Hi Thom,

I'm a big fan. We met when you spoke at the Aviation Heritage Museum, here in Anchorage, less than two years ago. I'm retired now but once was a bush pilot, then an airline exec. later an airport official; at one time I managed Anchorage International, after that I trained airport managers throughout my state. I'm 70.

Like you, my wife and I travel a lot. In the last few weeks we were thru the Amsterdam airport and also the Dubai airport. I'm not exactly happy with the U.S. public reaction to airport security right now. But I do understand what is going on. The McClatchy newspapers published an article today that may be a partial solution. Here is the link.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/11/17/103930/us-firm-may-have-solution-to-airport.html

I'm also a huge fan of Keith Olbermann. However, last night I wasn't enamored with his guest who spoke on this security subject. It was my observation that the guy didn't really understand aviation security very well, even though the network attempted to bolster his creditability with a reference to Israeli air carrier El Al. His comments were just one big contradiction. Below is a recent post of mine regarding this issue:

"Apparently John Tyner was paranoid that someone might see his thing. Having served in the airline game and the airport business I witnessed the belligerent attitude toward airport security measures by both the public and the airlines over a 30 year stretch. I recall an airline magnate standing up in a security conference in 1995 and shouting at the FAA that they “must believe there is an Arab hiding under every rock”. Carriers continued to exert political pressure upon the FAA’s Civil Aviation Security Division until security procedures degenerated to the point where perpetrators successfully commandeered four airliners at the same time resulting in the 9/11 catastrophic event. I see the same scenario beginning to unfold all over again. Keep on whining travelers. You’ll get yourselves another catastrophe, then run in circles scream and shout, elect yourselves another George W. Bush, who in turn will again napalm women and kids in some innocent country. So goes another chapter in the “Dumbing down of America”."

Every single thing you have posted has been a lie or neo-con Likud party hate propaganda. You will find the gates of heaven locked tightly unless you reform yourself.

Saying Bush gave Osama what he wanted is to ignore all those who were complicit then and NOW. It lets a lot of people off the hook.

N

bin Laden, McVeigh... *Manson*

Thom, you mentioned how McVeigh's goal was to "trick" the government into declaring war on gun owners and such, provoking an anti-government uprising, and noted how bin Laden also sought to "trick" the U.S. into a war between the U.S. and Muslims trying "help along" a holy war he believed was already coming, just not fast enough for him.

If you remember, this is not the first time this thinking took place.

You may remember that Charles Manson's "Helter Skelter" murder spree was intended to provoke a race war between blacks and whites that Manson believed was already coming.

"Paranoids" all, they perceive a looming threat they are CERTAIN is coming, but when it never comes, they become so frustrated they act to "help things along".

This is what makes Glenn Beck and his followers so dangerous.

"the TSA doesn’t provide security. It provides security theater"

The TSA has announced that every major airport in the nation now has a body scanner. Most only one. Which means they will have to further concentrate screening to that one location.

Which means terrorists will no longer have to be extremely clever to get explosives on planes. They can just strap a hundred pounds of dynamite under their clothes and put another 100 pounds in their carry-on luggage, and detonate it in the middle of the crowd waiting to get through TSA screening. Unless they start screening people in order to get into screening queues, *people* are no safer due to TSA screening. But at least the planes are.

Yep, it isn't really good security, but it is incredible theater. Just think about it, Americans have been convinced that their safety depends on letting a stranger view their naked bodies and having their genitals fondled. And the whole time their actual safety is being compromised. It's like a multi-billion dollar performance art installation.

Republican'ts...............

Now that John ("Hell, no you can't") Boehner is officially the Speaker, it is time to officially re-christen the Party of No with their Obstructionist Platform:
The REPUBLICAN'TS.

This name change would reflect the finalization of the gradual change in the party over the last thirty years from a working representative body into a solid wall that exists solely to protect the interests of multi-national billionaires, various mercenaries, financial and environmental predators who already regard the American People as easily manipulated peasants, and who will continue to relentlessly say, "Hell, no you can't!" to anyone who has any true concern for the well-being of our American communities.

(Maybe we need to say to the radiation scanners: "Hell, No you Can't!")

Ooooh! An opportunity to get a free colonoscopy at the airport!

The last comments inspired me to share with you a book that I just finished reading by Edward Bellamy Looking Backward (1887). It certainly has some 'Dickensonian' trappings, but it is a substantial dream/reality that I think is still very much applicable today while we look just over our shoulder at the 'political', moral, and monetary power grabs that are being clenched in the fists of Republicans and the Teaparty while they attempt to chase us all down a dark alley in America's future. Take your pick as to who is leading that rabid pack while chasing the dreams of a Nation into that alley.

Sounds like we as citizens have an opportunity to make a stand. I haven't been on a plane since I was 9, but now I want to take a trip. Any law against getting excited while being pat down? Can I single out the screener I want to do the pat down to me.... like the hot brunette over there?

"Oh yeah darling, lower.... lower... yeah now back up higher higher, NO just a bit lower, can you squeeze me there... ahhh yeah... got a cigarette???"

Personally the reaction of the same sex screener would be worth it. Listen America their giving you lemons, make lemonade.

N

Well Obama has only himself to blame for his dismal political prospects. Tis a pity its going to put the Democratic party into a tail spin too, but the leadership of the Democratic party hasn't exactly worked very hard to support its platform of late either.

N

God Is Involved

I have tried to delay this comment. This comment brought me an internal conflict that is similar to an old fashion alley mugging. The words in my comment have preyed on my body, mind, and soul. I am revealing these words because I believe passionately in what I will say to you. I have tried to share information that would call Americans to move in the direction of God and for our repentance. We, as Americans, have chosen not to repent and so here is my comment, a dire and sad comment.

We will need to know how God deals with the world. He is intimately involved with every single activity in the world. God knows every reality that exists within His mysterious reality that every being is sustained by Him. Whether we like it or not, God is involved in every famine and harvest. Whether we think about it or not, God is part of every virtuous act and dastardly deed. Whether we like it or not, the history of the world, the story of our life, and the activity of God are intertwined together, world without end. God is involved in every peaceful mission and in every war.

America has turned her back on God; America has killed God’s children; America has followed false prophets like Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, and Obama; and America will always remain greedy, selfish and self-centered. America is also the most evil, vile, and wicked nation on planet, Earth. What is happening in America and in our world reminds me of the story of Job.

In the Bible there is in the Old Testament, the Book of Job. Job lived about 500 or 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It was also around the time that God was not pleased with His people. God has given everything to the people and they were not listening to Him. They were not willing to help one another and their lives were very sinful. God was going to destroy the earth.

For some reason God was going to give the world another chance. He was going to test the world with one person and that person was Job. Job was a man of prayer and he would also praise God. God blessed Job with wealth, land, property, and family. God slowly started to take away what He had given to Job. Job still prayed and praised God. A neighbor came by one day and he talked to Job. He said to Job that God was punishing him and Job still prayed and praised God. How could Job continue to love God? Job said to his neighbor that it was God’s will and God knows best.

God was so moved by Job’s words and loyalty that He spared the earth from destruction. Job’s behavior silenced God. God would speak only one more time. God spoke at Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.”

From Jesus’ death to the present we keep hearing that God works in mysterious ways. With God there are no surprises. No, God does not work in mysterious ways. He has given us His son and the words of Jesus. Our problem is that we refuse to listen to God’s son and His words. God has been testing the world through the United States of Mortal Sin. God has not chosen a person; He has chosen a country. The United States of Mortal Sin is now the Job of the New Testament.

Job, the country, has failed every test. Job, the country, holds steadfastly to hatred, corruption, and lies. She has also embraced murders and war crimes. She has also turned her back on God and God’s son, Jesus. Christianity is no longer Job’s religion. Job and the country’s beauty believe that they are better than God. Like Lucifer, the most beautiful of God’s angels, Job believes that God is not needed and the axis of evil is better than God. Job’s axis of evil clings to money, nuclear weapons, and false prophets and their words.

Job, the country, will also bring down the rest of world and its population. Job has failed God and her destruction and the world’s destruction are imminent.

We must never forget that the pain and suffering upon our nation will be endless because Americans refuse to repent. Yes, it is God’s will because He knows best. God is involved in every activity and aspect of our life from our joys and to our miseries. The slaughter of the Democrats by the fascist-Nazi Party, aka the GOP, was God’s will and He knows best. The domination of the United States Supreme Court over ninety percent of Americans is God’s will and He knows best. The enslavement of ninety percent of the people by ten percent of the American rich and American corporations is God’s will and He knows best. You must never forget that GOD IS INVOLVED.

The United States of the GOP

The GOP has finally solidified its legacy as the United States of the GOP. Let us look at the GOP power grab! Unions will be long abolished; Social Security and Medicare will be memories; pensions and retirement benefits will be vilified as socialistic; the rich will pay zero in taxes; minimum wages will be cut to about $1 per hour; the great concept of America will have vanished; with the Citizens Unified decision by the Supreme Court the GOP can now buy elections; during the Bush administration America saw the closing of 40,000 factories and the loss of 6 million factory jobs; we also saw huge increases in health premiums, two wars, and an economy on the brink of a depression. More damage, pain, and suffering will become evident from the United States of GOP’s power grab.

The United States of the GOP is unwilling to repent. Our nation is embedded with the mentality that must continue to kill God’s children. Unless we are willing to repent Americans will experience ongoing pain and suffering for generations.

Here is my comment for Thom on November 18, 2010.

Thom is an amazing person. He shares with us his optimism for America’s future. I have serious doubt whether or not Thom knows the difference between optimism and true optimism. Optimism can wane but true optimism will not wane.

True optimism is an eighty-five year old man married to a twenty-five year old woman and they buy a home near an elementary school.

Here is my comment for Thom’s listeners and readers.

We looked up in the sky and we saw a flying GOP elephant. The GOP elephant looked down on us and dumped on us a mother load of all mother loads.