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Open Thread * Inside Air Force One

By SusanUnPC on November 24, 2008 at 12:20 PM in Open Thread

Every week, I DVR Chris Wallace’s Sunday show on Fox News, along with ABC’s This Week and NBC’s Meet The Press (although the scheduled MTP on MSNBC was instead one of their ghastly “documentaries” about some hideous crime).

Chris Wallace aired this video at the end of the program, noting that he’d worked at getting this exclusive insider look at Air Force One for FIVE years. It’s fascinating because we see sections of Air Force One never before shown on television, as well as some history of the plane.

And, below, we get to play a “pretend game” about what we’d add to OUR versions of Air Force One.

BELOW, let’s decide how to design the next jet we purchase:





The next time I order a jet, I’m going to ask the designer to duplicate Air Force One. Except, I’d rather have a double- or queen-sized bed with a big flat-screen TV at the foot of the bed.

And I’d like to have large screen monitors for my laptop along with at least three Kindle Wireless Reading Devices attached to my laptop, so that I can “grab” paragraphs from all the books I’m reading for insertion into my posts.

And I’d invite a couple families along each time, with their children, who could play with all of these toys for Air Force One future pilots & occupants.

What’s on your wish list for your next jet?

There’s even this cute magnet for the refrigerator that comes with a light and sound.

OPEN THREAD!

Galt’s Pizza Parlor, Righteous Indignation Division

Didn’t you hear? Air Force One has been renamed “Hot Air Farce The One.”
benny

Hmm….I never had a jet of my own. If I did have one, hmm…..the possibilities are endless.
oowawa

Here’s Ron Polarik’s “final report” on the Obama COLB “forgery” posted 11-22. It strikes me as being compelling and thorough. I would like to hear other reactions:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2136816/posts
bert

NQ always has the most interesting posts, and this one is no exception. The History Channel recently did a piece on the history of Air Force One that was excellent. Chris Wallace’s tour adds to the story. Thanks NQ.
AM

I read the article below at:
http://serendipity.ruwenzori.net/index.php/2008/09/21/american-troops-in-afghanistan-through-the-eyes-of-a-french-omlt-infantryman

“21 Sep 2008 at 13:56 by Jean-Marc Liotier
American troops in Afghanistan through the eyes of a French OMLT infantryman

The US often hears echoes of worldwide hostility against the application of its foreign policy, but seldom are they reached by the voices of those who experience first hand how close we are to the USA. In spite of contextual political differences and conflicting interests that generate friction, we do share the same fundamental values – and when push comes to shove that is what really counts. Through the eyes of that French OMLT (Operational Mentoring Liaison Teams) infantryman you can see how strong the bond is on the ground. In contrast with the Americans, the French soldiers don’t seem to write much online – or maybe the proportion is the same but we just have less people deployed. Whatever the reason, this is a rare and moving testimony which is why I decided to translate it into English, so that American people can catch a glimpse of the way European soldiers see them. Not much high philosophy here, just the first hand impressions of a soldier in contact – but that only makes it more authentic.

Here is the original French article, and here is my translation :

“We have shared our daily life with two US units for quite a while – they are the first and fourth companies of a prestigious infantry battalion whose name I will withhold for the sake of military secrecy. To the common man it is a unit just like any other. But we live with them and got to know them, and we henceforth know that we have the honor to live with one of the most renowned units of the US Army – one that the movies brought to the public as series showing “ordinary soldiers thrust into extraordinary events”. Who are they, those soldiers from abroad, how is their daily life, and what support do they bring to the men of our OMLT every day ? Few of them belong to the Easy Company, the one the TV series focuses on. This one nowadays is named Echo Company, and it has become the support company.

They have a terribly strong American accent – from our point of view the language they speak is not even English. How many times did I have to write down what I wanted to say rather than waste precious minutes trying various pronunciations of a seemingly common word? Whatever state they are from, no two accents are alike and they even admit that in some crisis situations they have difficulties understanding each other.

Heavily built, fed at the earliest age with Gatorade, proteins and creatine – they are all heads and shoulders taller than us and their muscles remind us of Rambo. Our frames are amusingly skinny to them – we are wimps, even the strongest of us – and because of that they often mistake us for Afghans.

Here we discover America as it is often depicted : their values are taken to their paroxysm, often amplified by promiscuity lack of privacy and the loneliness of this outpost in the middle of that Afghan valley. Honor, motherland – everything here reminds of that : the American flag floating in the wind above the outpost, just like the one on the post parcels. Even if recruits often originate from the hearth of American cities and gang territory, no one here has any goal other than to hold high and proud the star spangled banner. Each man knows he can count on the support of a whole people who provides them through the mail all that an American could miss in such a remote front-line location : books, chewing gums, razorblades, Gatorade, toothpaste etc. in such way that every man is aware of how much the American people backs him in his difficult mission. And that is a first shock to our preconceptions : the American soldier is no individualist. The team, the group, the combat team are the focus of all his attention.

And they are impressive warriors ! We have not come across bad ones, as strange at it may seem to you when you know how critical French people can be. Even if some of them are a bit on the heavy side, all of them provide us everyday with lessons in infantry know-how. Beyond the wearing of a combat kit that never seem to discomfort them (helmet strap, helmet, combat goggles, rifles etc.) the long hours of watch at the outpost never seem to annoy them in the slightest. On the one square meter wooden tower above the perimeter wall they stand the five consecutive hours in full battle rattle and night vision goggles on top, their sight unmoving in the directions of likely danger. No distractions, no pauses, they are like statues nights and days. At night, all movements are performed in the dark – only a handful of subdued red lights indicate the occasional presence of a soldier on the move. Same with the vehicles whose lights are covered – everything happens in pitch dark even filling the fuel tanks with the Japy pump.

And combat ? If you have seen Rambo you have seen it all – always coming to the rescue when one of our teams gets in trouble, and always in the shortest delay. That is one of their tricks : they switch from T-shirt and sandals to combat ready in three minutes. Arriving in contact with the ennemy, the way they fight is simple and disconcerting : they just charge ! They disembark and assault in stride, they bomb first and ask questions later – which cuts any pussyfooting short.

We seldom hear any harsh word, and from 5 AM onwards the camp chores are performed in beautiful order and always with excellent spirit. A passing American helicopter stops near a stranded vehicle just to check that everything is alright; an American combat team will rush to support ours before even knowing how dangerous the mission is – from what we have been given to witness, the American soldier is a beautiful and worthy heir to those who liberated France and Europe.

To those who bestow us with the honor of sharing their combat outposts and who everyday give proof of their military excellence, to those who pay the daily tribute of America’s army’s deployment on Afghan soil, to those we owned this article, ourselves hoping that we will always remain worthy of them and to always continue hearing them say that we are all the same band of brothers”.
SFIndiePUMA

I wonder how long it will take for The Pretender to have his name, face, logo, and website painted on the jet?
Judy L. NC

HA! ONE UPS! I already own a Kindle! (love it, love it, love it) First off, I’d hire a somalier (sp?) to tend the wine cellar. I also would want a queen size bed. I’d have to add a couple of litter boxes and a 7 ft. cat tree for my two Maine coons—maybe we’d build a little catwalk around the top of the cabins. Then there’d be an extensive DVD library, an Ekornes stressless recliner with a great reading lamp. A fake electric fireplace would be a plus.
http://noquarterusa.net/ NoQuarter

What a great story. How lovely of you to share this!
Jackarooty

Well, since this is an open thread here goes…

CNN just posted an articel written by Luci Baines Johnson younger daughter of LBJ. The article is about how her father and MLK created the opportunity for Obama to become president.

Funny, when Hillary talked about LBJ’s hand in civil rights during the primaries she was accused of demeaning MLK and playing the race card.

Where was Luci during the primaries?
I’m angry all over again.
Jackarooty

Well, since this is an open thread here goes…

CNN just posted an article written by Luci Baines Johnson younger daughter of LBJ. The article is about how her father and MLK created the opportunity for Obama to become president.

Funny, when Hillary talked about LBJ’s hand in civil rights during the primaries she was accused of demeaning MLK and playing the race card.

Where was Luci during the primaries?
I’m angry all over again.
Baba Rum Raisin

>>>> somalier

sommelier
Judy L. NC

Thanks….I knew it didn’t look right.
Illinois_gal

I was thinking the same thing.
Illinois_gal

If only we had something in place to prevent those who are not natural born citizens from becoming POTUS. Oh wait! We do!

If he has nothing to hide, he has nothing to fear.
Pennsylvania Red

And combat ? If you have seen Rambo you have seen it all – always coming to the rescue when one of our teams gets in trouble, and always in the shortest delay.

I wish we could have come to their rescue by electing the POTUS they wanted…80% of the military voted for McCain.

I’m proud to say I voted with the majority of our brave warriors.
http://www.stopmyabortion.blogspot.com bargal20

Jackarooty,

No doubt Luci Baines Johnson would have been seen as an entirely objective judge of LBJ’s legacy if only she spoken out during the primaries.

Her words would have reached the dark souls of the delegates. Hillary Clinton would have received the nomination and would today be president-elect.

It’s good you’re angry again. Use that anger!

Write an alternate world novel about it. I’ve been told if you sell enough copies of your alternate world novel, the events described within become reality.

It’s up to you, Jackarooty! By the power of the PUMA skull, you have the power!
Karma

Step away from the kool-aid!
http://www.stopmyabortion.blogspot.com bargal20

Karma,

you and your Obamoids can laugh all you want. When the Whitey tape is released, time will reverse and Hillary will be president!
Judy L. NC

Since this is Open….I watched Bud White’s “Born to Kill” yesterday. WOW! Love the recommendations.
JM

Thanks for the video about Air Force One. It is the first time that I have seen it, and it was interesting.