December 28, 2009
Yet again, we wait for a potential disaster/disastrous disaster to almost/completely unfold right before our eyes... and then we think of what we could do to stop it (in this case letting members of Al-Qaeda board airplanes to the United States) from happening again. Here are a couple more essential (I struggled to say that), yet tiresome, travel laws from the flight Gods:
List of air travel security changes
by Teresa Blackman Posted on December 28, 2009 at 8:35 AM Updated today at 9:49 AM ******The following changes in airline security were implemented after the bomb scare on the flight to Detroit: * Pat downs of passengers at airport security, concentrating on the upper torso and legs * Physical inspections of all carry-on bags at the gate * Requiring all passengers to be seated for the full hour prior to arrival * Banning the use of blankets and pillows one hour prior to arrival * Hands must be in plain sight an hour prior to arrival * No opening of overhead bins an hour prior to arrival * Increased screening in airline security lines * Passengers encouraged to arrive 3 hours early for international flights
The attempt which brought attention to the public was the one on Christmas Day, it was a Northwest flight en route to Detroit from Amsterdam. The terrorist was a Nigerian man (who used PETN) who is supposedly tied to the Al-Qaeda, this came as a shock because he had been placed on a list of 500,000 people suspected to have terrorist ties. Even worse is that just yesterday a second terrorist was found guilty of being an accomplice/fellow-kamikazi but he posed as an ill man and locked himself in the bathroom (sounds fish to me). We are trailing these terrorists, that is all... and why do I say that? Because criminals have the same ability to technologically/chemically/politically advance as us law abiding citizens (throw in the fact that they think like criminals... that gives them more of an ability, right?). We will catch these terrorists either while they are in the act (and fail to complete the act due to technical issues) or we will catch them after (the Chicago-Mumbai situation), while occasionally catching them beforehand (the 8 men who planned to bomb the Sears Tower). The terrorists will learn from their failed attempts and move on to more creative schemes, and you may be asking yourself, why have there been no successful attacks on the United States? It may be because terrorists are moving towards nuclear/chemical warfare, economic warfare, cultural diffusion, etc. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34592031/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/?GT1=43001
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Change
December 27, 2009
Posted by Colin McDowell
December 20, 2009
So last night I arrived at the bus stop at around 11 30 knowing that the bus would be a tad bit late due to the inclement weather... I didn't know it would be 4 hours late though. I made the decision to head back home instead of waiting in a room full of people for 4 hours after telling the lady working at the front desk to give me a ring when the bus arrived (she said OK). So I gave her my number and left thinking that I was going to get a phone call. I napped for a bit and woke up to my ... Continue reading...
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Thinking Out Loud
December 20, 2009
At midnight I will embark on a cold, dark, journey along the eastern coast of the United States to my destination, New York City. I will face black ice, freezing temperatures (reaching 10 degrees C), and windy weather. This trip will be longer than the usual 6 hours but I will make it there nonetheless. Wish me luck, I'll bring back a weather report. Continue reading...
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Thinking Out Loud
December 18, 2009
(The Governator)
The verdict is out, voting for the legalization of marijuana will now be on the campaign ballot in November, 2010. A dramatically huge stepping stone for the pot smoking community. We are finally getting some justice... the movement, as expected, started in the west with Proposition 215 (Compassionate Use Act of 1996), decriminalization laws, NORML, Oaksterdam, etc., and is going to peak in the west. This peak will send a shockwave eastbound (can't wait for that day) and ev... Continue reading...
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Legalize It
December 17, 2009
"They say he's a radical, he don't fit the game
A heart full of glory and a fist of pain
A couple of battle scars but shit's the same
Are you not entertained?"
Recently, I have adopted a slight zen-Buddhist perspective towards violence, physical extremism, revenge, and intolerance... unfortunately/fortunately, I experienced the first 2 tests of my dedication to passive mind control today. First test: I was told to pick my brother up from school at 12:30... I arrived, waited t... Continue reading...
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Thinking Out Loud
December 17, 2009
Alas, we are progressively finding more and more "Super-Earth" (a term coined by Harvard University Astronomy Prof. Dimitar Sasselov to describe Earth-like planets- we have currently found 28) planets with our "super-advanced" telescopes. Our ability to detect low mass planets in orbit around "super-shiny" stars gives us to the tools necessary to conduct further research on other "super-habitable" planets searching for "super-alternative" life forms. We have found planets that have atmosphe... Continue reading...
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Extraterrestrial
December 16, 2009
What the puck. I'm amazed right now. Medicare (social insurance for the elderly) and Medicaid (for low-income and disability affected families/persons) fraud has been under my radar for so long, why is it only now that it is being brought to my attention? Maybe cause I haven't bee looking for it, or maybe because there are only 3 fraud protection field inspectors in South Florida when the county of Miami-Dade received $520 million in Medicare funding in 2008 (1)... being the most demanding ... Continue reading...
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Social Concern
December 15, 2009
 
(Kool DJ Herc and Coke La Rock throwin down, above)
(Grandmaster Flash introducing [what was]a revolutionary new instrument, below)
The epic duo of Kool DJ Herc and Coke La Rock are considered to be the fathers of hip-hop giving birth to this new genre of music and dance on the streets of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue and Cedar Park in the Bronx, NYC. From party to party, these were the guys you would call on if you wanted a good time. The development of B-Boy's and B-Girls (breakdancing cohorts) a... Continue reading...
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Music
December 13, 2009
Recap:
Wednesday (Dec. 9th)- Had a yoga class exam in the morning which consisted of exam review being due and tests waiting to be taken. At the end of the exam she told us she had exploited her psychological side and that the real exam was coming in for the test being mentally prepared... interesting. Caught a flight right after it finished, landed in Boston at 3:30. Walked around looking for Crista and making sure I was in the right place for approximately 35 minutes. Found Crista, took ... Continue reading...
Posted by Colin McDowell. Posted In :
Thinking Out Loud
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