Why I hate Stupidity
Try flying commercially. Now they're nuking you with xrays (backscatter) as a primary means of screening in many places. And, according to some scientists, the TSA has substantially underestimated the exposure.
Oh, and they just reissued the DC-area NOTAMS according to the email I got tonight.
Our government - harassing travelers and preventing free travel.
Nothing new here, they started this sh*t long before 9/11. Not the NOTAMS mind you, but preventing free travel. Heck 9/11 just gave them a convenient excuse to be more dictatorial. The ONLY Senator to vote against the
"Patriot Act
" (twice!!) was Russ Feingold (D) of Wisconsin. He did it shortly after 9/11 (and many thought it would be his political suicide) and when it came up for renewal.
I was disappointed (but not surprised) when the Democratic party, pants pi**ing terrified of being labeled "soft on terror" by the Republicans (who bleat that at the drop of a hat - 9/11), renewed that pile of dung.
The funny thing is that the whole thing is horse-puckey. You aren't any safer with the TSA and I'm living proof. I go through KATW (small airport) for a flight to a conference, and I'll get wanded every single time because I have 22 screws and 3 plates setting off the detectors. I go through KORD or KMSP (or any large airport) security while it's slow, and I'll get wanded. However, if I go through while it's busy, I won't. There's your bloody illusion of safety.
This isn't about Obama, it's the whole damnable system. Try changing it and "you love terrists!" and people "want there america back!" Mind you they didn't give a f*ck for 7 years after 9/11 while people like me were like "whoa, we're torturing people? WTF? WE HANGED PEOPLE FOR THAT SH*T AFTER WWII!" "WTF!?! You mean I have to protest in a 'Free Speech Zone'??!!" "What do you mean we can't try people for terrorism in American Courts? We've done it at least 4 times before. Do you remember, or do you have memory loss?"
All of the illogical statements made: "Obama is a seekrit mooslin commie fascist kenyan socialist usurper out to destroy America. Oh, and he can't really be president because he isn't an American." "ACORN stole the election!" "Keep government out of my medicare!" "Terror babies!" "DEATH PANELS!!!"
You know what's really funny though? The same people that harp about Socialism don't know the the Pledge of Allegiance (which they all bleat about non-stop) was written by a damnable Socialist named
Francis Bellamy. Not only that, but he had a cousin (
Edward) who was a, *gasp* Communist UTOPIAN! We'll leave out the fact that the only countries that typically indoctrinate children with forced loyalty oaths are dictatorships.
The sad thing is, that most of the damnable electorate (including the "Tea Party") are too damn lazy to verify facts before jumping to conclusions. They'll believe anything a talking head bleats out. Not only that, most can't remember what was said 3 days ago much less 3 months or 3 years ago.
Tangent to prove limited memory: I saw the interview with the AOPA head, and he was bleating about 100LL needing an extension because a viable replacement doesn't exist. I understand that this is an important issue, but talking to my friend (whom has been flying almost as long as I have been alive) this isn't a new issue. The GA community has stuck it's head in the sand (by and large) for years, basically since lead was removed from automotive fuel. Nobody wanted to acknowledge it, but everyone "knew" lead would have to come out of avgas too. Well now the rent's come due and everyone is like "Oh we have to work with (fill_in_the_blank, multiple sources like fuel makers, engine makers, the GA community, the EPA, et al) and it's going to be a slow process. We'll have to ensure we take the proper time with this."
Now don't get me wrong, this is an extremely important, and technologically sensitive, issue that will require months (years, maybe a decade or more?) of testing. This is not a trivial matter, but it's one that was ignored (by and large) by the community for decades. We might face some nasty price hikes, and whom can we blame? I can't be sure myself, because I'm just joining up. However it looks like part of the tipping point wasn't just the EPA, but also the fact that there's only one lead maker left. Were there two would the GA community be fighting to keep 100LL a little longer before looking for a different gas? Probably. Now everyone's your brother till the rent comes due. The lack of a secondary supplier of lead is probably the true main driver behind accepting that a change is necessary. Who do we blame if the lead supplies disappear because the maker goes bankrupt, and 100LL is no longer able to be made?
