Michael Z. Williamson's Blog, page 13
December 14, 2010
Some People
I try to have a mutual non-aggression pact with other writers. You’d be amazed at the foibles and human failings of some of us (and I include myself in this). Art requires character, and some of us have it in spades.
Occasionally, though, someone puts their foot in it so egregiously I’m compelled to comment.
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Mike Williamson
to charlie.stross
show details Dec 9
I believe you are absolutely wrong on Assange, and letting your respectable desire for open society color your opinion.
His actions, by his own admission (and later denial, of course) have led to the deaths of thousands of innocents.
He has done nothing substantive to hurt the US government, and has strengthened the positions of numerous actual evil regimes.
He speaks of public data, but retcons his own history as suits him.
Nicki has very legitimate professional credentials to speak on this matter.
http://thelibertyzone.com/2010/12/08/the-arrogance-and-ignorance-of-julian-assange.aspx
As a veteran myself, I have a considerably different position on his actions than you do.
http://mzmadmike.livejournal.com/91170.html
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Charlie Stross
to me
Cite, please. Assange is a journalist. Who, precisely, has he killed?
Cites in Nicki's post.
Assange in August:
1,300 people were eventually killed [in Kenya], and 350,000 were displaced. That was a result of our leak. [Stross never acknowledged this direct refutation of his original statement]
He released detailed information on informants that Al Qaida used to hunt them down.
He released detailed information on radio frequencies, call signs and evac missions that provided actual intel to AQ.
The Taliban, a radical Islamic militia in Afghanistan, announced its gratitude to Wikileaks for the release and vowed to hunt down those revealed in the documents to be collaborating with the U.S. It appears that they have now made good on that threat.
Khalifa Abdullah, a tribal elder, was removed from his home in Monar village, in Kandahar province’s embattled Arghandab district, by gunmen. He was then executed.
At the same time, 70 other tribal elders received death threats warning them that the Taliban had obtained reason to believe they were collaborating with the U.S. One such threat is signed by Abdul Rauf Khadim, a senior Taliban official who was imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. When the Cuban prison was partially shut down by President Obama Khadim was transferred to Afghan custody in Kabul, where he subsequently escaped.
He's not a journalist. Journalists go out of their way to protect both their sources and innocent bystanders. Reporters Without Borders has condemned him. [the cofounder of Wikipedia has condemned him]
When he appeared in court Mr Assange initially refused to offer an address beyond an Australian post office box number, prompting Judge Riddle to warn him that there would be serious consequences of his behaviour.
After a brief conversation with his lawyer Mr Assange gave a Melbourne address in writing, saying that he wanted it to remain private, but the judge then directed a court clerk to read it out.
And apparently, this openness shouldn't apply to his noble self. Only to others. [Stross never commented on this double standard]
I'm confused, though. You seem to think the Nobel Peace Prize confers some kind of credibility to the recipient. That may have been true at one time. as it stands the last couple of decades, it's almost a mark of shame.
Any comment on his cheerleaders attempting to damage businesses that made the CHOICE not to engage in business with him?[Stross had no comment]
[friends], BTW, are some of the many people who got called in for hundreds of hours of extra work for the sole purpose of finding out who had been exposed and might be killed, so they could be evacuated. Because the US government is so evil.
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Charlie Stross
to me
show details Dec 10 (5 days ago)
[]Because the US
government is so evil.
Yes, it is. It's the US government that invaded Iraq and killed a third of a million Iraqi civilians, (Documented body count by violence, which includes crime and domestic fighting as well as combat, does not exceed 110,000. Someone who demands cites should endeavor to be more accurate.)
triggering a vile civil war. It's the US government that invaded Afghanistan for the second time in thirty years (“Second time”? Cite please on the “First time” the US invaded Afghanistan.) , killing and displacing a metric buttload of Afghans. [Actually, most of the displacement was due to the Taliban. We are enabling as many as possible to return home. Afghanistan was a lovely place under the Taliban, where women had their genitals mutilated, no education, were beaten, archeological finds and historic artwork were destroyed, books burned, and unicorns ejaculated rainbows. Incidentally, YOUR NATION has been alongside us in this since Day One] If you expect me to shed any tears for the failures of this policy of state terrorism [like the Taliban’s, Charlie?], well -- no death is *ever* justified, especially as the outcome of a political choice. But [BUT!] Al Qaida, for all their violent posturing and murderous activities [which really aren’t that bad, eh?], have achieved most of their goals by pushing the US government into motion.
(Here's a hint: I am not American.)[Here’s a hint: YOUR NATION has been alongside us in this since Day One]
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Mike Williamson
to Charlie
show details Dec 10
Here's a hint--I'm British by birth and upbringing. I'm an immigrant to the States.
I served with a large number of Brits[REALLY!] over in the Middle East. Also Canadians, Koreans, Japanese, Georgians, Australians and some others.
However, I bow to your expertise. Please explain to me what the purpose of our "invasion" was. Cites, please.
Any comment on the thousands of hospitals, schools, water plants and generators we've built in both countries?
The US is far from perfect. One might argue US vs UK, though I won't. But compared to any nation in that region, we're the good guys.
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Charlie Stross
to me
show details Dec 10 (5 days ago)
On 10/12/2010 18:20, you wrote:
However, I bow to your expertise. Please explain to me what the purpose
of our "invasion" was. Cites, please.
The purpose of the invasion was to kill Saddam Hussein and get rid of the non-existent Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. [Stross did not provide a cite]
Any comment on the thousands of hospitals, schools, water plants and
generators we've built in both countries?
A third of a million deaths can't be bought off with a few buildings.
[no more than 100K by absolute worst case scenario, most of them domestic in nature, and it’s a lot more than a “few” buildings. But please tell me of the great things you’ve done for these nations, Charlie. We’ll come back to that below. Again ignore that YOUR NATION has been involved since Day One]
The US is far from perfect. One might argue US vs UK, though I won't.
But compared to any nation in that region, we're the good guys.
Frankly, that's an idiotic argument: "we're not as bad as those guys over there!" doesn't exculpate evil action.[except for them, apparently, per your comments. Let me remind you again that YOUR NATION has been with us since Day One.]
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Mike Williamson
to Charlie
show details Dec 10
The purpose of the invasion was to kill Saddam Hussein and get rid of the non-existent Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.
Wrong, That's not even the publicly announced purpose. That was soundbite material fabricated by the press.
[Here’s the actual Iraq War resolution. Most of this turned out to be true. Because when it comes down to it, our intelligence services do make mistakes, but are generally better than some overgrown juvenile with a computer. http://consul-at-arms.blogspot.com/2005/08/iraq-war-resolution.html and again, the UK has been in this war alongside us since Day One, so Stross doesn’t get to play the holier than thou card.
My own take on the strategy of the current war can be found here: http://mzmadmike.livejournal.com/68162.html ]
A third of a million deaths can't be bought off with a few buildings.
Cite please, on these deaths. Then please compare against existing death rate in the nation in question.[Stross did not respond to this]
Also, if Assange gets to play, "A few deaths are a sacrifice for long term good," so do others. Same standards must apply.
Frankly, that's an idiotic argument: "we're not as bad as those guys over there!" doesn't exculpate evil action.
"Evil" is an emotion-begging term. And your own government is fully in accord, so please don't play that card.
Frankly, I expected a much better level of debate.
[No further response from Stross on this thread]
~~~~~
PS THREAD
[image error] Charlie Stross
to me
show details Dec 10
http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/11/28/state_department_refuses_to_negotiate_with_wikileaks
Wikileaks repeatedly approached the State Department for assistance in filtering the material they intended to publish, prior to publication, to ensure nobody was at risk of harm.
That the State Department refused to negotiate suggests to me that any blood is very much on their hands.
Mike Williamson
to Charlie, bcc: Nicki
show details Dec 10
Wow. Your grasp of intelligence ops is that poor?
I mean, seriously?
"The State Department rejected WikiLeaks' request for the names of individuals who may be "at significant risk of harm" due to the release of the sensitive documents."
Can you go ahead and tell me which of your credit card numbers you don't want posted online?
[I mean seriously. I have to question whether Stross is high on something, or just a fucking idiot.
Let me see: “Hi, we just stole information from you. Now, which information is particularly important to you? You can trust us.” Does Stross really believe that any government, corporation, business or individual over the intellectual age of six would go along with that? He’s allegedly educated. What did he do with his degree in computer science? Flip burgers and surf for porn in his parents’ basement?]
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Nicki
to me, Charlie
show details Dec 10
WikiLeaks did NOT approach State. The New York Times did - AFTER they received every last bloody page from WikiLeaks.
WikiLeaks initially approached DoD for "help" in redacting the stolen classified information it planned to release come hell or high water. "Hey, DoD! Can you help us publish the documents that were stolen from you?"
GTFO
[Overwhelmed with facts, Charlie decided not to come out and play]
None of this addressed the fact that if Assange had inserted "mr x" and "mr y" in those releases, he would have accomplished just as much politically (which is to say, absolutely nothing), and prevented a lot of people dying, which by his own admission has happened.
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE: I discussed this with a Canadian infantry officer who didn’t see it as a substantial problem for the US government (And it’s not. The US government still exists). He went ahead and found the documents, scanned through them, determined that most of the recent release was US documents about Canadian and British operations (Remember those, Charlie? It turns out YOUR NATION is involved in this war. Who knew?), and found his own casualties listed. His very mild comment, “Yes, this information is hurting people.”
This still does not address that he's only releasing US documents. He stopped releasing Russian docs when they threatened to off him. He's never, that I'm aware, released any Chinese or Korean docs (releasing US docs about those countries does not count. Unless, of course, he's admitting that our intelligence is better, and our society more open, than theirs. In which case I believe we get the win).
Because, after all, they're such decent people.
As to, “It’s only information.” Well, then. I guess we can just call our JTACs and Pathfinders “journalists.” All they’re doing is transmitting the coordinates of the targets on the ground. It’s not their fault if someone drops a Mk 82 JDAM on it. If I see someone above the courthouse with a large rock, and I shout, “The person directly under you and five feet to the left is Julian Assange,” I’m only providing information. If I post Charlie’s personal contact info, credit card numbers and nude photos of him (Shudder) online, that would only be information, and he’d have no right to object.
I believe former DC Mayor Marion Barry tried this defense in court. He only smoked the pipe. Someone else lit it, so he didn’t actually commit the crime. I wonder how that worked for him? Oh, right. It didn’t.
~~~
I took a look and found some other, most amusing content on his blog. Quite an original presence he has. Most people masturbate in private:
From where I'm standing, the USA is the biggest and most violent rogue state on the planet. Its actions over the past decade have directly killed hundreds of thousands (Iraq, Afghanistan)
It’s called a war. Britain firebombed Dresden in WWII. Malaya. Rhodesia. Suck it. PS: Britain has been in this war with us since the beginning. Did I say that already?
and contributed to millions of deaths due to HIV (veto on family planning counseling in the AID budget for Africa -- now rescinded).
Wait, the US has a legal or moral obligation to deal with a problem in Africa? But not with a problem in the Middle East? Or is it that we only have an obligation to deal with the problems you wants us to in the way you wants us to, at our expense? Feel free to write a check, Charlie (I told you we’d come back to that). You’re supposed to be a minarchist, and you oppose the US government, but you also want it to spend more of other people’s money, and you don’t even vote in our elections. Hypocritical much?
Other actions -- sabotage/derailment/watering down of carbon emissions controls
That was China. And Japan http://tucsoncitizen.com/wryheat/2010/12/08/cancun-climate-conference-japan-says-no-to-kyoto/ And India. And at this point, pretty much the entire world except Europe and Canada. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Kyoto_Protocol_Commitment_map_2010.png/800px-Kyoto_Protocol_Commitment_map_2010.png Please remember what you are looking at while you fap. The US opposes it because we’re expected to foot the bill for everyone else, as you’ve just said. Incidentally, all those lovely handouts you expect us to make? Financed by our economy. Destroy our economy, and Africa won’t get any food, either, since most of that is provided gratis by us. I swear my 10 year old has a better grasp of politics and international relations.
-- may result in uncounted tens or hundreds of millions of deaths over the next century (but are impossible to quantify at this time).
So why bring them up? Is this the same global warming ™ that causes acne? http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/warmlist.htm And is downgraded every year? Supported by politicians that thinking banning dihydrogen monoxide is a good thing? http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-spokane/climate-change-delegates-sign-petition-to-ban-water It may eventually kill as many people as when we ran out of oil in 1980, as predicted in 1973. But, again, we’re expected to pay out of our pockets for your desires. A rather childish viewpoint. Especially as you’re about 40 lbs overweight and regularly fly to the US for shindigs. I suspect your carbon footprint is somewhat larger than mine. Conversely, California’s carbon footprint is neutral: http://www.sotsyndicate.com/politics-economics/29381-more-eco-fail-nasa-data-shows-cali-gasp-carbon-neutral.html
Oh, yeah—and won’t all those AIDS deaths reduce the world’s carbon footprint? It sounds like you’re (pardon the pun) blowing hot and cold out of the same mouth.
Internally, the USA runs the biggest gulag on the planet,
I presume you mean the minimum security prisons we keep dope smokers in. I disagree with those myself. I wouldn’t call them a “gulag” though. PS: They’re much smaller than China’s, which are much harsher. Of course the UK http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/british-politician-arrested-after-twitter-joke/ doesn’t do http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/115736/Sin-bins-for-worst-families anything
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235782/Millionaire-Munir-Hussain-fought-knife-wielding-burglar-jailed-intruder-let-off.html like that http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2361735.stm.
carries out executions and torture,
Of course, the UK never did that in Northern Ireland or Malaya. Or India.
and has pretty much neutered its internal protections for civil liberties in the name of security.
Well, only at airports. And I agree. However, you don’t live here, so those are not your problem. Oh, one note: I was felt up TWICE in one trip through Heathrow, in 1999, more intimately than here. They had hands in my pants. I guess the US wins again.
~~~
A Postcript: Stross is fine with using the threat of the British government against commenters:
I'm leaving Don Laird's posting intact as a demonstration of the kind of bile floating around here. But I'd like to add a couple of footnotes. 1. This server is hosted in the UK, where public calls for extrajudicial killing -- otherwise known as "murder" -- are themselves a criminal offense called "incitement". No US First Amendment here, and Don would be well advised to be more careful about what he says on this blog if he plans to visit the UK in future.
Really. And how would the British government know about this blog post? And would they really use someone’s expressed anger to put them on a list for later arrest, without warning or warrant? Doesn’t say much about the country. Or about a "minarchist" who'll use his own government against foreign dissent, and expects some other government to do what he wants it to, but not what he doesn't want it to. Most of us grew out of the "But I waaaant it!" phase around 5 years old.
You also lives in the nation with the highest number of security cameras on Earth, enough to make Big Brother cream his pants, and where protest is illegal if it might piss off the Chinese ambassador. See how easy it is to be a hater, Charlie? And since I hold citizenship in both countries, I’ve got a better moral high ground than you.
None of which justifies Assange from getting innocent third world peasants killed to show those “bastards.” Though Stross seems fine with the idea. So why does it matter if we spend money on AIDS support, Charlie? Assange will have them all dead from warlordism soon enough.
~~~~
Background that may be relevant: I first met Stross several years ago at Penguicon. He was the least amiable of the guests, hardly interacted with the ones I knew.
One of the panels was, “READINGS: Charlie Stross, Michael Z. Williamson, (other author).” This works out to 20 minutes each, of course, for a one hour panel.
So, the other author and I sat down to let Stross go first. I agreed to let the other author go second.
Stross starts reading. At 20 minutes, I nod to the other author. Stross keeps reading. At 25 minutes, I wonder when he’s going to wrap up. I figure he might want 30 minutes, since he had top billing. Then 30 minutes comes and goes. At 42 minutes, the other author and I shrug, stand up, leave. Stross kept reading, and finished out the hour. At no point did he find either of us to apologize for hogging our time.
I was not impressed then and I’m not impressed now.
December 8, 2010
Julian Asswanker Should Be Shot
First, Julian claims to be doing this because he hates "Bastards." We must be clear here, though: He's done little expose of the Russians, none of the Chinese, North Koreans, Vietnamese, Iranians, Zimbabweans, or any other group of "bastards." Mostly, he's attacking the US. Remember that US? The one that gives food to half the world, sends entire fleets of ships to clean up after earthquakes in Haiti, tsunamis in Indonesia, that US? The "Bastards."
Here's a hint from Speaker to Morons: Compared to any of those other countries, the US is the good guy.
In other words, he's picking on us because we have a relatively open society that makes it possible.
So basically, he's an inept loser of a spy and a moral coward.
The check on this is that after the sole Russian document release, they openly offered to put a hit on him if there was another. There has not been another.
Now, as it stands, every government on Earth wants him silenced, for good and valid reasons I'll go into below, and even Reporters Without Borders is calling on him to exercise some discretion, because his rampant idiocy is making it harder for real journalists to get any information. Rather than improving visibility, he's causing people to clam up. This is contradictory to his stated case. So, either he's a total idiot, or he's a self-aggrandizing cockbag playing libtards for fools. Considering how easy the latter is, I think we have a winner.
Now, here is why the government, and every rational person in America, should be calling for his blood, slowly and painfully.
You might have noticed when you got up this morning that the US government was still there. Not only was it still there, it was still operating much as it did yesterday, last week, last month, last year. Asswanker's attack on "bastards" has been pathetically, amusingly, embarrassingly ineffective.
What did happen, when this release started, was that all my friends in Intel and Operations got called in, away from their families (yes, government employees and contractors are actual human beings with actual families. Some of them even have actual degrees in stuff other than liberal arts), to work long hours on your tax dollars (for some reason, they expect to be paid for work they do. I know, I know. Outrageous of them. Blame their right-wing unions).
What, you ask, are they doing with those long hours?
Well, you see, it turns out that intel in the war against the Taliban (that you liberals bitched about for half the Clinton administration, which did nothing about it), and the excesses of Saddam Hussein (who you complained about until we attacked him, then turned him into some kind of underdog folk hero), came from actual, real people with families and lives. Yes, information generally comes from persons living in the area. Imagine that.
The public release of this information amid much fanfare means the enemy that was informed upon knows the names of the informants. This means those informants, and their families, are at risk of being killed, raped, tortured, or otherwise harmed by an enemy that thinks cutting off of noses, stoning to death and rape are acceptable activities.
I presume these are the "Bastards" that Asswanker and yourselves hate, right?
Right?
So, yes, actual, real people, who bravely stepped up against local terror and butchery are having to evacuate their homes and be relocated to live in fear, on your tax dollars (unless you'd prefer we leave them to be killed, raped, butchered by the heroic, anti-American Taliban and al Qaida).
So, I presume from the responses I see from Asswanker's cheerleaders, that this is exactly what they want
Legitimate journalists redact personal and identifying information, so the story still gets told, but no one gets compromised. That's apparently not good enough for Asswanker (incidentally, in the spirit of openness, may I assume he's going to post the last decade of his emails for people to view? Soon? Yes?). He has to, as Jon Stewart put it, show their penis. I mean, how do you know someone's really male if you don't see their penis?
So, Asswanker has, in the name of hating "Bastards":
Done nothing about human rights abuses in China, North Korea, Vietnam, Zimbabwe or other places.
Caused people who fear vicious regimes and terrorists to go underground and stop giving intel.
Caused possible informants everywhere to stop talking to reporters.
Cost the American taxpayers a lot of money to hide the victims of this debacle.
Compromised ongoing operations against these parties.
Done nothing that substantially hurts the US government as a political entity.
Congratulations. You're all a bunch of putrid little scumbags.
PS: Asswanker is under arrest for possible rape in Sweden. Now, this case is very non-American in structure, and he may be guilty or innocent. That is why there is to be a trial.
I must confess, though, I'm very surprised by some of the comments I'm hearing about the trial. I know that rape and women's issues are big items for liberals, and I believe they should be for conservatives, too. I think they generally are, just expressed differently.
Apparently, one story is that he saw one of the women twice, and may have had sex with her while she was asleep. That would be nonconsensual. (It's also pretty lame and unmanly, but this IS Asswanker.)
I'm a bit at a loss as to how supporters of his, anti-government and presumably "liberal," can justify this as "if she saw him twice it was obviously consensual." Really? Once having seen a man, a woman is never allowed to say no? And there were also comments of "Obviously she enjoyed it if she went back for more. What did she expect?"
This sounds awfully like, "She was asking for it," and "She should be flattered by the attention" and "What kind of bitch says no?"
Are you really sure you're a liberal? Because I'm friends with quite a few liberals, and they don't sound like that.
And I hope he's shot in the base of the skull with a 9mm Makarov, then heaved into a dumpster somewhere, pour encourager les autres.
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December 7, 2010
Is Everyone In The Military Becoming a Moron?
"ZOMG! SSANs are used for identity theft! This was unforeseeable and is an insoluble problem!"
Dear general: Way back in the Dark Ages, about the time YOU came into service, they assigned everyone a "service number" for military functions. It is not an SSAN and is no use outside the military network. There, I've solved your problem for you. Dumbass. Turn in your star.
~~~~
Also, Gail's unit Christmas party was last weekend. They rented an American Legion hall. It not only allows smoking, it had had a HUGE smoking event the night before. It not only had a huge smoking event the night before, it had bad ventilation. I walked in, smelled humidity, mustiness, mildew, and smoke. It was still hazy.
Well, second hand smoke was always an issue for me, even when I smoked. It's chemically different and pervasive. Now, of course, I'm asthmatic, and generally fine...unless I walk into a cloud of smoke.
We keep the kids out of smoke-filled establishments.
Gail is allergic to the additives in cigarette smoke (actually, so am I. A good cigar or pipe side smoke doesn't bother us at all. Just fags for addicts).
I walked in, choked, started to react, got out fast, held the door for the cooks to take everything in, waited outside.
Gail explained, they released us, and we got to drive 100 miles home with no party.
Adding insult to injury, they're now angry with her.
So, she actually had to quote them this:
DOD Instruction 1010.15
3. DEFINITIONS
3.1 DoD Facility. Any interior space owned, rented, or leased by the Department of Defense.
3.2. Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS). Also referred to as "secondhand" or "passive" smoke. Exhaled and/or sidestream smoke emitted from smokers and the burning of cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco. A major source of harmful indoor air pollution, designated a "Class A carcinogen" by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and known to cause respiratory illness and heart disease (refer to NIOSH CIB54
and the EPA Report, references (e) and (f)).
4. POLICY
It is DoD policy, under references (b) through (d), that smoke-free DoD facilities be established to protect all DoD civilian and military personnel and members of the public visiting or using DoD facilities from the health hazards caused by exposure to tobacco smoke.
AR 600-63
7-3. Policy for controlling tobacco use
a. Tobacco use is prohibited in all DA-occupied workplaces except for designated smoking areas, as authorized by DODI 1010.15, Smoke-Free DOD Facilities. The workplace includes any area inside a building or facility over which DA has custody and control, and where work is performed by military personnel, civilians, or persons under contract to the Army.
j. Smoking policy specific to MWR and Army lodging facilities is addressed in AR 215-1. MWR facilities include fitness and recreation centers, Armed Forces Recreation Center hotels, cabins and campsites, clubs, bowling centers, and so forth.
AR 215-1
13-15. Safety, fire prevention, and health programs
d. Smoking.
(1) Smoking in MWR facilities will be in accordance with AR 600-63. All DOD civilian and military personnel will be protected from the health hazards caused by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
(2) Enclosed designated smoking areas must be exhausted directly to the outside, located away from air intakes, and maintained under negative pressure sufficient to contain tobacco smoke in the
designated area. Employees will not be required to enter such areas during normal business hours while environmental tobacco smoke is present.
~~~~~
Once again, cigarette smoke seems to affect the cognitive functions of smokers. "I can't smell it because I've destroyed my olfactory nerves, and I enjoy wallowing in toxins, so I don't notice a problem. Therefore, there is no problem, and as long as no one sees the cigarette in my hand, all is dandy."
These must be the same morons who smoked in their parents' houses and insisted no, really, there wasn't any smoke.
Yes, there was. After three minutes in that place, we had to wash her black poly, because it had soaked up so much smoke it lingered for a hundred miles.
And this means everyone in the chain of command was equally unaware of regs they make everyone aware of from Day One, callous about it, and willing to argue the point.
I call it like I see it: MORONS.
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November 30, 2010
Beat The Rush!
Order next year's book now. Boost my sales rank. Make Baen happy.
I will also be doing a special release when we get closer, so it depends on which copy you'd prefer (my release will be signed), or if you want two.
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November 25, 2010
TSA Totally Stupid Agency
James Hoyne, 14, has a feeding tube in his stomach and carries a back-up in a sealed clear plastic bag. Hoyne said two weeks ago a TSA officer insisted on opening the sterile equipment, contaminating his back-up feeding up tube which he later needed.
"I said 'Please don't open it' and she said 'I have to open it whether you like it or not. If I can't open it, I can't let you on the plane,'" Hoyne said of his conversation with the TSA screener.
~~~~
TSA officials apologized to James and said they're looking into the incident to see what corrective steps need to be taken.
~~~~
Moron to be fired for cause and prohibited from holding any government job in any capacity. Victim to be compensated 30% of Moron's earnings in perpetuity.
Why is this so hard to figure out?
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November 21, 2010
Screw With The TSA on Wed, 24 November.
First, I have a hard time referring to professional crotch fondlers as "agents." They're largely untrained, uneducated, incapable of spotting threats, and programmed into assuming anyone who's uncomfortable is a threat, regardless of background. They're unthinking bureaucratic drones, not "agents." I doubt we can publicly call them PedoSmurfs, but I'm sure we all think of them that way.
This Wednesday is the day everyone with a spine has elected to opt out of the Nude O Scope and insist on a groping.
They're going to hassle you for this, of course. That's not the point. The point is that if you're going to be hassled, they get to share in the experience.
Here then, are some ideas to improve the process.
Take lots of bottles. Play stupid. They're going to dispose of them, and that's fine. A few dozen people doing this clogs the trash cans, takes "agent" time and slows the process.
I've had a tiny metal clip and a CAC card set off the detector. Wear suspenders or metal buttons. Forget some change in your pocket. A cheap metal locket around your neck? A spare key? Add little bits until they spend 5 minutes wanding you for it all.
Wear steel-toed shoes. They have to go through the scanner, and they're going to read big, black toes. Will they bother searching? Or admit they really don't care and it's just to hassle you?
Also, how safe is it to walk in stocking feet across a floor that 1000 other people have walked across, some of them with athletes foot and the like? Break out a bleach wipe and sterilize the floor in front of you, or pull booties onto each foot.
Ask to see the calibration certificate for the Nude O Scope, and ask what level of radiation and what frequency it uses. The canned response will be, "Sir, it's safe." There is no such thing as a "Safe" level of radiation. So how much actual exposure is there? Insist on an answer. Demand to talk to the supervisor. Push them to get on the phone and ask (because they won't know). Be adequately loud so others hear about "potentially cancer-causing levels of X rays."
Heck, ask if they have a lead vest you can wear.
"Forget" something, leave the secure area, and come back through again. Make them work for it.
Take a tub of Play Doh for your "nephew." Sealed, of course. They'll seize it. Once again, this takes time on their part.
Carry a sex toy in your carry on, batteries loaded. Put it in a plastic bag and make sure it's got a little grease in with it.
Wear a kilt or skirt. Don't wear undies. Make them really feel the experience.
Are you legitimately hard of hearing? Keep pointing at your ear, loudly complaining and shaking your head. Ask them to write out all the instructions, or make them demonstrate them.
You are not required to speak English in this country. Can you fake Spanish? French? Something Altaic?
Turn your head and cough.
Wear a well-padded bra.
Are you brave enough to cross dress? False boobs or a "packy" phallus will add to the fun.
Wear a pad or adult diaper, whether you need one or not. Though as long as you're going to be waiting, you may actually appreciate one.
Hum or purr while being groped. If they don't enjoy it, make them think you do. It's acting. You can do it for 60 seconds.
Follow this with a breathy whisper of, "That was HOT!"
"Can I feel you, now?"
"Do you hang out at the glory hole at the Pervert's Playpen (or any fetish club near you)? That seems familiar."
"There must be a lot of homos/pedos working here."
"When you took this job, did you think they'd ask you to be gay for pay?"
"When do you think this is going to get to you and you'll turn gay?"
"Haven't you ever enjoyed it? At least once?"
Remember these people have no power of arrest. If they take too long, all you have to ask is, "Am I being detained? Am I under arrest? If I am not under arrest, am I free to go? If I am not free to go, I must insist on a police officer. I wish to file charges for kidnapping, a federal offense."
Finally, as you leave the area, be sure to loudly commend the system. "I'm sure glad they have lots of jobs for pedos and faggots these days."
Any other ideas?
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TSA Feeling The Heat
- Whiny TSA Agent
Mike: Disgraceful. No one called him a homo pedophile.
Chris: If he had any balls he and his coworkers would complain too. Guess he's too busy feeling other peoples balls to worry about his own.
~~~
I think the only compassionate thing to do is to turn your head and cough, and then ask him if he learned his technique in prison.
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November 18, 2010
It Just Occurred To Me
I'm waiting for some TSA fellator to explain why this is so.
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November 17, 2010
Michael Z. Williamson's Blog
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