This is one of those days when I have a lot of things I’d like to blog about and little time to do any of them justice, so I apologize in advance for throwing out a bunch of unconnected (and unedited) nuggets:
Warbird Schedule
It occurred to me last night that my entry on the Wings of Freedom tour probably should have included some times and locations for those visiting bombers.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the planes will be on display at the Heber Valley Aero Museum, which is located in a hanger at the Heber City Municipal Airport in (where else) Heber City. The easiest way to reach Heber is to drive up Provo Canyon beyond Deer Creek Reservoir. If you come this way, you’ll see the airport (and probably the bombers) on your way into town.
Times for walkthrough tours will be as follow:
- Friday, July 9 — 3:00 PM through 6:00 PM
- Saturday, July 10 — 9:00 AM through 6:00 PM
- Sunday, July 11 — 9:00 AM through 6:00 PM
I understand that Heber will be hosting a “hanger dance” on Friday night to welcome the bombers into town. Details can be found here.
On Monday morning, the planes will fly from Heber to Provo for another three-day stop. Tour times for that leg of the tour are:
- Monday, July 12 — 10:00 AM through 6:00 PM
- Tuesday, July 13 — 9:00 AM through 6:00 PM
- Wednesday, July 14 — 9:00 AM through 11:00 AM
The location in Provo will be at the Provo Municipal Airport between Million Air and Advantage Aviation on the Mike Janse Parkway.
I realize that the times on the weekdays are inconvenient for all us working class dogs, but I would like to ask any Simple Tricks readers who can go on those days to please do. Why? Because my friend Dave Wall organized that particular stop — originally, the planes were just going to stop in Heber before moving onto Colorado — and I’d really like to see all his hard work pay off. (Especially since I’m kind of the one who put the idea in his head in the first place…)
Remember that the Collings Foundation, which owns and operates these magnificent aircraft, requests a donation of $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children to tour both planes. The money goes to maintain and fuel the planes, which, according to the company’s press release, cost nearly $3100 per flight hour per aircraft to operate. And, if you have some extra cash or credit available, consider looking into the flight experience. If the planes follow last year’s pattern, these flights will take place in the evening, after the last of the walkthrough traffic; seeing the late afternoon sun arcing across the landscape from the nose bubble of a vintage warbird is something you’ll never forget. Trust me.
You can reserve a seat for yourself on either plane by calling 978-562-9182, or just show up and speak to the Foundation representatives.
Art Show
In other news, my friend Jack Hattaway, who is a potter and ceramicist of some skill, will be making his first attempt at commercialism tonight at the Gateway Mall in SLC from 4 to 8 PM. I’m not sure exactly where it will be — I imagine somewhere near the Olympic fountain — but he and an assortment of other artists will have a booth set up, offering a variety of wares for sale at reasonable prices. If you’re looking for a pot, don’t go to Pier One and buy some cheesy Mexican import crap. Go talk to Jack and get some quality!
Warp Speed, Mr. Scott
This morning I read the sad news that James Doohan, the 84-year-old actor who played Engineer Scott on the classic Star Trek series (not to mention six movies and a Next Gen episode) has been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. There have been rumors to this effect on the Trek message boards for a couple of years now, so it isn’t really a surprise, but it is sad nevertheless. The poor old bugger has already been afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease and assorted other complaints. It’s horrible what happens to our bodies as we age, and, for me personally, it’s tough to watch my childhood heroes fade away. Once a regular fixture on the convention circuit, Jimmy will make one final appearance in August at a three-day farewell con alongside all of his surviving castmates (DeForest “Bones” Kelley passed on several years ago). I won’t be able to attend that event — it’s in Hollywood — but I hope he gets a good send-off. I also hope that he doesn’t linger long, the way President Reagan did.
The Race is On
The only reality TV series that doesn’t make me want to shoot out my screen, The Amazing Race, returned for its fifth season last night and so far it seems to be off to a good start. My primary interest in this show is seeing the various locations the contestants visit as they run around the globe in hopes of winning a million bucks. It’s especially fun if they happen to end up somewhere I’ve actually been myself, like last season when they passed through Cambridge, England. (I visted Cambridge in 1993 and was amused to see the Race contestants standing in front of the Anchor Pub, the very same place where I whiled away many afternoons over a ploughman’s lunch and a pint of Guinness.)
I also enjoy the fact that this show is a lot less cutthroat and sleazy than its “reality” brethren, although there were disquieting signs in last night’s episode that things may be changing. I hope this show isn’t about to up its nasty quotient…
A Step Toward Legalization?
And finally, I was interested to read this little tidbit, which indicates that Berkley residents will soon be voting on whether to decriminalize prostitution. The bill’s backers aren’t proposing that it be made legal, mind you; the bill will simply be a call to make prostitution a lower police priority, both to conserve resources and to make hookers more willing to call on police for help without fear of being arrested.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing prostitution made fully legal, as it is in certain counties of Nevada. I’m not joking or trying to shock anyone. This is a position I’ve held for years, ever since a high school debate class in which I argued this subject. Leaving aside moral issues and looking at this problem purely from a pragmatic point-of-view, prostitution is never going to go away and, when it’s unregulated, it gives rise to a whole raft of social ills. Why not accept that it’s here to stay and put it to work for the betterment of society? Legalize it, regulate it, and tax it, I say. Use the revenue to fix our schools. It works for Nevada…
Well, I have my personal feelings about prostitution… but I also realize that women who go into that particular business are going to do it whether it’s legal or not, and men who are the target of that particular business are also going to continue, whether or not it’s a crime.
I am more sobered by reports (like an article in the New York Times a couple months ago) about underage kidnapping victims taken overseas (some brought to America, some taken FROM America) who are forced into the business by their captors. THAT is something that MUST be stopped.
But it’s also a slightly different issue. 🙂
I’m sad to hear about James Doohan; he’s always seemed to be the most gracious of the cast members at cons. He was also my favorite character, next to Spock.
I’m in total agreement with you on the whole “sex slave” business, but like you say, it’s a different issue.
In an ideal world, prostitution wouldn’t exist and I grant that most people aren’t at all comfortable with the idea of legalization, for good reasons. As I said, though, I think it would have some definite benefits if it were legal, not least of which is that it would cut down on the violence done to the women (and men, too) who work as prostitutes. If they no longer had to fear punishment for their “trade,” they’d be more willing to go to the police when they’ve been beaten up by a pimp or a customer. Which is, I believe, what triggered the movement in Berkeley.
I also grant that it’s pretty unlikely legalization will ever come to pass on any kind of national scale, and probably not even in California. Nevada is kind of a special case…
As for Jimmy Doohan, yeah, it’s a real shame. Anne and I met him at a con a few years ago and he definitely seemed like an all-round decent guy who really seemed to enjoy meeting his fans, unlike a lot of the other celebs out there on the con circuit. He seemed especially taken by Anne, actually… 🙂
That’s quite a compliment to Anne. 🙂
Indeed it is.
The Trek actor I really would’ve liked to meet is De Kelley, actually, but he passed on before I had the chance. By all accounts, he was the sweetest man who ever lived, a genuine southern gentleman.