The Top 40

Gerard,

She lost me at "Flying is a privilege not a right." I can't stand that line. Especially when uttered by some lackey of the TSA security theater.

Why does the government get to decide some activity (driving, hunting, fishing, flying) that doesn't bother anybody else become a privilege?

I'll accept rules on how to govern behavior while participating in these activities, but calling it a privilege? Please.

That is nonsense. Nonsense on stilts.

This used to be a free country.

At some point it has to be acknowledged, and probably by those of us who have worked in the service side of things for a while: most of us - the less we see of the public (without holding a beer in our hands and kicking back) - the better. Having to do a pat down search on a lot of people = ick. Scarlett O'Hara, let alone Scarlett Johanssen is not what will be encountered.

Having been a camp counselor, a substitute teacher, a night supervisor at a campground, a law clerk on teh felony docket - the public, in all of its forms, is something I so do not want to encounter any more often than I must.

And I bet there are a lot of TSA people who feel exactly the same way.

Well, obviously I'm never taking an airline again, until and unless this crap goes away.

On the bright side, Greyhound has really improved its buses and its scheduling. The newer buses have wifi and outlets on board that you can use all the time, unlike on an airline. And since you don't have to get to the airport super early and then wait on the plane, and since buses are more direct, Greyhound may actually be faster as well as cheaper for many destinations. I'm sure other bus lines are also profiting by the increase in volume of customers.

Of course, the citybuses and Chinese buses are the really cheap way to go, but you have to be i the right city for that.

Well, obviously I'm never taking an airline again, until and unless this crap goes away.

On the bright side, Greyhound has really improved its buses and its scheduling. The newer buses have wifi and outlets on board that you can use all the time, unlike on an airline. And since you don't have to get to the airport super early and then wait on the plane, and since buses are more direct, Greyhound may actually be faster as well as cheaper for many destinations. I'm sure other bus lines are also profiting by the increase in volume of customers.

Of course, the citybuses and Chinese buses are the really cheap way to go, but you have to be i the right city for that.

I travel very rarely, but I've said before that I'd rather take a frickin' Greyhound bus than fly, the way things are now.

Good to hear they've upgraded.

It was obvious back in 2001 if not earlier that the way to go was to profile Muslims and single them out for extra scrutiny. But our PC government won't have any of that. Heaven forbid we should offend or inconvenience Muslims. So much better to offend and inconvenience everybody. It's equality, comrade!

She tells you all about how she violates your privacy in return for chimerical and illusory security like that was a good thing. So don't sweat the even more intrusive violation of your person because of that.

The would-be tyrants need to be reminded that it's GOVERNMENT that's the privilege, and it looks as though government needs a time out.

M

What is really funny is the scrutiny they give to the pilots, making sure they aren't carrying a bomb; as if THEY need one.

My advice is, drive or stay home. When the airline companies start feeling the pain of the boycott they will make the government feel their pain.

Maureen, it's just a matter of time before the TSA figures this out and starts the treatment on bus passengers and train passengers. Soon, they will have random checkpoints on the highways to pull you out of your own vehicles to search. Why? Because they're the TSA, and you don't say no to the TSA.