TSA - Friend or Foe?

While many have criticized our President, one thing he will be remembered for is the establishment of the Homeland Security Office. I think this was a great idea at first, but lately - I'm having some issues.

One department of Homeland Security is the TSA (Transportation Security Administration). They are the group responsible for safety in the airports. I think we all realize we are going to have to endure some inconvieniences when traveling. However, I also think it can be done in a consistent and dignified manner. On our recent trip to San Francisco, our experience in Newark Airport was to the contrary.

Our first mistake was flying out of Newark Airport. Folks, Newark Airport Sucks - plain and simple. I have always flown out of Philadelphia Airport. While some may criticize the airport in Philly, it is miles ahead of Newark. Much of the good of the Philadelphia airport has to do with Mary Rose Loney. She was responsible for much of the turnaround in Philadelphia. She is a great example of how women in business can succeed.

Our trip to San Francisco was thrown a monkey-wrench because my wife suffered a bad sprain and hairline fracture of her ankle. Like the trooper she is, she still wanted to go. While I had been to San Francisco 8 previous times, she had never been there. Plus we had a wedding to go to (Costume Wedding for Halloween). She was wearing a soft air cast when we got to the airport. We opted not to go the wheelchair route. We looked at all of the signs. They were clearly marked : "TAKING OFF SHOES IS OPTIONAL, BUT ENCOURAGED".

Ok, so we decide not to take off her shoes because this would mean she would have to refit the cast. And with going through screening, we had enough to do. We get to the part where we are going through security (after a 10 minute wait). These guys tell my wife to take off her shoes. Of course, she wants to be the good citizen and comply. I shoot my mouth off and go and remind them of the signs. They then proceed to tell me "Yes, but you have to go over to the line on the left?"

"Can we go to the front of that line?" I ask

"No"

At that point, I was able to blow a gasket, but my wife calmed me down. Isn't it the job of the TSA to make life easier and safer? How is this helping? How is this serving us?

Coming home from San Francisco, we told them ahead of time. The San Francisco TSA personnel were very helpful. Perhaps it is because Newark Airport Sucks.

NaNoWriMo Update
Here is an exerpt from Chapter 2. In this chapter, it is 20 years later. Paul is now married and a multi-millionaire. Paul, his wife Claudia, and Tom Mullaney are going to form the 3 main characters of this story:

Claudia decided to change the conversation as she realized this was an argument that was not worth having. She would then ask, “You stopped at your Mom’s”.

“Yes I stopped at my Mom’s”, said Paul in a slightly stoic manner.

“How is she doing?”, Claudia would ask.

As Paul was about to answer, the conversation once again came to light with his mother about Tom Mullaney. “Claudia, it was very interesting.”, Paul would say.

“Interesting?” as Claudia replied back with a question of her own.

“Ma mentioned an old friend of mine”, said Paul.

“Which one?”, asked Claudia.

“Oh you don’t know him”, said Paul.

Claudia would then ask “Well, who was it?”

Paul then pulled out the clipping that his mother gave him about Tom Mullaney.

Claudia would then start to read some of the highlights of the article outloud: “Former Bullshead resident, Thomas Mullaney … convicted in the 1995 Bay Street Drug Ring.”. She then would ask, “Thomas Mullaney, who is he?”

Today's Song: A Call to Arms by Mike and the Mechanics

Mike and the Mechanics are known as one of those 80s bands who had a few hits - "Silent Running", "All I Need is a Miracle", and "The Living Years". This band was a true supergroup. It was a side project formed by Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford. For his "side project", Rutherford would recruit two lead vocalists to sing the words for his music - one being Squeeze lead vocalist Paul Carrack. The other lead vocalist would be Sad Cafe's Paul Young (not the pop-star Paul Young. This Paul Young would pass away a few years ago). While Rutherford would handle Guitars and Bass, he would also recruit keyboard player Adrian Lee and Drummer Peter Van Hooke. One of the songs that doesn't get the attention it deserves was "A Call to Arms". This is the only Mike and the Mechanics song written by the three members of Genesis. This song deals with those being called to defend a cause. I think this is one of the best songs that Carrack and Young actually work the vocals together;. Carrack delivers the lead vocals with the high level of intensity that is needed for this song. However it's Young coming in with the passionate background vocals - namely "Sweet Avalon - the heat is on". The song almost has a mantra-like quality in the chorus. I'm surprised it doesn't even get airplay on AOR stations.