The Trip from Hell
 

My journey home from Labrador was fraught with disappointment and
despair. When the Beaver landed at Riverkeep and was unloaded, it was
discovered that the pilot had not brought any seats. Duh! Two trips
would be necessary to get all four of us to Lab City. I was elected to
go first and had a wonderful flight to the float plane terminal at
Wabush, Labrador. Because of the Air Canada schedule, I elected to
spend the night in Lab City. It was cheaper than flying the provincial
airline.

My flight left at 11:05 on Saturday morning. It was a Beechcraft 1900,
filled to capacity with 19 souls. Our 45 minute flight to Sept Isles
was noisy but uneventful. At Sept Isles I transferred to another Air
Canada Jazz aircraft, a two engined turbo-prop Dash 8-300. Great
plane. We landed in Montreal at 2:30 p.m., on time, and after spending
close to two hours getting thru passport control and customs, I made my
way from Terminal A all the way to Terminal C, gate 77 for my flight to
Boston. It was delayed, and delayed, and delayed. Then it was changed
to Gate 88, another walk with my heavy carry-ons. And, it was again
delayed. It was delayed until 9:15 when our plane finally arrived at
the gate. But, the poor crew had been waiting so long that hey decided
they just could not fly to Boston. Right!!!!

So, back to the Air Canada ticket agent booth to get a voucher for room
and food. We arrived at the Quality Inn about 10 p.m. with a $17
voucher for food. After blowing my voucher on a turkey club sandwich
and purchasing two draft beers for $15, I retired to my room and
managed to get to sleep around mid-night.

Up at five, showered and wearing my cleanest dirty shirt and
yesterday's socks, I was at the terminal by 6:30. The Air Canada line
snaked its way with 3 or 4 bends. It took more than an hour to get to
the counter, check my bag, and get my boarding pass. Off to U.S.
Customs (for a second time in as many days), and Gate C-83. Surprise!
Flight delayed. Well, let us have some breakfast. Eggs, bacon, home
fries, toast, coffee, lots of coffee and say goodbye to $20 US, plus
tip. Back to the gate only to find the flight has once again been
delayed. After the previous day's delays and ultimate cancellation, I
was not in a happy mood.

Finally our gate had an aircraft parked at it. It was not the small
jet aircraft that I expected, but another Dash 8-300. Hell, at this
point I would have settled for a Cessna 182! We finally boarded at 12
p.m., 3 hours late. Hell, what else could happen?

What else, you ask? How about a leaky engine. Seems the port engine
is leaking oil, lots of oil. The captain says they are "looking into
it and hopefully it can be repaired." An hour later the captain
announces all is well. They found the leak and have added more oil.
We are off, flying to Boston. I have broken the bounds of Montreal. I
am free, free at last, flying in a two engined aircraft that is
possibly leaking oil. What else could happen you ask?

Well, crashing was not in the order of the day. Having crashed twice
while in the Navy, crashing on this day would REALLY **** me off! No,
we landed safely at Boston's Logan airport. We taxied and then
stopped. We were stopped for 5 minutes when the captain had an
announcement. This could not be good. It seems that Air Canada had no
gate for us to pull up to. We would have to wait until a gate became
available. Forty-five minutes later, I left the aircraft, a very tired
and ****ed off old man.

When I got to the luggage carousel, my beautiful wife Joanne greeted me
with a wonderful smile, a hug, and a cold soft drink. Life is good
once again.

Dave
PS: I have two Loonies, two Twonies, and some funny looking quarters
and pennies. Hmmmm. I will have to go back to Canookistan to spend
them. But, not on Air Canada.

The Trip from Hell
 

A fun read, David, glad you're back in one piece......how was the
fishing part?

Also, save the Canadian money for at least a few days, their legislature
isn't filled with loons willing to default so the exchange rate might
improve, drastically.

Tom

The Trip from Hell
 

On 2011-07-29 17:58:46 -0400, Tom Littleton said:

A fun read, David, glad you're back in one piece......how was the fishing part?

Also, save the Canadian money for at least a few days, their
legislature isn't filled with loons willing to default so the exchange
rate might improve, drastically.

Tom

You're right. They have a conservative government and they don't spend
like drunken sailors. I wish I could raise *our* debt limit. I'd
drive a Bentley, live in the Bahamas in the winter and Montana/Alaska
in the summer. Hell, I'd take all of roff on TWO claves eah year -
summer in Alaska, and winter in the Seychelles. Wouldn't it be fun to
be able to spend without limit? d;o) Just think -- $300 single
malt.......

Fishing was only so-so, but just being there was worth the trip. Back
to Lakewood on the 30th with the whole famn damily to whitewater raft
the river. May get to fish some if the water isn't too warm.

Dave

The Trip from Hell
 

David, Government isn't the same as personal finance.....never has been,
never will be. Raising a debt limit isn't about spending in the future,
it's about paying for what you approved already over the past
decade or more, via legislation. Solving the debt/deficit thing isn't
all that hard, either. Clinton managed to figure it out. While we're at
it, the concept of forcing a balanced budget is not only idiotic, but
dangerous. What government should aim for is a surplus during the highs
in the cycles and deficits during the low points when you need
government to spend more. Oh, and restoring the rate of taxation that
you and I and many others here managed to 'endure' just fine before Bush
slashed the top end and cap gains taxes would be a good way to start to
balance any future budgets. But, that is common sense, a commodity in
short supply it would seem.
Tom

The Trip from Hell
 

Tom, you can not spend money you don't have. Greece is under the
table, along with Portugal and soon to be Italy. When 40% of every
dollar is used to pay back debt, you are in trouble. You could take
the entire salaries of all the millionaires and it would not be enough.
You could take ALL of Apple's money and it wouldn't be enough. The
damn fools want to increase the ceiling by another
$3,000,000,000,000.00. And it will be increased, and it will be
*borrowed* and *spent* in but a few years with no fiscal restraints or
responsibilities. Just spend, spend, spend. Obama and Congress have
finally bankrupted us. Tip of the day: Have your grandchildren learn
Mandarin. It will be the Spanish of the future. And buy gold and
silver.

Thanks, btw, for taking a trip report and turning it into another
****in' politcal thread. EOT for me. I'm going bass fishing with my
grandsons.

Dave

The Trip from Hell
 

On Jul 30, 7:17*am, D. LaCourse wrote:
Tom, you can not spend money you don't have. *Greece is under the
table, along with Portugal and soon to be Italy. *When 40% of every
dollar is used to pay back debt, you are in trouble. *You could take
the entire salaries of all the millionaires and it would not be enough.
*You could take ALL of Apple's money and it wouldn't be enough. *The
damn fools want to increase the ceiling by another
$3,000,000,000,000.00. *And it will be increased, and it will be
*borrowed* and *spent* in but a few years with no fiscal restraints or
responsibilities. *Just spend, spend, spend. *Obama and Congress have
finally bankrupted us. *Tip of the day: *Have your grandchildren learn
Mandarin. *It will be the Spanish of the future. *And buy gold and
silver.

Thanks, btw, for taking a trip report and turning it into another
****in' politcal thread. *EOT for me. *I'm going bass fishing with my
grandsons.

Dave

"Fish On!!!!"
Praise Norquist.

Dave you ole crustacean, you are a breathing demonstration of the
value of education and so stalwart as to cause one to cringe in the
undeniable presence of irreparable memory loss compounded by BIOTBG
Syndrome, *, and an overdose of Igotamine. The Doc says, "Hey, But
donta you worry," "Life will eventually take care of itself, ifa you
know whatta I mean? Ech?" Praise Norquist.

Dr. Patriot Dave de Pugetopoly
Signed this 1st Day of Our Norquist, Anno 2011.01

* Blame it on the Black Guy Syndrome, Hey, don't knock it, BIOTBG and
Igotamine** ideology have been around for years: They fill all that
empty area in the Rightwing brain that most normal people try to fill
with experiential learning, awareness, compassion, and a sense of
fairness, egalitarianism, and compassion. You know, all that Liberal
crap. Praise Norquist.

** Igotamine ideology, a simplistic tautological thought process,
masquerading as an adult political stance, sometimes mislabeled as
"conservative," recent investigations suggest connection to juvenile
exposure to noxious weed of Australian origin, common name "Lying or
Cheating Murdock." Infections later in life likely to be manifest in
ghastly breaches of reason and exceedingly selective memory. Praise
Norquist.

Send all reimbursement requests to, Crotch Brothers, C/O Hemlock Tea
Party, 0987654321 Kissfreedombyebye Road, Bermuda, FOXOVIA 66666666
Praise Norquist.

The Trip from Hell
 

On 2011-08-02 04:28:19 -0400, DaveS said:

On Jul 30, 7:17*am, D. LaCourse wrote:
Tom, you can not spend money you don't have. *Greece is under the
table, along with Portugal and soon to be Italy. *When 40% of every
dollar is used to pay back debt, you are in trouble. *You could take
the entire salaries of all the millionaires and it would not be enough.
*You could take ALL of Apple's money and it wouldn't be enough. *The
damn fools want to increase the ceiling by another
$3,000,000,000,000.00. *And it will be increased, and it will be
*borrowed* and *spent* in but a few years with no fiscal restraints or
responsibilities. *Just spend, spend, spend. *Obama and Congress have
finally bankrupted us. *Tip of the day: *Have your grandchildren lear
n
Mandarin. *It will be the Spanish of the future. *And buy gold and
silver.

Thanks, btw, for taking a trip report and turning it into another
****in' politcal thread. *EOT for me. *I'm going bass fishing with my
grandsons.

Dave

"Fish On!!!!"
Praise Norquist.

Dave you ole crustacean, you are a breathing demonstration of the
value of education and so stalwart as to cause one to cringe in the
undeniable presence of irreparable memory loss compounded by BIOTBG
Syndrome, *, and an overdose of Igotamine. The Doc says, "Hey, But
donta you worry," "Life will eventually take care of itself, ifa you
know whatta I mean? Ech?" Praise Norquist.

Dr. Patriot Dave de Pugetopoly
Signed this 1st Day of Our Norquist, Anno 2011.01

* Blame it on the Black Guy Syndrome, Hey, don't knock it, BIOTBG and
Igotamine** ideology have been around for years: They fill all that
empty area in the Rightwing brain that most normal people try to fill
with experiential learning, awareness, compassion, and a sense of
fairness, egalitarianism, and compassion. You know, all that Liberal
crap. Praise Norquist.

** Igotamine ideology, a simplistic tautological thought process,
masquerading as an adult political stance, sometimes mislabeled as
"conservative," recent investigations suggest connection to juvenile
exposure to noxious weed of Australian origin, common name "Lying or
Cheating Murdock." Infections later in life likely to be manifest in
ghastly breaches of reason and exceedingly selective memory. Praise
Norquist.

Send all reimbursement requests to, Crotch Brothers, C/O Hemlock Tea
Party, 0987654321 Kissfreedombyebye Road, Bermuda, FOXOVIA 66666666
Praise Norquist.

Take your pills, you old fool, and don't forget your hat.