**Blimp launch information** (and new banner photo)

[dagnybell]

Be Franklin:

If you keep badmouthing people who have donated once to the project, we won't donate again.

I'm not bad mouthing anyone. I'm just trying to get people to think about the situation a little less emotionally and I'm trying to provide encouragement to everyone involved.

I understand the disappointment, I just don't understand the thought process that leads people to believe that they are intentionally being jerked around by the blimp team.

 

[BeFranklin]

Be Franklin:
I understand the disappointment, I just don't understand the thought process that leads people to believe that they are intentionally being jerked around by the blimp team.

When they are insulted.

 

[jonhowe]

Ben, I don't think it was intended as an insult in any way/shape/form.

He already told you why they didn't buy tickets.

I (we) can understand why you're upset as a donor, but as a reasonable person (and if you support Ron, you obviously have a good head on your shoulders) you have to realize that "stuff" happens. In this type of foray into the business of politics, not to mention the obscure air-ship industry, things come up, plans change.

I may have come off as hostile before, and that was my fault, it was more aimed at *another poster's* insane ideas. You have every right to be annoyed, and every right to express your annoyance. And you have. We hear you. But we can't change what's happening, so lets sit back and see what does. Driving home your, admittedly valid point only hurts the cohesion the grassroots groups have created.

Please don't take this as a personal attack, we're all friends here, and we're mostly reasonable people. Just realize that your words could be creating a rift, so consider them wisely

We're all on the same team, so sorry again that my first post was a bit rough around the edges. It's finals week

 

[BeFranklin]

Ben, I don't think it was intended as an insult in any way/shape/form.

He already told you why they didn't buy tickets.

I (we) can understand why you're upset as a donor, but as a reasonable person (and if you support Ron, you obviously have a good head on your shoulders) you have to realize that "stuff" happens. In this type of foray into the business of politics, not to mention the obscure air-ship industry, things come up, plans change.

I may have come off as hostile before, and that was my fault, it was more aimed at *another poster's* insane ideas. You have every right to be annoyed, and every right to express your annoyance. And you have. We hear you. But we can't change what's happening, so lets sit back and see what does. Driving home your, admittedly valid point only hurts the cohesion the grassroots groups have created.

Please don't take this as a personal attack, we're all friends here, and we're mostly reasonable people. Just realize that your words could be creating a rift, so consider them wisely

We're all on the same team, so sorry again that my first post was a bit rough around the edges. It's finals week

Understood. I haven't been writing a paper myself since I've been steaming :o

 

[JohnnyWrath]

One thing I will say, if it does look unlikely that the blimp will make it the 16th...I want to know now, not later...if it is true, these people need to say it will be very tough to make it happen but they are doing so and so, and whatever to try their best. Throughout this whole thing, them not telling anybody anything is what has caused most of the frustration.

I don't want to be told wishful thinking as if it's fact...if these guys know the blimp has little chance of making it the 16th, they need to say that...I think the blimp has other purposes that are equally important, but it makes things more tense when the grassroots are not kept up to speed on current issues and situations....we can handle truth.....matter of fact, we love it, and that's why we support Paul to begin with.

 

[Mckarnin]

The amount of trust required of donors to this project has been extraordinary, and just doesn't usually occur. And if you keep on badmouthing people who trusted you once with their money, you aren't going to get it again.

I'm offended. I haven't been this whole thread, but Tarzan has just ticked me off. The people on this thread have been very calm.

I want to know why donations were being asked for a Monday launch date, and Trevor and Elijah didn't even have tickets until Wednesday because they knew it wasn't launching as mentioned earlier in this thread.

Like I said earlier. We started pricing tickets days ago but waited to book them until we "knew" we were about to leave to book them on flights.

 

[Primbs]

Is the blimp fully booked for the early flights?

What about the later flights?

 

[jorlowitz]

Blimp is a force multiplier...

Remember that this blimp is about a lot more than the tea party and that even if it is in Boston on the 16th it will only be able to fly over the tea party if the weather behaves. This blimp is about name recognition for Ron Paul and media coverage and it has already gotten 10, 15, 20 mentions in some pretty big media outlets...so it's already doing its job.

That's true, but there's no doubt that the effect of the Blimp heading towards Boston (even, if not especially, in a rush) would attract massive reinforcing media to both the blimp and the tea party. The whole purpose of the blimp is to act as such a "force multiplier" if you peaceniks will allow such a term. The blimp is cool but if it just floats around it's a mere novelty (albeit a cool one). Its real strength is as a giant floating spotlight to draw attention to rallies and major events; then it can do the mere fluff-work of making celebrity appearances over major cities.

 

[troyd1]

The banner company tried to ship the first banner on a plane but ended up needing 4 weeks notice (for security) for a cargo shipment so it is travelling to the blimp UPS and should be there by tommorow (the 12th) AM. The second banner will arrive by Thursday (the 13th). Please keep in mind that the manager at the hangar has expressed his amazement that we got a banner into production so quickly. He has explicity told us that blimp banners usually take MONTHS to design, order and produce. The corporate manager told me today that a lot of companies can't get things together well enough to fly in much more time than we have had. So, please be patient.

Where is truckin Mike when we need him!

 

[szczebrzeszyn]

FYI Johnhowe, I wanted that tracking number merely to validate that something was being shipped. For my own peace of mind.

I can see your point, but I don't think you're gonna get it.

 

[kaleidoscope eyes]

someone mentioned earlier about never seeing a blimp in the winter time, 100% correct!!
I'm originally from Akron, OH (home of Goodyear) and we never saw a blimp fly in the winter season. I can imagine that getting this project together in the short amount of time, in a typically off-season blimp time, during Xmas shipping rush time?! They are really fighting against some strong currents here. Let's just go with the flow a bit, and not get so worked up. yes, I've read every single post on this thread, concerns are understandable, but just think of what the team is working against here, again I say thank you blimp team, I know you'll get this thing up one way or another!

 

[Charles Wilson]

I have a challenge for all the experts bitchin' and mouning about the delay in getting the blimp in the air. We have a big country and could use at least two more Ron Paul blimps, one in the midwest and one on the west coast. Which of you experts are willing to head up that project? Hey you can do it -- I will pledge a donation but the project must meet a time line. Lay out your plans and do it! Of course if you don't get the blimp in the air according to schedule we may hit you with a law suit :o).

 

[dfalken]

I have a challenge for all the experts bitchin' and mouning about the delay in getting the blimp in the air. We have a big country and could use at least two more Ron Paul blimps, one in the midwest and one on the west coast. Which of you experts are willing to head up that project? Hey you can do it -- I will pledge a donation but the project must meet a time line. Lay out your plans and do it! Of course if you don't get the blimp in the air according to schedule we may hit you with a law suit :o).

I think at this point anyone with a good business head on their shoulders would decline your offer seeing that funding this blimp project has not been that easy and the chances of funding a secondary one would be quite low at this point.

 

[Wyurm]

There are clearly some things that *have* to be done to regain trust, because its been violated badly.

For you perhaps. I've been offended on this forum, to the point of even leaving for a month (the whole Anita Andrews nonsense). This situation and most of what has been said doesn't even phase me. In fact, I haven't yet donated to the blimp, yet all the negativity toward the blimp team is encouraging me to do just that. So if you don't want to donate, don't I'll take your place. I've been with this campaign / movement for long enough to have seen all of this before.

When a supporter comes up with a good idea, there are always those who have no intention of being supportive, so they trash the idea like there's no tomorrow. When that fails, at some point the idea usually goes through a few glitches and more easilly swayed supporters of the idea begin to complain about how they are owed whatever they feel needs to be done and if it isn't done, they say they won't donate etc...

Then the idea breaks free of the glitches, succeeds and suddenly those who were threatening to leave are either never seen again, or try to act like they never threatened to stop supporting. If the blimp was my project, I can assure you I would not read much at all here, because all the negativity would get me down and destroy my drive to keep going.

I know you're just frustrated, but threatening to stop donating isn't going to solve that frustration. Instead it will just frustrate more people. Peace be with you.

 

[BeFranklin]

Like I said earlier. We started pricing tickets days ago but waited to book
them until we "knew" we were about to leave to book them on flights.

But you told people that you were going to launch on Monday, weather permitting, when you knew it
was impossible because you didn't even have the banners. You even had the information up on
the site about launching Monday and were soliciting money over it. You did not have any
information about the banners not even being sewn on the site, even though you knew it.

Since then you have mentioned other reasons (a long list of things that many other people have
pointed out also do not make sense on this thread).

All those people have actually given you money, and have previously defended the blimp project
on these forums. Your tone of voice, underlined above, is wrong.

 

[tangent4ronpaul]

This is what my favorite blimp photo looked like:

It changed a few days ago on the site per below. I noticed it, but didn't
say anything at the time. It looks a lot better the first way above.
If you knew about problems, you should have told us.

yeah - and the first pic in the first thread changed this morning....

" Last edited by Mckarnin : Today at 10:38 AM. Reason: To add info."

try to remove image of one person!

Is this the department of Information in 1984???

like how the web site changed and a lot of background info "disappeared" that despite repeated requests has never come up again...

ICK!

revising history should not be a business practice!

people - buffer EVERYTHING these people post - details tend to be "revised" after the fact, and the story keeps changing. Generally, an endless string of excuses after the fact - when dealing with anyone about anything is a VERY BAD SIGN!

-n

 

[tangent4ronpaul]

 

[Mckarnin]

But you told people that you were going to launch on Monday, weather permitting, when you knew it
was impossible because you didn't even have the banners. You even had the information up on
the site about launching Monday and were soliciting money over it. You did not have any
information about the banners not even being sewn on the site, even though you knew it.

Since then you have mentioned other reasons (a long list of things that many other people have
pointed out also do not make sense on this thread).

All those people have actually given you money, and have previously defended the blimp project
on these forums. Your tone of voice, underlined above, is wrong.

Sorry for sounding snippy,

I shouldn't have been posting so late. I am just frustrated because we did not have the contract with the banner people, the blimp company did. Thus we were not alowed to call them or ride them on the banners (not that they needed it since they have been working amazingly hard) so I had to get my information throught the blimp company's management. That relay causes a bit of a delay and when I heard that the banners were delayed I asked for further information to clarify so I could inform everyone here and then that information took another day to get.

I am a capable, responsible, Ron Paul supporter and my family teases me about being married to the blimp/Ron Paul. I have done nothing but provide the most honest information I could at every moment when I am questioned about the blimp. Since my information on the blimp, logistics, the weather, the banners, etc... comes from about 20 different people I have to work hard to assimilate it and piece it together into a coherent whole that follows logically. A lot of the time I chase people around to verify information from one source before citing it publicly.

 

[Mckarnin]

yeah - and the first pic in the first thread changed this morning....

" Last edited by Mckarnin : Today at 10:38 AM. Reason: To add info."

try to remove image of one person!

Is this the department of Information in 1984???

like how the web site changed and a lot of background info "disappeared" that despite repeated requests has never come up again...

ICK!

revising history should not be a business practice!

people - buffer EVERYTHING these people post - details tend to be "revised" after the fact, and the story keeps changing. Generally, an endless string of excuses after the fact - when dealing with anyone about anything is a VERY BAD SIGN!

-n

We had permission from the blimp company to make the photo public but when the banner company found out just how public we planned to make it they asked that a certain camera shy member of their team be removed. They have been working hard, the least we can do is respect their wishes.

 

[ronpaul.in]

yeah - and the first pic in the first thread changed this morning....

" Last edited by Mckarnin : Today at 10:38 AM. Reason: To add info."

try to remove image of one person!

Is this the department of Information in 1984???

like how the web site changed and a lot of background info "disappeared" that despite repeated requests has never come up again...

ICK!

revising history should not be a business practice!

people - buffer EVERYTHING these people post - details tend to be "revised" after the fact, and the story keeps changing. Generally, an endless string of excuses after the fact - when dealing with anyone about anything is a VERY BAD SIGN!

-n

Please take your conspiracy theories elsewhere.

This group is doing something that has never been done before in an amount of time that is unheard of.

I don't understand where so many of you get your agression from, renting a blimp is not like going to Hertz and getting a civic. Huge companies spend months planning and prepping, to pull off what they have in the past month is nothing short of amazing. period