The Ramstein Flugtag Memorial pages. Check out their links page for many more resources.

The Flugtag88 Yahoo Group.

A Psyche debrief from the American Psychiatric Association, titled Debriefing Following Trauma. The Ramstein Flugtag is used as a case study in post-trauma counselling.

A Christian relates 3 stories about God in his life, one of which is related to the Flugtag Airshow.

Posted by: Ted at 01:32 AM | category: Flugtag '88
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Courtesy of Airliners.net, links to photographs of the actual mid-air collision and results. Thanks to Gordon Tatro for locating these.

Note: Clicking the below links will take you to Airliners.net. If you see a picture of a passenger jet head on, click your browser refresh button. Use your browser Back button to return here.

The solo pilot tried to avoid a crash against the control tower by pulling over the two groups. Instead he crashed into them.

The solo pilot's #10 plane arcs along its fateful path towards the crowd as the leader and a wingman impact on the far side of the runway.

The Frecce Tricolore solo display aircraft, still moving directly towards the crowd at show center.

Posted by: Ted at 01:22 AM | category: Flugtag '88
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Saturday night I was watching the Capitals game on TV, and saw that they had a bunch of former Caps there. They were celebrating 30 years of the Caps or something, and I thought to myself "Man, that would've been cool to see."

Then it dawned on me, Mookie and I were supposed to go to that game.

Victor, Nic, and anyone else too polite to mention our no-show, sorry about that. It was just one of those complete and total blank moments.

Posted by: Ted at 10:11 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Some you may know, some may be new to you. Enjoy.

Remember a few weeks ago when Tuning Spork and StMack held their First Annual InterMunuvian Trivia Death Match and Pizza Demolition (or some such title), I asked a question of StMack, two questions actually, about the most expensive spice in the world (saffron, which he got right), and the second most expensive (vanilla, which he didn't know - go me). The point? I forget...

Some silly billies in Tennessee want to pass a law making it illegal for homosexuals to live in their county. Which county? Why, the same one that wanted to outlaw the teaching of evolution. Makes perfect sense to me, since evolution obviously doesn't apply there. Ably covered over at Classical Values, Norbizness, SilverBlue and Alphecca. Y'all go'way now, y'heer?

DUSTBURY! That's what I meant to say earlier about the saffron and... He gives the reason for the rising costs of vanilla and background and analysis and, and-

Ever get into something that you couldn't get out of? Yeah, like the paragraph above. Move along, nothing to see here...

I shall distract you with Babes with Guns. Courtesy of the Flea.

Mother Earth almost caught a rock. Read the details over at the Ministry of Minor Perfidy.

And if that wasn't serious enough for you, check out this bit about voting over at Anticipatory Retaliation.

When I take pictures of my dogs, their eyes get that weird demon-possessed glow. Someone once told me it's because of the way a dog eye is constructed. So if humans had that same thing happen, how would camera's be different?

Once again, I digress, but this time I remember my point, which has to do with dogs, dogs in pictures, and cameras! Go visit Two Nervous Dogs, firstly because she has a sweet demon-possessed doggie on her banner, and secondly because she stalks the neighborhood at night to document her neighbors Christmas decorations. Which are still up and running.

Random Nuclear Strikes celebrate St. Patrick's Day as only the nuclear-armed can.

Staying militaristic - sorta - over at Texas Best Grok we get a rundown on his extended visit aboard the USS Lexington aircraft carrier, now open as a floating naval museum. Three parts, too cool.

The synergist in Michele emerged with this brilliant fusion of two blockbuster movies of the year.

I shall mention here that I've been watching a live taped performance of Jezebel Diary, courtesy of Mr. Helpful. Now I can say I knew them before they were huge. Rock on!

Starhawk (who annoys me by living in Houston where they're having beautiful weather at the moment) posts about a new VIP member of the Dead Poet's Society.

Say Uncle is pondering blog slogans, and he's got some good ones there. He also has an interesting link about computer security and how to Google up passwords.

Wanna know why the US military kicks butt? Because of ideas like this. A mortar shell that you fire high over the battlefield, where it deploys a parachute and hangs there, transmitting a battlefield picture from the camera in it's nose.

Nic posted a very good piece about misfits in the workplace. We have a couple in our company, probably everyone does. I once had one as my contract supervisor, and though I only saw him once a month, my client hated him. He had zero people skills. One day our Vice President said to me "He's the type of guy you lock in a room and let him do great things." But for heaven's sake don't let him interact with the paying customers.

Thanks to H.D. Miller of Travelling Shoes for pointing up this little bit of scholarly research. An Iraqi professor collected data about graffitti on the streets of post-Saddam Bagdhad. Interesting and enlightening.

All right, that's where my notes run out.

Posted by: Ted at 12:29 PM | category: Links
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This one was on Showtime Beyond late last night. I needed something like this movie, because I'd just watched the Caps/Thrashers hockey game, and it was the worst possible result - a tie. Why was that bad? Well, the Thrashers goalie, Numinem, is on my fantasy hockey team, so a win would've been welcomed. A win by the Caps would've been welcomed. Instead we got a tie. Blech. To be fair, it was a fun game to watch. Anyways, I tried to not let my disgust with the hockey game color my movie review.

This movie is horribly, tragically, pathetically bad. The acting is laughable, the characters are one-dimensional, and the plot is simplistic and childish.

In other words: so far, so great!

Victor and Nic will be interested in the presence of a lab rat who advances the plot in a big way. As Victor says, the presence of rat automatically makes this great cinema. To be truthful, the rats are actually someone in giant rat costumes, but it's at least as realistic as Alf was.

It also helps to have a 60' tall naked blonde with lines like "Help me, I'm huge." Yes dear, you certainly are. She's horny too, which reminds me of the Tubes lyric:

She left me there though I tried and tried
A fifty-foot woman's never satisfied.

Special effects suck were impressive. I especially liked the sledge hammer made from a rubber mallet spray painted silver. It would have been more realistic if they would've masked off the handle first. They also seemed to have a problem getting the actors to actually look in the right direction during some special effects scenes. A little more directorial care goes a long way.

Favorite line, spoken by one centerfold candidate (probably not an exact quote): "You know I'm a shallow person, I want you to be honest with me."

The climax is a lame-assed cat-fight between rival giant bikini-clad centerfolds (wow, three hyphenated words in one sentence, a personal best!). The good guy gets the good centerfold, and for some reason the bad centerfold and bad guy inexplicably and spontaneously combust. And yes, I feel really bad for not warning you about that spoiler.

This one doesn't try to take itself seriously, which is why it works as well as it does. If nothing else is on, this one's worth a look.

Posted by: Ted at 08:24 AM | category: Cult Flicks
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Well, we drove to Culpeper, and things weren't looking good. Flags were standing straight out from the poles, and despite the weatherman calling for 'diminishing winds', the trees were whipping around pretty good.

When we pulled up into the field, there were a total of four vehicles there. Not good at all. Nothing was set up to launch, it was just too much wind. So we visited with some rocket friends we haven't seen in a while, and talked about new projects and 'EX' rocketry.

'EX' is a part of rocketry where you actually make your own solid propellant motors. You take the various chemicals and additives and mix it up like you would a cake, following a recipe, and you wind up with a slug of homemade rocket propellant. It's similar to the process that Homer Hickam and the Rocket Boys did in the movie October Sky. I've never done 'EX', and although it fascinates me I don't know if I ever will. It would certainly be a royal pain to get the permits where I currently live. Maybe someday, but for now I'm satisfied with buying and flying the commercial stuff.

Ken, the owner of Performance Hobbies was showing off this neat little beastie. It was a 3" diameter rocket, completely built of carbon fiber veil. Very light and incredibly strong. In fact, the rocket was built to take a 3" motor, meaning that this ~5lb rocket was designed for a motor that can lift 150lb rockets. I have no idea what the max speed would be, but I don't think mach 2+ would be out of the question.

We've got the cell phone number of one of the guys who'll be there tomorrow. We'll call in the morning and see what it looks like before heading down again. It's supposed to rain tonight, and today was supposed to be the better weather day.

Oh well, Mookie and I had a nice day together, and we got to visit with friends. Not at all a wasted day.

Posted by: Ted at 02:16 PM | category: Rocketry
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Mookie and I will be headed out in a while for today's launch. It's a two-day event this month, held in Culpeper, Virginia. According to the local weather, today is going to be the nicer half of the weekend.

Air Munuviana is scheduled to fly today on my new I90 hybrid motor. Woot!

Directions here. The open invitation still stands, no charge for spectators, and if you do make it out stop by and say hi. Just look for a red Mazda pickup.

Posted by: Ted at 07:35 AM | category: Rocketry
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Topher's Breakfast Cereal Character Guide.

Posted by: Ted at 07:08 AM | category: Links
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Up top, another go-round for the most popular Rocket Jones banner, judging from the number of positive responses.

Stage right, a new tagline for the archive. If you've got one you like, leave it in the comments and we'll add it.

I haven't forgotten the next series of Build It posts, on Box Hockey. Life got busy and I haven't had a chance to get going on it. Very soon, I promise.

Likewise on the special pages I talked about last week. That's become my number 1 priority blog-wise, because it's the most important personally. But it's just so darned hard to do. You'll understand why when you see it.

Posted by: Ted at 10:22 PM | category: Square Pegs
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We got home last night after 1am, thanks to a 7 hour stretch at the ER. Everyone's home, everyone's fine. Everyone's still asleep, except for yours truly, who has to hit the pharmacy when it opens in about 45 minutes.

It's going to be a long zombie-like day. Maybe I can get a nap this afternoon.

Beal. It's what's for dinner.

Update: I've slept for a few hours, and Mookie and I are still going to a rocket launch tomorrow. Thanks for all the kind words and well-wishes.

Short version: Wife Liz has had a headache on the left side of her head since Saturday last, and it got bad enough yesterday to see the doctor (she doesn't suffer from migraines). Doc found a suspicious mass at the back of Liz's head and sent her to the ER for a CT scan.

Wait. Wait. Wait. See doctor, get CT scan. Wait. Liz has sinus infection on left side (all 4 - my dear overachiever), and the mass is a bundle of muscle that's spasming from the ensuing headache pain. IV with painkillers, then with antibiotic, and handful of prescription slips to take home. And that's the key, she got to go home. Most of the time a trip to the ER for her means automatic admission.

She's doing ok, not great, but ok. The doctor said it'll be a few days before she starts to feel better. With the Fibromyalgia that Liz has, the pain is not an uncommon thing, just the cause is different this time. I've said it before, if it's bad enough that she's complaining about pain, I know it's bad enough that I'd be on my knees begging to die.

Once again, thanks my friends, for your good thoughts and prayers.

Posted by: Ted at 08:15 AM | category: Family matters
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1 What the everlovin' H*LL happened?! And who do I pray for?!

Rest up, 'yall--and hang in there!

--TwoDragons

Posted by: Denita TwoDragons at March 19, 2004 09:43 AM (aRpMC)

2 Nice to hear that everyone's fine but...

Mmm. Nice bit of roast beal. Beal and onions...

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 19, 2004 10:23 AM (+S1Ft)

3 Hey, the Caps game wasn't *that* bad

I'm glad all is well. Having recently spent massive time in the emergency room myself, I know how scary and frustrating that can be.

Posted by: Victor at March 19, 2004 10:51 AM (L3qPK)

4 From my emergency room experiences it would be 6 hour 45 minutes of waiting and 15 minutes of medical attention.

I'm glad to hear that all is well. Hope you get that nap.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at March 19, 2004 02:35 PM (CSxVi)

5 What?!?! I want a full account! Hang in there, my friend!

Posted by: Dawn at March 19, 2004 04:10 PM (L6pam)

6 Yes, as an officially sanctioned busybody, I need details!

Seriously, do get well soon, or be well, or be more well. And if they gave you pain pills, be very well indeed.

Posted by: Scott at March 19, 2004 04:49 PM (zL4bg)

7 I hope she gets better soon! Sinus infections are the pits.

Posted by: Tink at March 19, 2004 08:28 PM (l4WXq)

8 Oh bless her heart, I didn't know she had fibromyalgia...I'll definitely keep her in my prayers, both for her current headache nastiness AND her continued strength in dealing with her muscle pains.

In a sense, I'm a kindred spirit with you, Ted. Only it's my mother, and she has malignant brain tumors. It's amazing, the amount of pain she shrugs off. She walks around everyday, going on with her life, with a continual migraine headache that would leave most people insensate and unable to function.

I could only hope to have a tenth of the strength that good women like my mother and your wife have.

--TwoDragons

Posted by: Denita TwoDragons at March 20, 2004 10:21 AM (Q+yXx)

9 I hope your wife is feeling better these days.

Posted by: Cindy at March 24, 2004 08:28 AM (BAGuk)

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Scandalous that this one was ignored.

Thanks to the Llama Butchers, via Farm Accident Digest, for pointing this one out.

Posted by: Ted at 07:58 AM | category: Cult Flicks
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That's what my computer announces loudly when I shut down at the end of the day. There's no sneaking out early for me.

What kind of custom sound-bites do you have loaded on your machine?

Posted by: Ted at 02:09 PM | category: Square Pegs
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1 Voyager computer voice.

Upon starting up: "Command codes verified."

Upon shutting down: "Standing by."

I also use one of the incoming comm alerts for email notification.

Yup. Me geek.

Posted by: Robert the Llama Butcher at March 18, 2004 04:53 PM (XQmyz)

2 Haven't done it yet, but i've been meaning to bring in a mic and record a shut down message on our "communal" lab computer that says something stupid like, "Think you're gonna shut me down you stupid A** Hole? Well Fu** you!"

Yah, too much time on my hands.

Posted by: cbeck at March 18, 2004 05:32 PM (N2x5u)

3 My incoming email sound on my laptop is the Lumbourgh "Mmmm... yeah..." from Office Space and my appointment alert is "Did you bring me a monkey?" by Number 4 from Multiplicity.

Posted by: Phelps at March 18, 2004 06:47 PM (HlHi7)

4 Don't have anything programmed, but, if I could I would have it chime what I hope will be my dying words (if I can remember to say them): "That's it. I'm outta here..."

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 18, 2004 09:21 PM (4vfwI)

5 The boys at Gannett (y'know, the ones who print USA Today, the NY Times and my crappy paper) have a great "You've got SPAM!" message when they get e-mail. I had a "What the FUCK?" as my error message at home, but I deleted it. And, of course, I used to have a Homer Simpson's "D'OH!" as an error message for awhile. Now I just have the Chew Toy sound as my alert message. Seemed more appropriate!

Posted by: Dawn at March 18, 2004 09:22 PM (Q0xHi)

6 When I boot up, Cartman says "Democrats piss me off!" and when I shut down, Ike (Stan's little brother) says "Don't kick the baby."

Posted by: Susie at March 18, 2004 10:45 PM (ni0vr)

7 I mean Kyle's little brother. Dang! I must been getting senile...

Posted by: Susie at March 18, 2004 10:47 PM (ni0vr)

8 Startup the classic Darth Vader "What is thy bidding my master?"

Shutdown Verbal Kent from the ususal suspects "And like that... he's gone."

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at March 18, 2004 11:06 PM (CSxVi)

9 Oh yah and two different email alerts.

The main account: From Monty Python and the Holy Grail "(arrow soud) Message for you sir."

Blog account Computer generated voice saying "Hold the Mayo."


I know it shows a pathetic lack of imagination and creativity but sometimes the classics are classics for a reason - they just work.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at March 18, 2004 11:13 PM (CSxVi)

10 Given that I receive several hundred emails a day, I have turned off the audible alert.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 19, 2004 01:23 AM (kOqZ6)

11 A year ago I installed an email alert on my supervisor's machine. She's never been able to get rid of it, so every time she gets email, Gus (Robert Duvall) from Lonesome Dove says "You do more work than you have to, which means that I have to do less." (or something to that effect)

Posted by: Ted at March 19, 2004 07:07 AM (ZjSa7)

12 When my computer starts it plays the sound bite from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, when Riff Raff says :"Master, Master, we have a visitor..."
And when I shut it down it plays one from the Silence of the Lambs where Dr. Lector says at the end "I do wish we could chat longer but...I'm having an old friend for dinner..."
I just recently changed my mail announcement to " I have a message for you" from Hal (from 2001). I used to have Warf from The Next Generation tell me "Captain, incoming message."
I change them all the time.

Posted by: Blogeline at March 19, 2004 11:37 AM (O27QY)

13 I got a ton of them which my wife usually complains about. I have some 2001 clips. On win start I get the holodeck "program loaded enter when ready".
I keep changing the mail message, right now I am using a clip form Robin hood men in tights "message for you"/ I used to have a sexy female voice saying "Master I have message for you" but I got tired of it.
I also have some clips from babylon5 and the anime series Trigun for various events. I wouldn't mind adding the Elvis clip to my collection.

Posted by: Starhawk at March 20, 2004 08:51 AM (Yq1pI)

14 Hello: I used to have the sound bite "Elvis has left the building" on my machine at shut down but I've lost the sound bite. Do you know where I can download this clip again. I appreciate your help! Joe

Posted by: Joe at August 03, 2005 06:49 PM (M7kiy)

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Movie Review - The Beast (198

Not the 50's horror feature of the same name, this movie is sometimes found under the title "The Beast of War".

The Beast of the title is a tank. A Soviet main battle tank involved in the invasion of Afghanistan, which becomes separated from the rest of its unit. The story involves the crew of the tank and their efforts to rejoin their comrades despite being surrounded by hostile mujadeen and forbidding country. It's a war story, but the focus is on the people involved on both sides, both Soviet tank crew and Afghan's fighting the invaders.

There are rumors that you can occasionally find this one in the $5.00 bargain bin at WalMart. I haven't seen it there, but I'm going to look more carefully from now on.

Another underappreciated movie, this one is thumbs up, comrades!

Posted by: Ted at 08:10 AM | category: Cult Flicks
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The intervention over at Bloviating Inanities is over. For a brief time yesterday afternoon, BI sucked a little less than usual. You can tell things are back to normal, because Bill is back to being a whiny little bitch.

I'd like to thank the rest of the swarm:

Jennifer
Susie
Michele (my apologies for misspelling your name before)
Ron, the blogless
Paul
Wind Rider
SilverBlue
Keith, the photoshop wizard

Special thanks to the organizer of the event.

Nothing says "Love" like being TP'd, even online.

Posted by: Ted at 07:15 AM | category: Links
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The Hershey Ration D Bar.

Posted by: Ted at 05:36 AM | category: History
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From Sophont (who points out some of the coolest stuff):

"Think of a diamond in the sky," says Robert Rochte.

Rochte, director of technology at the Grosse Pointe Academy, and his eager third-grade students hope to see a tetroon within the next month, depending on the sun and wind conditions, when they launch the fifth in a series of experimental balloons from Grosse Pointe Farms in an effort to learn about weather, navigation and electronics.

They're also having fun.

Go read the whole thing, it's really impressive.

Posted by: Ted at 05:10 AM | category: Links
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Bill sent me this thank you e-card, which just goes to prove that he's more than a little creepy a considerate guy.

His attached message was “Oho!"

No Bill, thank you!

Posted by: Ted at 05:00 PM | category: Links
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Well there's gonna be a freakers ball

Tonight at the freakers hall

And you know, you're invited one and all

Come on babies grease your lips
Grab your hats and swing your hips
Don't forget to bring your whips
We're going to the freakers ball

Blow your whistle and bang your gong
Roll up something to take along
It feels so good it must be wrong
We're freakin at the freakers ball

Where all the fags and the dykes they're boogyin' together
The leather freaks are dressed in all kinds of leather
The greatest of the sadists and the masochists too
Screaming "Please hit me, and I'll hit you"

The FBI are dancing with the junkies
All the straights, are swinging with the fogies
Across the floor and up the wall
We're freakin at the freakers ball
Y'all, we're freakin at the freakers ball

Everybody's kissing each other
Brother with sister, son with mother
Smear my body up with butter
Take me to the freakers ball

Pass that roach please and pour the wine
I'll kiss yours if you'll kiss mine
I'm gonna boogie till i go blind
We're freakin at the freakers ball

White ones, black ones, yellow ones, red ones
Necrophiliacs looking for dead ones
The greatest of the sadists and the masochists too
Screaming "Please hit me, and I'll hit you"

Everybody falling in batches
Pyromaniacs striking matches
I'm gonna itch me where it scratches
Freakin' at the freakers ball.

-- Dr. Hook

The inmates have taken over Bloviating Inanities!

Posted by: Ted at 04:15 PM | category: Waxing Lyrical
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1 Dr. Hook? I thought that was She Siverstein!

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 18, 2004 12:41 AM (0ncEe)

2 l
l
l


--just makin' sure it still worked...

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 18, 2004 12:43 AM (0ncEe)

3 If Shel Silverstein wrote that - and it's certainly his style - it was Dr. Hook that recorded it. Funny song. Hard to believe it came from the same group that gave us Sylvia's Mother. *retch*

Posted by: Ted at March 18, 2004 05:25 AM (ZjSa7)

4 Yeah, the lyrics definitely have a The Cover Of The Rolling Stone flow to them.

And I'd forgotten all about Sylvia's Mother - I deleted that one from my .m3u of that album a loooooong time ago.

Posted by: Chris at March 18, 2004 01:35 PM (nGwPW)

5 Well, I didn't know that Dr.Hook had
covered "Freakers' Ball", but; looking at the album right in front of me ("Freakin' At The Frteakers' Ball" by Shel Silverstein), UI', omly reminded that Dr. Hook had a great song called "Couple More Years". It was the B-side of "Love You A Little Bit More."

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 18, 2004 09:39 PM (4vfwI)

6 UI', omly = I'm only

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 18, 2004 09:43 PM (4vfwI)

7 I should've known that Spork. Mookie is a huge Shel Silverstein fan. I got to see Dr. Hook in concert once, and they were better than a lot of folks gave them credit for. They rocked hard.

Posted by: Ted at March 19, 2004 06:59 AM (ZjSa7)

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Everyone knows about Where’s Waldo, those busy little cartoons where you’re supposed to find that red & white striped twerp in a crowd of people. Oho, what fun!

Let’s play the Bloviating Inanities special edition version: Where’s Bill? (in the extended entry – nsfw)

Hint: he’s not staff. more...

Posted by: Ted at 03:30 PM | category: Links
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Everyone knows about WhereÂ’s Waldo, those busy little cartoons where youÂ’re supposed to find that red & white striped twerp in a crowd of people. Oho, what fun!

Let’s play the Bloviating Inanities special edition version: Where’s Bill? (in the extended entry – nsfw)

Hint: heÂ’s not staff. more...

Posted by: Ted at 03:30 PM | category: Links
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