While it is the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, I’m presently more concerned about the cowardly sneak attack which occurred in San Bernardino last week.
Ditto re the attempted cowardly not-so-sneaky attack on the amendment to the Constitution which gives citizens the teeth to enforce all of the others…and the entire rest of that document.
Wish we had a Congress full of people who took their oaths of office seriously. I hope the citizenry will not ultimately be put in the position of having to enforce basic human / constitutional rights from the bottom up.
I agree, Mac, that the no-fly list/terrorism watch list is insidious and along the lines of asset forfeiture in terms of zero due process. What’s amazing is that neither Obama nor many on the left see a problem with 1) a secret govt “enemies” list, and 2) abridging rights based on a whim.
If on the other hand, it wasn’t a “terrorist” watch list but rather an “inner city gang” watch list and the majority of people on it were black males and we took away their right to vote, then the clamor would be huge.
I also think the left is going to be quite angry with Obama for not going far enough in last night’s speech. He didnt even bring up the gun show loophole, which is their holy grail.
It also has created enormous frustration and aggravation for thousands of innocent travelers who have the misfortune of sharing a name with someone on the list and some of the names are among the most common in America. Like Gary Smith, John Williams or Robert Johnson. 60 Minutes found 12 of them and brought them to New York for an interview.
In New York, Kroft spoke to the group, all of them named Robert Johnson; all said they have trouble getting on airplanes.
They don’t look like a very dangerous group. There is a politician, a soccer coach, businessmen, even a member of the military. Yet they say they are pulled aside and interrogated, sometimes for hours until someone at the Transportation Security Administration decides they are not the Robert Johnson on the No Fly List. And they say it happens nearly every time they go to the airport.
“Oh, at least -- at least 15 to 20 times. At least,” one of the Robert Johnsons tells Kroft.
“Probably for close to 100 segments, every time I would go to get onto an airplane, I would have to go through the process,” another says.
“I had my military ID and you know, I go on military bases all the time,” Robert Johnson says. “So I can get on any base in the country, but I can’t fly on a plane, because I am on the No Fly List.”
Happy Monday, Gerbil Nation!
A great big Monday ‘hey there’ to Fatwa, Sven, and Mac!
So, we took Mrs. Paddy’s car into the shop this morning to have the engine replaced (I’d say 283,000 miles is not too bad), then headed to the rental car lot. They were slammed, there was no place to park, the line was huge. We finally get her car and she heads off to work. A little later I get a call -- a warning light has gone off on the rental car, indicating overheating. Now it’s call the rental agency and wait for another car before she can finally make it in to work. I swear, it’s almost like Obama’s running the world.
It ought to be no surprise that since we can’t even design a decent top for kids to play with or market seasonal gelt which isn’t made with nasty, waxy, pre-staled chocolate, our spelling skills might also be sub-par.
As I’ve probably expressed in years past, I think the dreidl game is primarily a sneaky way to discourage Joooish kids from gambling as adults.
She was “upgraded” from a Jetta to a Chevy Malibu, which after 30 minutes of driving, she says she hates. It has an emissions-reducing function that shuts off the engine when you stop at a light. She really would have appreciated knowing about that before she experienced it.
I’ve had a couple of cars that shut off the engine at stop lights…
I guess they rented Mrs. Paddy a hybrid…that’s something that rental agencies ought to tell customers about until we’re all more used to the technology.
I can tell I’m getting to be an old curmudgeon: I’m really and truly starting to hate everything. 🙂
Yep, it even has two batteries so one can handle the climate controls, stereo, etc. while the engine is off, leaving the other to restart the engine. Disney has had an auto-start on their California autopia cars since 2000 -- it cuts emissions when the cars are waiting for people to load/unload or otherwise stopped. The restart is quick -- when it works. Sometimes it’s a bit of a “press the pedal all the way to the floor -- hold it -- release the pedal and do it again”.
We’re spending more and more money, chasing the last bit of emissions reductions from cars.
Monday gaaaaaaaah!reetings, GN!
While it is the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, I’m presently more concerned about the cowardly sneak attack which occurred in San Bernardino last week.
Ditto re the attempted cowardly not-so-sneaky attack on the amendment to the Constitution which gives citizens the teeth to enforce all of the others…and the entire rest of that document.
Wish we had a Congress full of people who took their oaths of office seriously. I hope the citizenry will not ultimately be put in the position of having to enforce basic human / constitutional rights from the bottom up.
Good morning,
I agree, Mac, that the no-fly list/terrorism watch list is insidious and along the lines of asset forfeiture in terms of zero due process. What’s amazing is that neither Obama nor many on the left see a problem with 1) a secret govt “enemies” list, and 2) abridging rights based on a whim.
If on the other hand, it wasn’t a “terrorist” watch list but rather an “inner city gang” watch list and the majority of people on it were black males and we took away their right to vote, then the clamor would be huge.
I also think the left is going to be quite angry with Obama for not going far enough in last night’s speech. He didnt even bring up the gun show loophole, which is their holy grail.
Hai, Sven!
Here’s an article from almost ten years ago about serious problems with the No-Fly list.
More stupidity at the link.
Perhaps public officials who wish to dispense with due process ought to be treated in precisely the same manner.
Goose. Gander. 👿
Now Fatwad, you know it never works like that.
Hai, Mac!
True enough; IMHO, that is to our collective shame.
I have to agree, Sir.
Happy Monday, Gerbil Nation!
A great big Monday ‘hey there’ to Fatwa, Sven, and Mac!
So, we took Mrs. Paddy’s car into the shop this morning to have the engine replaced (I’d say 283,000 miles is not too bad), then headed to the rental car lot. They were slammed, there was no place to park, the line was huge. We finally get her car and she heads off to work. A little later I get a call -- a warning light has gone off on the rental car, indicating overheating. Now it’s call the rental agency and wait for another car before she can finally make it in to work. I swear, it’s almost like Obama’s running the world.
Just noted the Chanukkah sidebar; yay!
It ought to be no surprise that since we can’t even design a decent top for kids to play with or market seasonal gelt which isn’t made with nasty, waxy, pre-staled chocolate, our spelling skills might also be sub-par.
As I’ve probably expressed in years past, I think the dreidl game is primarily a sneaky way to discourage Joooish kids from gambling as adults.
Belated “Hai, Paddy!”
(Didn’t refresh before posting my previous comment and thus didn’t see yours; hope Mrs. Paddy’s rental car situation is squared away.)
She was “upgraded” from a Jetta to a Chevy Malibu, which after 30 minutes of driving, she says she hates. It has an emissions-reducing function that shuts off the engine when you stop at a light. She really would have appreciated knowing about that before she experienced it.
I’ve had a couple of cars that shut off the engine at stop lights…
I guess they rented Mrs. Paddy a hybrid…that’s something that rental agencies ought to tell customers about until we’re all more used to the technology.
I can tell I’m getting to be an old curmudgeon: I’m really and truly starting to hate everything. 🙂
It actually isn’t a hybrid. Just a regular 4-cylinder engine.
WTFingF??!?
Does the engine start again somehow when you step on the gas?
I r confuzzled.
Update: Just answered my own question; had never heard of “stop start systems”.
Update 2: Apparently they can generally be disabled by the driver at this point in time.
Yep, it even has two batteries so one can handle the climate controls, stereo, etc. while the engine is off, leaving the other to restart the engine. Disney has had an auto-start on their California autopia cars since 2000 -- it cuts emissions when the cars are waiting for people to load/unload or otherwise stopped. The restart is quick -- when it works. Sometimes it’s a bit of a “press the pedal all the way to the floor -- hold it -- release the pedal and do it again”.
We’re spending more and more money, chasing the last bit of emissions reductions from cars.
Because gummint mandates.
To hell with the EPA (among many august agencies).