Seriously, someone couldnt have taken some time to think about this?!?

[Buzz4Prez]

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/air-force-one-backup-rattles-new-york-nerve/?ref=nyregion


You would have thought one of our great leaders could have realized this was a very poor idea, seems useless to waste all that money for a photo op. I mean christ has the white house ever heard of Photo shop, I wonder if this was something a little more.

[LON]

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/air-force-one-backup-rattles-new-york-nerve/?ref=nyregion


You would have thought one of our great leaders could have realized this was a very poor idea, seems useless to waste all that money for a photo op. I mean christ has the white house ever heard of Photo shop, I wonder if this was something a little more.

No kidding.  New Yorkers are sensitive about low-flying planes???

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

If this had happened under the previous administration there would be a congressional investigation. This was an outrageous incident and somebody should be held accountable.

[GGGG]

While I agree that someone should be held accountable, mostly for the lack of communication and the cost of the effort, I find the "outrage" a little over the top.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

It is absolutely outrageous to do something like that in New York!!  Are you kidding me? Flying a 747 at 1000 feet chased by F-16s?! Seriously? In New York City? It's unbelievable and somebody should lose their jobs.

By the way, it cost more than $300K for this "photo op." 

[reinko]

It is absolutely outrageous to do something like that in New York!!  Are you kidding me? Flying a 747 at 1000 feet chased by F-16s?! Seriously? In New York City? It's unbelievable and somebody should lose their jobs.

By the way, it cost more than $300K for this "photo op." 

Somebody polishes Matt Drudge's knob   

[muarmy81]

It is absolutely outrageous to do something like that in New York!!  Are you kidding me? Flying a 747 at 1000 feet chased by F-16s?! Seriously? In New York City? It's unbelievable and somebody should lose their jobs.

By the way, it cost more than $300K for this "photo op." 

In the military (the air force did this) you don't loose your job...you get re-assigned.  Now, the civilian who signed off on this...that's a different story but I doubt they will loose their job either.

[MUfan12]

Somebody polishes Matt Drudge's knob   

So you think it is a good idea then?

[GGGG]

It is absolutely outrageous to do something like that in New York!!  Are you kidding me? Flying a 747 at 1000 feet chased by F-16s?! Seriously? In New York City? It's unbelievable and somebody should lose their jobs.

By the way, it cost more than $300K for this "photo op." 

Why should they lose their job?  I'm not saying they shouldn't....I just want to hear *your* reasons for it.  If it was because the photo-op cost a lot...sure.  If it is because they failed to communicate with the proper authorities...OK.  If it was because it "terrorized" the citizens of New York....no.  No harm was done.

[reinko]

So you think it is a good idea then?

I think the "outrage" is mostly media driven, much like our the swine flu "epidemic".  Hundreds, if not thousands of americans die from the regular flu every year, but where is the outrage from the 24 hour news networks and blogs?

Flyover=horrible idea and waste of money
Solution=Don't do it again!  And apologize, what else is there?  

Seriously, no matter what side of the aisle you are on, these news shows, talk radio, and blogs are just a bunch of blowhards jacking each other off, until the next big news story.

[Hards Alumni]

I think the "outrage" is mostly media driven, much like our the swine flu "epidemic".  Hundreds, if not thousands of americans die from the regular flu every year, but where is the outrage from the 24 hour news networks and blogs?

Flyover=horrible idea and waste of money
Solution=Don't do it again!  And apologize, what else is there?  

Seriously, no matter what side of the aisle you are on, these news shows, talk radio, and blogs are just a bunch of blowhards jacking each other off, until the next big news story.

Completely agree with you here Reinko.  I was about to bring up the 'pandemic' as well.

Mostly I can't stop laughing at all the people who are wearing masks around the world.  The virus isn't airborne.  If they touch the same door handle or shake hands with someone who is infected they have a chance of contracting the virus.

No one checks their sources anymore and everyone exaggerates the importance of everything. 

[Chili]

Completely agree with you here Reinko.  I was about to bring up the 'pandemic' as well.

Mostly I can't stop laughing at all the people who are wearing masks around the world.  The virus isn't airborne.  If they touch the same door handle or shake hands with someone who is infected they have a chance of contracting the virus.

No one checks their sources anymore and everyone exaggerates the importance of everything. 

+1 to each of you

[tower912]

It was dumb.   In my dream, the decider for this stands up and says "I screwed up.  It was a dumb-a$$ decision and I am sorry.  I thought it more important to keep it secret from theoretical terrorists than it was to give the people of NYC a heads up.   In retrospect, I was an idiot."     Would that be enough?   It is what happened.   Man up.   As to swine flu, wash your hands and gargle with Listerine.

[mu_hilltopper]

Mostly I can't stop laughing at all the people who are wearing masks around the world.  The virus isn't airborne.  If they touch the same door handle or shake hands with someone who is infected they have a chance of contracting the virus.

Um, point of information .. you should check your facts first.  The virus can absolutely be airborne.

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-guide/20061101/swine-flu-faq?page=2

Germs picked up by hand .. are not absorbed through the skin, they are absorbed through mucus membranes, like eyes, ears, or of course, nasal passages or throat.  A (proper) mask may give some protection.

[Skatastrophy]

The virus isn't airborne.

If you're within 3 ft of someone else you can contract the flu via the air from sneezing or coughing from "large respiratory droplets" (basically spittle).  While these droplets do not remain airborne, if there really were a pandemic it would not be a bad idea to wear both surgical masks and latex gloves.

While I agree that people are going nuts over this pandemic I wouldn't want people to be misinformed either

Edit - mu_hilltopper used his elite moderator skills to post faster than me :p

[mu_hilltopper]

On topic, it was extremely stupid to not inform the NY officials, media, etc.  Give them a 30 day, one week, and 24 heads up, let the TV news spread the word.   Whoever came up with that policy of NOT informing the media indeed should be fired.

Spending $300k on the flight .. whatever.  Sure, go ahead, get outraged.  The US government does 18,000 things each day that cost $300k that you can also get outraged about.    

I don't know how anyone who's paid attention over the past decade could have the fortitude to NOT give up on fiscal responsibility.   The system is so far broken, there's just no hope for sanity.   

As for the New Yorkers who were scared, outraged .. your 30-60 minutes of being scared are over now.  Or continue being outraged.  Whatever works for you.

.. A fellow MU grad was in a subway near the Twin Towers when 9/11 happened.  His solution?  Move the hell out of New York, come back to Milwaukee.  That worked for him.

[MUEng92]

Hundreds, if not thousands of americans die from the regular flu every year, but where is the outrage from the 24 hour news networks and blogs?

I heard the tail end of a doctor being interviewed on WGN radio yesterday and I believe the number he said was somewhere between 33,000 and 39,000 people die every year from the flu.

[MUEng92]

If you're within 3 ft of someone else you can contract the flu via the air from sneezing or coughing from "large respiratory droplets" (basically spittle). 

So, you are basically saying, avoid close-talkers!

[Hards Alumni]

If you're within 3 ft of someone else you can contract the flu via the air from sneezing or coughing from "large respiratory droplets" (basically spittle).  While these droplets do not remain airborne, if there really were a pandemic it would not be a bad idea to wear both surgical masks and latex gloves.

While I agree that people are going nuts over this pandemic I wouldn't want people to be misinformed either

Edit - mu_hilltopper used his elite moderator skills to post faster than me :p

I guess if you want you can call that airborne... but then every virus is airborne... including HIV.

To clarify, germs picked up by the hand are usually moved quickly to the eyes, nose or mouth... I shouldn't have assumed that was common knowledge I guess.

Also, people don't breathe through their skin.

[tower912]

As a firefighter/medical first responder, I received guidelines yesterday that said if the patient has symptoms, stay 6.5 ft away from them.   What a joke.  How do you treat someone from that far away?   Does the germ know the difference between 6'4" and 6'6"?   Is it Lazar's actual height or listed height?  I respond almost daily to someone reporting 'flu-like symptoms".   Which are routine flu-like symptoms and which are swine flu-like symptoms?  If I, for the first time in 19 years, actually catch a bug from a patient that gives me all of the symptoms of swine flu but isn't should I be relieved or disappointed?

[Hards Alumni]

If you're within 3 ft of someone else you can contract the flu via the air from sneezing or coughing from "large respiratory droplets" (basically spittle).  While these droplets do not remain airborne, if there really were a pandemic it would not be a bad idea to wear both surgical masks and latex gloves.

While I agree that people are going nuts over this pandemic I wouldn't want people to be misinformed either

Edit - mu_hilltopper used his elite moderator skills to post faster than me :p

rofl.  Latex gloves solves what, exactly?  You touch something or someone infected and then touch your eye, nose or mouth... they work just like hands, buddy.

[mu_hilltopper]

Latex gloves are actually the opposite.  They don't protect YOU.  They protect the person you are dealing with.

When the dude making my sub puts on plastic gloves, it isn't to protect himself from getting germs on his hands.  It's to protect my footlong from the booger that is embedded in his fingernails.

Hopefully.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

It's been 70 years and you still can't play Wagner for a Jewish audience because he was a favorite of Hitler.

Now you're telling me 8 years later it's OK to fly jet airliners at 1000 feet through Manhattan for a photo opportunity?! It's a disgrace. It'd be a disgrace if it happened in Chicago, much less New York City.

Incidentally, to the poster who spoke of military personnel...I'm not advocating punishing them. I'm talking about the clown who thought it was a good idea.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Would it be acceptable for UHaul to schedule a photo op in front of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City? This is 1000 times worse.

[RawdogDX]

I heard the tail end of a doctor being interviewed on WGN radio yesterday and I believe the number he said was somewhere between 33,000 and 39,000 people die every year from the flu.

correct, but... They are mostly old, very young, have a weakened immune system(often chemo patients), or are already sick.  The chances of me dying from the regular flu or a healthy 13 year old 8th grader or a healthy 21 year old college kid are very, very low.  That and natural immunities slow its spread. 

[Hards Alumni]

Latex gloves are actually the opposite.  They don't protect YOU.  They protect the person you are dealing with.

When the dude making my sub puts on plastic gloves, it isn't to protect himself from getting germs on his hands.  It's to protect my footlong from the booger that is embedded in his fingernails.

Hopefully.

a valid argument, except that everyone would have to wear them for the sake of everyone else... and we all know how well that works...

and they would have to change them everytime they wiped their eye, nose or mouth... good luck!

[mu_hilltopper]

I guess I would have thought that all "goes without saying."

I don't think there's anyone out there recommending gloves.  Masks, yes.

.. BTW, just read a story from the World Health Org (WHO) .. they now say that Mexico does not have 150+ deaths, but only 7 from Swine Flue.

Plus the 1 death in the US, was a Mexican toddler whose family brought the child to the US for health care.

So .. at the moment, zero deaths in the US of US citizens, and if WHO is correct, only 7 in Mexico. 

[reinko]

It's been 70 years and you still can't play Wagner for a Jewish audience because he was a favorite of Hitler.

Now you're telling me 8 years later it's OK to fly jet airliners at 1000 feet through Manhattan for a photo opportunity?! It's a disgrace. It'd be a disgrace if it happened in Chicago, much less New York City.

Incidentally, to the poster who spoke of military personnel...I'm not advocating punishing them. I'm talking about the clown who thought it was a good idea.

Who said it was ok?  I just pointed out the fact that the media and people like you LOVE to incite raw emotions in people.  It was a stupid mistake, and will hopefully be dealt with.  

Did you have this much vitriol when a certain FEMA director crapped the bed when New Orleans was under water?  Or when a certain president antogonized terrorists with language like "like dead or alive" and spoke under banners that read mission accomplished?  Or when operatives from a WH leaked the name of a CIA agent to get revenge because her husband pissed off some people.  

Or on the other side when Congress stripped provisions that would have monitored Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.  Or when a president in the late 90's order air strikes on certain terrorist camps the day after a certain BJ incident came to light.

This "flyover" is such a non-frickin' issue it's unbelievable.  So keep beating that drum PRN.  Between the flyover, swine flu, killer bees, SARs...what else keeps you up at night?

[MU B2002]

 Between the flyover, swine flu, killer bees, SARs...what else keeps you up at night?

You forgot Bird Flu and Foot and Mouth disease.

[Hards Alumni]

mad cow.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

 

[BrewCity83]

Bigfoot.

[rugbydrummer]

I guess if you want you can call that airborne... but then every virus is airborne... including HIV.

To clarify, germs picked up by the hand are usually moved quickly to the eyes, nose or mouth... I shouldn't have assumed that was common knowledge I guess.

Also, people don't breathe through their skin.

HIV in saliva is like <<<<<<<<<<<<<< compared to any other bodily fluid borne HIV. don't start another scare-pidemic!

ALSO:  stuff like the swine flu craze makes me so angry b/c ALL OF SUDDEN people suddenly care about things they should ALWAYS care about.  IE:  get your influenza vaccine every year, keep good hygiene, wash your hands regularly using soap & hot water for at least 15 seconds!!!!! cover you mouth when you sneeze and cough, all things your mothers told you *(except maybe the flu shot)!!!

Hmmph.

[tower912]

My mom always wanted me home because "nothing good ever happened after midnight."    OK, so moms aren't always right.   You should still exercise good hygiene and take your vitamins.   Oh, yeah, wear clean underwear.   Firefighters will find a way to get your pants off of you if you are in an accident.   

[WellsstreetWanderer]

WH didn't leak Non-Agents name. it turned out to be a columnist

Stick to facts

[reinko]

WH didn't leak Non-Agents name. it turned out to be a columnist

Stick to facts

It was Richard Armitage who was a WH official, who told the columnist, Bob Novak, who then outted the covert agent, Valerie Plame.  True she was an analyst, but still an undercover agent nonetheless.

Bring your facts next time, clown.