SEPTEMBER 2nd - Yippee Ki-Yay



On this day in 1978, John McClain performed 180 outside loops in an airplane over Houston, Texas. Seems like a lot of loops to me. When I was younger, I used to be able to spin around with my arms out ten times before I got dizzy, but I’m guessing that’s not quite the same thing. How Mr. McClain did not get queasy is beyond me. Musta had a stomach made of iron. And probably a fair bit of aeronautical skill and maneuverability. Of course we are talking about a guy who changed the spelling of his name to McClane, became a Los Angeles cop, and ten years after his Loop Fest took on a slew of German terrorists who had taken hostages (including his estranged wife) in Nakatomi Plaza. Damn if ole McClain or McClane didn’t pick off those German assholes one by one till he got Hans Gruber and dropped that bastard out of a window. The man was a warrior. I’m really not sure what is more impressive. I would ask my buddy Thomas Jefferson to judge, but he’d just say both accomplishments were nothing special. TJ would note that it is much efficient to simply fly in a straight line, and that when dealing German terrorists you simply need to appeal to their love of regimented structure making all the theatrics a bit unnecessary. But then again ole TJ once saw one man rebuild an exact replica of the Great Pyramid at Giza in three days. “Pretty easy when you have an existing model,” was the only approval that poor man received. TJ aside, flying 180 outside loops and taking on highrise full of German terrorists are both pretty solid accomplishments. If I had executed either one, I would have had at least told my grandmother. Not sure if she would be impressed though. She shares some qualities with TJ. Yippee ki-yay.

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