Tag Archives: trump

Influenza, U.S.

Operation CoViD-19: National Guard ramps up

Video

The ‘main stream’ U.S. news media is doing a piss-poor job of showing what the various state National Guard units are doing during this Corona-Virus Disease-2019 pandemic.  It’s as if they’re deliberately trying to make it look like there’s no government response.

Arkansas National Guard work the CoViD-19 test lines at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 20MAR2020.

California National Guard activated for Operation CoViD-19. Personnel check-out vehicle mounted radios at the Roseville Armory, 18MAR2020.

Video, California National Guard delivers CoViD-19 test kits to infected Princess Cruise ship, 05MAR2020:

Florida National Guard personnel prep to administer CoViD-19 tests at the Community Based Testing Site, C.B. Smith Park, 20MAR2020.

Hawaii National Guard conduct CoViD-19 response planning, 18MAR2020.

  Louisiana National Guard CoViD-19 testing at Louis Armstrong Park, New Orleans, 20MAR2020.

Members of the Maryland National Guard report for duty after being activated, 16MAR2020.  More than 2-thousand were called-up or given early-warning notices for call-up!  Any veteran can tell you what they are carrying.  Maryland National Guard also assisted with transporting passengers from one of the infected Princess Cruise ships on 17MAR2020.

Maryland National Guard personnel set-up emergency triage tents outside Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center in Silver Spring, 19MAR2020.

Video, Michigan National Guard CoViD-19 action on 18MAR2020:

Activated New Jersey National Guard personnel are screened for infections after reporting for duty, 19MAR2020.

New Jersey National Guard assists with operations at the CoViD-19 Community-Based Testing Site at Bergen Community College in Paramus, 20MAR2020.

Video interview, New Jersey National Guard Military Police explain Operation CoViD-19:

New Jersey National Guard transported protective clothing from Hall’s Warehouse Corporation to the CoViD-19 Community-Based Testing Site at Bergen Community College.

Video of protective gear logistics, 19MAR2020:

New York National Guard operate Staten Island CoViD-19 testing site, note the ‘Hot Zone’ sign in red.

Stony Brook, New York, CoViD-19 testing site, 18MAR2020.

New York National Guard clean toys at a daycare facility in Scarsdale, 16MAR2020.

New York National Guard take calls at the CoViD-19 Hotline call center in Hawthorne, 16MAR2020.

Video interview;  Brigadier General Tommy Mancino, Oklahoma National Guard CoViD-19 Joint Task Force, explains what all those people are doing in front of those computer screens:

Oregon National Guard sets-up tents outside of the Oregon Veterans’ Home (OVH) in Lebanon, 17MAR2020. The tents will be used to test the more than 2-hundred employees working at the OVH.

Oregon National Guard create the Oregon Medical Station (OMS) at the Oregon State Fairgrounds, 19MAR2020.  It will be used to house 250 people from nursing homes.

Time lapse video of creation of Oregon Medical Station:

Video, Pennsylvania National Guard personnel explain why the silly-vilian (civilian) healthcare industry can’t handle mass-testing for CoViD-19:

Puerto Rico National Guard conducting CoViD-19 testing at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

Half a million CoViD-19 testing supplies were shipped from Italian suppliers on Tennessee National Guard C-17 Globemaster-3 transports to the Tennessee Air National Guard base in Memphis.

Video interview with aircrew member:

The supplies were then loaded on FedEx trucks, 19MAR2020.

West Virginia National Guard takes calls at the CoViD-19 hotline.

OPERATION CoViD-19: USN QUARANTINE SHIPS

OPERATION CoViD-19: U.S. BORDER PATROL

OPERATION JUPITER: OPERATION CoViD-19 IS FOR REAL

Influenza, U.S.

Operation CoViD-19: USN Quarantine Ships

Video

The ‘main stream’ U.S. news media is doing a piss-poor job of showing what the U.S. Navy is doing during this Corona-Virus Disease 2019 pandemic.  It’s as if they’re deliberately trying to make it look like there’s no government response.

Somewhere at sea, a Hospital Corpsman with the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet tests for diseases using a BioFire Film Array.  The hi-tech machine can test for just short of 30 diseases at the same time. The pic was taken aboard the USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), 14MAR2020.

Medical supplies being loaded onto USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) in San Diego, California, 20MAR2020.

Infected people could be delivered to USNS Mercy via MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters.

Mercy is one of two hospital ships owned and operated by Military Sealift Command, and operates in the Pacific Ocean.

Video of USNS Mercy being loaded with medical supplies, in San Diego, in preparation for its mission as a quarantine ship:

Apparently they’re expecting to drink a lot of Red Bull?

The other hospital ship is the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), which normally operates along the Atlantic coast, including providing taxpayer funded medical services to people in Central & South America, and the Caribbean.

A Ejército Mexicano medic, assigned to the USNS Comfort, helps a boy with a severely swollen head in Haiti, November 2019.

Throngs of Haitians line-up for help from the USNS Comfort, November 2019.  Will the same thing happen at U.S. ports?

Coming for you?  A view from inside a MH-60S Sea Hawk assigned to USNS Comfort.

OPERATION CoViD-19: HOT ZONE DAEGU

Technology

Robot Wars: A-I strips an A-10 naked!

Video

Personnel seal panel lines, rivets and any other ‘openings’ to prevent the stripping material from entering the aircraft. U.S Air Force photo by Todd Cromar, 04DEC2019.

In December 2019, a robot paint stripper at Hill Air Force Base (AFB), Utah, was used to strip an A-10 Thunderbolt-2 for the first time.  Normally, it’s used on F-16s.

Corrosion control technicians seal up the seams and holes in the skin to prevent the blast media from entering the aircraft. USAF photo by Todd Cromar, 04DEC2019.

“There are going to be across-the-board improvements including a dramatic reduction in exposure to a Hexavalent Chromium dust environment. This is perhaps the greatest benefit to the robotic system. Savings will also be seen with reduced operating time and less power consumption, as well as reduced costs in material. We really haven’t found a downside to this system.”-Tim Randolph, 576th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

USAF photo by Todd Cromar.

Two robots, with four hose attachments each, move independently along both sides of the aircraft. The time to strip an A-10 is decreased from three days to 9-12 hours!

Sorry, they didn’t release any pics of the naked A-10.

This Davis-Monthan ‘Paint Barn’ video, released in January 2020, shows you how many humans are needed in order to paint an A-10:

 

Robot Wars:

Photo via Aerobotix.

A-I PAINTERS TO SAVE THE F-22 RAPTOR?

TEXAS TURNS TO ROBOTS TO WASH F-16

A-10 Thunderbolt-2: ANOTHER A-10C WITH INVASION STRIPES

THE OWL HAD A BLUE UMBRELLA!: HOW LANTIRN KILLED THE N/AW-10, AND, WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE TRUMPETER/HOBBY BOSS KITS?

Technology

Robot Wars: A-I Painters to save the F-22 Raptor?

Video

An F-22 Raptor is masked-off for new paint, on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Hawaii Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman John Linzmeier, 21AUG2020.

The F-22 Raptor is a hi-tech aircraft that has not resulted in making things easier for the U.S. Air Force (USAF).  I’ve already written how the sensitive ‘skin’ of the aircraft is a nightmare for sheet metal shop personnel.   Now the USAF admits that painting the aircraft is a pain-in-the-butt as well.

An F-22 gets its air intakes painstakingly ‘gap filled’ at Hill AFB, Utah. USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd, 19NOV2020.

As of February 2020, the USAF has a new hi-tech tool that will supposedly solve one of the hi-tech aircraft’s skin problems; a robot designed specifically to paint the inside of the air intakes.

Hawaii Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman John Linzmeier, 21AUG2020.

The company, Aerobotix, that makes the robot painter claims it’ll save U.S. taxpayers $28-million in labor costs to paint the F-22, and apparently it can be used on other aircraft.

Video report:

Photo via Aerobotix.

Update, 31AUG2022:  Aerobotix Marks 40th Restoration of Air Inlet Ducts on F-22 Raptor Aircraft

VEHICLE I-D:F-22 RAPTOR

Robot Wars: A-I Strips an A-10 naked!

TEXAS TURNS TO ROBOTS TO WASH F-16

Influenza

Operation CoViD-19: Hot Zone Daegu

Video

On 13MAR2020, soldiers with the U.S. Army, and the Republic of Korea (RoK), took part in disinfection ops in the hot zone known as Daegu.

Video, U.S. Army Installation Clean Teams:

Video, U.S. Army Trace Teams, or how they can trace where an infected military members has been:

Operation CoViD-19: U.S. Border Patrol, 13MAR2020

Influenza

Operation Jupiter: Operation CoViD-19 is for real

Video

CoViD-19=CoronaVirus Disease 2019

U.S. military updates as of 14-15MAR2020.

At Camp Pendleton, California, U.S. Marine Corps held a Installations West meeting to discuss scenarios for CoViD-19 response.

Marines onboard Camp Pendleton also built a quarantine site for anybody who test positive for the virus.

Video of U.S. Marines building a quarantine site on Camp Pendleton:

Official video announcement, USMC Camp Pendleton shuts down or reduces onboard services due to CoViD-19:

In the New Rochelle area of New York state, the Army National Guard began preparations for Operation CoViD-19.

Official video report, New York Army National Guard CoViD-19 Mobile Testing Center in Glenn Island Park:

Effective March 14, 2020, gate guards will no longer handle I-D cards, instead they’ll use a scanner.  Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, video explainer:

Video, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, implements new CoViD-19 gate checks:

On 11 March, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, issues video explaining what you should do if you think you’re infected:

THE DAY AFTER MEDICAL-MARTIAL-LAW WAS DECLARED: SHOPPING MAYHEM AT POCATELLO WINCO!

Going Viral, 11-12 March 2020: “STOP SAYING IT’S A BAD FLU!”

OPERATION JUPITER: U.S. SOLDIER INFECTED, U.S. BASES PREPPING FOR EVACUATIONS!

Kit Bashing, Technology

EC-135E Fire-Bird, 10329 comes back to life, again! Or, what to do with your extra KC-135 kit.

Image

U.S. Air Force photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

This rudderless and engine-less EC-135E has risen from the ashes of retirement not once, but twice.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

An electronic warfare version of the venerable Boeing C-135 family of aircraft, EC-135E #61-0329 (tail code 10329) was first retired to Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, as a rudderless ‘battle damage’ repair trainer.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 29APR2019.

In the above pic you can see the bare metal area around the nose indicating where the original ‘Snoopy’ nose was hung.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 29APR2019.

In 2019, instead of scrapping the chock-ful-of patches bird, 61-0329 was again reborn but this time as a fire fighter trainer.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

Unveiled on 04OCT2019. ‘Never Forget 343’ titles honor the 343 firefighters killed during the attacks during 11SEP2001.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

USAF photo by Greg L. Davis, 04OCT2019.

Apparently EC-135Es were re-engined EC-135Ns.

Tail code 10329 in its final days as a Snoopy.

EC-135Es were officially called ARIA (Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft) , but were better known as ‘Snoopy’ because of their bulbous noses.

10329 in its glorious 2nd incarnation as a Snoopy. Notice the different jet engines. Its 1st incarnation was as a C-135 cargo hauler.

AMtech issued a 1:72 scale EC-135N/E.  There are some fit problems and you need to strengthen the wing to prevent drooping.  It is out of production.

The ancient Nova vacformed 1:72 KC-135 came with optional parts to make several EC versions, but not the bulbous Snoopy nose.

In 1:144, Welsh Models makes a Snoopy conversion.

National Museum of the United States Air Force: EC-135E ARIA explainer

For an even more detailed explainer visit Air Force Space & Missile Museum

Vehicle I-D: KC-135 CITY OF DERBY

D-DAY KC-135, ‘HUNDRED PROOF’ & OTHER NOSE ARTS

VEHICLE I-D: MARK 82

PAINTING A P-51 MUSTANG WITH VINYL DECALS?

Idaho, Influenza

The Day After Medical-Martial-Law Was Declared: Shopping mayhem at Pocatello WinCo!

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14 March 2020 / 09:19 (UTC-07 Tango 06) 24 Esfand 1398/19 Rajab 1441/21 Ji-Mao 4718

CoViD-19=CoronaVirus Disease 2019

On the morning of 13 March, Idaho’s Governor Brad Little declared a State of Emergency over the CoViD-19 pandemic.  Shortly after that President Donald Trump declared a National Emergency.  Later in the day Governor Little revealed the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Idaho.  Without warning the store I prefer to do my grocery shopping at, and the only remaining 24 hours operation in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area, suspended their overnight sales purportedly to “clean” the store as a result of the CoViD-19 pandemic.

“24 Hours of Savings WinCo Foods” re-opened at 05:00 (5am), I arrived at 05:30 and it was already mayhem!

The pics were taken with my phone cam which has a fogged lens.  These checkout lines are what greeted me at 05:30, just 30 minutes after WinCo re-opened! They run to the back of the warehouse style store.

Many of the fresh meat items were gone, all the fresh ground beef was gone, by 05:30!

The empty shelves on the left side of the above pic used to be filled with pancake syrup.  Pancake syrup, really, do you people need that much pancake syrup?  The empty shelves on the right of the pic is where sugar used to be, all gone now.

The infamous toilet paper isle, this time WinCo was not able to re-stock before opening.

I bought $60 worth of food.  I got in at 05:30 and didn’t get out until 07:00, the lines were that long, and despite most of WinCo’s check stands being open.

I stopped in at the next door Fred Meyer, they weren’t crowded, but were missing many items as well.  An employee told me things have been getting crazy after 08:30 and they’ve been having trouble getting orders into corporate.   One of the items I noticed they were out of was bottled water, mmmm, I don’t remember CoViD-19 being able to shut-off your water supply.

pocatello fred meyer

Fred Meyer at the former Pocatello Mall location

The employee I talked to pointed out something that makes sense; many people in eastern Idaho save up their money for the end of year holiday season, but people are now spending money like mad due to the CoViD-19 fear-mongering, on top of that people are already being told not to come to work, the result will be that many people here in eastern Idaho are not going to have money to spend for the end of year holidays.

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE FOR EASTERN IDAHO: COVID-19 SHUTDOWN 24HRS WINCO?

Business/Economics, Idaho, Influenza

More economic decline for eastern Idaho: CoViD-19 shutdown 24hrs WinCo?

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14 March 2020 / 05:15 (UTC-07 Tango 06) 24 Esfand 1398/19 Rajab 1441/21 Ji-Mao 4718

CoViD-19=CoronaVirus Disease 2019

No more “24 Hours of Savings WinCo Foods”, at least for a week.

After yesterday’s declaration of State of Emergency by Idaho’s Governor Brad Little, then followed by President Donald Trump’s declaration of National Emergency, the store I prefer to do my grocery shopping at, and the only remaining 24 hours operation in the Pocatello/Chubbuck area, halted their 24 Hours of Savings!

I’ve always shopped there after midnight because I don’t like crowded grocery stores.  I and several dozen people arrived after midnight, 14 March, to find the doors closed for the first time.  No signage was posted to explain it.

I drove back home and checked Boise based WinCo’s website and sure enough there is a message saying they’re halting 24hr operations at selected stores due to CoViD-19.

“March 13, 2020

Dear WinCo Customers,

As we all deal with the Coronavirus fallout in these unprecedented times, WinCo Foods remains committed to taking care of our customers, our communities and our employee owners.

As we experience higher than normal demand on a variety of products, we are working around the clock to not only keep our stores open, but also clean and as stocked as possible. We are also ever-mindful of keeping our employee owners, our customers and our communities as safe as possible. To that end we are working with the CDC and local Health Agencies to make sure we follow all Coronavirus protocol, as well as our own internal hygiene and food safety protocols.

We at WinCo Foods understand that you are relying on us in these difficult days to continue providing you with quality food at the lowest possible prices. On behalf of our 19,000+ employee owners, we have no intention of closing our stores and every intention of keeping our shelves as stocked as we possibly can. To help this, we will be temporarily closing various locations between the hours of 12am and 5am for the next week, so the stores can clean and re-stock. We will re-evaluate this policy after this week has passed.

We appreciate your patience while we do this. WinCo remains committed to all of you, and to providing you with foods for your hungry families.

 

Thank you,

The employee owners of WinCo Foods”

I guess the ’employees of WinCo’ don’t realize that most people are not going to think of checking WinCo’s website before heading out to the store.

This was WinCo’s toilet paper isle several days prior to their overnight lockdown.

The only difference between a State of Emergency and martial law is that under martial law the military is in total control: “States of emergency can also be used as a rationale or pretext for suspending rights and freedoms guaranteed under a country’s constitution or basic law.” 

Going Viral, 11-12 March 2020: “STOP SAYING IT’S A BAD FLU!”

MORE ECONOMIC DECLINE: NO MORE IDAHO SHOPKO? THERE NEVER WAS A SHOPKO IN POCATELLO!

2013: ECONOMIC RECOVERY? WINCO ABOUT TO CLOSE STORE NUMBER 5 IN POCATELLO!