The “Israelification” of airports – Makes you wonder if the rest of the world is laughing at how we run things in the USA…
Monthly Archives: November 2010
TSA pat-downs : How long will they last?
It’s been in the news everywhere. The full body scanners and the Totally invasive pat-downs. The NYTimes ran an article about it and the complaints. What I’m not understanding is why hasn’t anything been done by the TSA? Why haven’t they responded to people who complain about the inappropriate comments made by agents? Why are agents showing such unprofessional behavior? I just don’t understand how the TSA can give jobs to these people who are going to say such things about people.
The pat-downs Really do make you feel like a criminal. I’ve been pat down before by a cop (long story) and I didn’t get that level of invasion during the pat-down. These TSA agents are obviously touching the genitalia. Is there Really a reason for this? I understand the underwear bomber and all that stuff. But Seriously? Do you need to touch the junk? It’s not as if we’re going to jail. We’re only trying to board a plane for business or pleasure. Thank you for your concern for our safety from terrorists. But do you have to sexually molest every passenger on the plane? Oh I’m sorry, not everyone is subject to the pat-down. Only those who refuse the full body scan or are flagged by such machine.
Which brings me to another point. In the NYTimes article, it mentions a woman who says, “I didn’t Really expect her to touch my vagina through my pants.” Wow, Seriously? Really? Did the lady have to touch her and violate her? She was flagged for a pat-down because she had a piece of tissue and hair band in her pocket. Now this is disturbing. Because it found something in her pocket, does that warrant a FULL BODY SEARCH? She had something in her pocket! Couldn’t the TSA agents just ask her to empty her pockets? Seriously? Are the TSA agents that daft that they couldn’t figure that out? Or were they abusing their authority?
Loading ...This also makes me nervous as a diabetic and a post-transplant patient. I take insulin. Fortunately I don’t have an insulin pump. The article also mentions a lady with an insulin pump who was notified that she would have to get subjected to a pat-down because she had the pump. Anyways, the problem I’m having are my insulin needles. There’s no way I’m putting my medicine on check in luggage. So will they give me issues with that now? They’ve never given me problems before. I just mentioned that I’m a diabetic and they just nod and let me through. Are things different now? I’d like to hear from any diabetics who have traveled recently. Also, I’m considered “handicap” because I have to walk with a cane now. How much more problems will I have? I’ve already ran into TSA agents who have been rude to me. Will this only make it worse?
I’ll be honest and say I’m almost willing to take a different method of travel if this continues to be an issue. I know not everyone will agree with me. Flying is faster than any form of travel, but honestly, it may not be worth it.
What’s your take? How do you feel about the pat downs? Do you feel like having your junk touched by a stranger?
Wizard of Oz – in Japanese
Wizard of Oz – in Japanese – JapanSugoi reports of Disney Channel Japan showing of Wizard of Oz – in Japanese. For some reason it just seems natural to me, though I know can’t be. LOL
Is writing going out of style?
Think Really hard on this now. When’s the last time you actually WROTE a letter? If you did, did you write it in cursive? What’s cursive you say? Don’t make me feel old now. It would seem that cursive writing is becoming a lost art form according to this news segment.
It’s not required in schools, so does this mean cursive writing will go out of style along with cassette tapes, 8-tracks, and 3.5″ floppies? (Never mind the larger floppies!)
It just makes me kinda sad that the simple things like writing in cursive are slowly being deprecated. What will the future become? While it kinda makes me happy that paper as a medium would be eliminated, (the trees and all) I would want the people of the future to be able to at least write something down without the assistance of computers. Does this also mean we will have no need for pens or pencils in the future? Scary. Imagine the impact this will all have.
What do you think? Am I overreacting? Do you think we’re losing touch with writing?
Domino's Brooklyn Style Pizza
Because I’m Really slow to get on the wagon, I’ve only just recently got a Brooklyn style pizza from Domino’s. I have to say that I’m kinda a fan, but I don’t think I’ll be ordering again anytime soon. Domino has some Really great prices. I’d have to say if you go with price, I’d stick with Domino’s over any of the other pizza chains except maybe Papa Murphy’s but they don’t Really count in the same class since they don’t deliver and you have to bake it yourself.
My initial impression of their “live” status update was pretty entertaining, but I was a little turned off on how fast it all went. I understand the need for speed, but I’d rather have a better QC time.
The taste of the Brooklyn style was “ok”. I can’t say I like it. They also (in the commercials) tell you to take a picture of the pizza to show that it does look good. But honestly, look at this pizza as we ate it. Really greasy and well it doesn’t Really look all that great now does it?
I think I have to admit, my photography skills aren’t all that, but honestly, it’s a non prepped photo. There are no special lights or anything and what you see is what you eat. I was almost a little disgusted I ate it, but I was hungry. I ate it all anyways.
As for the NY style pizza, and folding it in half, it does get a mediocre rating. It’s not quite some of the pizza I had when I lived in NJ but it comes relatively close. In the end, I think I’ll order a pizza from Pizza Hut or Papa Johns first from now on I think.
Tokyo has more michelin stars than Paris
Tokyo has more michelin stars than Paris – This goes to show the quality control of Japanese chefs. I’ve seen some beautiful and great tasting food in Japan.
UCSF scientists develop artificial kidney
UCSF scientists develop artificial kidney – First, there’s a possible good outlook for a cure for diabetes and now we’ve got this. I love technology!
What High School clique did you belong to?
No, this isn’t some quiz or some kind of meme. Lately, I’ve been reuniting with a lot of people who I knew way back when I was in High School. This got me to thinking about all the friends I hung out with, who I knew, and well basically about all my friends during the impressionable years.
At first, I wasn’t Really sure what my clique was. I didn’t hang out with the jocks, I was anathema to sports. I tried to play them, but Really, I was never meant for such things. I was definitely not in the “popular” crowd. If anything, I stayed away from the popular crowd most of the time, I believe. I also don’t Really think I hung out with the “brains” either. I wasn’t Really all that smart, and I have failed many a class. I’m not your stereotypical “Braniac” Asian. I didn’t belong in the “druggee” group either. I didn’t do any of that, and if anything, I was Really turned off by it. So where did that Really leave me? Tonight, I figured it out.
I was an Igor.
I know what you’re thinking. What clique was that? Well, it’s not Really a clique. It’s more of an “invisible” clique. So it exists, but it doesn’t Really. Are you getting it yet? Yes, when I say Igor, I mean that assistant of any number of “evil” doctors or scientists or counts. Igor is the one who does everything but doesn’t have to think about what to do.
Now I Really know what you’re thinking. The Igors of this world must be dumb. But alas, no. Have you seen that movie Igor with John Cusack in it? (see John Cusack is in my head!) Igor was not so dumb. In fact, he was pretty smart and invented stuff. Anyways, while he was still the guy that (normally) turned on stuff and pulled all the levers, but he was also in the background coming up with ideas. Scheming might be a word that comes to mind. Regardless, that’s what I did during High School.
I shut my mouth, I listened, and I thought.
You see, I learned from a young age that listening was a skill. You Really had to work at it to become a Really good listener. Listening got you stuff. You learned things you normally wouldn’t. If you listened, you could learn things that would later become very useful and you could (if you wanted to – I never did) exploit those things. Being an Igor also got you another side benefit:
You were seen, but often ignored.
It was almost like you were invisible. Like being a fly on the wall. You could almost call yourself a ghost. That’s what I wanted. I think I learned so much about people. I would watch people and see the stupid (or not so stupid) things they did. I wish I could say it was enjoyable, but it wasn’t always so.
Anyway, I just followed my friends, what few I had, and had some great times with them. In the end though, I would always concede to their ideas (unless it was stupid of course) and end up doing what they wanted to do. I had an opinion of course, but I was just content on doing what everyone else wanted to do. I know Meesh would agree that I don’t like making decisions on what to do, what to eat and so on. Now I know where that comes from. I’m an Igor.
So if you’re still with me, what High School clique did you belong to?
Diablo III For Consoles?
Diablo III for consoles? – If Blizzard is looking to explore the possibilities of porting to console, it pretty much means they’re gonna release on that platform. I’ll still buy D3 on PC or Mac though.
Japanese vending machine recommends drinks
Once again, Japanese vending machines are using technology. Using facial recognition software, they will recommend types of drinks according to various stats, such as age and sex.
According to this article, sales have tripled over normal vending machines because of this.
This sounds Really interesting, and a good example of putting the latest technology into a vending machine. It’s definitely a fun thing, and I Really wish we had something like this in the US. Of course, as I’ve mentioned earlier, I’ll settle for hot coffee in a can.
I just wanted to add something Meesh pointed out to me. “Why can they make this crap and not come up with like a cure for cancer or diabetes or something?” You know, why is that?