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alexpgpThat's the sound I most closely associate with today. I got up at my usual time and went to the store an hour early, in order to do two days' worth of postal reports. I was able to leave at a reasonable time.
By the time I went to bed yesterday, I'd done about 3,000 words of the rush assignment. By the time Galina came from the store early this afternoon and convinced me to go with her to Farmington and do some serious Sam's Club shopping, I had translated about 1,700 more words.
My problem now is: after the trip to Farmington and back, I am well and truly bushed. I shall have to get up early tomorrow and get down to brass tacks with the work. Looking at the rest of the document, though, I can see a couple of humongous tables in the back, which ought to make life easier, though I have to keep in mind that there are three other one-page files that are part of this assignment and which have to be done as well.
* * * All sorts of random thoughts keep popping up, sort of like bones in a bubbling stew. So many thoughts, so little time. :^)
My ears are numb listening to the phrase "the Federal government should..." used as a mantra for dealing with any issue associated with how we're going to deal with terrorists.
For example, it seems the Feds want to/are being urged to take over security at the nation's airports. Wow. The Feds, folks, are the people who've really been in charge of security all this while, albeit they've delegated the actual duty to the carriers. The fact that lax security allowed the events of September 11 to happen lays blame on both the carriers, who were following the Federal rules, and the Feds who wrote those rules and who are now apparently going to establish a beefier presence at airports to make us all Feel Safe.
And that reminds me of another oft-repeated sound bite that turns me green around the gills, that of Joe (or Jane) Traveler, standing in line at the airport, saying "Hey, anything they do to improve security is fine with me."
Oh, really? How about the following scenario:
Your career as an airline passenger starts far in advance of any particular flight with a trip to the clinic, where your tissues are sampled for a DNA workup. In order to increase security, only persons with their DNA on file will be allowed to travel by air. Giving the sample is completely voluntary, according to the government, but if you don't give a sample, you don't get to travel by air.
About ten days before your actual trip, you will apply to your local police precinct for "clearance" to travel by air (don't think of it as "permission," even though the clearance may be denied without telling you the reason).
Two days before departure, you will appear at the airport with your ticket, clearance, photo ID, and baggage. This is to allow time for another DNA sample to be taken and checked against the one you have on file at the clinic. This insures that you are who you say you are, since most photo ID is pathetically easy to forge for anyone with any kind of budget. (Why, then, bring photo ID? It makes you feel better.)
Showing up two days early also provides adequate time for a health screening (to make sure you aren't infected with some contagious disease), a fluoroscopic examination (to make sure you haven't swallowed explosives), a psychological assessment (to make sure you're not suicidal), not to mention a detailed search of your luggage (for Bad Stuff) and a chemical examination of your toilet articles (including prescriptions). A welcome side-effect of this phase of security is a reduction in the quantities of illegal drugs carried aboard airplanes.
The contents of any personal computer you wish to travel with will be copied, along with the contents of your PalmPilot and any other electronic devices. This information will be reviewed, according to authorities, only by intelligent robots programmed to search for "suspicious" information (e.g., phone numbers of known or suspected terrorists). The "Carnivore" system, which is currently in use to monitor Internet traffic, is a primitive type of such robot.
On a random basis, one of every 20 passengers will be rerouted to arrive at their destination no later than 6 hours after they would have otherwise arrived. (This is to throw off the coordination of any planned attacks. During times of "credible threats," this number may be increased to one of every 10 passengers.)
Prior to boarding, you will be given a set of comfortable cotton clothing to wear during your trip. You will don this clothing after undergoing a thorough body and cavity search by security personnel, and then directly board the plane holding only a sealed Tyvek envelope containing your identity papers, clearance, and ticket. You will not be allowed any carry-on luggage while en route.
And despite all of this, which is entirely feasible to do (assuming you don't mind paying a couple of thousand dollars to fly the shuttle between N.Y. and D.C.), it will not assure your safely on an airplane.
Whew! Sounds like there's a book in there, somewhere.
Cheers..
By the time I went to bed yesterday, I'd done about 3,000 words of the rush assignment. By the time Galina came from the store early this afternoon and convinced me to go with her to Farmington and do some serious Sam's Club shopping, I had translated about 1,700 more words.
My problem now is: after the trip to Farmington and back, I am well and truly bushed. I shall have to get up early tomorrow and get down to brass tacks with the work. Looking at the rest of the document, though, I can see a couple of humongous tables in the back, which ought to make life easier, though I have to keep in mind that there are three other one-page files that are part of this assignment and which have to be done as well.
My ears are numb listening to the phrase "the Federal government should..." used as a mantra for dealing with any issue associated with how we're going to deal with terrorists.
For example, it seems the Feds want to/are being urged to take over security at the nation's airports. Wow. The Feds, folks, are the people who've really been in charge of security all this while, albeit they've delegated the actual duty to the carriers. The fact that lax security allowed the events of September 11 to happen lays blame on both the carriers, who were following the Federal rules, and the Feds who wrote those rules and who are now apparently going to establish a beefier presence at airports to make us all Feel Safe.
And that reminds me of another oft-repeated sound bite that turns me green around the gills, that of Joe (or Jane) Traveler, standing in line at the airport, saying "Hey, anything they do to improve security is fine with me."
Oh, really? How about the following scenario:
Your career as an airline passenger starts far in advance of any particular flight with a trip to the clinic, where your tissues are sampled for a DNA workup. In order to increase security, only persons with their DNA on file will be allowed to travel by air. Giving the sample is completely voluntary, according to the government, but if you don't give a sample, you don't get to travel by air.
About ten days before your actual trip, you will apply to your local police precinct for "clearance" to travel by air (don't think of it as "permission," even though the clearance may be denied without telling you the reason).
Two days before departure, you will appear at the airport with your ticket, clearance, photo ID, and baggage. This is to allow time for another DNA sample to be taken and checked against the one you have on file at the clinic. This insures that you are who you say you are, since most photo ID is pathetically easy to forge for anyone with any kind of budget. (Why, then, bring photo ID? It makes you feel better.)
Showing up two days early also provides adequate time for a health screening (to make sure you aren't infected with some contagious disease), a fluoroscopic examination (to make sure you haven't swallowed explosives), a psychological assessment (to make sure you're not suicidal), not to mention a detailed search of your luggage (for Bad Stuff) and a chemical examination of your toilet articles (including prescriptions). A welcome side-effect of this phase of security is a reduction in the quantities of illegal drugs carried aboard airplanes.
The contents of any personal computer you wish to travel with will be copied, along with the contents of your PalmPilot and any other electronic devices. This information will be reviewed, according to authorities, only by intelligent robots programmed to search for "suspicious" information (e.g., phone numbers of known or suspected terrorists). The "Carnivore" system, which is currently in use to monitor Internet traffic, is a primitive type of such robot.
On a random basis, one of every 20 passengers will be rerouted to arrive at their destination no later than 6 hours after they would have otherwise arrived. (This is to throw off the coordination of any planned attacks. During times of "credible threats," this number may be increased to one of every 10 passengers.)
Prior to boarding, you will be given a set of comfortable cotton clothing to wear during your trip. You will don this clothing after undergoing a thorough body and cavity search by security personnel, and then directly board the plane holding only a sealed Tyvek envelope containing your identity papers, clearance, and ticket. You will not be allowed any carry-on luggage while en route.
And despite all of this, which is entirely feasible to do (assuming you don't mind paying a couple of thousand dollars to fly the shuttle between N.Y. and D.C.), it will not assure your safely on an airplane.
Whew! Sounds like there's a book in there, somewhere.
Cheers..
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Date: 2001-09-29 09:13 pm (UTC)ROFL