ruptured duck, n.

[Werner Presber]

„Just as the dog Laika preceded Yuri Gagarin into orbit, the brothers  
Montgolfier didn’t dare send aeronauts Pilâtre de Rozier and the  
Marquis d’Arlandes into the blue without first having launched a  
sheep, a duck and a cock (whose names, alas, history has not passed  
down to us) high into the air…

Unlike poor Laika, the trio survived their flight, which took place  
in September 1783, although not, apparently, without injury and  
distress…

The craft was launched and attained an altitude of about 7,000 feet  
before falling to the ground a mile and half away. Upon examination  
of the occupants for any ill effects caused by this lofty height, it  
was discovered that the duck had a broken wing. Could this have been  
an effect of exposure to altitude? Actually, several observers had  
noted that, as the balloon left the ground, the sheep had suffered an  
anxiety attack and had kicked the Duck“

Read more:

http://www.spamula.net/blog/2003/05/in_a_hotair_balloon.html.

http://avstop.com/Stories/BlueSkies.htm


Am 19.09.2011 um 16:12 schrieb Paul Mackin:

> On 9/19/2011 8:51 AM, Joe Allonby wrote:
>> Or 22 sorties. The real catch 22.
>
> And if you didn't want to fly you must NOT be insane so no  psycho  
> discharge either.
>
>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Sep 18, 2011 at 6:34 AM, Paul  
>> Mackin<mackin.paul at verizon.net>  wrote:
>>> On 9/17/2011 2:19 PM, alice wellintown wrote:
>>>> Right, as Slothrop's quest objectives multiply and divide, the
>>>> ruptured duck is added to the list. It, like much else he is  
>>>> looking
>>>> for or running towards, is like a needle in a haystack, in a  
>>>> land of e
>>>> pluribus unum that doesn't feel like Kansas anymore. And, the  
>>>> ruptured
>>>> duck and everythihng he is off to Oz to get, or get to, may be  
>>>> after
>>>> him. "I'll get you my pretty Tyrone. And, your magic penis too.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Jackson, I don't give a fuck.
>>>>> Just give me my "ruptured duck."
>>>>> Snap to, Slothrop.
>>> Guess since Slothrop was mythic and all is wasn't incongruous for  
>>> him to be
>>> questing for his discharge papers eight month before the war was  
>>> over.  The
>>> rest of American service personnel had to wait until VJ Day to  
>>> begin hoping
>>> to get home.
>>>
>>> They had a thing called the  point system.  You got points for  
>>> months
>>> served,  medals earned including the purple heart, children under  
>>> 18 and
>>> such.
>>>
>>> It could be a long tedious process.
>>>
>>> P
>>>
>