Apollo Leader

For those who want to see how a large scale model rocket is done right, here's the 1/3rd scale Mercury Redstone some guys from my group here in Nebraska built and flew done in Kansas last month (this is a 27 MB WMV file): http://www.rocketryonline.com/misc/RedstoneTrailer.wmv

What exactly are you refering to in the upper left side? Last night I checked out the page where you identify which pictures are from AC6 and which are real life. Only missed one, but you got to give Namco some serious props on how more and more realistic this series has gotten in the graphics department. BTW, still debating on if to get the full AC6 (with stick and throttle) pack or not.

MS originally designed this system to be more compact in part to help entice the Japanese market; ironically, the PS3 is bigger then it. Considering the 360 continues to get snubbed in Japan, they should have made a bigger case and system to begin with and I think they would have avoided these problems. So far my refurbished system has lasted me 14 months and that's after some very heavy usage. I wouldn't be surprised if I've done more gaming with my 360 (both of them) during these last two years then all my PS2 playing combined.

Closest video and from the side! http://eyespot.com/share?cmd=permalink&amp...centUpload:null Watching it from this angle if it had held together it would have taken a cruise missile trajectory into the ground before the chutes could have opened. Here's some good still shots of it and some of the other Plaster Blaster flights that weekend: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradpennock/s...57602300347053/

Here's another video of the flight: Here's the big Y-Wing that was also flown; the parachutes deployed while the motor was still lit: Pictures of the Y-Wing in flight; the guy controlling the launch is pretty darn close for an L motor!: http://rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=40084 Obviously the Force was NOT with these rocketeers in Southern Cali! But my hats go off to both team for making two large and complicated flying models.

I hate it when they put out different exclusive versions of a DVD or CD at different stores. When the last Def Leppard CD, Yeah!, came out last year depending on which store you bought it from the bonus tracks were different! IMHO they should stick with just a regular DVD release (which can either be a separate widescreen or fullscreen release) and a "special edition" version. Of course then there will be an eventual "extra special edition", but that's another story. I'll probably get the Wal-mart edition.

There's been plenty of subsonic aircraft (prop, jet, and rocket) that have utilized wooden construction just fine. Obviously making these wings so that they would fold together in mid air made for a weaker mounting point and if the rocket had stayed in a straight vertical path it may have held together.

Watching the footage several times over from what I can tell it was a mix of being both underpowered and the stresses on the wing joints. About 2 seconds into the flight the X-Wing was about horizontal; it needed at least twice the initial impulse and two to three times the burn time to have gotten a much more decent flight. It was right at about apogee (top of flight) when the bottom right wing ripped off from probably the the stress of the motors, the X-Wing flipping over, and that the mounting points for these wings weren't strong enough (especially since they were designed to pivot). IMHO, if they want to do this again this is what should be done: 1) If they want to stick with the same 4 AeroTech Redline M class motors for the realistic engine effect, they need to to axe the folding wing design and go with fixed wings, make a stronger wing joint, and find a way to nix 40 to 50% of the weight (typically with an unguided rocket you want to have at least a 6:1 thrust ratio or higher). 2) Drop the 4 M's, go with like a single P class motor, and get someone (like Pat Gordzelik) to make it for them. Unless they can find a way to make a more sturdy pivot point for the folding wings, this feature again should be axed. When I saw the size of the 4 motor mounts in relationship to the rest of the vehicle, I feared something like this was going to happen. But sometimes we have to learn the hard way before we get things right.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/clip/the-best-dam...-yet-306797.php also http://kotaku.com/gaming/clip/the-best-dam...-yet-307441.php

Regarding the ending for Halo 3, has anyone noticed that it comes full circle with the beginning of the first Halo? At the begging of Halo CE it starts with the Master Chief being revived from one of those hybernation pods. At the end of Halo 3, it ends with him going back into one of those pods. Guess we'll see in a few years what's next in store for MC and Cortana.

I'm hooked on the stuff. Hopefully Pepsi Co. will continue to make the stuff even if they don't have the Halo license to attach to it.

Thanks for posting that because it just blows me away that some people can't see the difference. I think what's confusing some people is that the artwork direction and style remain the same even though it's been bumped up a few more notches (ie. more detailed bitmaps and textures). I think some people need to pop back in their copies of H1 and 2 and then go back to H3 to realize the true difference. As for those comparing this to Gears, it's an apple and oranges comparisons. With Gears it's a closer in and more intimate game with slower gameplay, less characters, different physics, and smaller environments thus they are able to focus on more detailed graphics. Not to mention different art style.

Speaking of Red vs. Blue, the RvB guys had voice over parts on Halo 3! http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/06/red-vs-b...oles-in-halo-3/

From reading the Gamestop article, I thought it was said that the PS3 would maintain PS1 capability, but considering that the PS2 has been their biggest success so far and with the software emulation covering so many PS2 titles to begin with, I can't see why they're doing it. If I decide to change my mind on the PS3, I better go out and get the 60 GB version quick!

It didn't specify that was a drawback and with all the stuff I have downloaded that is well beyond 100 MB... guess I'll have to fire up all my games tonight!

Over at the Secret Projects website there is a picture posted of the two seat F-22B mockup that was built about 10 years ago. BTW, since we were talking about Washington DC and the Smithsonian, the latest story about my brother-in-law's next assignment after Germany may be Washington DC (I assume the Pentagon) so I might get to go back to DC and maybe even go check out Langley sometime in the future.

My friend has an Elite and I thought it was black, but next time I see it I'll take a closer look.

BTW, for those who's dashboards and blades have been either acting funny and/or very slow, try doing some of the things mention in this link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/907586/en-us I had been having some issues with my dashboard's blades for almost a week now (I think this was linked to some problems I was having reestabling my wireless connection). I went through the steps of disconnecting EVERYTHING and then I went through the memory cache clear/maintanance routine. From what I can tell it not only cleared up my problem, but it also gave me at least another 100 MB to play with.

Whenever I've traded off games (cartidge, CD, or DVD) or even movies regardless of how long I've had them it usually gets commented on how immaculate my stuff is. The reason why these games get all scratched up is because of kids or just people who could care less. All my 360 games so far have been new in box (either at release or clearance). I think all of my PS2 purchases were new in box.

Maaaa-kurosu! and of course Happy birthday to a classic and to one of my most favorite mecha/robots, the VF-1 Valkyrie.

More pictures and news on the 21 foot tall X-Wing fighter model rocket! http://www.rocketryplanet.com/content/view/2075/28/

There are some Robotech fans who think that the best thing to help fire up things for Robotech this generation is to relaunch the original series, at least the Macross episodes, in full CG and with updated designs. Though the SDF-1 looks extremely close to the original, the VF-1's I think are shown radically different in order to avoid a legal confrontation (if, hypothetically, if this were an official HG/Tatsunoko production).

IMHO, some of the stipulations the Smallville creators set early on (ie. Clark not being able to fly) I think should be dropped because I don't think they had even remotely imagined that this show would go on at least 7 seasons. Maybe Supergirl (Kara) will teach him how to fly.

The rocket is almost finished and will fly on October 6th! http://www.polecataerospace.com/X-Wing.htm

Got back on track in playing DW Gundam this weekend along with some Halo 3 playing. Currently stuck on the fourth mission for Paptimus on the Original mode; got to keep all your supporting characters AND the Big Tray alive and in action! Got less then 5,000 kills needed to get the 100,000 achievement and just need to get the 8 and 16 character stages in Original to get those two achievements and I got this game beat.