Because I'm a Ranting and Ramblin' Man

Russian Sukhoi 34. NATO calls it Fullback. What a gorgeous looking aircraft. It is literally beautiful

• If this doesn't warm your heart- you may not have one.
• I've been conducting a social experiment over the past several months and feel comfortable enough in the initial results to share some information with my fellow scientits. The experiment is simple enough: when people know I'm not wearing my hearing aids- such as when I've set them down to assess a patients heart and lunch sounds with my stethoscope of justice I act deaf as a post to gauge what they will or won't say around me and see if it changes the way I'm treated.
• Scientists came out scientits and lung lunch. Funny, but yes- it changes how they act and well over 50% of the time people feel the need to at least gauge my hearing ability without the hearing aids by speaking at a lower volume and/or looking away from etc.
• When I came back from downrange and was doing rehab at Fort Hood I was known outside of my unit for a couple of things and it always surprised me to find out who knew about me by my reputation. One happened on Fort Hood itself right after I returned- I smashed into a cow totaling my Mercedes (and the cow) the other happened in Iraq.
• Lots of drinks were bought for me.
• The problems in Ukraine have really wakened a lot of emotions and thoughts. It is interesting how that is true for a low level chump ex cold warrior like me- how is that scenario affecting Putin et. al.?
• Again, our politicians should ask themselves before a response to something in another part of the world, What would we do in the same situation? If we would do the same thing, why would get involved or say anything at all other other to offer humanitarian assistance and/or negotiation facilitation?