Author: Derek

At Least He’s Not Stealing People’s iPads?

September 11, 2013 / / 0 Comments

A TSA screener resigned and then decided to get stupid.

After Onuoha resigned the position he had held as a Transportation Security Administration screener since 2006 on Tuesday morning, he then returned a few hours later to the TSA’s LAX headquarters with a sealed express-mail envelope addressed to the screening manager, according to an affidavit filed in federal court and written by FBI Special Agent David Gates.

Shortly thereafter, Onuoha called a TSA terminal checkpoint to say the manager should open the package immediately — and that authorities should begin evacuating two airport terminals immediately, Gates wrote. Onuoha said he would be watching to ensure the terminals were evacuated, authorities said.

A bomb squad responded and cleared the package Onuoha had allegedly left. It contained an eight-page letter titled “The End of America, The End of satan, we were not defeated” that detailed Onuoha’s thoughts on a suspension he faced in July over a confrontation with a 15-year-old girl regarding her apparel, the affidavit stated.

Just after the package was cleared, Onuoha called his manager, again warning that three airport terminals needed to be evacuated, Gates wrote in the affidavit.

He also allegedly called LAX police to urge evacuation, saying he was “going to deliver a message to America and the whole world,” the affidavit stated.

And apparently he was supposedly suspended last summer for inappropriate remarks to a 15-year-old girl.

One Day, Two Remembrances

September 11, 2013 / / 0 Comments

This year we not only remember the September 11, 2001 attacks, but we are also remembering the attack in Benghazi.

First for all of you 9/11 Truther imbeciles (yes, ad hominen, fuck off!), Popular Mechanics has done a bang-up job of dealing with your conspiracy myths. Note, I said myths, not theories. Theories require rigorous scientific testing to be valid.

Next, for those who want to understand the what and why of the Benghazi attack, I would recommend Brandon Webb’s short ebook on the subject. It’s never as simple and partisan as the chattering class makes it out to be.

Poland Seizes Private Pensions

September 11, 2013 / / 0 Comments

From Reuters:

Poland said on Wednesday it will transfer to the state many of the assets held by private pension funds, slashing public debt but putting in doubt the future of the multi-billion-euro funds, many of them foreign-owned.

The changes went deeper than many in the market expected and could fuel investor concerns that the government is ditching some business-friendly policies to try to improve its flagging popularity with voters.

The Polish pension funds’ organisation said the changes may be unconstitutional because the government is taking private assets away from them without offering any compensation.

(Emphasis mine)

This was done to shore up their sovereign debt. If Poland is successful, I wonder how long before other nations decide to nationalize those assets.

With the looming pension and Medicare crises at home, how secure do you think your retirement investments are?

Trying Very Hard Not to Scream

September 10, 2013 / / 0 Comments

One of my quirks is that I must be on time to the point I would rather be a half-hour early than be even five minutes late. I can feel my spine squiggle if I’m running late.

My brother, in contrast, does make an effort to get someplace on time, but it’s not really a big deal to him if he’s late.

Now, imagine my stress when dealing with my brother and his two coworkers when we’re running late from lunch.

I want to scream at them to hurry up, but I know it’s just me being an ass. That doesn’t stop my spine from doing the jiggly dance of stress.

Metal Tuesday – Seven Kingdoms – After the Fall

September 10, 2013 / / 0 Comments

This week’s Metal Tuesday is Seven Kingdom’s “After the Fall.” Those of you following Game of Thrones should recognize the character being talked about in the lyrics.

This band was a pleasant discovery when my brother and I went to go see Blind Guardian in St. Pete a few years ago. Plus, they’re a local band.

And to be honest, I have a thing for female fronted metal bands. I blame it on early exposure to Pat Benetar.

Lyrics:

I’ve seen nightmare’s wings
Flying high in feverish dreams
Break these chains of misery

No more climbing walls for me
Now wings replace these broken legs
Guide me to my destiny

I feel the cold of Northwind’s Breeze
Raven show me how to fly
Set me free in Summer’s eyes
Across the frozen land of Winterfell’s Kings
A quest to breach the Wall
To reach the land of ice and snow

After the fall
I finally realized
The future of your life
Is not always what it seems
After the fall
I fully understand
The answers that I seek
Are beyond my wildest dreams

Dark news on dark wings
Another comes to join the hall of kings
I fear the worst is yet to be
So run to the North
From the men of Iron shores
To a destiny that’s calling me

Pitch black wings of destiny
Speaking to me in nights of Summer’s dreams
Pitch black wings of destiny
Guiding me to land of ice and trees

Friday Quote – Neils Bohr

September 6, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Double quote goodness!

We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question which divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct. My own feeling is that it is not crazy enough.

If quantum mechanics hasn’t profoundly shocked you, you haven’t understood it yet.

Neils Bohr, Nobel laureate physicist

Quantum level physics is one of those areas of science that I have to struggle with. It’s as if reality has decided that it’s normal rules are boring and it’s going to do something else entirely.

Primer to dealing with atheists

September 6, 2013 / / 0 Comments

Here’s an eleven minute video on some of the more frequent questions/statements that atheists hear when believers find out we’re atheists.

The gist, is that if you have honest questions and ask the respectfully, most of us will be happy to explain our beliefs to you. Please don’t assume we came to our beliefs blindly or because of trauma.

Oh, and for the people that tell me I need to read the Bible more and I’ll believe? That has the same validity of telling me if I manage to get through all three books of Lord of the Rings, I’ll understand that hobbits are real.

Even the EPA Has A SWAT Unit

September 5, 2013 / / 0 Comments

And feel the need to use it. Not to invade the evil polluting corporations armed with automatic weapons (seen on TV), but to do routine Clean Water checks. From Reason:

Chicken is a small roost, boasting all of 17 full-time residents and lots of seasonal mine workers, according to the Dispatch. The EPA wouldn’t explain why it has suddenly shifted to an armed team to check for Clean Water Act violations. According to the Dispatch, one Senate staffer was told the EPA sent an armed team because they were told by Alaska State Troopers there was “rampant drug and human trafficking” in the area. A spokesperson for the troopers denies they told the EPA any such thing.

Because, y’know, the EPA needs its own heavily armed agents to take water samples in the dangerous part of Alaska. And we’ll use the magic term drugs to explain.

Metal Tuesday – Delain – Control the Storm

September 3, 2013 / / 0 Comments

This week’s Metal Tuesday is Delain’s “Control the Storm.”

Lyrics:

I can feel it grow
Starting like a little storm
Itching in my toes
But it’s will to take over
Ain’t quite that small
I can feel it grow
I can hear it moan
I can hear it’s bitter cries
In my veins it crawls
Underneath my tongue it hides
I’m in control

An error in my genesis
The reason why I started this
Where did we go wrong?

Don’t you know
In the end you’re no stronger of hand
You are no stronger of heart
Don’t you know
In the end, we’ll be tragically torn apart
If we can’t control the storm

Does it get to you?
Fury in your fingertips
It doesn’t get me too
Turning hands to angry fists
In rageful bliss
Oh does it get to you?
Crying all your lullabies
Do you lick your wounds
Wondering how we could try to stop this useless fight

An error in my genesis
The reason why I started this
Where did we go wrong?

Don’t you know
In the end you’re no stronger of hand
You are no stronger of heart
Don’t you know
In the end, we’ll be tragically torn apart
If we can’t control the storm

Homestead Detroit!

August 30, 2013 / / 0 Comments

I was listening to the Red Eye podcast and one of the guests made an off-the-cuff remark about sending all the illegal immigrants to Detroit. I chuckled, and then thought, that’s not a bad idea.

Project: Homestead Detroit. Reclaim urban blight. Citizenship after two years of productive work.

I mean, it can’t be worse than most of the eminent domain grabs?