Congratulations, Sen. Schumer. You’re now at the top of my shit list. Via AVweb: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) claims New York City is being shortchanged on security by the existence of the uncontrolled VFR corridor and he believes the Big Apple deserves the same sort of GA ban that Washington, D.C., has. “If they can do it for Washington, they… Read more →
The Orange County Coastline
My hangar is kind of a melancholy place these days, as it seems I’ve found a buyer for Nine-Four-Mike. A nice guy whose name also happens to be… Mike. Anyway, I’ve been thinking about what I’ll miss most once she’s sold. “Ground visibility” is definitely near the top of the list. For sightseeing, there’s nothing quite like a 100 or… Read more →
Multi-Engine Instrument Rating
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment that comes when, after a tough checkride, an examiner reaches over from the right seat to shake your hand and says, “Congratulations — you passed!” That’s the feeling I had this past Tuesday when I recieved my multi-engine rating. I’d almost forgotten how nice it was. Read more →
The Moore You Know
Perhaps it was David Brooks who summarized Michael Moore best. In a June 26th op-ed column for the New York Times, he wrote: Like Hemingway, Moore does his boldest thinking while abroad. For example, it was during an interview with the British paper The Mirror that Moore unfurled what is perhaps the central insight of his oeuvre, that Americans are… Read more →
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Well, it’s official. God has forsaken the civilized world. I know this because I just saw the first Christmas decoration of the 2004 season in a store. On July 7th. To be fair, it was an online store. Specifically Hallmark.com’s free e-card section. But if it’s being done online today, you know it’s only a matter of time before early… Read more →
Fore!
Paul and I played nine holes today at Aliso Creek, a golf course tucked in a small canyon just off Pacific Coast Highway in South Laguna Beach. Our timing was perfect: right after a long weekend. There were very few people there and we were able to play the course as a twosome instead of being paired with other players.… Read more →
Now We’re Cookin’!
I used to think I was a mediocre cook. But a new stove–indeed, a whole new kitche–might be causing me to reconsider. Read more →
Open That Wallet
It must feel great spending ten thousand dollars to attend a fundraiser only to be told that you aren’t paying enough. Hillary Clinton told several hundred supporters — some of whom had ponied up as much as $10,000 to attend — to expect to lose some of the tax cuts passed by President Bush if Democrats win the White House… Read more →
Sex, Drugs, and…. Mozart?
I’ve never been a big fan of Mozart operas. Now before you recoil in horror, I’ll freely admit that people far more erudite than I find his work to be the most well-crafted in the entire operatic repertoire. But to me, the stories and music of that period just don’t measure up to the more fully developed (though less structured)… Read more →
Birthday Fun
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas. I’m talking about June. It’s Lesley’s birthday–time to celebrate! And we did. But it started out on somewhat of a bad note. We’d previously planned to spend the whole day at Disneyland, but I later realized that the Opera Pacific “Opera Under the Stars” concert was that evening at… Read more →