I don’t think I’ll be taking any more flights on Airbus planes after another rudder fell off in flight. Air Transat’s flight 961 was at cruising altitude over open ocean when part of the rudder bailed out. After safely guiding the plane back using just engines and wing flaps, the pilot deserves a medal.

Boeing has taken its knocks (and earned most of them, too), but Airbus’s idea of building a plane by committee just begs for this kind of trouble. Maybe we the traveling public are actually better off that most airports can’t handle the huge new A380 airplane.

And avoid the flight paths, too, unless you want to be squashed by a falling rudder.

Man, I’m bummed. I missed Spring Break Shark Attack and none of my blogmates have posted a recap.

It looked like such a high-quality, realistic production, too. Look at the hills they put in Florida.
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I’ve been aware of the Terri Schiavo case for a year or more, having read about her on one of the websites I frequent. I’m a bit surprised that the issue has been elevated to national status, though.

I am saddened about what happened to her, and know the battle between her husband and her parents has got to be painful for everyone involved. However, Terri left no living will. Under Florida law, Michael Schiavo, her husband and legal guardian, has the sole legal authority to determine her life or death. Not her parents. Not the Florida governor or legislature. Not the Congress or the President of the United States. Time and time again, Florida courts have sided with Mr. Schiavo.

I don’t happen to hold Michael Schiavo in paticularly high regard, but that is irrelavent. Legal guardianship is a very powerful, very sacred authority. Attempting to thwart it in an “emergency” (or in other words, politicans using her life to politically grandstand, calling it “a great political issue” ), is clearly unconstitutional.

On a related note, it really pisses me off when politicans say “we want to uphold the sanctity of all life,” and yet have no qualms about executing prisoners. Hypocrisy, anyone?

My tournament experience can be summed up by two words: “bleeding red.” My bracket is covered in red, showing every pick I chose that consequently cratered. I’m about played out for the tournament bragging rights.

The other way I’m bleeding red is due to the fantastic defeat the Wolfpack handed Connecticut tonight. The Pack played a superb game, not backing down from the Huskies even after they made a late-game rally. I’m so happy that Juluis Hodge gets at least one more game in a Wolfpack uniform.
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I watched the NCSU-Charlotte game out of the corner of my eye here at the office. State beat a very good team. I was really nervous up until the end.

It doesn’t get any easier, though. Next up is either UConn (yikes) or a team capable of beating UConn, Central Florida (double yikes).

Weird Al Yankovic
Amish Paradise

As i walk throught the valley where i harvest my grain,
I take a look at my wife and realize she’s very plain.
But that’s just perfect for an Amish like me,
you know I shun fancy things like electricity.
At 4:30 in the mornin’ i’m milking cows,
Jebediah feeds the chickens and Jacob plows, fool
and I’ve been milking and plowing so long that
even Ezekial thinks that my mind is gone.
I’m a man of the land, I’m into discipline,
got a Bible in my hand and a beard on my chin,
but if I finish all of my chores, and you finish thine,
then tonight we’re going to party like it’s 1699.
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Some guy kept seeing the same model in the spam he got, so much that he began to make up a story about her from the ads she was in. Check out the unsolicited commercial love story. Too funny.

I’ve watched one too many commercials with Dick Vitale (or impersonators, which are even worse). I can’t tell you how annoying and worn out his shtick is. That’s one part of March Madness I won’t miss when its over. Man, I’d never think I’d prefer Billy Packer over Dickie V, but its come down to that. Just shut up!

I don’t have a fancy green skin to lay on you like some blogs, but the thought’s all the same: Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

May the luck of the Irish be with you!