David Glover Archive
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I am not a terrorist
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
But if you wear clothes with logos in Arabic, you will be asked to remove them before you're allowed to fly.
Therefore, this new t-shirt makes me gleeful:
It says "I am not a terrorist" in Arabic. I want one.
Therefore, this new t-shirt makes me gleeful:
It says "I am not a terrorist" in Arabic. I want one.
Labels: commentary, humour, news
Blogging to the world
Sunday, August 27, 2006
My Very Elegant Mother Just Sat Upon...
Thursday, August 24, 2006
"Ninjas", perhaps?
Still, I approve of this change, Pluto is very different to all the
Planette woud have been funnier.
Labels: commentary, humour, news
Wolf!
Monday, August 14, 2006
"It should have been seen as one of the most catastrophic events in modern history. ... Funny thing, but the general public wasn't buying it. Thousands of ordinary folks posted their thoughts on Web forums set up by the BBC, The New York Times and other news outlets to monitor reaction. And that reaction was surprisingly mundane and cynical."
To which I add: Well duh.
The rest of that article from the Toronto Star is an interesting read, about crying wolf, mistreatment of the people arrested, and how the generic public at large was not fooled.
In the meantime, the terror barometer is dropping, and we're allowed to take bags onto planes again - though only small ones. (Because we're only worried about large bombs now, perhaps?)
So taking stuff onto a plane isn't dangerous after all! Quelle surprise.
To which I add: Well duh.
The rest of that article from the Toronto Star is an interesting read, about crying wolf, mistreatment of the people arrested, and how the generic public at large was not fooled.
In the meantime, the terror barometer is dropping, and we're allowed to take bags onto planes again - though only small ones. (Because we're only worried about large bombs now, perhaps?)
So taking stuff onto a plane isn't dangerous after all! Quelle surprise.
Labels: commentary, news
Smash
Saturday, August 12, 2006
You know what? This whole no-hand-luggage thing would only be half as bad if airlines actually took care of your checked luggage. Unfortunately, they don't.
I don't understand why this is so difficult! It's not even a rare thing, it's common for your suitcases to be dropped, kicked, damaged, and the contents smashed. Last time I travelled, they managed to tear some really quite tough plastic that reenforced the corner of my suitcase.
Why do we put up with this? In any other situation, it's criminal damage, but when you're flying, it just seems to be accepted! Why?! Do all airlines hire convicted vandals or what?
I don't understand why this is so difficult! It's not even a rare thing, it's common for your suitcases to be dropped, kicked, damaged, and the contents smashed. Last time I travelled, they managed to tear some really quite tough plastic that reenforced the corner of my suitcase.
Why do we put up with this? In any other situation, it's criminal damage, but when you're flying, it just seems to be accepted! Why?! Do all airlines hire convicted vandals or what?
Labels: commentary, news
From CNN:
The lawyer for two of the suspects rounded up in a possible plot to bring down as many as 10 trans-Atlantic flights on Saturday criticized their treatment at the hands of British police.
In an exclusive CNN interview, attorney Mudassar Irani listed a series of complaints, including the allegation that one of her clients had not received food and water for 26 hours.
The lawyer for two of the suspects rounded up in a possible plot to bring down as many as 10 trans-Atlantic flights on Saturday criticized their treatment at the hands of British police.
In an exclusive CNN interview, attorney Mudassar Irani listed a series of complaints, including the allegation that one of her clients had not received food and water for 26 hours.
Labels: commentary, news
Terra! Terra! Terra!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Terra! Terra! Terra!
The alleged U.K. terror plot has been investigated for months by British intelligence, and the idea that the airliner attacks were planned for today seems to be nothing more than political fabrication and media hysteria.
Tony Blair and George W. Bush even planned the terror freakout in a series of phone calls that began last Friday and continued through the weekend. Blair and Bush put the finishing touches on their diabolical operation in a phone call early Wednesday, the Associated Press revealed today.
That's right: While millions of travelers are going through absolute hell today because of the sudden terror "news," it was last week when the U.S. president and U.K. prime minister began their cold calculations on how to get the maximum political benefit from the months-old investigation.
See also: Wait, aren't you scared?
The alleged U.K. terror plot has been investigated for months by British intelligence, and the idea that the airliner attacks were planned for today seems to be nothing more than political fabrication and media hysteria.
Tony Blair and George W. Bush even planned the terror freakout in a series of phone calls that began last Friday and continued through the weekend. Blair and Bush put the finishing touches on their diabolical operation in a phone call early Wednesday, the Associated Press revealed today.
That's right: While millions of travelers are going through absolute hell today because of the sudden terror "news," it was last week when the U.S. president and U.K. prime minister began their cold calculations on how to get the maximum political benefit from the months-old investigation.
See also: Wait, aren't you scared?
Labels: commentary, news
Doubleplus ungood
Thursday, August 10, 2006
"The rocket bombs which fell daily on London were probably fired by the Government of Oceania itself, 'just to keep people frightened'."
- George Orwell, "1984".
So, I'm confused. Yesterday, John Reid gave this slightly scary speech about curbing freedom to help stop terrorists.
And today, we're all banned from taking anything at all onto a plane. (It's only temporary, remember.)
(Update 6:58PM: According to the Department for Transport, the no-hand-luggage restriction could become permanent! Don't you dare, DFT, that's going way, way too far. I'm not sitting on a plane for close to ten hours without music, something to read, games, or even earplugs or sleeping mask. Don't you fucking dare.)
But apparently it's a threat they've been "monitoring for months". So why are all airports affected?
The plot is foiled! Hurrah! So why are all liquids banned?
We already X-ray all hand luggage, walk through metal detectors, and even have our shoes chemically analysed. (Which happened to me when I travelled to Majorca recently.) Why is this suddenly not enough?
Why is a bomb in the hold any safer than a bomb in the cabin?
Who is going to compensate the people paying extra because their hand luggage pushed their checked luggage over the weight limit? (Yes, this is happening.)
George Orwell was only a few years out.
- George Orwell, "1984".
So, I'm confused. Yesterday, John Reid gave this slightly scary speech about curbing freedom to help stop terrorists.
And today, we're all banned from taking anything at all onto a plane. (It's only temporary, remember.)
(Update 6:58PM: According to the Department for Transport, the no-hand-luggage restriction could become permanent! Don't you dare, DFT, that's going way, way too far. I'm not sitting on a plane for close to ten hours without music, something to read, games, or even earplugs or sleeping mask. Don't you fucking dare.)
But apparently it's a threat they've been "monitoring for months". So why are all airports affected?
The plot is foiled! Hurrah! So why are all liquids banned?
We already X-ray all hand luggage, walk through metal detectors, and even have our shoes chemically analysed. (Which happened to me when I travelled to Majorca recently.) Why is this suddenly not enough?
Why is a bomb in the hold any safer than a bomb in the cabin?
Who is going to compensate the people paying extra because their hand luggage pushed their checked luggage over the weight limit? (Yes, this is happening.)
George Orwell was only a few years out.
Labels: commentary, news
So now we're not allowed to take liquids onto aircraft (Does that include my saliva? My blood, perhaps?), and, for the moment, we're not actually allowed to take anything onto aircraft, no hand luggage except essential drugs and your passport, in a clear plastic bag.
Hmm yes, if this is still around in January, it's going to make my nine-hour flight to the USA really fun.
I mean, Jesus Christ, how long does it take to have a quick scan through my rucksack and determine that my paperback book isn't, in fact, a bomb, but simply (gasp!)... a book! Pathetic. This is lazy, power-hungry policing at its absolute worst.
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
- Benjamin Franklin.
Truer words have never been spoken.
Hmm yes, if this is still around in January, it's going to make my nine-hour flight to the USA really fun.
I mean, Jesus Christ, how long does it take to have a quick scan through my rucksack and determine that my paperback book isn't, in fact, a bomb, but simply (gasp!)... a book! Pathetic. This is lazy, power-hungry policing at its absolute worst.
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
- Benjamin Franklin.
Truer words have never been spoken.
Labels: commentary, news
Holiday
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Yesterday I booked my holiday for next year - two weeks in Orlando, Florida, staying in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. We’re going to visit all the Disney parks, plus SeaWorld, Universal Studios, and the Kennedy space centre.
Because I'm going to have a lot to say and show about it, I've created a little web site with it's own special blog and space for boring holiday photos.
So check out Orlando 2007.
Because I'm going to have a lot to say and show about it, I've created a little web site with it's own special blog and space for boring holiday photos.
So check out Orlando 2007.
Labels: travel
