Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

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Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

? Shok ?

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

I plan on going this afternoon after I get back from the vet. My cat, Midnight, had a pedestrian crosswalk accident today.

--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

This, lamentably, happened to one of Midnight's ancestors; can't confirm the date:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/06/acoustic-kitty-technological-history-of-american-espionage/396728/

Quote:
At the height of the Cold War, the story goes, officials in the United States hatched a covert plan to keep tabs on Russians in Washington, D.C. They would, they decided, deploy surveillance cats—yes, actual cats surgically implanted with microphones and radio transmitters—to slip by security and eavesdrop on activity at the Soviet Embassy. The project went by the thinly disguised code name “Acoustic Kitty.”

“They slit the cat open, put batteries in him, wired him up,” said Victor Marchetti, who was an executive assistant to the director of the CIA in the 1960s, according to an account in Jeffrey Richelson's 2001 book, The Wizards of Langley. “The tail was used as an antenna. They made a monstrosity.”

A whiskered, yowling, unbelievably expensive monstrosity. The agency poured some $10 million into designing, operating on, and training the first Acoustic Kitty, according to several accounts.

When it came time for the inaugural mission, CIA agents released their rookie agent from the back of a nondescript van and watched eagerly as he set out on his mission. Acoustic Kitty dashed off toward the embassy, making it all of 10 feet before he was unceremoniously struck by a passing taxi and killed.

“There they were, sitting in the van,” Marchetti recalled, “and the cat was dead.”

--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Maybe Old Fed today (kite?) and Van Pugh tomorrow (saturday) to WindSurf.

Gene

Gene Mathis

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Roger, David, Gene and me on a Hobie at OF today. Ok wind, only gusting to maybe 18. Fun day. Warm!

Gene and I will be at VP tomorrow at 11 to secure a parking spot. I think the forecast is 40 gusting to 110 or something like that.

PeelSkid

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

I had a swell time at the baby pool.

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Jim C. and I did Van Pugh. Jim's big boards are in dry dock getting battle damage repaired and 70cm wide was as struggle. 100cm + 9.5 was fun. Went way upwind past the Three Sisters into the Tidwell basin. Tried chasing some big keelboats going upwind but I got stomped in the lulls. The water was a lot flatter on that side as most of the boat traffic was between LL Islands and more northern spots.

Nice sleigh ride back downwind. Only nasty bits were the main channel from the boat chop. Above and below that, it was sweet. As much as I love Hatteras, it was nice not to worry about hitting a 70cm fin on anything.

I may have to have just a brief Al Tuna session tomorrow owing to social obligations. I imagine the boat chop off Van Pugh, Old Fed, etc will be "joyous".

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Clarification on David W post - I did nothing, just hung out. Wind seemed in the 5 to 10 range with some gust up to maybe 15+. Rodger did kite on his 17 meter but had to really work it. David REID (not David Delozier) did drift launch his 17 ,meter and did make a few passes but not enough wind. David W did seem to have the right rig, the Hobie Cat.

Forecast is still calling for alot of wind today, WNW with gusts close to 30, so I will probalby go early (around 11:00) to Van Pugh this morning.

Gene

Gene Mathis

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Sailed from LLSC where I saw big swings between NW to SW. Slogged & foiled around to Old Fed... didn't see yous guys. Musta been Webguy I saw ripping across toward 3 Sistas later. Had a few long airborne glides.... and the usual yuuuuge crashes Shok
Going back to LLSC to help w Open House. Come on by if ya want. WNW is ok there & way less boat traffic. Free lunch too.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!
gene_mathis wrote:

Clarification on David W post - I did nothing,

Sgt Schulz would be proud Wink

--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Good day at toona. Warm air and water and sunshine. Periods of sustained winds, which is odd for Galts, made for a good day.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

I made a cameo appearance at the river (Sat 14). Was, as Marcel would say, more work than fun - wind just too erratic to, though I did set a record for the river of 19 MPH in between the times I was drifting in nearly calm conditions.

How did it go at the big lake?

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Full report for Al-tuna coming up as an article. Short version is I under-rigged on an 8 not wanting to be caught out on a big sail. Wind varied between 7 and 17. Some kiter tried to get off the Atlanta Yacht Club beach in what looked like maybe an 11-12 with very gusty and inconsistent offshore breeze. Fortunately for all involved, he/she seemed to think better of it after a while and put the kite back on the beach. At least it had been throroughly rinsed by then.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Quick report from Van Pugh - got there early, Pat P planing on 9.5 (forecast for 10-20, gusting to 30), David W, Jim C, Chris P, Pat and I sat around for hours, Pat and Jim went home, Ed came out and rigged 6.5 and Chris rigged 5.8 and they planed some, David and I finally rigged 7.5s, I did plane around on 7.5 in all the chop dodging the boats for awhile.

Gene

Gene Mathis

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!
gene_mathis wrote:

Quick report from Van Pugh - got there early, Pat P planing on 9.5 (forecast for 10-20, gusting to 30), David W, Jim C, Chris P, Pat and I sat around for hours...

Gene

Photo from Van Pugh:

--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Pictures on the internet always make things look better than they are (were)

Gene

Gene Mathis

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!
webguy wrote:

Full report for Al-tuna coming up as an article. Short version is I under-rigged on an 8 not wanting to be caught out on a big sail. Wind varied between 7 and 17. Some kiter tried to get off the Atlanta Yacht Club beach in what looked like maybe an 11-12 with very gusty and inconsistent offshore breeze. Fortunately for all involved, he/she seemed to think better of it after a while and put the kite back on the beach. At least it had been throroughly rinsed by then.

Wind never changes direction at Alatoona (insert sarcasm). Nothings better than being blindsided by a gust in the opposite direction. But I say "go to the toona, be on the water soona'".

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

Thanks guys. Now, I don't feel so bad now about a generally sucky day, compounded by my less than fully stoked attitude. At least Friday was good and, like they said in Casablanca "We'll always have Salvo."

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

I called Gene at VP from LLSC at 1:30 to see what they were sailing, because past the Old Fed campground point it look really on– lots of whitecaps 5.5-6.5 was what I thunk. I went with 5.5 on the foil and got some airtime but major wheelie/crashes... I'm so focused on working to control altitude, I got NO time to look around for gusts. It picked up a lot around 4:30-5 and went out with 4.5, right as it lulled... quick switch back to 5.5 and was totally OP'd as it came back up Shok crazy day!

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

A 5-15 day today at Little Ridge. Used my 6.2 and windsup. Another nice one for sure.

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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Re: Who's Going Today ~~ Friday the 13th!

I got to VP early to beat the rush - good thing as few spots were available anywhere later on. Went out about noon to about 5 mph but slowly building. In about an hour good periods of planing and I found myself upwind near LL Islands and thinking: good, it's about to kick in solid now. One really strong gust and then - things shut down. Back to 5 mph. Not even a hint of a puff. Slowly sailed downwind, landed and derigged.

Got in the car to go and saw - dammit - whitecaps. The wind had come back. Decided to be a good sport and head home since this was the third day straight and get some stuff done at home.

Nobody in rocking chairs; it is was solo effort.

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