(no subject)

[vicarz]

Having trouble getting volunteers for the fake trial - no surprise, I wouldn't want to do it. Hell - I don't want to do it. My real trial this past week was enough.

From the airport:
That was annoying - fuck you TSA. I was stopped in security by someone asking if the plastic bag full of <3oz cosmetics and shiny metal things was mine. I said it was, and an apologetic TSA employee explained that while she knew my toothpaste tube had less than 3 oz which was ok by the regulations, that they were required to go by the size of the package rather than what was in it. So I had the choices of going back through security and checking my 6.7 oz tube of toothpaste or throwing it away. I considered eating it. Is the TSA irrational? Is this all just to make me feel better? Isn't it true that the TSA is a way the taxpayer is funding the entire airline industry by covering virtually all of their security needs at no direct cost? There had to be 10 TSA employees at the airport, though there were only a couple hundred people going through there each day. No way the airlines would waste their money like that.

I'm going back to law school after graduation. Or getting another college degree. Or finishing my Doctorate. I've spent a lot of time whining about how little spare time I have, but last night I had spare time. I couldn't study, there was no place left to eat or shop, and my work was done. The internet was boring. So I clicked on the TV. There was nothing on, but there I was with time...time to kill (sorry Tock). I watched the fantastic four. Two hours of my life was wasted watching the fantastic four. Sure mythbusters was on, but I had seen it already - twice. I saw the entire Stan Lee approved fantastic fucking four, cover to cover. I think by doing so I abused the privilege I was given, of having spare time, and should not be trusted with it again.

The Nebraska airport and community college had signs at the door warning you not to bring your firearms inside those buildings. I saw no such warnings on bars.

After I got back, I opened my suitcase to a wet note from the TSA saying they had opened my bag. In so doing, they somehow popped a hole in a can of soda, which leaked into my suitcase, suit, tie, and a dress shirt. Fuck you twice, TSA.

Comments

[grymnir.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear it. The TSA opened by bag on my way down to DC 10 days ago. They disordered everything, but fortunately no real issues. This time the TSA again searched by bag on the way to Florida. I was lucky; while they DID somehow open a container of shampoo that was in its own pocket, they only put it in the OTHER pocket that had my t-shirts and gym shorts. Suffice to say, I didn't make it to the gym.

If you want to laugh--on my way out, TSA almost didn't let me go through the anal-probe-atron because my plane ticket was for "rikk" and the ID said "richard" but NO ONE as given me grief on that score before. We're not funding the airlines--we're funding the equivalent of FDRs public works programs, only using (mostly) people with no post-HS education and seldom fluent English language skills.

There was even a sign in FLL on my return that said it was illegalt to make any jokes about bombs or explosives while standing in line.

[ex-dasboot.livejournal.com]

TSA is beyond useless. The few times they actually had quality control tests where the subject wasn't leaked beforehand, they had a %90 failure rate. The hijackers in the incident that caused the formation of the agency to begin with would not have triggered any of the red flags they use to identify potential threats. Same with the gatorade bomb people and the shoe bomb guy, as those checks were put in place after the fact. So, aside from protecting us against sloppy copycats, the only thing they've succeeded in doing is shooting an innocent, albeit belligerent, man. Oh, and selling stolen/confiscated goods on ebay.

Though, when I went to Russia, they did find that my boots tested positive for TNT. Not because I had a bomb in them, they're just that badass.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I think it is a big scam to make people confident in flying. "See, they're doing something...I'm sure it's safe to fly now!" Stay the course? Mickey Mouse?

[ex-dasboot.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I read that over half of the security cameras you see in malls or retail stores aren't hooked up to anything. Kinda the same princple except they're providing the illusion of security to passify potential victims rather than the illusion of security to deter potential thieves.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Well put, sadly accurate.

[unapologetic.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

The Nebraska airport and community college had signs at the door warning you not to bring your firearms inside those buildings. I saw no such warnings on bars.

I saw those on all the rest stops in Ohio this weekend. Didn't really notice any at the university itself. Weird.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Ah - there you are!
I didn't actually go to bars, so I may be exaggerating - but it makes a fun story. If the restaurants with bars I went to were any indication, it is true - or bars in restaurants aren't so regulated.

[djpsyche.livejournal.com]

Bah, the other half has put the fantastic four in our rental queue. I will then have to make him suffer through "Downfall" ...

Such a great thing, living in a free country. I bet those Iraqis envy us all that freedom, I bet they do.

[cweaselle.livejournal.com]

I would really come up there and be a juror if I thought I could handle it right now.
The only t.v. I really watch anymore is game shows to work on my self confidence and Law and Order. I think one of the good things about my illness is that I can watch the same shows over and over.

I certainly understand not wanting free time. I have alot and I try to fill it, but I really look forward to being able to either work or volunteer again. I'm having less doctors appointments so that may come pretty soon, but I don't know for sure.
Your problems with the airline unfortunately are becoming more and more normal.