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All of these AHs picture themselves as royalty that the rest of us
ought to bow down to. If just fries my butt. Let them go about their business and us go about ours. If they're going to close the damn ramps then they should at least issue a notam so people can chose not to go there. "Jay Honeck" wrote in message news ![]() After living in Iowa for the last 7 years, it seemed that we were the only ones left who had NOT been to the "Great Iowa State Fair." This year is the 150th anniversary of this grand old tradition, so last weekend we decided to check it out. After the brief, 0.7 hour flight to Des Moines, Mary taxied up to Des Moines Flying Service (A.K.A.: "Signature") to park. As we trundled toward the ramp we noticed an inordinate number of vehicles parked on the airport side of the fence. As the prop stopped, I noticed that they were all law enforcement vehicles, of every type and kind, from marked squads to black Suburbans. Jokingly I commented on the criminal nature of that last landing (which netted me a swat to the head :-), but wondered aloud just what the heck could justify the expense of 30 - 40 vehicles and crew... ...and then we remembered the season, and where we were. It HAD to be a presidential election-related visit of some sort -- but who? Mary had quite specifically grilled Flight Service about TFRs, and had been told there were none. DSM approach mentioned nothing, either, so we were fairly certain that it couldn't be the President. The fact that the cops were eying us warily, but otherwise ignoring us, seemed to reinforce this notion. This left the Kerry/Edwards campaign as the primary suspects, and we were not to be disappointed. As soon as we were inside the FBO, the Kerry/Edwards "Real Deal" Boeing 727 plane rolled in. John Edwards was making an appearance in Des Moines, and we were lucky to get in when we did -- cuz the ramp was slammed shut, tight as a drum, as soon as he arrived. Walking to our rental car with my kids, I pushed up closer to the fence to take a picture. Immediately a uniformed DSM police officer asked if he could "help me" -- and ordered me to stay behind a painted line in the parking lot (that he had chosen entirely at random, at that instant) in no uncertain terms. So, I took my pictures and left, marveling at the stupidity of it all. After spending a marvelous day at the fair we returned to the airport -- and were dumb-founded to see all those police officers rolling up to the ramp once again! With incredibly bad timing, we had arrived precisely at the same moment as the advance security detail, meaning that Edwards couldn't be far behind. Now hurriedly paying for gas and the car, hoping against hope to get off the ground before the V.P.-wannabee returned to his plane, we grabbed our stuff and made a bee-line toward the plane -- only to have a secret service agent step between me and the door, asking that I please wait for Mr. Edwards to depart. Now you must realize that my plane was MAYBE 40 feet from the door he was blocking, while Mr. Liability-Attorney's 727 was several hundred yards farther out. I pointed this fact out to him, and also pointed to my children, stating that all we wanted to do was get off the ground before dark, since neither of us were legal to fly at night. This carried no weight with him, and he quietly told me that we'd just have to wait. So, I resignedly told my family to find comfy chairs, and that it would be while. For the next ten minutes or so, we observed at least 50 officers and agents, all on the tax-dole, making sure that the ramp area was "sterile" for Mr. Perfect-Hair. Some were just standing around staring into space, while others were actively scanning the fence line and building tops. Aggravatingly, two characters -- obviously pilots -- kept freely going in and out of the same door that the jar-head secret agent had blocked. This continued for 15 minutes, until I could no longer stand it. I approached the door guard and asked him what THEY had that we did NOT have -- to which he replied succinctly: "Clearance." Apparently they worked for Signature, and had been pre-screened to be on the ramp. By now thoroughly aggravated, I raised my hands over my head and said "Well, screen me. Escort me. Tow me. Do whatever you've got to do to make sure I'm not a threat -- but we've got to get off the ground soon, or we'll be stuck here overnight!" Unsmilingly, he simply said "You're not going anywhere until that plane departs." -- and that was that. Finally Mr. Ketchup's side-kick taxied out to the active runway -- and held for departure. We all immediately grabbed our stuff and started heading for the door -- which our favorite S.S. officer was STILL blocking! Dumbfounded, I asked what the problem was -- and he said that Edwards had to be OFF THE GROUND before he could clear us onto the ramp! Now thoroughly ****ed, I just stared at the guy incredulously. He got the message, and promised that he would try to "get us clearance onto the ramp" -- and started talking into his lapel. He then walked out onto the ramp, where he was animatedly talking with someone when Edwards' plane finally got clearance to depart, and blasted into the evening sky. Within minutes, the Signature ramp was empty, with no vestige of the incredible security presence that had been there only moments before. They all headed to the donut shoppe, and we were able to depart normally, as if nothing at all had just happened. Harry Truman once famously said that the "position of vice-president ain't worth a bucket of warm spit." Worse, Edwards isn't even THERE yet -- he's just a wannabee! He is nothing, absolutely NOTHING -- yet we are treating him like royalty, and my family was treated like criminals when we were anywhere near him. If this is what we have to look forward to under a Kerry/Edwards presidency, I fear the worst is yet to come. As we climbed out I laughingly told my kids that this was "your tax-dollars at work." I then closed my eyes and wished fervently that 9/11 had never happened... (BTW: If you've never seen the Iowa State Fair, it's worth the trip. It's the biggest fair in America, apparently, and it is so chock-full of traditional Americana that I felt like a kid again. And my kids were absolutely in awe of the place, with the rides, live entertainment, food, and animals. Ever seen a 3000 pound bull? Me neither -- but they have one. It's as big as a car!) -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
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If they're going to close the damn
ramps then they should at least issue a notam so people can chose not to go there. Gosh, someone who "gets" it -- thank you! Had I known Edwards was going to shut down operations at Signature, I would have chosen the "other" FBO. A simple NOTAM would have done the job, my family wouldn't have been treated like suspected criminals, and he could have basked in royal security without criticism. Hopefully someone from the FAA or Kerry campaign is taking notes? -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#3
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On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 13:42:28 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote: If they're going to close the damn ramps then they should at least issue a notam so people can chose not to go there. Gosh, someone who "gets" it -- thank you! Had I known Edwards was going to shut down operations at Signature, I would have chosen the "other" FBO. Are you sure the "other FBO" was not equally inconvenienced? A simple NOTAM would have done the job, my family wouldn't have been treated like suspected criminals, and he could have basked in royal security without criticism. Hopefully someone from the FAA or Kerry campaign is taking notes? |
#4
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I propose that as part of the "Campaign Finance Reform" that the
following rules be applied to *all* campaign visits at all levels. If the visit is going to inconvenience more than 5... OK ... 10 individuals, or businesses it must be canceled. The same is true for campaign speeches whether in person, on radio, or TV. I'd add that third parties should be given half of each candidates slush fund for their own advertising be it pro or con. Just think how peaceful election years would become. Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
#5
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Jay Honeck wrote:
After living in Iowa for the last 7 years, it seemed that we were the only ones left who had NOT been to the "Great Iowa State Fair." This year is the 150th anniversary of this grand old tradition, so last weekend we decided to check it out. After the brief, 0.7 hour flight to Des Moines, Mary taxied up to Des Moines Flying Service (A.K.A.: "Signature") to park. As we trundled toward the ramp we noticed an inordinate number of vehicles parked on the airport side of the fence. As the prop stopped, I noticed that they were all law enforcement vehicles, of every type and kind, from marked squads to black Suburbans. Jokingly I commented on the criminal nature of that last landing (which netted me a swat to the head :-), but wondered aloud just what the heck could justify the expense of 30 - 40 vehicles and crew... ...and then we remembered the season, and where we were. It HAD to be a presidential election-related visit of some sort -- but who? Mary had quite specifically grilled Flight Service about TFRs, and had been told there were none. DSM approach mentioned nothing, either, so we were fairly certain that it couldn't be the President. The fact that the cops were eying us warily, but otherwise ignoring us, seemed to reinforce this notion. This left the Kerry/Edwards campaign as the primary suspects, and we were not to be disappointed. As soon as we were inside the FBO, the Kerry/Edwards "Real Deal" Boeing 727 plane rolled in. John Edwards was making an appearance in Des Moines, and we were lucky to get in when we did -- cuz the ramp was slammed shut, tight as a drum, as soon as he arrived. Walking to our rental car with my kids, I pushed up closer to the fence to take a picture. Immediately a uniformed DSM police officer asked if he could "help me" -- and ordered me to stay behind a painted line in the parking lot (that he had chosen entirely at random, at that instant) in no uncertain terms. So, I took my pictures and left, marveling at the stupidity of it all. After spending a marvelous day at the fair we returned to the airport -- and were dumb-founded to see all those police officers rolling up to the ramp once again! With incredibly bad timing, we had arrived precisely at the same moment as the advance security detail, meaning that Edwards couldn't be far behind. Now hurriedly paying for gas and the car, hoping against hope to get off the ground before the V.P.-wannabee returned to his plane, we grabbed our stuff and made a bee-line toward the plane -- only to have a secret service agent step between me and the door, asking that I please wait for Mr. Edwards to depart. Now you must realize that my plane was MAYBE 40 feet from the door he was blocking, while Mr. Liability-Attorney's 727 was several hundred yards farther out. I pointed this fact out to him, and also pointed to my children, stating that all we wanted to do was get off the ground before dark, since neither of us were legal to fly at night. This carried no weight with him, and he quietly told me that we'd just have to wait. So, I resignedly told my family to find comfy chairs, and that it would be while. For the next ten minutes or so, we observed at least 50 officers and agents, all on the tax-dole, making sure that the ramp area was "sterile" for Mr. Perfect-Hair. Some were just standing around staring into space, while others were actively scanning the fence line and building tops. Aggravatingly, two characters -- obviously pilots -- kept freely going in and out of the same door that the jar-head secret agent had blocked. This continued for 15 minutes, until I could no longer stand it. I approached the door guard and asked him what THEY had that we did NOT have -- to which he replied succinctly: "Clearance." Apparently they worked for Signature, and had been pre-screened to be on the ramp. By now thoroughly aggravated, I raised my hands over my head and said "Well, screen me. Escort me. Tow me. Do whatever you've got to do to make sure I'm not a threat -- but we've got to get off the ground soon, or we'll be stuck here overnight!" Unsmilingly, he simply said "You're not going anywhere until that plane departs." -- and that was that. Finally Mr. Ketchup's side-kick taxied out to the active runway -- and held for departure. We all immediately grabbed our stuff and started heading for the door -- which our favorite S.S. officer was STILL blocking! Dumbfounded, I asked what the problem was -- and he said that Edwards had to be OFF THE GROUND before he could clear us onto the ramp! Now thoroughly ****ed, I just stared at the guy incredulously. He got the message, and promised that he would try to "get us clearance onto the ramp" -- and started talking into his lapel. He then walked out onto the ramp, where he was animatedly talking with someone when Edwards' plane finally got clearance to depart, and blasted into the evening sky. Within minutes, the Signature ramp was empty, with no vestige of the incredible security presence that had been there only moments before. They all headed to the donut shoppe, and we were able to depart normally, as if nothing at all had just happened. Harry Truman once famously said that the "position of vice-president ain't worth a bucket of warm spit." Worse, Edwards isn't even THERE yet -- he's just a wannabee! He is nothing, absolutely NOTHING -- yet we are treating him like royalty, and my family was treated like criminals when we were anywhere near him. If this is what we have to look forward to under a Kerry/Edwards presidency, I fear the worst is yet to come. As we climbed out I laughingly told my kids that this was "your tax-dollars at work." I then closed my eyes and wished fervently that 9/11 had never happened... (BTW: If you've never seen the Iowa State Fair, it's worth the trip. It's the biggest fair in America, apparently, and it is so chock-full of traditional Americana that I felt like a kid again. And my kids were absolutely in awe of the place, with the rides, live entertainment, food, and animals. Ever seen a 3000 pound bull? Me neither -- but they have one. It's as big as a car!) -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" Wow! That's the highest whining-per-sentence ratio I've heard since the last time I accidentally channel-surfed to Air America or Rush. |
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Well, Jay,
I suspected this day would come. You are the "hail fellow, well met" guy I always figured you for. Friendly and chummy with everyone, but really a narrow minded little twit. For anyone with a bit of ability to read between the lines, it has simply been a waiting game. Keep your political crap off this newsgroup, please. Your attack on John Edwards was not so much without portent given the tone of your numerous, "humerous", selfserving and commercially motivated constant plugs for the Alexis Inn, as it was surprising that you finally had the guts to finally come clean. Why don't you just admit that you are against anything that Kerry/Edwards stand for, and are just another Bush/Cheney toady?! My wife and I annually fly to the midwest, and I had planned on stopping by to stay at your 3rd rate motel, just from a sense of pilot-comraderie. Forget it. I'll stay elsewhere, thank-you. The incident you report had nothing to do with John Edwards; it is a result of the necessary security that surrounds every major pres/VP candidate. "Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:p91Wc.21556$9d6.17529@attbi_s54... After living in Iowa for the last 7 years, it seemed that we were the only ones left who had NOT been to the "Great Iowa State Fair." This year is the 150th anniversary of this grand old tradition, so last weekend we decided to check it out. After the brief, 0.7 hour flight to Des Moines, Mary taxied up to Des Moines Flying Service (A.K.A.: "Signature") to park. As we trundled toward the ramp we noticed an inordinate number of vehicles parked on the airport side of the fence. As the prop stopped, I noticed that they were all law enforcement vehicles, of every type and kind, from marked squads to black Suburbans. Jokingly I commented on the criminal nature of that last landing (which netted me a swat to the head :-), but wondered aloud just what the heck could justify the expense of 30 - 40 vehicles and crew... ...and then we remembered the season, and where we were. It HAD to be a presidential election-related visit of some sort -- but who? Mary had quite specifically grilled Flight Service about TFRs, and had been told there were none. DSM approach mentioned nothing, either, so we were fairly certain that it couldn't be the President. The fact that the cops were eying us warily, but otherwise ignoring us, seemed to reinforce this notion. This left the Kerry/Edwards campaign as the primary suspects, and we were not to be disappointed. As soon as we were inside the FBO, the Kerry/Edwards "Real Deal" Boeing 727 plane rolled in. John Edwards was making an appearance in Des Moines, and we were lucky to get in when we did -- cuz the ramp was slammed shut, tight as a drum, as soon as he arrived. Walking to our rental car with my kids, I pushed up closer to the fence to take a picture. Immediately a uniformed DSM police officer asked if he could "help me" -- and ordered me to stay behind a painted line in the parking lot (that he had chosen entirely at random, at that instant) in no uncertain terms. So, I took my pictures and left, marveling at the stupidity of it all. After spending a marvelous day at the fair we returned to the airport -- and were dumb-founded to see all those police officers rolling up to the ramp once again! With incredibly bad timing, we had arrived precisely at the same moment as the advance security detail, meaning that Edwards couldn't be far behind. Now hurriedly paying for gas and the car, hoping against hope to get off the ground before the V.P.-wannabee returned to his plane, we grabbed our stuff and made a bee-line toward the plane -- only to have a secret service agent step between me and the door, asking that I please wait for Mr. Edwards to depart. Now you must realize that my plane was MAYBE 40 feet from the door he was blocking, while Mr. Liability-Attorney's 727 was several hundred yards farther out. I pointed this fact out to him, and also pointed to my children, stating that all we wanted to do was get off the ground before dark, since neither of us were legal to fly at night. This carried no weight with him, and he quietly told me that we'd just have to wait. So, I resignedly told my family to find comfy chairs, and that it would be while. For the next ten minutes or so, we observed at least 50 officers and agents, all on the tax-dole, making sure that the ramp area was "sterile" for Mr. Perfect-Hair. Some were just standing around staring into space, while others were actively scanning the fence line and building tops. Aggravatingly, two characters -- obviously pilots -- kept freely going in and out of the same door that the jar-head secret agent had blocked. This continued for 15 minutes, until I could no longer stand it. I approached the door guard and asked him what THEY had that we did NOT have -- to which he replied succinctly: "Clearance." Apparently they worked for Signature, and had been pre-screened to be on the ramp. By now thoroughly aggravated, I raised my hands over my head and said "Well, screen me. Escort me. Tow me. Do whatever you've got to do to make sure I'm not a threat -- but we've got to get off the ground soon, or we'll be stuck here overnight!" Unsmilingly, he simply said "You're not going anywhere until that plane departs." -- and that was that. Finally Mr. Ketchup's side-kick taxied out to the active runway -- and held for departure. We all immediately grabbed our stuff and started heading for the door -- which our favorite S.S. officer was STILL blocking! Dumbfounded, I asked what the problem was -- and he said that Edwards had to be OFF THE GROUND before he could clear us onto the ramp! Now thoroughly ****ed, I just stared at the guy incredulously. He got the message, and promised that he would try to "get us clearance onto the ramp" -- and started talking into his lapel. He then walked out onto the ramp, where he was animatedly talking with someone when Edwards' plane finally got clearance to depart, and blasted into the evening sky. Within minutes, the Signature ramp was empty, with no vestige of the incredible security presence that had been there only moments before. They all headed to the donut shoppe, and we were able to depart normally, as if nothing at all had just happened. Harry Truman once famously said that the "position of vice-president ain't worth a bucket of warm spit." Worse, Edwards isn't even THERE yet -- he's just a wannabee! He is nothing, absolutely NOTHING -- yet we are treating him like royalty, and my family was treated like criminals when we were anywhere near him. If this is what we have to look forward to under a Kerry/Edwards presidency, I fear the worst is yet to come. As we climbed out I laughingly told my kids that this was "your tax-dollars at work." I then closed my eyes and wished fervently that 9/11 had never happened... (BTW: If you've never seen the Iowa State Fair, it's worth the trip. It's the biggest fair in America, apparently, and it is so chock-full of traditional Americana that I felt like a kid again. And my kids were absolutely in awe of the place, with the rides, live entertainment, food, and animals. Ever seen a 3000 pound bull? Me neither -- but they have one. It's as big as a car!) |
#7
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![]() "smackey" wrote Keep your political crap off this newsgroup, please. You must be kinda new to this. Your comments will have no=effect on the subject of off topic political posts. If you don't like them, mark the thread read, or ignore, and move on. Or even better, just move on. -- Jim in NC |
#9
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Your call, sir. I'd suggest otherwise. I'd also suggest taking a course
on learning how to snip. Uh, thanks for the support, Jim. That *was* support, right? ;-) -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#10
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"Jay Honeck" wrote...
That *was* support, right? Sure, if you call being called a stupid jackass, twit, and told to shut the hell up when speaking your mind "support". Chris -- Steve Bosell for President 2004 "Vote for me or I'll sue you" www.philhendrieshow.com |
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