Frazz by Jef Mallett for September 27, 2022

Solving for “NO”: What’s the reverse reverse of “FFO”?

Some people are optimists, some are the opposite… and most of us solve for “maybe”… most of the time. The problem with optimism in this regard is bodily damage. The problem with pessimism is that you don’t get to experience so many things… even if some of them aren’t fine.

Technically, Otto’s glider was no different from the parachute Louis-Sébastien Lenormand invented in 1783.

♫ I’d fly over rooftops, The great boulevards ♫

The attraction of abstraction.

“gliding”, often referred to as “soaring” is a way of flying by finding air currents and updrafts. “Gliders” have made trips the length of the Appalachian mountain chain by riding the updrafts. “Gliders” have soared 10,000 feet above their release points on thermals out in the desert. While I’m a fan of powered flight, don’t sell the sailplanes short.

Both have downward paths. Trading altitude for air speed; Practically and intellectually. We can still enjoy the ride, but it’s nice to have a landing plan.

On the one hand, it killed Otto.

On the other:“Of all the men who attacked the flying problem in the 19th century, Otto Lilienthal was easily the most important. … It is true that attempts at gliding had been made hundreds of years before him, and that in the nineteenth century, Cayley, Spencer, Wenham, Mouillard, and many others were reported to have made feeble attempts to glide, but their failures were so complete that nothing of value resulted.”— Wilbur Wright

0=1

Help, I don’t understand what Frazz means. What does: who solves for ‘no’ means?

Lillienthal’s data was all wrong. The Wright Brothers had to build a wind tunnel and get good data before building their Flyer.

Gad, this talk about gliding has given me a “50 Shades of Grey” vibe.

Given how Lilienthal died…..maybe wait until after the Wrights??

I love that “solving for no” perspective!

Little help please! What is solving for no?

I always wanted to fly like Superman!