Kerry's coming to OSH

You are too young to know these things... Those of us who lived through
them, will never forget...

Oh, I'm not so young.

In 1983, Mary and I were in a cabin in northern Wisconsin, enjoying, um,
ourselves. Kids were many years in the future, and it was about 25 below
zero outside. We were alone and 10 hours' drive from just about anything...

In those pre-internet days, short-wave radio was still prevalent. I brought
mine along, figuring I could pick up some pretty amazing signals way up
north, away from the big cities and all that interference. (Yes, I was a
dazzling romantic, even then... ;-)

That night, the Soviet Union shot down the Korean airliner near Sakhalin
(sp?) Island, and the world held its breath. Radio Moscow was full of
calls for war, and all other bands were solid with news of impending doom.

We knew we were not too far from K.I. Sawyer air base -- with all those
B-52s -- and figured we'd be vaporized before morning.

We had a helluva night. We truly thought the end of the world was at hand.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Dave S wrote in message link.net...
I was wondering at what point secret service kicked in for potential
candidates.. wouldnt that be the epitome of irony...

It's kicked in. Google news was showing an article earlier today that
the SS has a detail with Kerry now.

So, we now have a TFR in Chief, and an aspiring TFR in Chief, and the
Vice TFR in Chief of course. TFR season here we come!

-Malcolm Teas

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:clLYb.214124$U%5.1239757@attbi_s03...
Better hope Bush doesn't decide to show up in his rented flight suit and
TFR!

Bush's F-102 flight instructor -- a crusty, old, 270 pound former judo
instructor -- is quoted in this week's Newsweek as saying that "Bush was in
the top 5% of fighter pilots he's ever trained..."

Sounds good. Then why did he stop flying? I'm still a low-time
pilot, but I can't imagine suddenly stopping flying and, to all
appearances, not thinking about it again.

Newsweek also reports that Bush inquired about being transferred to Viet Nam
for combat duty, and was told that (a) the F-102 in which he was rated and
current was considered obsolete for combat operations, and (b) he had too
few flight hours. Thus, his inquiry was rejected.

If he wanted to fly, why didn't he attempt to get training in
something that was being flown more?

Sounds like old GW is more legit than some of you like to believe...

Perhaps. But there's a lotta odd dangling ends of things. Too many
inconsistencies for my personal taste.

-Malcolm Teas

drum roll.....
Really, really well, obviously!


"Jay Honeck" wrote Yikes! How do the safety
switches on an H bomb work?

Sounds good. Then why did he stop flying? I'm still a low-time
pilot, but I can't imagine suddenly stopping flying and, to all
appearances, not thinking about it again.

Agree 100%. But I've known a fair number of people who have learned to fly,
flown for a while, and then quit. Some were even aircraft owners, which
meant they had REALLY gone down the aviation rabbit-hole.

I have no idea how they can do it -- or why. But I'll admit I never quite
trust them again after I find out they were "once" pilots.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay

Have seen the figure of 12 airborne 7/24 out of 4-500 bombers we had.
Don't hold me to those exact figures but will give you an idea. These
missions were called "Chrome Dome". One flight path was around
northern Pacific. Another one was over to the Med and return. Some
missions were 24 +/- hr flights. Med is where they lost the two birds
and 4 bombs with the mid air off Spain.

'Looking Glass' flew out of Offutt with a General aboard 7/24. Was a
backup C and C in case Washington got hit and National Authority
zapped. New bird was airborne and checked out before old bird landed.
If trouble getting the replacement airborne, the old bird just punched
a tanker until their replacement got airborne.

Glad the MAD has been put to bed.


Big John


On Fri, 20 Feb 2004 18:11:27 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Thanks for the clarification and history, Big John. As always, we're
indebted to you and your expertise.

I had no idea that we kept the bombers airborne 24/7 -- I thought it was
just "Looking Glass" and recon stuff that was always in the air, with the
bombers on stand-by alert.

Glad the MAD has been put to bed.

Yeah, except now the Russkies have apparently developed a maneuverable
warhead for their ICBM, making our Strategic Defense Initiative stuff
obsolete. It was in the news that they just successfully tested it this
week.

Which leaves us back with Mutual Assured Destruction as our only viable
"defense"... :-(
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message

Which leaves us back with Mutual Assured Destruction as our only viable
"defense"... :-(

Not really. World is a very different place now than then A) Russia is
*not* the Soviet Union. B) Russia can't even come close to affording the
hint of an arms race. They are effectively bankrupt, but for the good
graces of a variety of western countries and lenders. C) The whole world
knows they are bankrupt and impotent, unlike the scenario through the 70s
and 80s, when they effectively bluffed the world. That was the simple
genius of RR's policy re USSR. He knew in his gut that they were finished,
and he called their bluff.

This latest probably relates as much to their domestic politics (election)
as it does to the world chessboard.

On 2004-02-21, Big John wrote:

Glad the MAD has been put to bed.

Glad it worked.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:UbzZb.356568$I06.3764118@attbi_s01...
Glad the MAD has been put to bed.

Yeah, except now the Russkies have apparently developed a maneuverable
warhead for their ICBM, making our Strategic Defense Initiative stuff
obsolete. It was in the news that they just successfully tested it this
week.

The whole arguement for the SDI was that it was for "rogue" states and would
be useless against Russia.

Earl G