Port 80

I haven’t abandoned the blog, and I have several posts in the works. However, as a resident of Dayton, I thought that I should at least post a few quick snippets on Inventing Flight while I’m working on more involved posts.

Opening

UFOs: I know that Inventing Flight is trying to be as inclusive as possible, hence the use of breakdancing in the opening ceremony. But I really wouldn’t have picked the Raelians as consultants for depicting the future of flight.

Somber: I’m not a doctor, but it sure looked like Neil Armstrong was suffering from Parkinson’s disease during the opening ceremony. It is entirely possible that in not too long a time, we will no longer have the lunar astronauts among us. Does it disturb anyone else that human interplanetary exploration may soon be an experience only remembered in books and films? If and when we go back, what will we have to relearn along the way?

Bush’s Speech

Numbers: I was lucky to be one of the twenty-five thousand people who got tickets to see Bush speak at Wright-Patterson AFB. I saw exactly five protestors outside the gates. And I’m counting the two-year olds in strollers.

Introductions: One of the worst possible introductions was invented for a congressman this morning: “This man has brought a lot to us here at Wright-Patterson. In other states, we call this ‘pork’, but in Ohio, we call this ‘economic stimulus.’ Please welcome …” And so ends the career of a promising master of ceremonies.

Security: Without going into detail, let me just say that when the Secret Service decides to secure a facility from outside threats, they do not joke around. Thus, I very much suspect that the low-and-slow Air Force One flyover of the crowd was done over the objections of more than one security agent.

Image: If you decide to drive across the grass to get ahead in line, partially block off paths that are being used by ambulances, and then expect other drivers to let you back into traffic, you really shouldn’t do it in a black Chevy Blazer with a WHIO-1290 logo on the side door. That’s just asking for trouble.

Miscellaneous

France: The Dayton Airshow this year is set to be the largest in the world. This must really peeve the French: Paris has been beaten out by a city which isn’t even large enough to have a major league baseball, basketball, football, or soccer franchise.

CityFolk: Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys rock. ‘Nuff said.