I’m not all that political, and I generally stay away from political issues in this blog. To me, both parties are equally bad. They both blame each other for the State Of Things. But if you think about it, nothing ever gets done when either party holds a majority. Nothing ever changes. If McCain had gotten elected instead of Obama, we'd likely be in EXACTLY the same shape today: The economy would be just as bad, gas prices would be just as high. We don't live in an economic vacuum here in the U.S.
So although I don't get all riled-up over politics, sometimes I just can’t help but commenting on certain bits of lunacy we have to deal with.
For instance, President Obama’s recent announcement that he is now for gay marriage. It caused quite the stir in the media, even moving to tears the very gay and very vocal Andrew Sullivan, he the well-known author and former editor of The New Republic Magazine and now owner of a blog called "The Dish" where he apparently posted about this issue according to Yahoo News.
I’m not sure it’s a tear-worthy announcement. Because to me…hey, call me cynical…Obama’s sudden change-of-heart seems…ohhhh, I don’t know…fake? Contrived? Manipulative?
President Obama knows he’s still got the black vote in the admittedly tight 2012 presidential contest. But even with the black vote he could lose to Romney...especially if Romney were more, you know, Republican - which could happen I suppose as we move closer to the election. And the gay vote? Well, Mitt Romney, staunch Mormon that he is, absolutely, positively will not “come out” in favor of gay marriage. No friggin’ way. So there's also no way that any gay person in this universe will vote for Romney.
Let's just say I’m more than a little suspicious of Obama’s epiphany.
But seriously, why is this even an issue? Our government is supposed to be free from religious influence, right? I mean, it’s right there in the First Amendment. And that being the case, why should anyone’s religious views hold sway in any governmental matter? In other words, I don’t care what it says in your Bible, or by your pastor, or by your God. (In fact, I’m not at all convinced that God ever “spoke” to anyone at any time, ever in the history of this planet.) My Bible or your Bible or your Koran or Book of Voodoo or whatever is not what guides our lawmakers. Or shouldn’t be.
Look, it’s simple: If two consenting adult humans wish to be “married” in a strictly civil and legal sense, why can’t they be? Why do we have to bring religion into the deal? If the two people are not asking to be married in a church but rather in City Hall, what’s the damn problem? Don't we have more important things to concern ourselves with?
And no, it does not put us on a slippery slope. No, we are not going to have to allow men to marry sheep, or dogs, or inanimate objects…or robots…or children. I said “two consenting ADULT HUMANS.” Why would anyone have a problem with that? I sure don’t.
Having said all that, hey, it’s great that Obama now feels the same way. I’m not exactly moved to tears by the announcement, but at least it’s a step in the right direction. Still, it strikes me as more than a little bit phony given the timing. But like I said, maybe that’s just my terminal skepticism and cynicism kicking in.
Who Am I?
- Bob Barbanes:
- A nobody; a nitwit; a pilot; a motorcyclist; a raconteur; a lover...of life - who loves to laugh, who tries to not take myself (or anything) too seriously...just a normal guy who knows his place in the universe by being in touch with my spiritual side. What more is there?
14 May 2012
10 May 2012
Blogging/Social Media
I don't blog much anymore. Most of my attention is focused on Facebook. And so the things that might warrant a whole fleshed-out blogpost get condensed into short Status Updates. I didn't even realize you could make longer, blog-type Status Updates until I started reading the ones posted by former-Monkee Mike Nesmith. You should read this guy's stuff! It's great. (And thanks to Hal Johnson for turning me on to "Nez's" FB page.)
I'm conflicted as to how long blogposts should be. Some people make them as long as magazine articles (see "A Different Perspective," a blog about UFO's by prolific author, Kevin Randle). On the other hand, I try to keep each blogpost to 700 words or so...you know, the length of one of those editor's columns in the front of a magazine. That's about the limit of my own attention span. But sometimes they do run on. I wish I could write short-and-to-the-point but I just can't.
More than that, I'm not at all sure what a blog should be. They're typically not news - they're not replacing newspapers as our primary source of information. Sometimes they're just full of bullshit opinions by anonymous so-and-so's. They might be interesting at first, but without knowing who the writer is, their internet scribblings get old. At least to me.
"Real" writers like George Will, Kathleen Parker, and (until recently) the Pensacola News Journal's Carl Wernicke all have published bios and bodies of work that let the reader know who they are - and more importantly why their opinions are worth reading. It is why the blogs I read regularly are ones where the author puts his/her own name and picture on it. But a blogger who's not even proud enough of his work to put his name on it... Ehhh, why should I care? Why should anyone?
Unless the blog is just "creative writing." I don't mind reading fiction once in a while. Fiction can be anonymous. Who cares? The aforementioned Keven Randle has written dozens of books; mostly using his own name, but many of them are fiction stories published under a different name. Which is fine. However, for authoritative writing and authenticity and respect, I want accountability. You probably do too. If you're going to take my opinions seriously then you should know who I am. The good and bad thing about the internet is that it gives every genius and idiot a voice to be heard. Figuring out who is who is the tough part.
I suspect that soon this blog will eventually migrate over to Facebook where it'll force me to be more concise. Plus, it's easier to upload pictures with a post. And I'd reach more people. My blog only generates about 50-60 "hits" per day. But I've got 100 Facebook "friends" who would be subjected to my rantings whether they liked to or not. On the other hand, I do get a lot of people coming to the blog from Google searches. You'd be surprised at how many people type in "Sportster girl's bike" on Google and come to THIS story about just that subject.
We'll see. Maybe I'll keep writing these bullshit little stories, if for no other reason than it gives me an outlet to get stuff down on the record so I can look back one day and go, "Ohhhhhh yeah, I remember that."
I'm conflicted as to how long blogposts should be. Some people make them as long as magazine articles (see "A Different Perspective," a blog about UFO's by prolific author, Kevin Randle). On the other hand, I try to keep each blogpost to 700 words or so...you know, the length of one of those editor's columns in the front of a magazine. That's about the limit of my own attention span. But sometimes they do run on. I wish I could write short-and-to-the-point but I just can't.
More than that, I'm not at all sure what a blog should be. They're typically not news - they're not replacing newspapers as our primary source of information. Sometimes they're just full of bullshit opinions by anonymous so-and-so's. They might be interesting at first, but without knowing who the writer is, their internet scribblings get old. At least to me.
"Real" writers like George Will, Kathleen Parker, and (until recently) the Pensacola News Journal's Carl Wernicke all have published bios and bodies of work that let the reader know who they are - and more importantly why their opinions are worth reading. It is why the blogs I read regularly are ones where the author puts his/her own name and picture on it. But a blogger who's not even proud enough of his work to put his name on it... Ehhh, why should I care? Why should anyone?
Unless the blog is just "creative writing." I don't mind reading fiction once in a while. Fiction can be anonymous. Who cares? The aforementioned Keven Randle has written dozens of books; mostly using his own name, but many of them are fiction stories published under a different name. Which is fine. However, for authoritative writing and authenticity and respect, I want accountability. You probably do too. If you're going to take my opinions seriously then you should know who I am. The good and bad thing about the internet is that it gives every genius and idiot a voice to be heard. Figuring out who is who is the tough part.
I suspect that soon this blog will eventually migrate over to Facebook where it'll force me to be more concise. Plus, it's easier to upload pictures with a post. And I'd reach more people. My blog only generates about 50-60 "hits" per day. But I've got 100 Facebook "friends" who would be subjected to my rantings whether they liked to or not. On the other hand, I do get a lot of people coming to the blog from Google searches. You'd be surprised at how many people type in "Sportster girl's bike" on Google and come to THIS story about just that subject.
We'll see. Maybe I'll keep writing these bullshit little stories, if for no other reason than it gives me an outlet to get stuff down on the record so I can look back one day and go, "Ohhhhhh yeah, I remember that."
03 May 2012
Packing Up and Heading North
I’m counting the days down now until I leave to back up to Brewster, Washington to do that cherry-drying thing again for the summer. I’m kind of excited, as you can imagine. The chance to be a part of that gang and fly those old Sikorsky helicopters again is great; it’s like a three-month vacation from life. Mikey is already up there, preparing the two ships that his boss owns. I’m sure that as soon as I arrive we’ll take up residence again in the SweetRiver Bakery, sitting in the open backyard/patio that overlooks the lake, drinking lots of local wine and eating too much pizza. And maybe if we drink enough good wine we’ll even sing a little bad karaoke, as if there was any other kind.
But honestly – I hate to admit this – what I’m really looking forward to is jumping on the bike at the end of the season and riding it home. Ironically, I may be looking forward to that more than the summer of flying itself. I miss riding…miss my Sportster. Jacob was/is looking to sell his Honda motorcycle recently and I was half-tempted to buy it just to- a) keep it in the family, so to speak, and b) give me something to ride in the meantime. Hey, I may own a Harley but I’m not prejudiced; I’ll ride anything.
I’ve been dreaming a lot about the route I’ll take home – planning it in my head. The Grand Canyon is high on the hit list. Vegas, not so much. And there are people I want to visit/meet – like a pilot friend/helicopter owner (and frequent blog commenter) Russell in Texas who I’ve been wanting to meet for years now. Well this is the year!
A southerly route is called for this time – don’t want a repeat of last year’s freezing foray through Bighorn National Forest. I shudder very time I think back on that part of the trip up to Brewster. It was so crazy/cold/dangerous/stupid. Just horrible. Instead, I’d like to head down into California to Hal Johnson’s place, and then scoot down the coast (the PCH!) to L.A. and then head west to see Joshua Tree National Park, and the Joshua Tree Inn where musician and fellow Sportster rider* Gram Parsons used to hang out and eventually died. But it just might be too far out of the way, unfortunately. We’ll have to see.
Either way, it promises to be a fun summer. And this time, unlike last time I know what I’m coming back to. I’ll have a job waiting for me. Yes, it’s the same job I’ve already tried to quit once (unsuccessfully). But things are different now – different as in “better.” As long as I don’t crash the motorcycle and break my arm again, everything will be cool.
(*Well, at least he sat on one for a photograph. In truth, he doesn't look too comfortable on it.)
But honestly – I hate to admit this – what I’m really looking forward to is jumping on the bike at the end of the season and riding it home. Ironically, I may be looking forward to that more than the summer of flying itself. I miss riding…miss my Sportster. Jacob was/is looking to sell his Honda motorcycle recently and I was half-tempted to buy it just to- a) keep it in the family, so to speak, and b) give me something to ride in the meantime. Hey, I may own a Harley but I’m not prejudiced; I’ll ride anything.
I’ve been dreaming a lot about the route I’ll take home – planning it in my head. The Grand Canyon is high on the hit list. Vegas, not so much. And there are people I want to visit/meet – like a pilot friend/helicopter owner (and frequent blog commenter) Russell in Texas who I’ve been wanting to meet for years now. Well this is the year!
A southerly route is called for this time – don’t want a repeat of last year’s freezing foray through Bighorn National Forest. I shudder very time I think back on that part of the trip up to Brewster. It was so crazy/cold/dangerous/stupid. Just horrible. Instead, I’d like to head down into California to Hal Johnson’s place, and then scoot down the coast (the PCH!) to L.A. and then head west to see Joshua Tree National Park, and the Joshua Tree Inn where musician and fellow Sportster rider* Gram Parsons used to hang out and eventually died. But it just might be too far out of the way, unfortunately. We’ll have to see.
Either way, it promises to be a fun summer. And this time, unlike last time I know what I’m coming back to. I’ll have a job waiting for me. Yes, it’s the same job I’ve already tried to quit once (unsuccessfully). But things are different now – different as in “better.” As long as I don’t crash the motorcycle and break my arm again, everything will be cool.
(*Well, at least he sat on one for a photograph. In truth, he doesn't look too comfortable on it.)
01 May 2012
NPR And Reality
Lately, I’ve been listening to NPR a lot. I began listening with the assumption that it’s fairly objective and less biased than the mainstream media. But the more I listen the less sure of that I am. Our local NPR station (WUWF-FM 88.1) airs a program called “Here and Now.” It originates from station WBUR, Boston’s NPR affiliate and it is hosted by a woman named Robin Young. On Monday’s show, she had on a guest, a black man named Rich Benjamin who is an author and “Op-Ed Contributor” to the New York Times newspaper.
Mr. Benjamin’s seemingly unbiased assertion is that “racism” did not kill Trayvon Martin, but that the "bunker mentality" of these gated communities was actually responsible. But we’ll get to that particular piece of bullshit in a bit. Early in the interview, Mr. Benjamin voiced his own bias toward George Zimmerman. Benjamin stated:
“In 2005 I was mugged by a black teenager…an armed black teenager. In my wildest dreams I could not imagine having shot that black teenager.”
What? Look, I don’t know about you or anyone else on the planet, but if I’m confronted by an armed person of any age or race and I'm in fear for my life, I absolutely, positively can imagine shooting said person. Absolutely. I’ll tell you what: You threaten my life with a gun while I’m carrying mine and if I get the opportunity I’ll shoot you dead and sleep like a baby later that night. Does this make me a racist or a vigilante or a killer? I don’t think so! It makes me a guy who refuses to lie down and be a victim, as is apparently acceptable to Mr. Benjamin.
We have an absolute right…and more than that, a responsibility to defend ourselves. And if “defending ourselves” means taking the life of another…well…you know, I don’t have a problem (moral, spiritual or legal) with that. Really. And it is astounding to me to hear a man…supposedly a man…who would accept the fact that he might be killed and yet who cannot even imagine in his “wildest dreams” shooting an armed man who’s threatening him with a gun. I’m, err, gobsmacked. I guess to Mr. Benjamin it is okay that his armed mugger will simply prance off to go mug, and possibly kill someone else. Yeah, way to go - good plan, Benjamin! What a friggin’ moron.
Benjamin goes on to talk about the Trayvon Martin shooting.
“…Now here George Zimmerman is, having shot an unarmed black teenager who never confronted him in the first place. It was George Zimmerman who initiated the first contact.”
WHOA, big fella! Radio host, Robin Young lets that piece of fictional bullshit go unchallenged. If you actually take the time and make the effort to listen to the 911 call that Zimmerman placed to the police, you would know that he first mentions that the person he’s watching (Trayvon Martin) is walking around the subdivision aimlessly, “just looking” at things…at night, in the rain…which Zimmerman considers suspicious given the number of burglaries/robberies in the area.
Zimmerman reports that the suspect begins looking/staring at him, but then begins walking away. Zimmerman gets out of his truck and follows on foot, which the police dispatcher advises against. But Zimmerman quickly reports that he’s lost sight of (Martin), opining that he’s heading for the back gate of the subdivision. He finishes the 911 call by coordinating with the dispatcher as to where he and the police officer will meet up. Zimmerman hangs up. Subsequent to that, Martin returns and they get into a confrontation that results in Martin’s death.
But it is absolutely wrong to say that Zimmerman “initiated” the first confrontation, because it is not on record. We simply do not know who confronted whom. Maybe it was Martin who came back, confronted Zimmerman and said, “Excuse me good sir, may I inquire as to the reason you seem to be following me? Is it that you intend to nick me box of Skittles?” I can easily see that happening. Zimmerman obviously did make it clear to both the police dispatcher (and to Martin) that he was watching/following the guy, but nothing more. According to what Zimmerman said on the 911 call, Martin ran and went out of sight.
People make a lot of assumptions about this case…STILL! People evidently have not listened to the 911 call Zimmerman made. Nor have they read any of the statements given by other residents of the “gated” subdivision (about which a big deal is being made). If they had, they would know that there is a WHOLE LOT OF STUFF that is either unknown or that has been misrepresented in the media.
NPR host Robin Young did a poor job of letting her guest come off like an authority and make statements which have not been established as fact.
I have been accused of prejudice in this case. I have been accused of “coming down on” the side of the "white" Zimmerman over the dead black kid. But that’s not correct. All I’m interested in is the truth.
Oh, and NPR? It’s just as full of shit as the “mainstream” media. Maybe more so.
NPR article HERE
You can listen to the entire interview HERE
Mr. Benjamin’s seemingly unbiased assertion is that “racism” did not kill Trayvon Martin, but that the "bunker mentality" of these gated communities was actually responsible. But we’ll get to that particular piece of bullshit in a bit. Early in the interview, Mr. Benjamin voiced his own bias toward George Zimmerman. Benjamin stated:
“In 2005 I was mugged by a black teenager…an armed black teenager. In my wildest dreams I could not imagine having shot that black teenager.”
What? Look, I don’t know about you or anyone else on the planet, but if I’m confronted by an armed person of any age or race and I'm in fear for my life, I absolutely, positively can imagine shooting said person. Absolutely. I’ll tell you what: You threaten my life with a gun while I’m carrying mine and if I get the opportunity I’ll shoot you dead and sleep like a baby later that night. Does this make me a racist or a vigilante or a killer? I don’t think so! It makes me a guy who refuses to lie down and be a victim, as is apparently acceptable to Mr. Benjamin.
We have an absolute right…and more than that, a responsibility to defend ourselves. And if “defending ourselves” means taking the life of another…well…you know, I don’t have a problem (moral, spiritual or legal) with that. Really. And it is astounding to me to hear a man…supposedly a man…who would accept the fact that he might be killed and yet who cannot even imagine in his “wildest dreams” shooting an armed man who’s threatening him with a gun. I’m, err, gobsmacked. I guess to Mr. Benjamin it is okay that his armed mugger will simply prance off to go mug, and possibly kill someone else. Yeah, way to go - good plan, Benjamin! What a friggin’ moron.
Benjamin goes on to talk about the Trayvon Martin shooting.
“…Now here George Zimmerman is, having shot an unarmed black teenager who never confronted him in the first place. It was George Zimmerman who initiated the first contact.”
WHOA, big fella! Radio host, Robin Young lets that piece of fictional bullshit go unchallenged. If you actually take the time and make the effort to listen to the 911 call that Zimmerman placed to the police, you would know that he first mentions that the person he’s watching (Trayvon Martin) is walking around the subdivision aimlessly, “just looking” at things…at night, in the rain…which Zimmerman considers suspicious given the number of burglaries/robberies in the area.
Zimmerman reports that the suspect begins looking/staring at him, but then begins walking away. Zimmerman gets out of his truck and follows on foot, which the police dispatcher advises against. But Zimmerman quickly reports that he’s lost sight of (Martin), opining that he’s heading for the back gate of the subdivision. He finishes the 911 call by coordinating with the dispatcher as to where he and the police officer will meet up. Zimmerman hangs up. Subsequent to that, Martin returns and they get into a confrontation that results in Martin’s death.
But it is absolutely wrong to say that Zimmerman “initiated” the first confrontation, because it is not on record. We simply do not know who confronted whom. Maybe it was Martin who came back, confronted Zimmerman and said, “Excuse me good sir, may I inquire as to the reason you seem to be following me? Is it that you intend to nick me box of Skittles?” I can easily see that happening. Zimmerman obviously did make it clear to both the police dispatcher (and to Martin) that he was watching/following the guy, but nothing more. According to what Zimmerman said on the 911 call, Martin ran and went out of sight.
People make a lot of assumptions about this case…STILL! People evidently have not listened to the 911 call Zimmerman made. Nor have they read any of the statements given by other residents of the “gated” subdivision (about which a big deal is being made). If they had, they would know that there is a WHOLE LOT OF STUFF that is either unknown or that has been misrepresented in the media.
NPR host Robin Young did a poor job of letting her guest come off like an authority and make statements which have not been established as fact.
I have been accused of prejudice in this case. I have been accused of “coming down on” the side of the "white" Zimmerman over the dead black kid. But that’s not correct. All I’m interested in is the truth.
Oh, and NPR? It’s just as full of shit as the “mainstream” media. Maybe more so.
NPR article HERE
You can listen to the entire interview HERE
28 April 2012
Finding The Funny
I don't want to turn into a humorless curmudgeon - one of those old guys who's always yelling at kids to keep off his lawn. I am not a naturally funny guy, but I do like to laugh. I appreciate humor and try to see the lighter side of things whenever possible. Maybe I get it from my dad. He wasn't a big jokester, but he had a keen and unappreciated sense of humor that I think he was reluctant to let out for some reason.
I’ve mentioned before that I believe it is of critical importance to laugh every day…to find the funny in life. And find it, I do.
In fact I was in the shower just this morning when I thought of something that caused me to literally laugh out loud. (It was one of those times when I was glad that I live alone.) This probably won't seem as funny to you as it did to me, but I will share it anyway.
It was from a recent episode of TV’s “Modern Family,” which is a consistently hilarious show. Mitchell was throwing a surprise birthday party for his partner, Cameron. The theme of the party was “The Wizard of Oz.” As Mitchell was frantically trying to get things together, the doorbell rang. He opened it and there stood two guys in flying-monkey suits. “Hey,” Mitchell said. “Hey,” one of the guys said back, “we’re the monkeys.”
A brief, throwaway exchange, hardly noticeable amidst everything else going on in that fast-paced episode. Except…except if you’re a confirmed TV nut as I am. The “bit” was funny (to me). Here’s why: The timing of the exchange was exquisite. And it was an audio gag, not a visual one as you would expect from a TV show. And an obscure audio gag at that! If you weren’t looking at the screen, what you heard was:
(Doorbell rings)
“Hey.”
“Hey, we’re the monkeys.”
Hey, hey, we’re The Monkees!
I pointed it out to my friend, Matt, who is much too young to have ever heard about The Monkees, much less seen their TV show, or heard the theme song, or known of their importance in music and TV history, or have picked up on the (as I said, obscure) reference. So he didn't catch it. But I did, as did probably a whole bunch of others from my generation. At least, I hope so.
And when I thought about it this morning, I laughed again. It’s silly, yes, but it’s why I love “Modern Family.” Why they would include a little joke like that…a joke that many in the audience would not even get...I have no idea.
But nevermind that. I say to you, find something funny to laugh about every day – every morning, preferably so you start the day off on a good note. Find the funny. Even if it's something trivial and silly. It’ll make your life better, I guarantee it!
I’ve mentioned before that I believe it is of critical importance to laugh every day…to find the funny in life. And find it, I do.
In fact I was in the shower just this morning when I thought of something that caused me to literally laugh out loud. (It was one of those times when I was glad that I live alone.) This probably won't seem as funny to you as it did to me, but I will share it anyway.
It was from a recent episode of TV’s “Modern Family,” which is a consistently hilarious show. Mitchell was throwing a surprise birthday party for his partner, Cameron. The theme of the party was “The Wizard of Oz.” As Mitchell was frantically trying to get things together, the doorbell rang. He opened it and there stood two guys in flying-monkey suits. “Hey,” Mitchell said. “Hey,” one of the guys said back, “we’re the monkeys.”
A brief, throwaway exchange, hardly noticeable amidst everything else going on in that fast-paced episode. Except…except if you’re a confirmed TV nut as I am. The “bit” was funny (to me). Here’s why: The timing of the exchange was exquisite. And it was an audio gag, not a visual one as you would expect from a TV show. And an obscure audio gag at that! If you weren’t looking at the screen, what you heard was:
(Doorbell rings)
“Hey.”
“Hey, we’re the monkeys.”
Hey, hey, we’re The Monkees!
I pointed it out to my friend, Matt, who is much too young to have ever heard about The Monkees, much less seen their TV show, or heard the theme song, or known of their importance in music and TV history, or have picked up on the (as I said, obscure) reference. So he didn't catch it. But I did, as did probably a whole bunch of others from my generation. At least, I hope so.
And when I thought about it this morning, I laughed again. It’s silly, yes, but it’s why I love “Modern Family.” Why they would include a little joke like that…a joke that many in the audience would not even get...I have no idea.
But nevermind that. I say to you, find something funny to laugh about every day – every morning, preferably so you start the day off on a good note. Find the funny. Even if it's something trivial and silly. It’ll make your life better, I guarantee it!
26 April 2012
Airport Security Theatre
As if we needed even more proof of the insanity that has become airport security, we get another news report of the TSA roughing up…get ready…a four year-old girl suspected terrorist. Here’s the story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqXq5uIQG3PmYwliFdyJ2OsPjteA?docId=b726846c32164eafa77a4cdeddf2dfcd
Basically, what happened was that a young girl who had already gone through the security gauntlet at the airport in Wichita, Kansas ran back to her mother who was being sent through the security scanner twice. The TSA couldn’t have that, oh no! Hilarity ensued as you can imagine. For their part, the TSA maintains that it acted appropriately. Suuuuuuuuuure they did.
I don’t subscribe to Vanity Fair Magazine although I probably should. They often have interesting, in-depth articles on a variety of subjects. I guess it’s the title that puts me off. Anyway, VF recently published an article on my favorite “hot-button” issue: Airport security and the TSA. I beg you to read it, as I’m sure you’ll find it as enlightening as I did.
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/12/tsa-insanity-201112
The article, by one Charles C. Mann is fascinating…to me…because he points out that what the TSA is doing is mostly useless. That’s right, useless. In fact, Mann coined a term for it: Security Theatre – activities designed to make the traveling public think that the government was on the job and looking out for our collective safety! Yeah.
In his article Mann describes how he went to Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. to interview a fellow critic of the TSA, an author named Bruce Schneier. Mann was able to get through security by producing a forged boarding pass that he made up on his computer, and he was able to meet up with Schneier as he got off the plane at the gate. …And you thought that you couldn’t get through security to see your family off. Hah! It’s so easy a child could do it.
It’s all a big waste of money…a waste of OUR money, because we Americans fund the TSA with our tax dollars. We’re spending billions and billions to stop something that’s never going to happen again. The terrorists know that airline passengers will never again be cowed into submission while their aircraft is directed into something like the World Trade Center. Pilots are never again going to open the cockpit door, period. As the kids say: Not. Gonna. Happen.
From the article: “You spend billions of dollars on the airports and force the terrorists to spend an extra $30 on gas to drive to a hotel or casino and attack it,” Schneier says. “Congratulations!”
One other thing I got from the article was a new word I’d never heard before: Panopticon, which is defined as, “A circular prison with cells arranged around a central well, from which prisoners could at all times be observed.” It pays to keep reading, eh? Great article. I hope you enjoy it.
Me? I will continue my little one-man boycott of airline travel for as long as the TSA is in existence.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqXq5uIQG3PmYwliFdyJ2OsPjteA?docId=b726846c32164eafa77a4cdeddf2dfcd
Basically, what happened was that a young girl who had already gone through the security gauntlet at the airport in Wichita, Kansas ran back to her mother who was being sent through the security scanner twice. The TSA couldn’t have that, oh no! Hilarity ensued as you can imagine. For their part, the TSA maintains that it acted appropriately. Suuuuuuuuuure they did.
I don’t subscribe to Vanity Fair Magazine although I probably should. They often have interesting, in-depth articles on a variety of subjects. I guess it’s the title that puts me off. Anyway, VF recently published an article on my favorite “hot-button” issue: Airport security and the TSA. I beg you to read it, as I’m sure you’ll find it as enlightening as I did.
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/12/tsa-insanity-201112
The article, by one Charles C. Mann is fascinating…to me…because he points out that what the TSA is doing is mostly useless. That’s right, useless. In fact, Mann coined a term for it: Security Theatre – activities designed to make the traveling public think that the government was on the job and looking out for our collective safety! Yeah.
In his article Mann describes how he went to Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. to interview a fellow critic of the TSA, an author named Bruce Schneier. Mann was able to get through security by producing a forged boarding pass that he made up on his computer, and he was able to meet up with Schneier as he got off the plane at the gate. …And you thought that you couldn’t get through security to see your family off. Hah! It’s so easy a child could do it.
It’s all a big waste of money…a waste of OUR money, because we Americans fund the TSA with our tax dollars. We’re spending billions and billions to stop something that’s never going to happen again. The terrorists know that airline passengers will never again be cowed into submission while their aircraft is directed into something like the World Trade Center. Pilots are never again going to open the cockpit door, period. As the kids say: Not. Gonna. Happen.
From the article: “You spend billions of dollars on the airports and force the terrorists to spend an extra $30 on gas to drive to a hotel or casino and attack it,” Schneier says. “Congratulations!”
One other thing I got from the article was a new word I’d never heard before: Panopticon, which is defined as, “A circular prison with cells arranged around a central well, from which prisoners could at all times be observed.” It pays to keep reading, eh? Great article. I hope you enjoy it.
Me? I will continue my little one-man boycott of airline travel for as long as the TSA is in existence.
20 April 2012
The Dying Furor Over George Zimmerman
I admit it, I was wrong when I surmised that Florida Special Prosecutor Angela Corey would not charge George Zimmerman with the shooting of Trayvon Martin. Obviously her mandate (either real or self-imposed) was to get charges filed against the guy. And what terrible race riots we would have seen had she not! Since those charges, and Zimmerman’s subsequent arrest, the hoo-hah…what I’ve termed “Z Furor” over this shooting has all but disappeared. Al Sharpton has gone home. The media has turned to other stories that they can exaggerate and misreport. Like ohhhh…maybe an Australian airline pilot who had to make a go-around because he was distracted by an incoming text message on his cell phone TWO YEARS AGO.
But will we see a return of Z Furor? Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder. Any charge of murder includes the concept of malice aforethought. The court will have to prove that Zimmerman intended to kill Martin prior to the shooting. Zimmerman will counter that he only shot the guy when he felt his life was in danger. He will invoke Florida’s so-called “stand your ground” law which permits just that. Whether the court will say the law is applicable in this case remains to be seen.
But hang on a sec. Second-degree murder? Can the state really prove that?
If I were Z, here’s how I’d tell the story:
Hey, Your Honor, I was just doing my job...making my rounds for the Neighborhood Watch, as I always do. There’ve been some thefts and break-ins in the subdivision, and I saw a guy in a hoodie walking around and acting suspiciously. I called 911 and requested that a police car come. The Dispatcher said he didn’t need me to follow the guy, but I didn’t want to lose him before the cops got there. And hey, all I wanted to do was ask him some questions! I got out of my car, and the guy turned around to confront me. Before I could ask him anything he got all up in my face. Then he started fighting with me. I’m, like, “Whoa, whoa! Settle down, Beavis!” But he knocked me to the ground and started punching me and beating my head against the pavement. At that point I felt like my life was in danger, so I pulled my gun and fired a shot. Honestly, Your Honor, I never intended to kill the guy prior to him trying to beat me to death.”
The defense will introduce witnesses who will corroborate the part about Zimmerman being on the bottom as the two were fighting on the ground. And they’ll also introduce photographs showing the wounds on the back of Zimmerman’s head (as all of us have probably already seen on the internet).
Anyone who knows me or has read even one of these blogposts knows that I can be a pretty cynical and skeptical guy. And so I wonder now if Ms. Corey didn’t go for second-degree murder knowing that they’d never get a conviction. Three things will happen: 1) The judge will agree that “stand your ground” applies and throw the case out; 2) The judge will rule that Zimmerman is innocent of second-degree murder; 3) The judge convicts him. Skeptical me, I’m not at all sure that number three is a possibility, as much as some people would like it to be.
Methinks Ms. Corey pulled a little fast one here. If she had just gone for a lesser charge she would have appeared weak, and it would have outraged the black community. “Self-defense manslaughter, are you kidding me, Ms. Bee-atch? That was MURDER dammit!” Going for second-degree murder makes her look like a tough prosecutor to most of us (which also happens to make her look like the “good guy” to the black community). But she knows…or at least she must have a pretty good idea…that a judge is going to have a hard time convicting Zimmerman of second-degree murder.
What Angela Corey has done is skillfully and cleverly avoided responsibility for the race riots that are sure to come if (maybe when?) Zimmerman is acquitted. If so I say, “Well played, Ms. Corey!” You think I’m crazy? Look, O.J. got off, didn’t he? And what about that other, more recent Public Enemy #1: Casey Anthony? Acquitted! All it takes is a good lawyer and weak evidence against you.
Now, obviously there may be things that have not come to light yet. The prosecution may have plenty of evidence suggesting that Zimmerman’s shooting of Martin was in fact premeditated. They may have witnesses who’ll testify that Zimmerman is an extreme, white-sheet-wearing, KKK-club card-carrying racist who hates blacks and was just itchin’ to shoot one that night. Who knows what they’ve got? (We all will, during the "discovery" phase of the trial.) Many people have leapt to the conclusion that this is an open-and-shut case of aggravated white-on-black murder. But like all things in life, it might not be that clear when it comes to trial – we’ve seen that before.
George Zimmerman may very well have targeted Trayvon Martin for death that night. Even so, he might not be found guilty of it. I’m guessing…okay, betting…that he’ll be acquitted *if* it even goes to trial. Let’s just hope that happens in the cold of winter and not the heat of summer. Because Z Furor will return!
But will we see a return of Z Furor? Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder. Any charge of murder includes the concept of malice aforethought. The court will have to prove that Zimmerman intended to kill Martin prior to the shooting. Zimmerman will counter that he only shot the guy when he felt his life was in danger. He will invoke Florida’s so-called “stand your ground” law which permits just that. Whether the court will say the law is applicable in this case remains to be seen.
But hang on a sec. Second-degree murder? Can the state really prove that?
If I were Z, here’s how I’d tell the story:
Hey, Your Honor, I was just doing my job...making my rounds for the Neighborhood Watch, as I always do. There’ve been some thefts and break-ins in the subdivision, and I saw a guy in a hoodie walking around and acting suspiciously. I called 911 and requested that a police car come. The Dispatcher said he didn’t need me to follow the guy, but I didn’t want to lose him before the cops got there. And hey, all I wanted to do was ask him some questions! I got out of my car, and the guy turned around to confront me. Before I could ask him anything he got all up in my face. Then he started fighting with me. I’m, like, “Whoa, whoa! Settle down, Beavis!” But he knocked me to the ground and started punching me and beating my head against the pavement. At that point I felt like my life was in danger, so I pulled my gun and fired a shot. Honestly, Your Honor, I never intended to kill the guy prior to him trying to beat me to death.”
The defense will introduce witnesses who will corroborate the part about Zimmerman being on the bottom as the two were fighting on the ground. And they’ll also introduce photographs showing the wounds on the back of Zimmerman’s head (as all of us have probably already seen on the internet).
Anyone who knows me or has read even one of these blogposts knows that I can be a pretty cynical and skeptical guy. And so I wonder now if Ms. Corey didn’t go for second-degree murder knowing that they’d never get a conviction. Three things will happen: 1) The judge will agree that “stand your ground” applies and throw the case out; 2) The judge will rule that Zimmerman is innocent of second-degree murder; 3) The judge convicts him. Skeptical me, I’m not at all sure that number three is a possibility, as much as some people would like it to be.
Methinks Ms. Corey pulled a little fast one here. If she had just gone for a lesser charge she would have appeared weak, and it would have outraged the black community. “Self-defense manslaughter, are you kidding me, Ms. Bee-atch? That was MURDER dammit!” Going for second-degree murder makes her look like a tough prosecutor to most of us (which also happens to make her look like the “good guy” to the black community). But she knows…or at least she must have a pretty good idea…that a judge is going to have a hard time convicting Zimmerman of second-degree murder.
What Angela Corey has done is skillfully and cleverly avoided responsibility for the race riots that are sure to come if (maybe when?) Zimmerman is acquitted. If so I say, “Well played, Ms. Corey!” You think I’m crazy? Look, O.J. got off, didn’t he? And what about that other, more recent Public Enemy #1: Casey Anthony? Acquitted! All it takes is a good lawyer and weak evidence against you.
Now, obviously there may be things that have not come to light yet. The prosecution may have plenty of evidence suggesting that Zimmerman’s shooting of Martin was in fact premeditated. They may have witnesses who’ll testify that Zimmerman is an extreme, white-sheet-wearing, KKK-club card-carrying racist who hates blacks and was just itchin’ to shoot one that night. Who knows what they’ve got? (We all will, during the "discovery" phase of the trial.) Many people have leapt to the conclusion that this is an open-and-shut case of aggravated white-on-black murder. But like all things in life, it might not be that clear when it comes to trial – we’ve seen that before.
George Zimmerman may very well have targeted Trayvon Martin for death that night. Even so, he might not be found guilty of it. I’m guessing…okay, betting…that he’ll be acquitted *if* it even goes to trial. Let’s just hope that happens in the cold of winter and not the heat of summer. Because Z Furor will return!
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