Safe Arrival

American Airlines did an excellent job the last two days. They delivered me safely and on time to Madrid, Spain. There were some bumps along the way due to weather. Luckily we were no where near all that ash spewing from the volcano in Iceland. Perfect landing at Barajas Airport, too. Cabin staff also performed well, making sure everyone had what they needed and were as comfortable as possible.

So, once again, I’d like to thank American Airlines, especially their frequent flier mile program which made this journey possible on a tight budget.

Fly the friendly skies. Don’t forget your checklist!

Published in: on April 16, 2010 at 10:18 am  Leave a Comment  
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Fiction becomes…

…fact. That’s right. My novel, Universal Coverage, which I have been shamelessly promoting here on my blog, will now become fact. Mr. Stupak of Michigan committed his act of treachery to his own principals and made a deal with the royals now controlling the nation’s political machine. With the stroke of the royal pen and the bang of Ms. Pelosi’s oversized gavel, the United States of America will officially become a socialist nation. Already the federal government controls vast sectors of the economy and this will put it within striking distance of 50%. They’re not stopping there. Cap and trade is next and then the game will be completely over.

My fellow Americans, if you have an ounce of honor left, direct your energies to resist this tyranny. We were once a nation of individuals who found solutions to their own problems, who did not look to the divine rule of kings but to the self-regulation and support of ourselves. Sadly, this ethos has been diluted and perhaps completely lost. However, there may be those of you still willing to live free, to throw off the yoke, to make your own way. If so, read on. If not, suffer your fate silently under the fist of the socialist masters.

If you made it this far, you’re probably a producer yourself, someone who actually provides valuable services, products, and/or labor to your fellows. What we must do, is stop producing. Do not make the rope by which the socialist will hang you. Put down your tools, stop making the things they need, stop giving them what they demand, what they are stealing from you every day. Stalin starved the peasants, but the peasants starved Stalin. By not feeding the great Soviet beast, the peasants denied Stalin his total victory. He and his successors had to beg and borrow and steal wheat from the US, Argentina, and elsewhere. So it must be from this day forward.

Extreme… let me tell you about extreme. Imagine if the CEO of Exxon called a special shareholders meeting. He announces that due to the government’s continued intrusion and malfeasance, he is idling all production of petroleum and its byproducts. Maintenance only to keep the equipment in good condition. One company as large as Exxon doing this could cause a major disruption in the energy supply of the US. Furthermore, if the CEO of Sunoco and perhaps Conoco/Phillips joined in, the economy would very quickly grind to a halt. If there is a CEO with guts out there, let him do this. Similarly, let American Airlines, Delta, and Continental do the same thing. Just park all the planes for 72 hours, catch up on the maintenance and tell the government that if they don’t fly right, the planes won’t be in the air.

But they’ll go bankrupt, a wily critic may say. Nonsense! The government survives by the faith of its people in its right to rule. Well, this government has proven itself to be nothing but a series of royal decries, seizures, and acts of enslavement. With any major industry shutting down, the government would soon understand how weak they really are as would the rest of the population.

Besides, the government is about to drive health care companies into bankruptcy because the health care industry did not unite against this illegal attack and also to take complete control of them. So again, all you doctors, nurses, technicians, researchers, every one of you. Don’t go to work for a week, for two weeks, for as long as possible. Why? If you allow this takeover, you will be worse than bankrupt, you will be a slave to the great collective. Your orders will come from on high. And you patients, well, hopefully you have friends in high places with the authority to schedule your surgeries and treatments. If not, sorry, you’ll be in line, just like at the busy deli you like so much.

Seriously, my fellow Americans, the time to stop producing is NOW. Go on strike. These royals don’t know how to make the lights come on, the toilets flush, the engines to run, or the planes to fly. They know nothing but thuggery: the continued stealing from and enslavement of a docile population. Fight them with everything you have. Otherwise, you’ll be lost to the gristmill socialist slavery.

Published in: on March 21, 2010 at 9:45 pm  Comments (1)  
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Venerable Airplanes

In this day of the jet liner, we’ve all but forgotten the airplanes that paved the way for modern travel. Among them, perhaps none is more venerated that the Douglas DC-3. Here in Aruba, there is one parked across the highway from the Queen Beatrix airport. It’s slowly falling to pieces under the Caribbean sun, which is a sad ending of such a proud machine. Here’s a current photo:

auadcaToo bad this one will never take to the air again. I checked on some facts about the DC-3 and discovered that it was the first airplane to enable the airlines to make a profit on passenger service only. American Airlines used it on the New York to Chicago route in 1936, and the air travel business was off to the races. More than 10,500 DC-3’s were built, and according to my research, about 1000 of them are still flying. Not bad when you consider they were built between 1935 and 1947. Here are a few other tidbits: It had a cruising speed of just over 200mph, carried up to 28 passengers, had two engines developing 1,200hp each, could travel about 2,000 miles with maximum fuel, and way back when you could buy one for about $138,000.

Flying must have been a great adventure back in the days of the DC-3. You couldn’t fly above the weather. There wasn’t much in the way of electronic navigation. You had to climb up and down the stairs just to board the plane. Still, it sounds like fun. Just a few things to think about when you’re sitting aboard a modern airliner, cruising along in pressurized, air conditioned comfort at about 500mph, high above the clouds, guided by satellite navigation.

Bon dia from Aruba.

Arrived Safely In Aruba

Many thanks to American Airlines for delivering me safely to Aruba one more time. (This has to be the 50th time or something.) Anyway, excellent flights all the way around. The pilot did a fantastic job landing the plane in the gusty wind conditions here on the island. Touched down with hardly a bump. We’ve all had those late, delayed, canceled flights. It’s only right that we take notice to the good ones. In all my trips to Aruba, only one or two were late.

Now that I’m here, book events for my novel, An Island Away, will be locked in. The first one will be at the Casa del Mar facility on 9 January from 9AM to NOON. Hope to see you there, at one of the bulletin board parties, at Charlie’s Bar or around somewhere else. Don’t forget your sunscreen.

Published in: on January 6, 2009 at 9:52 pm  Leave a Comment  
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