I've heard and read about the public approval of the full body scanners, somewhere between 66% and 85% of the public don't have a problem with the TSA's use of them. That sounds good as the TSA and HSA have reiterated over and over, "See, they may not like them but they think they're right and good." Except the poll is wrong because the question was, "Do you favor full body scanners to fight terrorism?"
See, they biased the question with the presumption that no body scanners invite terrorists through the check points where we know that's not true or going to happen. Remember all in-flight terrorists started their flight in Europe not in the US and therefore didn't go through our passenger screening process. And while TSA has caught suspicious terrorists, meaning now prosecuted and more so convicted, with the screening process, none were caught with the full body scanners, but the carry-on inspection devices.
When the question was changed to be neutral, it's a good bet people will not like the full body scanners, such as asking, "Would you be willing to go through a full body scan if we suspected you of carrying something illegal?" Or some such question, making it personal to the individual about TSA view of them as a threat than some generic terrorist.
The point is that the full body scanners and enhanced pat-downs aren't necessary and clearly intrusive into the privacy of individuals. There are better ways to minmally screen citizens without resorting to fear to sell technology as the answer when it's not and a waste of taxpayers' money.
Remember it was Secretary Chertoff who started the process to get the full body scanners and shortly after leaving office, but before the final decisions were made, he started working for a lobbyist representing the company making and now selling the full body scanners. It's was a fix from the start by Mr. Chertoff, and he more than likely made up the fear into evidence of a threat and the solution.
We've been duped as the polls are duping us even more. They're wrong and they lie about the truth and reality.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Dear Mr. President
Well, I've listened to all your latest comments and responses to the new TSA rules and other things about our life you say you understand and are working hard to fix. Well, with all due respect of your office, we don't want your sympathy or empathy and we don't need or want your understanding. We want your results to resolve these issues and problems.
We want you to experience what we have had and will have for a long time, something you don't understand. You don't get humiliated at airport screenings with long lines, inspections, belongings checks, patdowns and now full body scan or "enhanced" pat downs. They're useless and meaningless and not really intended to deter terrorists or detect some types of dangerous or hazardous chemicals or explosives.
But you say you understand. And that's all you do, talk. We're tired of talk and we're tired of more and more fear of us, the citizens, as terrorists. We're not the guilty ones. We're not the threat. We're not terrorists. So why do you treat us as them? You don't understand that?
You could take all the full body scanners away, stop all the patdowns, stop with the shoes, stop with the restrictions for carry-on items, and nothing would change. Nothing. Except of course we would have part of our lives back and would travel easier, and ever safer. Any bets to tests this? Or are you afraid of us, the citizens?
What we want is our freedom, our civil rights and liberties, and our privacy from government intrusion and interference where and when it's not necessary, useful or helpful. That is what we know and understand and want you to understand and act on and for our behalf to give us.
Can you understand that? And more so, can and will you do something about it? That we understand.
We want you to experience what we have had and will have for a long time, something you don't understand. You don't get humiliated at airport screenings with long lines, inspections, belongings checks, patdowns and now full body scan or "enhanced" pat downs. They're useless and meaningless and not really intended to deter terrorists or detect some types of dangerous or hazardous chemicals or explosives.
But you say you understand. And that's all you do, talk. We're tired of talk and we're tired of more and more fear of us, the citizens, as terrorists. We're not the guilty ones. We're not the threat. We're not terrorists. So why do you treat us as them? You don't understand that?
You could take all the full body scanners away, stop all the patdowns, stop with the shoes, stop with the restrictions for carry-on items, and nothing would change. Nothing. Except of course we would have part of our lives back and would travel easier, and ever safer. Any bets to tests this? Or are you afraid of us, the citizens?
What we want is our freedom, our civil rights and liberties, and our privacy from government intrusion and interference where and when it's not necessary, useful or helpful. That is what we know and understand and want you to understand and act on and for our behalf to give us.
Can you understand that? And more so, can and will you do something about it? That we understand.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
If All Else Fails
If all else fails, blame the Taliban. The US and NATO's handy excuse when thing go wrong. The Army is reporting that the British hostage killed in an attempt by US special forces to rescue her was killed not by a Taliban bomb near her but by a US gernade thrown into the room where she was being held. Oops doesn't begin to describe thngs.
And over 100 trucks, about 40 loaded with fuel, were destroyed waiting on the Pakistan side of the Khyber Pass while Pakisan negoitated with the US and NATO over their incurions of attack helicopters into the Pakistan Tribal areas, one attack killing two Pakistani soldiers. Exactly who are we fighting there? And why?
The sad reality is that there is no answer to Afghanistan and no easy exit leaving a stable country, ever. But we should stop calling everyone killed by US or NATO forces insurgents, many are innocent Afghan or Pakistani civilians, and then blaming the Taliban or Al Qaeda because it sounds good.
When will the military learn the American public learn about the BS in the military's PR from the Vietnam war, but they haven't changed their tone and tune, it's still "Just Blame the Enemy" song, over and over again? And when will the media keep playing it because it sells war, fear and hate to the American people?
And over 100 trucks, about 40 loaded with fuel, were destroyed waiting on the Pakistan side of the Khyber Pass while Pakisan negoitated with the US and NATO over their incurions of attack helicopters into the Pakistan Tribal areas, one attack killing two Pakistani soldiers. Exactly who are we fighting there? And why?
The sad reality is that there is no answer to Afghanistan and no easy exit leaving a stable country, ever. But we should stop calling everyone killed by US or NATO forces insurgents, many are innocent Afghan or Pakistani civilians, and then blaming the Taliban or Al Qaeda because it sounds good.
When will the military learn the American public learn about the BS in the military's PR from the Vietnam war, but they haven't changed their tone and tune, it's still "Just Blame the Enemy" song, over and over again? And when will the media keep playing it because it sells war, fear and hate to the American people?
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Quick Update
Obviously I haven't posted here in awhile, like 4 months! Ok, tardiness is an nice excuse but not a good reason. The short answer is that while I'm still angry with the events, people and situations in the world, I'm not angry enough to rant or vent about it, especially here. I'm run short of the energy to translate thought into page. And the reason for the lack of sufficient anger is, as you might expect, health issues, life and work. Or the other way around in no particular order.
You see I've had a number of health issues which are critical or serious to cause hospitalization or some such medical intervention, but just a bunch of irritating and frustrating issues which have left me tired most of the time, physically and mentally. Irritating in that it's taken away my ability to travel unless planned day(s) in advance and frustating because it's defying the physicians and specialist who are going through the tests for the obvious.
You see they have to run down the list of obvious causes and go through the various tests to discover if it's the problem and cause, or not. And so far, it's a lot of nots, and one close one which didn't pass the tests, except it's something with the same symptoms. And it's likely there isn't a treatment to help and especially a cure. That's because it's probably something known but only by a few specialists or one who is trying to find it.
So,that's the story about why I haven't posted and probably won't for awhile more. The news still makes me mad as do stupid people, especially elected ones, even the President at times. What a SOB these days. But the Republicans are far worse, to the point they're not even hiding the fact they're lying about everything. They don't care anymore. The party of no to the people.
Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. I'll keep you posted if things change.
You see I've had a number of health issues which are critical or serious to cause hospitalization or some such medical intervention, but just a bunch of irritating and frustrating issues which have left me tired most of the time, physically and mentally. Irritating in that it's taken away my ability to travel unless planned day(s) in advance and frustating because it's defying the physicians and specialist who are going through the tests for the obvious.
You see they have to run down the list of obvious causes and go through the various tests to discover if it's the problem and cause, or not. And so far, it's a lot of nots, and one close one which didn't pass the tests, except it's something with the same symptoms. And it's likely there isn't a treatment to help and especially a cure. That's because it's probably something known but only by a few specialists or one who is trying to find it.
So,that's the story about why I haven't posted and probably won't for awhile more. The news still makes me mad as do stupid people, especially elected ones, even the President at times. What a SOB these days. But the Republicans are far worse, to the point they're not even hiding the fact they're lying about everything. They don't care anymore. The party of no to the people.
Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. I'll keep you posted if things change.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Politicians being stupid
I originally planned to call this post "Men being stupid", but I realized women are politicians too and likely voted from some of the bills mentioned in my rant against decent common sense. Common sense from this chair anyway. And the news stories?
Well, the state of Nebraska, which I thought was better than the Dakotas for their treatment of women, have one-upped them with a new bill doing two things. One it requires women planning an abortion be "screened" for mental health and other problems before be allowed to get an abortion. It's clearly meant to slow down the process and get pro-life counselors to talk to women seeking abortions as a screen for a mental health exam.
It's clearly inappropriate and only shows the narrow morality and mentality the Nebraska legisltature and Governor have for women's rights. It's just another sign they don't trust women, but it's hypocritical as we all know if men were faced with the same situation, they wouldn't hesitate to scream foul as an afront to their rights. Men, and some women, being stupid.
On top of that, the law bans abortions after 20 weeks, which is just near the end of the second trimester, not for health reasons often used, but because it says "fetus feel pain" and an abortion would inflict pain on the fetus. Except it's still tied to the mother and the procedure accomodates this issue. It's cow pasture material and apparently they dragged some of it into the Nebraska legistlature chamber as this bill and now law.
They're trying to take away the mother's right to choose and the protections with that choice. That's not good law, it's simply politicians being stupid.
Ok, next item. The news story saying Democrats may not pass the 2011 appropriations bills this fall until after the November elections. Not because of pottential problems with Republicans to pass the bills, but because they're afraid. Afraid of Republicans in the elections focusing on the deficit problem with the appropriations. This isn't just politicians being stupid but spineless or gutless, take you pick.
This is the annual problem with Congress, they rarely pass appropriations before the deadline of September 30th, to fund the federal government October 1st. It's both parties at fault, regardless of which is in power. They always pass continuing resolutions funding government at the previous year spending until they can pass the appropriations measures, that is except one, war funding.
But for some reason, they never seem to fail to pass the appropriations for the wars in Iraq and Afghaniston. Well, except once but then they fixed it with a quick fix bill before the final bill. That's because these funds are unique and separate funding measures and the wars are pay as you go or no war. And we all know Congress likes funding wars, it's sells votes.
But not to pass the appropriations bills because you're afraid the Republicans will hammer you in the election ads isn't not good politics. It's not good government. It's simply being stupid out of fear of an imaginary enemy, something that hasn't happened. The incumbents are going to get hammered in ads anyways, this just adds ammuntion to their ads.
So the Democrats are shooting themselves in the foot, er mouth, or more so their own political future, or so they fear. They're not thinking, just having no balls to actually represent the voters who put them there. Just politicians being stupid.
Well, the state of Nebraska, which I thought was better than the Dakotas for their treatment of women, have one-upped them with a new bill doing two things. One it requires women planning an abortion be "screened" for mental health and other problems before be allowed to get an abortion. It's clearly meant to slow down the process and get pro-life counselors to talk to women seeking abortions as a screen for a mental health exam.
It's clearly inappropriate and only shows the narrow morality and mentality the Nebraska legisltature and Governor have for women's rights. It's just another sign they don't trust women, but it's hypocritical as we all know if men were faced with the same situation, they wouldn't hesitate to scream foul as an afront to their rights. Men, and some women, being stupid.
On top of that, the law bans abortions after 20 weeks, which is just near the end of the second trimester, not for health reasons often used, but because it says "fetus feel pain" and an abortion would inflict pain on the fetus. Except it's still tied to the mother and the procedure accomodates this issue. It's cow pasture material and apparently they dragged some of it into the Nebraska legistlature chamber as this bill and now law.
They're trying to take away the mother's right to choose and the protections with that choice. That's not good law, it's simply politicians being stupid.
Ok, next item. The news story saying Democrats may not pass the 2011 appropriations bills this fall until after the November elections. Not because of pottential problems with Republicans to pass the bills, but because they're afraid. Afraid of Republicans in the elections focusing on the deficit problem with the appropriations. This isn't just politicians being stupid but spineless or gutless, take you pick.
This is the annual problem with Congress, they rarely pass appropriations before the deadline of September 30th, to fund the federal government October 1st. It's both parties at fault, regardless of which is in power. They always pass continuing resolutions funding government at the previous year spending until they can pass the appropriations measures, that is except one, war funding.
But for some reason, they never seem to fail to pass the appropriations for the wars in Iraq and Afghaniston. Well, except once but then they fixed it with a quick fix bill before the final bill. That's because these funds are unique and separate funding measures and the wars are pay as you go or no war. And we all know Congress likes funding wars, it's sells votes.
But not to pass the appropriations bills because you're afraid the Republicans will hammer you in the election ads isn't not good politics. It's not good government. It's simply being stupid out of fear of an imaginary enemy, something that hasn't happened. The incumbents are going to get hammered in ads anyways, this just adds ammuntion to their ads.
So the Democrats are shooting themselves in the foot, er mouth, or more so their own political future, or so they fear. They're not thinking, just having no balls to actually represent the voters who put them there. Just politicians being stupid.
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