Lesley and I just returned from Las Vegas. It’s such an interesting place. I’ve experienced Vegas so many different ways. I’ve been a resident there. A student there. A bachelor party attendee there. It’s been an Angel Flight destination for me as a pilot. And so on. Vegas can be the most fun you’ll ever have. It can also be… Read more →
I Hate Signature
I don’t use the word “hate” lightly. But I hate Signature Flight Support. I really do. And I’m not the only one. Look at these comments. We’re headed to Las Vegas tomorrow. The plane is in great shape, the weather is good, and I want to fly. But we’re going to drive. I simply cannot bring myself to give this… Read more →
The Real California Budget Problem
Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill today putting a $15 billion bond measure on the March ballot. I’ll be voting a big fat NO on that proposition. And if you live in California, I strongly encourage you to do the same. Why? It’s quite simple. 1. I’ve been voting in California elections since 1989, and every single year there are tens… Read more →
Canadian Fruitcake
Canada has banned fruitcake from their airports because it’s so dense that not even the latest x-ray equipment can see through it. As if anyone needed proof that this “food” was unfit for human consumption, fruitcake now joins lead as the only substances x-ray machines cannot penetrate. I have a feeling the Society for the Protecton and Preservation of Fruitcake… Read more →
Skywagon Christmas Skin
Some people just can’t leave well enough alone. In this case, that someone would be me. So I came up with yet another Christmas skin for the site. What do you think? The image was taken from the Christmas cards I used last year. The aircraft is a Cessna 185 Skywagon. This is what they look like in real life.… Read more →
Yes, They Were First
Ah, I love big anniversaries–they always bring out the crackpots and conspiracy theorists. Whether it’s the Kennedy assassination or the Wright Brothers first flight, there’s never a lack of entertaining material to read. The 100th anniversary of the brothers’ achievement is a week from today and the press has run out of things to talk about. So CNN has picked… Read more →
The Housing Bubble
I recently came across an excellent study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research. It’s fifteen months old, but I think it’s just as valid now. Maybe more so, because real estate prices have continued to escalate since that time. Mr. Baker and I are in violent agreement about quite a few things. His study gives hard numbers to… Read more →
Angel Flight
Yesterday I flew my first Angel Flight in quite a while. Angel Flight is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free transportation to people who are too sick or poor to use the airlines. Angel Flight does a lot of other stuff too. We transported blood after September 11th. We fly human organs. Sometimes we’ll transport a terminal patient’s family… Read more →
The Ultimate Airbag
CNN is reporting that Goodyear’s west coast blimp just crashed. Perhaps “crashed” isn’t the right word. As ususal in these cases, no one died. It’s pretty hard to get killed when your trusty steed is a giant airbag with a cruise speed of 30 mph. These blimps are quite rare, even by aviation standards. Goodyear is one of the best… Read more →
The Pressure of a Name
I recently learned that two of my best friends from college will soon enter the ranks of parenthood! For those of you who don’t know them, this might not make a lot of sense. But since picking out a name can be tough, I took the liberty of putting together a Top 10 list of potential names for the Schulz’s… Read more →