Are air shows a waste of oil?

[Opusnone]

The McDonald's air and sea show is in Ft. Lauderdale this weekend

http://www.nationalsalute.com/air/activities.html

showcasing our Nation's powerful military aircraft and marine vessels performing for thousands of pleasure boaters, and millions of beach goers
( who have to drive to get there).

How much oil and gas do you think will be consumed for this event over a two day recruitment festival on a beach 4 miles long? Is McDonald's covering the military's fuel costs or are the taxpayers?

On the plus side there are antiwar protests scheduled for Saturday, 5/6/06.

http://miami.indymedia.org/calendar/event_display_detail.php?event_id=671

[catnhatnh]

1. I'd answer your question....

...but it appears rhetorical....

[BOSSHOG]

2. I believe a strong military is essential for our

nation's defense. And anti-war should not be considered anti-military. The military does not declare and wage wars, civilian leadership does.

The air shows are a vital component in their necessary recruiting effort.

Without the maintenance of a strong military I doubt we'd have any constitutional liberties.

[400Years]

10. our liberties are not derived from wars overseas but from

hard fought battles right here at home waged by citizens and they do not involve the Pentagon except for in the lobbying sense done by members of the military industry.

[BOSSHOG]

12. So I guess we can just do away with our military

and see if anyone overseas would be interested.

[400Years]

16. that's funny

you try to go to the opposite extreme to make your point.

I guess you think the invasion of Iraq also has something to do with our freedom eh?

[BOSSHOG]

18. The Invasion of Iraq

has nothing to do with our military or the necessity to sustain that military. It also has nothing to do with defending America. It is a result of extremely inept and politically motivated civilian leadership. We are hunting and pecking out our opinions today because no one from afar is going to keep us from doing that. Ergo, if air shows result in citizens signing up for the military I say let them burn up the oil, because I want to hunt and peck for a long time to come.

[400Years]

19. The main point is

The bill of rights, the civil rights battles, women gaining the right to vote, etc. etc. are all examples of how our liberty comes from domestic efforts by citizens and not the military giving them to us. I agree that the military plays a part of keeping this country from being overtaken by outside marauders but that is a very small part of what it does, very small indeed.

Acting as if we owe all of our freedoms to the Pentagon is pretty spurious and often times they exist in spite of the military industrial complex.

[BOSSHOG]

20. The DOD does not provide us with one liberty

they ensure the one's we have are safeguarded. And the internal battles you mention were carried by citizens free to do so. You are correct, our defense is a small part of their mission. Could that possibly be a sign of their successful use in the past?

[400Years]

21. which one

"Could that possibly be a sign of their successful use in the past?"

Let's see:

The takeover of the Philippines? Nope.
The rape and pillage on behalf of the United Fruit Company? Nope
Viet Nam? Nope
Kissinger's and later Reagan's dirty deeds in Latin America? Nope

I could go on and if I did you would probably try to point to WWII but most people
ignore the support of Hitler by U.S. capital which ultimately gave Hitler the power to
wage his invasions.

Fact is, the U.S. military pretty much serves at the leisure of the ruling class, i.e. big business.

I'll side with Gen. Smedley Butler on this one.

[Opusnone]

24. What do you suggest for national defense?

The military or armed citizens? The American people need the military to protect OUR collective rights and interests, not those of big business.
IMO the multinationals have become mini nations (with revenues greater than many countries GDP's) and can hire armies to protect their interests.

[400Years]

25. and yet

You say "The American people need the military to protect OUR collective rights and interests, not those of big business. "

but the military does just what you say we don't need it to do, i.e. protect and support big business.

In an ideal world the military would be protecting our rights but we don't live in an ideal world.

As far as our sovereignty goes, the national guard would do just fine. We wouldn't be driving SUVs and buying gas at $1.50 a gallon but those days are pretty much over anyway.

Now we could discuss the whole geopolitical framework and the need to act as a counter weight to Russia and China but take a look at the comparative expenditures and you can see that is way out of balance anyway.

[Opusnone]

26. Which country would be your model for the US?

Are there any representative democracies who retain sovereignty over multinationals?

[400Years]

27. Well several could be an example

In fact it seems to me that the majority of the countries on the planet respect and acknowledge the sovereignty of other countries for the most part, excluding of course France, Britain, the U.S., Russia, and China. Although China pretty much sticks to those that are contiguous.

I'm speaking in broad terms here.

Now as far as your second question, I think the pretense is that all do but the reality is just the opposite.

[Giant Robot]

3. Short answer yes

But I love air shows cause I'm a big geek, so bring them on anyway.

[Opusnone]

7. Tell me about it

The jets are doing practice runs right now and the power and noise are incredible. But I suppose if I lived near an airbase I'd get tired of jets flying over my house at 800 MPH.

[dysfunctional press]

4. not nearly as much as nascar.

expressway driving is not a sport.

[rinsd]

9. LOL, I would bet this one event is probably = to a whole season of NASCAR

[Yupster]

29. and Hollywood movies, and

concerts and ballgames, and everything else that people drive to go to that isn't a necessity.

[Sammy Pepys]

5. Jet fuel is similar to kerosene

Different carbon chain than regular old gasoline.

Don't know whether that would make a difference, though.

[SacredCow]

14. They both come from good ol' crude oil....

Gasoline is a complex mixture of the light ends of crude oil, while jet fuel and kerosene (and diesel) are heavier cuts.

There's actually very little waste in the refining of crude.

[RebelOne]

22. Jet fuel is richer than regular gasoline.

It can also be used temporarily in a car. I remember during the gas crisis in the '70s, a guy in my apartment building, who worked for the airlines, was selling jet fuel. It worked fine.

[karlrschneider]

28. Well, I sure as hell would not put it in MY car...but the other way 'round

is "kind of" doable...the plane I fly -can- use diesel fuel for a short time if it's really necessary.

[The2ndWheel]

6. Most of what we do is a waste of oil

But that's what comes with cheap energy.

[Ezlivin]

8. No, but they are a waste of time

I'd much rather sit on the side of the road and watch a parade of missiles go by. Just like in the old USSR.

I'm a veteran, but I question this country's fetishization of all things military. Why do so many Americans find it entertaining to watch things specifically designed to kill other humans?

[Opusnone]

13. To be fair, ther's also a Superboat race and sea rescue demos.

But ulimately it's great for recruiting.

It's also Fleet Week and I'd like to give a big Democratic salute, hug and thank you to the men and women in uniform who are in town this week!

[Spider Jerusalem]

11. Not as much a waste of oil...

as fifty million people vacationing by car every summer, or a hundred million single-occupant vehicles making a 100-mile round-trip commute every day.

[rman]

15. not nearly as much as wars are

[iconoclastNYC]

17. No but NASCAR is n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

23. No more than flying Bush around in AF1 all the time. Better public

relations come from the air shows. Besides, it's all funded with our tax dollars anyway, so this is our chance to get a little entertainment from what we're paying.

[KyuzoGator]

30. Air Force One Costs $55,000 per day to operate.

Fuel, crew, security, maintenance, staff.

[lpbk2713]

31. The Wash Post said last year it was around $60K per hour.

Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32389-2005Apr6.html


In 2000, when jet fuel prices were lower, the GAO estimated that flying Air Force One cost $54,100 per hour, or $60,250 in April 2005 dollars.

With the price of crude having risen sharply since April 2005 the price per hour to operate AF-1 no doubt has increased quite a bit from that $60,000 figure.

[KyuzoGator]

32. You're right, it's per HOUR....my typo. nt

[enough already]

33. Everything the military does is a waste

This is just one thing in a long list.