It is time for some Common Sense at the Airports, Sun. Nov. 28th

It is time for some Common Sense at the Airports

This thing about the security checks at the airports is getting on my nerves. The government, through Homeland Security and the TSA, is trying to prevent the loss of another airliner by screening passengers to keep weapons and explosives off the planes. Their purpose is completely correct even if their methods are a little heavy handed and probably not all that effective. The problem is simply that they are relying on technology to catch the bad guys and every time they come up with a system to catch the “IED of the Day”, the terrorists sit back, watch what’s happening and then figure out a way around it. Then TSA has to get more heavy handed to catch the new way they are trying. The victim here is the poor traveler that winds up spending more time being ‘screened’ then actually flying.

It seems to me that a better approach is to look at the way the Israeli’s do it. After all, they have been doing this a lot longer then we have and they are obviously better at it. They reply a lot more on intelligence and on behavioral profiling. We seem to have a natural dislike of any kind of profiling because we have become ridiculously politically correct in this country. Behavioral profiling works and that is a simple fact. I think it is inevitable that even our stubborn government will realize that and start using it before long.
Another aspect of this problem that really bothers me is how the “conspiracy” element is using all this to scare people and turning it into a political problem. I was perturbed recently when Glenn Beck waded into all this.

The Fox News host said that the government was deliberately provoking the American people to rise up so they could squelch the growing resistance with an iron fist, noting that Obama has failed to give a single speech addressing the TSA revolt even amidst the biggest holiday travel period of the year.

“Let’s get people to rise up and say no scanners….something happens, the President then has the ability to finally give a speech on airport security and say ‘I was trying to protect you and these people stood up against these scanners, and these people died because of it….you have to stop listening, I’ll protect you,” said Beck, implying that the Obama administration would exploit a terror attack to blame it on those protesting against scanners and TSA groping in airports.

Beck added that people in the Obama administration were probably having casual conversations surrounding the potential of a terror attack targeting airline travel along the lines of, “Gee, it wouldn’t be so bad, would it?”

Beck made similar comments earlier this month when he suggested that the Obama administration was preparing to stage an event that would be blamed on opponents of big government.

Discussing how leftists need violence to realize their political agenda, Beck featured a clip in which former Clintonite and Democrat operative Mark Penn said Obama needs an OKC bombing-style event to regain his popularity.

“Remember, President Clinton reconnected through Oklahoma, right?” said Penn on Chris Matthews’ Hardball show. “And the president right now seems removed. It wasn’t until that speech [after the bombing] that [Clinton] really clicked with the American public. Obama needs a similar” defining moment, according to Penn.

After reading a letter written by Tides CEO and founder Drummond Pike that encouraged advertisers to boycott Fox News in a thinly veiled threat that implied Beck’s rhetoric is leading to another OKC bombing, Beck stated, “They are setting up an Oklahoma City, they are claiming that one is coming and they’re already marked the one who caused it,” referring to himself.

I know a lot of you are Glenn Beck fans, but this kind of fear mongering is just not useful. I do not like the Obama Administration. Hell, I distrust them so much that if they told me it was light out at 12 noon, I’d likely go outside and check. But, I don’t believe for a second that they are purposely setting up another OK style bombing just so they can crack down and get more power.

Come on. It’s time for everyone –Homeland Security, TSA, and the American people, to start using our good common sense. Let’s remember who the real enemy here is and in case you forgot, it’s not each other, it’s the crazy-ass terrorists who are trying their best to bring down our nation.

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Reading Time

I just finished a book, The Secret War with Iran, which I found extremely good and revealing. Now I am ready to move on and was wondering of any of you had any suggestions. My interests include current Asian and middle east conditions, factual history (just about any), and Irish History from about 1916 to today. -Thanks

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On this day in history in 1520 Ferdinand Magellan begins crossing Pacific Ocean; in 1929 Adm Richard E Byrd makes 1st South Pole flight and in 1963 1st million copy record prior to release "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

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Car Smash Lovers 

A woman and a man driver are involved in a horrific collision, but amazingly both escape completely unhurt - though their cars are written off.

As they crawl out of the wreckage, the man sees the woman is blonde and strikingly beautiful. Then the woman turns to the man and gushes breathily: 'That's incredible - both our cars are demolished but we're fine. It must be a sign from God that we are meant to be together!'

Sensing a promise, the man stammers back, 'Oh yes, I agree with you completely!'

The woman goes on, 'And look, though my car was destroyed, this bottle of wine survived intact, too! It must be another sign. Let's drink to our love!'

'Well, OK!' says the man, going with the moment. She offers him the bottle, so he downs half of it and hands it back.

'Your turn,' says the man.

'No, thanks,' says the woman, 'I think I'll just wait for the police.'




Live Long and Prosper.....