The Beer Garden

I was heading to Dogpile to look up some hand-spinning suppliers, when all of a sudden my computer decided to reboot itself with no input from me.  I’ll grant you it’s 14 years old, and has given remarkably little trouble (except for normal ‘Doze 98 lock-ups, and a modem that likes to disconnect).  But now I find myself just hoping it’ll last till I get my new one Wednesday and get it set up!

Wish me luck, but if I suddenly disappear with no other notice, blame computer failure.

I probably won’t be around very much this weekend; we’re going to be going to a couple of R/C model plane events.

Saturday is Warbirds Over Delaware, which has large to huge warplane models from all eras.  That’s not really my preferred type, but Ron loves them, and I must admit, most of them are quite impressive — some could even be honestly called awesome.  I’m not sure what they’ll have for "extra special" this year — once it was jets, once it was a couple of four-engine bombers.  I’ll take notes, so I can pass the info along to those of you who’re interested.

Then Sunday is the second day of KCAM’s first Quiet Flight Electric Soaring Championships.  (I still question the timing, the same weekend as Warbirds, but what do I know?)  This is the sort of flying I’m interested in, and I’m hoping that watching some experts in action will let me pick up some tips and pointers.

I’ve been told, though, that they sometimes try to con beginners into  trying to fly a contest, so I’m very carefully taking only my Soarstar (in case the contest ends early, and there’s some open flying … the Soarstar does glide very nicely, but no way is it in a contest league … any more than I am!

I spent a good part of yesterday spinning and debating with myself whether or not to comment on current events here at the Beer Garden.  Gods know, there are more than enough political and/or news blogs around, of all philosophical and political shades, and yet another one would be redundant.

On the other hand, I am very interested in current events, and it’s sometimes difficult not to comment — especially right now, with a war going on in the Middle East that could and probably will impact almost every aspect of life here in the US.  A good part of my reluctance has been (and still is) that I simply don’t have the time and patience (or, these days, the simple energy) to take part in the seemingly inevitable arguments that any position on any foreign or domestic policy seems to start.

That said, I decided I’ll comment on that sort of thing from time to time, with the provisos that I probably won’t take part in many discussions, and definitely not anything that devolves into an argument.  As far as comments go, unless they’re abused (cursing, obscenity, name-calling, similar boorish behavior) they’ll be left open on such threads as on all the other ones. 

This is a high-class Beer Garden, thankyouverymuch, and I intend to keep it brawl- and thug-free!