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But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

The last great celebration of Mankind those words were.

September 12th, 1962, at Rice University, President Kennedy committed our nation to a seemingly impossible task…landing men on the Moon, and returning them safely to Earth.

Was it political?  Sure.  Was it  “battle front” of the Cold War?  Absolutely.

But beyond those things, it was about the Greatness of Mankind.  We MUST go because we have not been…because there are questions we have not answered.  Man MUST know, understand, explore.

We do these things NOT because they are easy, but because they are HARD.

July 16th 1969, Apollo 11 launches

July 20th, 1969 - “Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed.” 

And later that day…

“I’m gonna step off the LEM now“

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On this day, try….if only for a moment…to remember what it’s like to celebrate Man.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

We hold these truths to be self-evident.  There is no need to define them, or justify them, or ‘win’ them.  They are obvious to the rational mind.  That which distinguishes us from the animals…Man’s ability and capacity for reason, allows us to recognize these very simple and basic truths.  They are, in no uncertain terms, the facts of life.

[A]ll men are created equal…they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  These are not rights which must be secured or gained through force, diplomacy, negotiation, or argument.  These rights can not be granted by other Men, no matter the circumstances.   We are BORN with them.  Man is endowed with these rights.  The mere fact of His existence grants Him these rights.

And they are unalienable…they belong to Him by His very nature.  They can be neither changed nor revoked. These rights are, by the very definition of Man, part and parcel of what Man is.

The rights include Life, Liberty, and a pursuit or vocation of Happiness.  Man’s life, Man’s freedom, and the product of Man’s work are exclusively, entirely, solely, and immutably His own.  Man owns his own life, Man is free to do with it as he chooses, Man will bear the consequences of his choices, and Man may trade, keep, use, destroy, or otherwise dispose of the product of his Life in any way he sees fit.

232 years ago, Men…brave Men…swore on their own Lives that the words above were, indeed, self-evident.  They declared that they would, by choice and with complete awareness and understanding of the consequences, lay down their OWN Lives in defense of these very truths.

Those would would deem themselves owners of Men…those who believed they possessed, by mandate or nature or chance, the right to ignore these self-evident truths were informed that their time was at an end.

The 4th day of July is not known is “Revolution Day”, despite the fact one was born on this day.  Nor is it “Rebellion Day”, despite the launch of one of the world’s greatest on this day.

It’s not “United States Day” or “Declaration Day” or “Seperation Day” or “Bravery Day”.

It is Independence Day. The day Men would stand up, declare that the ONLY moral imperative, indeed the only moral truth in all the world, was the UNALIENABLE, SELF-EVIDENT FACT that Man owns his Life, and the product of it.

Celebrate that…or don’t celebrate at all.

I guess the title pretty much says it all.

Defult interface was designed for an infant, buttons moved to completely nonsensical places (or not there at all. No back button? Really? Come on, Mozilla) The “smart address bar” thing selects individual pages/links from within a site BEFORE the site itself…have fun getting to your favorite forum with THAT piece of shit…Christ, it looks more like a Microsoft product than Vista does.

Technically, it’s flaky as hell.  DNS requests fail randomly (how can an APP fail DNS intermittently?? Impressive) The memory use is staggering,  the new download manager is “iffy” at best, and font management has gone right the hell out the window.

I honestly don’t recall EVER seeing ANY app/system take so large a step backwards as Firefox has…and I’ve USED Vista.

Who the FUCK do you think you are?!?!?!

My grandparents were Republicans…all 4 of them.  With one exception, their 7 brothers and sisters…my great-aunts and uncles…were Republicans.  My parents were Republicans.  I have, with one exception since I was of legal age, voted Republican for every “major” office (Governor or higher) I’ve had a choice in.

Republican values…as I’ve always understood them anyway…spoke to the ideas that government interference and regulation were to be avoided.  They suggested that some people might be more productive, and thus more valuable, than others, and that was ok.  They dared even suggest that he who was fiscally responsible, invested wisely and saved carefully, deserved to keep the lion’s share of his own money.

They spoke of such things as providing a strong military.  They suggested that social programs were dangerous.  Heck, some of them even had the audacity to imply that we might even be responsible for our very own actions.  Can you imagine?

As both a Republican and an American, I’ve been disgusted for a while now with our current President.  President Bush has committed us to a war on questionable (to say the least) grounds, against a non-existent enemy we can neither see, touch, feel, identify, or defeat, and he has done so with no clear statement of success or victory.  These facts are shameful at best, tragic at worst.

But, even in light of those charges, I have hoped that what we were living with was an individual who, bluntly, was simply bad for our country.  We’ve had our share of those at 1600 Pennsylvania, and the country has managed to survive.  Again, I figured, we’d do so.

As a result…and those few of you who read this blog or know me outside of it know this…I have not been one to jump on the “AHHH!  KING GEORGE!  DICTATORSHIP!  EVIL EVIL!” bandwagon.  Sure…i think president Bush is an utter and complete failure as a leader of the Nation or of Men…but I haven’t really felt we were “descending to tyranny”.

Until now.

Under the auspices of “security”, here we sit, encumbered by laws that, at best, are on the ragged edge of what this Country stands for.  “The Patriot Act”, and all its myriad restrictions, brought with it one of the more dangerous laws ever enacted in this country…it gave to CIVIL authorities, such as the FBI, the power to arrest and detain WITHOUT CHARGE.  The mere assertion of treason, or terrorism, was grounds for INDEFINITE  detainment…in MILITARY prisons, no less.

Now…to be certain, this is, indeed, dangerous.  I submit, however, that the cliche “desperate times call for desperate measures” IS a cliche because it’s TRUE.  The balance of 3 branches exists SPECIFICALLY to handle situations like this.  Sometimes, even with honorable intent, a desperate reaction to a desperate situation is invoked.  Sometimes, it’s the right thing…others, it goes over the line…and the checks and balances of a “3-sided government” are designed to allow the former, and deny the latter.

TWICE, before today, those checks and balances had done their job.  TWICE the Supreme Court had ruled that there is a distinct, clear, and necessary line between civil authority and military justice….that there is, at its essence, a distinction between a CRIME and an ATTACK.  The FBI may prosecute CRIMINALS, and must do so within the laws of this country….REGARDLESS of the citizenship of the accused.  The MILITARY may defeat, disable, or secure ENEMIES, and will then deal with them in accordance with the UCMJ, again regardless of the citizenship of the accused.

That line is there for a reason.  Committing a crime is a DIFFERENT THING than attacking the country.  Prosecuting the former protects society from those who would cheat it…waging war on the latter protects the NATION from those who would harm it.  Since the TASK is different, the METHODS are, by necessity, different.

What President Bush has managed to do, however, is to merge the two.  He has, very neatly, manipulated the ituation such that the United States Military now plays heavy muscle for the federal law enforcement community.

The FBI is granted the arrest power of the military, but the detainee is then treated as an enemy…not a criminal.  Nifty, that.

Today, in a 5-4 ruling, the SCOTUS AGAIN said that this is WRONG.

If you are charged with violating the LAW, they said, then you must be treated IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT.

The response…it all of its vomit-inducing SICKENING glory…prompted this rant:

Sen. Lindsey Graham of SC : “The American people are going to wake up tomorrow and be shocked to hear that a member of Al Qaeda has the same constitutional rights as an American citizen”

Does the good Senator HONESTLY BELIEVE that the citizens of this country will be SHOCKED to learn that we are OBEYING OUR OWN LAWS???

President Bush, indeed, said he would study the opinion and “determine whether or not additional legislation might be appropriate” in order to protect the American people.

THREE TIMES, sir, one of the two branches of government CHARGED WITH KEEPING YOU IN CHECK has done so…and your response is to look for ways to CHANGE THE RULES?  Mr. President, I teach my CHILD better than that…I am SICKENED by the thought that your father…a man I admire and respect deeply…has apparently failed to accord you the same favor.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas suggested that SCOTUS was  “moving the goal posts on what the constitution requires” by changing the existing law regarding the rights of detainees.

NO SIR.  SCOTUS is attempting to PREVENT YOU from doing PRECISELY THAT.  They are ENFORCING the laws…laws that are the FOUNDATION of what this country stands for…that YOU and your ilk are attempting to circumvent.  THREE TIMES you have failed to do so, and now YOU suggest the rules should be changed.

Perhaps scariest of all, Rep. Duncan Hunter of California:

“The Supreme Court just moved us closer to the day when U.S. Marine rifle teams will have to have lawyers read Miranda rights to terrorists captured on the battlefield.”

Representative Hunter, have you, sir, lost your mind?  Are you so IGNORANT of the Constitution, or, instead, do you believe I am, as to honestly suggest that when the Supreme Court insists for a 3rd time that those accused of crimes be afforded the rights of those accused of crimes that they are even DISCUSSING the rules by which the military may do its job?  Are you SO uneducated as to not even recognize the difference?

==========================

Republicans, your party is a pile of shit.  The people whose ideals you profess to share are LETHAL to this Nation and its ideals.  You are Constitution-shredding, power-mad, immoral KILLERS of Man, and Man’s right to his life.

I am ashamed to have ever called myself a Republican.

So, yesterday was supposed to be my first trip up with Allen to really be “put through the paces”, as it were.  Having been so long since I soloed, I need to get re-endorsed for solo flight, obviously.  So, the plan is for Allen and I to go up, spend a couple hours really beating on maneuvers, until he’s happy and satisfied that I won’t kill anybody.

THAT plan didn’t quite work out as hoped.

First, the winds.  Winds were reported in the high single digit range, with gusts in the mid teens…of course, my own wind-meter here at the house told a different story…10 kts with 16-18 kt winds.

Now, with SAFECON happening at MQY this week, ATC is sticking pretty tightly to runway 19 out here…and winds happened to be from 120-130…so, yeah…good, solid 8-10 kt crosswind components.  In an airplane that isn’t REAL happy at 15, and has a max demonstrated of only 20.

Now, I HAVE put her down with a 14 kt crosswind component before…but that was ALL I ever wanted, and I was REAL glad Chris was there.  Heck, Chris said HE didn’t like more than 15.  The lil ole’ Katana just does NOT like crosswind a whole lot.  So, as a result, my “personal max” is in the 10-12 kt range…in other words, REAL close to what I’d be handling.

Add to this the fact that it’s been a YEAR since I landed in ANY crosswind…eh…let’s take another 10% off that max, shall we?  Ok, now we’re RIGHT on the edge.

Ok…fine.  I’ve identified a “trouble spot”, processed it, and made a plan.  And hey, I WOULD have Allen with me as well…so, that’s a GO in my book.  One that bears watching and paying attention to, to be sure, but one that I can safely handle.

Ah…but I mentioned SAFECON, right?

3-4 airplanes in the pattern at ALL times.  Usually 1-2 on the runway at various phases of a T&G, another turning downwind from crosswind, and another turning base, as all these teams work on whatever “contest” is set out for them at that time…many of them student pilots just like me.
Great…now I got a crosswind consideration AND a traffic consideration.

And then i think…no offense to those guys…but sliding someone into that thick of a swarm is NOT something our ATC guys have a whole lot of regular experience doing.  Sure, they’re pros, and know their jobs…but MQY simply isn’t busy enough for that to be something they’ve done a whole lot of.

This last bit is driven home, as I wait for Allen…who winds up being 15 minutes late, because the lesson he was just on got diverted from landing 4 SEPERATE times…once AFTER having received a landing clearance.

Ok.  We’re done.  Iffy crosswind, iffy traffic, and lack of experience on the part of ALL parties (me, the SAFECON folks, and our tower) with the current situation.

So, ground school it was.  Covered the pre-solo written test (which, of course, I’ll need to take again), made Allen hurt by rattling off aerodynamics stuff, then got the favor returned by FAILING to rattle off FAR’s.

Ah well..hopefully we’ll have better luck Saturday.

After 8 MONTHS out of the cokpit, finally got back up in the air on 4-22, with a new CFI, Allen Crossley.

Was really just a “get acquainted” flight for Allen and I, and a “get re-acquainted” flight for the Katana and I.  We wandered out to the practice area, did a few maneuvers, and headed over to M54 for a soda.  of particular note was the STUNNINGLY nice landing I ripped off at Lebanon.  Also of particular note was the NOT so nice landing upon returning to MQY.

Eh…they could still use the plane, though, so it wasn’t ALL bad.

======================

Introducing a new feature.  I’ll be trying to post far more regularly about flight training, as I get closer to (hopefully) finishing up my ticket this summer.  Whenever I post about a flight, I’ll be linking to an entry on ZuluLog, my online logbook of choice.  The link will take you to my logbook entry for that flight.

Log entry for 22 April.

(\__/) This is bunny. Copy and paste him into your
(=’.'=) signature and help him gain world domination.
(”)_(”)

Flying Spaghetti Monster Lands Outside Tennessee Courthouse.

“We are lucky enough to live in a country that allows us, its citizens, the freedom of speech. I have chosen to put up a statue of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to represent the discourse between people of all different beliefs. The many faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds of Cumberland County’s residents make our community a stronger richer place…. The Flying Spaghetti Monster is a pile of noodles and meatballs, but it is meant to open up discussion and provoke thought. Being able to put up a statue is a celebration of our freedom as Americans; a freedom to be different, to express those differences, and to do it amongst neighbors — even if it is in a noodley way.” 

This may be the coolest thing EVER to happen in TN.

Perhaps an “Elsworth Toohey Reading Room” would be more appropriate.

Anybody read the EULA for Photoshop Express?

Use of Your Content. Adobe does not claim ownership of Your Content. However, with respect to Your Content that you submit or make available for inclusion on publicly accessible areas of the Services, you grant Adobe a worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sublicensable license to use, distribute, derive revenue or other remuneration from, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, publicly perform and publicly display such Content (in whole or in part) and to incorporate such Content into other Materials or works in any format or medium now known or later developed. 

So, what you’re saying here, Adobe, is that you can do whatever the hell you want with MY work, simply because you let me use your precious service?

Um…

Fuck off, Adobe.