The Best and Brightest (Air Marshals)

OK, here's a link for those who say citizens are not capable of defending themselves. I am not saying citizens should be able to pack guns on planes or that all air marshals are bad. Just that a lot of citizens carry weapons and don't leave them in public restrooms or punch holes in hotel rooms. How would you like to find a pistol in the bathroom on a plane? I would be terrified even though I could handle it safely. I mean, don't you figure terrorists are on board and smuggled a weapon on? And how do you delicately approach a flight attendant, "Er, excuse me, I found this loaded gun laying around, want to see it?" "Me smuggle it aboard, oh no, I found it. I swear." But hey, we're in good hands with the feds.

Some very funny stuff in there, I'm sure Leno and Letterman will have a field day.


I note that some marshalls are complaining they are working over 50 hours per week and not getting paid overtime. Just today, I read this:


MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, S.D. (AP) - President Bush, using Mount Rushmore as a dramatic backdrop, pressed Congress Thursday to give him a flexible, fast-moving homeland security department unfettered by work rules and red tape.


"We can't have our hands tied," exclaimed Bush, with the granite-carved heads of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt hovering overhead.


In light of the USA Today article, seem a bit of hand-tying might be in order.


Anyway, most of the airlines will be out of business soon, so not to worry.

What's troubling about the new department is that many workers will be culled from other federal agencies. If the new department does not follow work rules then these people will be working under worse conditions than in their former capacities. Does the Pres think that will lead to a strong department, one that will attract good talent?


It amazes me that worker gains, which used to be benchmark for our progress as a civil society, are now spun as evil bureaucratic rules that "tie our hands". I suppose Bush thinks we would be a better country if we returned to pre-OSHA conditions and brought back the 6 day, 80 hour week of the early 20th century.


KJS

I fly almost every week, and from what I can see, the new security precautions are a joke. I haven't heard of them catching any terrorists. Wo we're all standing in line just to make ourselves feel safer? Or is the real agenda to catch more drugs?


As for the Marshalls, what do you expect from people working for government wages?

real point is to get you used to checkpoints and random searches.

I recall that marshalls were used on planes in the past. The main problem for those workers was boredom, and many became very anxious to do what they were put on planes to do.


John

Think about it. You have to fly commercial 40-50 hours a week and live in crappy hotels out of a suitcase. You can't drink on the planes. You are in coach on a Newark-L.A. flight on a hot summer day wearing a suit to conceal all your plane ninja stuff. Guns get uncomfortable and you have a bunch of other gear. Your handcuffs, flashlight, "tactical" knife, ASP baton, etc... There's a large lady next to you who takes her shoes off and scratches a lot. There are three out of control kids running about with one oblivious parent. There are two teenage girls playing Britney on their Discmans loud enough so it can be heard and singing along to it. There is a group of foreign nationals singing a treasured folk song full volume on the plane. Such is commercial flying now. Now who among us wouldn't be just a little tempted to get up and start busting some caps off? /images/smile.gif

maybe thats why when that one guy got up to go the bathroom during the 10 minute no leave your seat zone, they made him sit down and put his hands on his head and told him theyd blow his head off if he moved.


oh, and i think they made all the passengers put their hands on their head, too.


brad

There's a great scene in a W.C. Fields movie in which his character, after winning a million dollars, goes out and buys a fleet of cars and hires drivers for the entire fleet. He drives and they follow him. Eventually, another motorist cuts him off, and Fields' character retaliates by running him off the road and yells "Road Hog" at him. His car is ruined, so he simply whistles for the next car in line to be pulled up, so he can repeat this action over and over.


Basically, I would never carry a gun because too many little things piss me off. "Let's see, you have how many items in the express lane?"


John

"Basically, I would never carry a gun because too many little things piss me off. "Let's see, you have how many items in the express lane?"


I would lay huge odds this would not be a problem for you. Look, just use cops as an example. All pack guns. A lot are bitter and somewhat unstable. There aren't many shootings by cops in express lines no matter how justified. People really do have the ability to control themselves enough to refrain from murder if they have any shred of sense. You do and wouldn't go about shooting people at the store.

Well, if John would be able to control himself because someone has an item or two over the maximum, he'd certainly get angry over the poor grammar of our "10 items or less" signs here in L.A.