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Sunday, November 21, 2010

The world just got bigger

I was going to avoid the whole TSA controversy as I didn't have all that much to add. Today, however, it became personal. One of dad's friends in Florida called, all worried about his health. He was having a very bad day. For a while, it looked like I might have to go all the way from New Hampshire to Florida.

Flying is out of the question. I've had too much exposure to X-rays and feel it best not to have any more unless absolutely medically necessary. Then there is the dignity angle. What are the choices here? Naked pictures or "the bad touch."

Now it comes to light that if someone decides they don't want either, they can't just walk out of the the airport. There's the possibility of a $11,000 fine and arrest:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-airport-scans-pat-downs-refual-20101121,0,5604032.story

So much for flying. Bus routes to my dad's are sketchy. Lot's of transfers and long layovers. It's not even possible to get there by train. That leaves driving.

Dad's place is 1600 miles away from my house. I can drive it in 30 hours. I know this because I've done it. Wasn't much good to anyone once I got there, but it can be done.

Fortunately, my dad's doing fine now. His medical problem looked worse than it was. There's no need for me to go down there right now. This little episode did get me thinking. Florida is no longer an easy day trip. Now it's a 30 hour marathon drive.

The next thing you know there will be road blocks and traffic checks all the way down and everyone will have to show their papers.

Anyone else remember the land of the free and home of the brave?

-Sixbears

8 comments:

  1. We the people of the land of the free and home of the brave volunteered for this prison. What's more it seems there are plenty who are willing to stand up and defend it. The last straw will be when you can't even walk across country because you will be tracked and suspect. In my lifetime I have had my personal freedom diminished to an intolerable level.

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  2. Sixbears, the Stasi checkpoints are already here in Texas. They want to make them more "efficient" with license plate reading cameras, so they can bust you easier for no insurance/tags expired, etc... I would imagine it's similar elsewhere. Wouldn't know, I haven't left the state since 2001...

    Oldfool, you are right. I'm with you on the intolerable level...

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  3. I get border check points 50 miles south of me. Makes my blood boil. About 4 years ago I had the creepiest checkpoint in TX, near El Paso. They made all traffic exit and drive through a machine. The offciers didn't even look at my car, only at computer screens. My cell phone wouldn't work until I was a couple miles past the checkpoint. Weird.

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  4. Sad and getting worse everyday!

    China
    III

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  5. Everyone should cease to fly. Then maybe they will lighten up or the airlines will go out of business.

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  6. Oh that people would wake up & protest the TSA insanity by boycotting flying. On the other hand, I think every member of Congress; every political talking head and every member of law enforcement who support this insanity be required to fly cross country with as many layovers as possible so they can be body searched multiple times. Can you imagine Pelosi, the Clintons, Schumer, Reid and the other idiots going through this?

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  7. Like so many other rules congress makes, they don't have to go through airport screening. How nice for them.

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  8. I think we should all fly naked. They'd have to dial up the heat at airports, but that could be a fun solution - they don't have to feel you up if they can just do a visual scan.
    Only partly joking here...

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