house.

Costaplenty Square Has Gas...Maybe -

The white elephant known as Harrison Square might be getting some type of fuel facility. The owners who bought property along the outlying part of the project site have not divulged WHAT TYPE of service will be provided. It makes sense to have some sort of gas station near there, what with the people that are "supposed" to be coming there (in droves they say), someone will run low, and will need to tank up.

And what better venue to stick there than a frigging SPEEDWAY (or even a RICH station). Let's bring some of the down home "charm" connected with a cheap fuel and convienience store. I mean it's not like the one near MY house is a Sam's Club of drug dealing in the parking lot, or that there's usually some fight there EVERY weekend (blame the bar next door for that, eh?), or that there's always some loudass BOOMCAR sitting there waiting for 'da bruthas to ROB the place yet again. I say let THAT happen...get a taste of MY "lifestyle" down here.

Covington Plaza Losing Customers -

Actually, it's more like losing TENANTS. Storeshave been closing there for the past few years, with many small store owners devrying the fact that they just can't compete with all the big box stores nearby (thanks a s**tload, Jefferson Pointe). I mean I could see it happening as early as when Little Professor Book Store closed.

That was the ONLY place I could go for books on the ENTIRE SOUTH SIDE of this city (after we lost Southtown Mall). If there's ONE thing this part of town needs...it's a freakng BOOKSTORE. And if there's one thing I DO like about shopping, it's all the small niche stores.

It's refreshing to know that if you want a specific item or craft, you know EXACTLY where you can get it. Can't say the same with all these cookie-cutter big box stores. Maybe that's why I've been to the *new* Wal-Mart down here a grand total of TWICE.

I don't like the selections there, AND I don't much care for the local clientele that frequent that establishment.

Someone will "get it" sooner or later, and do it RIGHT.

Rent-A-Hack...

The government recently conducted a "cyber-storm" drill, aimed at testing the security of our war sim computers. And they got even more than they bargined for. Seemed the VERY COMPUTERS that were being "hacked" by players in the simulation were REALLY being hacked....by the SAME PEOPLE! These were the game CONTROL computers (the ones overseeing the scenarios and not the actual computers themselves).

Think Captain Kirk screwing with the Kobayashi Maru sim by changing the parameters for victory. Be careful what you ask for sometimes. It's called creativity in thinking.

These players took this sim as a chance to "show them what we can REALLY do". Among the mock disasters in the previous sim were:

-Washington D.C.'s Metro train being shut down.

-NYC seaport computers going dark.

-Philly & Chicago airport control tower disruption.

-Strange liquid in the London subway.

Other scenarios were rail switches failing, airspace encroachment near the White House, and water system contamination in Los Angeles (that's some serious s**t doing down). Suffice it to say, it provided some challenges for first-response agencies involved in these "games".

The little-known Cyber Response group, headed by the DOJ and Homeland Security represents the largest government departmentsm including law enforcement and intel agencies. The next "match" called CYBER-STORM 2 (I smell a gaming console tie-in ALL over this...don't you?) will be held in march with scenarios including electronic attacks on chemical plants and comms systems, and will include targets in CA, CO, DE, IL, MI, NC, PA, TX, and VA...what, INDIANA gets left off the list...AGAIN? Cripes, we're not worth attacking? Indiana's probably too fat and stupid anyway, according to other lists we DID make..

That figures. Well, there you have it then.

In the meantime... Drive carefully, don't bust a nut shoveling, keep warm, stay safe...

...and DO have a good weekend.

(Is the PUPPY BOWL on Animal Planet this weekend?)