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Good Times
03-17-2009, 09:36 AM
:headscratch:



After the September 11 attacks, commercial airline pilots were allowed to carry guns if they completed a federal-safety program. No longer would unarmed pilots be defenseless as remorseless hijackers seized control of aircraft and rammed them into buildings.

Now President Obama is quietly ending the federal firearms program, risking public safety on airlines in the name of an anti-gun ideology.

The Obama administration this past week diverted some $2 million from the pilot training program to hire more supervisory staff, who will engage in field inspections of pilots.

This looks like completely unnecessary harassment of the pilots. The 12,000 Federal Flight Deck Officers, the pilots who have been approved to carry guns, are reported to have the best behavior of any federal law enforcement agency. There are no cases where any of them has improperly brandished or used a gun. There are just a few cases where officers have improperly used their IDs.

Fewer than one percent of the officers have any administrative actions brought against them and, we are told, virtually all of those cases “are trumped up.”

Take a case against one flight officer who had visited the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles within the last few weeks. While there, the pilot noticed that federal law enforcement officers can, with the approval of a superior, obtain a license plate that cannot be traced, a key safety feature for law enforcement personnel. So the pilot asked if, as a member of the federal program, he was eligible. The DMV staffer checked and said “no.” The next day administrative actions were brought against the pilot for “misrepresenting himself.” These are the kinds of cases that President Obama wants to investigate.

Since Mr. Obama's election, pilots have told us that the approval process for letting pilots carry guns on planes slowed significantly. Last week the problem went from bad to worse. Federal Flight Deck Officers - the pilots who have been approved to carry guns - indicate that the approval process has stalled out.

Pilots cannot openly speak about the changing policies for fear of retaliation from the Transportation Security Administration. Pilots who act in any way that causes a “loss of confidence” in the armed pilot program risk criminal prosecution as well as their removal from the program. Despite these threats, pilots in the Federal Flight Deck Officers program have raised real concerns in multiple interviews.

Arming pilots after Sept. 11 was nothing new. Until the early 1960s, American commercial passenger pilots on any flight carrying U.S. mail were required to carry handguns. Indeed, U.S. pilots were still allowed to carry guns until as recently as 1987. There are no records that any of these pilots (either military or commercial) ever causing any significant problems.

Screening of airplane passengers is hardly perfect. While armed marshals are helpful, the program covers less than 3 percent of the flights out of Washington D.C.'s three airports and even fewer across the country. Sky marshals are costly and quit more often than other law-enforcement officers.

Armed pilots are a cost-effective backup layer of security. Terrorists can only enter the cockpit through one narrow entrance, and armed pilots have some time to prepare themselves as hijackers penetrate the strengthened cockpit doors. With pilots, we have people who are willing to take on the burden of protecting the planes for free. About 70 percent of the pilots at major American carriers have military backgrounds.

Frankly, as a matter of pure politics, we cannot understand what the administration is thinking. Nearly 40 House Democrats are in districts were the NRA is more popular than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. We can't find any independent poll in which the public is demanding that pilots disarm. Why does this move make sense?

Only anti-gun extremists and terrorist recruits are worried about armed pilots. So why is the Obama administration catering to this tiny lobby at the expense of public safety?

Source: Washington Times (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/17/guns-on-a-plane-obama-secretly-ends-program-that-l/)

CJM
03-17-2009, 09:41 AM
Shame...

I wont fly a commercial jet, if I cant drive a car or take a boat Ill charter a flight.

Bob98SR5
03-17-2009, 01:43 PM
i can hear the cheers of joys from the anti-gunners and the terrorists in harmony.

im trying to keep an open mind about obama, but this is f'g ridiculous. to think that even if there was 1 armed guy on the plane during any of the 9/11 hijacking, what wouldve been the difference.

Scuba
03-17-2009, 01:55 PM
its cause his middle name is hussein...


:bling:

oly884
03-17-2009, 05:08 PM
I was asked a question: "Is Obama living up to your expectations?"

My response:

"Yup, he's the piece of shit I thought he was"

They were not amused.

CJM
03-17-2009, 05:55 PM
I was asked a question: "Is Obama living up to your expectations?"

My response:

"Yup, he's the piece of shizzle I thought he was"

They were not amused.


I couldnt have said it better myself.

We had one chance to save us, the media decided it wasnt Ron Paul and focused on Mc Cain and Obama who are equally horrible. Not only do we get out first black prez, but he is of a religion who basically hates of (who knows how devout he is), he is slowly making it works (change is here, enjoy the pennies you get btw) and thus far has outright REFUSED to prove he is a citizen of the USA. If you arent one you cant be prez PERIOD. So thus, he has something to hide if he wont prove it.

Know what, ill tell you what I think he is: A low down, no good, lying, muslim (sorry to any who are the good kind-far many are not and wish death upon us and our allies), backstabbing, democrat, welfare loving, idiot. As bad as you all think Bush was, Bush didnt make half of anything happen-thank people like pelosi and al gore and other democrats and RINOS as well as many republicans.

We are on a slippery slope to the end...and we cant quite crawl back up easily.

fustercluck
03-17-2009, 08:21 PM
Top 10 Most Expensive Mistakes In History:

#10. Tanker Truck vs Bridge - $358 Million



On August 26, 2004, a car collided with a tanker truck containing 32,000 liters of fuel on the Wiehltal Bridge in Germany . The tanker crashed through the guardrail and fell 90 feet off the A4 Autobahn resulting in a huge explosion and fire which destroyed the load-bearing ability of the bridge. Temporary repairs cost $40 million and the cost to replace the bridge is estimated at $318 Million.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/10.jpg

#9. MetroLink Crash - $500 Million



On September 12, 2008, in what was one of the worst train crashes in California history, 25 people were killed when a Metrolink commuter train crashed head-on into a Union Pacific freight train in Los Angeles . It is thought that the Metrolink train may have run through a red signal while the conductor was busy text messaging.. Wrongful death lawsuits are expected to cause $500 million in losses for Metrolink.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/9.jpg

#8. B-2 Bomber Crash - $1.4 Billion



Here we have our first billion dollar accident (and we ' re only #7 on the list). This B-2 stealth bomber crashed shortly after taking off from an air base in Guam on February 23, 2008. Investigators blamed distorted data in the flight control computers caused by moisture in the system. This resulted in the aircraft making a sudden nose-up move which made the B-2 stall and crash. This was 1 of only 21 ever built and was the most expensive aviation accident in history. Both pilots were able to eject to safety.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/8.jpg

#7 Exxon Valdez - $2.5 Billion



The Exxon Valdez oil spill was not a large one in relation to the world ' s biggest oil spills, but it was a costly one due to the remote location of Prince William Sound (accessible only by helicopter and boat). On March 24, 1989, 10.8 million gallons of oil was spilled when the ship ' s master, Joseph Hazelwood, left the controls and the ship crashed into a Reef. The cleanup cost Exxon $2.5 billion.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/7.jpg

#6. Piper Alpha Oil Rig - $3.4 Billion



The world ' s worst off-shore oil disaster. At one time, it was the world ' s single largest oil producer, spewing out 317,000 barrels of oil per day. On July 6, 1988, as part of routine maintenance, technicians removed and checked safety valves which were essential in preventing dangerous build-up of liquid gas. There were 100 identical safety valves which were checked. Unfortunately, the technicians made a mistake and forgot to replace one of them. At 10 PM that same night, a technician pressed a start button for the liquid gas pumps and the world ' s most expensive oil rig accident was set in motion. Within 2 hours, the 300 foot platform was engulfed in flames. It eventually collapsed, killing 167 workers and resulting in $3.4 Billion in damages.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/6.jpg


#5. Challenger Explosion - $5.5 Billion



The Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed 73 seconds after takeoff due on January 28, 1986 due to a faulty O-ring. It failed to seal one of the joints, allowing pressurized gas to reach the outside. This in turn caused the external tank to dump its payload of liquid hydrogen causing a massive explosion. The cost of replacing the Space Shuttle was $2 billion in 1986 ($4.5 billion in today ' s dollars). The cost of investigation, problem correction, and replacement of lost equipment cost $450 million from 1986-1987 ($1 Billion in today ' s dollars).

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/5.jpg

#4. Prestige Oil Spill - $12 Billion



On November 13, 2002, the Prestige oil tanker was carrying 77,000 tons of heavy fuel oil when one of its twelve tanks burst during a storm off Galicia , Spain . Fearing that the ship would sink, the captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, expecting them to take the ship into harbour. However, pressure from local authorities forced the captain to steer the ship away from the coast. The captain tried to get help from the French and Portuguese authorities, but they too ordered the ship away from their shores. The storm eventually took its toll on the ship resulting in the tanker splitting in half and releasing 20 million gallons oil into the sea. According to a report by the Pontevedra Economist Board, the total cleanup cost $12 billion.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/4.jpg


#3. Space Shuttle Columbia - $13 Billion



The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space worthy shuttle in NASA ' s orbital fleet. It was destroyed during re-entry over Texas on February 1, 2003 after a hole was punctured in one of the wings during launch 16 days earlier. The original cost of the shuttle was $2 Billion in 1978. That comes out to $6.3 Billion in today ' s dollars. $500 million was spent on the investigation, making it the costliest aircraft accident investigation in history. The search and recovery of debris cost $300 million. In the end, the total cost of the accident (not including replacement of the shuttle) came out to $13 Billion according to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics..

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/3.jpg

#2. Chernobyl - $200 Billion



On April 26, 1986, the world witnessed the costliest accident in history. The Chernobyl disaster has been called the biggest socio-economic catastrophe in peacetime history. 50% of the area of Ukraine is in some way contaminated. Over 200,000 people had to be evacuated and resettled while 1.7 million people were directly affected by the disaster. The death toll attributed to Chernobyl , including people who died from cancer years later, is estimated at 125,000. The total costs including cleanup, resettlement, and compensation to victims has been estimated to be roughly $200 Billion. The cost of a new steel shelter for the Chernobyl nuclear plant will cost $2 billion alone. The accident was officially attributed to power plant operators who violated plant procedures and were ignorant of the safety requirements needed.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/2.jpg








#1. 2008 Presidential Election- $800 Billion in the first two months………..
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/1fustercluck/1-1.jpg


__________________

Cebby
03-18-2009, 11:54 AM
GREAT POST!

Cebby
03-18-2009, 12:05 PM
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH!

A French doctor says 'Medicine in my country is so
advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in
another, and have him looking for work in six weeks.'

A German doctor says 'That is nothing; we can take a
lung out of one person, put it in another, and have him looking
for work in four weeks.

The Russian doctor says 'In my country, medicine is so
advanced that we can take half a heart out of one person, put it in
another, and have them both looking for work in two weeks.'

An American doctor, not to be outdone, says 'You guys are
way behind. We recently took a man with no brains out of
Illinois, put him in the White House, and now half the country is
looking for work.'

DHC6twinotter
03-18-2009, 12:47 PM
:rofl:

Terracoma
03-18-2009, 02:56 PM
The photo for #9 is incorrect.

That photo is from the Glendale accident, not the Chatsworth head-on as is described.

arjan
03-19-2009, 06:49 PM
Top 10 Most Expensive Mistakes In History:


They forgot to mention the war in Iraq, that would bump everything for top stop imo.

Tanto
03-21-2009, 03:53 PM
It's what general society gets for calling for "safer" everything that it comes to a point where the amount of effort/money expended to make something 1% safer begins to outstrip its total worth. I mean, you have to be willing to accept a certain amount of risk no matter what you do.

So in this situation, people who don't understand that a gun is simply a tool think that having one turns you into a killer (ridiculous). What is even crazier is that everyone in the plane willingly puts their lives into the hands of the pilots because if the pilot really wanted to kill somebody because he was having a bad day, he'd just put the plane into the ground! But people aren't worried about pilots doing that.

DHC6twinotter
03-27-2009, 07:21 PM
They forgot to mention the war in Iraq, that would bump everything for top stop imo.


The cost of the war at the time of this posting is $608,479,008,087.
In the first few months of office, Obama has been able to spend ~200 billion more than we have spent during the last 6 years in Iraq. Pretty amazing. Some reports are suggesting that Obama's plans may cost upwards of 9 Trillion in the next 10 years. That’s over 14 times more than the cost of the war.




I don't think there should be a price on our freedom, or promoting freedom and peace in other countries. I don't understand how such a seemingly large amount of people were against the U.S. spending money for the war in Iraq, yet those same people are for us spending so much more money for bailout and a "stimulus package". IMHO, this really shows the arrogance and selfishness of some of the liberal Americans. I don't get it. :confused:

And now that Obama is in office, where are all the negative anti-war protestors and all the negative war comments from the press? Seems like a bunch of ill-informed people trying to get on the "hate Bush" bandwagon. Now that their hero (Obama) is in charge of the country, they are all for anything he says.

Sorry...that is all. :D

troyboy162
03-28-2009, 01:57 PM
....
And now that Obama is in office, where are all the negative anti-war protestors and all the negative war comments from the press? Seems like a bunch of ill-informed people trying to get on the "hate Bush" bandwagon. Now that their hero (Obama) is in charge of the country, they are all for anything he says.

Sorry...that is all. :D


dang it i hadnt noticed that but you are totally right! friggen media sucks