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Overreacting government
On 12/15/2015 4:32 PM, Keyser Söze wrote:
On 12/15/15 4:15 PM, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:57:08 -0500, Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 1:56 PM, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:33:01 -0500, Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 1:15 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: On 12/15/2015 1:02 PM, Justan Olphart wrote: On 12/15/2015 9:23 AM, True North wrote: Keyser Söze - show quoted text - "Why are you whining about government employment? Weren't you a government employee most of your working life? Wasn't your wife? Didn't your wife get health plan benefits from an employee union? You're biting the hands that fed you, eh?" The John got his......to 'ell with anyone else. What did John get that you didn't? John didn't "get" anything. He earned it, based on the contract he had for his service. Sorta like a union. John's problem is that he resents other government employees who get benefits. I resent the creation of 'jobs' which accomplish nothing but increasing the size of the government. -- Well, then, you should have resigned from the army before you vested, as it were. The fact that several of us are having a discussion without rancor and name-calling, even though we disagree, just bugs the **** out of you, doesn't it? -- You are the one who insulted government employees who might be covered by an AFGE contract. They're no different than you were...in terms of their employer(s). WHAT? |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:59:39 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:27 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:45:56 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: I don't think it's up to the average lay person to determine what laws are enforceable and what are not. It's obvious that those who feel most restricted or affected by a law or regulation designed for the benefit of the whole will be bitching the most. It is not hard to decide whether a law is enforceable by looking at what kind of staff they will appropriate to enforce it. That is the second shoe that will drop. Currently there is no money allocated for enforcement. This is "rock soup" government at it's best. They start with a simple regulation, that is ineffective and they will keep throwing new resources at it until it is a huge bureaucracy or hopefully just abandon the idea. I will not be restricted at all but I will be taxed. Just think of how many people that extra buck a year will benefit. :-) There are about 40 million tax payers (who actually pay) so I doubt they will be able to do it for a buck but there are lots of stupid programs and after a while, it ends up being lots of bucks. The real problem is we won't actually give them the bucks, we will bill our kids for it ... with interest or worse, just print more money. I haven't seen the GAO "score" on this but you can usually double that. In this case, double the current projection won't be enough because they have not decided how they will enforce it. That is when the "rock soup" comes into play. Lets say they give them $20 million for enforcement, hiring a bunch of drone cops. Then we have a real FFA failure. They will say we just spent $50 million on drones so we should spend $100 million more for real planes ... rinse repeat. Did you read my TSA post? |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. |
Overreacting government
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Overreacting government
Keyser Söze wrote:
On 12/14/15 8:32 PM, John H. wrote: Today the FAA announced plans for a model aircraft registration process to begin next week. The new federal requirements: All aircraft that are flown using a ground control system, such as a transmitter, are required to participate. This includes fixed-wing aircraft, not just multirotors or drones. Any pilot flying models weighing between .55 pounds (or 250 grams) and 55 lbs is required to register. You will not be required to register every aircraft individually. You only need to register yourself and can affix one registration number to all your aircraft. You must mark all aircraft with your registration number. The number can be inside the aircraft, such as a battery hatch - but should not require tools to access. The FAA plans to launch the online registration website on Monday, December 21. There is a $5 fee to register, which is waived if you register within the first 30 days. You only need to register once every 3 years. The above was copied from an email from the AMA today. Note the minimum size, and the fact that every aircraft is included. So if I buy a baby model that weighs over a half pound, and give it to a grandkid, the grandkid must be a registered operator. How friggin' stupid are the assholes running this government. I guess they're pretty smart, they just made the AFGE a lot bigger. -- Ban idiots, not guns! Why are you whining about government employment? Weren't you a government employee most of your working life? Wasn't your wife? Didn't your wife get health plan benefits from an employee union? You're biting the hands that fed you, eh? STFU until your debts are paid. WE, and the people you screwed in your bankruptcy filings, are funding your iPhone upgrades and gun purchases until that it done. While you're at it, leave the ex-military fellow alone. He put his life on the line for your fat ass. |
Overreacting government
Boating All Out wrote:
In article Oo6dnX9gZfcDgO3LnZ2dnUU7- , says... The concern is that a million or more inexpensive "drones" will be given as Christmas presents next week and the FAA anticipates many potential problems with people using them who are not familiar with their operation or restrictions. The FAA isn't the only government agency who is concerned. British Columbia has also issued concerns due to several close calls involving aircraft and drones in Canada. Similar regulations are in the works there. Did you happen to hear Joe Scarborough this morning, saying the Republican base have been "whiners" for at least the past 20 years? This is good example of that. The government reacts to the threat of commercial aircraft being brought down, with 100's of deaths. "Republicans" and libertarians whine about it. And so it goes. Sure, Kevin. The government fails to react to threats that are far more credible than little toys. |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 19:37:03 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote: On 12/15/2015 5:49 PM, John H. wrote: At National Airport there is a park about 1000' from the north end of the main runway. Folks lay there and watch the planes take off and land only a few hundred feet over their heads. Do you not thing that's plenty close for a laser? How many times have lasers interfered with an aircraft from that location? Betcha not many, if at all. Too easy to locate and apprehend them in a space with high aircraft traffic. I was thinking the same thing. I doubt you could light a joint in that park without being swarmed by the US park Police. They kept a pretty close watch on that whole area, even before 9-11. There used to be 2 radio cars that didn't do anything but drive up and down that parkway watching the parks as far back as the 60s. (my reserve unit was over represented by the various police forces) DC/metro is actually the most policed area in the US with a dizzying number of different agencies with police forces. Most stay right there in the federal area. |
Overreacting government
On Monday, December 14, 2015 at 8:32:32 PM UTC-5, John H.( the ASSWIPE general) wrote:
How friggin' stupid are the assholes running this government. I guess they're pretty smart, they just made the AFGE a lot bigger. Not as stupid as you herring....the one who HAS to pay...pahahahahahahahahahaha |
Overreacting government
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Overreacting government
True North wrote:
On Tuesday, 15 December 2015 18:09:00 UTC-4, Califbill wrote: Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 1:15 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: On 12/15/2015 1:02 PM, Justan Olphart wrote: On 12/15/2015 9:23 AM, True North wrote: Keyser Söze - show quoted text - "Why are you whining about government employment? Weren't you a government employee most of your working life? Wasn't your wife? Didn't your wife get health plan benefits from an employee union? You're biting the hands that fed you, eh?" The John got his......to 'ell with anyone else. What did John get that you didn't? John didn't "get" anything. He earned it, based on the contract he had for his service. Sorta like a union. John's problem is that he resents other government employees who get benefits. I have a problem with a lot of government employees pensions also. Spend 20 years in the military, transferred around the world, maybe shot at, and you get 50% of your last years salary. Spend 4 years in Congress, and high pay and get retirement of 100% for life. Be a public employee in at least California and you get 3% per year of your last years gross. Includes vacation pay that is accrued, overtime, etc. Wozers.... we are only entitled to 2% for each year and they figure out your average salary from your last five years to base your pension on. No wonder y'all can live so high on the hog. No, the government employees are living high. Most making more than their normal annual salary these days. The cities are bankrupt, the taxpayers are hurting. My city is a rich city and we still have $120 million in unfounded pension liability. We might be able to pay it, but Stockton, etc. are bankrupt now, and could not raise enough dinero to pay the bills. Who is going to supply the money? Calpers even over rates the returns they expect. |
Overreacting government
Keyser Söze wrote:
Califbill billnews wrote: Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 1:15 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: On 12/15/2015 1:02 PM, Justan Olphart wrote: On 12/15/2015 9:23 AM, True North wrote: Keyser Söze - show quoted text - "Why are you whining about government employment? Weren't you a government employee most of your working life? Wasn't your wife? Didn't your wife get health plan benefits from an employee union? You're biting the hands that fed you, eh?" The John got his......to 'ell with anyone else. What did John get that you didn't? John didn't "get" anything. He earned it, based on the contract he had for his service. Sorta like a union. John's problem is that he resents other government employees who get benefits. I have a problem with a lot of government employees pensions also. Spend 20 years in the military, transferred around the world, maybe shot at, and you get 50% of your last years salary. Spend 4 years in Congress, and high pay and get retirement of 100% for life. Be a public employee in at least California and you get 3% per year of your last years gross. Includes vacation pay that is accrued, overtime, etc. You think non elected federal workers should not get a decent pension? What's decent? 20%? 30% more than they made as base salary? How much? |
Overreacting government
On 12/15/15 9:15 PM, Califbill wrote:
True North wrote: On Tuesday, 15 December 2015 18:09:00 UTC-4, Califbill wrote: Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 1:15 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: On 12/15/2015 1:02 PM, Justan Olphart wrote: On 12/15/2015 9:23 AM, True North wrote: Keyser Söze - show quoted text - "Why are you whining about government employment? Weren't you a government employee most of your working life? Wasn't your wife? Didn't your wife get health plan benefits from an employee union? You're biting the hands that fed you, eh?" The John got his......to 'ell with anyone else. What did John get that you didn't? John didn't "get" anything. He earned it, based on the contract he had for his service. Sorta like a union. John's problem is that he resents other government employees who get benefits. I have a problem with a lot of government employees pensions also. Spend 20 years in the military, transferred around the world, maybe shot at, and you get 50% of your last years salary. Spend 4 years in Congress, and high pay and get retirement of 100% for life. Be a public employee in at least California and you get 3% per year of your last years gross. Includes vacation pay that is accrued, overtime, etc. Wozers.... we are only entitled to 2% for each year and they figure out your average salary from your last five years to base your pension on. No wonder y'all can live so high on the hog. No, the government employees are living high. Most making more than their normal annual salary these days. The cities are bankrupt, the taxpayers are hurting. My city is a rich city and we still have $120 million in unfounded pension liability. We might be able to pay it, but Stockton, etc. are bankrupt now, and could not raise enough dinero to pay the bills. Who is going to supply the money? Calpers even over rates the returns they expect. My local union's pension fund doesn't allow unfunded pension liability. No pension plan should allow it. |
Overreacting government
Keyser Söze wrote:
On 12/15/15 9:15 PM, Califbill wrote: True North wrote: On Tuesday, 15 December 2015 18:09:00 UTC-4, Califbill wrote: Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 1:15 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: On 12/15/2015 1:02 PM, Justan Olphart wrote: On 12/15/2015 9:23 AM, True North wrote: Keyser Söze - show quoted text - "Why are you whining about government employment? Weren't you a government employee most of your working life? Wasn't your wife? Didn't your wife get health plan benefits from an employee union? You're biting the hands that fed you, eh?" The John got his......to 'ell with anyone else. What did John get that you didn't? John didn't "get" anything. He earned it, based on the contract he had for his service. Sorta like a union. John's problem is that he resents other government employees who get benefits. I have a problem with a lot of government employees pensions also. Spend 20 years in the military, transferred around the world, maybe shot at, and you get 50% of your last years salary. Spend 4 years in Congress, and high pay and get retirement of 100% for life. Be a public employee in at least California and you get 3% per year of your last years gross. Includes vacation pay that is accrued, overtime, etc. Wozers.... we are only entitled to 2% for each year and they figure out your average salary from your last five years to base your pension on. No wonder y'all can live so high on the hog. No, the government employees are living high. Most making more than their normal annual salary these days. The cities are bankrupt, the taxpayers are hurting. My city is a rich city and we still have $120 million in unfounded pension liability. We might be able to pay it, but Stockton, etc. are bankrupt now, and could not raise enough dinero to pay the bills. Who is going to supply the money? Calpers even over rates the returns they expect. My local union's pension fund doesn't allow unfunded pension liability. No pension plan should allow it. But government does. Hell SS and Medicare are both unfunded. |
Overreacting government
Ditzy Dan Kruger spews... "I doubt a 1/2 pound drone can fly high enough to come close to an aircraft. *They are setting the limit too low. *My friend bought one that weighed a pound, tops, and it was blown all over the place in a very light wind at, maybe, 50 feet off the ground." Duh! Just how Ditzy are you? Airplanes tend to fly low coming into or leaving an airport. |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 21:20:04 -0500, Keyser Söze
wrote: My local union's pension fund doesn't allow unfunded pension liability. No pension plan should allow it. Government pensions are not regulated by the PBGC They all simply assume the tax payer is good for it. That includes SS. |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 22:24:17 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote: How close to the ground do you think a 747 gets when landing? Hint: *Very* :=) Especially right at the end. ;-) If they are 5 miles from the airport they will be above 1000 feet tho. They seem to drop like a rock on final approach, just based on the seat back computer. Coming into Ft Myers they seem to drop out of the 30 sumpin thousand shortly after they cross the pan handle and it is s slow glide down to about 15,000 around Venice and 4 thousand when they make the turn to come into final approach. At that point it is just a glide in with a minimal amount of power until they flare right at the landing. The numbers are changing faster than the seat back display can update. I assume a lot of it is noise abatement. They are virtually silent coming in. When I hear one throttle up it seems obvious he either got spun or he was off the glide path. They are coming in about every 3 minutes around here right now. Out in the boat you see them stacked up as far as the eye can see. Going the other way they climb out pretty fast |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:36:35 -0500, John H.
wrote: There is some obtuse thinking going on here. It's supporting my claim that you like laws just for the sake of laws. === When your only tool is a hammer... |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:50:22 -0500, wrote:
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:15:33 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-) We lived at a time when mom said "go out and play" and we did. I didn't know I was poor and we were not disappointed about much. Ditto. We had cap pistols and played lots of 'cowboys and indians'. -- Ban idiots, not guns! |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:30:51 -0500, Justan Olphart wrote:
On 12/15/2015 4:32 PM, Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 4:15 PM, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:57:08 -0500, Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 1:56 PM, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:33:01 -0500, Keyser Söze wrote: On 12/15/15 1:15 PM, Mr. Luddite wrote: On 12/15/2015 1:02 PM, Justan Olphart wrote: On 12/15/2015 9:23 AM, True North wrote: Keyser Söze - show quoted text - "Why are you whining about government employment? Weren't you a government employee most of your working life? Wasn't your wife? Didn't your wife get health plan benefits from an employee union? You're biting the hands that fed you, eh?" The John got his......to 'ell with anyone else. What did John get that you didn't? John didn't "get" anything. He earned it, based on the contract he had for his service. Sorta like a union. John's problem is that he resents other government employees who get benefits. I resent the creation of 'jobs' which accomplish nothing but increasing the size of the government. -- Well, then, you should have resigned from the army before you vested, as it were. The fact that several of us are having a discussion without rancor and name-calling, even though we disagree, just bugs the **** out of you, doesn't it? -- You are the one who insulted government employees who might be covered by an AFGE contract. They're no different than you were...in terms of their employer(s). WHAT? He couldn't show me either. -- Ban idiots, not guns! |
Overreacting government
On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 19:37:03 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:
On 12/15/2015 5:49 PM, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 17:36:29 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 3:50 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:35:25 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 1:23 PM, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:11:26 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 12:48 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 10:44:48 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 10:40 AM, John H. wrote: Any parent could bring their kids to an RC field and get a 'quickie' course for their kids, along with some buddy-boxed 'stick time'. Responsible parents, buying for their kids, might do so. But again, we're not talking responsible adults here. The FAA agrees with you. The FAA is used to dealing with professionals and dedicated amateurs. They are unprepared to deal with the rabble that is buying the drones. I am still reminded of the CB radio craze and the FCC's inability to really regulate much of any of it. They finally just walked away. CB pretty much just died from it's own weight. It became unusable. I don't see that happening with drones although some of the novelty might wear off after you have seen all of your neighbors naked. Oh the horror! The people doing the most complaining of drones operated by hobbyists are private and commercial pilots. They are the ones pushing the FAA for the enforcement of regulations regarding their use. The regulations exist. Registration is an attempt to further enforcement. I can attest from experience that a sudden, unexpected distraction at a critical moment in your approach to landing could cause an accident. Birds are a problem (especially seagulls in our area). So are idiots flying drones near an airport. I played golf with a pilot Sunday. He's concerned about drones, but thinks a bigger problem is lasers. He said he knows several pilots who've quit flying because of lasers. A drone could definitely damage an engine, but it's doubtful whether it could bring a plane down. Taking a plane down isn't the concern. Distracting the pilot (same with the lasers) at a critical moment is the concern. Ask your pilot golfing buddy. If a pilot is so distracted by a laser that he can't fly the plane, I certainly don't want him sitting up there in a thunder storm or even the most minor mechanical problem. Lasers are a problem but they don't affect the most critical part of a flight. The aircraft is still at an altitude that, although distracted by the flash of the laser on the cockpit windows, it's not likely to cause an immediate crash. Certainly annoying though, especially if flying under VFR conditions and looking for ground references. The danger is in take offs and landings with landings being of the most concern. Altitude is a pilot's friend. During landings, you are close to the ground to begin with and getting closer. Power is reduced, speed is reduced and the aircraft is "dirty" meaning flaps are extended and landing gear is down. In this condition, the aircraft is nowhere near as agile or responsive, but you are still clipping along at about 150 kts (in a commercial airplane) with diminishing space between you and the ground. Not the time for surprises. "...they don't affect the most critical part of a flight." Oh yes they do! At National Airport there is a park about 1000' from the north end of the main runway. Folks lay there and watch the planes take off and land only a few hundred feet over their heads. Do you not thing that's plenty close for a laser? How many times have lasers interfered with an aircraft from that location? Betcha not many, if at all. Too easy to locate and apprehend them in a space with high aircraft traffic. You must be thinking of lasers much bigger than I'm used to. -- Ban idiots, not guns! |
Overreacting government
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Overreacting government
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 06:57:23 -0500, John H.
wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:50:22 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:15:33 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-) We lived at a time when mom said "go out and play" and we did. I didn't know I was poor and we were not disappointed about much. Ditto. We had cap pistols and played lots of 'cowboys and indians'. Did you ever have one of those Mattel six shooters with the spring loaded bullets and the stick on caps? That was my big gift sometime around 1955 or 6. |
Overreacting government
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 07:22:17 -0500, John H.
wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:36:35 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 19:37:03 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 5:49 PM, John H. wrote: At National Airport there is a park about 1000' from the north end of the main runway. Folks lay there and watch the planes take off and land only a few hundred feet over their heads. Do you not thing that's plenty close for a laser? How many times have lasers interfered with an aircraft from that location? Betcha not many, if at all. Too easy to locate and apprehend them in a space with high aircraft traffic. I was thinking the same thing. I doubt you could light a joint in that park without being swarmed by the US park Police. They kept a pretty close watch on that whole area, even before 9-11. There used to be 2 radio cars that didn't do anything but drive up and down that parkway watching the parks as far back as the 60s. (my reserve unit was over represented by the various police forces) DC/metro is actually the most policed area in the US with a dizzying number of different agencies with police forces. Most stay right there in the federal area. Actually, there aren't that many cops in the park during the day. The bicycle mounted cops come through, but don't stay long. But the park is closed at night, IIRC. Always had to get the boat in before sundown. I haven't been there in decades but I think it used to be open at night years ago or at least unenforced because we knew a guy with an early cam corder, when they sat on your shoulder who had a movie he made about planes and he had some night time shots from there. It was on the wrong side of the river for me. We were Haines Point people. ;-) I always used to tell people to be ready to run if you were hanging out in that park. If someone has a "departure stall", that may be where they end up. The only one I really remember was Palm 90 and they made a "non-stop flight from National Airport to the 14th street bridge". (the joke that got Howard Stern fired from WWDC) |
Overreacting government
On 12/16/2015 9:19 AM, wrote:
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 06:57:23 -0500, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:50:22 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:15:33 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-) We lived at a time when mom said "go out and play" and we did. I didn't know I was poor and we were not disappointed about much. Ditto. We had cap pistols and played lots of 'cowboys and indians'. Did you ever have one of those Mattel six shooters with the spring loaded bullets and the stick on caps? That was my big gift sometime around 1955 or 6. I remember stick-on caps. I liked the rolls that were like a tootsie roll that you broke a section off of. You could wack the whole thing with a rock or something for a big bang. Another early memory was my fascination with garbage trucks. They were city trucks I guess that looked like big, hunchbacked turtles. I guess they were really "rubbish" trucks because they picked up all trash but were referred to as garbage trucks because the driver's helper also emptied the garbage that was stored in a container buried in the front yard. Had a lid that you stepped on with your foot to open and then lift out or install the garbage pail. Anyway, the mechanics of the garbage truck fascinated me for some reason. I waited for their arrival so I could watch the bucket on the back lift up, following the curved truck body and finally tipping over to empty into the opening in the top of the truck. All I wanted for Christmas was a "garbage truck" and when family or my family's friends asked what little Richard wanted to be when he grew up he said, "A garbage man"! That may be the reason my parents moved from the city to the suburbs in 1955. No garbage trucks or collections. |
Overreacting government
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:14:27 -0500, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote: On 12/16/2015 9:19 AM, wrote: On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 06:57:23 -0500, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:50:22 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:15:33 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-) We lived at a time when mom said "go out and play" and we did. I didn't know I was poor and we were not disappointed about much. Ditto. We had cap pistols and played lots of 'cowboys and indians'. Did you ever have one of those Mattel six shooters with the spring loaded bullets and the stick on caps? That was my big gift sometime around 1955 or 6. I remember stick-on caps. I liked the rolls that were like a tootsie roll that you broke a section off of. You could wack the whole thing with a rock or something for a big bang. Yup I think I may have hit more roll caps with a hammer than I ever popped off in a cap gun. They were pretty cheap in those days. If you want, you can make the stuff in caps. It is potassium chlorate and sulfur. Hit a little pile about a quarter of a gram and it is louder than a roll of caps. Roll it up in paper mache' ball with a little fish tank gravel and you have a "torpedo" (throw it against a hard surface for a bang) Another early memory was my fascination with garbage trucks. They were city trucks I guess that looked like big, hunchbacked turtles. I guess they were really "rubbish" trucks because they picked up all trash but were referred to as garbage trucks because the driver's helper also emptied the garbage that was stored in a container buried in the front yard. Had a lid that you stepped on with your foot to open and then lift out or install the garbage pail. Anyway, the mechanics of the garbage truck fascinated me for some reason. I waited for their arrival so I could watch the bucket on the back lift up, following the curved truck body and finally tipping over to empty into the opening in the top of the truck. All I wanted for Christmas was a "garbage truck" and when family or my family's friends asked what little Richard wanted to be when he grew up he said, "A garbage man"! That may be the reason my parents moved from the city to the suburbs in 1955. No garbage trucks or collections. I always lived somewhere that had trash collection. The only places around here that don't are on dirt roads. They won't take the truck down a dirt road. They have big dumpsters at the end of the hard road. |
Overreacting government
wrote:
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:14:27 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/16/2015 9:19 AM, wrote: On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 06:57:23 -0500, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:50:22 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:15:33 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-) We lived at a time when mom said "go out and play" and we did. I didn't know I was poor and we were not disappointed about much. Ditto. We had cap pistols and played lots of 'cowboys and indians'. Did you ever have one of those Mattel six shooters with the spring loaded bullets and the stick on caps? That was my big gift sometime around 1955 or 6. I remember stick-on caps. I liked the rolls that were like a tootsie roll that you broke a section off of. You could wack the whole thing with a rock or something for a big bang. Yup I think I may have hit more roll caps with a hammer than I ever popped off in a cap gun. They were pretty cheap in those days. If you want, you can make the stuff in caps. It is potassium chlorate and sulfur. Hit a little pile about a quarter of a gram and it is louder than a roll of caps. Roll it up in paper mache' ball with a little fish tank gravel and you have a "torpedo" (throw it against a hard surface for a bang) Another early memory was my fascination with garbage trucks. They were city trucks I guess that looked like big, hunchbacked turtles. I guess they were really "rubbish" trucks because they picked up all trash but were referred to as garbage trucks because the driver's helper also emptied the garbage that was stored in a container buried in the front yard. Had a lid that you stepped on with your foot to open and then lift out or install the garbage pail. Anyway, the mechanics of the garbage truck fascinated me for some reason. I waited for their arrival so I could watch the bucket on the back lift up, following the curved truck body and finally tipping over to empty into the opening in the top of the truck. All I wanted for Christmas was a "garbage truck" and when family or my family's friends asked what little Richard wanted to be when he grew up he said, "A garbage man"! That may be the reason my parents moved from the city to the suburbs in 1955. No garbage trucks or collections. I always lived somewhere that had trash collection. The only places around here that don't are on dirt roads. They won't take the truck down a dirt road. They have big dumpsters at the end of the hard road. When I was a kid, dad owned a large machine shop. One Saturday, guy pulls in and needs some work done on a big bin thingy. Even said my dad could invest in the company making bin thingy. Should of. Was the original Dempsy Dumpster. What all those dumpsters are. |
Overreacting government
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 09:19:29 -0500, wrote:
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 06:57:23 -0500, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:50:22 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:15:33 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-) We lived at a time when mom said "go out and play" and we did. I didn't know I was poor and we were not disappointed about much. Ditto. We had cap pistols and played lots of 'cowboys and indians'. Did you ever have one of those Mattel six shooters with the spring loaded bullets and the stick on caps? That was my big gift sometime around 1955 or 6. Mattel 'Fanner 50' was the in thing when I was a kid. Same time frame though. -- Ban idiots, not guns! |
Overreacting government
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 09:34:34 -0500, wrote:
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 07:22:17 -0500, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:36:35 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 19:37:03 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 5:49 PM, John H. wrote: At National Airport there is a park about 1000' from the north end of the main runway. Folks lay there and watch the planes take off and land only a few hundred feet over their heads. Do you not thing that's plenty close for a laser? How many times have lasers interfered with an aircraft from that location? Betcha not many, if at all. Too easy to locate and apprehend them in a space with high aircraft traffic. I was thinking the same thing. I doubt you could light a joint in that park without being swarmed by the US park Police. They kept a pretty close watch on that whole area, even before 9-11. There used to be 2 radio cars that didn't do anything but drive up and down that parkway watching the parks as far back as the 60s. (my reserve unit was over represented by the various police forces) DC/metro is actually the most policed area in the US with a dizzying number of different agencies with police forces. Most stay right there in the federal area. Actually, there aren't that many cops in the park during the day. The bicycle mounted cops come through, but don't stay long. But the park is closed at night, IIRC. Always had to get the boat in before sundown. I haven't been there in decades but I think it used to be open at night years ago or at least unenforced because we knew a guy with an early cam corder, when they sat on your shoulder who had a movie he made about planes and he had some night time shots from there. It was on the wrong side of the river for me. We were Haines Point people. ;-) I always used to tell people to be ready to run if you were hanging out in that park. If someone has a "departure stall", that may be where they end up. The only one I really remember was Palm 90 and they made a "non-stop flight from National Airport to the 14th street bridge". (the joke that got Howard Stern fired from WWDC) I was working at a job in Bethesda and living in Lorton that day. Snowing like hell. We got let out of work at 1:00pm. I got home at 9:00pm. What a mess that day was. We also had a subway derail (or breakdown somehow), and a dump truck go off a bridge. But the airplane got the big news, naturally. From then on we had a 'bridge watch' anytime we went over the 14th St Bridge. -- Ban idiots, not guns! |
Overreacting government
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:14:27 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:
On 12/16/2015 9:19 AM, wrote: On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 06:57:23 -0500, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:50:22 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:15:33 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-) We lived at a time when mom said "go out and play" and we did. I didn't know I was poor and we were not disappointed about much. Ditto. We had cap pistols and played lots of 'cowboys and indians'. Did you ever have one of those Mattel six shooters with the spring loaded bullets and the stick on caps? That was my big gift sometime around 1955 or 6. I remember stick-on caps. I liked the rolls that were like a tootsie roll that you broke a section off of. You could wack the whole thing with a rock or something for a big bang. Another early memory was my fascination with garbage trucks. They were city trucks I guess that looked like big, hunchbacked turtles. I guess they were really "rubbish" trucks because they picked up all trash but were referred to as garbage trucks because the driver's helper also emptied the garbage that was stored in a container buried in the front yard. Had a lid that you stepped on with your foot to open and then lift out or install the garbage pail. Anyway, the mechanics of the garbage truck fascinated me for some reason. I waited for their arrival so I could watch the bucket on the back lift up, following the curved truck body and finally tipping over to empty into the opening in the top of the truck. All I wanted for Christmas was a "garbage truck" and when family or my family's friends asked what little Richard wanted to be when he grew up he said, "A garbage man"! That may be the reason my parents moved from the city to the suburbs in 1955. No garbage trucks or collections. The Fanner 50 used the rolls, which just happened to have 50 caps thereon. -- Ban idiots, not guns! |
Overreacting government
John H. wrote:
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:14:27 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/16/2015 9:19 AM, wrote: On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 06:57:23 -0500, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:50:22 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:15:33 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 8:02 PM, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:17:36 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 4:51 PM, True North wrote: Mr. Luddite - show quoted text - "Like I said, this was from a by-gone era when cops walked a beat twirling a nightstick and wore uniforms like you see in the famous Norman Rockwell paintings. The bicycle plate looked like this, except it said "Quincy" instead of Concord: http://platevault.com/uploads/86/ee/thumbs/6155832592bee86.jpg" WOW, that's exactly the shape of bicycle license plate we had in the old city of Halifax. Some kids attached them to the front wheel spokes and others mounted the plate to the rear fender...either above or below the rear reflector. Seems to me the vast majority of bikes had fenders then...before the 10 speeds became so popular. One of my earliest memories is learning to ride a bicycle. I was five years old. My father removed the training wheels it had and would run beside me holding the seat post while I pedaled then let go once I got going. After a few crashes I got the idea and the big "reward" was a visit to the police station to get a license plate. I still remember the station too. It was a huge, turn of the century building that also had a court house in it. Tons of cops walking around. Very impressionable experience for a five year old. I learned how to ride from the other kids. When my parents bought me my first bike, I just hopped on and rode away. I never even heard of training wheels until I was older. Your buddy sat you on the bike and gave you a push. Off you went. Then you had to learn how to start off yourself. I pushed the bike running next to it and hopped on for a while before I got the trick down. The idea of a license plate would have never crossed our minds. The DC cops certainly had more important things to do, even then. I remember hearing about the "Police Boys Club" and we walked down to the 14th precinct station thinking we would join up. They just said "we don't do that" and suggested we should join the cub scouts. Sorry you had such a disappointing childhood. :-) We lived at a time when mom said "go out and play" and we did. I didn't know I was poor and we were not disappointed about much. Ditto. We had cap pistols and played lots of 'cowboys and indians'. Did you ever have one of those Mattel six shooters with the spring loaded bullets and the stick on caps? That was my big gift sometime around 1955 or 6. I remember stick-on caps. I liked the rolls that were like a tootsie roll that you broke a section off of. You could wack the whole thing with a rock or something for a big bang. Another early memory was my fascination with garbage trucks. They were city trucks I guess that looked like big, hunchbacked turtles. I guess they were really "rubbish" trucks because they picked up all trash but were referred to as garbage trucks because the driver's helper also emptied the garbage that was stored in a container buried in the front yard. Had a lid that you stepped on with your foot to open and then lift out or install the garbage pail. Anyway, the mechanics of the garbage truck fascinated me for some reason. I waited for their arrival so I could watch the bucket on the back lift up, following the curved truck body and finally tipping over to empty into the opening in the top of the truck. All I wanted for Christmas was a "garbage truck" and when family or my family's friends asked what little Richard wanted to be when he grew up he said, "A garbage man"! That may be the reason my parents moved from the city to the suburbs in 1955. No garbage trucks or collections. The Fanner 50 used the rolls, which just happened to have 50 caps thereon. -- Ban idiots, not guns! When I was a young' I got a complete Hopalong Cassidy outfit. Wonder what happened to that. |
Overreacting government
On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 19:25:11 -0500, John H.
wrote: On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 09:34:34 -0500, wrote: On Wed, 16 Dec 2015 07:22:17 -0500, John H. wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:36:35 -0500, wrote: On Tue, 15 Dec 2015 19:37:03 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote: On 12/15/2015 5:49 PM, John H. wrote: At National Airport there is a park about 1000' from the north end of the main runway. Folks lay there and watch the planes take off and land only a few hundred feet over their heads. Do you not thing that's plenty close for a laser? How many times have lasers interfered with an aircraft from that location? Betcha not many, if at all. Too easy to locate and apprehend them in a space with high aircraft traffic. I was thinking the same thing. I doubt you could light a joint in that park without being swarmed by the US park Police. They kept a pretty close watch on that whole area, even before 9-11. There used to be 2 radio cars that didn't do anything but drive up and down that parkway watching the parks as far back as the 60s. (my reserve unit was over represented by the various police forces) DC/metro is actually the most policed area in the US with a dizzying number of different agencies with police forces. Most stay right there in the federal area. Actually, there aren't that many cops in the park during the day. The bicycle mounted cops come through, but don't stay long. But the park is closed at night, IIRC. Always had to get the boat in before sundown. I haven't been there in decades but I think it used to be open at night years ago or at least unenforced because we knew a guy with an early cam corder, when they sat on your shoulder who had a movie he made about planes and he had some night time shots from there. It was on the wrong side of the river for me. We were Haines Point people. ;-) I always used to tell people to be ready to run if you were hanging out in that park. If someone has a "departure stall", that may be where they end up. The only one I really remember was Palm 90 and they made a "non-stop flight from National Airport to the 14th street bridge". (the joke that got Howard Stern fired from WWDC) I was working at a job in Bethesda and living in Lorton that day. Snowing like hell. We got let out of work at 1:00pm. I got home at 9:00pm. What a mess that day was. We also had a subway derail (or breakdown somehow), and a dump truck go off a bridge. But the airplane got the big news, naturally. From then on we had a 'bridge watch' anytime we went over the 14th St Bridge. I went through there right before the crash, going home from work and it was on TV when I got home. |
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