Blown by the TSA again/Aviophobia once again

The Bombardier 200, the 36 passenger turbo-prop used
on the runs between Seattle and Eugene and Portland, OR

I'm back from two nights, three days, four flights, and five cities (SF, Emeryville, Oakland, Eugene, Portland) on the road. Since I get frisked on every flight, I received the goosing four times this trip. And in San Francisco, I was once again blown by the TSA. They put you in a booth and jets of wind swirl around you for five seconds and stop. Then a red light comes on as the machine analyzes your scent for explosives, and allegedly, drugs, and maybe even the anarchist scent. I particularly resent being blown by the TSA, because it's clearly done by profiling. Being frisked, I am more sanguine about. Yeah, I have a large stainless steel femur and it sets off alarms. Fine. But when they put me in the blowjob booth, it's not because of my prosthetic hip but because I am not apparently a businessman.

I am a Vice President of something or other, but they have no way of knowing that. It doesn't cut any ice if you don't fit the traditional mold. Since I dress in Salvation army couture (aka northwest grunge/boho), have shaggy hair and a beard, and carry a pack instead of one of those tacky rolling suitcases, I get singled out. I resent the blowbooth and everything it stands for. The TSA would tell you they're doing a great job of profiling people, because nary a plane has been hijacked since September 2001. Au Contraire. They've been lucky. At least once I've accidentally carried a very sharp Gerber mini-magnum onto a plane undetected...even though I was singled out at the metal detector and frisked. But leave your computer or a bottle of water in your luggage, and the entire TSA cadre harangues you and points you out as an example to the other hapless security line goobs.

There were about seven or eight girls ahead of me in line, traveling together. I don't think most of them had ever flown before. The TSA was merciless because they hadn't taken their belts off, removed their shoes, placed their gels, liquids in a plastic bag in which none of the liquieds ir gels could exceed 3.4 ounces, removed their laptops and placed them in a bin separate from the bin for their shoes, belt, and liquids. Naturally, they also fluffed the "remove your coat, warm up jacket, sports coat, jacket and any other outer garments" and didn't finesse whether hooded sweatshirts were kosher or trefe. They seemed like sweet kids and it was a comedy of errors that became amusing to watch. They all kept apologizing. I helped the last two sort their gear in accordance with the latest protocols and we finally go through "security."

The flight from Eugene to Portland, although it is only about 30 minutes, was harrowing this time. We encountered King Hell turbulence ten minutes into the trip, just about as we hit 10,000 feet. The plane, probably ten times, dropped 100 feet or so, and at one point both dropped 100 feet and tilted almost sideways. Naturally, they cancelled the Horizon free wine and beer cart immediately--just when you needed it most!
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Poem: The Outlet

The water gathers in a lake
Without flowing out, but always

Finds an outlet when the lake is full,
And so it with us.

We're just like the water
And when we've had it up to here,

We shoot up our former workplace
Or do a slow burn with pills and bottles,

And some of us just resign--
Not ending it,

But re-arranging it
And starting over.
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Photos of Elliott Spitzer and call girl

The four photographs of what appears to be Governor
Elliott Spitzer and a hooker prostitute call girl escort.
Click to enlarge.


By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor
Copyright 2008

This afternoon, someone—from a newly created gmail account—emailed four photos of two adults having sex to the national affairs desk. One of the lucky participants is unquestionably former New York Governor Elliott Spitzer. Because All This Is That is a family-friendly website, we have obscured some of the details.

Alexandra Dupre, the woman upon whom now Ex -governor Elliott Spitzer spent many many thousands of dollars is, like most modern young folks, plugged in. Actually her only posts on MySpace seem to be when she created it, and uploaded her song and biography, one entry is from Aug. 30, 2007, and one undated, inspirational message. She has a lot of fan letters from the last few days too.

Click here to hear her sing. Click here to see her profile. Click here to read her biography.
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Poem: Into the wind

I watch three herring gulls
Fly South into the wind
And they're losing ground,

Tumbling and righting themselves
In the shifting currents
Scouring the air.

It's not that they want
To migrate South
So much as not go North.

Something in the gull's hearts
Tells them to stay clear
Of Ketchikan, Skagway, and Nome.
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It wasn't the babes, it was the bucks: Spitzer brings down yet another prostitution ring

It wasn't the babes, it was the bucks, according to Brian Ross on the ABC News website. And get this: they're thinking of prosecuting him under an obscure law for "structuring," which is more or less money laundering to cover up the source of cash (which is just what he did). Curiously, this is the third prostitution ring the former Attorney General of New York brought down. . .this one by accident.

"The federal investigation of a New York prostitution ring was triggered by Gov. Eliot Spitzer's suspicious money transfers, initially leading agents to believe Spitzer was hiding bribes, according to federal officials. "

They didn't start out investigating the hookers prostitutes call girls escorts. It was Spitzer they were onto after his bank notified the feds of suspicious financial activity. The FBI uncovered his emails and wiretapped his phones. It seems Elliott didn't follow his own advice:

"Never talk when you can nod, and never nod when you can wink, and never write an e-mail because it's death. You're giving prosecutors all the evidence we need," Spitzer told ABC News two years ago.

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Oh! What a beautiful morning!

As you know, I am a fan of folk lore and folk music. Do you remember singing this song in the 3rd grade, or has it slipped from the canon? Sometimes it gets old doing internet research. . .so, I am pretty sure this was a folk song that was later appropriated by Rodgers and Hammerstein for the opening of their musical Oklahoma! Their lyrics are different anyhow, and somehow I prefer this version that I remember singing in Mrs. Raschkow's classroom.


Oh, What A Beautiful Morning



(Traditional—later appropriated by Rodgers and Hammerstein?)

Oh! What a beautiful morning
Oh! What a beautiful day
I've got a beautiful feeling
Everything's going my way

There's a bright, golden haze on the meadow
There's a bright, golden haze on the meadow
The corn is as high as an elephant's eye
And it looks like it's climbing
Clear up to the sky

Oh! What a beautiful morning
Oh! What a beautiful day
I've got a beautiful feeling
Everything's going my way
Everything's going my way
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Dumb-ass of the week: Client No. 9 Governor Spitzer

Silda Spizter stands besides Client No. 9 at a press
conference this morning

With the stunning news this morning that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has been implicated in a prostitution ring, we can now call him "Client Number 9." Spitzer was one of the johns described in a recently unsealed FBI affidavit detailing the operation of the Emperors Club, a call girl ring. The affidavit describes hooker interactions with ten johns, including one client who paid cash for a February 13 sex session at a Washington, D.C. hotel.

The New York Times identifies the 48-year-old politician as Client-9. Client-9 (clearly a repeat customer) apparently went to great lengths to arrange the illicit Washington encounter, choosing to mail money in advance to the ring, instead of using a credit card. Client-9, whose conversations were recorded by an FBI wiretap, would not do "traditional wire transferring," the FBI affidavit quotes one Emperors Club.

One of the call-girls spoke with a Emperors Club scheduler, who said that she had been told that Client-9 "would ask you to do things that, like, you might not think were safe..." "Kristen" responded saying that she could handle guys like that, like the soon to be Ex-Governor.

Spitzer, was often called Elliott Ness when he was attorney general. He was a corruption fighter--and had several high profile tussles with Wall Street while serving as attorney. He also prosecuted at least one prostitution ring in his tenure. But the corruption he routed out apparently didn't extend to his own conduct.

The Emperors Club VIP web site shows a range of hourly rates, for the women who are ranked on a one diamond to 7 diamond scale. A seven-diamond gal would have set the Governor back $5,500 an hour.

Of course, Spitzer's wife stood by him at the press conference. Most people expect he will resign sometime today or tonight. I wonder what Senator Clinton would say? She can't win either way--she has to really hope this goes away fast!
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Brit Thru-Vision develops T5000 camera that sees through clothing from 80 feet away, allegedly without showing the "naughty bits"

ICU2! According to Reuters, a British company has developed a camera that detects weapons, drugs or explosives hidden under people's clothes from up to 25 meters away in what could be a breakthrough for the security industry. Of course, the company ThruVision claims the camera does not reveal physical body details

The T5000 camera uses a "passive imaging technology" to identify objects by the natural electromagnetic rays -- known as Terahertz or T-rays -- that they emit.

The camera detects hidden objects from up to 80 feet away and is effective even when people are moving. And, of course, "the screening is harmless."

The technology could be used in airports and other large public gathering places, and will be unveiled at a scientific development exhibition sponsored by Britain's Home Office this week.

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The Dusty 45's perform Buddy Holly's "Oh Boy"

Seattle's Duty 45's perform Buddy Holly's classic Oh Boy. I saw the Dusty 45's at The Hideout Thursday night, and had a ball. I regret that I didn't know about them sooner, because I've missed a lot of great shows. For my money, they are one of the most interesting and tuneful bands playing in Seattle today. They are playing this Friday in Seattle, about which, more later.

Alien Lore. No.125 : The Wow Signal

Thanks to Jeff Clinton for pointing this one out. I'd heard of the Wow signal, but never read about it.






The Wow! signal was a narrowband (and surprisingly robust) radio signal detected by Dr. Jerry R. Ehman on August 15, 1977 while working on a SETI project at the Big Ear radio telescope of Ohio State University. The signal bore expected hallmarks of potential non-terrestrial and non-solar system origin. It lasted for 72 seconds.

The Wow signal has often been considered the most promising, or the most likely, signal SETI has studied to date.

Dr. Ehman circled the signal on the computer printout and wrote the comment "Wow!" on its side. . .ergo the name by which it is still known.
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Long video of some good moments from the film Idiocracy

Here are some YouTube video clips from one of my favorite movies of the last couple of years: Idiocracy.



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Let's talk about Barack Obama's accomplishments as a US Senator (YouTube video from Hardball)

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