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How To Refute “Cut & Run”

Posted by Bill under News

Warning: I voted for Kerry. I think Bush is bad. Duh.

Here’s my new fave way to answer accusations of “cut & run”: Stop stalking Iraq… you can’t make him love you.

Think about it… the “stay the course” crowd is trying to change Iraq, just like that girlfriend back in college tried to change you. You know, that girlfriend. The one that wouldn’t stop calling? The one who showed up at 3am and woke up all your housemates? The one who said, “I’ll make you love me!”

It didn’t work for her, and it won’t work for us. Iraq likes us, but only as a friend. We’re stalking Iraq, and it’s just not gonna work out.

Three $30 R/C Planes

Posted by Bill under News

What’s the latest mindless diversion in my life? Astro-physics? Faith healing? Virtual geocaching? Nope… it’s low-end, two-channel radio control model airplanes.

I won’t go into the pitfalls of “R/C-anything” in this space; it’s a well-known fact that you can spend your trust fund and lose your shirt just on your first visit to the hobby store. But if you know me, you know I’m far too cheap to fall into that group of people and going the budget route is right up my alley. Well, I’ve been up and down that alley and now I’m going to share what I’ve found with you.

Here are the contenders in our very brief, $30 R/C shoot-out:

• FlyZone VooDoo
• Yellow Bee (available at Harbor Freight)
• Air Hogs Aero Ace Biplane

FlyZone VooDoo

The VooDoo looks pretty good on paper (or on website, if you prefer), but don’t be fooled. When you see the video on the FlyZone website it looks like steal at only $22 (plus $8 shipping), but it’s cheap construction makes it a parts plane after only a few crashes. I am looking forward to transplanting the guts to a sturdier airframe. 

Yellow Bee

My Yellow Bee was on sale at Harbor Freight for only $29 (down from the usual $39) and it comes with a lot of good reviews (considering the price). I have yet to really get it into the air without tearing the wing (1st flight) or losing a propeller (2nd flight). If the 3rd flight isn’t “the charm” it’ll be a parts plane, too.

Air Hogs Aero Ace Biplane

For $29, the Aero Ace Biplane is the most fun you can have in the air… it’s a well-documented fact. Available at almost every Target, Wal-Mart, and Toys R Us in the USA, the Aero Ace has qualities that these other two planes (plus every other Ready To Fly plane under a hundred bucks) can’t match. If you need evidence just visit the many forum posts devoted to the Church Of AA.

In conclusion: buy an Areo Ace. You’ll thank me.