Dear Gadabout Readers

Gadabout is finalizing his first screenplay, Playing Left Field. This endeavor has been taking up quite a bit of his time, and has diverted his attention in the NEAR TERM. He plans on coming back in full strength by November 1. Some updates will be made to the Favorites of the week, maybe a weekly post and continued Polls. Stay tuned.

Sincerely,
Gadabout J Jack

Bifurcation

In the movie, “True Romance,” Christian Slater is out on a date with a hot young chick. The chick says, “There are two types of people in the world, people who like Elvis, and people who like the Beatles. Which are you?” Gadabout sides with the former.

Watching a brief segment of an infomercial on “Time Shares” for vacation homes reminded me of the movie. I thought to myself, Gadabout, there are two types of people in this world; those who buy Time Shares and those who don’t. And the list goes on and on.

Those who ride motorcycles.
Those who golf.
Those who play cards.
Those who drive silly hybrid cars.
Those who drink alcohol.
Those who smoke.
Those who steal.
Those who are honest.
Those who are terrorists.

I think I am really on to something here.

Dear Gadabout Jack: Commuter Airlines

Gadabout has been kicking the idea around of taking a job with the commuter airlines. The below is a response from one of my readers. I respect his clarity on the issue:

Dear Gadabout,
In regards to acquiring a job with the commuters; here is what I think. First of all, and most importantly, your position as a commuter pilot should merely be a stone in the path that is leading you to the acquisition of something far grander in scheme and design. There is no covert wisdom stealthily concealed in this line of reasoning.

Damn near every individual manning a PIC or SIC seat in a commuter aircraft is in one form or another passionately infatuated with the luminous dream of something more. The bigger airplane, the better job, the hotter flight attendants (yea, good luck with that), the bigger paycheck, the grandiose prolific fantasy of strutting through the airport sporting a set of captains bars. You should be no different.

Unfortunately, the management big-wigs who control the purse strings of the various commuter outfits are well aware that their employees are about as permanent as geese moving across an autumn sky. So they don’t pay shit. Ah, but grasshopper, money is ultimately not what we seek. Money is merely one of the many byproducts of achieving an ambition of the soul. With that in mind, if you desire to delve deeper into the profession and have exhausted all personal and individual facets of the general aviation aspiration, then by all means, go forth and reap your victory.

But beware, for there will be a price to pay and sacrifices to make. Based on past conversations with multiple sources, after a while, the job kind of sucks ass. However, if you maintain a distinct clarity of your original vision, then the weight of adversity is merely making you stronger. You’ll be gaining knowledge, reaping dividends on aviation wisdom, and acquiring the much needed hours of experience that other future opportunities will demand. And there may be a hot, naughty flight attendant thrown in there somewhere.

If you have a clear understanding of your goals, then I say do it. The industry is once again gaining momentum and apparently a veritable deluge of opportunity may exist out there for pilots.

That is what I think.

Gadabout Fan

Coffee Drinkers Seek Unusual Ways to Save

Gadabout had his newspaper nearly stolen today by a fellow Starbucks patron. I was sitting in my prime reading seat adjacent to a traditional Starbucks table. The table was littered with various remnants of the local rag and the Times. Remnants that readers discard; like inserts and the classified section that nobody reads. Anyway, this unidentified Dude made a play for my sports section. “Dude,” I said, “That’s mine.”

I ended up giving it to him anyway since I was finished with it. It was like white collar charity--helping those who cannot help themselves in an environment of rising coffee prices. Gadabout is giving in this way. Gadabout cares deeply for his fellow man, unless they are Muslim Terrorists, of course. I wouldn’t offer my sports section to a terrorist, but I don’t think they read the sports section anyway.

Yep, people are quirky these days, and with prices on the rise Americans are turning to petty theft of offset slender budget margins. I am going to leave my papers at Starbucks in the future. The country depends on it.

Family

This is what Gadabout misses not being back in Michigan. Dad on right, Brother Michael, on left. Uncle Jim, Cousin Jimmy and his son, Alex, in the middle. Michigan may be experiencing an economic decline, but the state has something that most other states don't have--water! Michigan is surrounded by fresh water, and someday that water will be a hot commodity. Think about that.

The American League is Locked

An Indian Killed a Tiger

Indians with bats
Beat, hit…killed a Tiger
Faded pennant dreams

Gadabout sadly concedes defeat for his favorite ball club, the Tigers. Well, there is always next year.

It is all about Cleveland, Boston, New York, and LA.

Sadness and shame.

Second Place Finish

Gadabout has finished in second place plenty of times during his life, and to be entirely truthful last place is no stranger. I have never supported the idea of “there is no place for second place!” Hey, somebody has to be “best of the rest!”

As an example, there are 30 MLB baseball clubs. At this time there are about 10 really quality teams in the Majors. Quality with a major “Q.” Teams that have a shot at being number ONE, and win the World Series. That leaves 9 others kicking the dirt, and looking disgraced in the end. But they are all good ball clubs, and in the end it might be one error, one double play, one stolen base that made the difference. Think about that—one play!

“Gadabout, what is your stinking point?” Well, my point is that even though second, third and forth place finishes have merit; those “trophies” should never be displayed for posterity. Sure, winning the Pennet is being number one in a league, and is also second place if you lose the Series. That’s not what I am talking about. I am talking about display cases filled with second, third and “good effort” awards. It is embarrassing, especially when FIRST PLACE trophies are pushed to the back to make room for lower awards. First Place is First Place and should be treated with dignity!

Autumn Rocks

Alongside football and tailgating, autumn peeks its head around the corner and delivers cool air for us to enjoy. Autumn is a pleasant time. Back to school, anticipation of leaves painting colors upon maples and oaks, chili on the stovetop, hunting season nears, and college football. Autumn is the best season of them all.

Spring? Well, spring delivers us from winter, but spring is wet. It rains during springtime—cold rains. Final exams are prepared for in springtime. Spring time is 3rd on my list of seasons.

Summer is a good season. Kids are out of school, so we don’t get speeding tickets in school zones. That is a good thing. Summer is hot, though, and all of the movie theaters are full with those with too much time on their hands seeking air conditioning. The highways are too jammed during summer months with vacationing families. Summer ranks 2nd in my book.

Winter is cold. There are fun things to do during winter months, like skiing and skating and such. But we avoid winter by traveling to warmer climates to escape the cold. Winter is dark. Winter ranks last.

Yep, it is all about autumn. Autumn is the only season with a nickname—Fall. Autumn is indeed special. Enjoy your Fall!

A Better Fly Trap

Gadabout believes that the world needs better fly traps. I was at the local 7-11 the other day and they were using flypaper strips with images of flies printed on it. It was sort of disgusting, and certainly not very appetizing for someone intent on stuffing a “big bite” into their pie hole. Flies suck.

I did some surfing last week and noted a few interesting and promising websites, but most contraptions were very expensive. The UK seems to have the lead on elite fly traps, but the models offered still had to be emptied. The cheaper versions rely on a special light source to attract the nasty little critters, and after lured, a sticky paper is used to trap them. Yep, you have to remove the paper by hand—screw that!

The world needs a black box that is 99% user friendly. The box should be the size of a toaster, be colored black, have a single entry hole, and emptying should be a snap. The user should only empty a non-toxic, light colored ash into the trash. Simple! Put the word out.

Gadabout is on Travel

Since Gadabout has taken a job, and is no longer hanging out on the beach everyday; you may not see a daily post. Fear not. I have a plan! Gadabout will be taking selected "shorts" and publishing them under the name of "Gadabout (your name here)." If interested, email submissions with file photo, and I'll make final selections. Are you up to the task?

Gadabout Jack

The Foundation of our Present War

One of Gadabout’s readers sent this photo and I thought it would serve well as an example of why we are at war. Yes, we are at war. We are engaged in a world wide religious war with our peaceful Muslim brothers. Our brothers who practice genocide, suicide bombings, killing of innocents and torture; all in the name of their god, allah. Jihad! Kill the infidels and Jews!


12 September, 2007

Dear Mohammad,

Sorry, Mohammad, but we (mainly those of Christian faith) will continue to defend ourselves and our homeland. We will maintain a strong presence in the heart of your holy lands; Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Northern Africa, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf. We will seek you out and hold you and your filthy kind accountable. You will likely die for your actions. If you surrender, and lay down your arms and seek peace; we will offer peace in return. But we will never surrender to you. It’s your choice—peace or death.

Peace,
Gadabout J Jack

News Flash—Nothing Matters but the Nukes

Gadabout doesn’t see much importance in the war in Iraq, world oil supplies, the balance of power in Washington, illegal immigration, Social Security and trade imbalances with Asia. The only, and often forgotten and neglected, player in world harmony is the threat of nuclear weapons. Yep, the E equals MC squared big boom.

The world will shift regarding oil usage. We’ll be forced to adjust our habits, like smokers are when forced outside bars and restaurants to light up. This shift will be insidious. It will occur over time, and will cause some hardships. But we adjust to hardships. We always do.

The war in Iraq? The war will find a path forward too. Sure, it is a big problem and people are dying, but people die everyday. 16,000 Americans are murdered every year. People murder people everyday. Murder is not newsworthy. Genocide has always been swept under the rug since the beginning of time. The world is always at war. Evil leaders will always find a pathway to power. Evil is always defeated in the end. The war will fizzle away. Fires always fade.

13 million illegal aliens? So what? America will deal with this issue over time. Perhaps someday, we’ll be fleeing south over the border. Ask yourself, are Mexicans truly affecting your life in a negative manner? Don’t let the pundits scare you. I fear power mongers in DC and the talking heads more than I do a Mexican putting a new roof on my house.

Social Security? Hey, we are already a socialistic society, despite the claims of the opposite. We’ll find a way to care for people that need care. Americans are good at this, because Americans are good people.

Trade imbalances? Americans are free thinkers, creative and determined. We are a wealthy nation. We like our money and lifestyles. We’ll always move forward.

Regardless of all, though, there is only one real threat that we cannot counter. That threat is a nuclear weapon. Blow up another building with a jet liner, and we’ll just build another. Blow up an oil refinery, and we’ll build another. But if we are hit with a nuke, we are truly screwed. Nukes are powerful weapons. We ended a war with Japan in a few short days with the power of nukes. The Japanese fell to their knees and we accepted their surrender. Then we rebuilt Japan. We shaped a better Japan. If a rouge nation were to nuke us, they might just decide to keep going. Think about that. We accepted Japan’s surrender, but a radical leader might just snicker and keep hitting the red button. Nothing matters more than nukes in the hands of evil. I spell evil I-R-A-N.

Inequality in Women’s Athletics

Since passage of Title IX in 1972, women have enjoyed equal access to high school and college sports opportunities as their male counterparts: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." Okay, fair enough, women weren’t achieving symmetry with men in the number scholarships available, the choice of sporting programs was less, and they didn’t hit the television waves much. That is all changed today.

Today, women compete in lacrosse, field hockey, swimming, golf, basketball, tennis and softball. They play just about every sport except football and baseball. And who knows, that may even change down the road over time. Title IX has had its ups and downs over time, but it seems to be a good thing and has leveled the playing field. The playing field may be level, but the fields are still different. These differences confound Gadabout.

Why do woman only play 3 sets in tennis, while men endure 5? Is this because woman are weaker than men and don’t have the endurance to play 5 sets? Where is the equality?

Why are there red tees in golf? Red Tees are for woman. Red Tees are closer to the Green. Are woman so weak that a 50 yard advantage is required over men?

Woman play “softball” and men play “hardball.” Softball is played on a smaller field and uses a bigger ball. Why is this? Yes, it is fun to watch the hotties play for the National Title, but it is still softball.

I suppose that there are other examples of unequal playing fields, but my point is made. Woman demand equality, but they openly insist on advantages over men with the playing fields and rules. Equal? Not yet. Women need to try a bit harder in the future before high-five-in their “sisters.”

Michigan State vs. Michigan Football - Civil War

Gadabout is posting this video as an example of one of the most exciting football rivalries in the history of the game. The music is suitable for UVA Fans and should serve as guidance for their football program. MSU and U of M have hated each other since before Christ was a baby.

UVA Fight Song is Weak: "Good Old Song"

Gadabout attended the UVA vs. Duke Football game today. UVA won by a score of 24-13. It was an uneventful game, but I was Glad UVA prevailed because I am now a Virginian of sorts. But Gadabout would like to offer some advice to the UVA football program—replace your depressing touchdown song with something inspirational. Gadabout attended Michigan State University where he enjoyed many fine and enthusiastic games; especially the 1978/79 Big Ten winning season. Okay, we were on probation at the time for recruiting violations, but we kicked ass all the same.

At MSU we go crazy when the team scores. We play a fight song that is bold and strikes fear into the hearts and minds of the opponents. It ends with “Victory for MSU!” Michigan State wins lots of football games, and UVA usually does not. The difference? The fight song. UVA’s fight song sucks. Until they drop that depressing funeral chant, there is no way in hell they will ever field a winner. Nice campus, good people, below average football.

American League Madness

It is not a secret that Gadabout is an enthusiastic baseball fan, which makes him a true American. And like most baseball fans, he is keeping both eyes fixated on divisional and Wild Card outcomes. This has been a fantastic year for baseball fans, especially with the Yankees distant second place performance behind the Red Sox. People are either Yankee fans, or they are Yankee adversaries. There is little middle ground here. Sort of like rock and roll in the 60’s—you either loved it or hated it. Yankee fans are sweating a bit this year, and that is good and wholesome. Beer is wholesome. Whisky is wholesome. Muscle cars are wholesome. And a second place Yankee team is wholesome.

2007 American League Baseball

God is good
God is great
Thank you for a Yankee team
Staring at an empty plate!

Okay, what will the outcome be? The Mariners have stumbled of late with a 1-9 last ten games winning streak. They have a three game stint in Detroit that will have lasting affects on the wild card outcome.

Cleveland is on the road for three games against the Western division LAA leaders, and if Cleveland stumbles their hold on the Central Division will be challenged.

Boston and NY are playing high school teams Baltimore and KC and are keeping pace within the East.

Which four teams will be left standing?

Gadabout’s Polls

When Gadabout first started posting polls there seemed like a lot of interest, but lately the numbers are down. I am wondering if there are problems with the polls, or if the readers are not interested. With 100 hits a day on this site I am curious as to why poll taking is down. Should Gadabout continue taking polls?

Fred Thompson Presidential Announcement on Tonight Show

Gadabout finds this character interesting as a presidential candidate. He seems real and genuine. He looks presidential. Your thoughts?

Things That Are Bad

This is a picture of what pilots don't like to see.

USA Economy

Gadabout is concerned about the economy since all the talking heads are raising concern over the war, fuel prices, home loans, stocks and bond markets and hurricane season. There seems to be a shortage of good news out and about. So Gadabout wonders if bad news is impending, or are we just complaining and driving our economy into ruin by worrying and running for cover?

Back to school buying may be weak this year, which I find strange since we have a growing population.

Housing is a mess with a glut of properties vacant, which I find strange since we have a growing population and Americans trend to live alone more and more.

The war has lost its luster, but signs of success are popping up here and there.

We are approaching the peak of the hurricane season, but have yet to be hit by a single storm.

Gadabout may have to concede that all is not well in America for the simple reason that I am told so. What do you think? Are storm clouds on the horizon?

Tobacco Use Win-Win

Barack, the smoker!
Gadabout has been keeping his keen eye on the dwindling number of restaurants and pubs that allow smoking. Some establishments self impose non smoking guidelines in pursuit of patrons turned off by smelly, smoke filled rooms. More often, though, state and municipal regulatory statutes clamp down in efforts to protect society from the effects of second-hand smoke, and to thwart destructive smoking habits. Gadabout buys into both programs.

The public should be offered smoke free environments for dining and drinking. Few would challenge this position, but there are those who desire to smoke and drink since smoking and drinking are closely related. So my question is why haven’t state and local governments seen the revenue potential of smoking in bars? We tax alcohol and tobacco at the retail level, but we only tax alcohol at bars and restaurants in the form of liquor licenses. Why not sell smoking licenses for drinking establishments? Hey, an indoor smoking license might fetch upwards of $20,000 for a large, high volume operation!

Yes, the cost of beer, wine and spirits would increase in “smoking” venues, but I don’t think smokers would care much. Add on an extra 25 cents for a beer and move on with business. Governmental decision makers could easily control the number of smoking licenses to ensure a balanced selection of smoking and non smoking locations for citizens. Money is to be made here. Non smokers would benefit from increased tax revenues, and smokers would win from not being forced out onto streets and into alleyways.