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Just a warning, this issue hit a hot button with me so you may not care to
read through this. Basically I'm with Tim & Wayne on this
issue.
CBS & General Aviation;
In my view the primary National Security issue raised is CBS's
sensationalism & irresponsible journalism.
How much explosive can a typical GA airplane carry? Not much by
comparison to some other more commonly available 'threats to national
security';
* An SUV - loaded with explosives (Big SUV's are a dime a dozen, so access
is virtually unlimited), or
* How about one of those nice big windowless Network News
Vans that is all around crowds, VIP's, and popular events?
All kidding aside, we may seriously need to consider that threat.
* a loaded tractor trailer rig (40,000 lbs of high explosives would dwarf
anything a GA aircraft could do),
* rail car(s),
* a few ocean containers with dirty bombs on board a vessel from the
far east in LA harbor? By the way, each vessel can carry upwards of
2,000 twenty foot steel containers.
The list goes on & on.
No doubt that painting a target on GA may help CBS and the mass media make
a buck. However in my opinion they are distracting from rather
than helping in the quest for national security.
That is obviously a case of MMM (Mass Media Morons). Don't ask me
what I really think! Anything to sell a story, and no individual or group
is safe if a quick buck can be made with sensationalism or half truths.
the networks don't seem to practice real investigative journalism or
ethics.
Unfortunately the so called 'Network news' is mostly just low grade
titillation & trash (in my opinion). Since most of our mass media is
now controlled by a relatively few large companies, I doubt that things will
improve any time soon. By the way these same mass media multinational
corporations are seeking Federal Government (FCC) approvals and licensing
agreements to expand their markets & influence over the
PUBLIC 'airways'. Just what GA needs (not).
When I want substantive information and relatively informed debate, I stick
to the WSJ, BBC, PBS, & NPR. Nothing is perfect, but the
quality is generally much higher than the networks.
Letter writing & noise is nice and may have some impact however, I
think that 'voting with your our $' may be even more effective in the long
run. The networks and their advertisers are NOT going to get my money to
subsidize GA bashing, etc.
I'll take a breath, get off of my soap box, and let my blood pressure drop
a bit.
----- Original Message -----From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 8:40 PMSubject: [COUPERS-FLYIN] Fwd: CBS GA Airport Story==============================================================================
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Coupers,Below is an e-mail that I sent to the "Editors" at CBS. It's short, and it's rude, and it's crude,.... but I think it gets my point across.Good Flying,WayneAnd here's my new signature line:Go outside and look up at the hundreds of cubic miles of sky above you.How many airplanes do you see up there that could be loaded with bombs that could kill you? Now look around you. How many cars and trucks do you see.........GENERAL AVIATION IS NOT THE PROBLEM. Cancer, and automobile fatalities are the problem. If you want to worry about something, worry about cancer and worry about automobiles.
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