Yes, I understand completely. We had a couple of loonie pilots on our base too. :))

>Odds are the unmarked were "bale" aircraft - they were already on the books as lost. We had a lot of A-1s and Tomahawks in that category. The "Steve Canyon" program saw some of the best pilots in theater. ( and Air America some of the best pilots who were also crazy <bg> )
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>>I was in the Air Force (RCAF) in Germany 1963/67. (Never step over the yellow line alone.:) We had a nuclear base, so we worked closely with the Americans who owned the bombs. The base was loaded with CF104 StarFighters. I still love those darts and made a movie of our base from now unclassified and available video. The Americans on the base, especially the blacks were afraid that they would be transfered to Vietnam on a moment's notice. Many times, we also harbored black unmarked phantoms overnight. They would land and taxi to a hidden wooded area with parking pads. We never did find out what they were up to, but they were probably on their way to a place near you in that area. I think we had an embassy or consulate in Hanoi while the war was on, which was probably downright handy for you folks, just like Iran a few years ago.
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>>Keep having fun, young fellow.
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>>>He certainly got the main point right. That was one of the most influential books I ever read. Not only do things change, but the thing you can most rely on is that things will continue to change faster. I remember well his advice that mastering any particular set of skills is not important, since by time you learn them, they may become obsolete.
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>>>But if you want a skill set that will always be useful, get good at changing.
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>>>That was what, 1971? I had a degree in history and was running around the mountains in Laos. There were careers, experiences and bodies of knowledge ahead of me I couldn't imagine, even now cannot believe I did and which were definitely the result of a world changing very fast.
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>>>And at 62 I don't feel particularly frightened or dismayed at the idea that I spend half my day learning technology that changes as fast as I can learn it, and letting go of a programming language that made me a lot of money and in which I had a very comfortable reputation and set of skills.
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>>>Thanks, Alvin <bg> Best piece of advice anybody ever gave me. ( well, that, and sit on your kevlar when riding in helicopters <s>)
>>>
>>>
>>>>I think I still have a copy of Alvin Toffler's Future Shock around somewhere. I should read it again to see if he got anything right.
>>>>
>>>>>Cold War Swap is quite good. Oliver Bleek stuff is hard to find - I am always searching used bookstores for the old paperbacks. ( I think I have them all now, but can never remember which ones I've loaned out or lost or am somehow missing so whenever i see one I buy it just one spec.
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>>>>>
>>>>>>I got Briarpatch and The Cold War Swap. When I'm starting with a new author, I like to read their stuff chronologically, although if it's not a "series" it really doesn't matter I suppose. So, Cold War Swap was his first book, but Briarpatch wasn't next chronologically ... maybe you mentioned it before in another post and that's why I got it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>So, of your 5 favorites that you mentioned, 3 of them are available on Kindle: Missionary Stew, The Fools in Town, Out on the Rim. I just may have to try those samples too. <g>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>There aren't any Kindle versions available for Oliver Bleek.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>~~Bonnie
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>>>>>>>He won the Edgar for Briarpatch but my personal favorites include The Eighth Dwarf, Missionary Stew, The Fools in Town, Chinaman's Chance and Out on the Rim He also wrote under the name of Oliver Bleek and that stuff is terrific as well. Very character driven stuff. Absolutely no doubt the people are real ( we talked about that part of it - we shared a belief it doens't matter who done it - it matters that all the people are real. ) The last two on the list above feature Quincy Durant and Artie Woo. You won't find characters like them anywhere else in fiction - but they definitely exist.
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>>>>>>>Which 2 samples did you get?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I downloaded samples of two of Ross Thomas's books to my Kindle (based on your previos comments about his writing), but haven't had the chance to read the samples yet. I'm sure I'll end up buying them.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>That would be cool if you'd publish your book(s) on Kindle. I didn't know that you could self-publish. That's pretty cool. I'd buy it!! ;0)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>~~Bonnie