This odd-looking device is what's left of a FUGO. We found it at Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site. It intrigued me because the FUGO was used by the Japanese in WWII to attempt to set North America on fire. No kiddin'. This frame you see was set aloft in the Jet Stream by hydrogen balloons made of lacquered paper (yes, you read that right - paper), and counterweighted with sandbags for ballast. A barometer would trigger sandbags to drop when the device sank out of the jet stream. The whole thing was calculated to make its final descent over the west coast of North America, where it would set off a 15 kilogram anti-personnel bomb and magnesium charges intended to ignite forest fires. Wow. The plan intended to divert resources and manpower from the overseas war effort to the mainland. Unfortunately for the Japanese, the FUGO was deployed as a frantic bid for an advantage...in the winter...of 1944. The devices did sail on the jet stream, as designed to do, but when they reached the U.S. and Canada, they did not start fires or cause much damage at all because of the wet and cold winter conditions. In fact, the only mainland casualties from WWII were a family of picnickers who discovered a fallen FUGO and accidentally detonated it. Interestingly enough, the fear of these fires gave rise to the Smokey the Bear program, still in use today. "Smokey says, only YOU can prevent forest fires"

So...catching up over the last few months... At the end of September, Mom & I went to the West Coast to visit with family & friends out there. It was a 10 day road epic. We covered a lot of ground and drank a lot of Timmy's (me: double doubles. Mom: green tea) I know, I know, the left coast is the land o' Starbucks, and we did stop at a few of those, but apparently Timmy's puts a teensy bit of crack in their drinks, because we were both addicted. Being environmentally aware, I brought along a travel cup in which to enjoy my numerous coffees to go. Mom had unfortunately lost hers just before leaving home, so the first order of the trip was buying her a new one. Well, with our "sippy-cups" in tow, we fit right in around Vancouver. I swear those folks are going to have to grow another pair of arms. The ones they have now are always occupied with a cell phone in one hand and a Starbucks cup in the other. P. S. This photo was taken on Wickaninnish beach, Vancouver Island.