Zing

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Everything posted by Zing

  1. The DC-3 at Eloy is N86584 and is a different airframe than Hour Douglas. Zing Lurks
  2. I'd bet that photo was taken at the Cal City Airport, but I couldn't even guess when. Jan Aarvik owned it while it was hauling jumpers. I think he still has it, along with a turbine conversion 3 he operates. The airplane was once owned by John Travolta before it descended into jumping. It wasn't the fastest climbing DC-3 I ever flew. Zing Lurks
  3. How about the secondary market on these? Y'know, hammers and spikes, crossed wooden beams, a spear, a sponge and a cup for the vinegar. Hey, I know, how's about The Rolling Rock Sepulcher Lego kit ... and a shroud, can't forget the shroud. It could also be used to cover the toy Harley. Since the markey tanked on GI Joe a few years ago, they could recycle them as Roman soldiers. Zing Lurks
  4. Nah, she's got a much cuter ass than me. Zing Lurks
  5. Ever tried eating soup with a knife and fork? Zing Lurks
  6. A somewhat lengthy, but entertaining missive about the months of the calender originally part of a response written to a question for an in-house publication for Horizontal Airlines. The author has been dEd fro as long as I've known him. But about all our screwed up months, especially February. That's a rather good story. I guess it starts with what a month is supposed to be in the first place. "Month" and "moon" are related as a measure of time. When a new moon is first seen, it appears as a thin crescent just after sunset. As the moon moves away from the sun in the following days, more of the sunlit side is seen, and the crescent fills out. When the moon reaches opposite the sun, we see the full sunlit disk. The disk then begins to flatten, then a crescent, then the crescent disappears in the sun, reappears on the other side as a thin crescent just after sunset, and a lunar month has passed. And the cycle repeats. The moon orbits the earth in about 27 and a half days. But because the earth is moving in its' own solar orbit, the moon has to go another two days to reach the same earth, sun geometry, and look the same. Since looking at the moon is what we do, or did before electric lights and television, the moon appears to orbit every 29 and a half days, a lunar month. A good moon watcher could tell what day it was in a lunar month by the shape of the sunlit part, and it's position against the background stars. Though we may think of the moon as stationary when looking at it, it actually moves a full diameter against the background stars every hour. (Here's one of those bet you two bits you won't believe it questions. How long does it take the moon to move a full diameter in the sky from earth's rotation? Two minutes. Almost exactly. Though moon motion is readily seen at the horizon, atmospheric effects make it look a lot slower.) Until recently, moon watching was an important method for tracking time. Though it can be overdone. If you get too much lunar light, you could become a "lunatic". But keeping track of the solar year, on which the seasons depend, was much more important. Tracking the seasons, was critical for success at agriculture. Without a Safeway around the corner, this could be a life and death matter for ancient peoples. This solar year is about 365 days, six hours long. But a lunar year is only 354 days. (12 lunar months of 29 and a half days each.) This makes coordinating moon watching and solar year tracking a big problem over time, and the ancients put much effort into trying to do it. Because accurate solar year tracking was important for survival, it was relegated to that special cast, the high priests. Throughout human history the high priests, Buddhist monk, Catholic bishop, Shinto priest, the African witchdoctor, Indian medicine man, etc., have all had pretty much the same functions in their societies. One of these was the keeping of the calendar. As with a carnival barker, skill at chicanery often affected the perceived level of success. But the high priests were usually the more intelligent, and were the scientists, doctors, and astronomers. So how did the high priests get twelve lunar months, 354 days, aligned with the 365 plus day solar year? One system used with some success was an eight-year period in which 99 moon cycles occurred, with an error of about a day and a half. That is, in eight solar years, 99 lunar months occurred. A month error would build up about every 160 years. A more accurate system that appears frequently in ancient history was the 19 solar year cycle, in which 235 moon cycles occurred. It has an error of only about two hours in 19 years, about the best the ancients could do, and quite acceptable at the time. The Chinese may have been the first, more than 4000 years ago. They called it the "chang". (I know. The Chinese call everything 'chang'. No I can't prove it, but that's what I've read.) The Hindus and Babylonians used it. There is evidence that the Maya, an ancient people of the central Americas, used it too. The Anacazii, an advanced society in the American southwest, may have employed it as well. Both the Greeks and the Romans discovered the 19 solar year, 235 moons relationship independently. But for the Romans, it appears the discovery was made about the same time they got it from the Babylonians. This was important because the Romans employed it the way the Babylonians did. In the Babylonian calendar, each month was one moon cycle. Of the 19 years in the cycle, 13 years were 12 moons. The other six years were 13 moons, spaced about every three years. The exact years that had 13 moons were quite specific. Except for the two-hour error every 19 years, the calendar never got more than 20 days ahead or behind the solar year. In a recent survey of great minds and thinkers, a question asked was what are the ten most important books in human history. The results varied of course. The Bible was a frequent choice. But the most frequently mentioned was The History of the Holy Roman Empire. Rome was established in 754 BC. Maybe 753 BC. (We really don’t know. But this is close.) The first emperor was Romulus. Which is why we call it Rome, and the people, Romans. The original Roman calendar only had ten months. The first month of the year was March, for Mars, the Roman god of war. (We might have had a day of the week named Marsday. But that went to the Saxon god of war, Tiw. The third day of the week is Tuesday.) There was however, good reason to make March the first month of the year. The days are getting longer, and about March 21, the daylight starts getting longer than night. This is about when the winter weather starts to break, and one could start doing the things needed to survive another year. What better time to start the new year. With March the first month of the year, that made September the seventh. September, October, November, December. Seven, eight, nine, ten. From the Latin words, septem, octo, novem, decem. The original Roman calendar had only ten months. They ignored the next two lousy weather months, not even named, and just allowed that time to pass. And then started a new year with March again. The next Roman Emperor Numa Pompilus, moved the start of the new year to the end of December. There was good reason to start the New Year here too. From late June the days start getting shorter. They finally stop getting shorter about December 22. If the days did not stop getting shorter, we would all die. In virtually all societies in human history, there was great relief, and celebration, when the days stopped getting shorter. With the days getting longer again, the weather would eventually improve, and one would at least have the opportunity to survive another year. It is no accident that so many of our holidays, celebrations, partying, and general whooping it up is done when the days stop getting shorter. We celebrate Christmas on December 25. We really don't have a clue what day Christ was born. We don't even know the year. But it fits nicely with when we do our serious partying. Even that most important celebration of all, Superbowl Sunday, is in the same timeframe. Anyway, Emperor Numa proclaimed the start of the year to be January first. He named the month January, for the oldest Roman god, Janus, and an appropriate choice. Janus had a face on the back of his head, as well as on the front. He could see back into the past as well as look into the future at the same time. Passing through this gateway into the New Year, people sought to improve themselves, much like we might check ourselves in the mirror before stepping out to greet our customers. At New Year's, the citizens might clean their houses, make amends with their neighbors, settle personal differences, pay their debts, etc. We still follow this tradition today with new-year's resolutions, which don't work very well either. But you still personally know a Janus. He has a hundred keys ring on his belt. It’s his indication of authority about what he does. You rely on him to let you in and out of buildings, and to maintain them as well. It’s where we get our word ‘janitor.’ The start of the New Year bounced between March and January as various attempting rulers slugged it out. About 150 BC for the last time, the new year start was set on one January, although another source says Julius Caesar did the final move about a hundred years later, along with other calendar rearranging. I said the Romans adopted the Babylonian calendar. This worked well, as long as the plan, cut in stone (literally) was followed. There was one minor but significant difference. The high priests charged with the keeping of the calendar, were now elected political officials. Though the order of the twelve and thirteen month years was cut in stone, it was still the function of the high priests to make the declaration, with great fanfare and pompous formality. And much like our political conventions today, have little to do with the reality. If their party was in power, it would be a 13 month year. If the opposing party was in power, it would be proclaimed a 12 month year (The elections came up sooner). Political deals, payoffs, bribes, etc. became part of the process. As a result the calendar was gyrating all over the place. In 46 BC the calendar was 80 days ahead of the sun. Julius Ceasar was in charge. A bit of an amateur astronomer, he was getting tired of these shenanigans. During a trip to Egypt, he was impressed with the simplicity of the Egyptian calendar. The Egyptian year was 12 thirty-day months; 360 days, plus five days added on at the end of the year for partying, 365 days. (As previously noted, all societies party when the days stop getting shorter.) The Egyptian calendar was simple because around 3000 BC, they quit trying to keep the solar and lunar years aligned. They didn't need the moon. The only thing that mattered was the annual flooding of the Nile delta. The annual flood spread rich nutrients on the farmland, which in turn produced a good harvest. The precursor of the delta flood was the star Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Sirius is a winter star, dominating the long winter nights. The name, Sirius (Egyptians called it Sothis) means shimmering, or searing. Not a big star, its' brightness is due to its' close proximity, a mere 50 trillion miles. As winter turns to spring, Sirius moves closer toward the Sun. When Sirius is only visible a short while after sunset, the flood is coming. As Sirius merges with and is lost in the Suns' glare, it was believed that the searing heat of Sirius, merging with the Suns' heat caused the heat of summer. Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major, the great dog, companion of Orion the hunter. Thus "the dog days of summer". (I didn't make this up. Really.) Arf! The Egyptians had also long known that the solar year was a quarter day more than 365 days. But they simply didn't care. The only thing that mattered was the annual flood, precursed by the star Sirius approaching the sun. Julius Ceasar was so impressed, he brought an Egyptian astronomer home with him to help straighten out the calendar in Rome, instituting the Julian calendar. He let 46 BC run 445 days to realign the calendar with the sun, known for obvious reason as the year of confusion. Conferring with his Egyptian, Ceasar confirmed the solar year six hours longer than 365 days, and instituted leap year every four years. But instead of 12 thirty day months, and five days added on for celebration as the Egyptians had done, Ceasar sprinkled the five days through the year, making five months of 31 days, and seven months of 30. And they continued to party at the end of the year anyway. (All societies party when the days stop getting shorter.) Having done all this great stuff, Julius Ceasar decided to rename a month in honor of himself. Now if you could name a month for yourself, what would it be? Certainly not February. The seventh month is quite arguably the nicest month of the year. Past the summer solstice, it has nice long warm summer days. Sure enough, Julius Ceasar renamed the seventh month July, after himself, Julius. And that is how July got its name. But alas, the new July had only 30 days, while five others now had 31. A ruler should not have a lessor month. That was easy enough to fix. He made July 31 days. By stealing a day from February. Why February? The state of Alaska has a suicide rate that is about average. But in February the suicide rate spikes significantly. The long, cold, dark winters with everyone holing up awaiting better weather, starts affecting people, a condition known as cabin fever. The Romans, which had originally ignored the first two months altogether because the weather is lousy, still considered February a bad month. Unlucky. In a politically estute and publicly popular move, Julius Ceasar reduced the peoples' exposure to the unlucky month of February, by making it 29 days, and granting himself the 31day month of July. This was now 45 BC. You may recall that in 44 BC, a guy named Brutis got into the act (“et to Brute?”). He along with maybe a dozen others murdered Julius Ceasar. A bloody civil war ensued for 13 years. Julius Ceasar's adopted son, Agustus, finally prevailed. And then pulled the same stunt as his stepfather. Not wishing to upstage Julius Ceasar, who was still popular, Agustus Ceasar renamed the next month August, for himself, Agustus. And that is how August got its name. But alas, the newly named month of August likewise had only 30 days. Having placed himself beneath his stepfather Julius, he decided his month should have 31 days to. Where did he get the extra day? Any idiot could guess. February! In another politically estute and publicly popular move, he further reduced the people's exposure to the unlucky month of February, by making it 28 days, and his newly named month of August, 31 days. And that is how we got our screwed up calendar. Seven months of 31 days, four months of 30 days, and that unlucky month of February at 28 days. And July and August the only two months in the year with back to back 31 days, never mind the moon, and we party at the end of the year no matter what. It's the politicians. The dang politicians. They screw up everthing! Even the calendar. Zing Lurks
  7. $4 mil would buy a big-ass pile of styrofoam packing peanuts. Then you just need O2 breathing equipment so you don't suffocate before the ground crew digs you out of the pile. Zing Lurks
  8. Gear monkey ... gear up, flaps up, shut up! Zing Lurks
  9. No, no, no ... How can you have the neatest, keenest color-coordinated flashy, greatest, latest best thing you can have gear unless you buy the newest micro-mini high-impactor crater-making spare, so ya'll can be the coolest looking one at the dropzone ... besides, the smaller and lighter your gear is, the more lead you can pack on for free-falling. Remember boys and girls, it ain't free, and it ain't falling. I once calculated that an average load of jumpers in a DC-3 was carrying between 300 and 400 pounds of lead shot in weight vests and weight belts. Zing Lurks
  10. By God, there I am again, in photo #1 ... and you got my best side, again. Zing Lurks
  11. Jan ... I think you're just wasting time with this one. Zing Lurks
  12. Its a Lockheed 10, same type of airplane Amelia Earhart disappeared in. I don't remember where that load was done ... South Carolina maybe? Zing Lurks
  13. Hey, I think I spoted me in photo #3, lower right corner, no shirt, gray shorts, long blond hair. It was the third time in my life I had a great time at ZHills. Zing Lurks
  14. I was thinking that it reminded me of a Norseman on floats that I managed to finagle about 20 minutes of stick time in up in Canada. The Norseman wasn't the only airplane with a throw-over yoke, though. Zing Lurks
  15. I used to advise Albaquerque Center "meatballs away" now and then. Zing Lurks
  16. The clip filmed over Ghoulidge by Boenish didn't have anyone named Mike Lee on the load. It was Fred (Dirty Fred) Grant, in a blue jumpsuit, who smacked into the tailplane. Left a small dent in the leading edge and a bruise on the under side of Fred's left arm. He said it would'a killed a normal man. I was the one hanging off the handle right behind the door. There were hang loads done all over the place after the Ghoulidge pictures got around. *Actually, "No Frills Flight" was the title on a poster of the second hang load done on a Twin Beech at Ghoulidge. Tony Gonzales photograohed it and had it printed. He had to reshoot because he sold the rights to the first hang load poster to the Arizona Republic newspaper and it was published as a cover shot for the Sunday supplement magazine they printed. Carl Boenish saw the poster and arranged to shoot movies of it. dEd Dugan flew the load and Bullit Bob flew the Cessna 182 camera ship. We did three loads, and on each load one or two jumpers, including me, jumped Boenish's cameras. On the load were, Carl Smith, Steve Noonan, Steve McNeil, Ron Lugginbill, Danny Peters, Fred Grant, Denise Death, Audie ??, Gilles Ploufe, Sally Rogers, John Janes and me. Zing Lurks
  17. That was a gas at ZHills that year, but I'm hoping to live long enough to see a boogie with a fleet of Beseler's DC-3 turbine conversions. I'd REALLY like to get me some stick time in one of those. Zing Lurks
  18. "OMFG low RAF pass. Watch the third plane go by: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IwplA7_4lU " Re: Flybys ... You ain't scaring anybody if you ain't scaring yourself. Zing Lurks
  19. I wasn't there, but what I recall is that the prop walked through and injured two people. Seems to me Bullet Betty from Northern California suffered a broken leg. I don't remember the guy's name, but I was told that the guy who sued was standing up with his wrist through an overhead strap. When the load shifted, his wrist stayed put and a lot of joints, tendons and nerves were torn. He got a settlement, but I don't recall how much, and was villified by the jump community. I haven't seen Chris Price since he was flying a fire tanker out of Coolidge in the early 80s. Zing Lurks
  20. I'm not real up on Geckos, but it probably eats bugs, like crickets, that you can buy in many pet store chains. It needs an environment with about a 60% relative humidity. It also needs things to climb on, like a stick or two, plastic plant leaves, etc. It definitely needs a source of fresh water. A large, flat water dish helps keep the humidity up in the critter's tank, too. Any big pet store will have eveything you need, and a whole lot of stuff you won't. It probably likes the temperature to be nice and warm. If you keep your place 70 or above during the winter, it'll be okay. If your place is regularly cooler than that, there are "hot" rocks and small heat pads, but sometimes they end up cooking the critter. I'm sure you'll find a suitable "everything you need to know about geckos" website. I know a bunch of folks who keep tarantulas and lots of them keep reptiles, too, so good information shouldn't be hard to find. Zing Lurks
  21. Dennis Jett lives at Elroy and keeps the DC-3 flying. Zing Lurks
  22. I've met both of them. They're both decent fellows who have accomplished amazing things. Neither of them suffer fools gracefully. Zing Lurks
  23. Some of those jumpsuits look like The Flying Farkles. Zing Lurks