Hi John, I see your point about the woman's age. However, according to National's website, there has been an air field there since 1926. Now, it's just my assumption, but I would bet this woman was not around in 1926. People living in the area in 1926, yes I think have the right to complain. Realistically though, how many people that lived there then still live there now? And yes, Georgetown was there LONG before National, however... the people that were there back when Georgetown was founded are not there now. I would bet that the number of people that have moved to the area since National came along FAR out-number the people that were there before. I don't think there are people alive today that were alive before the Revolution, but that's just me. My personal opinion about DCA (not that you'd be able to really tell) is that it should be shut-down. I believe it's way too close to some very important buildings. That is however, one of it's draws for the flying public (not just Congress)... because it is so close. You're absolutely correct when saying DCA is a complicated problem. No matter what happens there always people that are going to complain. Here's my point. If you move near an airport, you should not have the right to complain about noise. That's like joining the military, then complaining that you may have to go to war. WELL DUH!!!! Cheers! Clay - DEN -----Original Message----- From: John Kurtzke [mailto:kurtzke@up.edu] Sent: Friday, March 15, 2002 10:54 AM Subject: Re: National Can Resume All Flights <sorta> Clay, Several questions: How old is this woman, and where is she living? She may have a point. National Airport was not built in the middle of nowhere; it is not a place that suburbs grew up around. Georgetown was there long before John Adams was complaining about the draftiness of the White House. And Mount Vernon to the south, well, remember this fellow named Washington? And Alexandria, also to the south, but closer to the airport, also predates the Revolution. The parents of a friend of mine from high school bought adjoining townhouses in Georegetown before National existed (back when Georgetown was a slum and that was all Georgetown faculty could afford), and I think (but I'm not sure) his brother still lives in one of them. What caused problems with National was the introduction of jet traffic in 1966. (That's another story, but the position of the airport had been that National was not a safe airport for jets to operate from.) I remember being dragged to a concert of the Marine Band at the Watergate in the 60's ("being dragged" -- hey, I was a bratty teenager once!); I think this was near the present site of the Kennedy Center. The planes taking off from National interrupted the concert every few minutes, and it was clear that these concerts were not long for this world. There are many Washingtonians, and many Washington institutions that were in place before 1966 (my parents, for example). Those that are in the landing/takeoff patterns deserve some sympathy. So do the travellers that use National, and the people who work there. National is a complicated problem, and any solution is going to involve compromise. Before smacking the woman quoted, you might ask why National was not closed in the 60's as jet traffic became more prevalent. 535 people in the Capitol, with their own parking lot (better concealed these days, but it is still there). The wants of those 535 somehow outweighed the peace and quiet of thousands living in Georgetown, Alexandria, Arlington, Anacostia, and Southern Maryland. Alexander Hamilton distrusted "popular democracy," but I don't think he would have dared to be that imperious. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. john kurtzke On Fri, 15 Mar 2002 clay.wardlow@adic.com wrote: > I just want to smack the woman quoted here. She says, "Who wants to sit > outside on their deck and hear the constant roar of planes?" > > DCA was there WAY before you moved there, honey! If you don't like the sound > of airplanes, then don't live near an airport!!!! UGH!!!! Does anyone else > get ticked at these people like I do?? [snip: DEN deference] > > Thanks > Clay - DEN > -- John F. Kurtzke, C.S.C. Department of Mathematics 278 Buckley Center University of Portland Portland, OR 97203 503-943-7377 kurtzke@up.edu