Pakistani airmen sabotaged their fighter jets to prevent them from participating in operations against militants along the border with Afghanistan, according to a leaked U.S. Embassy cable.
Another cable reveals that Pakistan's army chief asked U.S. military officials for “continuous” coverage by Predator drones along that border despite criticism of the strikes by Pakistani officials in public.
The anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks has provided a batch of U.S. diplomatic cables to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper and India’s New Delhi Television and the Hindu newspaper.
A March 2006 cable cites the Pakistani deputy chief of air staff for operations, Air Vice Marshal Khalid Chaudhry, as telling a visiting U.S. delegation that he was receiving monthly reports of acts of “petty sabotage” of jets by airmen.
Vice Marshal Chaudhry interpreted these acts as an effort by “Islamists amongst the enlisted ranks to prevent [Pakistani air force] aircraft from being deployed in support of security operations in the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas along the Afghan border,” the cable says.
The U.S. delegation was led by John Hillen, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs.
Another cable, sent in February 2008, revealed that Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, sought “continuous Predator coverage of the conflict area” in an area along the Afghanistan border where the Pakistani army was fighting militants.
In a meeting on Jan. 22, 2008, Gen. Kayani asked Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, who was chief of U.S. Central Command, for drone presence over South Waziristan.
”Fallon regretted that he did not have the assets to support this request, but offered Joint Tactical Aircraft Controller (JTAC) support for Pakistani aircraft. Kayani demurred, saying that having U.S. JTACs on the ground would not be politically acceptable,” according to the cable.
Vice Marshal Chaudhry, speaking “off the record,” told Mr. Hillen that Pakistani aircraft are called regularly to provide air support to military and security forces when they get into tight spots in the tribal areas near the Afghanistan border, “dryly adding that army brass and the ground forces commanders would deny it,” the cable said.
In a rare public statement this year, Gen. Kayani condemned a March 17 U.S. drone strike that Pakistan said killed up to 40 people in North Waziristan.
Most Pakistanis oppose drone strikes, which they see as a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.
U.S. and Pakistani officials have not publicly acknowledged the covert program.
However, a Pakistani official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the matter, told The Washington Times that these operations have been carried out after robust intelligence sharing between Pakistan and the U.S.
The Predator drones are operated from bases inside Pakistan the Shamsi air base and Jacobabad.
U.S. officials and analysts say elements within Pakistan’s armed forces and intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence, are reluctant to sever ties with militants operating in Afghanistan and India.
“Pakistani military operations against insurgent groups have always been primarily focused on threats to Pakistani security,” said Jeffrey Dressler, a research analyst at the Institute for the Study of War.
At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing last week, Sen. Christopher A. Coons, Delaware Democrat, raised questions about Pakistan’s commitment to acting against terrorists.
“I’m deeply disturbed by what seems to be a state that plays a double game, that accepts significant multibillion-dollar aid from us, combat groups that target its own domestic concerns, but then clearly hedges against the U.S. mission in Afghanistan is an uneven partner at best,” he said.
Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden early May 2 in Abbottabad, a garrison town about 30 miles from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. The al Qaeda leader’s hide-out was barely a mile from the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul.
In his meetings with the U.S. officials, Vice Marshal Chaudhry said Pakistan’s military leadership has a tough time maintaining positive attitudes toward the U.S. among enlisted personnel.
The cable says he cited the susceptibility of the enlisted ranks - most of whom come from rural areas - to the influence of Islamist clerics. “You can’t imagine what a hard time we have trying to get to trim their beards,” Vice Marshal Chaudhry is quoted as saying in a cable.
Conservative Muslims grow full beards as a sign of piety.
While in Pakistan, Mr. Hillen heard criticism of President George W. Bush’s decision not to give Pakistan a civil nuclear deal similar to the one he struck with India.
A Pakistani official expressed dismay at Mr. Bush’s reference to rogue nuclear scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan, as the reason why the U.S. would not offer this deal to Islamabad.
Nazir Hussain, who at the time was chief of protocol at Pakistan’s foreign ministry, told Mr. Hillen: “Your man cut Musharraf off at the knees” with that public comment, according to the cable. Gen. Pervez Musharraf was the Pakistani president.
Pakistan was negotiating the sale of F-16 fighter jets with the U.S. at the time, and Vice Marshal Chaudhry asked Mr. Hillen to ensure that the deal “has enough sweeteners to appeal to the public - a complete squadron of new F-16s, with JDAM and night-vision capability - but not to offer the PAF things that it cannot afford,” according to the cable.
Discussing the Chinese JF-17 Thunder jet, a key component of Pakistan’s fighter fleet, Vice Marshal Chaudhry acknowledged that the jet was not comparable to the U.S. F-16 in terms of quality, particularly its avionics and weapons systems.
On a trip to Beijing last week, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani secured a deal in which China will provide Pakistan with 50 more JF-17s.
Pakistani Defense Minister Ahmad Mukhtar said Pakistan was seeking delivery of the jets within six months.
2011年5月22日 星期日
U.S. cable ties Saudis to Pakistan jihad
A U.S. diplomat in Pakistan accused Saudi and Gulf groups of bankrolling Islamic extremists in a cable revealed by WikiLeaks Sunday.
Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported Bryan Hunt, then consul in Lahore, sent the message to the State Department in November 2008, citing local officials and his visits to south Punjab.
Hunt wrote, "Financial support estimated at nearly 100 million USD annually was making its way to Deobandi and Ahl-i-Hadith clerics in south Punjab from organizations in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, ostensibly with the direct support of those governments."
He said local informants had described a "sophisticated jihadi recruitment network" to him.
Muslim "charities" funding a network of radical mosques and madrassas preyed on "families with multiple children" and "severe financial difficulties," recruiting their sons into schools and paying bounties for them, Hunt wrote.
Those youths found most inclined to "martyrdom" would be "chosen for jihad" and sent to "more sophisticated indoctrination camps," which he identified, and eventually off to the North-West Frontier province to launch attacks.
Local officials were doing little to stop the extremists, Hunt wrote.
Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported Bryan Hunt, then consul in Lahore, sent the message to the State Department in November 2008, citing local officials and his visits to south Punjab.
Hunt wrote, "Financial support estimated at nearly 100 million USD annually was making its way to Deobandi and Ahl-i-Hadith clerics in south Punjab from organizations in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, ostensibly with the direct support of those governments."
He said local informants had described a "sophisticated jihadi recruitment network" to him.
Muslim "charities" funding a network of radical mosques and madrassas preyed on "families with multiple children" and "severe financial difficulties," recruiting their sons into schools and paying bounties for them, Hunt wrote.
Those youths found most inclined to "martyrdom" would be "chosen for jihad" and sent to "more sophisticated indoctrination camps," which he identified, and eventually off to the North-West Frontier province to launch attacks.
Local officials were doing little to stop the extremists, Hunt wrote.
2011年5月18日 星期三
Keep North Carolina’s Broadband Market Free
While arguments over network neutrality have steadily misdirected attention toward Washington, phone and cable companies have quietly lobbied one state after another to throttle back or forbid cities, towns and small commercial and non-commercial entities from building out broadband facilities. This Community Broadband Preemption Map, from Community Broadband Networks, tells you how successful they've been so far: Now they're the verge of succeeding in North Carolina too.
This issue isn't just close to home for me. I lived in North Carolina for nearly two decades, and I have more blood relatives there than in any other state. (Not to mention countless friends.) Not one of them tells me how great their broadband is. More than a few complain about it. And I can guarantee that the complaints won't stop once the Governor signs the misleadingly-named "Level Playing Field/Local Gov't Competition act" (H129), which the cable industry has already been lobbied through the assembly.
The "free market" the phone and cable companies claim to operate in, and which they mostly occupy as a duopoly, is in fact a regulatory zoo where the biggest animals run the place. Neither half of the phone/cable duopoly has ever experienced anything close to a truly free market; but they sure know how to thrive in the highly regulated one they have — at the federal, state and local levels. Here's Ars on the matter:
Let's be even clearer about what is at stake in this fight. Muni networks are providing locally based broadband infrastructures that leave cable and telco ISPs in the dust. Nearby Chattanooga, Tennessee'scity owned EPB Fiber Optics service now advertises 1,000Mbps. Wilson, North Carolina is home to the Greenlight Community Network, which offers pay TV, phone service, and as much as 100Mbps Internet to subscribers (the more typical package goes at 20Mbps). Several other North Carolina cities have followed suit, launching their own networks. In comparison, Time Warner's Road Runner plan advertises "blazing speeds" of 15Mbps max to Wilson area consumers. When asked why the cable company didn't offer more competitive throughput rates, its spokesperson told a technology newsletter back in 2009 that TWC didn't think anyone around there wanted faster service. When it comes to price per megabyte, GigaOm recently crunched some numbers and found out that North Carolina cities hold an amazing 7 of 10 spots on the "most expensive broadband in the US" list.
And here's what Wally Bowen and Tim Karr say in the News & Observer:
North Carolina has a long tradition of self-help and self-reliance, from founding the nation's first public university to building Research Triangle Park. Befitting the state's rural heritage, North Carolinians routinely take self-help measures to foster economic growth and provide essential local services such as drinking water and electric power. Statesville built the state's first municipal power system in 1889, and over the years 50 North Carolina cities and towns followed suit. In 1936, the state's first rural electric cooperative was launched in Tarboro to serve Edgecombe and Martin counties. Today, 26 nonprofit electric networks serve more than 2.5 million North Carolinians in 93 counties. Strangely, this self-help tradition is under attack. The General Assembly just passed a bill to restrict municipalities from building and operating broadband Internet systems to attract industry and create local jobs. Although pushed by the cable and telephone lobby, similar bills were defeated in previous legislative sessions. But the influx of freshmen legislators and new leadership in both houses created an opening for the dubiously titled "Level Playing Field" bill (HB 129).
No one disputes the importance of broadband access for economic growth and job creation. That's why five cities -- Wilson, Salisbury, Morganton, Davidson and Mooresville -- invoked their self-help traditions to build and operate broadband systems after years of neglect from for-profit providers, which focus their investments in more affluent and densely populated areas. Not coincidentally, all five cities own and operate their own power systems or have ties to nonprofit electric cooperatives. (While the bill does not outlaw these five municipal networks, it restricts their expansion and requires them to make annual tax payments to the state as if they were for-profit companies.) How does a state that values independence, self-reliance and economic prosperity allow absentee-owned corporations to pass a law essentially granting two industries -- cable and telephone -- the power to dictate North Carolina's broadband future? This question will be moot if Gov. Beverly Perdue exercises her veto power and sends this bill where it belongs: to the dustbin of history.
We don't need more laws restricting anything around Internet infrastructure build-outs in the U.S. That's the simple argument here.
We need the phone and cable companies to improve what they can, and we need to encourage and thank them for their good work. (As I sometimes do with Verizon FiOS, over which I am connected here in Massachusetts.)
We also need to recognize that the Internet is a utility and not just the third act (after phone and TV) in the "triple play" that phone and cable companies sell. The Net is more like roads, water, electricity and gas than like TV or telephony (both of which it subsumes). It's not just about "content" delivered from Hollywood to "consumers," or about a better way to do metered calls on the old Ma Bell model. It's about everything you can possibly do with a connection to the rest of the world. The fatter that connection, the more you can do, and the more business can do.
Cities and regions blessed with fat pipes to the Internet are ports on the ocean of bits that now comprise the networked world. If citizens can't get phone and cable companies to build out those ports, it's perfectly legitimate for those citizens to do it themselves. That's what municipal broadband build out is about, pure and simple. Would it be better to privatize those utilities eventually? Maybe. But in the meantime let's not hamstring the only outlet for enterprise these citizens have found.
Here's a simple fact for Governor Perdue to ponder: In the U.S. today, the leading innovators in Internet build-out are cities, not phone and cable companies. Look at Chatanooga and Lafayette — two red state cities that are doing an outstanding job of building infrastructure that attracts and supports new businesses of all kinds. Both are doing what no phone or cable companies are able or willing to do. And both are succeeding in spite of massive opposition by phone and cable companies.
The Internet is a rising tide that lifts all economic boats. At this stage in U.S. history, this fact seems to be fully motivating to enterprises mostly at the local level, and mostly in small cities. (Hi, Brett.) Their customers here are citizens who have direct and personal relationships with their cities and with actual or potential providers there, including the cities themselves. They want and need a level of Internet capacity that phone and cable companies (for whatever reason) are not yet giving them. These small cities provide good examples of The Market at work.
It isn't government that's competing with cable and phone companies here. Its people. Citizens.
No, these new build-outs are not perfect. None are, or can be. Often they're messy. But nothing about them requires intervention by the state. Especially so early in whatever game this will end up being.
I urge friends, relatives and readers in North Carolina to Call Governor Perdue at (800) 662-7952, and to send her emails at governor.office at nc.gov. Tell her to veto this bill, and to keep North Carolina from turning pink or red on the map above. Tell her to keep the market for broadband as free as it's been from the beginning.
This issue isn't just close to home for me. I lived in North Carolina for nearly two decades, and I have more blood relatives there than in any other state. (Not to mention countless friends.) Not one of them tells me how great their broadband is. More than a few complain about it. And I can guarantee that the complaints won't stop once the Governor signs the misleadingly-named "Level Playing Field/Local Gov't Competition act" (H129), which the cable industry has already been lobbied through the assembly.
The "free market" the phone and cable companies claim to operate in, and which they mostly occupy as a duopoly, is in fact a regulatory zoo where the biggest animals run the place. Neither half of the phone/cable duopoly has ever experienced anything close to a truly free market; but they sure know how to thrive in the highly regulated one they have — at the federal, state and local levels. Here's Ars on the matter:
Let's be even clearer about what is at stake in this fight. Muni networks are providing locally based broadband infrastructures that leave cable and telco ISPs in the dust. Nearby Chattanooga, Tennessee'scity owned EPB Fiber Optics service now advertises 1,000Mbps. Wilson, North Carolina is home to the Greenlight Community Network, which offers pay TV, phone service, and as much as 100Mbps Internet to subscribers (the more typical package goes at 20Mbps). Several other North Carolina cities have followed suit, launching their own networks. In comparison, Time Warner's Road Runner plan advertises "blazing speeds" of 15Mbps max to Wilson area consumers. When asked why the cable company didn't offer more competitive throughput rates, its spokesperson told a technology newsletter back in 2009 that TWC didn't think anyone around there wanted faster service. When it comes to price per megabyte, GigaOm recently crunched some numbers and found out that North Carolina cities hold an amazing 7 of 10 spots on the "most expensive broadband in the US" list.
And here's what Wally Bowen and Tim Karr say in the News & Observer:
North Carolina has a long tradition of self-help and self-reliance, from founding the nation's first public university to building Research Triangle Park. Befitting the state's rural heritage, North Carolinians routinely take self-help measures to foster economic growth and provide essential local services such as drinking water and electric power. Statesville built the state's first municipal power system in 1889, and over the years 50 North Carolina cities and towns followed suit. In 1936, the state's first rural electric cooperative was launched in Tarboro to serve Edgecombe and Martin counties. Today, 26 nonprofit electric networks serve more than 2.5 million North Carolinians in 93 counties. Strangely, this self-help tradition is under attack. The General Assembly just passed a bill to restrict municipalities from building and operating broadband Internet systems to attract industry and create local jobs. Although pushed by the cable and telephone lobby, similar bills were defeated in previous legislative sessions. But the influx of freshmen legislators and new leadership in both houses created an opening for the dubiously titled "Level Playing Field" bill (HB 129).
No one disputes the importance of broadband access for economic growth and job creation. That's why five cities -- Wilson, Salisbury, Morganton, Davidson and Mooresville -- invoked their self-help traditions to build and operate broadband systems after years of neglect from for-profit providers, which focus their investments in more affluent and densely populated areas. Not coincidentally, all five cities own and operate their own power systems or have ties to nonprofit electric cooperatives. (While the bill does not outlaw these five municipal networks, it restricts their expansion and requires them to make annual tax payments to the state as if they were for-profit companies.) How does a state that values independence, self-reliance and economic prosperity allow absentee-owned corporations to pass a law essentially granting two industries -- cable and telephone -- the power to dictate North Carolina's broadband future? This question will be moot if Gov. Beverly Perdue exercises her veto power and sends this bill where it belongs: to the dustbin of history.
We don't need more laws restricting anything around Internet infrastructure build-outs in the U.S. That's the simple argument here.
We need the phone and cable companies to improve what they can, and we need to encourage and thank them for their good work. (As I sometimes do with Verizon FiOS, over which I am connected here in Massachusetts.)
We also need to recognize that the Internet is a utility and not just the third act (after phone and TV) in the "triple play" that phone and cable companies sell. The Net is more like roads, water, electricity and gas than like TV or telephony (both of which it subsumes). It's not just about "content" delivered from Hollywood to "consumers," or about a better way to do metered calls on the old Ma Bell model. It's about everything you can possibly do with a connection to the rest of the world. The fatter that connection, the more you can do, and the more business can do.
Cities and regions blessed with fat pipes to the Internet are ports on the ocean of bits that now comprise the networked world. If citizens can't get phone and cable companies to build out those ports, it's perfectly legitimate for those citizens to do it themselves. That's what municipal broadband build out is about, pure and simple. Would it be better to privatize those utilities eventually? Maybe. But in the meantime let's not hamstring the only outlet for enterprise these citizens have found.
Here's a simple fact for Governor Perdue to ponder: In the U.S. today, the leading innovators in Internet build-out are cities, not phone and cable companies. Look at Chatanooga and Lafayette — two red state cities that are doing an outstanding job of building infrastructure that attracts and supports new businesses of all kinds. Both are doing what no phone or cable companies are able or willing to do. And both are succeeding in spite of massive opposition by phone and cable companies.
The Internet is a rising tide that lifts all economic boats. At this stage in U.S. history, this fact seems to be fully motivating to enterprises mostly at the local level, and mostly in small cities. (Hi, Brett.) Their customers here are citizens who have direct and personal relationships with their cities and with actual or potential providers there, including the cities themselves. They want and need a level of Internet capacity that phone and cable companies (for whatever reason) are not yet giving them. These small cities provide good examples of The Market at work.
It isn't government that's competing with cable and phone companies here. Its people. Citizens.
No, these new build-outs are not perfect. None are, or can be. Often they're messy. But nothing about them requires intervention by the state. Especially so early in whatever game this will end up being.
I urge friends, relatives and readers in North Carolina to Call Governor Perdue at (800) 662-7952, and to send her emails at governor.office at nc.gov. Tell her to veto this bill, and to keep North Carolina from turning pink or red on the map above. Tell her to keep the market for broadband as free as it's been from the beginning.
Screwfix Boosts Landscaping and Outdoor Range
World renowned suppliers of turf and landscape maintenance equipment, Toro, are a new addition to the range with the inclusion of two lawn mowers. The mowers have many labour-saving and eco-friendly features that make mowing easier whilst producing a great finish including a recycler which cuts the grass into extra fine particles and puts it back on the lawn.
The latest additions from German brand Solo are also showcased in the Screwfix range. Solo's excellent chainsaws and brush cutters can be used in both agricultural and landscape gardening environments, perfect for the busy professional landscaper.
Brand new outdoor power tools:
Screwfix now stocks a comprehensive range of Makita outdoor power products. From trimmers and chainsaws to brush cutters and lawn mowers, the professional landscaper will be spoilt for choice this season. The MM4 brush cutter and line trimmers have 4-stroke engines which are easy to use and better for the environment than a 2-stroke equivalent. There is no mixing of oil and fuel which leads to easy maintenance, and the oiling system is revolutionary making the tools easy to use at any angle.
Back to basics:
For use when working near live cables, Spear and Jackson Insulated Hand Tools have been included in the new product range at Screwfix. From pick axes to crowbars, all products are tested to the standard BS 8020:2002 mark.
Also new to the landscaping and outdoor range, includes top brand Bahco Professional. Its Heavy Duty Bypass Lopper is a must in any professional landscaping tool kit - perfect for cutting extremely thin and tough branches on all types of trees and vines thanks to the blades being fully hardened, which also gives smooth finishes. It has a long reach for overhead cutting which makes it easy to use with shock absorbing buffers between the handles.
Top of the range hoses:
Two varieties of Hozelock hoses have been added to the Screwfix product range. One is perfect for use on construction sites as it provides reinforced protection from all types of weather. The other is a robust irrigation hose with UV protection and both hoses can carry water with temperatures from -15 to 60°.
All products from the Screwfix landscaping and outdoor range can be ordered for home or site delivery with many lines stocked in one of over 160 Screwfix branches across the country for immediate collection. Tradesmen can pick up a copy of the spring deals catalogue from their local Screwfix branch to find out more about the extensive range, browse online at screwfix.com or order by phone (0500 41 41 41).
About Screwfix:
Recognised as being "where the trade buys" and promising a fast, reliable service, Screwfix is the UK's leading multi-channel supplier of thousands of high quality screws, cable ties, hand tools, power tools, plumbing, radiators and electrical supplies. Combining trade prices and a massive range of leading brand name items, Screwfix offers over 18,000 products and is fully committed to customer care and support.
The latest additions from German brand Solo are also showcased in the Screwfix range. Solo's excellent chainsaws and brush cutters can be used in both agricultural and landscape gardening environments, perfect for the busy professional landscaper.
Brand new outdoor power tools:
Screwfix now stocks a comprehensive range of Makita outdoor power products. From trimmers and chainsaws to brush cutters and lawn mowers, the professional landscaper will be spoilt for choice this season. The MM4 brush cutter and line trimmers have 4-stroke engines which are easy to use and better for the environment than a 2-stroke equivalent. There is no mixing of oil and fuel which leads to easy maintenance, and the oiling system is revolutionary making the tools easy to use at any angle.
Back to basics:
For use when working near live cables, Spear and Jackson Insulated Hand Tools have been included in the new product range at Screwfix. From pick axes to crowbars, all products are tested to the standard BS 8020:2002 mark.
Also new to the landscaping and outdoor range, includes top brand Bahco Professional. Its Heavy Duty Bypass Lopper is a must in any professional landscaping tool kit - perfect for cutting extremely thin and tough branches on all types of trees and vines thanks to the blades being fully hardened, which also gives smooth finishes. It has a long reach for overhead cutting which makes it easy to use with shock absorbing buffers between the handles.
Top of the range hoses:
Two varieties of Hozelock hoses have been added to the Screwfix product range. One is perfect for use on construction sites as it provides reinforced protection from all types of weather. The other is a robust irrigation hose with UV protection and both hoses can carry water with temperatures from -15 to 60°.
All products from the Screwfix landscaping and outdoor range can be ordered for home or site delivery with many lines stocked in one of over 160 Screwfix branches across the country for immediate collection. Tradesmen can pick up a copy of the spring deals catalogue from their local Screwfix branch to find out more about the extensive range, browse online at screwfix.com or order by phone (0500 41 41 41).
About Screwfix:
Recognised as being "where the trade buys" and promising a fast, reliable service, Screwfix is the UK's leading multi-channel supplier of thousands of high quality screws, cable ties, hand tools, power tools, plumbing, radiators and electrical supplies. Combining trade prices and a massive range of leading brand name items, Screwfix offers over 18,000 products and is fully committed to customer care and support.
2011年5月15日 星期日
Spring Fling trip went well
The Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce recently hosted the 26th annual Spring Fling and I was one of the guides.
Spring Fling is a gathering of various media personalities, outdoor writers, product manufacturers/distributors and local fishing guides who are invited to the area to showcase our fabulous bay fishing venue.
My group consisted of John Goodspeed, chairman of the board for the Texas Outdoor Writers Association; Mike Nischalke, Outdoor Communications; and Jim Van Gilder, Corrosion X. We anchored in a backlake shallow on San Jose Island.
We began free-lining shrimp and the fast incoming tide caused us to change over to Carolina Rigs to keep the bait in the hole. A couple of rods were put out with cut blue crab.
*
About an hour into our adventure, Goodspeed was onto a hard hitting fish that stripped line from the reel on several runs away from the boat. Soon it rolled, revealing an upper slot-sized redfish with Goodspeed skillfully maneuvering the critter into the outstretched landing net.
Despite the excellent conditions, the bite was slow and the next fish in was a black drum caught by Nischalke.
Van Gilder had a handle on the hardhead catfish bringing in one after another earning the title of catfish king.
We fished for another couple of hours with a couple of additional redfish coming to net before we decided to drift Allyn’s Bight.
We covered the bulk of the north end with nary a taker.
We headed to clean fish and get ready for our farewell dinner feast hosted by the Chamber.
What’s happening in bays?
Spotted seatrout are coming in for the spring spawn. Fair numbers have been reported on most flats and adjacent drops.
Soft plastics, top waters and natural baits have all worked well. Try Estes Flats, Little Flats, Super Flats and Steadman’s for some good action on trout with some redfish thrown in for good measure.
The best baits have been live shrimp under a popping cork, or your favorite artificial.
The Port Aransas jetties have been good for spotted seatrout and redfish, as well as flounder coming in from the drops along the channels. Black drum are plentiful in most fishable waters.
Today’s tip
I keep a supply of cable ties at home and on board the boat for when a quick fix opportunity arises.
Looking back on one such occasion, my fishing buddies and I went off a prop in deep water. We had a spare prop, but no retaining parts. We took enough cable ties to rig a spacer, put on the spare prop and use a spare cotter pin to finish the job. The cable ties held for the ride back at a slow speed and got us in without having to be towed. Next to duct tape, this is the best item to have in your emergency kit. You can pick up various sizes, which will work for most applications. They can be strung together for additional length if needed and each can be tightened to a small diameter. Some people use them to attach mullet, pinfish or ballyhoo to a hook thus leaving the business end of the hook completely exposed for unimpeded hookups.
This week’s hotspot
Hit the flats for spotted seatrout and redfish. Try drifting while bouncing your bait or lures in the pot-holes. Good luck everyone and stay safe out on the water.
Spring Fling is a gathering of various media personalities, outdoor writers, product manufacturers/distributors and local fishing guides who are invited to the area to showcase our fabulous bay fishing venue.
My group consisted of John Goodspeed, chairman of the board for the Texas Outdoor Writers Association; Mike Nischalke, Outdoor Communications; and Jim Van Gilder, Corrosion X. We anchored in a backlake shallow on San Jose Island.
We began free-lining shrimp and the fast incoming tide caused us to change over to Carolina Rigs to keep the bait in the hole. A couple of rods were put out with cut blue crab.
*
About an hour into our adventure, Goodspeed was onto a hard hitting fish that stripped line from the reel on several runs away from the boat. Soon it rolled, revealing an upper slot-sized redfish with Goodspeed skillfully maneuvering the critter into the outstretched landing net.
Despite the excellent conditions, the bite was slow and the next fish in was a black drum caught by Nischalke.
Van Gilder had a handle on the hardhead catfish bringing in one after another earning the title of catfish king.
We fished for another couple of hours with a couple of additional redfish coming to net before we decided to drift Allyn’s Bight.
We covered the bulk of the north end with nary a taker.
We headed to clean fish and get ready for our farewell dinner feast hosted by the Chamber.
What’s happening in bays?
Spotted seatrout are coming in for the spring spawn. Fair numbers have been reported on most flats and adjacent drops.
Soft plastics, top waters and natural baits have all worked well. Try Estes Flats, Little Flats, Super Flats and Steadman’s for some good action on trout with some redfish thrown in for good measure.
The best baits have been live shrimp under a popping cork, or your favorite artificial.
The Port Aransas jetties have been good for spotted seatrout and redfish, as well as flounder coming in from the drops along the channels. Black drum are plentiful in most fishable waters.
Today’s tip
I keep a supply of cable ties at home and on board the boat for when a quick fix opportunity arises.
Looking back on one such occasion, my fishing buddies and I went off a prop in deep water. We had a spare prop, but no retaining parts. We took enough cable ties to rig a spacer, put on the spare prop and use a spare cotter pin to finish the job. The cable ties held for the ride back at a slow speed and got us in without having to be towed. Next to duct tape, this is the best item to have in your emergency kit. You can pick up various sizes, which will work for most applications. They can be strung together for additional length if needed and each can be tightened to a small diameter. Some people use them to attach mullet, pinfish or ballyhoo to a hook thus leaving the business end of the hook completely exposed for unimpeded hookups.
This week’s hotspot
Hit the flats for spotted seatrout and redfish. Try drifting while bouncing your bait or lures in the pot-holes. Good luck everyone and stay safe out on the water.
Cable and PCB accessories
With its recent appointment as Richco’s South African distributor, Electrocomp has made available to the local market a broad array of product offerings addressing application needs within electronic, consumer goods, telecoms, automotive and contract manufacturingindustries. Richco offers a variety of spacers, standoffs, kwik wraps and cable ties. Its product range also includes bushings, cable glands, harness wraps and grommets, as well as ducts, wraps and rivets.
For each of its standard products, customers can download 3D models directly from the manufacturer’s website.
The company offers a range of spacers and standoffs for printed circuit board hardware, which aid the support, spacing, locking and guiding of the board within electronic applications. The majority of the spacers and standoffs are designed to be installed manually by hand and do not require automated assembly equipment. The parts are available in a selection of materials.
Richco’s plastic cable ties and kwik wraps can be fixed to PCBs, chassis or even to a wall in order to harness cable at any application level. It supplies the plastic cable ties and kwik wraps in different colours and materials, sizes and mounting types. Cable tie options include push-in arrowhead mount, screw mount, hook and loop, releasable, marker and heavy duty. They are radiation-, vibration-, flame- and corrosion-resistant.
Richco has a wide range of cable clamps, bushings, grommets and cable glands. Furthermore, customers can choose between different wraps and ducts. The cable clamps and cable clips offer a variety of mounting methods including self-adhesive tape, screws, rivets, blind hole and push-through arrow-headed designs. Richco’s grommet range is available in a variety of materials including plastic, rubber and metal. The bushings are designed to easily snap into pre-drilled holes and the cable glands are available with metric and PG thread.
For each of its standard products, customers can download 3D models directly from the manufacturer’s website.
The company offers a range of spacers and standoffs for printed circuit board hardware, which aid the support, spacing, locking and guiding of the board within electronic applications. The majority of the spacers and standoffs are designed to be installed manually by hand and do not require automated assembly equipment. The parts are available in a selection of materials.
Richco’s plastic cable ties and kwik wraps can be fixed to PCBs, chassis or even to a wall in order to harness cable at any application level. It supplies the plastic cable ties and kwik wraps in different colours and materials, sizes and mounting types. Cable tie options include push-in arrowhead mount, screw mount, hook and loop, releasable, marker and heavy duty. They are radiation-, vibration-, flame- and corrosion-resistant.
Richco has a wide range of cable clamps, bushings, grommets and cable glands. Furthermore, customers can choose between different wraps and ducts. The cable clamps and cable clips offer a variety of mounting methods including self-adhesive tape, screws, rivets, blind hole and push-through arrow-headed designs. Richco’s grommet range is available in a variety of materials including plastic, rubber and metal. The bushings are designed to easily snap into pre-drilled holes and the cable glands are available with metric and PG thread.
Upgrade garden cart in a snap
Here's a neat way to upgrade your plain old garden cart.
Clean out aluminum cans and attach to the sides to hold tools, seeds, gloves and even a refreshing beverage. Use nuts and bolts, cable ties or screws to hold the cans around the edge of the cart so they will be easily accessible.
You'll find that they'll really come in handy and will allow you to take everything you need to the worksite in one trip.
You can add these to your riding lawnmower, too. Paint them to match if you want.
Dear Carrells: My home office had to be inexpensive since I was just starting my home business. I needed a large desk but had no money in the budget. I bought two inexpensive file cabinets and found an old door at a garage sale. The door was large, and I set it on top of the file cabinets to create my desk. It was perfect. It was large and very sturdy, and I still have it today, even though I use it more as a hobby table now. - J.T.
* A super hint: Super glue is super at sticking to all sorts of things. And it's pretty good at sticking your fingers to things, too. If this ever happens to you, just grab some nail-polish remover and use that as your solvent. It will dissolve the glue and let you be free again.
* Got a question or a handy tip? Visit www.thesuperhandyman.com. Those of general interest will be used in future columns.
* Dear Al: I don't know what you are supposed to use to patch gutters, but I found a very easy way to do it. I had a small leak, just a pinhole, but it was a leak that was starting to cause more problems. I got a leftover tube of roofing tar and rubbed that onto the gutter hole. It seems to be holding pretty well, and there is no more rust. Boy, that was simple! - N.M.
* Q: I have a leak in one of the underground pipes in my automatic sprinkler system. The company that installed it is now out of business, and I would like to try to fix it myself. What is involved in repairing the plastic pipe? - T.G.
A: The first step is to dig down to get to the problem. You need to have enough room to be able to saw out the leaking section. If it's just a small section, a coupler fitting may be used to reconnect the ends. You may have to dig back a ways in order to flex the pipes to make the connection. If the problem involves a longer section of pipe, you could use two coupling units plus a section of pipe. Joining the pieces is easy to do with PVC adhesives.
* A Tip From the Super HandyMom: I would rather repair than replace a whole wooden fence. But putting new pickets beside the old ones looks really bad to me. I found a great way to "age" the boards. Mix baking soda and water, and brush the new wood with this solution. It ages it in just a few minutes. Wash it off when it is at the right stage of gray, and you'll barely be able to tell the new pickets from the old. (This won't work with pressure-treated wood.)
* Shoptalk: Window films that cut down on heat gain in your home can be difficult to install and even harder to remove later on ... until now. Gila's Energy Saving Titanium Peel and Cling Window Film stays in place by means of static cling. It dramatically cuts down on glare, incoming heat and UV rays while still allowing natural light to enter. It's easy to install, works great and is one of the most affordable solutions on the market. It's available at several outlets, including Home Depot. You can find out more at www.gilafilms.com.
Clean out aluminum cans and attach to the sides to hold tools, seeds, gloves and even a refreshing beverage. Use nuts and bolts, cable ties or screws to hold the cans around the edge of the cart so they will be easily accessible.
You'll find that they'll really come in handy and will allow you to take everything you need to the worksite in one trip.
You can add these to your riding lawnmower, too. Paint them to match if you want.
Dear Carrells: My home office had to be inexpensive since I was just starting my home business. I needed a large desk but had no money in the budget. I bought two inexpensive file cabinets and found an old door at a garage sale. The door was large, and I set it on top of the file cabinets to create my desk. It was perfect. It was large and very sturdy, and I still have it today, even though I use it more as a hobby table now. - J.T.
* A super hint: Super glue is super at sticking to all sorts of things. And it's pretty good at sticking your fingers to things, too. If this ever happens to you, just grab some nail-polish remover and use that as your solvent. It will dissolve the glue and let you be free again.
* Got a question or a handy tip? Visit www.thesuperhandyman.com. Those of general interest will be used in future columns.
* Dear Al: I don't know what you are supposed to use to patch gutters, but I found a very easy way to do it. I had a small leak, just a pinhole, but it was a leak that was starting to cause more problems. I got a leftover tube of roofing tar and rubbed that onto the gutter hole. It seems to be holding pretty well, and there is no more rust. Boy, that was simple! - N.M.
* Q: I have a leak in one of the underground pipes in my automatic sprinkler system. The company that installed it is now out of business, and I would like to try to fix it myself. What is involved in repairing the plastic pipe? - T.G.
A: The first step is to dig down to get to the problem. You need to have enough room to be able to saw out the leaking section. If it's just a small section, a coupler fitting may be used to reconnect the ends. You may have to dig back a ways in order to flex the pipes to make the connection. If the problem involves a longer section of pipe, you could use two coupling units plus a section of pipe. Joining the pieces is easy to do with PVC adhesives.
* A Tip From the Super HandyMom: I would rather repair than replace a whole wooden fence. But putting new pickets beside the old ones looks really bad to me. I found a great way to "age" the boards. Mix baking soda and water, and brush the new wood with this solution. It ages it in just a few minutes. Wash it off when it is at the right stage of gray, and you'll barely be able to tell the new pickets from the old. (This won't work with pressure-treated wood.)
* Shoptalk: Window films that cut down on heat gain in your home can be difficult to install and even harder to remove later on ... until now. Gila's Energy Saving Titanium Peel and Cling Window Film stays in place by means of static cling. It dramatically cuts down on glare, incoming heat and UV rays while still allowing natural light to enter. It's easy to install, works great and is one of the most affordable solutions on the market. It's available at several outlets, including Home Depot. You can find out more at www.gilafilms.com.
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