I couldn’t agree more, I will let my sister Melissa, the Illinois politician, know that you nominated her.I think she could get elected, her only liability is a jackass politically incorrect brother in Florida.-ww
“Indeed William, where do we get such men and women? Certainly we can cite many reasons relating to upbringing, family, culture, experience. faith. One place they don’t come from is selfishness. Being a veteran Charles knew what service was and the calling that goes with it even to ultimate sacrifice standing in the breech.
Likewise building airplanes and engines can’t be a selfish enterprise. Where there is success it is because folks listen to and help each other and pay attention to solid information which at times has been gained at great cost. To the question some ask about building the response is simple; why not give it a try? They’re often expecting a defensive answer and instead they have to think. -Harold”
601XL Builder/flyer Dr. Gary Ray writes:
“Any person or group that attacks innocent, unarmed soft targets looses all rights to claim any violation of their own individual rights as this makes the claims hypocritical while trashing the individual rights of others. It is like profanity, a feeble mind trying to act forcefully. Also, an act of cowardice.”
Builder Dan Branstrom writes:
“I rarely pass on anything that has been forwarded multiple times, unless I can go to the source and verify it, and I’ve fact checked it. [Jokes excluded].
What I usually find is that a quote didn’t come from the person who “said” it, that things stated as “facts” started out as opinions expressed by some columnist years ago, and, for propaganda purposes, lies are mixed with truth to make them appear plausible. Sometimes, the sources cited turn out to say exactly the opposite of what the email claims they did. I used to email a reply to the earliest person who forwarded it, but I got accused of being an evil person involved in some international conspiracy at best. I now only reply to the last person who forwarded it to me. We’re friends, and they understand that I want truth and honest discourse, and that even if we disagree, we’ll stay friends.”
“William, I am sure that Vern’s sock was not the only item of apparel that got soaked! I am glad to hear that both of you are safe. Please make sure and keep an eye out for Scoob E. Semper Fi, Terry Hand”
Zenith builder Larry MaGruder writes:
“We have a good number of all four here in Texas, too. Still don’t like them.”
Builder “Jeffeoso” writes:
“I do beg to differ – Texas has all four native poisonous species as well…”
Hey, learned something new, you Texans are right. When it gets to the point of stepping on them in the hangar, they seem pretty dense here. Hope they are a little thinner in your state.-ww.
Pietenpol builder Jon Coxwell writes:
“I am mostly scared to death of snakes. I learned that from my mom. She dislikes all creepy crawly thing. Prior to WWII my father flew sub patrol with B-17s in central America. My mom followed him from airfield to airfield all over central America. One night while driving they ran over a boa and my dad decided he wanted the snake (probably for the skin). He went out into the jungle on the side of the road with a flash light and his army issue .45 until he found the head and he shot it. My mother had to help him stuff the shake into the trunk of the car. She never forgot that. That is a cool vehicle! Is it licensed as a car, airplane, or Motorcycle?”
Jon, Vern’s creation is a motorcycle in Florida. We have no emissions nor inspections here, and you can license just about anything you wish to drive. Combine this with no state income tax and it all seems like a great deal until you come back to the snake thing. For more on the trike, check this link:Vern’s Aero-Cars , (hit F5 if the pictures are small.)
Pietenpol builder Harold Bickford writes:
“In the wall Street Journal under economy the 6/3 issue has an article about the increasingly risk averse culture. It seems too many folks do’t even want to try, instead looking for elusive security. Fortunately here at flycovair people aren’t so timid and are willing to investigate and do.- Harold”
Harold, Vern is the only guy here willing to dance on poisonous snakes, He sets the standard.-ww
Zenith 601XL builder/flyer Ron Lendon writes:
“WW, I thought being your neighbor might be fun, now I’m not so sure.”
Ron, we should have draped the carcass on my neighbors ‘For sale’ real estate sign to hear how his agent would explain it to potential buyers.-ww
Cruiser builder Sarah Ashmore writes:
“When I was young while on an evening walk with my father I almost stepped on a Copperhead that was in the laying middle of the street. I had never seen a live snake and assumed that it was dead like every other one I had ever seen. My father was far more aware of the dangers then I was and I remember a very strong grip taking me by the shoulder and yanking me back before the snake had become aware of my approach and become defensive. A single whack with a convenient branch dispatched the threat and I have never been so casual again when out amongst nature. The funny thing is that my professional career has returned me now to the city of my youth and with a storm drainage ditch in my back yard I maintain a constant vigil for anything that might be a snake. With all the years I lived in Florida I saw but one rattlesnake and a single Corral Snake. “Red touches Yellow, kill a fellow, Red touches Black, friend of Jack” was the guideline I kept in mind to be sure I did not mistake the deadly Corral Snake from the beneficial King Snake.”
Zenith 750 Builder Dan Glaze writes:
“they say that everyone has a double, ole Vern sure looks a lot like Albert standing there, dan-o”
Builder Dan Branstrom writes:
“I ate water moccasin (aka cottonmouth) on land survival at Eglin AFB, 45 years ago, along with poke salad, palmetto hearts, and even wood rat. All I can remember is, just like the cliche, it tasted somewhat like chicken. Somebody else had gigged it swimming in the water. He nailed it in the body, and the snake still tried to climb up the shaft to bite him I sure wouldn’t like to meet one any closer. I know you’ll be careful.”
Parting Shot from Zenith builders Bob and Pat Pustell :
“Hi, William–My birthday may preceded yours by a decade and a half, but I am with you on almost everything you posted lately. I loved my balsa gliders/rubber band airplanes as a kid. I loved my balsa and tissue paper stick built planes even more, but it was more painful when they got wrecked. Great fun and many lessons. The plastic models were fun, too, but you could not fly them.
I loved the old flathead utility engines. My Grandmother’s place had no electricity, kerosene lamps and a Briggs and Stratton powered well pump. Many times, as a remarkably young guy, I had that engine apart and got it running again. It powered that wellpump for many decades. My first hot-rodding project was a cast-off lawn mower. It turned such high revs when we were done with it that we eventually put the rod through the side of the case, but man could that thing cut tall grass at full power!! I could tune up a flathead Ford V8 pretty nicely, also. Small block Chevies were my stock in trade in later years, however.
Stick and Rudder was my first and is still my favorite aviation book. Anything by Ernie Gann is right up there, too. I never met Ernie but I flew with guys who did know him from when he worked for my airline. Even second-hand, I enjoyed the glow……… Before the airline, I flew in the Air Force with Medal of Honor winners, regular guys, everyday heroes. We have a wonderful country going here. Let’s keep it that way.
Oh, about those big nasty venomous snakes in your area — I moved to northern New England to retire for a reason — I had enough of those nasty creatures in southeast asia and the southwest desert of the US. Come on up and join us. The winters are not as bad as people would make you think. The rest of the year is wonderful and we do not do venom, tornadoes, major hurricanes or earthquakes.
Best wishes to you and Grace and ScoobE, Bob and Pat Pustell”
