The Bush Administration–Protecting Us From Cheap Canadian Drugs and Boobs on TV

Testimony: Before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate: United States Government Accountability Office… “What GAO Found: By using the name of a bogus business that existed only on paper, GAO investigators were able to obtain a genuine radioactive materials license from NRC. Aside from traveling to a non-agreement state to pick up and send mail, GAO investigators did not need to leave their office in Washington, D.C., to obtain the license from NRC. Further, other than obtaining radiation safety officer training, investigators gathered all the information they needed for the license from the NRC Web site. “

Hey, You Wanna Be Safe From EVERYTHING, DONTCHA?.

Don’t worry, they probably won’t make us travel naked–they’ll undoubtedly give us pocketless “Security Suits” while our real clothes travel to Johannesburg with the rest of our luggage. But at least we’ll be totally safe…

(CBC) Muslim doctor wants apology from U.S. airline

(CLS Press Release) Coalition for Luggage Security Focuses on London Flight Diversion that Triggers Airline Fear

(AFP) Authorities ‘convinced’ airline plot was real: Home Secretary Reid

Yanno, every time we hear about these terror threats, we find out that someone had infiltrated the group…I’m beginning to wonder if the infiltrators are the ones who are pushing the idea of attacking and THEN taking credit for breaking up the plot that they themselves suggested…

(TheRegister) Mass murder in the skies: was the plot feasible? Looks like the whole thing was one big joke–I mean seriously, how many people have concentrated hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid in their kitchens? The standard H2O2 concentration sold in drugstores is 3%…so much for common household items. Then “Once the plane is over the ocean, very discreetly bring all of your gear into the toilet. You might need to make several trips to avoid drawing attention. Once your kit is in place, put a beaker containing the peroxide/acetone mixture into the ice water bath (Champagne bucket), and start adding the acid, drop by drop, while stirring constantly. Watch the reaction temperature carefully. The mixture will heat, and if it gets too hot, you’ll end up with a weak explosive. In fact, if it gets really hot, you’ll get a premature explosion possibly sufficient to kill you, but probably no one else.
“After a few hours – assuming, by some miracle, that the fumes haven’t overcome you or alerted passengers or the flight crew to your activities – you’ll have a quantity of TATP with which to carry out your mission. Now all you need to do is dry it for an hour or two…While it’s true that a slapdash concoction will explode, it’s unlikely to do more than blow out a few windows. At best, an infidel or two might be killed by the blast, and one or two others by flying debris as the cabin suddenly depressurizes, but that’s about all you’re likely to manage under the most favorable conditions possible.” In other words, a serious threat only in the movies, not in reality land. But hey, we’re not interested in reality, just in scaring people…

Sorry, There’s Nothing In The Archives About JonBenet Ramsey

Now I KNOW that the most important news story in the world at the moment is whether or not this nutcase who seems to have been in Alabama at the time of the JonBenet Ramsey killing had astrally projected himself to Boulder Colorado in order to accidentally kill her with a garrot, having drugged her without any drugs being discovered in the autopsy (oh yeah, his name in John Mark Karr and he’s been living in a Bangkok bang shop for the last two months, with the media adding the salacious detail that many CHILDREN are brought there by pedophiles, something I’m sure is so rare in Bangkok to be worthy of note), but given my lack, I think that perhaps this entry from 2005 is a bit more to the point of our continuing obsession with making the skies safe by inconveniencing all innocent travelers (You don’t think this will happen in first-class do you? terrrists don’t put out for first-class seating). Now you can’t bring on liquids. Of course, flying dehydrates people so they absolutely need to continually be drinking SOMETHING (everything EXCEPT alcohol which dehydrates you further, but some people are still so scared of flying that the only way they can get through the ordeal is by getting stinkin’ stiff, and they sure ain’t being helped by Homeland Security), but if they don’t serve drinks on a particular flight, I guess you’re just S-O-L. No shave cream, no perfume, no nothing in carry-on luggage, no MP3 players which can be used to detonate your Gatorade, so if you want to bring these things, it’s baggage roulette for ya–will my luggage be there when I am or will it take a sidetrip to San Francisco? When did we become so scared silly? Yeah I know, 9/11 changed EVERYTHING, but seriously, what with warning labels on everything, nothing remotely fun available for children lest it be swallowed or otherwise too dangerous for parents too busy to read age suitability statements. I mean seriously, “Liquid contained inside may be hot” on coffee cups? Are we going to wind up protecting ourselves so much we wind up wrapped in cocoons. Anyway, another of our August 3rd Anniversary Retrospective. Have a Good Weekend Folks!