Random Thoughts on Today
From the "Terror-is-still-on-Backorder" Department
Some Random Thoughs on the events involving the attempted Terrorist Attacks on Brittish flights to the United States this morning.
I havn’t had much time to peruse the news, as I was in meetings all morning. But here are some thoughts I’ve generated:
In No Particular Order:
- How is it that only Arab men were arrested? Why were they racially profiled?
- How long before someone suggests that this was done to help Republicans in November?
- How long before someone suggests this was Bush’s fault?
- How long before someone suggests this was Bush’s idea?
- If this was a trial-run, what is going to happen in 2-days?
- Why are terrorists sticking to planes/aircraft? Its like playing against a stacked deck.
- When will the question of the Civil Rights of these terrorists come into play?
- Will they go to Gitmo?
- What if they would have succeeded, even one.
When will the U.S. government start taking border security seriously?
They can seal the airplanes and seal the airports till people decide to stop flying. And the southern U.S. border is still wide open to anybody who wants to walk (or drive) across.
I snapped this picture using my own camera just a few weeks ago. Mexico is in the background and Arizona is in the foreground. Notice the tall, strong and impenetrable fence? There’s no way a person could climb it or drive through it.
[Embedded - ed.]
Comment by Wes — August 10, 2006 @ 3:58:39 PM
First, from what I got from the news, the test run was supposed to be in two days. This was thwarting the test run before it happened.
I assume this a rant was sparked by something… If you truely think that Bush is the real victim here then I don’t know what to say.
Comment by Cisco — August 10, 2006 @ 5:09:20 PM
It is a rant that is a collection of my perception of United Statesian perceptions of the War on Terror, which I commonly think are misguided by the Media, this Administration, and Bloggers. So its all in the same basket.
Comment by Jeremy — August 10, 2006 @ 6:15:11 PM
AND, when will Qadafi promote himself beyond colonel?
Nice fence, I especially like the open gate for those that are unable to cross the fence. You must remember to be all inclusive-OSHA rules, you know.
Comment by Chan — August 10, 2006 @ 9:30:09 PM
We found a transmitter/sensor buried in the ground on the U.S. side of the border. It’s a 1-foot by 1-foot metal box with a little antenna popping through the top. We jumped on the box several times. One of our group ran to the tree (in the picture) which is located in Mexico, then ran back to the U.S.A.. There was no Border Patrol present. We were not questioned about anything by anybody. This is good, in a way, because it’s some proof we are ‘free’ as Americans. My point, however, is that our border is WIDE open.
But, hey… why worry? The Tucson Airport is safe.
Comment by Wes — August 10, 2006 @ 10:07:28 PM
Here are some traveling suggestions from someone that was there:
1. To speed up check-in, leave your toiletries at home and don’t bother to check luggage.
a. The lines at check-in are 1+ hours long.
b. The lines at security are about the same.
c. The overhead storage is half empty.
d. Buy or borrow what you need when you get there
2. If you”˜re going home, leave your toiletries behind incase you have to return w/o them again
3. Do not buy any food or drink after security to take on the plane.
a. People carrying food get fully searched for the drink
b. People with drinks or fluids loose them again when boarding
4. No wise cracks about anything and for pete’s sake, have correct change on the plane, don’t upset the help.
And here ends the lesson.
Comment by Dad — August 11, 2006 @ 5:21:59 AM
Only a terrorrist would pay for a whiskey and coke with a $20!!
Thanks for the tips. I’m flying out to Jerizona on Monday.
Comment by Cisco — August 11, 2006 @ 6:55:21 AM
Clarification:
When I said the security lines are about the same (1b), I meant they are the same as before 8/10. The baggage check lines actually caused people to miss flights. My first plane was totally booked but it took off with less than half of the seats occupied. My second flight was at a hub so therefore, minimal baggage check lines involved.
Comment by Dad — August 11, 2006 @ 8:25:36 AM
One additional piece of advice:
Some hotels are advertising that they will provide the items you can’t carry on-board. Call your hotel and ask if they have that policy.
Comment by Dad — August 12, 2006 @ 5:34:00 AM
Here’s a nice bit of statistical perspective on this whole thing that I heard today… [paraphrased] If they had succeeded and taken down say 9-10 planes, that’s somewhere around 3,000 people dead. Awful, but if every 5 years we lose 3,000 people to terrorists that’s about the same number we lose in bicycle related fatalities in 5 years. And by contrast nearly 70 times that number (200,000) die every 5 years in auto accidents and yet we drive our asses off every day without a second thought.
Fear is the real weapon the terrorists employ, not gatorade bombs.
Comment by Cisco — August 13, 2006 @ 6:14:29 PM
Is there any accurate information on what a gatorade bomb would have done to a plane? Looking at the quantity of explosive compared to what we used in the army to blast pilings, I don’t see it bringing a plane down.
Comment by Dad — August 13, 2006 @ 8:35:36 PM
From what I understand, the explosive flash of this Gatorade Bomb was enough to put a hole in the hull of a passenger jet, which would force into an uncontrolled dive. It would not cause the plane to explode, but rather cause it to crash.
Comment by Jeremy — August 14, 2006 @ 12:51:48 PM
Depending on where it’s placed, explosive decompression can either merely cause loss of life [from those around the explosion and for anyone sucked out through the hole in the fuselage] or, in extreme cases, loss of aircraft integrity, which would, as you might imagine, murder everyone on the plane. You may remember Aloha Airlines Flight 243 as an example of an unintentional decompression, and Phillipines Airlines Flight 434 is a precursor to the planned attacks, one carried out by Ramzi Yousef himself.
Not much is new under the sun…
Comment by Geof F. Morris — August 14, 2006 @ 2:21:17 PM
[...] this is a usage of “A ways removed from the border” that I’m not familiar [...]
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