RAF_Louvert

. Erik, we were afraid it might have been something just like this that had caused the forums to go offline, but we had all hoped such was not the case. Very sorry to learn of your health issues, but I'm glad you are on the road to recovery Sir. I for one never left these forums and still consider it my OFF home. The other forum may now be our HQ, but this place is still the old camp we hang out at. I hope your health will continue to improve Eric, and I will keep you and yours in my thoughts and prayers. Take care. Lou .

. No worries Flyby, I was only commenting in the role of FM, and only because terms like "citified leftist rich" and "redneck" (from another current thread here), can cause some folks to get upset. Not saying anyone is upset, just that we should keep on keeping it civil and enlightened. To your thoughts on timber as a building material I will say that in my part of the country, when things were first being sorted out by the settlers coming from the east, using timber only made sense. A lot of trees were felled in order to clear land for planting, and the pioneers being the ever resourceful lot that they were, made use of these trees to build their homes and barns and pens and just about everything else they could think of. Some folks were cursed with rocky ground so they made more use of the stones they had to clear before they could plant, and built with that product more than with timber. Others had to bust through the three feet of sod that covered the prairies and chose out of necessity to build their houses out of that rather unusual material. The Three Little Pigs had nothing on the German and Scandinavian immigrants that landed out in these parts. .

. Well thought out and thorough arguments presented for both sides of this issue Gents, but it may be time you agree to disagree on this and forge on. I feel we may be starting to dance on the edge here and it would be a shame to have this thread end up taking a bad turn. I'll put my Moderator Cap away now, I don't care for the way it fits anyway ... a bit constricting. .

. Wayfarer, if you've just flown through August 8th of 1918 at Amiens, you should have seen aeroplanes everywhere. The Allies had assembled over 1,900 to kick off the party, and while the Germans were caught unawares, they quickly recovered and moved additional jastas into the area to try and gain back air superiority. It should most certainly NOT be quiet. .

. It is all quite complicated, isn't it Tom, in particular when money gets involved. I concur with Dej. This has been a very well behaved discussion on a topic that has been known to cause heated debate. WM, I believe we as people want to do good, but I also believe that we as a species are inherently prone to violence and self-preservation at the cost of all else. I agree with BH that this old Earth has been going through dramatic changes since the beginning, and will continue to do so regardless of what we do. However, like Flyby, I further think that we do have some power over our surroundings and should practice good stewardship of our home planet. I do not believe we can change the ultimate fate of this big blue marble, but we can do our part to try and keep it up in what little ways we can. Of course when Mother Nature decides our time has come, she’s going to shake us off this rock like so many fleas on a dog. So I say enjoy it all while you can and do your best to make things better in your own little corner of existence. I shall miss this place dearly when it’s gone. And HW, spot on. They should release WOFF so we have new fodder for discussion. Here’s to Mother Earth, the Universe, and everything we don’t know … and to WOFF being released in two weeks! Cheers! Lou .

. Tony, I missed your initial post Sir. Sorry to learn you had some complications after your operation, I hope things are improving for you now. I'll say a prayer for you to the Man Upstairs, and wish you the best of recoveries. Take care. Lou .

. Duke, 45 Squadron did indeed return to the Western Front, however not until late in 1918 as part of the IAF. So they could not have participated in the battle of Cambrai. As to those senior moments, I feel your pain Sir and ... er ... I ... what were we talking about? .

. Beautiful screenshots Gents, and videos as as well. Great stuff as always! I had a bit of time myself recently to do some flying, (Camels out of Sainte-Marie-Cappel with 45 RFC in August of 1917, before they shipped down to the Italian Front). Here's an assortment of pics showing off my trusty mount and when my flight and I ran into a veritable swarm of Albatri just over the lines near Lille. Cheers! Lou .

. Greetings All, I just read a PM from Tranquillo, (who is doing outstandingly well BTW and thank God for that), and I realized that it's been nearly two months since I reported in on my weight loss program. Sooooooo, I stepped on the scale a day early just so I could post an up-to-date chart. June was a tough month to maintain the diet as we had graduation parties and pot lucks to attend, but I have continued to dropped. Five pounds to go ... WOOO HOOO! Lou .

. I love Pennsylvania as well, and you have a beautiful place there Tom, though for the life of me I don't know how you keep the landscaping from washing away in a really hard downpour. Glad it doesn't though, that is some fantastic gardening. .

. RAS! Great to see you around camp again Sir. I keep meaning to give you a call when I am up near DL, but it has been a crazy year so far. And open cockpit biplanes are the OOOOOOOOONLY way to fly. .

. Hey! Are you sure those aren't pictures of the weather we've been having here in Minnesota WM? Looks just like it, even has a John Deere tractor in one of the pics. BTW, I like how someone doctored the plate on the car to read "OH DEAR" but forgot about the reflection in the water. And Jim, I couldn't agree more with your assessment. .

. OK, who had lunchtime on Sunday, July 1, (Norden local time), as when Olham would check in? Oh wait, that was me! I knew this pool would pay off. Glad you are having fun mein Freund, enjoy some BBQ for me. .

. If I had checked back here a few minutes earlier I could have saved you the money RF. Here is an excellent online library with a link to a plain text version of Martin's book: ONLINE LIBRARY of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR PRIVATE YANKEE DOODLE .

. RugbyFan, I've a hunch you're referring to the Joseph Plumb Martin narrative: A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier An outstanding work, BTW. .

. Yuppers BH, you may well be right about the flake-as-knife being mankind's first true invention. And 7' for those canebrake rattlers you say? That has our Minnesota timber rattlers beat by a strong double. Average size for such a snake around here is about 34" to 38", with 53" being the state record. Always amazes me how dramatic an effect climate and environment can have on essentially the same species. .

. No Sir, I find there is a definite flavor to snake meat regardless of the olive oil, lemon and spices. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. To the photo you posted: That is a mighty big rattler, no wonder you ended up with so much meat, and a fine skin to boot. Deft handling of that flint too, well done Bullethead. .

. Safe travels and happy times Olham, we'll miss you. .

. I've run across this link before Olham, and have muddled my way through some parts of the book, but my German is so poor it takes forever to glean the information. I do wish this was posted in English somewhere, but no such luck. .

. Great story BH! I can just see you out there using your flint bits to skin that critter. I must disagree about rattlesnake having no real flavor though. The timber rattlers I've had the pleasure of preparing and eating had a very definite and unique flavor. Gamey, with almost a touch of mild fish taste, (Tilapia perhaps, though not quite). Cut it up and wash it in icy cold water, then simmer it in fresh water with a touch of lemon juice just long enough to remove the meat from the bones, about 45 minutes usually does the trick. After that, take the meat and fry it up in extra virgin olive oil with some sliced red and green peppers, a Vidalia onion, a minced garlic clove or two, a little fresh ground pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Serve it over fresh steamed rice with some wild asparagus on the side and UMMMM DADDY, that's mighty tasty! .

. Well done Sir! Now then everyone, let's see if we can't run up Olham's bar tab equally high. .

. You are more correct than you know, mein Freund. As to your book Olham, and yours as well BH, I will of course be expecting autographed advanced copies of each. .

. Dr. Frederick Frankenstein, (pronounced 'Fronkensteen'). .

. I had a nemesis once, but the doctor gave me an unguent that cleared it right up. .

. Yuppers, I am familiar with your plight there in Germany when it comes to YouTube. However, on the up side Olham, you did advance in the soccer finals. .