Posted on 10/07/2005 12:29:54 PM PDT by SmithL
The dogs howled, the pigeons flapped, the babies cried, and the tourists trained their cameras on the heavens as the Blue Angels paid another of their discreet social calls Thursday on San Francisco.
The noise was louder than the sound of fire engines, Jamba Juice blenders and even last weekend's bluegrass festival.
At Justin Herman Plaza, there were more than a few fingers stuck into more than a few ears during the jet planes' practice fly-overs, which seemed to last all day but in fact started around noon and ended around 4 p.m.
"They're the products of the devil,'' said street artist Ulysses Dickerson, who was trying to sell his $25 paintings of angels and nymphs. "They're overlords. They're invaders. But there's always something happening in San Francisco. One week it's anti-Bush rallies, the next week it's the military saying, 'Look what we can do.' "
The noontime crowd tried to be blase about the practice flights for the Blue Angels' Fleet Week shows, but they were hard to ignore.
"At first it seems kind of cool,'' said Christina Wolf, munching on a chicken salad. "But then it reminds you of what Iraqi citizens experience every day. But over there it's real. So I guess it's a mixed message.''
Necklace street vendor John Ndoloi said the planes were good for the necklace business.
"I like them,'' he said. "Street artists look forward to the airplanes all year.''
Graeme Langlands and Dan Osborne spent their lunch hour next to the Vaillancourt Fountain, sipping sodas and trying to have a conversation over the roar, with limited success.
"All day I've been telling people, 'Excuse me, what did you say?' '' said Osborne.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
LOL! A precision aerobatic team flying B-52s would be a sight not to be missed! :-)
The more I read about San Francisco the happier I am that I never set foot in the damned place.
Yeah, the Blue Angels are ok. But then, I'm biased towards the team I used to do heavy engine maintenance for.
"They're the products of the devil,"
And clearly this moron is the product of two a@sholes.
Opinions like his are tiny minority, even here. The MSM gives "man bites dog" opinions like his far more credence than the general public does. The Blue Angels will draw as many as a million spectators this weekend.
The last couple years they fly over our house on their way to San Francisco. WOW~ the sound is incredible and when they really get going it actually rattles the pictures on the walls! SO COOL! ! !
WWII ace Richard Bong did you one better...fresh out of P-38 training and bored with his stateside assignment, he did a loop around the Golden Gate in his "Lightning." The Army Air Corps tried to court-martial him, but his commanding general decided that Bong needed to be in combat. He went on to shoot down 40 Japanese planes in the Southwest Pacific and won the Medal of Honor.
Yup. I remember the place before everybody's whackjobs took it over- and I do miss it. Born in Marin, lived in the Richmond district for several years and Contra Costa for many years after that.
Nowadays, to me it has it's faults*, but it is still home.
*Pun entirely unintended.
Guess you need to join the guy in the quote. Too bad you have no appreciation for the military in any form.
Opinions like his are tiny minority, even here. The MSM gives "man bites dog" opinions like his far more credence than the general public does. The Blue Angels will draw as many as a million spectators this weekend.
Sorry about the duplicate - Firefox has cache issues...
Which would you prefer that your sister marry? A "street artist" who sells $25 paintings of angels and nymphs (LOL! NYMPHS!) on the streets in San Fernasco or a Blue Angels pilot?
I think you need to read what he wrote again - he's suggesting that San Francisco doesn't deserve the memorial or the fleetweek activities, not that he's against them, but that they wouldn't be appreciated.
marking.
I'm jealous, you hear me? JEALOUS!!!
I did and still have the same opinion. Why else would someone protest the berthing of the USS Iowa?
The Fleet has been there alot longer than some of the whackjobs out there and most likely will still be there when they're gone.
IMHO you are either for the military or against it. Period.
Ronald Reagan was a great President. Would you put up a memorial to him in a place where he was loathed? If San Francisco wants to spit on the military, I say pull them out of there, and put them in a place where they'd be appreciated.
The tactical applications of your opinion defy imagination. I'm sure the Navy is really worried about their popularity.
Sorry if I missed sending out any good pings, I've been out of town. I will also be gone Sunday through Thursday, so if someone wants to pick up the slack you can cop the list from my profile page.
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