I knew StumbleUpon was a popular social media service but always viewed it as a dark horse. Who knew how popular it really is.
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Have you seen the redesign of the Civil Beat web site? It’s cleaner and has more visual elements that pop.
So how would this new design translate to Nike kicks? Well, it might look like these (iconic) Air Max 95s.
The “light” colorway.
The “dark” colorway.
I’d rock either of these (in a size 10)! And yes, the custom embroidered text is #becivil.
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So the secret about Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte is out, but did you know about the new Toffee Mocha?
It’s pure buttery sweetness! Then you taste the hint of mocha. A new seasonal favorite?
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Fighter jet pilots? I only know of them from the movies. Maverick, Ice Man, Goose, Jester, Merlin, Viper – the all stars from Top Gun is my sole exposure to the world of fighter jet pilots, but thanks to Pacific Air Forces and the Hawaii Air National Guard, I got to meet real-life fighter pilots as they flew the last training mission for F-15 Eagles in Hawaii. More importantly, this was the last sortie for two longtime pilots, Lt. Col Mark Ladtkow and Lt. Col. James Sage, call signs “Odie” and “Saw.”
After our mission indoctrination, our group of traditional and social media followed Saw and Odie for their “fini” flights.
Under the covered canopies, each pilot performs his own inspection before takeoff.
Odie takes one last look at his Eagle.
After a few minutes taxiing to the runway, one F-22 Raptor and two F-15 Eagles took flight.
Here’s video of the F-15s taking off (I missed the launch of the opposing F-22 Raptor).
Along with the media coverage, family and close friends of Odie and Saw were present to celebrate their accomplishments and congratulate them on their near 40 years of service defending our nation’s skies. After all, these fighter pilots are people too.
Sure, the movie stereotype of fighter pilots may be one of ego-driven jocks, but through this experience, I now know better. Odie and Saw remained humble and honored to fly the F-15s, but I have a suspicion these pilots could best Maverick, Ice Man, Goose, Jester, Merlin, and Viper when needed.
An hour later, the training mission was compete, and the jets touched down.
I was moved by this silent moment as Odie thanked his mechanized eagle.
And about the Air Force tradition of a “fini” flight – Pilots are hosed down by awaiting fire trucks and crew members.
Then it was time for camaraderie and sharing the aloha spirit.
Followed by interviews.
I didn’t know what to expect upon invitation to this event, but I have to commend PACAF and other local DoD organization’s adoption of social media. Through these interludes, I’ve learned so much, got to dispel misconceptions of our Armed Forces, and just for a moment, witnessed the human side of fighter pilots.
Thanks to Pacific Air Forces and Pacific Command for this experience! And congratulations to Odie and Saw for serving our nation.
More pictures from the F-15 Final Training Mission.
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The Twitter announced collaboration between Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Raekwon is now available for listening.
The MP3 version of Runaway Love is supposedly available on Kanye’s blog, but I can’t figure out that UserShare interface with 5 download buttons that take you everywhere but to the song.
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Thanks again to the worldly travels of @abaggy, I have some new flavors of Kit Kat to sample. That’s Strawberry Cheesecake, Wasabi, and Soy Bean.
Oh, and as a backdrop to these Kit Kats is the 2011 Entertainment Book filled with coupons if you’re interested in buying one as a fundraiser. 
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Over on the popular ProBlogger blog, there’s a post asking readers what their favorite (free) WordPress plugins are. It’s interesting to see what are the popular ones. Some new ones for me include Broken Link Checker and CommentLuv.
Sadly Broken Link Checker isn’t cooperating with my install of WP 3.0.1, giving me database errors. I’ve seen CommentLuv as an add-on to Intense Debate, but since I’ve moved to Disqus, CommentLuv no longer seems like an option.
What would be my top 5 free WordPress plugins?
- WP Super Cache. Just a little tricky to set up, but absolutely necessary to maintain a smooth operation and reduce WP resources.
- WPtouch iPhone Theme. Easily “mobilize” your blog.
- Similar Posts. Helps readers find related content.
- Advertising Manager. To easier manage, ads and their placement.
- YOURLS. Because it’s fun to have your own custom URL shortener!
I consider Akismet and Google XML Sitemaps as core essential plugins, and therefore, exempt from this list.
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