Uncommonly Sensible

Who wants to know?

2008-07-19T15:48:00.002-05:00

As I occasionally do, I was looking to see who's been checking out my blog.

Other than people in the U.S., in the past week there have been visits from the following countries:

Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Monaco, Oman, Philippines, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, and The United Kingdom.

Some were just looking at the latest posts, but aerospace and motorcycle related posts remain ever popular.

What would my faithful readers like me to post about?

The land of the midnight sun...

2008-06-25T06:40:00.006-05:00

...another name for Alaska, is where I'm going next. It's the only State I've never visited (unless you count flying over the Aleutians; I don't) so I'm planning to do it up right.

I'll be starting in out Anchorage:

Then taking a train:

To Denali National Park:

I plan to visit the Alaska Pipeline:

After which is a 100 mile riverboat ride on the Yukon River:

Followed by a 1,000 mile cruise ship ride to Vancouver:

Maybe I'll get to do some whale watching:

Those things are just "the tip of the iceberg", so to speak.

Anyway, I'm leaving in a few days.
(I'll be gone a couple of weeks)

Hold my calls. And my emails...

Get your wings!

2008-06-17T07:21:00.007-05:00

Before air conditioning was standard equipment on vehicles, the "wing" window had to suffice:

Well, I added a variation on 'em to my Harley, in lieu of the small, clear ones that were on there when I got it.

The lower fairings already came with louvers to let more air through, to cool the engine...and the rider.

Here's what one of the "wings" looks like in the closed position:

And then, when it's open:

It was hot riding up to New Hampshire for Laconia Bike Week:

They really do seem to make quite a difference...

Flying in Paradise...

2008-06-07T18:54:00.003-05:00

From a Boeing press release:

Hawaiian Airlines will expand its interisland fleet with the addition of four 717-200s to be leased from Boeing Capital Corporation. The expansion is part of the airline's response to market needs created by the recent closing of its primary competitor, Aloha Airlines.

Hawaiian's current interisland fleet comprises 11 717s, which are used for 150 daily flights among four of the state's islands. It will add two airplanes in September and one each in November and December, for a total fleet of 15 of the Boeing twinjets, all on long-term lease from BCC.

"The 717, with its operational capabilities and fuel efficiency, is an ideal match for Hawaiian's market. We're delighted to be able to support Hawaiian's expansion as it responds to the community's need in the wake of Aloha's closure," said Jordan Weltman, BCC vice president for the Americas region.

BCC is the largest lessor of 717s. The airplanes destined for Hawaiian are already in BCC's portfolio and coming off of long-term lease with another operator. The airline also is planning to use a reserve 717 in active service and add a long-haul 767-300 it already operates to its Honolulu-Maui route to help meet the interisland travel demand. It is also recruiting additional pilots and ground staff to support increased operations.

This interests me for a couple of reasons.

Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines had been taking advantage of a limited clientèle for some time. Although fuel costs are decidedly higher in Hawaii, the prices they were charging for the distances flown were rather exorbitant.

Enter "Go!"; here's what their website says:

Over the past several years, interisland airfare has increased while the number of interisland travelers has steadily decreased. It's about time you had access to cheap airfare. go! brings you the cheap Hawaiian tickets and great service you deserve. Whether it's one-way or round trip, go! will make traveling less expensive and more enjoyable. Before go!'s entry into the Hawaiian market, it was not uncommon to see tickets selling for as high as $171 each way. But all that has changed since we entered the market in June 2006 offering regular one-way fares from $39* to $79*. Support affordable interisland airfare by flying go!. We look forward to becoming your interisland airline of choice.

I flew on "Go!" when I went to Molokai in February. They're a big part of the reason for Aloha Airlines going out of business. Hopefully a bit of healthy competition will make Hawaiian Airlines more reasonable...otherwise, they might just go out of business too.

The other reason for my interest is that as a Boeing employee, what's good for the Company is good for me...

Gone fishin'...

2008-05-23T22:33:00.004-05:00

Well, in just a few hours I'll head to the airport.

I'm looking forward to cruising in the Caribbean again.

Last year, I experienced great difficulty getting there.

But once I finally did, it was well worth the trouble.

I'll be looking at spectacular views like this one:

OK, "off into the sunset", as they say...

How I spent my weekend

2008-05-05T06:06:00.005-05:00

I finally put up a boat shed that I'd acquired in the Summer of 2005.

A number of things had prevented it going up, but they've all been dealt with...finally!

The last thing that needed doing was to level the spot where my driveway got extended several years ago, which is where I've been parking the boat ever since I got it.

This happened last week, because I saw a guy working just up the street with a backhoe, and persuaded him to come by to do the job a couple of days later.

Once that was done, there was no stopping me.

So now, my boat has a home of its own.

Update!

Here it is with the door open:

And with my boat inside:

Now I just have to install a Roll-up Door Kit.

I ordered one; I'll install it when it arrives...

Nice wheels!

2008-04-14T06:09:00.003-05:00

I checked out the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum this past weekend; it's located in Pickerington, Ohio...just East of Columbus along I-70.

The American Motorcyclist Association, of which I've been a member for many years, operates the museum.
(Consequently, I got in for free)

Unfortunately, they were undergoing a massive renovation, so most of the collection wasn't on display at the time of my visit.

Anyway, I took a few pictures of what was there...

Here's what it says on the placard:

Replica 1885 Daimler "Einspur"

The first known gasoline-powered cycle was designed and built by Gotlieb Daimler as a test-bed frame for a prototype automotive engine. It was first successfully operated in Germany on November 10, 1885.

This replica was constructed by Jim Carlson, Roy Behner and Ray Behner of New Brunswick, Ohio and was purchased for the Museum through donations from AMA members and staff in 1985.

(Old Harley-Davidson "panhead" DuoGlide)

(Really old Indian)

(Old BMW)

(Old Excelsior-Henderson)

Those have nothing on my Harley...

Getting to the heart of the matter...

2008-04-08T08:15:00.005-05:00

I was reading recently that doctors took a dead animal heart and after painstakingly removing the dead cells, were left with nothing but a collagen matrix. This they reconstituted it with living heart cells; after it had grown enough of them, it started beating again.

This was an unprecedented accomplishment.

It was done using a laboratory rat's heart. In theory a pig's heart, which is actually a close physiological match for the human heart, could be processed in the same way...thereby producing, once infused with human heart cells, a viable replacement suitable for transplant. In theory.

Here are some photographs showing various stages:

Also, here are couple of articles about it:

First bioartificial heart may signal end of organ shortage

'Spare part heart' beats in lab

It's still theoretical, but I think it's heartening news...
(I know, OUCH!)

Madam, I'm Adam.

2008-03-29T06:14:00.007-05:00

I've always been fascinated by words, and especially the many different and clever uses for them.

I recently got to thinking about the palindrome.
(The post title is one)

What set this particular train of thought into motion was seeing a new one in a magazine article I was reading.

Along with the one in the title, some common ones are:

"A man, a plan, a canal; Panama."

and

"Able was I, ere I saw Elba."

They all have to read the same backwards as forwards.
(In case you didn't click on the palindrome link)

I remember when I was growing up in Philly, someone once told me that a nearby street (Camac) was the only one in the city that was the same both ways. Being something of a skeptic even in my youth, I looked into the matter and found a couple more.
(Radar and Reger)

While surfing "Da 'Net" to do this post, I found an interesting website that lists plenty of them here...so apparently I am not alone in my fascination with them.

Anyway, the one that I saw in the magazine was:

"Go hang a salami; I'm a lasagna hog."

Big deal, right? I know, I'm weird...

Views from around the world...

2008-03-23T00:01:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted anything about people viewing my blog from around the world. Most of the visits here are by people right here in the good ol' U.S. of A., but in the last week my "li'l corner o' the blogosphere" has also been seen by people in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Ireland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, The United Arab Emirates and The United Kingdom

So, here's my big chance to evangelize.
(Some may say proselytize. Oh, well)

Read on:

In a province occupied by the Roman Empire, about two thousand years ago, a man was put to death for crimes against the State.

This was a fairly commonplace occurrence in those days, even in cases like that one, where the accused was actually innocent.

What was not common is what happened afterward; eleven of this man's original twelve followers (less one traitor), having fled in fear for their lives when he was captured, began to spread the news that the man had risen from the dead.

Even though they were told that they could be put to death themselves if they persisted, and all but one of them (the sole exception was sent into exile) was in fact executed, every single one of them refused to recant their incredible story:

Jesus is risen!

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic—on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg—or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."
-C.S. Lewis

Works for me...

Making waves?

2008-03-07T08:37:00.005-05:00

Solo sailor will now navigate wave-powered boat to Japan
-by Sudhin Thanawala

AP: Honolulu, HI - "Kenichi Horie, who has sailed nonstop around the world and crossed the Pacific in a solar-powered boat made of recycled aluminum beer cans, is getting ready for his next solo adventure.

In less than two weeks, Horie is expected to begin what he says is the world's longest voyage in a wave-powered boat. He plans to travel more than 4,000 miles from Honolulu to Japan aboard a 3-ton catamaran called the Suntory Mermaid II at a speed of up to 5 knots.

The boat, made of recycled aluminum, relies on the energy of waves to move two fins at its bow and propel it forward..."

From Wikipedia, About Kenichi Horie:

In 1962 he crossed the Pacific Ocean in 94 days aboard a 19 foot sailboat (called the Mermaid) from Nishinomiya, Japan to San Francisco. He arrived at San Francisco with no passport or money and was promptly arrested. After learning of his voyage the mayor freed him and gave him a 30 day visa and was awarded the key to the city. He wrote a book about his voyage, titled "Kodoku" ("Alone on the Pacific"), which was made into a movie (also titled "My Enemy, The Sea") in 1963 by Kon Ichikawa, which was nominated for a Golden Globe.

In 1985 he sailed a solar boat from Hawaii to Chichijima.

In 1992 to 1993 he sailed from Hawaii to Okinawa in a pedal powered boat.

In 1996 he sailed from Salinas, Ecuador to Tokyo in a solar boat made of recycled aluminum. This crossing covered 10,000 miles in 148 days which earned the Guinness World Record for the fastest ever crossing of the Pacific in a solar-powered boat.

In 1999 he sailed from San Francisco to Japan aboard a boat made primarily from recycled materials. The boat, Malt's Mermaid II, designed by Kennosuke Hayashi, was a 32.8 foot long, 17.4 foot wide, catamaran constructed from 528 beer kegs welded end-to-end in 5 rows (Horie joked that 500 of them were empty) The rigging consisted of two side-by-side masts with junk rig sails made from recycled plastic bottles. This boat is on display Okura Beach, Akashi.

In 2002 he sailed from Nishinomiya to San Francisco aboard the Mermaid III, which was a replica of the original Mermaid constructed from a variety of recycled materials, including whiskey barrels for the hull, aluminum cans for the mast and plastic soda bottles for the sails.

With a maximum speed of five knots, the Suntory will take two to three months to complete a voyage that diesel-powered craft accomplish in just one. But speed is not the point. The voyage aims to prove that wave propulsion can work under real-world conditions, opening up the technology for commercial applications such as cargo shipping. "Oil is a limited power source," Horie says, "but there is no limit to waves."

I don't know about no limit, but it's a fascinating concept...

The Friendly Isle!

2008-02-27T07:14:00.009-05:00

Those who know me are aware that I go spend some time in Hawaii every Winter; usually I just go to the Big Island, but this time I also went to Moloka'i, because (unlike most of the other Hawaiian Islands) I'd never really spent any time there:

As the title of the post implies, it is indeed a friendly isle...or at least the inhabitants are, at any rate. Perhaps that's because it is one of the least visited of the Hawaiian Islands, so it's a bit more "laid back" and relaxed. Anyway, all of the islands have a nickname (eg: Kauai is known as "The Garden Isle") and Moloka'i is "The Friendly Isle".

The first thing I went to see was Kalaupapa:
(From an overlook; access is limited)

"Kalaupapa is a small village on the island of Moloka‘i in the state of Hawai‘i, and part of Kalawao County.

The village is located on the Kalaupapa Peninsula at the base of the highest sea cliffs in the world, dropping about 3,315 feet (1,010 m) into the Pacific Ocean.

The village is the site of a former leprosy settlement which was attended by Father Damien and Mother Marianne Cope, among others. At its peak, about 1,200 men, women, and children were in exile in this island prison. The isolation law was enacted by King Kamehameha V and remained in effect until 1969, when it was finally repealed. Today, 33 former sufferers of leprosy—now known as Hansen's Disease—continue to live there. The colony is now part of Kalaupapa National Historical Park."
(From Wikipedia)

The Kalaupapa Peninsula is on the North side of Moloka'i, as seen on the map toward the top of this entry.

At the far Western end is a pristine beach:

It's called Papohaku Beach and is 3 miles long.

On the Eastern end of Moloka'i is Halawa Valley:

Halawa Valley is the site of the oldest known Hawaiian settlement on Moloka'i. It was extensively cultivated with taro, from which poi is made, among other things. The valley is divided by Halawa Stream which provided the water for the taro patches. Before a tsunami in 1946, this valley was heavily populated. Today very few people live there, but it's still a popular destination.

The South side of Moloka'i is mostly protected by a reef. Here's one of many old fish ponds on the South shore, where fish were fattened up as a food source:

An old outrigger rests quietly therein, Maui in background.

In the middle of the South shore, about a mile West of the main town of Kaunakakai is Kapuaiwa, one of the few remaining royal coconut groves in Hawaii, which was planted on what was once the vacation retreat of King Kamehameha V in the 1860s:

You can see the Island of Lana'i in the background of the picture above. Although the Kapuaiwa grove is in one of the driest places on the island, it is fed by underground springs. It is said that the original grove was about 10 acres and contained 1,000 coconut trees.

The guesthouse where I stayed is the Hale Malu:

Of course I love the seats in back of the vehicle on the right...

Bad motor scooter...

2008-01-07T08:23:00.002-05:00

Probably the best known custom is "Captain America":

It was ridden by Peter Fonda in the 1969 movie "Easy Rider".

Nowadays, there are a lot of custom bikes to choose from:

American Iron Horse Motorcycles

American Performance Cycles

Arlen Ness Motorcycles

Big Bear Choppers

Big Dog Motorcycles

BMC Choppers

Bourget’s Bike Works

Confederate Motorcycles

Intrepid Cycles

Logic Motor Company

Orange County Choppers

Paramount Custom Cycles

Redneck Engineering:

Saxon Motorcycle Company

Sucker Punch Sally's

Thunder Mountain Custom Cycles

Ultra Motorcycle Company

Here's a picture I took at Laconia Bike Week:

OOH! Shiny!!!

Mele Kalikimaka!

2007-12-25T01:53:00.000-05:00

In my never-ending quest to investigate Climate Change™, I discovered (much to my wondering eyes) that Santa's Workshop at the North Pole was no more, due to the fact that the ice upon which it formerly stood had melted and the entire complex sank.
(Undoubtedly, to be claimed by Russia at some future date)

Not to worry though, Santa Claus is on top of things, if not the world any longer; he moved his entire operation to someplace that stays warm all year 'round:

But seriously, as I've said before:

"I like this picture because it portrays the (nativity) scene in a cave, which many believe to be accurate. In fact, the actual cave in question is located within the present-day Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.":

Actually, the silver star beneath the altar in the Grotto of the Nativity marks the spot believed to be the Birthplace of Jesus:

Luke 2:1-12 (KJV)

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger'."

Merry Christmas!!!

Update!

I'm not dreaming of a white Christmas; I got one:

Read any good books lately?

2007-12-14T09:34:00.000-05:00

"Bedtime Story" by Jim Daly

I have been what one might term a voracious reader for quite some time now.

I'm always reading something, often (usually) more than one thing at a time...most days I read one of the many magazines to which I'm subscribed, in addition to my books.

In the "reading room" at home is an historical novel, based on actual events.

In my lunchbox, for reading at lunchtime (go figure!) and on break, I'm currently in the middle of a Dean Koontz novel. I've read a lot of his stuff; he's one of a select few authors that makes me have to look words up occasionally.

Anyway, on the subject of reading, there's a great website with over 20,000 free books.

It's called the Project Gutenberg Online Book Catalog.

I haven't read too much there (yet) but plan to.

Looks like hours (and hours!) of enjoyment.

Check it out...

Wanderlust...

2007-12-07T06:48:00.000-05:00

wan·der·lust (noun): A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.

This condition is definitely one with which I've been living for quite some time. But I have also acted upon it for a long time; for example, take my recent excursion to one of the "ends of the Earth" (Antarctica) to research the effects of Climate Change™:

(Just kidding; I took that at SeaWorld)

For Thanksgiving Week I went to Southern California, La Jolla to be precise. Across the street from where I stayed there was an apparently popular surfing spot:

This plaque was about two blocks to the East of the condo where I was staying:

Also, the historic San Luis Rey Mission was a few miles up the coast:

Here's part of the original structure:

I took quite a few more pictures on that trip, some of which I'll share in a future post.

Last weekend I went to visit a friend who is in the MBA program at Yale. After touring the campus, we both got a guided tour of Yale's Peabody Museum...from one of the members of its Board of Directors. I thought that was kind of nice; even though I serve on several Boards myself, none of them are quite so prestigious as that.

There's a really nice (award-winning, even) panoramic painting in the background of this photo, taken in the "Great Hall":

They just don't build like this anymore:

Next destination, Colorado...

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...

2007-11-28T06:44:00.000-05:00

...both actually, in a manner of speaking.

It's the "Osprey", A.K.A. V22:

I've been working (intermittently) on the V22 program for going on 20 years; it will be 20 years in the Summer of 2008. The program itself has been "on again, off again" for various reasons during that same timeframe, although it and my assignment thereto have been steady since the turn of the millennium.

Anyway, they were finally given the operational "go ahead" earlier this year, and without any fanfare were deployed to the Middle East a couple of months ago:

AL ANBAR PRO, Iraq - An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tilt rotor Squadron-263, flies over the Al Anbar Province of Iraq during a mission out of Al Asad Air Base.
(U.S.M.C. photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks)

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tilt rotor Squadron-263, prepares to land on a flight line aboard Al Asad Air Base.
(U.S.M.C. photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks)

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - U.S. Marine Sgt. Danny L. Herrman, a flight line crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-263, mans a 240 Gulf heavy machine gun on the back of a MV-22B Osprey while flying on a mission over the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.
(U.S.M.C. photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks)

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - U.S. Marine Sgt. Danny L. Herrman, a flight line crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-263, mans a 240 Gulf heavy machine gun on the back of a MV-22B Osprey while another Osprey taxies behind as they prepare for take off from Al Asad Air Base.
(U.S.M.C. photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks)

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - U.S. Marine Sgt. Danny L. Herrman, a flight line crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-263, test fires a 240 Gulf heavy machine gun on the back of a MV-22B Osprey while flying on a mission over the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.
(U.S.M.C. photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks)

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - U.S Marine Sgt. Justin Shadrick, a flight line crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-263, uses hand and arm signals to communicate with the pilots of an MV-22B Osprey while taxiing it out of the chalks on the flight line at Al Asad Air Base to prepare for a launch.
(U.S.M.C. photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks)

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - An MV-22B Osprey with U.S. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263, prepares to land on the flight line on board Al Asad Air Base for the first time.
(U.S.M.C. photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks)

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - An MV-22B Osprey with U.S. Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263, taxies on the flight line at Al Asad Air Base after landing.
(U.S.M.C. photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks)

Since the V22 can take off/land like a helicopter then transition into "airplane mode", it can go twice as fast and far as a conventional helicopter, thereby increasing the rapid forward projection of our forces more than twofold.

For national security reasons, I have waited to post about the V22 deployment until it was already in the public domain.

Many of us have high hopes for this revolutionary new platform, which is intended to replace the aging fleet of CH-46s, among other aircraft...

Power trip?

2007-11-03T14:29:00.000-05:00

Some alternatives to fossil fuel...

(This is also my desktop "wallpaper")

Wave Energy: Ocean waves are a concentrated form of wind energy. As wind blows across water, friction develops between air and water. As energy from wind flow is transferred to water, waves are produced. Generating energy from waves is a matter of taking the motion of the waves and translating it into mechanical or electrical energy.

An excellent reference for learning about various types of wave energy generators (and others) can be found at the Rezachek & Associates' Energy & Environmental Resources website.

(PacWind "Seahawk" generator)

Wind Energy: Windmills have been around for centuries. The picture above is of an interesting new design which, according to the PacWind website, is "ideal for homes, small commercial buildings, boats, remote power, emergency power, and battery charging." The beauty of this one is that it can be stacked on a tower that will accommodate up to 5 units, works in low wind conditions and is safe in all wind conditions.

There are plenty of other choices out in the market when it comes to wind generators, too.

(Algae tanks)

GreenFuel Technologies: "GreenFuel's high yield algae farms recycle carbon dioxide from flue gases to produce biofuels and feed, reducing net carbon dioxide production as waste becomes profit. Harvesting algae for biofuels enhances domestic fuel production while mitigating CO2."

(Spicy jatropha - Jatropha integerrima)

Jatropha: "The hardy jatropha is resistant to drought and pests, and produces seeds containing up to 40% oil. When the seeds are crushed and processed, the resulting oil can be used in a standard diesel engine, while the residue can also be processed into biomass to power electricity plants."

All of the above is but a small sample of the alternative energy sources being researched and currently available in today's market.

When I retire to warmer climes, it is my plan to utilize various forms of alternative energy and hopefully even sell my excess electricity to the local utility company.

An alternative "alternative lifestyle"?

Ouch...

Humor in uniform...

2007-10-22T06:16:00.000-05:00

...with apologies to Reader's Digest.
(For the headline)

I'd like to introduce you to one of my sailing buddies; here he is, on his boat in The Keys:

His boat at the Blue Water Marina in Bimini:

And under sail:

I've sailed with him (and his lovely wife) in flotillas, from The Keys to the Dry Tortugas, and from Florida to The Bahamas; he was the commodore.

He's currently serving in Iraq, and sent me some amusing anecdotes in one of his emails...he also gave me permission to share them.

He titled the e-mail, FUN AND GAMES WITH ROCKETS AND MORTARS:

In the midst of all this going on, there's humor.

Lots of it.

We get mortared and rocketed almost daily. On 9/11, we took a big one nearby. They come in at all times of day and night. Not predictable at all.

Two days ago, at about 10:30 in the morning, I felt the call of nature and left to go to the portapotties, which are nearby. As I pulled down my fatigue trousers and got comfortable, the electronic alarm went off (you can hear it all over the base) - "INCOMING! INCOMING! INCOMING!"

Now this alarm is not unusual. We hear it all the time. The purpose of it is to give you a few seconds to seek cover.

Except when you are sitting on the portapottie.

I was sitting there, staring at the plastic door, wondering what the density of the door was and how much it would slow down fragments of red-hot shrapnel.

"Great," I thought. "I'm going to get blown up while on the portapotty." I waited a few minutes, knowing if something blew up nearby, my biological function of removing solid waste would kick into overdrive.

I thought about the medics who would rush to the blown up pile of plastic and pull my bleeding, blue-stained body out and prepare to medevac me. The blue, of course, would be from the "water" you poop in.

The rapid-fire commands from the medics would go something like this:

"OK Private, get that tourniquet on him, NOW!"
"YES, SERGEANT"
"OK, now plug up that sucking chest wound with a compression bandage!
Now, Private! Move"
"YES, SERGEANT"
"OK Private, now wipe his butt and lets get him on the bird!"
"Say what?"
"I said wipe his butt. NOW. We gotta save his life!"
"I...you serious? He can die. You wipe his butt."
"Yeah. I see what you mean."

So they'd load me up, smelling bad, on the helicopter.

But there was no boom, so everything was good.

BUT... I later thought about what the local paper would say:

"**** *****, wounded in the line of doo doo is recraperating at a hospital in Germany"

Morbid humor, but funny.

THEN THE NEXT DAY...

Same thing. I'm in the "solitude cell" in the morning and I hear "ka-Boom! ka-Boom! ka-Boom! ka-Boom" Four mortar rounds about a half-mile away. I'm stuck again thinking, "Great. Now I can't go to the bathroom for the next six months."

I have put in a request for an up-armored portapottie, but I have yet to hear about it.

Yesterday we took two rockets at about 2:30 p.m. One landed nearby (300 yards). We stepped out to see the mess and went back inside. Very common thing.

My lieutenant comes in about ten minutes later. He is wearing his bicycle helmet, breathing hard. You have to understand that he is a little effeminate. He often reminds me of one of my seventh grade girls.

"Did you hear those rockets?"

We look around at each other. There are a couple of crusty sergeants with me. "No," I say. "What rockets?"

"Those rockets! One almost hit me!"
(Drama queen moment)

I look around. "Did anyone hear a rocket?" Everyone shakes their head ruefully.

"Lieutenant, I don't guess we heard a rocket. Did you hear one?"

"Yes! It almost hit me!"

We keep him going a while and finally come around to him admitting it was not really near him. He just heard the rocket motor as it flew overhead.

We got a big laugh over his hissy fit.

Later that night, my roommate asked if that rocket hurt anyone near us. He knew it hit near our building, but he is in a building a good distance away.

I said, "No, but we're still trying to pull my lieutenant's panties out of his crack."

NEXT STORY

My roommate is a Navy Lieutenant Commander, the equivalent of an Army Major. He just arrived in Iraq and has never been in country before. We were sitting around the trailer talking when we heard heavy gunfire break out nearby. It was pretty close, too.

I say, "Wow, they're shooting it up out there tonight!"

This is the first time he has heard gunfire close by.

He says, "Is that a shooting range nearby?" I almost break out laughing, but I don't.

"Nope. They're shooting the crap out of someone on the other side of the wall." The wall is about 250 yards from our trailer.

He is in a total state of denial. "I think there is a shooting range over there. They're probably night firing."

I point in the direction of the range. "The range is that way. The bad guys are this way." I point to the direction of the firing, which is intensifying. I'm having soooo much fun with this poor guy.

"You sure?" he says hopefully.

I crush his hopes. "Yep. That's a .50 caliber (you can hear the whomp-whomp-whomp). Those are M-16s. Someone has attacked one of the towers."

He looks around like, What are we going to do? I grab my towel and head to the showers.

The next day, he saw on the reports that, yes, it was a firefight.

Priceless...

Here's a picture he sent me of a li'l piece of "Americana" over there:

And last but not least, here he is hanging out with the locals:

A fine gentleman, outstanding American and a great sailor, with a terrific sense of humor...

Far out...

2007-09-17T20:41:00.000-05:00

... and I mean really far.

I was reading in the latest issue of Popular Science about EADS Astrium, a company that's planning to build a spaceplane which is slated to begin passenger service in 2012...at approximately $275K per seat.

With only 4 seats, that's 1.1 million per flight, but with an estimated 1.3 billion in startup costs it'll take awhile just to break even...especially when taking operating expenses into account, however much those may be.

Anyway, according to Wikipedia, "In June 2007, EADS Astrium announced it would be entering the space tourism sector. On June 20th the company unveiled a model of the space rocket, a one-stage hybrid craft, utilising both jet and rocket engines. Carrying four passengers, the space jet would take off from regular airports using conventional jet engines. Once flying to the needed altitude the rockets would then be fired. When reaching its final altitude of 37 miles, passengers would experience weightlessness for three minutes."

Sounds pretty expensive for what you get.

Here's a picture:

It's loosely based on the Rocketplane:

Rocketplane, Inc. is "a commercial space transportation company focused on providing safe, reliable and low-cost access to space. With a diverse family of fully-reusable space vehicles and the ability to serve multiple space markets, the company is poised to redefine space transportation."

Armadillo Aerospace is "a small research and development team working on computer-controlled LOX/ethanol rocket vehicles, with an eye towards manned suborbital vehicle development in the coming years."

Their prototype is called the "Pixel":

Bigelow Aerospace, on the other hand, is "the leading private company for space habitat destinations. Featured in articles in Popular Science, Wired, The Economist, Reader's Digest, the BBC, CNN, MSNBC, The Los Angeles Times and more, Bigelow Aerospace is the only private company with habitable spacecraft currently in orbit, the Genesis I and Genesis II."

Genesis I:

"Launched on July 12, 2006, from the ISC Kosmotras Space and Missile Complex in the Orenburg region of Russia, Genesis I ushered in a new era of private space vehicles. The spacecraft was designed to enter space and expand to increase its volume. A one-third scale model of the eventual modules, Genesis I contained various items, photos, and a NASA experiment. Shortly after launch, Genesis I expanded successfully and sent back extensive data and images to the North Las Vegas, Nevada, Mission Control Center."

"Las Vegas, NV 06/28/07 – Bigelow Aerospace has established contact with its second pathfinder spacecraft, Genesis II. Launched from Yasny, Russia, Mission Control in North Las Vegas, Nev., made first contact at 2:20 p.m. PDT."

Hello from Genesis II:

(A Fish-Eye View Of Earth)

And last, but not least is Virgin Galactic, which is the most recognized of the bunch.

From their site, "Virgin Galactic is the world's first spaceline. Giving you the groundbreaking opportunity to become one of the first ever non-professional astronauts. Virgin Galactic will own and operate its privately built spaceships, modelled on the remarkable, history-making SpaceShipOne":

"The press conference unveiling the design for Spaceport America, the New Mexico facility from which Virgin Galactic intends to launch paying customers on suborbital spaceflights, was originally going to be held on July 27. The day before, however, a tragic explosion killed three engineers at a test facility in California operated by Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites, the company building Virgin's spacecraft."

It's a dangerous business, but I'd sure like to try it out anyway...

Dwelling on the past...

2007-09-11T06:27:00.000-05:00

...is generally discouraged, because the things "dwelt" upon are typically negative ones.

It's not the same as fond memories or reminiscing.

But sometimes, there is value in dwelling on the past; sometimes, there are lessons to be learned.

I read an excellent article about it a few days ago:

"Sept. 11 should not be remembered for maudlin, ghoulish and certainly not for nostalgic reasons. Unlike those other mostly forgotten or no longer observed dates, this one is key to defending ourselves from a future attack and further disasters. Not to remember Sept. 11 is to forget what brought it about. That can lead to a lowering of our guard and a false sense of security, the conditions that existed immediately prior to that awful day six years ago."

I recommend reading it all:

Forget 9/11 at our peril By Cal Thomas

Here, at "La Casa de Camo", it shall not be forgotten...

Are you ready for Freddy?

2007-09-07T05:40:00.000-05:00

There's something new...in the Presidential race, and on my sidebar.

Fred Thompson has finally, after much "grassroots" support, thrown his proverbial hat into the ring.

I've read a few of his editorials, and seen a few of his promotional videos, not to mention some of his (other!) acting performances; thus far, I have liked what he's had to say.

For those who don't know, he hasn't just played a politician on television, he's been one on the Federal level as one of the Senators for Tennessee. He stepped down voluntarily a few years ago, which indicates (to me, at least) that he isn't the typical politician.

So unless he has some unforeseen "skeletons in the closet", I'm hoping he gets the Republican Party's nomination.

I haven't been too terribly impressed by the rest of the choices so far...

If Man was meant to fly...

2007-09-05T06:40:00.000-05:00

...he'd have rotors!!!

I did get extensive helicopter flying lessons (all "off the books") when I was in the military, at which time I was a crewchief on a UH-1, popularly known as a "Huey":

For a long time (decades!) I have wanted a helicopter of my very own.

There've been a couple of problems with that:

1. Finances.
2. A place to keep it.

The first problem has mostly been because I've spent large portions of my "disposable" income on motorcycle and boat stuff; a used, flying "kit" helicopter can be had relatively inexpensively.

The second problem is due to the fact that I'd want to keep it at my home, and although I do have enough room to land one at "La Casa de Camo" (my rambling estate) if I cleared out some trees, I'm fairly certain that my local "powers that be" would not approve of the idea. Once I retire, it might be a different story, and I'm hoping that it is. So far as I know, there's nothing in the covenants and restrictions (for the subdivision where my retirement acreage is) that says I can't.

The one that I was most interested in, for the longest time, is the Rotorway Exec:

The brand new kit was about $70K, and I'd have to build it myself. The building part shouldn't prove to be too difficult, since I build aircraft for a living. But since it's possible to buy one for much less that's already built, with relatively few hours on the airframe, that would seem to be the logical approach.

Anyway, a used Exec is all you can get now, since RotorWay’s got a new helicopter which debuted in July at AirVenture 2007.

It's called the A600 Talon:

Another nifty li'l "chopper" is the Mosquito Ultralight Helicopter, and since it's an ultralight, you don't even need a license to fly one:

Of course, it's only a one-seater, and I want to be able to carry a passenger.

Last (but not least) is the AirScooter, which is also a one-seater:

However, soon they'll be coming out with a version that can carry two people.

You ride it like a motorcycle...

More big toys for big boys...

2007-08-29T06:10:00.000-05:00

...and girls, of course.

This is the "Aquada":

From the official website:

"The Aquada is a revolutionary showcase of High Speed Amphibian (HSA) technology."

"Entry to the water is via beach, boat ramp, slipway or directly from the water's edge. Once afloat, the transition from road vehicle to High Speed Amphibian (HSA) is effortlessly achieved."

"Simply press a button and drive into the water. The wheels automatically rise and as you press the accelerator nearly a tonne of thrust pushes the Aquada onto the plane. The whole process takes less than 12 seconds. The Aquada can plane at over 30mph."

"Powerful enough to tow a water-skier and with a style and class of its own, the Gibbs Aquada is the perfect leisure vehicle. It combines the thrill of an open top car with the sheer exhilaration experienced in a high performance speedboat."

These are slated to go for about $85K...which ain't cheap.

They also plan to produce a couple of other platforms; one is the "Quadski", an amphibious ATV which will go for $15-18K:

Another is the "Humdinga", based on the Hummer:

Predating these vehicles by many decades is the "Amphicar"; according to some "Amphicar" owners' groups, hundreds of them are still operational:

Here are a couple of their websites:
http://www.amphicar.com/
http://www.amphicar.net/

I'm thinking a "Quadski" (or 2) might be nice to have in Hawaii...

Big toys for big boys...

2007-08-24T05:52:00.000-05:00

...and girls. More women are taking up riding motorcycles on their own all the time.

Anyway, here are some new ones that caught my discerning eye:

Introducing Die Moto, a custom-built performance diesel motorcycle capable of running on diesel, biodiesel, or straight vegetable oil (SVO) fuels.

By taking the minimalist supermotard racing concept, then adding Ducati’s unrivaled twin-cylinder power and Superbike heredity, the Hypermotard delivers a remarkable experience.

Named after the first engine mounted on the prototype, 984 C3 2V, the Vyrus is powered by the new 1000DS. Each bike is unique, hand made in Italy and personalised for each owner.

Pretty nifty stuff...