Fear of flying
Verbal Jazz knows not what to make of this new plan introduced by the Department of Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid that dictates that an armed guard will appear on designated foreign planes flying over the US. Verbal Jazz maintains that while there is an element of risk and terrorists are most certainly plotting more attacks: that's sort of the nature of terrorists (or "freedom fighters" or "soldiers of god"): to attack and plan attacks that bend the attacked to their will.
Flying is a risky endeavor anyway. Even with countless statistics to assure us that driving is far more hazardous, there is an element of risk involved with letting ones body hurtle at hundreds of miles per hour at 30,000 feet. The main reason that driving is more risky must be that any idiot has the means to get a driver's license and a car (unless they happen to be an immigrant in California), but there is some pretty special training that goes into being able to fly and have access to an airplane. If any "average Joe" (a phrase that needs retiring dues to the TV series) had the access and money to buy a used Cessna then air travel would be a bit riskier. Could you imagine a traffic accident between "Jetsons" style flying cars? Better not be a pickup baseball game going on below.
But then, the risks associated with flying are not due to inadequate pilots crashing into a mountain while distracted by their cell phone conversations, the risks run more toward threats of terrorists seeking to use airplanes as Weapons of Mass Destruction: thousands of pounds of metal filled with gallons upon gallons of combustible fuel as well as people who may be sorely missed. The Department of Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid (otherwise known as Homeland Security), may be taking a necessary step in assuring that those of us who fly to foreign lands come back from said foreign lands and are not used as a missile. On the other hand it could entirely fit with the tired M.O. of the Department of Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: All fear all the time.
Could you imagine the havoc caused by an armed marshal firing a weapon in an enclosed airplane filled with frightened passengers and determined terrorists?
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Verbal Jazz knows not what to make of this new plan introduced by the Department of Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid that dictates that an armed guard will appear on designated foreign planes flying over the US. Verbal Jazz maintains that while there is an element of risk and terrorists are most certainly plotting more attacks: that's sort of the nature of terrorists (or "freedom fighters" or "soldiers of god"): to attack and plan attacks that bend the attacked to their will.
Flying is a risky endeavor anyway. Even with countless statistics to assure us that driving is far more hazardous, there is an element of risk involved with letting ones body hurtle at hundreds of miles per hour at 30,000 feet. The main reason that driving is more risky must be that any idiot has the means to get a driver's license and a car (unless they happen to be an immigrant in California), but there is some pretty special training that goes into being able to fly and have access to an airplane. If any "average Joe" (a phrase that needs retiring dues to the TV series) had the access and money to buy a used Cessna then air travel would be a bit riskier. Could you imagine a traffic accident between "Jetsons" style flying cars? Better not be a pickup baseball game going on below.
But then, the risks associated with flying are not due to inadequate pilots crashing into a mountain while distracted by their cell phone conversations, the risks run more toward threats of terrorists seeking to use airplanes as Weapons of Mass Destruction: thousands of pounds of metal filled with gallons upon gallons of combustible fuel as well as people who may be sorely missed. The Department of Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid (otherwise known as Homeland Security), may be taking a necessary step in assuring that those of us who fly to foreign lands come back from said foreign lands and are not used as a missile. On the other hand it could entirely fit with the tired M.O. of the Department of Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: All fear all the time.
Could you imagine the havoc caused by an armed marshal firing a weapon in an enclosed airplane filled with frightened passengers and determined terrorists?
|
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