Military Plane Flying Low over the Hudson River?

[8bitagent]

Post-hoc analysis design and analysis of experiments, refers to looking at the data—after the experiment has concluded—for patterns that were not specified a priori. It is also known as data dredging to evoke the sense that the more one looks the more likely something will be found. More subtly, each time a pattern in the data is considered, a statistical test is effectively performed.

Like...the discovery of "super super duper nano kryton thermate?"

[freemason9]

Seventy-seven is not the same number as seven. (Not that it would matter in the slightest, in this context, if it were.) Let's not waste our time wasting time.

I have seven nephews and nieces. This struck me yesterday, and not because I had been keyword-hijacked. An unamazing thing about the world is that it is very large indeed, and that single-digit numbers such as 7 tend to turn up unastonishingly often in it, and even in written descriptions of it.

Remarkably, the article cited by Hugh never once mentions the numbers 9, 11, or 2001, or 2 (the number of the planes in New York) or 3 (the number of the buildings that fell). There must be a perfectly reasonable scientific explanation for this.

Did that heroic journalist pre-emptively hijack an even worse keyword-hijacking than the one he actually perpetrated? Or is the CIA perhaps even craftier than we suspect? It would be a good use of our endless time to discuss this endlessly.

UPDATE: The BBC used the word "nine" just a minute ago! They can't fool me.

Logic can be inconvenient at times.

[Jeff]

A photo-op, but no photos?

White House Keeping NYC Flyover Pics Under Wraps

May 5, 2009 9:58 AM

If a 747 and supersonic jet fighter buzz the Manhattan skyline as part of an ill-conceived photo-op, but the pictures are never seen, did it really happen?

The White House hopes not.

The photos of Air Force One's low flyover of Manhattan will not be released, CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller confirms.

The operation, carried out by the Defense Department and designed to capture one of the president's planes near national landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, sent panicked New Yorkers rushing from their office buildings April 27, fearful of a terrorist attack reminiscent of 9/11.

But now the photo-op will apparently yield no photos. The New York Post first reported the White House's plans to keep the pictures under wraps, citing an unnamed administration official as saying "we have no plans to release them."

The operation, which included an accompanying Air Force jet fighter, cost $328,000.

Mr. Obama was reportedly furious over the incident and ordered an internal review.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/05/05 ... 1828.shtml

[km artlu]

This topic remaining current provides me an opportunity to vent a memory with perhaps some tangential relevance.

This happened in the Spring or Summer of '97 or '98. I lived in Tribeca at the time, on Chambers Street, a few blocks from the WTC. My main remedy for the downside of living in Manhatten was regular strolls along a pathway which bordered the Hudson, and extended all the way down to the Battery.

There was a small marina adjacent to the towers where the promenade followed a three-sided box shape around the marina. It formed a natural place to hang out and watch people.

One afternoon, while pausing there, I heard the sounds of two helicopters out over the river. One from the north heading south, the other the opposite. They were both quite small and solid black; insectoid.

As I watched the two approach, expecting them to pass each other over the center of the river at about a seven or eight storey height, they both began to dodge and weave, facing each other at a distance less than a city block apart.

It appeared that the northerly craft was responding to attempts of the southerly one to evade it and proceed upriver. Imagine two dragonflies in a territorial dispute. Every move of the north-bound chopper upward, downward, or sideways was deftly countered by the other.

This was weird, man. Very strange. I'd long ago noticed that almost no one looked upwards on the streets of New York. As minutes passed and the ballet in the sky continued, I began to look around for anyone else who was aware of what was happening. Nobody. Everone just milling about in the usual way.

After about five minutes of watching the choppers, checking in on the crowd of people, I finally saw a young man also aware of the bizarre events overhead. Like me, he would look away to scan the crowd and eventually our eyes met. Eyebrows were raised.

A sort of dialog developed consisting of facial expressions and telepathy. Basically -- "What the fuck?" and "Can you believe that only us among these hundreds of people has any clue?"

I can't remember how this ended. Whether I walked away or the two vehicles dispersed. But I do know that the confrontation went on with us as witnesses for at least ten minutes. This was happening over the Hudson precisely in line with the WTC, about a hundred yards distant.

[StarmanSkye]

"The (photo-op) operation, which included an accompanying Air Force jet fighter, cost $328,000."

For which the benefit to the US Taxpayers is: Nada. Nothing. No Pictures.
End of Story.

I had a sneaky hunch this is how it would turn out.

OK -- So how many incompetant & irresponsible baffoons will be losing their jobs over this? How about criminal suits to recoup the wasted expense? (Which of course is a pittance compared with actual, ongoing waste and inefficiency but ...)

What an elegant ops to discredit Obama, eh? While reminding the folks of New York they're SO predictable PR-xtras. So I guess it wasn't a TOTAL loss...

I feel like I've been living in a foreign country -- For the last twenty years!

[Hugh Manatee Wins]

[Col. Quisp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKiV34O0L50
Bloodrock - DOA

I......remember.....
We were flying low...
And hit something in the air

[MinM]

White House to Release Photo From New York Flyover - Presidential Politics | Political News - FOXNews.com

[whipstitch]

WASHINGTON -- A top White House aide resigned today for his role in Air Force One's $328,835 photo-op flyover above New York City that sparked panic and flashbacks to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. His resignation was made public at the same time the photo of the flyover was released by the White House.

Louis Caldera said the controversy had made it impossible for him to effectively lead the White House Military Office. "Moreover, it has become a distraction in the important work you are doing as president," Caldera said in his resignation letter to President Barack Obama.

White House Review Of Flyover (PDF)

The sight of the huge passenger jet and an F-16 fighter plane flying past the Statue of Liberty and the lower Manhattan financial district sent panicked office workers streaming into the streets on April 27. Obama said it would not happen again.

Caldera's office approved the photo-op, which cost $35,000 in fuel alone for the plane and two jet fighter escorts. The Air Force estimated the photo shoot cost taxpayers $328,835.

White House officials said the flight was designed to update the official photo of the plane, known as Air Force One when the president is aboard. The White House released a photo of the blue-and-white plane high above the Statue of Liberty, with New Jersey in the background.

The White House released the report late Friday afternoon via e-mail, with a short written statement from White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. There was no statement about the matter from Obama, who last month declared the embarrassment a "mistake" and vowed it would not be repeated.

Gibbs said Obama has ordered a review of how the White House Military Office is set up, and how it reports to the White House and the Air Force.

That review, to be conducted by Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, will also offer recommendations to Obama designed to ensure that such an incident will not happen again, Gibbs said.

Caldera, a former Army secretary, has headed the office that coordinates presidential travel on Air Force jets.

When Obama appointed Caldera to the job during the presidential transition, the then president-elect hailed Caldera as having a resume that was second-to-none. Obama said then: "I know he'll bring to the White House the same dedication and integrity that have earned him the highest praise in every post."

His resignation takes effect May 22, but he is done at the White House Military Office now - not just as director, but in any part of the office's work. He said he will use the two weeks of his employment to complete the necessary steps to leave the White House.

[MinM]

Huge New York rehearsal for next terror strike

NEW YORK (AFP) — Hundreds of firefighters and police swarmed Ground Zero Sunday, the site where the World Trade Center once stood, in the largest security exercise here since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

As part of an elaborate dress rehearsal for a possible future terror strike, rescue workers exploded simulated bombs in a commuter train tunnel linking Manhattan to neighboring New Jersey, burrowed beneath the Hudson River.

"Full-scale exercises like today's give us an opportunity to practice how to integrate the vast response resources available in New York City and establish a command structure under the Citywide Incident Management System," said Joseph Bruno, commissioner at the city's Office of Emergency Management.

As the tunnel filled with smoke, scores of firefighters wearing oxygen masks practiced maneuvers to rescue some 700 to 800 passengers -- the number who might be expected to become stranded along the vital commuter line in the event of a real disaster.

In fact, there were about 150 volunteers playing the role of passengers aboard the train early Sunday, usually a time of light travel along the city's commuter train line.

The simulation closed to the public the train station at the World Trade Center, which links southern Manhattan and the New Jersey town of Newark.

Several streets in lower Manhattan were also closed to pedestrians and vehicular traffic as emergency vehicles, with lights flashing and sirens blaring, filled the city roadways.

The scenario played out early Sunday simulates an explosion that does not cause major damage to the tunnel, but causes a loss of power to the train and an interruption in communications.

The workers drilled their response to simulated blasts on two separate train cars shortly after 8:00 am (1200 GMT), in an exercise lasting about two hours.

New York's deputy mayor for operations, Edward Skyler, said the elaborate drill would help harmonize emergency operations among various agencies across the city.

"Today's exercise was particularly important because it demonstrated the commitment our emergency personnel are making to training and to cooperation among both city agencies and other parts of government," he said.

Skyler added a few words of praise for the ambulance workers, rescuers and police often referred to here as "New York's Finest."

"I am always impressed by the professionalism of our public safety personnel respond to challenging emergencies," he said.

New York is still scarred by the September 11 attacks in which Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked two commercial planes and slammed them into the World Trade Center, destroying the iconic twin towers.

Just under 3,000 people were killed in the attacks in which two other airliners were also hijacked, one slamming into the side of the Pentagon and the other crashing into a Pennsylvania field after passengers overpowered the hijackers.

Reconstruction at Ground Zero, where the hijacked airliners destroyed the Twin Tower skyscrapers, has barely begun. Meanwhile, the area remains under high security.

Last month office workers near Ground Zero panicked when one of President Barack Obama's official planes flew low over the site and the nearby Statue of Liberty for what the White House said was a photo shoot.

Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.

http://kennysideshow.blogspot.com/2009/ ... -flag.html

Was the Air Force One Flyover a Warning to Obama?

[MinM]

Now that's what I call a fly-past: US Navy F18 streaks past apartment block | Mail Online
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 1:27 PM on 13th July 2009

This is the moment a a US Navy pilot gave a shocked resident a very close look at his F18.

The fighter/bomber streaked past an apartment block on the banks of the Detroit River at the weekend.

It was part of a tactical demonstration fly-past to open a speedboat race in the North American city.

Officials waived rules to allow the Navy flyers to swoop under 100ft along the waterway.

One resident said: 'I couldn't believe how low they flew and how close they came to our building - I'm sure the pilot waved at me.'

The jets had flown in from the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia to put on a spectacular show for thousands of spectators.

The Chrysler Jeep Superstores APBA Gold Cup race was won by speedboat ace Dave Villcock.

'We danced with the devil at every turn,' said Villwock, 55, who demolished the field on his way to his seventh Gold Cup win...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... block.html

[Avalon]

One resident said: 'I couldn't believe how low they flew and how close they came to our building - I'm sure the pilot waved at me.'

As I have to say to my husband sometimes when he's driving, "Two hands on the steering wheel, please."

[elfismiles]

The jets had flown in from the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia to put on a spectacular show for thousands of spectators.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... block.html

Please join me in a round of WTF ... as in WHERE THE FUCK were you guys when we needed you that fateful day.

Reichstag Fire - David Rovics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G31NFlPFE_c

....

Where the fuck were the fighter jets
Ordered by the FAA
And what is your explanation
For what you were heard to say
When you told the Air Force to stand down
Not to intercept
Did you plan to let it happen
Or are you just inept

...

[8bitagent]

Which is ironic, as David Rovics is one of many many "liberals" who have
become enemies of 9/11 questioning and has written rants attacking people like us.

There's so much footage of air show disasters, its amazing they'd allow such a blatantly stupid stunt.

Then again were talking about the same military that allowed some of America's only few live nuke bombs to be attached to a B-52 bomber for a cross country run.

[elfismiles]

FRIGHT: Pilot Gets Lost in Sky, Terrorizes JFK...

Cop-ter Chases Pilot Wandering Over City
Hundreds of lives endangered
By JENNIFER MILLMAN
Updated 2:19 PM EDT, Wed, Jul 29, 2009


Umm … where am I supposed to land this thing?

A pilot from Virginia nearly caused a major disaster at Kennedy Airport when he brought his single-engine plane down for a landing in the path of a Boeing 747, sending controllers scrambling to get other planes out of his way, according to a published report.

Hundreds of lives were threatened over the weekend as John Prendergast la-dee-da-ed his way around the sky trying to figure out where on earth Republic Airport in Long Island was, reports The New York Post.

"I don't know what he's doing – he's going everywhere," gasped an air controller as he radioed passenger jets to tell them to steer clear of an "unknown aircraft."

A little bit lost, Prendergast made a few 360-degree turns near Kennedy before he finally figured out where he was supposed to be (not where he was, naturally) – and was guided to the Farmingdale airport by an NYPD chopper sent to get him out of the way, according to the Post.

The 69-year-old retired Navy pilot failed to make radio contact with controllers, which he should have done, after taking off Saturday morning from an airport in Martinsburg, W.VA.

Piloting a two-seat RV-7A experimental plane he built himself, Prendergast made his way up the Jersey Shore, nearing New York. He had planned to fly over water to Robert Moses State Park, then go north and west to Republic, but he somehow ended up farther west on Long Island, flying just east of Kennedy, according to the Post.

Then, to the shock of air traffic controllers, the blundering pilot flew farther north and turned around as if he were going to land with the passenger jets on Kennedy Runway 22L. A Boeing 747 on its way to New York from Atlanta actually flew over Prendergast's small plane at one point and had to abandon its landing, the Post reported.

Oops.

Prendergast hasn't been charged with anything, but the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. He couldn't be reached for comment yesterday, the Post reported.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-be ... s-JFK.html