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27 total messages Started by poboxdc Wed, 25 May 2005 04:02
Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2458
Author: poboxdc
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 04:02
44 lines
2914 bytes
About six weeks ago I moved from Silver Spring, Md. to Gaithersburg,
Maryland. There were several reason why I had to move, mainly the
closing of an estate. I was kind of glad to get away from the 
excitement and insanity of the DC Beltway that was literally
about 1200 feet from my front door! And my neighborhood was
getting loud ... the people and the loud mufflers on the small
Hondas that were constantly speeding by.

In Gaithersburg things are much more peaceful. Not much noise
or excitement. I'm just situated on a very quiet street
with hardly any traffic. Good, right? Kind of. Until Sunday
evening. 

As I was upstairs I heard the roar of a plane. A loud plane.
A plane that was passing overhead very, very fast! Then I
could hear another loud plane. Ahh, now I knew what it was.
The Blue Angels were probably showing off because they were
leaving the air show from Andrews Air Force Base. Wait ... no,
that was yesterday! What the hell?

I knew something was going on and I really didn't want to know.
I wondered if another small plane had strayed into restricted
airspace near the Mall. About an hour later I turned on CNN
and there it was! Cameras live in Gaithersburg! Police
escorting four people away from a small plane -- sitting on
the runway at Montgomery Airpark. It happened again!

And now they want to open up National Airport for Commercial
and corporate flights ... but there must be a sky marshal
on every flight. Will this help things?

Here are a few questions ... and I know there's no (cut & dry)
correct answer, just opinions:

1) Were any of these planes (in the past two weeks) close enough
to be considered dangerous enough to shoot down?

2) Should the instructor of the 1st incident lose his license
forever?

3) If one of these planes were shot down, in the past two weeks,
would the Democrats go crazy and accuse Bush of being a maniac?

KM
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2459
Author: Notan
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 04:52
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poboxdc@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> 
> <snip>
>
> 3) If one of these planes were shot down, in the past two weeks,
> would the Democrats go crazy and accuse Bush of being a maniac?

Why? It would have been the first rational decision he's made
in years!

Notan
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2460
Author: Peter Duniho
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 08:27
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3537 bytes
<poboxdc@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message 
news:4293F8BB.2AB4F203@ix.netcom.com...
> 1) Were any of these planes (in the past two weeks) close enough
> to be considered dangerous enough to shoot down?

Considered by whom?  A Cessna 150 wouldn't be dangerous enough to justify 
shooting down, even if it was at maximum dive speed three inches from its 
target.

Has everyone already forgotten the airplane that the suicidal teenager flew 
into a Florida office building?  A bit of window glass was broken, and a 
desk got rearranged.

I don't doubt there are people out there panicked about all sorts of small 
airplanes.  But they simply aren't a threat, and they aren't worth all the 
attention (and $$$$$) spent on trying to "deal with them".

> 2) Should the instructor of the 1st incident lose his license
> forever?

We'll see.  He will have to get through all of the basic testing 
requirements any new pilot has to do.  It seems unlikely to me that a pilot 
who failed so miserably in the situation in which he did, would ever be able 
to get past those hurdles again.  I think it's entirely possible he's in the 
early stages of some sort of dementia, but in any case, it's clear his deck 
isn't as full as it was when he was original certificated as a pilot (likely 
decades ago).

> 3) If one of these planes were shot down, in the past two weeks,
> would the Democrats go crazy and accuse Bush of being a maniac?

They haven't already?  I personally have lots of complaints about the whole 
post-9/11 thing, and especially Bush's hand in it (but Cheney's even more 
so).  But if a plane gets shot down, I don't see how one would be able to 
put the blame solely on Bush.  It's taken hundreds of so-called leaders, 
mostly people we actually voted for (and I use the term "we" loosely :) ), 
to accomplish the insane loss of freedoms in our country.

No, I don't see how the downing of a private airplane inside the US by our 
military would necessarily reflect more poorly on Bush than any other 
politician working in D.C. these days, Democrat or Republican.  They are all 
nuts, as far as I'm concerned.

Now, everyone who replies, remove their own newsgroup from the follow-ups, 
and maybe we can get this ridiculously cross-posted thread dead.  :)

Pete 
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2461
Author: Matt Barrow
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 15:18
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"Notan" <notan@ddress.com> wrote in message
news:4294048F.69AA91E7@ddress.com...
> poboxdc@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > 3) If one of these planes were shot down, in the past two weeks,
> > would the Democrats go crazy and accuse Bush of being a maniac?
>
> Why? It would have been the first rational decision he's made
> in years!
>
> Notan

Would you even know a rational decision if it bit you on the booboo?
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2470
Author: Bob Gardner
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 20:41
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3722 bytes
There was no instructor in the Cessna 150 that was forced to land in 
Frederick.

Bob Gardner

<poboxdc@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message 
news:4293F8BB.2AB4F203@ix.netcom.com...
> About six weeks ago I moved from Silver Spring, Md. to Gaithersburg,
> Maryland. There were several reason why I had to move, mainly the
> closing of an estate. I was kind of glad to get away from the
> excitement and insanity of the DC Beltway that was literally
> about 1200 feet from my front door! And my neighborhood was
> getting loud ... the people and the loud mufflers on the small
> Hondas that were constantly speeding by.
>
> In Gaithersburg things are much more peaceful. Not much noise
> or excitement. I'm just situated on a very quiet street
> with hardly any traffic. Good, right? Kind of. Until Sunday
> evening.
>
> As I was upstairs I heard the roar of a plane. A loud plane.
> A plane that was passing overhead very, very fast! Then I
> could hear another loud plane. Ahh, now I knew what it was.
> The Blue Angels were probably showing off because they were
> leaving the air show from Andrews Air Force Base. Wait ... no,
> that was yesterday! What the hell?
>
> I knew something was going on and I really didn't want to know.
> I wondered if another small plane had strayed into restricted
> airspace near the Mall. About an hour later I turned on CNN
> and there it was! Cameras live in Gaithersburg! Police
> escorting four people away from a small plane -- sitting on
> the runway at Montgomery Airpark. It happened again!
>
> And now they want to open up National Airport for Commercial
> and corporate flights ... but there must be a sky marshal
> on every flight. Will this help things?
>
> Here are a few questions ... and I know there's no (cut & dry)
> correct answer, just opinions:
>
> 1) Were any of these planes (in the past two weeks) close enough
> to be considered dangerous enough to shoot down?
>
> 2) Should the instructor of the 1st incident lose his license
> forever?
>
> 3) If one of these planes were shot down, in the past two weeks,
> would the Democrats go crazy and accuse Bush of being a maniac?
>
> KM 
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2471
Author: Carey Gregory
Date: Wed, 25 May 2005 23:38
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"Peter Duniho" <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> wrote:

>Considered by whom?  A Cessna 150 wouldn't be dangerous enough to justify 
>shooting down, even if it was at maximum dive speed three inches from its 
>target.

A Cessna 150 can carry about 400-500 pounds of payload.  Since that's the
_safe_ weight it can carry, and terrorists sure as hell don't give a damn
about safety, figure it could be loaded with 400 lbs of explosives plus the
pilot and minimal fuel.  400 lbs of the right explosives will easily take
out the White House, a good chunk of the capital building, or kill one hell
of a lot of people in a stadium.  And, of course, a small nuke could
vaporize several blocks and you wouldn't even have to crash into the target,
just get close to it.

So, your statement is true only if you assume the bad guys are too stupid to
think of things like this, and I think it's safe to say they've already
proven that to be a bad assumption.  Therefore, worrying about small
aircraft isn't so unreasonable after all.
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2472
Author: danny burstein
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 00:29
56 lines
1907 bytes
In <481a91p1jh5in9n3j3tu0vojevr8685nea@4ax.com> Carey Gregory <tiredofspam123@comcast.net> writes:

>A Cessna 150 can carry about 400-500 pounds of payload.  Since that's the
>_safe_ weight it can carry, and terrorists sure as hell don't give a damn
>about safety, figure it could be loaded with 400 lbs of explosives plus the
>pilot and minimal fuel.  

Yes, we all saw NCIS last night. And that was a nasty surprise at the 
end...

[spoiler space ]











[spoiler space ]










[spoiler space ]








[ last chance ]





They killed off Kate.

	http://imdb.com/title/tt0364845/
-- 
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
		     dannyb@panix.com 
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2473
Author: poboxdc
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 03:20
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Peter Duniho wrote:
> 
> <poboxdc@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
> news:4293F8BB.2AB4F203@ix.netcom.com...
> > 1) Were any of these planes (in the past two weeks) close enough
> > to be considered dangerous enough to shoot down?
> 
> Considered by whom?  A Cessna 150 wouldn't be dangerous enough to justify
> shooting down, even if it was at maximum dive speed three inches from its
> target.
> 
> Has everyone already forgotten the airplane that the suicidal teenager flew
> into a Florida office building?  A bit of window glass was broken, and a
> desk got rearranged.
> 
> I don't doubt there are people out there panicked about all sorts of small
> airplanes.  But they simply aren't a threat, and they aren't worth all the
> attention (and $$$$$) spent on trying to "deal with them".

If they are no threat, why are they being chased and forced to land?

 
> Now, everyone who replies, remove their own newsgroup from the follow-ups,
> and maybe we can get this ridiculously cross-posted thread dead.  :)
> 
> Pete

Why? It all seems to be on topic, if you wish to participate.

Like plane photos? Like beaches? Look at this!

http://snapshot.parade.com/0515/0515_airplane.html

(KM)
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2474
Author: Peter Duniho
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 06:49
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<poboxdc@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message 
news:42954071.D91806AB@ix.netcom.com...
>
> If they are no threat, why are they being chased and forced to land?

The same reason that our government pretends all manner of other things are 
threats that warrant the boondoggle that is the Department of Homeland 
Security, the War on Iraq, and everything else related.

You are quite gullible indeed if you think that the mere fact of government 
activity is proof of justification.

Pete 
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2475
Author: Garner Miller
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 11:48
14 lines
1727 bytes
In article <42954071.D91806AB@ix.netcom.com>, <poboxdc@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:

> If they are no threat, why are they being chased and forced to land?
> 

Are you kidding?  For the same reason we're wanding 85-year-old women
in wheelchairs.  A dog-and-pony show for the uneducated, to prove to
them that the government's "doing something."  It's all eyewash.

-- 
Garner R. Miller
ATP/CFII/MEI
Clifton Park, NY =USA=
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2476
Author: Steve & Susan
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 12:18
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On Thu, 26 May 2005 00:29:21 +0000 (UTC), danny burstein
<dannyb@panix.com> wrote:

>[spoiler space ]

I understand that in USA Today Donald Belisario was quoted as saying
that actor did not want to make a long term commitment to the show.

Steve
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2477
Author: pobox-dc
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 15:24
64 lines
3420 bytes
Garner Miller wrote:
> 
> In article <42954071.D91806AB@ix.netcom.com>, <poboxdc@ix.netcom.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > If they are no threat, why are they being chased and forced to land?
> >
> 
> Are you kidding?  For the same reason we're wanding 85-year-old women
> in wheelchairs.  A dog-and-pony show for the uneducated, to prove to
> them that the government's "doing something."  It's all eyewash.
> 
> --
> Garner R. Miller
> ATP/CFII/MEI
> Clifton Park, NY =USA=

That's an expensive show they put on! I wish the government
would take the borders more seriously. This state here is
starting to burst from all the illegal citizens.

(KM)

Volunteers recruited to help catch illegal immigrants in East Tennessee

WBIR (Knoxville, TN), May 21, 2005
http://www.wbir.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=25845

They work on the U.S border in Arizona, as part of a volunteer army
called the Minutemen. Soon, the brigade will be in Tennessee with a
mission of catching companies that hire illegal immigrants.

'If people are hiring them, they're usually paid under the table.
They're not getting any workmen's comp,' said David Heppler of
Arizona Border Watch.

Those behind the effort say volunteers will patrol local businesses,
looking for employers that are hiring people who've illegally crossed
the border.

The US Boarder Patrol says they've never endorsed the activities of the
Minutemen in Arizona, stressing that it's the Border Patrol's job to
catch illegal immigrants.

Some in East Tennessee say these kinds of tactics amount to begging for
trouble.

'I worry they'll come up here and start some kind of chaos,' says
Hispanic activist Luis Crespo.

Crespo fears minority groups will become unfair targets, regardless if
they're American citizens.

'Morristown, Hamblen County is blessed because we have people from all
over the country, the industries come from around the globe,' said
Crespo.

'This is not an Hispanic issue. This is an issue of undocumented
workers from any country. Not just Mexico. The problem with the public
is that they think United States/Mexico,' said Heppler.

Despite the objections, the Minutemen are moving forward. They hope to
have as many as 600 volunteers in just two months.
====end of posting=====
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2478
Author: poboxdc
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 15:28
64 lines
3467 bytes
Garner Miller wrote:
> 
> In article <42954071.D91806AB@ix.netcom.com>, <poboxdc@ix.netcom.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > If they are no threat, why are they being chased and forced to land?
> >
> 
> Are you kidding?  For the same reason we're wanding 85-year-old women
> in wheelchairs.  A dog-and-pony show for the uneducated, to prove to
> them that the government's "doing something."  It's all eyewash.
> 
> --
> Garner R. Miller
> ATP/CFII/MEI
> Clifton Park, NY =USA=

That's an expensive show they put on! I wish the government
would take the borders more seriously. Maryland is
starting to burst from all the illegal citizens.

(KM)

Volunteers recruited to help catch illegal immigrants in East Tennessee

WBIR (Knoxville, TN), May 21, 2005
http://www.wbir.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=25845

They work on the U.S border in Arizona, as part of a volunteer army
called the Minutemen. Soon, the brigade will be in Tennessee with a
mission of catching companies that hire illegal immigrants.

'If people are hiring them, they're usually paid under the table.
They're not getting any workmen's comp,' said David Heppler of
Arizona Border Watch.

Those behind the effort say volunteers will patrol local businesses,
looking for employers that are hiring people who've illegally crossed
the border.

The US Boarder Patrol says they've never endorsed the activities of the
Minutemen in Arizona, stressing that it's the Border Patrol's job to
catch illegal immigrants.

Some in East Tennessee say these kinds of tactics amount to begging for
trouble.

'I worry they'll come up here and start some kind of chaos,' says
Hispanic activist Luis Crespo.

Crespo fears minority groups will become unfair targets, regardless if
they're American citizens.

'Morristown, Hamblen County is blessed because we have people from all
over the country, the industries come from around the globe,' said
Crespo.

'This is not an Hispanic issue. This is an issue of undocumented
workers from any country. Not just Mexico. The problem with the public
is that they think United States/Mexico,' said Heppler.

Despite the objections, the Minutemen are moving forward. They hope to
have as many as 600 volunteers in just two months.
====end of posting=====
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2479
Author: Dan Luke
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 19:34
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<poboxdc@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> That's an expensive show they put on! I wish the government
> would take the borders more seriously. Maryland is
> starting to burst from all the illegal citizens.

Don't hold your breath.  Business wants the cheap labor, and The Party of
Business is in power.
-- 
Dan
C-172RG at BFM
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2480
Author: Kurt Ullman
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 19:54
18 lines
1996 bytes
In article <119c961qqaf7s3d@news.supernews.com>, "Dan Luke" 
<c172rg@dingdongsouth.net> wrote:
>
><poboxdc@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>> That's an expensive show they put on! I wish the government
>> would take the borders more seriously. Maryland is
>> starting to burst from all the illegal citizens.
>
>Don't hold your breath.  Business wants the cheap labor, and The Party of
>Business is in power.

  Yeah, the Dems have been really hot to stop all the illegals 
coming. 

----
	Ideologue: noun.  Someone who disagrees with the writer on
an issue and is insufficiently apologetic about it.
			Stolen from Billo in misc.writing
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2481
Author: Matt Whiting
Date: Thu, 26 May 2005 20:57
14 lines
2004 bytes
Dan Luke wrote:
> <poboxdc@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> 
>>That's an expensive show they put on! I wish the government
>>would take the borders more seriously. Maryland is
>>starting to burst from all the illegal citizens.
> 
> 
> Don't hold your breath.  Business wants the cheap labor, and The Party of
> Business is in power.

Yep, and the Party of Nobody is pouting.

Matt
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2482
Author: Carey Gregory
Date: Fri, 27 May 2005 18:34
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2061 bytes
"Peter Duniho" <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> wrote:

>The same reason that our government pretends all manner of other things are 
>threats that warrant the boondoggle that is the Department of Homeland 
>Security, the War on Iraq, and everything else related.

While I agree that most of the so-called security measures are little more
than a huge waste of time and money, the potential for a small aircraft to
be used as an effective weapon is blatantly obvious.   
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2483
Author: PilotCFI
Date: Fri, 27 May 2005 19:11
21 lines
1957 bytes
Carey Gregory <tiredofspam123@comcast.net> wrote in
news:abpe91tqkt4qfhs7hecthgfd89g52bur5c@4ax.com: 

> "Peter Duniho" <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> wrote:
> 
>>The same reason that our government pretends all manner of other
>>things are threats that warrant the boondoggle that is the Department
>>of Homeland Security, the War on Iraq, and everything else related.
> 
> While I agree that most of the so-called security measures are little
> more than a huge waste of time and money, the potential for a small
> aircraft to be used as an effective weapon is blatantly obvious.   


Not obvious to me. In a test the Japanese flew an old jetliner into a 
simulated nuclear plant cooling tower.  Result? plane demolished and the 
tower was scratched.  Can anything be used for ill will? Of course.  But in 
the aftermath of 9/11 and Oklahoma, why are small planes targeted and 
trucks with more carrying capacity are ignored?

PilotCFI/CFII
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2484
Author: Bob Noel
Date: Fri, 27 May 2005 20:29
12 lines
2009 bytes
In article <abpe91tqkt4qfhs7hecthgfd89g52bur5c@4ax.com>,
 Carey Gregory <tiredofspam123@comcast.net> wrote:

> While I agree that most of the so-called security measures are little more
> than a huge waste of time and money, the potential for a small aircraft to
> be used as an effective weapon is blatantly obvious.   

well, I suppose "zero" is a potential.  :-/

-- 
Bob Noel
no one likes an educated mule
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2462
Author: Don Hammer
Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 18:55
31 lines
2618 bytes
>
>If they are no threat, why are they being chased and forced to land?
>

There are many things in this life that the government does to placate
all the ignorant voters out there.  The average voter doesn't know
diddle about airplanes.

Joe six-pack is sure that a 1200 lb Cessna that can't lift two 200
pound people can do more damage than the 80,000 pound trucks that go
by their front door every day.

The terrorists will strike again and it probably won't be in
airplanes.  I'm betting on a truck, cargo container, or bus.  The
question then is, will we all climb into caves and severely restrict
them? 

There were over 13,000 murders in the US last year that had nothing to
do with terror. It must be safer to be in Baghdad than Washington DC
as the murder rates are lower.   When will all the dumb-asses get
paranoid over that?




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Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2463
Author: Roger
Date: Sun, 29 May 2005 05:58
48 lines
3262 bytes
On Sat, 28 May 2005 13:55:07 -0500, Don Hammer <dlh@aol.com> wrote:

>
>>
>>If they are no threat, why are they being chased and forced to land?
>>
>
>There are many things in this life that the government does to placate
>all the ignorant voters out there.  The average voter doesn't know
>diddle about airplanes.
>
>Joe six-pack is sure that a 1200 lb Cessna that can't lift two 200
>pound people can do more damage than the 80,000 pound trucks that go
>by their front door every day.
>
>The terrorists will strike again and it probably won't be in
>airplanes.  I'm betting on a truck, cargo container, or bus.  The
>question then is, will we all climb into caves and severely restrict
>them? 
>
>There were over 13,000 murders in the US last year that had nothing to
>do with terror. It must be safer to be in Baghdad than Washington DC
>as the murder rates are lower.   When will all the dumb-asses get
>paranoid over that?

We kill off over 40,000 a year on the highways. Now there is something
to be paranoid about!  It's so common a fatal wreck only makes the
local paper unless it's spectacular of some one well known.  In a car
you are at the mercy of the other drivers.  Night before last  we had
a guy lose control out on the expressway, cross the median and take a
pick up truck head on.    What was left didn't even look like cars or
trucks, or even like they ever had been.  Alcohol was not involved,
but they figure the guy who lost control may have been doing close to
a  hundred.  One idiot and one just minding his own business.  Both
gone.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
>
>
>
>
> Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
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>    ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
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Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2464
Author: Dan Luke
Date: Sun, 29 May 2005 14:01
18 lines
1902 bytes
"Kurt Ullman" wrote:
 >>> That's an expensive show they put on! I wish the government
>>> would take the borders more seriously. Maryland is
>>> starting to burst from all the illegal citizens.
>>
>>Don't hold your breath.  Business wants the cheap labor, and The Party 
>>of
>>Business is in power.
>
>  Yeah, the Dems have been really hot to stop all the illegals
> coming.

They have their own pressure groups to appease.  Neither party will do 
anything.
-- 
Dan
C172RG at BFM 
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2465
Author: Steve & Susan
Date: Sun, 29 May 2005 17:07
78 lines
5314 bytes
On Sun, 29 May 2005 01:58:16 -0400, Roger
<Delete-Invallid.stuff.groups@tm.net> wrote:

>We kill off over 40,000 a year on the highways. 

That's because we have local politicians who pride themselves on their
policies of fiscal austerity rather than being able to apply their
available funds wisely. Here in Missouri, most of the "state highways"
are narrow, winding two lane roads which have blind hills/ curves and
no shoulders. And, some genius at the state engineered 4 - 6 ft.
gouges in the side of the road for drainage because a storm sewer
system (and the maintenance of such) were not figured into the
construction budget.

There is no margin for error and mostly 20+ linear miles of no passing
zone.

People in this county go off the road and roll over every day, and it
doesn't even require being a careless or imprudent driver. Many of
them die. (As I type this, my pager just went off to inform the
overhead group of another rollover accident outside of my district.
Before this weekend is over, there will be several more - guaranteed).

That's bad, but there's worse. That lack of a shoulder or second lane
for slow drivers or farm equipment means people are crossing the
double lines and occasionally you crest a hill and see someone coming
at you in your lane and there is nothing else to do but ditch right.
With more greenspace constantly turning into subdivision (without
building collateral roadways and connecting subdivisions internally),
it will only get worse.

>Now there is something
>to be paranoid about!  It's so common a fatal wreck only makes the
>local paper unless it's spectacular of some one well known.  In a car
>you are at the mercy of the other drivers.  Night before last  we had
>a guy lose control out on the expressway, cross the median and take a
>pick up truck head on.    What was left didn't even look like cars or
>trucks, or even like they ever had been.  Alcohol was not involved,
>but they figure the guy who lost control may have been doing close to
>a  hundred.  One idiot and one just minding his own business.  Both
>gone.

And, like in my state, where is that divider across the median? One of
the local medical examiners here has been leading the charge with
public awareness campaigns for dividers across Interstate 70 since
I've moved out here (surprisingly we've made it 9 years). It was only
few years ago when MoDOT received the funding from the Missouri
legislature to actually build one in some sections. Part of that was
because there is a constitutional amendment which prohibits the
collection of surplus funds and requires major capital expenditures to
be voted for in referendum ballot. We all know that NONE OF US needs
any of these protective measures. "I'm a good driver and I'll never
need it; screw anyone else." <smirk> Consequently, referendums for
(real) safety initiatives are defeated, along with related things,
like cost recovery for wireless 9-1-1 (typical wireless call:
Telecommunicator: "What is your location, sir?" Caller: "I'm on a two
lane road near a farm with cows. There are lots of trees. I left the
Interstate about a half hour ago.")

Then there are the "speed limit: optional" zones, where there is no
law enforcement around to keep a safe speed or take poor drivers off
the road. I get passed by drivers doing well over 85 every time I'm on
the Interstate. Where are the cops? They're making more money doing
construction work with a lot less trouble.

And, we're spending money hand over fist buying $ecurity Zeppelins and
rocket ships and robots "for the big one," but completely overlook the
everyday enhancements to the services we provide which are useful not
just at the big one, but for the hundreds of thousands of little ones
(I or someone I know may be the next one to need that unfunded and
missing guard rail) that happen every single day in between.

>Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
>(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
>www.rogerhalstead.com

73 & many controlled langings!
Steve
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2466
Author: Carey Gregory
Date: Tue, 31 May 2005 17:42
26 lines
2986 bytes
PilotCFI <dmalcolm@hiwaay.net> wrote:

>Carey Gregory <tiredofspam123@comcast.net> wrote in
>news:abpe91tqkt4qfhs7hecthgfd89g52bur5c@4ax.com: 
>
>> While I agree that most of the so-called security measures are little
>> more than a huge waste of time and money, the potential for a small
>> aircraft to be used as an effective weapon is blatantly obvious.   
>
>
>Not obvious to me. In a test the Japanese flew an old jetliner into a 
>simulated nuclear plant cooling tower.  Result? plane demolished and the 
>tower was scratched.  Can anything be used for ill will? Of course.  But in 
>the aftermath of 9/11 and Oklahoma, why are small planes targeted and 
>trucks with more carrying capacity are ignored?

As I've already pointed out, it wouldn't be difficult to load a Cessna with
enough explosives, biologicals, or nuke material to make it an effective
weapon.  I don't think anyone seriously believes the plane itself is
dangerous -- it's what can be placed on board that makes it dangerous.

And while I agree greater risks are being largely ignored (eg, trucks), what
makes a plane such a concern is its ability to get close to sensitive
facilities quickly and easily, and the difficulty of stopping it as compared
to stopping land vehicles.  After all, you don't need F-16s to stop a box
truck.
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2467
Author: Andrew Gideon
Date: Tue, 31 May 2005 20:05
41 lines
3117 bytes
Carey Gregory wrote:

> And while I agree greater risks are being largely ignored (eg, trucks),
> what makes a plane such a concern is its ability to get close to sensitive
> facilities quickly and easily, and the difficulty of stopping it as
> compared to stopping land vehicles.  After all, you don't need F-16s to
> stop a box truck.

That a truck is easy to stop is not relevant if the truck isn't being
stopped.  Someone could be driving a truck about the DC area for hours w/o
being stopped.  During all that time, various toxins can be dumped into the
local atmosphere.

That's much more of a risk than an incredibly obvious plane which cannot
carry nearly as much weight in toxin as the slightest of trucks (or even
cars).

But the NYTimes today had a little piece that explained why even my scenario
above is unlikely; there are far better targets for terrorists that we're
securing in no way whatsoever.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/30/opinion/30wein.html

 ...
 But there is a third possibility that, while it seems far 
 more mundane, could be just as deadly: terrorists spreading 
 a toxin that causes botulism throughout the nation's milk supply.
 ...

The article goes on to describe just how easily this can be accomplished
using today's complete lack of security.  

So the government has useless and expensive "show pieces" like the ADIZ,
while threats to US citizens - and primarily in this case, our children -
are ignored.  Or perhaps the Bush Administration doesn't drink a lot of
milk, so it feels no reason to fear that threat.

But the reality is the government is grandstanding while putting our
children at risk.  

 - Andrew
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2468
Author: Carey Gregory
Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 01:01
25 lines
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Andrew Gideon <ag7337@gideon.org> wrote:

>But the reality is the government is grandstanding while putting our
>children at risk.  

You'll get no argument from me that most of the post-9/11 security measures
are useless wastes of time and money.  (But, really, there's no need to
throw in the children thing for emotional effect.  We're all at risk.)

However, I do think flight restrictions over sensitive targets aren't
unreasonable.  It makes sense to defend against the threats you can within
reasonable cost and disruption.  Biological and nuke attacks are difficult,
complex and expensive, so worrying about those from aircraft probably isn't
worth the effort.  Like you said, it would be easier and more effective to
deliver it from land.

But explosives are cheap and it does make sense to deliver them from the air
since getting close to the White House (or wherever) with a box truck is
likely to prove very difficult.  It would be much easier to do it from the
air (if airspace there was unrestricted).  I've already provided the
calculations showing you could put enough explosives in a Cessna to do
serious damage, so it's not an unreasonable concern.

Restricted airspaces have always existed in aviation.  I fail to see why
it's so unreasonable now.  
Re: Off topic? Planes (My quiet street)
#2469
Author: poboxdc
Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 02:01
14 lines
1640 bytes
Carey Gregory wrote:
> 
> Andrew Gideon <ag7337@gideon.org> wrote:
> 
> >But the reality is the government is grandstanding while putting our
> >children at risk.
> 
> You'll get no argument from me that most of the post-9/11 security measures
> are useless wastes of time and money.  

Yea, remember when they encouraged us all to keep duct tape 
nearby?

(KM)
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