"Life goes on as it did before..."

"...As the country drifts slowly to war"

Update: Why do I keep hammering on the "paranoid Iran scenario"?
Because I am worried that the decision to "take out" Iran has been made in DC, and that it is now merely a question of when, and with what rationale.
There are two considerations: one is next week's midterm election and control of Congress; the other is whether it will be a pre-emptive surprise, with assets moved in place secretly or under cover of exercises and rotations, or, if it will be an "inevitable build up to war" scenario.

We'll see the latter coming, the former is interesting to speculate on.
For some of us, anyway. Yorkshire Ranter is optimistic

The USO is providing entertainment to the USS Reagan at sea
Do they do that for ships just out of port on readiness exercises? Or for troops on deployment?

The US Navy maintains a quick website for "ships underway", listing only major ships.
It is a dynamic website, here is the listing for Oct 16th:

Ships Underway

Carriers:
USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) - Philippine Sea
USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - Gulf of Oman
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - Pacific Ocean
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - Mediterranean Sea
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) - Pacific Ocean
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) - Pacific Ocean

Six carriers? I think that is all theoretically available except the Roosevelt.
UPDATE: Roosevelt is now also at sea.
That is all seven carriers the US has currently available.
Makes it quite likely the something is going on, modulo political decision process etc...

Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG):
USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) - Persian Gulf
USS Nashville (LPD 13) - Persian Gulf
USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) - Persian Gulf

Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG):
USS Boxer (LHD 4) - South China Sea
USS Dubuque (LPD 8) - South China Sea
USS Comstock (LSD 45) - South China Sea

Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Tarawa (LHA 1) - Pacific Ocean
USS Saipan (LHA 2) - Gulf of Aden
USS Wasp (LHD 1) - port visit, Reykajavik, Iceland
USS Essex (LHD 2) - port visit, Subic Bay, Philippines
USS Juneau (LPD 10) - port visit, Subic Bay, Philippines
USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) - Atlantic Ocean
USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) - port visit, Subic Bay, Philippines

The Eisenhower group and Boxer ESG are close to reaching station;
so Enterprise and Iwo Jima groups should get ready to head home, except the Iwo Jima didn't deploy until June, so they are not due back until end of the year.
As of Oct 7th the Enterprise was still conducting strikes, which makes her a little late to be home by early Nov.

There are also a lot of amphibious assault ships out (LHD and LHA class).
The Kitty Hawk had finished her "summer underway" and was back in Japan, don't know what she is doing down in Phillippine sea where there is essentially another amphibious group (Essex et al).
Essex group is doing exercises for "fall deployment".

Nimitz, Stennis and Reagan are all at sea. Stennis is supposed to be doing exercises for deployment in Nov. Nimitz should be preparing to replace the Kitty Hawk in Japan, and the Reagan should be doing air exercises.

There was a curious story on Navy News last week, that the US Navy had received no orders to prepare ships for a blockade or inspection of North Korea. If the Kitty Hawk is down by the Phillippines, that would make sense, although one would naively think that a couple of destroyers at least could be sent over to pretend to do something. (To be precise: I'd expect an Aegis cruiser off the North Korean east coast, with at least 1 destroyer and 1 frigate and 1 attack sub; and at least 1 destroyer and frigate off the west coast - a carrier or amphibious ship with airborne radar would also be good - if anyone is actually worried about North Korea, put radar off the east coast between the peninsula and Japan (and US), and fast ships between North Korea and shipping lanes to Pakistan and Iran - just saying).

If the US wanted to - they could have 3-6 carriers near the gulf next week, and 3 marine strike groups, plus two LHAs (Tarawa and Saipan). That is a lot - actually I don't think they can fit 6 carriers down there, three is probably the max, for the 2003 war they had three there and two in the Med. Makes no sense to have any Med carriers for Iran, so they'd probably have three forward and at least one backed off in the Indian Ocean for rotation or replacment.

Ah well: the "strike window" is the week after the new moon Oct 21st - 28th or so; any air strikes almost have to be after the moon sets, which makes the first quarter optimal (not necessary, just minimises risk of losses - striking near full moon wastes the US's greatest strenght which is using stealth and airpower to neutralise anti-air defences at the beginning).

Ah well, main signs that the US is about to do a pre-emptive strike:

lots of pizza ordered by Pentagon nope, they figured that one
naval exercise off Iranian coast announced that's already announced
UK general urgently insists UK troops leave southern Iraq for somplace safe like Afghanistan
FedEx packages are delivered late
Air Force bases close to the public (~ next weekend)
large planes fly into the UK at night
United and American cancel flights (because AF reserve callups, in case someone reads the wrong idea into this one)
anomalous commodities futures trading from DHCP addresses in the DC area (better be this week)
Bush books a prime time press conference for next week
General Pace resigns to spend more time with his family (or, would he? lots of Marines down there)

I honestly don't know what the US is planning, but there is definitely the possibility of an air strike at the end of Oct, it'd be politicall risky, but I keep getting the sense that the White House intends to settle the Iran issue, that they may perceive this to be their last chance, and that they haven't really thought it through.
I suspect the USAF is on-board with this, the Army is not, and the Navy is being dragged along reluctantly. When it comes down to it I don't know if it is going to happen because it has been planned (1914 style start) or if it will not happen because when it comes down to it, launching such a strike is scary-stupid.

I'd also note that anyone who actually knows what is being planned, by definition will not say anything about it, and since I am saying something, I must not know anything.

For what it is worth, if the US does nothing now, then there is little likelihood of any action against Iran before spring. I'm guessing.

PS and UpDated: Enterprise is now in the Red Sea and should be heading for Norfolk via the Suez.
Eisenhower is in the Red Sea also, having come the other way through Suez and should be in the Arabian Sea or Persian Gulf soon.
The Iwo Jima is still in the Gulf, but the Boxer group is exercising off India and Kitty Hawk and Essex are up by Korea/Japan.
Reagan is exercising, probably in the east Pacific, though they are scheduled to be out for several weeks I hear.

I hear the Stennis is leaving Washington Real Soon Now, like this week, which is a bit sudden.
Also got a sense some of the crew are concerned about their rumoured orders, but no hard info. Likely just normal crew angst on leaving for extended deployment.

I don't think the US has assets in place to do anything now.
Most paranoid scenario would be triggering an incident by posturing during the current interdiction exercise off Iran, but not respond until week+ after the election. Seems unlikely, too contrived.
But, see Pen and Sword