Rumors in the Twitter-verse

I love my Twitter Account.  I’ve had a good time reading people’s thoughts about certain events, and the last few weeks have been no exception.  If anything, they’ve opened my eyes to some real interesting characters.  For example:  At the height of the MH 17 coverage, the rumor floated around the “Twitterverse” that because the airplane looked like Putin’s aircraft, the Ukrainians shot it down going after Putin.  “Wait, what??”  Okay, so you’re telling me that somebody in a field, peering at a radar scope in a piece of equipment that is fairly complicated to operate, could see what paint scheme was on the target at 33,000 feet?  Seriously??  For the American’s in the crowd, that is roughly 6.25 miles away in the sky, through clouds, and using a radar screen that does not see color or shape.  Now I don’t know about you, but I’m too stupid to buy that one.  Then there was the notion that there is no way the “rebels” could have done this, since they are farmers without any training.  Okay, again, let’s do the math.  The BUK, SA-11 missile system has been around since the 1970s.  The Soviets controlled the Ukraine in the 1970s and on up until the USSR fell.  The USSR had mandatory conscription, that would have included some of these “farmers,” add to this the fact that Russia has been feeding training, equipment, and trained personnel from various areas around the region, and BINGO, it doesn’t take a genius to see where this is going.  Now I realize that this isn’t really lighter material, but face it, when someone shovels this much manure at me, I personally have to laugh.  Again, you can’t fool me, I’m too stupid!  Maybe next week will be lighter, since I do plan on returning to the world of kids.  Face it, despite the world situation, kids are kids, and with them you never know what will be coming next.  (Oh wait, that sounds like Congress.....)  ~  Michael S. Pauley