Mostly Flying

F-16 Dead Stick Landing - Elizaneth City, NC

2010-08-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

This video isn't new, but it makes my heart race every time I watch it. Great teamwork and great airmanship. Oh yeah, also a lot of luck. This is the HUD video and recorded audio of a USAF F-16 making an emergency dead stick landing. You hear it all and, if you are like me, you live it.

Here is a great book describing the selection and training of F-16 pilots. It's a great guide and an inspiration! For that low price, it's a great gift for a young person and a bargain for you!

Boeing 787 Flies Formation with a Boeing Model 40

2010-08-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

With owner Addision Pemberton flying the Boeing Model 40 at as fast as it would go, the Boeing test pilot was able to slow down and position the 787 long enough to get this shot. The Model 40 rolled out of the Boeing plant in 1928. The two airliners were flying near Mt. Rainier southeast of Seattle.

If you have a young flyer, perhaps one going on a first trip, there is nothing cooler than building a model of a commercial airplane. It's a great way to defuse anxiety about flying and to build curiosity. This is a great model!

We Are Ruled As a COLONY (Again)

2010-08-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

When the British ruled India as a colony, they took the treasure from the land, did not listen to the people, and gave themselves the privileges of royalty. Simultaneously, they used caste, religious, and tribal differences to keep the people from organizing against the excesses of the ruling class. Does any of this sound familiar? Government organizations from the DOJ to NASA preach racism. Policies are designed specifically to keep more than 40% of the Nation on the government dole. The idea is to distract and control you so you do not notice or respond to the rape of the Nations's treasure.

CROSS WIND LANDINGS - Some Wonderful Video

2010-04-07T17:21:00.000-07:00

Some wonderful shots of cross wind landings. Pilots will be shouting on the screen ..."Push on the damn rudder pedal now!! Some good decisions to go around. And yes, some of these videos aren't as bad as they look because of steerable main gear. The wings can be cocked, but the gear is running true. Still.. I'm pushing for the rudder pedal under the desk. http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do;jsessionid=2D52955244E3FC8502AF6D51F292775A?displayContent=213242&page=1

AN EXCELLENT Analysis of Zodiac 601XL/650 Testing!

2010-03-20T06:19:00.000-07:00

Because of a series of accidents, The Zodiac 601XL/650 line of aircraft has had more analysis than probably any other. Here is an easy-to-read analysis and summary of the testing: Seehttp://bit.ly/601XL_650report

Combat Dogs Jump HALO

2010-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/afghanistan/article7063359.eceThis is a great story about Combat Dogs and, amazingly, their ability to HALO.

2010-01-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

No Further Comment is Necessary

A Super Video from a Camera Onboard A Solid Rocket Booster

2009-08-19T05:16:00.000-07:00

NASA put a cammera on a Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster and took video and sound of its return to Earth. Really a cool ride. Very interesting footage and technology!

Blogger can't seem to embed the player, so HERE IS THE LINK to Glumbert.com

Wow -- Let's Spin the Jet !

2009-08-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

So, Air Force pilots at Edwards take this hardware and try to break it! And for this a a major gets a base pay of about $64,000 a year while the executive idiots they are cramming into every corner of Washington DC start at a minimum of $117,787.

Ah well, enjoy the great flying video and and imagine what it was like in the cockpit. And I thought that two turn spin training was tough!

The MOTHER of the last Pilot to Fly a KC-135 Has Not Been Born Yet!

2009-08-18T05:24:00.001-07:00

A super piece.. though way too short... in the Wired Danger Room on the KC-135! Although, one comment points out that the B-52 is even older!

"Still, taking a tour of these planes only reinforces that utter and complete negligence of the folks in the Pentagon and in Congress who have managed for the better part of a decade to screw up the project to replace these creaking gas-haulers. The nearly $100-billion contract for the next generation of tankers has been awarded yet, despite countless attempts. And the current crop is going to be around for a whole lot longer.

“They tell us the mother of the last 135 pilot hasn’t been born yet. We expect to be flying these planes quite a few years longer,” LaPlant says." See the whole thin HERE

The Dumb and Energetic are to be Watched Closely!

2009-08-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

Napoleon was supposed to have once explained to an inquirer, "There are four types of soldiers. The first are the dumb and lazy. These I make my infantrymen. The second are the smart and energetic. These I make my field commanders. The third type are the smart and lazy. These I make my generals."

The inquirer, then replied, "That's just three types. What of the dumb and energetic?"

Napoleon, without skipping a beat replied, "I have them shot."

Unfortunately, today the dumb and energetic become politicians. Numerous examples, starting with Barney Frank and Harry Reid come to mind.

-- FJD

The ULTIMATE Fighter Pilot Heresy

2009-07-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

ooooooohhh this is SO BAD that I'm going to have to erase it from my computer the minute I post it. Proposing an aerial demonstration team made up of Drones! Ahhhh... I have to go wash my fingers. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/07/teaching-drones-to-fly-in-formation/

But, if aviation and military technology interest you, I recommend a book I've already purchased for my grand son. "Wired for War" is a great story about the integration of remote-presence, "robotics", and other neat technologies into military operations today and tomorrow. Highly recommended!

61 Pages of Great Plane Pix

2009-07-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

http://xplanes.tumblr.com/ This site has 61 pages of great airplane/ spaceplane art and pictures. Lots of neat stuff.

HOW to Recapture the Government

2009-07-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

HOW to Recapture the Government: This Video has ONLY been viewed about 5 million times. Three hundred million would not be enough.

I love every word spoken here, but I do not believe the Politicians of any party will listen. The words here are right.. but I'm not sure how to make it happen. This video suggests WHAT should happen, but it assumes we can make changes through the existing corrupt system.

I don't understand how the existing system of pollitical corruption and personal greed allows us to correct the problems from within anymore.

Have you SEEN & HEARD Katrina Pierson??

2009-04-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Katrina Pierson? I don't know who she is or how she got on the podium, but she is so good and so effective that I'm sure the liberal media will form attack squadrons to attempt to squash her. I hope they find it very difficult because it seems that people like her can face down the challenges to our Constitution and sound fiscal policies. She is inspirational. I don't know what her goals are, but I hope she is successful!

Dead Pilot at the Controls: Private Pilot Save

2009-04-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

This happened on Easter Sunday at an airfield and in airspace I frequently use. The lone pilot of a King Air dies at the controls while the plane is in an autopilot-controlled climb. A low-time single engine pilot in the right seat. His wife and two children are in the cabin. He sees that the pilot is dead and takes the controls from the right seat. This is real stuff and listening to the audio will increase your heart rate.

There are two versions of the audio: A shortened podcast and the real full length FAA tape. Pilots interested in the problems associated with taking over a twin engine turbine aircraft in flight should listen to the long version.

The shortened podcast from AVWeb is AT THIS LINK.

The longer (and more interesting) FAA tape is AT THIS LINK

Note that the FAA tape is an MP3 audio and you might need to load a player on your computer if you don't normally listen to MP3s.

2009-03-22T16:22:00.001-07:00

from apathy to dependency -from dependence back into bondage" See the whole story http://ping.fm/EprBu

EVERY CONSERVATIVE NEEDS ONE EVERY DAY

2009-03-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

EVERY CONSERVATIVE needs to watch this once a day. Mornings would be good. I love it!

Wisdom of Robert Heinlein

2009-03-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

This post from Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit did its job. It made me think. Heinlein's "Star Ship Trooper" was a bookend with "Atlas Shrugged".

In my mind it stressed the responsibility of citizenship and the value of honor. I was horrified to see the modern movie that was so full of Nazi / Fascist images that it made me want to puke. Those images were exactly the last thing Heinlein intended, but then the lens belongs to Hollywood. (more our shame!) .

This is probably a good time to go back and re-read some Heinlein.. if ONLY because it gets our brains out of the crap happening now!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: From Robert Heinlein:

Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as “bad luck.”

I’m just sayin’.

Posted at 6:12 pm by Glenn Reynolds

I Always Think This is a Joke, But It's Very Real!

2009-03-03T18:56:00.000-08:00

Somehow, this always looks like two guys in a horse costume, but it's very real. It's cool, but noisy.

What Kind of Handgun Are You -- A Quiz

2009-02-26T03:44:00.000-08:00

This is an online quiz you can take from an outfit called Frontsite. It's mildly interesting. It says that I am a: Glock Model 22 in 40 cal. That's probably right, although I like Berettas too.

What kind of handgun are YOU?

Excellent Article on AWACS in Caribbean Drug Fight

2009-02-19T08:38:00.000-08:00

National Defense has an excellent article on the role of AWACS in fighting Caribbean drug smugglers. See THIS LINK "Drug runner flights depart daily from South America and head toward Central America, the Caribbean islands and even West Africa. More than 90 percent of these flights originate in Venezuela."

Gee, I wonder who the bad guys are??

2009-02-17T16:21:00.001-08:00

Have you SEEN BHO's Signature?? It's a cartoon! Pure Ego on display. http://ping.fm/uamuX

Stimulus and The Red Dawn Scenario

2009-02-13T06:41:00.000-08:00

It's the "Red Dawn" scenario. A force hostile to most things the US stands for takes over, limits civil liberties ("fairness doctrine" for example), confiscates guns (Google H.R. 45 if you doubt that), and loots the treasury in the form of reparations. At this point in our story Governor Crist of Florida has flown the white flag and surrendered the state. Will Texas save the US? (Yes I know it was Colorado that saved the US in the original story, but I have my doubts... too much Californication.)

A Landing Light Comprison

2009-02-11T05:34:00.000-08:00

I typically have to replace at least one incandescent bulb per year (who just said something about my landings?). I do put them on a lot for recognition... and I never fly at night. The LED landing light has a lot of appeal for me. But, $500? Oh my. That's a whole lot of incandescent bulbs!

Okay -- This is Just Fun

2009-02-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

So, the concept is that there is a big fire main type pump on he beach. The guy is dragging a big hose. So this is nothing but a local beach toy. But, I could do this at my house. Fun to play with.

What Somali Pirates Could Teach our COngress

2009-02-09T16:52:00.001-08:00

Somali pirates know that you 1. board, 2. rape, 3. pillage and 4. burn- in that order. Our Congress is doing it to us all at once!

2009-02-09T05:36:00.001-08:00

An academically interesting non-political analysis of financial crisis. Expand your brain. http://ping.fm/ZBLte

2009-02-04T11:44:00.001-08:00

Victor Davis Hanson always makes so much sense. It's for sure he isn't inside the Beltway.http://ping.fm/yXz8E

2009-02-04T07:33:00.001-08:00

God only gives you a certain number of good flying days, and I'm missing a beauty today!

2009-02-03T14:38:00.001-08:00

Installed an ELITE IFR flight simulator at the EAA Hangar. I'm now the local expert. Worked fine except for a dusty DVD.

USAF Special Operations Command Video

2009-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

A little pop from my USAF. Cool airplane pix.

F-16 Deadstick Landing..

2009-01-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

This is an old video.. I believe it dates back to 1996. But, that does not reduce the tension. If you are a pilot... this will have your heart beating. The video is hosted at a good site named "Patrick's Aviation" See THIS LINK

Good Video of US AIR 1549 -- Including Landing

2009-01-17T18:53:00.000-08:00

Here is good video from a USCG camera showing the water landing and the ferry boat rescue activity. The landing video is brief and the camera is on wife focus at that point, but it didn't take long for someone to get the picture.

Let's hear it for the ferry boat captains too! They boldly motored in to get those people off when they had only a cursory view of the situation. No woosie bureaucrats there!

2009-01-15T17:16:00.001-08:00

A grand speech. Well done. Bet he is glad to get out of there!

The USAF "Band"

2009-01-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

I know that "military music" is considered an oxymoron, but, in fact, only uninformed morons think that. In the mid 1980s I was stationed in Washington DC and my wife and I had the immense pleasure of hearing the USAF Band and the Singing Sergeants perform many times. I even hired the some of the Singing Sergeants in their off-duty time to entertain guests at some parties. They are superb people and musicians.

Here is some proof.

THIS LINK will take you to some of the newest songs written and performed by the USAF Band.

THIS LINK will take you to video of the USAF Band practicing suffering. ...getting ready for the inauguration ceremonies..

2009-01-07T16:33:00.001-08:00

Blackfive re-posted a 2004 story. If you read it without crying, you are..not much. In these times, we need to have this perspective. http://ping.fm/3Gkjj

2009-01-07T06:01:00.001-08:00

Just posted my video review of "Final Theory" an excellent adventure/science book based on Einstein's work. http://ping.fm/yGYZ7

Thoughts on Panetta for CIA

2009-01-06T05:28:00.000-08:00

I am a pretty strong conservative and no fan of the Democrats, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the Obama appointments, with the notable exception of the Attorney General, and I think the negative commentary about Panetta at the CIA is uninformed and just plain silly.

If I was in the Agency right now, I would be thrilled that the new boss understands and is connected to the levers of power inside the Beltway. I would NOT want some "Intelligence Professional" at the top. I want someone who can call the legislators on the Intelligence Committees and the Appropriations Committees by their first names and who knows the names of all of their kids. That's Panetta.

The job of CIA Director is more about getting money and forgiveness than it is about issuing analysis. There are card-carrying certified Intelligence Analysts for that. There are plenty of bright Agency folks who can sit at the Director's shoulder and whisper Intelligence things in his ear. People who can successfully navigate the Beltway are much more rare.

As far as comments about Panetta being a human rights type? He is certainly more of a realist than he is being painted and ...by the way... they did win. They get to play their agendas. Save your outrage for stuff that matters. There will be plenty of it.

2009-01-06T05:26:00.001-08:00

Posted my video book review of "Stranger to the Ground" a great flying story.http://ping.fm/pJ07X

2009-01-05T05:57:00.001-08:00

Just posted my video review of "Flight of Passage" a great pilot's book. http://ping.fm/jeiyv

A Call from the Nice Man at Government Healthcare

2009-01-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

Wonder about the spin-off impact of government funded and controlled health care? It's pretty clear. Just like the power to tax, the power to control medical services must inevitably lead to control of other items on the agenda.

Here is the phone call I expect to receive from a Faceless Bureaucrat (FB in the dialogue below) quite soon.

FB: Hello, Mr. Deffler?

ME: It's Derfler

FB: Mr. Doorfler, my name is Mr. Putz and I'm from the Department of National Healthcare. I would like to ask you a few questions.

ME: Okaaay.. I guess

FB: We have all of your personal information, but I need to check on a few items for our files that popped up on a routine review.

ME: Hmmmmm

FB: You have listed a daughter, age 12, as a dependant for healthcare purposes?

ME: Okay....

FB: We do not have a record of her vaccinations from your local school district.

ME: She doesn't go to public school.

FB: Oh.. well, if you will give me the name of her private school, we can check those records.

ME: She is home schooled. We feel that at this time she is learning more in home schooling than she would in the public schools and we can't really afford private school.

FB: Ah... well... you see, Sir, if she is not attending a school, then we can not be sure that she is receiving appropriate healthcare, can we? You can teach her at home, but we can't provide health care. I'll pass that to the review committee to deal with.

ME: You do that..

FB: There were just one or two more things. I see that you have a concealed weapons permit. Does that mean you own guns?

ME: It might.

FB: Well, you see, the right to own guns is, more or less I guess, mentioned in the Constitution, but the policy now is that you are not eligible to government healtcare if you decide to own guns. After all, guns injure people and that would raise the cost of healthcare to all tax payers wouldn't it? I'll show you as owning guns and I'm afraid that healthcare coverage will immediately cease for everyone in your household. If you would like to change your status, you can download a form from our Website, certify that you are gun-free, and your healthcare coverage will resume within a couple of weeks.

ME: But, but, that's unconstitutional. The second Amendment....

FB: Oh, Sir, you can have your guns. Certainly, you can have guns, but no healthcare. There is, after all, no constitutional right to healthcare, is there?

FB: Let's see... there was one more item... according to your tax return, your occupation is online journalist. Is that like a ... what are they called? Blogger?

ME: Yes, in fact, it is like that.

FB: Ah, that is considered a high risk occupation. I'm afraid that Government Healthcare doesn't cover people in high risk occupations.

ME: What do you mean, high risk? It's just words...

FB: Ah yes, Sir, but words have meaning. Someone could take offence and harm you. That would raise the cost of healthcare to everyone. That would be unfair.

ME: But the First Amendment... freedom of speech.

FB: Oh, Sir, again you do not understand. You may say anything you like. That is your right. But, the government doesn't have to cover your healthcare if you choose to say controversial things. It would not be fair? Would it?

FB: Well, Sir, that about covers it. As I said, if you want to change your status, then simply download an affidavit, swear to change your ways, and we will reconsider your status. You have a nice day.

2009-01-01T16:15:00.001-08:00

Hoppin John, grilled pork chops, and corn muffins for my New Year's supper.If you don't understand that, then I'm sorry fer ya.

Quick Thoughts on Obama

2008-12-29T18:03:00.000-08:00

Rockets and bombs in Gaza. A future quagmire in Afghanistan. Energy crisis coming back. Financial crisis never leaving. Noisy Russians. Obnoxious Iranians. Ugly Venezuelans.

The poor schlubs who have turned Obama into a Rorschach test are doomed.. although their own mental debility will keep them sanguine for a long time.

The man might be bright and he might be sincere, but he faces challenges that would make real Gods cry. And the tools he has are: executive experience... no foreign policy experience... no Financial management experience... no. Support from the Speaker of the House .. no

Well, faith is.. after all.. about hope. And folks, that's all he's got. -- Derf

Fusion Project: UK Knows More Than We Do

2008-12-27T19:03:00.001-08:00

HERE is an article from the United Kingdom's "Telegraph" describing an upcoming Fusion test, with a good chance of success, at Livermore Labs in California. If controlled Fusion is practical, well... the sky is the limit!

HERE is a a piece at one of my favorite sites, "Power and Control" about a totally different of type of STEAM powered fusion generator.. but the device could have the same results.

Nice to see something moving forward other than ethanol and similar junk science. But, WHY is this in a UK paper when I've seen nothing in the US Mainstream Media about this promising nuclear energy source. Oh... never mind.

A Visit to The Local Gun Store

2008-12-24T10:53:00.000-08:00

I visited Shoot Straight Tampa, a great gun store here in Tampa, the other morning. I got into the parking lot at 0945. You would have thought I was at a CrackerBarrel on I75 at high noon. The parking lot was jammed all the way to the back and folks were leaning against the poles on the porch. When the doors opened at 1000 it was like the day after Thanksgiving at WalMart.

I noted that for the Holidays they only have three concealed firearms permit classes in the week.

There is clearly a political statement to be made here, but I'll refrain.

As a member of the range, I was able to rent a Beretta PX4 in 9mm to fire. One of the characters in my book, "A Glint In Time" (available through Amazon.com) carries a PX4 and she likes shooting it, so I had to try it. (Yes, I talk to my characters all the time.. that's the advantage of being a writer.. I actually benefit from my imaginary friends!)

I was thrilled with the sight picture, the comfort, and the smoothness of the PX4. Everything about this weapon is perfect for me. Next visit to the range, I'll try it in .40 caliber.

Man-Made Global Warming Fans -- This is for you

2008-12-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

This video is only a minute and 38 seconds. That's much less time than a man-made global warming believer spends worshiping ALGORE. Please, get over man-made global warming. Move on to some other non-issue.

If You Are a Soldier - or have been one - Happy Christmas

2008-12-20T18:51:00.000-08:00

If you are a soldier, or have ever been one, thank you and Happy Christmas...

2008-12-20T16:21:00.001-08:00

Will anyone in our ADD world REMEMBER this weather when ALGORE calls again? Why do I doubt that Al is freezing his butt off today?

2008-12-19T11:15:00.001-08:00

Interesting contrast between "Princess Caroline" and commoner Sarah Palin.http://ping.fm/HYrAz

Do You Know the Story of Wrong Way Corrigan?

2008-12-19T06:39:00.001-08:00

Do you know the story of Wrong Way Corrigan? It's interesting as a piece of aviation history. Corrigan only died in 1995. The video is about 8 minutes long, but it's a relaxing and informative break.

A Nice F-22 Demo...

2008-12-18T06:29:00.000-08:00

A video on the F-22 that any airplane buff will like. Note the subtle comments about being able to "position the nose" and "push another airplane ahead of us". All very much an air-to-air scenario. The Air Force misses CAS again. However, the 80 knot pass would work against UAVs!

A Cheap Shot at Dayjet

2008-12-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

In THIS ARTICLE from the Palm Beach Post an "analyst" (from Fairfax, VA... a Beltway Pundit) takes a cheap shot at DayJet, claiming it was "doomed" from the beginning. If the braying ass had said this early on, then I'd have given him credit for being smart. Now, I'd penalize him 15 yards for piling on.

Frankly, I was fascinated by the idea. It had real appeal to me. Yes, I'm sure that everyone underestimated the cost of operating the fleet, but it was a sound and appealing idea. I know I could have marketed the heck out of it and my wife and I discussed the idea several times. We actually did numbers on the back of an envelope and liked what we saw.

I've met Ed Iacobucci enough times that I can pronounce his last name without a struggle. I followed his Citrix Corporation for a couple of decades. Ed's smart.

Hopefully, the idea will come back bigger than ever as the economy improves and the Very Light Jets earn their wings. ANYTHING to avoid ORD and ATL!

Electric Car -- French Study Shorts Out ..

2008-12-13T17:26:00.000-08:00

THIS LINK gives you the whole story, but the bottom line is that the French Govt paid big bucks for a study on car propulsion alternatives. The conclusion is that the Electric Car isn't going to cut it.. even in France. It's a political hot potato. -- FJD

Yet all those who have managed to glimpse at the document agree that it makes interesting reading. It concludes that there is not much future in the much vaunted developed of all electric-powered cars. Instead, it suggests that the traditional combustion engine powered by petrol, diesel, ethanol or new biofuels still offers the most realistic prospect of developing cleaner vehicles. Carbon emissions and fuel consumption could be cut by 30-40 per cent simply by improving the performance and efficiency of traditional engines and limiting the top speed to about 170km/hr. Even that is well above the average top speed restriction in Europe, with the notable exception of Germany. New so-called “stop and start” mechanisms can produce further 10 per cent reductions that can rise to 25-30 per cent in cities. Enhancements in car electronics as well as the development of more energy efficient tyres, such as Michelin’s new “energy saver” technology, are also expected to help reduce consumption and pollution.

Overall, the Syrota report says that adapting and improving conventional engines could enhance their efficiency by an average of 50 per cent. It also argues that new-generation hybrid cars combining conventional engines with electric propulsion could provide an interesting future alternative.

By combining electric batteries with conventional fuel-driven engines, cars could run on clean electricity for short urban trips while switching over to fuel on motorways. This would resolve one of the biggest problems facing all electric cars – the need to install costly battery recharging infrastructures.The report warns that the overall cost of an all-electric car remains unviable at around double that of a conventional vehicle. Battery technology is still unsatisfactory, severely limiting performance both in terms of range and speed. The electricity supply for these batteries would continue to come from mostly fossil sources.

The misgivings over the future of the electric car may explain why the French government appears to have spiked the report

You've Seen this on "CSI" .. No More Keyboards

2008-12-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

You have to admit that this is Superb "demoware". What's even better is that they have actors using it on CSI Miami and CSI New York. (Yes, I record CSI and watch it in 2X fast forward) Neat video. All kinds of possibilities. Although, I hope you'll note that I used the same technology in my novel "A Glint in Time" written about a year ago. (Yeah.. go buy the book!)

If you like Political Cartoons...

2008-12-13T10:09:00.000-08:00

I have always envied cartoonists. I have so much to say, but no NO no talent. This guy, Daryl Cagle, keeps an updated index of political cartoons by topic. Gee, it's like a candy store. See http://www.cagle.msnbc.com/news/SenateSeatSale/main.asp to start.

Wow - What a SMART piece of Engineering!

2008-12-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

I love well-engineered stuff. This device is part of an anti-ballistic missile system. Just watching it maneuver should cause you to quit thinking about spending all the money to develop a missile! Think of all of the fast processing power this thing requires. And here, it is working in full gravity. I'd guess that it would have a much longer maneuver life in lower gravity.

EAA Marathon Aviation Day 2008

2008-12-13T10:01:00.001-08:00

Our local EAA Chapter held its second successful Aviation Day at the Marathon, FL airport last month. The goal of the event is to promote aviation among the general public and to inspire youths who have an interest in aviation. The short clip tells the story.

A Graphical View of the Financial Crisis

2008-11-26T07:05:00.000-08:00

It always helps to see a picture. A this blog from a company named "Mint" you'll see an excellent graphic of how the financial crisis evolved. It is well worth looking at! You'll understand better and remember better. See THIS LINK

Snow in Alabama in November.... Thank you Global Hoaxing

2008-11-19T06:53:00.001-08:00

Snow in Alabama in November. Is it time for AlGore to give his award back and admit he's a crazy? Yeah, sure. http://tinyurl.com/63t8zb

The world has never seen such freezing heat

2008-11-18T10:23:00.000-08:00

The world has never seen such freezing heat .. I maintain that man-made Global Warming is total bullshit and a criminal conspiracy. And.. according to this article from the U.K Telegraph.. a bed of lies! See the whole story HERE

Black Hole -- A Commentary on Human Nature? On Congress?

2008-11-18T10:02:00.001-08:00

This short movie is clever. I take it as a commentary on human nature... and I see it expressed in the Congress.. can you imagine if some of these Che Guevera liberal politicians got hold of a black hole for your money? Oh wait, they do have one... don't they??

TV Commentator: Gun Sales Up Before Election

2008-10-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Investing in semi-automatic weapons before the Supreme Court gets loaded with liberals is one of my primary recommendations for actions to take after the election... but before the inauguration. That recommendation is HERE.

a Fascinating Look at the Future w/ Michael Medved

2008-10-26T19:22:00.000-07:00

While I FIRMLY believe it is too late to change anyone's mind about this election and that the ONLY useful thing you can do is to DRIVE SOMEONE TO VOTE who might not otherwise use their voting right this year.. THIS ARTICLE from Michael Medved (who appears a lot on TV) is very interesting reading.

Some of Medved's insights are very interesting to me. For example, ever wonder why so many of your friends who are Jews are life-long Democrats? Medved says:
"Republicans claimed credit for the restrictive Immigration Act of 1924, all but eliminating the flow of humanity from Eastern and Southern Europe, and as a result vast numbers of ethnic voters (Italians, Poles, Jews, Greeks and more) became loyal Democrats for a generation or more.

This shift in immigrant voters played a huge role in the establishment of the New Deal Coalition that won five Presidential elections in a row (1932 through 1948) and totally dominated Congress for an appalling fifty years (1930-1980)."

Personally, my greatest fear is this:
"He will also get the chance to appoint at least two, and perhaps as many as four new justices to the Supreme Court of the United States. All legal observers expect Obama’s nominees to embrace an even more activist, leftist view of the Constitution and legal system than Clinton’s appointees, Breyer and Ginzburg. The damage from the remaking of the court could prove incalculable. "

READ MedVed's whole article

I'm Not Just Loving This Jimmy Buffet Song, I'm LIVING It!

2008-10-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm not 100% sure I can still ride no handed as well as Jimmy and his plane is a lot more aerobatic than mine, but I'm (a little) faster! Otherwise, I'm living it!

IF Barak Hussein Obama is Elected - Things to Do

2008-10-15T07:49:00.000-07:00

IF Barak Hussein Obama is Elected - Things to Do

Okay, BHO could win. IF SO, what should you do before inaguration day?

Remember the stories about the Clintons' early days in the White House? Remember the general disdain of Clinton staffers toward the military? Well, you haven't seen anything yet. The most polluted and polluting elements of our society will have free run inside an Obama White House. They will have total disdain for anyone who is not as "nuanced", sophisticated, or entitled as they are.

There won't be much that individuals can do to save the country at that point. The future 20 years down the road is very cloudy. This is particularly true since BHO will be able to appoint several Supreme Court justices. Those liberal judges will have long-term inpact.

This is a good time to read or to re-read "Atlas Shrugged". Ann Rand got it right many years ago. But, specifically today what can individuals do to protect themselves? Here are some ideas.

1. Buy a semi-automatic weapon: Yes, an "Assault Rifle". I have blogged on this topic before. Personally, I have never seen the need for assault rifles. In fact, I would have been willing to support a total ban. But, I don't trust the influencers in an Obama government. A liberal Supreme Court will certainly find a reason to re-visit the Second Amendment. Whether you think you'll ever fire a round or not, a weapon that could be classified as an assault rifle is, in my personal opinion, likely to become an endangered property and a good monetary investment! See this link for the whole story on weapon investment and some suggestions.

2. Lower Your Profile: Get Into the Underground Economy: All of my life every penny of my income has had a W2 or a 1099 attached. But remember, these liberals will live by: "If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it." Get clever. What can you do to barter or to get any income "off the books"? Get as "tax efficient" as you can. Whatever you can do, do it!

3. Lower Your Profile: Get off the Grid: A make-work WPA-style "progressive" centrally planned national economy is, almost by definition, inefficient. Obama will have about three good years while every foreign potentate gets all they can from his naive administration. Then, in the 3rd or 4th year, some foreign entity will push him hard. He will still be at the mercy of any country that controls oil supplies (Venezuela) or the routes of transport (e.g. China). The result will be an oil crisis that makes 2008 look like the glory years. What can you do between now and then to become individually energy independent? For most people that will be solar. Ray Kurzweil is predicting some solar developments in the near future. The Bailout Bill passed in October has, as one of its pork provisions, a pretty good tax credit for solar power. If solar or anything else works for you, get off the grid! See THIS LINK and THIS LINK too

4. Lower Your Profile: Sit Down and Shut Up: Since you are probably a productive individual, you should imagine that you have just been chained to an oar. The entitled ones in government are going to make you row them all around. At this point we will have no influence and little voice. Even talk radio will be quickly muzzled. Conserve your strength.

You are not admitting defeat, you are avoiding defeat. "The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy." - Sun Tzu

5. Buy Gold: I'm not really a believer in holding the metal itself, but there are many excellent precious metals funds. The US dollar will have to take a new lower place in the world. Nip at precious metals when they trend low and hold them when they go high.

6. Home School: The Education Department in Washington has the power of the purse. They can use that power to promote whatever social goals they think are "good." It's virtually guaranteed that they will push education on social matters that are far to the left. The US is evil and abortion is good. Their friends in the teachers' unions will help. It takes about 20 hours a week to home school a child. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding. Probably your best bet is to find 3-4 families that agree with your views and share the load. Note that it is also likely that the central government will do all it can, again through funding policies, to discourage home schooling. Most citizens will not care. They like it when somebody else babysits their kids.

7. IRA: Convert your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The traditional IRA will be taxed at withdrawal and with Obama in there taxes will only be going up. A Roth IRA will never be taxed under current laws. So pay the tax now at lower rates and save the increase on future taxes.

8. Move: Go Reinforce a Red State: With liberal judges moving into courtrooms, life in liberal states could get tougher. Your nuanced and entitled liberal neighbors will make you angry. Where is a good place to move? I want someplace that is far from the southern border and with a smaller population density. Texans generally have the right attitude and Texas has no state income tax, but that's a long border. Since a liberal federal government won't protect our borders, crime coming up from Mexico will be a big problem. Alaska is perfect in all ways but the weather. The same is true of Montana. Personally, I'd look at Utah or South Carolina for reasonable environments of all kinds -although they do have state income taxes.

An Absolutely Great Commercial!

2008-10-08T12:37:00.001-07:00

Oh, you'll have to love this one! Note: The right of self defense being practiced here. If you object to that, then go elsewhere. And oh yeah, do not read my book, "A Glint in Time". But, IF this video gives you a chuckle, you should CLICK ON THIS LINK to buy my book from Amazon.com!

A "Wearable" Energy Cell

2008-10-08T05:37:00.001-07:00

I think this is a neat story.. apparently DoD sponsors a competition for the developers of wearable energy cells. These things are now apparently about the size of a case for your glasses. In concept, it can power all of the electro-stuff you have hung on you without worrying about the seven different battery types and chargers you typically need today.

The airplane picture, by the way, shows an experimental Boeing Hydrogen Fuel Cell plane in which the hydrogen fuel cell works with some lithium ion batteries. It is only tangentially related to the wearable fuel cell story. The wearable fuel cell uses butane or methanol fuel instead of hydrogen... thereby making it a lot easier to refuel in our present world. But, the airplane picture is cool.

The two SFC fuel cells competed with nearly 170 entries in the inaugural Wearable Power Competition. The Department of Defense Research and Engineering established the Wearable Power Competition in 2007 to encourage innovation in energy systems carried by personnel during field missions. Attached to a standard military vest, the systems were required to provide 20W of average electric power for 96 hours, meet brief peak-power demand of up to 200W and weigh no more than 4 kg (8.8 pounds), or less than half a battery-powered system.

Hey, 20 watts for 96 hours straight? That's cool! Although 200W isn't enough for my personal laser melting beam. But, a kilowatt burst in a backpack would seem very practical.

See the whole story at THIS LINK

Been Flying .. not Blogging ..

2008-10-07T11:25:00.001-07:00

I've been flying ... and working for the Florida Republican Committee making phone calls.. and not blogging. On Sunday I flew my Zodiac 601XL right up the middle of Florida from Marathon in the Keys to Tampa. About 2 hrs enroute. Had to stay central to avoid weather on both coasts. On Monday there was a front laying across Ocala and Gainesville, so I stayed in Tampa. Tuesday I flew 2+30 enroute up to Eastman, GA so the 601 can get its annual. (Its second). As soon as I got out from under Tampa's Class B I had to get it up to 5500' in order to get above the tops. Nice flight. Found a good hole and came down about 20 mi south of the field. Bounced along in the hot air and had a good time. Now, I'll be in Eastman, GA easting Okra and drinking Sweet Tea for a few days. You can see my SPOT checkins at http://tinyurl.com/526fbz

Will the Japanese Make the Space Elevator "Real"

2008-09-22T05:22:00.000-07:00

This ARTICLE .. from the TIMES of LONDON of all places.. talks about the Japanese investing a pretty small amount of money (a fraction of what our financial mess is costing) to create a practical Space Elevator. Like so many, this engineering idea always caught me as a lot more practical than blasting chemicals to create thrust. It's worth reading! This one engineering project could literally change the world...

Change the world... hmmm... I sense a sequel to "A Glint in Time" with this theme. After all, when we left our heroes at the end of the book they already had a presence in Japan .. "Honto! Desu-ne?"

How the Chevy Volt Might Effect the Electric Grid

2008-09-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

THIS STORY from autobloggreen.com describes the national impact of people plugging in every night. It's an interesting discussion. But say, the Chevy Volt for 2010 (that's a year from now... as strange as it seems) isn't as bad looking as I feared...

Pentagon Worries About Virtual Reality Terror Games Becoming Real

2008-09-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

In this WIRED Magazine article, The American military and intelligence communities are increasingly worried that would-be bin Ladens might gather in a virtual world, to plan a real-life attack.

This article uses "World of Warcraft" as an example and there are certainly plenty of online venues where this could happen. However, this all seems too exotic to me. It would be pretty simple to just invoke a message thread, video conference, or even a voice conference to do the same thing. But, it made a great Pentagon PowerPoint (okay, maybe it was Flash Video) presentation! ... _._

A neat heat recovery system for internal combustion engines

2008-09-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

This is a neat heat recovery system for internal combustion engines, but would it work on airplanes and would it be worth its weight in RANGE? Could we do without an alernator? That would be good.

Trade-off between alernator weight and exhaust gas turbine weight? Really, I only need a few watts of power in an LSA. Landing lights? Who needs landing lights in an LSA? I usually charge at 1 amp! Twelve watts isn't much power and I carry around this huge alternator to produce it?!

Google Earth Captures a Cruise Missile Over Utah

2008-09-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

And.. as many nations are finding out, Google Earth has nifty military applications. Newer public non-governmental satellites coming on line will have even greater resolution. Althought they won't be "free".

See THIS Link ... is this Google shot a SLCM?

Cable Network News Coverage of Hurricanes

2008-09-02T05:00:00.001-07:00

Ugh! Gustov was Another true low spot in TV "journalism." Watching some guy tell you (for 5 long minutes) that it is windy and blowing where he is doesn't do much to inform. And there are two or three more of these storms lined up out there. The Weather Channel ad sales people have already called the Atlanta BMW dealer looking to upgrade their leases!

Watching CNN's Rick Sanchez trying to find SOME PROBLEM... ANY PROBLEM to uncover or complian about was unsettling. Talk about tabloid journalism.

WWL radio had the best on-air coverage of Gustov... far beyond all others. Because they are so local and have such good radio coverage, they have clout. Their on-air people interviewed the police chief and the fire chief and every elected sheriff and Parish President for 150 miles around. And they did NEW interviews (not the same old recording) over and over. These officials all wanted to impress the public with how well informed they were, so as a listener you really learned something.

In the military we call it all-source correlation. The cable channels need to do more news correlation and reporting and less news creation.

Want to know about Sarah Palin? Read this TIME Magazine Story!

2008-09-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Two BlackBerries and a Baby. That works!

Anyone who wants to dig in the dirt about Sarah Palin needs to read this TIME Magazine story, just posted.

"People in Wasilla are Alaskan tough, so not only does a thing like teen pregnancy not seem like anyone's damn business, but it's also not seen as the calamity so many people in the lower 48 might think it is."

NOT ANYONE'S DAMN BUSINESS... exactly!

Way to go TIME! (I never thought I'd say that!)

Sometimes MY Air Force does GREAT Things

2008-09-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, I get very pissed at the leadership of THE Air Force for stupidity in things like UAV pilot manning and trying to kill the A-10. But, often the people in MY Air Force do great things.

Like this: Aeromedical crews aboard a C-17 Globemaster III prepare patients for airlift from a Mobile AeroMedical Staging Facility recently. These types of operations are similar to current operations for Hurricane Gustav. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen Schester)

Neat Story on Precision Parachute Drops in the - Stan

2008-09-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

I spent (cold and wet) weeks of my life on drop zones watching parachutes decorate trees across North Carolina. This JPADS technology for precision parachute drops is exciting!

Actually, these are "robotic" or at least "programmable and self-guiding" systems. Hundreds of little parachuting robots gliding into your country. Hmmm.. the salvation of the "vertical envelopment" community?

See THIS LINK for more information at http://strategypage.com/ Pages of USAF pictures and information HERE.

...and the USAF Brass Keeps Trying to Kill the A-10

2008-08-31T19:22:00.000-07:00

I hope like heck the new USAF COS and SECAF can do something about the idiot mentality of my service. Maybe it's because fighter pilots rise to high rank. I don't know.

The USAF keeps trying to kill the A-10. They think (wish!) that a sleek stubby wing F-16 can do all the same stuff that a stiff wing A-10 can do. Fortunately, the US Army keeps pushing them back.

I spent 8 years in the Pentagon. I know that the Air Force's position could be a ploy simply to get money and funding support from the Army for the close air support mission. It might all come back to bite them when the Army can do its own CAS using unmanned drones.

Be that as it may, there is a great story posted at BLACKFIVE concerning two A-10s recently doing some good work in the -Stan.

"In the middle of the fight we were running low on gas so I sent Balz to the tanker and I remained on station single ship suppressing enemy fire on a helo trying to extract the team. I told Balz to have the tanker drag him as close to the fight as the KC-10 crew felt comfortable.
Balz comes off the tanker and I asked him for its location because I was on fumes. He said look up! The tanker was in the target area at 20,000ft exactly were I needed him. " Read it all HERE

A Stupid Stupid Stupid NYT Article on the Inernet

2008-08-30T16:18:00.001-07:00

When my 3 year old grandson doesn't like something..,,,anything from his Sister's TV show to his own bed time.. he labels it "Stupid, stupid, stupid". THIS article on the Internet from the New York Times is so "stupid stupid stupid" that I can only believe it was written by the NSA and fed to the Times in order to perpetuate the myth that we are ... stupid stupid stupid. And inept.

I won't go into an in-depth refutation (sure there is a basis of fact, but then an elaborartion of BS) .. but most of this article is Baloney.

Oh, I'm sorry.. New York Times BS is a tautology?
-- FJD

An Interesting and Educational Series About The Secret Space Race

2008-08-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

NOVA has a super video series describing ASTROSPIES -- the secret US/Soviet space race to put spies into orbit. It's an excellent video series, divided into chapters, that is easy and fun to watch. Highly recommend for the young and the not-so-young!

Sarah Palin for VP!

2008-08-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

A bold move! Perfect. Just perfect for so many reasons!

There are many things that could be said, but I'll give you some words from a very smart guy who I respect, Galrahn at Information Dissemination:

"Sarah Palin is a brilliant choice, but for awhile people will not understand why. The American media is so shallow, they will highlight her as a woman, her position on abortion, her lifetime membership in the NRA, talk about her lack of experience (even if she is the only person on either ticket with executive experience), and will talk about womens issues and think they are covering the bases. To think the decision is about politics leads to her being underestimated, and the last time I saw someone underestimated in politics because of what they are, rather than who they are, that politician (Barak Obama) crushed his opponent. Underestimating Sarah Palin would be extraordinary shortsighted, she is a much more impressive pick than Joe Biden who was all but forced on Obama by his critics. People know so little about Sarah Palin this is a brilliant way to exceed all expectations, and expectations matter in politics."

The Air Force One Story You WIll NEVER hear...

2008-08-29T13:40:00.001-07:00

At Blackfive... the story about Air Force One that you will NEVER hear anywhere else. Really, the mainstream press in the United States sucks worse than the Congress. And that's a lot! See THIS Link to Blackfive.

Russia's "Battleship" Goes to Sea to Face off NATO

2008-08-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

Over at the Information Dissemination Blog, a fine Website for anyone interested in current Naval activity, they are sifting reports that the Russian Missile Cruiser Moskva has put to sea in the face of the NATO naval activity (now apparently including Turkish ships) in the Black Sea off of Georgia.

NATO has quietly sailed quite an armed task force right into Russia's backyard. For sure, the least that will happen is we will see a tit-for-tat in Cuba... probably bomber bases.

SO while the folks at the political conventions blather and speak in tongues, there is the potential for real armed conflict at sea. My conclusion is that among the institutions of our society, the press has failed us as much or more than the Congress.

Red Flag Includes Many Visiting Forces

2008-08-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Steeljaw Scribe does an excellent job of providing pictures showing some of the aircraft from many nations participating in the the latest Red Flag exercise at Nellis. See THIS LINK

Interestingly, the scenario involved some special forces airfield security play. See THIS LINK

If you haven't seen the movie, "Fighter Pilot Operation Red Flag" it's worth buying. It's a beautifully filmed story of Red Flag done with IMAX cameras. It is superb!

Are Backyard Hot-Air Blimps the Future of Low-and-Slow Aviation?

2008-08-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

A Good article from Popular Mechanics on backyard blimps.

A Super Photo Layout: How to Convert a Ford Ranger to Electric Power

2008-08-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Wow -- This company LionEV is cool. I'd like to get them into the electric airplane business! In THIS series of photos, they describe how they transform a Ford Ranger into a plug-in electric vehicle. Going through these pictures is an enjoyable and entertaining experience! Very impressive! It will take you 15 minutes to read all the captions the first time, but then you'll be thinking SERIOUSLY about the project. Neat stuff!

Some Photos of the Electraflyer - C

2008-08-15T05:50:00.000-07:00

I am fascinated by electric airplanes. This area of technology is surely going to grow quickly! On THIS flickr PAGE you'll find photos of the Electraflyer - C. They seem to be doing a lot with electric Trykes, which have the best weight ratio, but gee... let's get something a trifle more practical.

The company's Website is also behind the times. I guess they have better things to do than postings! I can understand that.

I'm interested in any news on practical electric airplanes, although I'm concerned that this application won't become practical until lighter and more affordable fuel cells become available. Chemical batteries just seem to be pretty dead end. And, by the way, did you know that the major source of all batteries and all lithium used in modern batteries is China. Yeah, we closed our lithium mines in the US for "environmental considerations." You can't win.

Lessons from the Art of Manliness

2008-08-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

The Website http://artofmanliness.com/ is a great thing. I personally cringe at how badly men are portrayed in television shows today. They are shown as jerks or incompetents. The Art of Manliness is brave enough to find those things that a man should know and should do.

For example, THIS POST on History's 35 Greatest Speeched is superb. Some lines from Teddy Roosevelt really stand out:

"Of course, in one sense, the first essential for a man’s being a good citizen is his possession of the home virtues of which we think when we call a man by the emphatic adjective of manly. No man can be a good citizen who is not a good husband and a good father, who is not honest in his dealings with other men and women, faithful to his friends and fearless in the presence of his foes, who has not got a sound heart, a sound mind, and a sound body; exactly as no amount of attention to civil duties will save a nation if the domestic life is undermined, or there is lack of the rude military virtues which alone can assure a country’s position in the world. In a free republic the ideal citizen must be one willing and able to take arms for the defense of the flag, exactly as the ideal citizen must be the father of many healthy children."

"...not honest in his dealings with other men and women.." I guess that leaves out most of Congress.

I also recently learned from this site what is means to be "Indie." I didn't know it at the time, but we had a practicing young "Indie" stay with us for a week a few months ago. Conformist non-conformity. Ah, youth.

What Social Network Marketing Does for Me..or not.

2008-08-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

I've been putting considerable effort into Social Network Marketing for a good six months. I am not going to detail all of my social network marketing activities here. Suffice it to say that I'm active on YouTube, Amazon.com, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Friend Feed, Twitter, and other lesser known video sites. I use Google Reader and FriendFeed postings and I keep two of my own Blogs bubbling. Everything feeds everything else as much as is … wise. I'm peddling books in several ways including video book reviews and video ads.

Conclusion 1: A rising tide raises all vessels and it is difficult to catch a falling knife.

If the market is hot for your product, then any marketing action you take makes you look like a genius. If you are fighting a down market, then be prepared to feel not so smart. No great insight here, but it's good to keep in mind when evaluating Social Network Marketing efforts.

Any data you collect must be in the context of the market. A statement such as "Social Network Marketing increased my sales by 22%." is useless information.

I am trying to peddle books, both my own books and popular fiction books. If you read anything about book sales in the last few years, you know I am trying to catch the falling knife. So, I am real good at telling you what doesn't work.

Conclusion 2: The BEST use of Social Network Marketing is to sell Social Network Marketing. (As practiced by Mr. Burchill)

The hottest topic on FriendFeed is … FriendFeed. The hottest topics on Twitter are all Twitter-related.

Conclusion 3: So far, no service does GROUPS well.

I am terribly disappointed by the "Groups" on FaceBook, FriendFeed, and LinkedIn. I have joined political groups, local interest groups, writers' groups, readers' groups, groups on military history, particular writers, pilots, wine drinkers, and on. Overall, the level of activity is abysmal when compared to similar blogs and existing SIGs.

I get MUCH better response to postings in Blog-related comments than I do to the same things thrown out in the FB, FF, or LI groups. I get better responses to comments posted on YouTube and Amazon.com than from any of the Social Network Groups.

I get a much better response from Twitter postings than from any questions, comments, or offers on any SN groups.

It takes a big driver, like a contest or discount coupons, to make a group on a social network into a success. Otherwise, the perceived value of these specific groups is masked by some aspect of social network services that I have not identified, but perhaps it is the low and infrequent attendance.

The "Answers" section of LinkedIn is a special case. This instant Q&A is like a world of transient discussion groups that includes the component of people competing to show their expertise and win badges. Imagine a large circulating cocktail party where each knot of people pins a visible badge on the person who was the best participant in that discussion before the group splits and each person moves on. The Answers section of LinkedIn can be potent if used sparingly.

Conclusion 4: The BEST practical use of Social Network Marketing for those not selling Social Network Marketing is to get opt-in for your email list.

As much as I dislike government oversight, I must conclude that the Federal and State CANSPAM laws have enhanced the effectiveness of email newsletters when that email is done right.

I think the best advice you can give any client considering Social Network Marketing is to look at it as a way to get some very good names on their opt-in email lists.

Considering the relatively low up-front cost of Social Network Marketing, simply getting good contacts can give a good rate of return on investment.

Conclusion 5: Make sure your buyers are young enough to be in the Social Network market.

That advice is inspired by James Burchill. But, what James never explained well enough to me is the generational aspect of Social Network Marketing. I am over 60. I am an outlying blip on the chart of SN users. Since the highest percentage of book readers per age group has grey hair, I am in the wrong place!

Yes, that SN demographic is changing, but it's not going to change much. The limitations are on eyes, thumbs, and fear of tech. My love of tech keeps me going.

I would love to be in the business of selling acne cream through Social Networking. Give me some discount coupons to distribute and I'd rock. Heck, maybe I'll do that in my spare time just to take up the slack.

Conclusion 6: (Tentative) There are days when I think Twitter mini-blog posts are the most useful thing I do.

There are days when I think I should dump much of the other stuff and just do mini-blog posts on Twitter. Not that they are easy to do when done well, but there is something more addictive about Twitter than I find in all of the other services.

Now that I have shared... I'd be interested to hear from others who have put in some time and energy into Social Network Marketing.

A Website w/Excellent Coverage of GA vs RUS

2008-08-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

The author at this Website (I need to do more digging into his background) is doing a superb job of pulling together information on Georgia / Russia military actions.

IMHO, this Georgian / Russian activity is pretty scary stuff. Further evidence of my thesis that the backslapping over the "defeat of the Soviet Union" was premature. USSR, Inc. simply went through Chapter 11. Drastically cut overhead, changed management, started a new PR campaign, made new investments with different partners, and went back into the same old line of business.

See http://informationdissemination.blogspot.com/ He's doing an excellent job of multisource fusion. -- Frank Derfler

Our Women Versus Their Women

2008-08-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

I Blogged about this fantastic Osprey pilot.. who happens to be female.. several months ago. By the way. that article is from the North Shore Journal. It's a great Website for anyone interested in military stuff. Chuck Simmins deals a little more with humanitarian issues and signs of progress than other MILBLOGGERS.

Now, over at the Stategy Page, there is an article describing how other countries, such as India, China, and Pakistan are allowing women to train to become combat pilots. Okay, that's fair.

The article goes on to point out that since many Islamic countries keep their women uneducated (Pakistan is an exception?), they don't have this resource of fierce fighters. Okay, that seems fair too!

Icon's Super-Looking Amphibian LSA

2008-08-08T06:38:00.000-07:00

I live on the (salt)water in the Florida Keys and I have a home on the water in Tampa. Probably 80% of my flying is over water. Why don't I have an amphibian? In a word: MAINTENANCE. The estimates are that a metal aircraft has 2 x 5 times the maintenance when you blow salt water over the wings. but still, I am always interested in amphibians.

The public debut of the ICONA5 Amphib with the folding wings was a big hit on YouTube. There are several versions of the video and it has had well over 10,000 viewings.

Now, the protype aircraft has flown. The company did its typical great job with PR. Here is the vid of the first flight. One thing I think you can bet on, it won't be an "inexpensive" aircraft. I don't know, but I have a feeling the ICONA5 will be to LSA as the Tesla is to electric cars.

A Neat History of One Man's Hovercraft from Popular Science

2008-08-08T05:25:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, Flying Cars and Hovercraft. The two promises that never came true. Now, it is true that the US Navy/Marines make good use of hovercraft as assault vehicles. PopSci seems to have overlooked that. But, in essence the dream of the Hovercraft for everyman (everyperson) seems dim. Hell, we couldn't even adopt the Segway Personal Vehicle (yeah, payload sucked).

Be all that as it may, THIS ARTICLE about one man's 50 year quest to bring a hovering vehicle to life is very interesting!

Florida Lobster mini-season: Get Them Bugs!

2008-07-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

The bug hunters sleep in their trucks, buy beer, and pee in the water. Otherwise, they have NO redeeming value -- social or otherwise!

-------------------
UPDATE: Three persons have died as of Tuesday evening. This thing is really stupid!

Wow! A Gangbuster Review of "A Glint In Time"

2008-07-27T09:59:00.001-07:00

Bill Parker is probably the most blunt person I know. He pulls no punches, but he might pull something sharp or explosive out on you if you make him mad. However, here is what a HAPPY no-BS Bill Parker had to say about "A Glint in TIme" This is a review posted on Amazon.com

TIME PARADOX FOR TOM CLANCY, July 26, 2008
By
W. Parker "Gunny1911" (ISLAMORADA, FLORIDA USA) - See all my reviews Author Frank Derfler's journey into science fiction manages to combine the paradox of time travel with the fast paced action of a Tom Clancy adventure novel. Melding the 1925 documented theoretical science of Satyedra Bose and Albert Einstein with successful physics experiments from U of Colorado (1995), Derfler brought a 'new dimension' to the science fiction genre of 'alternative histories'. Unlike many predecessors, this work explains the time travel paradox in an understandable manner while weaving the science in a fast paced action thriller reminiscent of Tom Clancy's early works. The science is solid and the adventure non-stop.

The Secret History of Silicon Valley

2008-07-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

Steve Blank gets it 98% right as far as I can tell. The roots of Silicon Valley are fascinating indeed! He brushes off Route 128 too quickly, however. The MITRE / MIT / Hanscom Field links are as strong and as influential as the links to Stanford. In fact, if you factor in Bell Labs, then "Silicon Valley" doesn't hold a candle to the work done around "Route 128" in the 50s and 60s. .. and later. But, he was addressing a Stanford crowd.

I can't make the YouTube code work.. CLICK HERE until I do.

Anyone who has travelled Highway 101, anyone with a taste for the history of technology, will like this video lecture from YouTune.

The Very Beautiful B-58 Hustler: Steeljaw Scribe

2008-07-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

Steeljaw Scribe is one of my favorite military aviation Websites. The site recently carried a super story on the development and deployment of the B-58 Hustler. Certainly one of the finest "looking good" airplanes of all time.

As a young lieutenant in 1967 I had control of SAGE air defense radars across Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, and Canada during an exercise called “Snowtime.” I was in charge of ECCM at the Great Falls SAGE Direction Center.

We thought we were in pretty good shape because of the frequency diversity we enjoyed in the radars. Sitting near Malmstrom AFB we had an FPS-24 operating at 200MHZ and there was an FPS-35 a little north operating at 300 MHz. We knew from previous experience with the B-52s at Minot and Grand Forks that they didn’t have the jamming gear to touch those low frequency radars. So, we had them peaked and tweaked and were accepting all the data they could process down two phone lines. (1200 baud x 2 if memory serves)

We watched the Buffs take off out of Minot and head north well over Canada before they turned around to make their attack run. Even down low, we picked them up pretty well because of the high terrain and, frankly, really good radars! They were about to reach the CAP line when poof, everything went white.

We jumped radar frequencies, fiddled with receivers and antennas, and did all the things that you do, but we were having a hard time getting a skin paint on anything. At the debriefing, the word came out. Two B-58s, one low and one high, had taken us down across three states. Poof. Better jammers and antennas than the Buffs.

An interesting lesson in the power of that beautiful bird.

Carb Ice: Even in Florida, Even in Summer

2008-07-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

I learned to fly in Miami, I keep my plane in the Florida Keys, and I've only flown outside the state a few times. The flight school in Miami never said a word about carb icing or carb heat. (They didn't say much about leaning the engine either!)

Then, I went for tailwheel training and spin training. I was fortunate to link up with an instructor who first reamed me a good one and then really taught me about carb icing... even (or ESPECIALLY) in Florida. I fly over water 90% of the time. (Why don't I have an amphib?... I ask myself that a lot.. and then I remember .. 4X the maintenance.! ) The humidity is always high.

THIS ARTICLE discusses a tragic accident in Florida in the summer due to carb ice. It's written by a good author and is recommended reading

Carb icing can and will get you in the summer in Florida with any normally aspirated engine. The chart in the article is a little small.. I am displaying a bigger chart here that, along with a more technical discussion, is at THIS FAA Website. Note the slope of that Relative Humidity line. It's the humidity that drives the equation. If my tach drops below 2200 RPM, I pull the carb heat. That's the rule in my cockpit.

ADDED: I just checked and the report from the AWOS at 9:30 AM on the ground at 10' MSL says the temp is 28c and dew point 23c. So, according the chart I'm in the clear... just BARELY.. now, how about at 1000' MSL? ooops.

ADDED: See also this chart that includes more relative humidity lines.

Flying Today: 111K, 2450RPM, 5.9 GPH

2008-07-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

It was hot up there today. The density altitude on the 10' MSL runway was 1800'. But, at about 1600' the Zodiac was putt putt over the alligators in the everglades at 111K, turning 2450RPM and burning 5.9 GPH. CLICK on the PHOTO to make it a lot bigger and easier to see!