Fly the friendly skies

Yesterday I got a call from the airport. A friend calling to say that the world was now definitely a safer place – they had confiscated her mascara…

I can’t help but think it’s simply a question of making people feel safer, though they probably aren’t. This being said, I don’t by any stretch of the imagination think that flying is unsafe; probably the safest way to travel these days with all the heightened security.

By definition terrorists will always be one step ahead. The liquid thing didn’t work; they’ll find some other way while security guards at the airport keep confiscating shampoo and mouthwash. They obviously aren’t using box cutters anymore, now the handy “mix the liquids and blow yourself up” method is gone too. They'll find something else.

The only people who might be more than inconvenienced by this are duty free store owners – 60% of their sales come from booze and perfume, liquid as it comes.

I suppose that even though they were stopped (Damn! foiled again!!) the fact that people are afraid again means that you can chalk one up for the terrorists despite the lack of pyrotechnics.




Interesting blog by an American traveller stuck in Lebanon. He began it when the war started: Reading While Falling

Overheard on in a radio interview of the Israeli consul in Montreal yesterday:

Interviewer: Well can we admit that it’s possible to think Hezbollah is a terrorist organization while still thinking that Israel has gone overboard on the killing of Lebanese civilians?
Consul: No sir, that is impossible (or words to that effect)

Very Dubbya and his “You’re either with us or you’re against us” spiel.

God, I suppose, is on their side.