Thanks for fucking up my quiet morning, Blue Angels

[miss_kitty]

:grr: :grr: :grr:
What a waste of tax $$$ and a abominable glorification of overpriced unnecessary war machinery.

I wish they would go away. Safely of course.

[LisaM]

1. Ha! We think alike.

I'm complaining over in the Washington forum.

[JimmyJazz]

2. Two things. I was going to post a link and...

that quote in your sig line changed my life :)

[LisaM]

6. I just read a biography of Phil Ochs and found out about Victor Hara

I love it when things I love all tie in together.

I'm sure you know by now, fellow Clash lover, that it's probably my all time favorite Clash song.

Joe Strummer would have hated the Blue Angels, too.

[JimmyJazz]

11. It's probably one of Joe's best in terms of the lyrics.

Although I freaked the Nicaraguan (I know this from the flag hanging from their car's mirror) cleaning people out one day when I was playing it in the office - all they understood was "SANDINISTA" - it's pretty funny if you think about it.

Miss Kitty - sorry for the hi-jacking, but I know you love the Clash, too.

[miss_kitty]

16. I was going to ask-ARE YOU JACKING MY THREAD MISSY?

But it is all about The Clash so carry on, feel free.

Actually as someone whose posts garner such a small # of responses, all threadjacking is welcome-nay-ENCOURAGED!

[LisaM]

19. I tied it together

saying Joe would have hated the Blue Angels.....though the concept of hi-jacking a BLUE ANGELS thread is pretty delicious.

[miss_kitty]

33. I think so

it was sublime!O8)

[miss_kitty]

5. Ah I hate it so much

and I live right under a part of the flight path where they fly particularly low.

I hate SeaFair. Always have. Those pirates need arresting.

[JimmyJazz]

13. I'm calling you tonight.

Thanks for the call. I had gone to bed early. I had to fast for some blood tests and, if I can't eat, I might as well sleep :D

[miss_kitty]

18. Cool, except for dogwalking I'll be in!

and I am all over 'Sleeping-as-a-substitution-for-eating' thing

[4_Legs_Good]

3. I live near an airforce base...

but luckily work about 50 miles away. Apparently on weekdays there are fighter jets flying around semi-regularly. I miss most of them, but my blood pressure rises whenever I hear one on the weekend.

david

[miss_kitty]

24. It's nasty and rude

My niece cried uncontrollably when she was about a year old and we were at my cousins house for the 'festivities'. They were flying so low over his house, you could see the pilots' faces. It went on for over half an hour, and she did too. I felt awful, and thought about how horrifying would it be if you lived in a place where this shit was not 'play' and you had a baby that was crying like that. It was truly awful, not being able to comfort her.

[RebelOne]

38. I work directly across from an air reserve base.

And all day long I hear those fighter jets, helicopters and passenger planes. You sort of just don't notice the noise after a while.

[miss_kitty]

49. It's quite jarring when it only happens once a year.

:hi:

[jane_pippin]

4. We had the joy of the Blue Angels buzzing our neighborhood

about 3 weeks ago. It looked cool for the first 5 minutes but after 3 days of rehearsing and then the final show, it got a touch old.

[miss_kitty]

8. I've endured this for years

It's worse on Lake Washington, but last month on the 4th my neighbourhood was overinundated by drunks with illegal fireworks. Invited by Washington Mutual Savings Bank, who sponsored a giagantic fireworks show

:grr: :nuke: :grr:

[jane_pippin]

21. A big BOO to that!

You certainly have my sympathy.

[miss_kitty]

42. Thanks jane_pippin

It's appreciated!
:hi:

[flamingyouth]

7. I have left town and am down in Texas.

I knew I would be taking a week off sometime this month anyway, but it occurred to me to check the schedule for the fucking Blue Angels' appearance in town first. I just loathe them. Even my normally rational, liberal father loves them. I feel like I'm in the crabby minority, but they just drive me bat shit.

And thanks for fucking shutting down the I-90 bridge - not TOO inconvenient or anything. :grr:

[miss_kitty]

10. word up sistah

imagine. to actually be LUCKY to be in Texas, instead of Washington. It's a rare thing. Enjoy it while you can.

Did he get the smell out? x(

[flamingyouth]

15. He's at class and I'm scared to open that freezer.

I asked about it last night and the response wasn't entirely positive.

We're going grocery shopping later - at the very least I'm going to trade that box of baking soda. :D

[LisaM]

14. Can I be in the Blue Angels Haters Club?

Once I went to Stratford, Ontario - you'd think that would be safe, eh? - late summer, early fall, and their fricking SnowBirds were practicing. Same crap. They were the ones that subbed here when the Blue Angels couldn't for some reason.

[flamingyouth]

17. Oh yeah, I remember that.

They were just as annoying but got criticized by people because they weren't American. :eyes:

The worst was one year, I went to Chicago the week after Seafair and got stuck there during an air show - guess who was performing? x(

[LisaM]

23. Once I was visiting friends in Cleveland and they took me to an air show

and they had seats on a barge in Lake Erie because my friend's dad worked on a boat. That was terrible (not the Blue Angels, but the equally annoying Thunder Birds.) I think the worst one was the Stealth Bomber that did a flyover at a game. I think it was at a Michigan football game, but it might have been at the Seahawks.

[yewberry]

9. Don't go near I-90 today.

It's also time for the annual "close-the-bridge-gridlock."

If you can, avoid I-5, 405 and the 520 until late afternoon (90 will reopen at 2:45 and may be able to recover before rush hour.) It's no good out there today.

[miss_kitty]

12. I am avoiding it until they build the new 520

:evilgrin:

[ScreamingMeemie]

20. I LOVE the Blue Angels... I worked the airshow this year, and they fly

over our house all the time. My son is just in awe of them. No harm, no foul in my opinion. :hi:

[LisaM]

25. Mrs. Grumpy, you're making me angry!!!!

Would the pandas like it? I think we all need to consider the pandas.

[ScreamingMeemie]

35. Well...the pandas are pretty close to the Pentagon and probably in

somebody's fly zone...so maybe they do. ;)

[miss_kitty]

26. cool

I'd switch you and Young Grumpy places this weekend if I could, ma'am. My nephews and many other family members dig them, as do half a million people in my town, but I'm used to being in the minority as far as these things go!
:hi:

[LisaM]

28. I feel as if we're getting a little support group going

I thought I hated them more than anyone, but apparently not! Leaving town (and going to Texas no less!) has me beat.

[miss_kitty]

31. no fooling

We should have thought of that! I am just thankful I don't work downtown anymore. I used to forget to request the day of the torchlight parade off every year, and the route lay between me and my home

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. We used to live a mile from an air base

and we got to watch the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds practice for a week once a year in the skies right above our back yard. It was really neat - the first time. But after 12 years of this annual air show, it got pretty old. I would absolutely hate to live near a base where they practice more than once a year.

The other annoying thing about living there was the air base was a launching and landing spot for hot air balloon enthusiasts. They had a big balloon fest once a year. Once again, very neat the first time we ever saw it. The sky was full of beautiful hot air balloons. But the downfall was the folks on the ground who followed the hot air balloons. And I don't mean the crew who worked with the balloonist. I mean fans who were like groupies at a rock concert - but driving a car. They literally drove down the street with their head stuck out the window while they looked up at the sky. Once a balloon landed in our front yard and within minutes, our street became a parking lot. People were driving up on our yards and blocking our driveways. Our neighbors called the police. And the balloon fans - they acted like we were being spoil sports for asking them to not park in our yards! The balloonist couldn't have been nicer. He said these fans were ruining the fun of his hobby. I have never been able to enjoy seeing a hot air balloon since. And if I am in my car and see one, I am on the lookout for other drivers with their heads stuck out the window.

[ScreamingMeemie]

44. They are here right twice a year and I've lived here about 23 years.

It's never bothered me. We also have a lot of hot air balloonist. For me it's the look of amazement on my son's face. :hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

51. So I take it you haven't met their groupies

And I agree - I have two boys and they just loved the excitement that air base provided. Being the pacifist I am, I had to work hard to keep my mouth shut and silently pray neither would want to enlist when they grew up. And they didn't.

:hi:

[youspeakmylanguage]

22. Do the Blue Angels do military funerals?

I have a lot more patience for military fly-overs when I know that they're done to honor deceased military personnel.

[miss_kitty]

27. Yeah I think-It's slow low and loud

I am being subjected to sustained hotdogging by what must be the most expensive military PR program.

[Heddi]

29. Last year, I worked on First Hill

In one of the Swedish Medical Buildings.

Ya know, not EVERYONE has the friday-before-the-airshow off from work. Some of us have to work and do stuff like deal with patients, make and take phone calls---pretty fucking hard when a Blue fucking Angel is flying by your window every 3 minutes.

Those planes, at one time, FLEW BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS--our building, and the Swedish building next door to us. VERY frightening, and very annoying because this is a hospital building full of people with cancer. I'm sure they enjoy having their walls and windows shake while some fucking pilot gets a hardon from terrifying civilians.

All
day
long

on the Thursday and Friday before Seafair. Nonstop. We could get NO work done and eventually the boss let us out early on Friday because people couldn't hear us on the phone, the planes were so loud.

Completely un-necessary, and I don't like that they do these hot-shot maneuvers over a populated city, over a residential area, and over the spot where 90% of the city's hospitals are located. NOT. VERY. SAFE.

I mean, it seems like there are TONS of rural, unpopulated areas just a few miles outside of Washington---you know, like THE FUCKING PUGET SOUND.....???? why not practice there and leave the cube-rats alone :grr:

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. Hey! I live by Selfridge. They have F-16's. Everyday I work. The noise

is there. I got used to it, and my son loves it. It's a noisy world we live in. :hi:

[miss_kitty]

41. this is as low as 50 feet. and between buildings

and it's not an everyday occurrence.

I object a lot to the money wastage this type of shit engenders. In addition to the upkeep, training and salaries for these guys to put on a show, there's all sorts of other stuff that goes into the air shows.

C-130 and Harrier flyovers. A fleet of Blackhawks and other assorted fancy helicopters. Other fighters. And the standby emergency crews.

These ultra expensive tools are not toys. I object to the fact that we can't get aid for Veterans, health care, dental work, food and housing for everyone, books for schools etc, yet there seems to be no end of $$$ for the war machine's pretty gift wrapping and propaganda machine, The Blue Angels and The Accompanying Air show. It's obscene. JMHO though.

:hi:there!

[Heddi]

46. It's terrifying

I"ve lived in Seattle for 5 years, but last year was the first time I worked right under "Ground Zero" of Blue Angel training.

I have to say that I was honestly scared shitless when I saw 10 planes buzzing the tops of hospitals going at breakneck speeds. A coworker finally calmed me down by telling me that this happens every year, and every year they go home early on Friday (unpaid) because of the noise and racket, and every year the Blue Angels come back and practice their maneuvers over the most populated part of the city.

The thing that gets me, and this REALLY pisses me off, is that they do this over FIRST HILL--hello, that's where the hospitals are. That's where the sick people are. That's where the OLD people are. People that don't need this ruckus in their lives.

If one of those jets were to crash (and they do crash), it would be in the WORST possible place ever. God forbid they hit an office building (a 16 story one like the one I worked in, or one of the other medical office building). God Forbid they hit a hospital.

Let them train all they want over the open Sound. If they cause damage, it would be alot less damaging than having it happen in Seattle proper (not to discount the ecological damage done by a jet crashing into the sound).

The BUZZ between buildings. Unnnecessary. Do that shit on your own time, not when I'm trying to comfort women who were just diagnosed with fucking breast cancer....

[Heddi]

43. Super for you

I grew up near air-force bases all my life.

Yes, the noise is constant, but NOT as constant as 10 Blue Angels flying by your office buliding (which is also a cancer treatment center that treats and houses many people, you know, WITH CANCER) and between your office building and the one next to it all day.

They are flying over a very densely populated area. Primarily a residential area. An area where 90% of Seattle's Hospitals are located (There are 5 hospitals within a 10 block area).

If they want to do their maneuvers, super. Great. Do it.

But do it over an area where you're not buzzing the tops of buildings and making it IMPOSSIBLE to get any work done. I tell you that our entire building (a 16 story building) SHOOK when these fucking planes went by.

They buzzed the tight space between our building (a hospital) and the hospital office building next to us. You could stand at my office window and SEE THE BOLTS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PLANE---these 2 buildings were less than 1/2 block apart, and they're both hospital buildings housing very very sick people.

I agree the world is noisy, but it need not be excessively dangerous as well.

If the Blue Angels want to practice, they should go about 4 miles out and practice over that vast, uninhabited space known as PUGET SOUND, or go about 10 miles up the road into UNINHABITED MOUNTAIN FORREST LAND where noone is.

By doing these risky maneuvers over densely populated areas AND a densely populated area that holds 90% of the city's hospitals, I'd say they're needlessly putting people at risk.

Yes, I know they're talented, and yes, I know they generally don't crash. But they DO crash, and they DO have accidents, and they should not put innocent people who are just trying to live, work, and get well at risk should they lose control of one of their planes and it crashes into a fucking hospital.

[ScreamingMeemie]

45. Honestly, there's a hospital literally right next door to the base. In all

the years Selfridge has been in existance and with two airshows with show pilots twice a year, no one has ever crashed into a hospital. There are worse things in the world. You could also get hit by a bus tomorrow...or have an anvil fall on your head...or suffer a stroke. Bad things happen. :hi:

[Heddi]

50. You don't think that it's unnecessarily

dangerous to have these planes PRACTICING MANEUVERS (not just flyovers) for HOURS and HOURS and HOURS a day over the most densely populated part of the city?

Again--there's this HUGE huge body of water that is open and unfettered just, like 3 miles out. Go out there and practice.

Last year, when the blue angels were doing their buzz-bys, flying between one hospital building and another (less than 1/2 city block apart), I was having to comfort a woman who had just been told she had breast cancer. EVERY THREE MINUTES the building would shake as the angels went by, and you coudln't hear yourself think the noise was so loud. As soon as she'd start talking BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz would fill the room.

She was already upset as it was, and hearing this fucking unbearable sound every 3 minutes only made it worse. She couldn't hear me, I couldn't hear her, and finally she just got up and left. Very troubling that this woman was just given life-altering news, and she couldn't even be counceled because of the Boys in Blue practicing (unneedlessly) right next door to the hospital.

By the way--did your air base have 5 hospitals right next to it? Because that's what's in the area where they're practicing. Not ONE hospital, but FIVE

[miss_kitty]

52. Yeah.

It's like flying through a HUGE medical center. Over and over again.

I don't think they would allow a boom-car competition in that area.

[Heddi]

53. Exactly

There are signs all around the Swedish Medical Complex that this is a LOW NOISE AREA. No blaring music, no blowing horns.

I saw a guy get a ticket from SPD for having his radio loud, and not even like 'boom-car' loud, just loud enough to hear it outside the car.

So why are Blue Angels exempt from the Low Noise Area, when someone playing barely-audible-outside-the-car music isn't?

And it starts SO early in the morning--like 7am. I guess they figure "well, we're awake, everyone else should be"

fuckers

[miss_kitty]

55. I guess they're up to high and going too fast to read the signs n/t

[Heddi]

57. I s'pose

although I'm sure that the money they and their airborne friends bring into town is enough for city officials to turn a blind eye to four days of mind-numbing noise pollution.

Seafair weekend is always the weekend that hubby and I would either

1) stay inside, all weekend, never going anywhere NEAR downtown, lake union, the waterfront, or anywhere SOUTH of Ballard

2) go far, far, far out of town

[ScreamingMeemie]

58. Life is dangerous. So five hospitals makes a difference? I thought

you would be upset with 1. I guess it would have to be five, though. Again. Life is dangerous. I'll always disagree. And, it's does. Selfridge Does have a hospital next to it...not did.

We'll just disagree, because I don't think that's a very convincing argument.

[miss_kitty]

59. you shock me MrsGrumpy.

:wow:
"Life is dangerous" If they were flying between YoungGrumpy's school buildings, would you be this cavalier? After all, the kids actually ENJOY them. People receiving chemo, radiation, gamma knife treatments, existing with psych disorders, dialysis or recovering from hours of surgery-probably not as much, janowhadImean?

so this does not sway you in any way shape or form?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=3793334&mesg_id=3793744

BTW I can't think of anything more horrible than trying to grasp that one has cancer, (Which I have had to do) unless it's the way Heddi described in a previous posts-punctuated with earsplitting window rattling building shaking roars. It would feel like a hearty extra "Fuck You!" from the cosmos.
And why quibble over the number? If it's only one hospital, it's one hospital too many. But it happens to be 5.

I have spent many a sleepless night and day in the hospital and dropping off to be awakened by noise like that would be highly agitating, and not conducive to getting back to sleep.

It's a selfish wasteful activity practiced by a selfish wasteful people. It's a gross display of WMD.

[ScreamingMeemie]

63. Planes fly everyday...over cities. That's what I'm saying. That's it.

I'm sorry if you're shocked, but I don't see it. There are things flying, and driving, around that could crash into any building at any moment is all. Because life is dangerous. Yes, people are selfish. But, for me, it's my YoungGrumpy, who has been sick with planes flying over head because we're in the flight path of the base, staring in wonder at metal machines (at 6, no thought of "war" because that is how it should be for an innocent) flying through the air. Plain and simple. There are always going to be buildings around. I sympathize that it's bothersome to the OP, but I was just posting my experience....that it's an exhilarating thing to watch with my son. And yes, life is sadly dangerous. Sorry if that makes you mad.

[miss_kitty]

64. "Over" is the operative word

these planes are flying NEXT TO buildings, through building corridors. So close, you can see bolts and faces. 10-50 feet above buildings. They are hotdogging costing millions and not contributing to the sustained commerce of our society.

Yeah planes fly over my place and the hospitals are in the flight path for some, and I don't notice them because they're not right overhead. And they make a valuable contribution to society.

And I AM the OP. And I'm not mad at you. And I'm not saying you should introduce your kiddie to the horrors of war.

But do know, this activity is a seduction and indoctrination of the people, especially kids, to the military-industrial complex, which has taken over and is now effectively running this country. And we did not elect them.

:)

[miss_kitty]

32. I think they have to practice not hitting the buildings

but really. First Hill should be a no-fly zone. It's just hospitals and old people living up there. And I remember one year when I had to call a friend back 'later' because these bastards kept flying over.

[LisaM]

37. It was worse when they flew between buildings

I remember that year - was it around 1995 or 1996? I was talking to someone in my office and they went RIGHT BY OUR WINDOW, in between buildings, and we both had to leap backwards.

[Heddi]

40. They did that last year

Flew between the Swedish Cancer Center building and the Swedish Medical Center building next door to us. You could SEE The fucking bolts on the bottom of the plane.

And they did this not once, not twice, but THREE times.

Very fucking annoying.

Again---flying between TWO BUILDINGS housing SICK PEOPLE three times is a bit much, no?

[flamingyouth]

62. I used to live on First Hill.

I about had a heart attack... :scared:

[regnaD kciN]

34. I'm just glad I live far enough away from Seattle...

...that I don't have to hear them anymore.

The worst was back in 1976, when I was acting in a startup rep theater in Annapolis, just at the time of the Naval Academy graduation. Needless to say, the Angels made an appearance. Also needless to say, the Navy-mad Annapolis civil leaders would never dream of enacting any noise ordinances for their darlings. Which meant that not only were they up in the skies for practically an entire day, but they were also making barely-higher-than-the-treetops passes directly over the house in which we were staying.

:grr:

[miss_kitty]

47. Yeah. At my cousin's house they were less than 10 feet above the trees

which he enjoyed, and I'm glad he did. He was an officer in the Screaming Eagles, and it was a joy and I think an honour for him. And many others enjoy it as I have said in this thread already :) i'm just a curmudgeon. :D

[RebelOne]

39. Love, love the Blue Angels. They are awesome.

I would love to be up there with them.

[miss_kitty]

48. They *ARE* awesome

I just don't love 'em! :7

I hope you get your wish to go up with them.

[miss_kitty]

54. ARRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH

LESS THAN 500 FEET 2 RIGHT OVER MY HOUSE FLYING SLOW LOUD AND WITH SMOKE!!!!!1!!! 3 4 FUCKING TIMES IN 10 MINUTES

FUCKERS:grr: :grr: :grr:

[JimmyJazz]

56. erm....this too shall pass?

overhead? *runs away*

[miss_kitty]

60. You bettah be runnin!

I'm siccing my 12 lbs of trouble in a dog suit on ya!

[RummyTheDummy]

61. I used to live near an artillery range

Ft. Sill, Lawton, Oklahoma. The largest artillery range in the world. Shelling constantly day and night. Sometimes it would rattle the windows. Mostly just thuds. In those pre 9-11 days you could practically drive anywher on the base and it is massive. There would be signs on the roads: Warning, artillery shells flying overhead. Supposedly in the 60s or 70s one misfired and hit someone in a car in a nearby town and killed them.