Do you remember when Larry Walters flew across the flight path of Los Angeles International Airport? Walters made the news because his aircraft was made from an ordinary lawn chair and 42 helium-filled weather balloons. Eventually, he rose to an altitude of 16,000 feet before beginning a controlled descent by popping balloons with a BB…
I Spy. . .
So, did you follow the travels of the Chinese spy balloon? The Chinese government assured the Americans that they weren’t spying, that it was simply a weather balloon that had blown off course. You say tomato, and I say tomato. I’m not sure what all the fuss was about; according to those who are supposed…
Trust Lost
Last week I got in my Corolla, and it wouldn’t start. It’s not quite three years old. I had to have it towed to the dealer, and the next morning the dealer was able to start it, and they couldn’t find the issue. But now I don’t trust my car. I immediately upgraded my roadside…
The Gift of Choice
A week ago, I didn’t even know determinism was a word, let alone a philosophy. But now I know that determinism is a philosophical view where all events are entirely determined by previously existing causes. In the most extreme sense, there is the belief that everything was determined and put into motion at the beginning…
An Honest Mistake, But still a Mistake
It was an honest mistake, and I sincerely believed I was right. But I wasn’t. Returning from our family vacation Angela and I found ourselves separated from Stefan, Deborah and the family. Since we had already arrived at the gate and they were just clearing customs, I checked my boarding pass and texted Deborah our…
Christian Assist
I was thinking the other day about the “Driver Assist” option on my Corolla. It’s kind of cool. It’s not quite a self-driving car, but it is close. With the Lane Departure Warning system in place, if (or in my case when) you drift outside your lane, it will nudge you back in, not just…
Come Again
I saw a headline awhile back that said, “The Global eradication of Polio,” and my first thought was, “I didn’t know there was a movement to eradiation Polo. Maybe it has something to do with the way they treat the ponies.” Seriously, I am not making this up. And then I realized the article was…
Angry with Who?
Were you travelling over the Christmas holidays? Did you get where you were going? Were you on time? It was certainly the season of travel delays, with planes, trains and automobiles all delayed because of major storms across North America.I was reading one article that was specifically speaking about air travel. One traveller who was…
Let’s Give it Back!
Maybe I’m a cynic. Ok, no maybes about it. I am a cynic. Lately, I’ve thought that maybe we should give December 25th to the world and let them celebrate their winter festivals or whatever it is they call this time of year so as not to offend anyone. I know that I’ve defended Christmas…
Light up the Night
Is it my imagination, or are there more Christmas lights up this year than there was last year? It seems like every street is trying to outdo the other, at least in our neighbourhood. The displays range from the understated and tasteful to the “oh my goodness, how do they pay their power bill?”…