March 12, 2006
Posted by: Ted at
10:16 AM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 24 words, total size 1 kb.
Number 1 is "The Best Places to Meet Gay Men".
I'm not sure what to think about that.
Posted by: Ted at
07:15 AM | category: Square Pegs
No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 49 words, total size 1 kb.
March 11, 2006
Peons are "hallucinatory".
Posted by: Ted at
08:43 AM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 12 words, total size 1 kb.
March 10, 2006
Make your own Flying Spaghetti Monster. (Thanks Owlish!)
K, proprietor extrordanaire of Kimochii (Asian cuties in various stages of dress and undress), has combined his several sites into one. Enjoy K's Lounge (NSFW).
Posted by: Ted at
09:49 PM | category: Links
Comments (1)
| Add Comment
Post contains 46 words, total size 1 kb.
I've been talking about "certification" and "Level 2" and such, without ever explaining what that means.
A while back I posted a Beginner's FAQ explaining the hobby rocket motor codes, and another post illustrating the size of some of these motors. You can read it for more detail, but I'll try to explain it here without needing to follow that link.
This all applies to the US. Canada, the UK, and probably other countries have their own variations.
Until recently, if you were younger than age 18 then the largest motor you could fly was a "G" motor (up to about 16lbs of thrust). There were ways around that limit, by having an adult purchase and possess the motor and take responsibility for the flight, even though a minor may have done most of the work. The National Association of Rocketry (NAR) has introduced a program where a youngster can legally fly high power motors, basically by standardizing the "sponsor" requirements.
High power motors are defined as "H" power and above, and you need to make a certification flight to prove that you can construct a safe rocket for the power involved. For Level 1, your flight has to be witnessed by two members of your rocketry organization who are also Level 1. Safely flying and recovering the rocket means you can purchase and use "H" and "I" motors (a little better than 140 lbs of thrust).
Level 2 requires the certification flight, but you also have to pass a written test about organization information, government laws and regulations and general rocketry knowledge. That's the level that I'm working towards, and once I get there I can fly "J", "K" and "L" motors (up to 1,150 lbs of thrust).
The top level right now is Level 3, for "M", "N" and "O" motors (and up I suppose, an "O" produces up to 9,208 lbs of thrust). For this, you're assigned two advisors who already have their Level 3 certification, and you must document the construction process and put together a binder showing details about the rocket and simulations of the expected flight. There are also additional safety requirements at this level. Like the others, you must make a flight and recover the rocket undamaged.
So that's the certification process that I keep babbling about.
Russ, I'd be happy to sign off on your Level 1 flight.
As for the Zinger drag race, well, you're on! Someone once described the Zinger as "arial pornography" and I've got to agree. I thought I had an unbuilt kit somewhere but I can't find it, so send me the specs and fin measurements and I'll have one ready for the next launch.
And since the next launch is on April first, I've got a few fun and/or odd April Fool's rockets that'll be ready to go as well. I'm looking forward to this one!
Posted by: Ted at
05:58 PM | category: Rocketry
Comments (3)
| Add Comment
Post contains 501 words, total size 3 kb.
icking up a steel glove,"I accept" as he backhanded
Dubya just made you his bitch.
Now Dubai will sell their interest to an American company. A company owned, no doubt, by a wealthy friend of President Bush. Meaning one of his rich friends just got a whole lot richer. And you asked... no, you demanded it. Just like he planned all along.
If it's Halliburton, I will laugh until I cry.
Posted by: Ted at
12:14 PM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (5)
| Add Comment
Post contains 100 words, total size 1 kb.
March 08, 2006
Note: If this offends you, I don't want to hear it. Go burn down an embassy or something.
Posted by: Ted at
11:27 AM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (6)
| Add Comment
Post contains 30 words, total size 1 kb.
You can find chapters 1 and 2 here.
Chapters 3 and 4 here.
Chapters 5 and 6 here.
Chapters 7 and 8 here.
Chapters 9 and 10 here.
Chapters 11 and 12 here.
There now, all caught up.
I know it's been awhile. No promises, but I'll try to get back into the once-a-week posting of this story. We're almost to the point where I'd lost a few chapters, so after this I'll be back to winging it.
Enjoy. Leave feedback. Thanks. more...
Posted by: Ted at
11:26 AM | category: Zombies of Autumn
Comments (3)
| Add Comment
Post contains 4292 words, total size 24 kb.
The book was written by two newspaper reporters who covered the BALCO steroid scandal. Their sources? Nothing new, just the same trial transcripts, interviews and other documents that Major League Baseball, Congress and law enforcement authorities have had all along. And, you know, Bonds is soooo busted by what's there.
Not.
This is a rehash of old information, hyped to boost book sales. Does Barry Bonds have a history of cheating? I have no idea, but I do know that up to this point, despite numerous investigations and allegations, no one has been able to prove a thing.
Two "reporters" trash someone's name in order to make a buck. What a surprise.
Posted by: Ted at
05:15 AM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (4)
| Add Comment
Post contains 161 words, total size 1 kb.
March 07, 2006
Where: Great Meadow Equestrian Center, The Plains, VA
When: 10am - 4pm
Weather: Winds from 10-20mph
Our rocketry club, NOVAAR, had scheduled a two-day launch event for the weekend, but high winds scrubbed Saturday. Sunday was still quite windy, but we had a great time anyway.
I loaded up the car with some small rockets to fly, but wasn't expecting much because of the wind. When I got to the field I was amazed to see probably 50+ cars there.
I caught up with some friends and talked rockets for awhile, then I headed over to the launch control area to see what was up. On the way I passed a whole gaggle of high schooler's who were there with their Science teacher, prepping egg-lofting rockets. At the table I was drafted into helping do pre-flight safety checks because we were about to get swamped by all those students. I stayed busy for better than an hour, checking rockets, asking questions and making suggestions on things to do differently and/or better in the future.
Besides the egg lofters, there were a few high power flights made, including Mitch's Endevour clone on a J350. His rockets are so reliable that they're almost routine.
A young guy named Ben made a couple of memorable flights with a little orange rocket. By little, I mean about the length of your finger, and he stuffed the largest motor he could fit into this little thing, a C6-5. On the first flight, I watched it zoom nearly out of sight and somehow managed to pick it up on the way down and saw it land. It's too small and light for a chute or streamer, it does what we call tumble recovery. I had a line on it on the ground, and Ben and I walked out there and pretty much right up to it in the middle of the field. Unbelievable, because that combination is almost certain "fire-and-forget".
He did it again later, but lost it. After his family left the launch, Ben's orange rocket reappeared on the lost-and-found table. Someone else found it while looking for their rocket. Ben will be getting it back.
I picked several people's brains for ideas and suggestions for my Level 2 rocket. Then I admired Bart's photo album and stories about his successful Level 3 flight. Bart flew out to Arizona to launch with his brother at an event in the desert. His rocket flew on an "M" motor, weighed 40 lbs at take off and achieved an altitude of 7600 feet. It came down perfectly under chute and Bart now has his Level 3 certification so he can fly with the big big boys.
I did make two flights of my own, both small model rockets.
1. Vampyre - A10-3T - this minimum diameter ring-fin always screams off the pad and gives a great flight. Recovered undamaged on a streamer.
2. Groove Tube - B4-4 - a classic Centuri clone, you could see the wind pushing the rocket sideways as it ascended. It drifted a long way even though I used another streamer instead of a parachute.
Our next club launch is April 1 and 2. There will be contest flying (helicopter, chute, streamer and glider recovery models, plus an altitude event), and as always flying for fun is encouraged. I'm planning to be there both days, and I'll have something high power to fly too.
Y'all are invited.
Posted by: Ted at
04:53 AM | category: Rocketry
Comments (2)
| Add Comment
Post contains 583 words, total size 3 kb.
March 06, 2006
Thank you, Kirby, for all the joy you displayed on the field, and for showing us all that you could be great and still have fun playing the game.
Posted by: Ted at
09:09 PM | category: Square Pegs
No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 79 words, total size 1 kb.
Posted by: Ted at
05:16 AM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (4)
| Add Comment
Post contains 38 words, total size 1 kb.
March 05, 2006
Congrats, Gir!
Posted by: Ted at
08:15 PM | category: Balls and Ice
No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 31 words, total size 1 kb.
Do you remember back in old L.A. (Oh, oh, oh)
When everybody drove a Chevrolet (Oh, oh, oh)
Whatever happened to the boy next door
The sun-tanned, crew-cut, All-American male?
Disco. Bee Gees. Tavares. Donna Summer.
Beach baby, beach baby, give me your hand
Give me something that I can remember
Just like before we can walk by the shore in the moonlight.
The radio was filled with cheesy fun like Carl Douglas singing about Kung Fu Fighting and Paper Lace telling us about The Night Chicago Died. Disco Duck. Rubberband Man.
Beach baby, beach baby, there on the sand
From July to the end of September
Surfin' was fun we'd be out in the sun every day.
The Sound of Philadelphia. Average White Band. Wild Cherry. Tower of Power.
Ooooh, I never thought that it could end
Ooooh, and I was everybody's friend
Long hot days
Blue sea haze
Jukebox plays
But now it's fading away
Rick James. Sly and the Family Stone. Earth, Wind & Fire. Marvin Gaye.
We couldn't wait for graduation day (Oh, oh, oh)
We took the car and drove to San Jose (Oh, oh, oh)
That's where you told me that you'd wear my ring
I guess you don't remember anything.
Johnny Cash. Loretta Lynn. Marty Robbins.
Surfin' was fun we'd be out in the sun every day.
Black Sabbath. Robin Trower.
California in the 70's. Freakin' paradise.
Posted by: Ted at
08:39 AM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (5)
| Add Comment
Post contains 248 words, total size 2 kb.
March 04, 2006
Now you can find out at Cinemorgue. Indexed by actress name, he even includes nudity alerts (where she dies naked). These aren't just the big names either, he's got some very obscure performers here. Very cool, and the enterprising soul could come up with a few bar-bet winners too by golly.
And for the ladies, there is a separate index for actors and their on-screen demise. Just scroll down to the bottom of the Cinemorgue page for the link.
Posted by: Ted at
09:16 AM | category: Cult Flicks
No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 118 words, total size 1 kb.
Stunt doubles? Setup for the sequel? I'll never know.
Posted by: Ted at
08:23 AM | category: Cult Flicks
No Comments
| Add Comment
Post contains 55 words, total size 1 kb.
March 03, 2006
It makes you a clueless prick.
Posted by: Ted at
05:27 AM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (2)
| Add Comment
Post contains 57 words, total size 1 kb.
March 02, 2006
When it's nice out, there's one old nut-lady who sits out front and chatters away at everyone who comes and goes. Occasionally she'll wander inside and count the carts.
A very occasional visitor is "the preacher", who will try his best to strike up a conversation with you, which quickly turns religious. Come along about the second sentence you direct at him, he starts slipping random items into your cart. The first time he did this to me, I asked him what he was doing, and he explained that a good christian man like myself wouldn't begrudge a few groceries to someone in need. I had to laugh because he just grabs whatever is closest and acts like you'll never notice what he's doing. That day he caught me in a mixed-goods aisle and he wanted me to buy him a bottle of maple syrup, a potholder, dental floss and a home pregnancy test. He always blesses you, even when you make him take his stuff out of your cart.
Today was the first time I met the new loon. He's a tall thin guy, and at first I mistook him for a regular customer. He came in as I was headed towards the checkout lanes, and got in line behind me holding a bottle of wine. The lines were all hosed up because someone called in sick and someone couldn't stay late to cover and all that happy nonsense that you get when you try to manage a workforce comprised of motivated (hah!) high school dropouts confronted with that inexplicable rush at shift change. Next thing you know, wine-loon is in the managers face about opening up more registers because (as he grandly swept his arm around to include us all), there were important people waiting, and he should treat his customers better. I had to laugh.
The manager grabbed the wine from the loon and shoo'd him out. He came right back in, still incensed about the lines, and this time followed by lady-nut, who was scolding him for bothering people. They were escorted back outside (gently and nicely, kudos to the manager). When I left, lady-nut was on the pay phone (she spends hours talking to herself) and the loon was taking all the carts from the front of the store and neatly putting them in the cart-corral at the farthest end of the parking lot.
Hilarious.
Posted by: Ted at
05:12 PM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (3)
| Add Comment
Post contains 472 words, total size 3 kb.
Posted by: Ted at
05:19 AM | category: Square Pegs
Comments (3)
| Add Comment
Post contains 58 words, total size 1 kb.
March 01, 2006
We won.
The BATFE is expected to appeal, although they're kind of stuck at the moment because in order to adjust their definitions, they'd have to classify other useful things as explosives. Things such as gasoline.
Basically, we've whupped 'em in every battle, but the war ain't over. Soon, hopefully, but the fat lady is still warming up her pipes.
In other rocket-related news, construction has begun on my Level-2 certification rocket. As soon as I get the beastie assembled, I'll post pictures. It's a bigg'un.
More rocket stuffs. BattlePark 2006 will be held again in Culpeper, Virginia on April 22 and 23. This is one of the biggies for the eastern US, with folks from all over attending (including those who say "eh?"). I'm planning on being there for both days.
Let's see... rockets... oh, how's about some hockey? Yepper, my beloved Sharks scored five, count 'em, FIVE power play goals and beat the mighty Detroit Red Wings last night. San Jose needs to rack up some wins to get back into the playoff hunt after their horrible start. They also signed goalie Toskala (maybe you saw him at the Olympics?) to a two-year extension to back up Nabokov (I know you saw him at the Olympics). If the Sharks play well, they'll keep 'em both, but the rumor mill is in high gear because Vesa Toskala is hot property right now (8-0-2 in his last 10 games) and that makes him worth some major trade value.
On the Cult Cinema front, I've been watching, I just haven't been writing! But I hope to remedy that in the near future. Zombies line dancing. That's just a hint.
Speaking of zombies, another couple of chapters of my serial story will be posted "real soon now". Honest. I haven't forgotten the title contest either, so you can sleep at night.
All that and more, coming soon to a Rocket Jones near you!
Posted by: Ted at
11:27 AM | category: Links
Comments (3)
| Add Comment
Post contains 375 words, total size 2 kb.
83 queries taking 0.1539 seconds, 269 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.
