Stuck In Paris

EU Say it is ok to Fly through the Volcanic Ash.
Al Gore:  Give Back  Your Prize.  Welcome to Global Cooling

by Howard Melamed

Paris, France April 20 2010:  Like so many Americans I happened to be stuck in Europe as a result of the volcanic eruption in Iceland and the plume of ash that worried European Union authorities so much that they closed the entire continent  to airplane traffic.   Now they want to assure us that it is safe to fly through volcanic ash, even though the Finnish Air Force F-18a American made aircraft barely made it home after experiencing engine failure flying through the very same ash that ….you got it….. the guys running things in Europe said it was ok to fly in….even though they said it was not. Confused? Don’t be.  This is socialism at it’s best. 

No one in Europe wants to take any responsibility for anything.  The government officials keep giving everyone hope that the airports will open.  They tell us that the airport remains closed until 6 am the next morning, only to extend that time again and again and again….And now…..the same incompetent people, want us to believe that flying a plane through volcanic ash is ok.  They even put it down to a probability. They are telling people that there is a 50% chance that 50% of the aircraft will fly tomorrow.  Or is it, 50 % of the aircraft have a 50% proximity of making it?

The reason they change their mind,  is the fact that billions of dollars are being lost by the European carriers who no doubt have placed a lot of pressure on the officials that are making the call. Let’s not forget the billions of taxes, airport charges and the ilk  that the various governments need to collect to keep their social welfare programs going.  What’s a little rock and glass in a jet engine anyway? When birds take down planes,  rocks I am sure can do more damage…don’t you think?” Boeing,  the people that make the plane and the engines think that planes should not fly in ash. Here is there website articles, warnings and a ‘good luck’ message to those that don’t listen to them: Click Here

Socialist governments care about the entire society as a whole.  They take care of everyone.  One person doesn’t matter…and certainly one or two planes can be lost if it is for the social good, that being the companies that own the airlines. Without them, we are back to the stone ages: No charge for Baggage and food served to you without paying for it.

So I am in Paris, working all the permutations and combination of how to get back to the USA and Coral Springs.  I finally got a train ticket to Madrid on Wednesday. They don’t have a seat for me, but they said the worst that can happen is that I would be standing all the way…..12 hours.  I suppose I have had to do worse.  Like listenimg to Sarah Palin shrilling away at a Tea Party gathering, without taking anything to drink.  Then I booked a flight back to Atlanta on Thursday with Delta Airlines  because the Spaniards are not affected by the volcanic ash of Iceland.  They never closed the Madrid airport.  Delta was kind enough to give it to me where it hurts by charging me the highest rate for a one way mileage ticket only to get me to Atlanta.  I called them again to find out if I can extend the ticket to Fort Lauderdale and  the salesperson, after one hour of waiting, laughed.  Looks like Delta stays on my don’t fly list for bad customer service along with  American, US Air, Air Tran, SouthWest, United Continental, Spirit, ….come to think of it…if they all go bust maybe some good companies will take over and start again…back to the days where the customer was important. I booked another ticket with Delta to finally get me back home…..$400 one way from Atlanta. So much for being considerate in these tough times.

In my hotel there are more then 400 people from Detroit, Chicago and New York who attended a convention.  They spend most of their time in the lobby having nothing at all to do with the beauty of Paris.  They are like a deer staring at the headlights of a car.  I spent my day today at the Louvre  making the best of being in this situation.  They actually thought that they would be getting home tomorrow.  I was in the elevator with several of them and  told them that maybe at the end of next week they will be able to get a plane, because I was sure the airports would remain closed. I saw the weather reports, and I did not need some socialist official of the EU telling me what I could see for myself.  The news did not sit well with them.  They wanted to kill the messenger.  They still do not speak to me when I see them sitting in the lobby, when I come back from visiting the various beautiful sites here in Paris.   At least I am ready for this adventure with the right credit cards, my computer and a good attitude.  I think the difference is that at least the US government tells you like it is, no matter who is President.  They obviously thought that they can trust what the EU people are telling them. THey thought they were going to be going home today. They obviously didn’t hear about another plume from the Volcano. I am not going to tell them.

I was thinking about Al Gore when I was taking the train from London to Paris trying to escape from the chaos.  Al Gore received a noble peace prize for predicting global warming.  Right now the volcano has shot that theory to hell, as scientist claim that if the eruptions continue , the planet ( we are talking the whole darn globe here) will experience global cooling.  There you have it.  Can they take back the prize from the politician that was proven wrong in a day, and give it to the lady in Poland  that saved 2500 Jewish children from being killed by the Nazis, who lost the prize  to Al Gore? Too late because she died a year ago at the age of 94.  Too bad we still have to hear about global warming.

It is amazing to see how shocked people are.   The whole event reminded everyone about 9/11  and how everything came to a stand still.  Can you imagine how everyone is going to feel when Iran sets off one of their Nukes in one of our friendly countries?  You ain’t seen nothing yet!

To me,  all of these events have taught me not to rely on technological advances.  If they would have continued with the transatlantic crossings with ships sailing across the ocean in 5 days,  I would have been home by now.  Similarly, those Blimps  that used to be up in the air, could have sailed through this volcanic ash with no worries.

My final thought: What if this volcano continues to erupt? They claim that in the 1800’s this thing lasted a year!   Geological activity cannot be predicted…Unless of course you are Al Gore with a Nobel Peace Prize.

 I suppose I could have been stranded in a worse place for a week….like Tom Hanks in Cast Away.  No coconuts here.  What me worry?

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Author: HelpMeHoward