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Run In With Mr. Edwards



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 23rd 04, 01:34 PM
OtisWinslow
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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
news91Wc.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!)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"




  #2  
Old August 23rd 04, 02:42 PM
Jay Honeck
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old August 24th 04, 02:35 AM
Jay Somerset
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old August 24th 04, 02:52 AM
Roger Halstead
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old August 23rd 04, 07:13 PM
DanH
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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.
  #6  
Old August 25th 04, 05:12 AM
smackey
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old August 25th 04, 05:59 AM
Morgans
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"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


  #8  
Old August 25th 04, 06:25 AM
Jim Weir
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

(smackey)
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-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.

Agreed.


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?

I can't buy that. He can't stand either one, but is not as abusive of the
Republicans as he is of the Democrats.

!
-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.

Now I really take umbrage with you, sir. Believe of Jay as you will as a narrow
minded Republican-leaning twit, his hotel is first rate. He may take up an
unusual amount of bandwidth in this ng subtly promoting his hotel (as I do
promoting my avionics business) but mostly his stuff regarding his establishment
is on target. It takes an enormous amount of time and talent to assemble what
he has assembled in the last couple of years, and there is nothing else like it
in the world. You owe it to yourself to spend just ONE night at the hotel,
whether or not you can stomach Jay's politics. Most of us cast that aside in
person, and one on one, he is a genuinely likeable person. In this newsgroup,
as you noted, he is a twit from time to time.


-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.

Your call, sir. I'd suggest otherwise. I'd also suggest taking a course on
learning how to snip.

Jim



Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com
  #9  
Old August 25th 04, 04:11 PM
Jay Honeck
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old August 25th 04, 10:33 PM
SeeAndAvoid
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"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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