Blog Entries – Page 15 – Radical RC Workbench

Funny, Those In Power Often Rewrite The History Books

I’ve watched and listened to the DNC (Democratic National Convention) over the last 3 days. Nearly every speaker talked about the million jobs saved when Obama and Biden bailed out the auto industry.

The auto industry bailout was announced December 19, 2008 by the treasury department.
Bailout Timeline

Wiki page on Bailouts describing the request by the auto industry in 2008 and the agreement of president Bush in early December. Wiki Bailout Page

New York Times runs a story on December 19, 2008 entitled:Bush Approves $17 Billion Auto Bailout

And finally:

Barack Obama was sworn into office as our 44th president on January 20th, 2009.
Wiki Inauguration of Barack Obama

Is this a lie? DNC 2012 video below:

Maybe I have this wrong. However, it appears there was a full month between the announcement of the Auto Bailout (Dec 19, 2008) and Inauguration Day (Jan 20, 2009).

Was Obama and Biden actually running the country in the months prior to Inauguration day?

Is the claim a fabrication intended to fool those who would never bother to look back at historic records?

When an entire campaign arranges the calendar in a different order and nobody notices, does it say something about our average citizen?

Does it say something about our media that calls itself “news”.

What does it say when those that make the claim have no fear they will ever be discovered?

Did you hear about this obvious error (or fabrication?) on your local news channel? Maybe you should consider very carefully what you define as news.

Other interesting items:
Fact Check.org on bailout claims. Did you know that the auto companies did actually under Obama file bankruptcy which is what they claim Romney and Ryan would have preferred to the detriment of the country. Weird isn’t it?

Regardless of who you plan to vote for or how you feel about the auto industry bailouts, you should always take time to do a little basic research. A little reading and a little study goes a long way to assuage ignorance. I’m not trying to tell you what to think. I’m trying to urge you to think.

My name is Dave Thacker and I’m doing something about it.

Smokey’s Lucky Witch & Other Fantastic Images

Smokey' Lucky Witch Wildcat — Smokey’ Lucky Witch – Grumman F4F Wildcat

You’ve got to love nose art and warbird photos. Great photo thread on Mission4Today forum.

Photo thread on Mission4today

More on Smokey’s Lucky Witch: Information obtained from NavSource Online at: USS GAMBIER BAY (CVE-73)

Ensign Darrell C. Bennett, A-V(N), USNR, stands beside his plane, a General Motors FM-2 Wildcat fighter, on board USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73), 1 August 1944. Note pinup art and nickname “Smokey’s Lucky Witch” adorning the engine cowling; what appears to be a Composite Squadron Ten (VC-10) insignia below the cockpit windshield; plane numbers (“27”) in white on the wing leading edge and in black under the lip of the cowling; and Ensign’s Bennett’s flight gear and .45 caliber M1911A1 pistol carried in a shoulder holster.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-243864).

Doug Bennett comments: “Ensign Darrell C. Bennett had an older brother stationed on the St. Lo. Both were stationed on their ships when they sank AND both are still alive [as of May 2009]! They are my uncles.”

Discovery Channel’s: Wings – F4F Wildcat and F4F Hellcat

Dogfights: The Zero Killer

Wiki: Grumman F4F Wildcat

Research your own WWII family history. Records section of the National Archives for World War II.

Quick Build DC-10

Can you build a 10th scale DC-10 from scratch during a jet meet and get it test flown before the sun goes down?

A quick build of a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 SAS OY-KDB in styrofoam during the jet meeting at MFK Falken. Idea: Kasper Holger and Keld Hansen

Specs:
Wingspan: 504cm
Length: 556cm
Heith: 170cm
Fuse diameter: 60cm
Weight 23 Kg
Power: Simjet 3000

Let’s just for a ride….. Alrighty then.

The Dawn Of Aviation at Huffman Prairie

HP18AUG12_Dave-Mark — Dave Thacker and Mark Freeland at Huffman Prairie

Huffman Prairie Aero Carnival is in the books. Having officailly flown at the worlds first airport are the folling pilots:

Bill Brown, Michigan, EFO
Mark Freeland, Michigan, EFO, RetroRC
Dave Thacker, Tipp City Ohio, Wingmasters Model Airplane Club, Radical RC
Dave Flint, Vandalia Ohio, Wingmasters Model Airplane Club, Radical RC
Frank Beafore, Springfield Ohio, Select Tech

HP18AUG12_128 — Bill Brown and Mark Freeland of Michigan at Huffman Prairie Aero Carnival

Saturday August 18th was a stunning day for RC flying. Winds were light and variable around 5 mph. Thermal bubbles were everywhere. Models flown included a Deperdussin, Antionette, 2 1905 Wright Flyers and an Eindecker EIII.

Leonardo_da_Vinci_helicopter — Leonardo Da Vinci’s Helicopter

For a model to be flown on this facility it must be scale or stand off scale of any flying machine 1916 or before. Anything qualifies that might have been in the cannon of early aviation knowledge leading up to the invention of controlled flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright through to their last aircraft the 1916 Model L. Anything the brothers could have been exposed to knowledge, rumors or news of through 1916. You could even bring a mock of up Leonardo Da Vinci’s Helicopter if you can get it to fly.

HP18AUG12_038 — Radical RC 1905 Wright Flyer and Marker Flag at 2012 Huffman Prairie Aero Carnival

It’s important to understand, flying of any aircraft or models at this facility is strictly prohibited execpt during one special day each year during the Aero Carnival. The base police will impose a $500 fine if you should decide to operate an aircraft at this facility which is in clear view of the Tower. Should permission be granted again for next years carnival, it will be your chance to fly at the world’s first airport. Now go research a project and get some glue in your fingers.

All photos by the lovely Lisa Ackerman

Human Powered Helicopter Sets New Record

A new altitude record of 8 feet was established for human powered helicopter.

Gamera Offical Website

Incredible Airport and Railway Diorama

And you have motivation issues when it comes to getting some glue on your fingers and starting that next project? If somebody can build an airport full of airplanes, vehicles, and put it all to life, you can open that kit box and get started. Get some glue on your fingers……

The story of the creation of the world’s smallest airport..

Tuning Static Out of Modern Communication

Thomas Nast's most famous drawing, "Merry Old Santa Claus", — Thomas Nast’s most famous drawing, “Merry Old Santa Claus”,

I received an email forward recently from a familiar and friendly source. It really took the cake. It claimed that Snopes (a well known site for investigating Internet rumors and chain email claims) was a left wing Democratic/Communist group funded by George Soros. While it’s true that George Soros is a left wing commie, the linkage to Snopes was just another fabrication used to trick somebody into forwarding “Information EVERYONE Must Know!”.

Please avoid participating in forwarding these chain emails. They are part of a greater hobby similar to those that write computer virus programs. It’s all about getting you to forward their viral email fiction all over the Internet so they can see how far and wide (how viral) they can spread a story they wrote. We would all do well to avoid stuffing the Internet and your friends mailboxes with items you’ve not bothered to look up and verify for yourself. Just because somebody you trust sent it to you, does not make it trustworthy. Remember, whoever they are, they once believed in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. They are not evil, just fallible and they have fallen prey to a “Fairy Tale” like belief that everything they see on the Internet is true.

The letter I sent follows:

Every viral chain email that mentions Snopes as a form a credibility or non-credibility is at least 95% certain to be non-credible.

Here is the About-Snopes page:

About Snopes Info Page

The purpose of these outlandish emails is to try to get viral status and see them come back to you from all over the world. It’s part of the virus hobby. They write these to get you to forward them. They are almost all 100% hogwash. It’s not unlike an important part of the HAM Radio hobby, who’s purpose is often to make as many contacts all over the world as possible. Viral Email’ers are creative writers of fiction for sure, yet they contribute only static. It’s not much different from unwanted telephone sales calls.

When I check these forwarded emails, I find only one or two per year that are true. They tug at your heart strings on one level or another so you feel compelled to forward them. If it urges you to forward to all your friends, you won’t hardly ever be wrong if you just assume it’s a fabrication and delete it.

Dave

Do your own research at: Snopes
Another great site is: Urban Legends

If it’s Dark Matter, Flush It Down

A collision of galaxy clusters about 3.5 billion light years away.

I’ve got no business commenting on something I know so little about, but here goes nothing…..

From the moment I heard this theory that 80% of the universe was made from an as of yet un-discovered “dark mattter” it reeked of another “scientific hoax” or perhaps just some high level silliness. Apparently, for current gravity theories to be correct, it is required that there be a 400% increase in the amount of matter in the universe. So, to save this theory, the theory of “dark matter” was created. Alternatively maybe the purpose is to keep scientists funded, get funding for the Large Hadron Collider and etc….

Why does this theory sound silly? Simple, we have samples of the Moon, Mars, Comets, Asteroids and etc. We have the entire earth, we’ve been in space for a very long time gathering information and materials to study (think of the money that is costing) and you’re telling me we’ve not been lucky enough to come across a material that science theorizes makes up 80% of the universe? Holly Shit Batman! How could we be so unlucky? It’s like saying there is a society on the earth that has never discovered water. It’s silly that something so common should be so hard to find. Perhaps if we keep funding the study and they look long enough they’ll find the Dark Matter. It’s obvious isn’t it?

Let me take a swag at the gravity problem: Maybe the gravity forces in the universe reaches out 4x as far as previously thought or perhaps it reaches on into infinity. Perhaps there is no distance as which you could travel from the earth where the gravity of the earth would not have some effect on you even perhaps an effect too small to be measured by current methods. Perhaps the 400% increase in matter required is just all the mass of the universe in the background all being added together. Or maybe the universe is just bigger than they currently imagine and the mass it there, just at greater distances. By looking through telescopes we look back in time because of the time it takes like to reach the telescope. We can currently look back billions of years. This is assumed to be the edge of the universe. Maybe there are objects even further out that haven’t been seen yet because the light has not reached us yet. Please consider my pet theory to be worth about what you paid for it.

To me it seems a little more likely that Scientists are people also and they want to have an ongoing successful careers. It’s about securing study money to keep the train rolling. You don’t get to study anything if you can’t keep your lab funded. This is probably the underlying reason for many of history’s scientific hoaxes.

Never forget the science of the 70’s: We are running out of oil!
Before that: We’re slipping into an ice age!
Yesterday: The sea is going to rise and drown our cities, the world is boiling over it’s Global Warming!!!!
Today: Global warming has been so discredited to the point they now call it “Climate Change”!!! Yikes, the weather is changing!!!

If I turn out to be wrong, well, I didn’t know much about it anyway. It’s just setting off my stink-o-meter as another theory soon to go down in history as pure bullshit.

My name is Dave Thacker and I’m doing something about it.

Other Related Reading:
Listverse: Top 10 Scientific Frauds & Hoaxes

Documentary video’s:

This Weeks “Too Stupid” is Awarded to a City and it’s State

Since 2001 there have been 2000 American deaths in Afghanistan. Up to the election in 2008 there was quite a lot of grumbling from some about being involved in any kind of war or action. As if there is anybody that expects that war should be a popular thing to begin with. Since the election, we haven’t heard much about it from the anti-war, anti-self defense crowd. Isn’t it weird how it’s ok when they are in power but not when they are not in power? Amazingly during that same period there have been 5000 deaths in Chicago. We don’t hear much about Chicago and it’s enormous murder rate. It’s a wonder such a tragedy could be occurring on our own soil but it is seemingly ignored. Do those that hate our participation in any war really give a damn about American deaths? Is it the flexing of American muscle they really hate? Is it pretend concern for political gain? They ignore Chicago, one city with 2.5 X as many deaths. Isn’t it obvious the overriding concern is not American deaths?

I am a strong unapologetic believer in your (our) right to self defense. Thankfully those rights are spelled out in our constitution. I make no apologies for our constitution and I hope you are likewise and proud of America. It’s a terrible tragedy that so many people are dying in Chicago Illinois. Illinois is a non-free, non-constitutional state in the union we call America. In Illinois, you’re prevented from owning a handgun by which to protect yourself from a thug with a “handgun”. Is our country really a union of like minded people when we allow some citizens to be brutalized by politicians who think they have the right to pick and choose which constitutional rights their citizens can enjoy and which they cannot? Chicago, the most famous gun free zone forced on Americans turns into a killing zone.

Shame on you Illinois, shame on Chicago. The leaders of this state and city that continue to deny honest people the right to defend themselves are confederates in these crimes. These accessories to the crime should at the very least be charged and tried for manslaughter if not murder itself with each and every death of a citizen who was denied his right to self defense. The rights they deny have predictably made Chicago one of the most dangerous places in America to live and visit. A city more dangerous than Afghanistan. Any force that urges rejection of our constitution and constitutional rights of Americans, is a force for harm to mankind. I reject the wolves that wish our country or our individual citizens to become weak “sheeple”.

Wherever guns are banned there is a huge increase in violence. They will never learn. Where there are defenseless citizens, there will be criminals feeding on them. Isn’t it insane that people think the next gun law will be the one the criminals obey? Listen to lefties talk and try to blame everything but government weakened defenseless citizens

Chicago’s Killing Fields

Tin Whiskers

I’m not a big fan of the gradual banning of lead. Sure, I love kids and all that. However, the enviromentalists take everything too far with what they clothe in “for the greater good” arguments. It’s really an anti-capitalist movement. And, I’ve been trying for a long time to figure out what is pro-job about being anti-capitalist.

I can understand how lead in paint which breaks down slowly over time, becomes chips which get smaller and eventually turn into dust. It makes sense not to put lead in paint because we’ll eventually breathe it. However, no matter how hard I try to kick the dirt around on the floor, electronic circuits soldered with leaded solder or lead free solder don’t jump into my mouth. Maybe the difference is hard for some to see? What is it like to wield the power to ban an element on the perodic table?

So, on to tin whiskers…..

RoHS is an EU (European Union) directive that has become enforced law. RoHS means “Restriction of Hazardous Substances”. The problem is little consideration given to what is a Hazardous use of a substance and what is not. I don’t hear reports of children eating circuit boards or solder joints in wires for example. Is it about health and public safety, or about creating a portal by which government and regulatory bodies can exert command and control over huge industries and the influx of goods into a country?

Since the EU has issued RoHS directives, lead has been removed from most solders and from the tinning on electronic leads. Pure tin is now used for almost all electronic component lead tinning. Over time it forms whiskers of tin which are thinner than a human hair. They are only one crystal in thickness and they reach out and touch leads of other components. It’s often the reason why today’s TV’s and other electronics (including our RC gear) doesn’t last as long as yesterday’s. Failure of expensive satellites have been attributed to lead-free tinning of leads causing tin whiskers. It’s our punishment for letting the “zero tolerance crowd get traction and get this nonsense pushed into law all over the world. When you get a chance, in any way possible, do your part, do something about it.

Here are some great links, good reading and photos of our gift from the enviromentalists, “tin whiskers”.

I’m still looking for examples of children that were poisoned from eating circuit boards and wires.

Find lots of tech article links at: NASA Tin Whisker Homepage

An excellent blog post by Steve Smith: Tin Whiskers

1.4 Million Results on Google

As long as possible, you’ll always be able to get “real” solder from Radical RC: Solder Pastes & Supplies