Tomorrow is my birthday.
I like to joke that it’s my 1 millionth birthday, but I’ve made that joke for several years now, so I must be at least 1,000,003.
As long as I’m picking numbers, I’d prefer a prime number. But whaddya know, 1,000,003 is prime, so that’ll be the new age I claim.
How did I get so old?
Actually, I’ll be 68. Leaving a prime year—67—for an age that’s divisible by 4 and 17.
When the weather forecast suggests a 50% chance of rain tomorrow, it means this:
In the past when conditions were similar to today, it rained tomorrow 50% of the time.
What this doesn’t tell you is how often it will rain tomorrow: will you have periods of an hour or two with no showers?
But just as you’re thinking about this you notice that the wind is forecast for 10, 20, 30mph during various parts of the day.
So even though the sun is shining for a moment right now I won’t try to fly today.
Instead, I’ve returned to assembling my T-Rex 450 kit.
From “The War of the Worlds” by H. G. Wells, performed by Orson Welles & the Mercury Theatre, broadcast on CBS Radio Sunday, October 30, 1938:
We know now that in the early years of the twentieth century this world was being watched closely by intelligences greater than man’s, and yet as mortal as his own. We know now that as human beings busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinized and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinize the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.
My goal for 2008 is to become a proficient helicopter flyer. I’m starting from zero—perhaps less than zero, since I found learning to fly a fixed wing plane so difficult. But after two and a half years I’ve become a capable airplane flyer, and I’d like to stretch my horizon.
In the year 2007, I accomplished two compatible goals: I trained myself to fly lower and much closer. I’m now very comfortable with that style of flying.
I also learned how to fly inverted, another early aspiration.
Inspired by Danh Le’s slingshot-spinning reel hybrid, I searched and found a commercial unit on the web for $89.95 here.
But that seemd unreasonably pricey, so I went shopping.
A trip to Sports Authority yielded the following:
At home I found a 7-inch-long scrap of black acrylic. I drilled six holes, used two pop rivets and two black cable ties and, 30 minutes later, produced the Fetchomatic 3000.
The sky is filling with clouds and we expect rain tonight and tomorrow, so no field trials for at least a day or two.
I look forward to nicer weather and trees filled with planes. 
Red Funjet. Browse 1437 pictures in the Photos section, updated Aug 27.
No title (5/12/06)
