It has been revealed that a former Catholic priest, defrocked after it was discovered he had sexually abused young girls, is now working as a security screener for the TSA.
TSA-Style Security On Chicago Trains For Obama Summit
May 4, 2012 by 4 Comments
CHICAGO (CBS) – Some stations on the Metra Electric Line and South Shore Line could be shut down during the upcoming NATO summit, and passengers at other stations could face airport-style security screenings, due to the Secret Service security plan that could be released as soon as Friday afternoon.
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine has exclusive details on those security measures, which the Secret Service is expected to officially unveil on Friday, or at the very latest, on Monday. Federal officials have promised the announcement will include a “comprehensive list of street closures and parking restrictions surrounding the NATO summit.”
The Secret Service has been battling with Metra and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District over the security measures that will be needed on the Electric and South Shore lines, which both run directly under McCormick Place.
Metra and NICTD won round one of that battle, as trains on those two lines will continue to operate during the summit, although there will be significant delays at times, with trains possibly being stopped for security screening before passing McCormick Place.
The commuter rail agencies are still in talks with the Secret Service over major security measures for passengers, including airport-style screening of all riders during the summit. That would mean commuters on those lines would face patdowns, X-ray screenings, and long security lines at their stations before boarding trains.
Read More at chicago.cbslocal.com
Photo Credit: steuben (Creative Commons)
Rand Paul Launches Campaign To End The TSA
May 3, 2012 by 5 Comments
Senator Rand Paul has issued a press release in which he vows to lead the charge to “end the TSA” and put a stop to the needless and humiliating groping of toddlers and grandmothers.
Earlier this year, Paul was detained by the TSA after refusing to submit to an invasive pat down after already having passed through a body scanner. The incident prompted national headlines and caused the Senator to miss his flight.
“It’s time to END the TSA and get the government’s hands back to only stealing our wallets instead of groping toddlers and grandmothers,” says Paul in the statement.
The accompanying article sent out to Campaign for Liberty members encourages recipients tosign a petition in support of Rand Paul’s ‘End the TSA’ bill.
The legislation would forcibly privatize the TSA and kick government out of airport security entirely. A recently passed bill actually allows airports to replace TSA screeners with private security but they have to go through a complex TSA permission process to do so, meaning only a handful of small airports have applied to evict the TSA.
Read more at Infowars.com. By Paul Joseph Watson.
How A Major Failure Of The TSA Is Putting Americans At Risk
April 19, 2012 by 1 Comment
A skilled investigative reporter has lodged a serious charge against the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that the agency is both ignoring and hoping will go away. Josh Bernstein insists that anyone with a good fake identification card and a calm demeanor can bluff his/her way through TSA checkpoints just by making sure the name on the fake ID matches the name on his/her legitimately purchased boarding pass.
Bernstein’s charges mean that since the TSA doesn’t verify passenger identities, safe flying from an American airport is a matter of luck rather a function of a diligent federal agency’s procedures.
Worse than this, the TSA has no plans to start verifying the identifications airline passengers use to purchase tickets. “As long as the ID looks good, it MUST be good” seems to be the current policy. While you, your elderly parents, and your children are being searched by TSA agents determined to nail you as terrorists, a dedicated terrorist can walk onto your plane unmolested.
Bernstein reports that he is in possession of very high grade, fake identity documents produced by the Chinese (who may be Obama’s friends but care little about us.) He got these documents by simply ordering them from a website specializing in fakes that will fool the TSA.
It is indeed stunning that Bernstein seems to be the only person who cares about plugging this hole in our security. How can it be that the very agencies – the TSA and its parent entity Homeland Security- that were established to see that we would never again have another 9 /11 hijacker attack have become so lax?
Why has no one in Congress raised questions about the potential for using high quality fake IDs in murderous attacks on our airplanes?
Every day, the TSA screens passengers attempting to board thousands of planes across the country. We have seen no successful attacks, and this is of course attributable to a system that clearly keeps us safe. Nevertheless, there is wisdom in an African tribal saying that applies here: “No ripples in the water doesn’t mean there are no alligators.”
Photo credit: terrellaftermath
Has Fear Destroyed America And Her Culture?
April 19, 2012 by 3 Comments
A couple months ago, I bought a book for my six year old son called Phobiapedia. The book teaches and illustrates the various phobias humans struggle with like arachnophobia (fear of spiders) and acrophobia (fear of heights). My son and I were both fascinated as we read together about koniophobia (fear of dust) and xanthopobia (the fear of the color yellow). We then had a discussion about our own fears. Kameron fears sleeping alone…I don’t really think so, I think this is his way of trying to con me into staying longer after story time. I shared with him my fear of bees after having attacked by a swarm of yellow jackets when I was about nine years old.
Our short study on fears caused me to think more broadly about how fear affects our society. Many, many people are trapped in lives of fear. We demonstrate our fear of terrorists by refusing to use the airlines or if we do fly, we are subjected to the humility of going through airport security where fear of terrorism has driven TSA officials to insanity. They don’t look for people, they look for things. They search us for tooth picks and aerosol cans. They their fearful irrationality by frisking 90 year old women and strip searching 9 year old children.
We are fearful of the criminal element in our society. Some live behind doors that have five or six dead locks installed in them. Gun sales are skyrocketing because people are feeling insecure. Fear is driving us to arm ourselves.
We have become obsessed with our health or our lack thereof. Millions are preoccupied by one diet after another and millions more spend most of their non-working hours in gymnasiums trying to defy the aging process and delay that which is certain for all, death. I’m sure you know a few hypochondriacs in your circle. Many are disillusioned by their fear of disease. They seek treatment for a disease when they actually suffer from an anxiety disorder. More than 50% of Americans are taking a drug to treat some chronic condition. (Medco Health Solutions) Fear can cause us to become dysfunctional or non-functional.
In a recent decade (1994-2005) the U.S. population increased 9% while the number of medical prescriptions increased 71%. At a time when American scientists and physicians are making tremendous advances in medical knowledge and technology, in a time when we are learning the latest treatments that have made us to be some of the healthiest people in history, in an age when we are being educated about what is harmful and unhealthy, ironically, we are addicted to prescription drugs. What part is fear playing in all of this?
Let us be reminded that all fear is not bad. I want to feel fear when I am walking on the peak of the roof or when I come face to face with a rattle snake. Fear is a protective mechanism that may very well save our lives many times over.
But I believe destructive fear is a controlling spirit released from hell by the Father of Lies to torment us. There are no boundaries to what we can be fearful of. We can even be fearful of fear itself. This is called phobophobia. We fear darkness, we fear pain, and we fear vomiting. Some people walking on the earth today are fearful of looking up so they walk with their heads downward. We fear germs, dirt and dentists. The fear of making decision is called decidophobia. Many suffer from snakophobia and I have taught many high school students who have suffered from testophobia. Some of our church pews will be empty next Sunday because some people suffer from ecclesiophobia, the fear of church.
We are a culture saturated by fear. Fear has become a slave master to some of us, controlling our every thought and action. The spirit of fear is nothing new for there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) John addressed the issue over 2,000 years ago when he wrote, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” (1 John 4:1) We can conquer our fears by recognizing the source of all destructive fear. It is Satan himself. This is no threat to those who are Christians because John also said, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
Fear cannot be overcome with fear. It must be overcome with boldness. It may be necessary to courageously confront our enemy. We must first realize that Satan is not a fictional character, he is real. Christians discover fearlessness when they realize that Satan is a defeated foe. Christ assured us of his defeat: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:15)
We need not be paralyzed by our fear “for the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Sam. 17:47) When fear creeps in to haunt us there is a place for you to run where you will find protection and security. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runs into it and is safe.” (Prov. 18:10)
Photo Credit: steuben (Creative Commons)
Oregon Man: Naked Airport Protest Was About Free Speech
April 19, 2012 by 2 Comments
(CNN) — John Brennan says he did not go to the Portland International Airport intending to get naked.
However after feeling harassed by Transportation Security Administration screeners on Tuesday, the 50-year-old man stripped all his clothes off in a protest that got him even more attention from airport screeners, national headlines and a stint in jail.
“I just took off my clothes and said ‘See, I don’t have any explosives,’” Brennan said. “The individuals at TSA are just doing their job and the whole organization needs to find a balance between safety and privacy. They use fear and intimidation and it’s got to stop somewhere.”
The TSA had a different take on the incident.
“TSA partners with the traveling public to screen all passengers safely and efficiently. When a passenger chooses to be purposefully disruptive, we notify law enforcement,” the organization said in a statement.
Read More at CNN. By Alta Spells.
Another Reason To Abolish The Dept. Of Homeland Security
April 11, 2012 by 4 Comments
When you hear the words “Department of Homeland Security,” you probably think of those lovely postal workers uniformed officers who whisk you quickly and smoothly through airport security. But you’d be wrong. Turns out DHS also sees itself as a civil rights agency with a mandate to save the planet from environmental catastrophe.
In February DHS published a nine-page “Environmental Justice Strategy,” which leads off with this explanation:
Our Nation’s vision of homeland security is a homeland safe and secure, resilient against terrorism and other hazards, and where American interests and aspirations and the American way of life can thrive. In seeking to fulfill this vision, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aspires to avoid burdening minority and low- income populations with a disproportionate share of any adverse human health or environmental risks associated with our efforts to secure the Nation.
You can sign up to receive DHS’s annual implementation progress report, which the policy strategy promises will be “concise.” It will take not one, but two DHS units to “ensure the success” of the environmental justice strategy. But wait, there’s more! “Four other headquarters offices provide critical support for . . . successfully implementing this strategy.” But if you’re a lowly TSA agent not under one of those six offices, not to worry—you’re considered an eco-warrior, too: “Every Component of the Department has a role, some larger, some smaller, in ensuring that environmental justice has been considered in securing the homeland without placing disproportionate burdens on the health and environment of low income populations and minority populations.”
Read More at powerlineblog.com. By Steven Hayward.
Photo Credit: The National Guard (Creative Commons)
Father’s Outrage As TSA Subjects His Wheelchair-bound Three-year-old Son To Humiliating Search… On His Way To Disney
March 19, 2012 by 3 Comments
Photo Credit: steuben Creative Commons
A vacation in the Magic Kingdom should be enough to make a child giddy with excitement, but one young boy was left trembling with fear after he was subjected to an invasive TSA pat-down.
The three-year-old, confined to a wheelchair due to a recently broken leg, was with his family at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, on their way to board a flight to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Despite constant assurances from his father that ‘everything is OK’, he physically trembles with fear and asks his parents to hold his hand.
The terrified boy was swabbed on his hands and under his shirt for explosive residue.
While the boy’s father grew increasingly incensed by the treatment his son was getting, he tried to remain calm, for the boy’s sake.
Infographic: TSA Waste In Visual Form
March 14, 2012 by 2 Comments
I was sent this infographic the other day. It explains the amount of waste that this one agency, the TSA, has generated since 2001.
Coincidentally, a major U.S. airport announced today that they are dropping the TSA for private scanners again because they have experienced so many complaints.
Created by: OnlineCriminalJusticeDegree.com
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“Here’s The Plan…” A Letter From Obama To Supporters
From the desk of The Fearless Golfer
Washington, D. C., U. S. A.
Nairobi, Kenya
Cartagena, Colombia
Various Golf Courses
Eyes only Destroy after reading.
My plan is to get re-elected and continue the work that I have started. I am making great inroads in fundamentally changing America! I have given the president (that’s me!) the power to detain any American that I want on suspicion of something. Just imagine what I can accomplish with that power! I also now have the power to limit the speech of Americans. Even the Republicans know how important that is! Even Newt agrees with me! People can no longer say bad things about me on government property. And I will extend that power as soon as I get re-elected.
I showed you how to win an election in 2008. I want you to use the same tactics this time to get me re-elected. Get illegal aliens to register to vote using phony addresses. I have the cooperation of many of the Registrars of Voters, and the plan I gave good old George to get the Secretaries of State to pass laws without the State legislators is working, of course. In Nevada, I can get people registered to vote online! This photo ID stuff has to go. I told everyone it was a bad idea. The Democrats are listening to me, but some of the Republicans are insisting on this foolishness. However, I do have some of them on our side now. All but three voted to limit free speech in my hearing. I have told my Secret Service to enforce that law. I have Newt’s agreement that we should limit free speech.
So far I have just about destroyed the First, Fourth, Sixth and Seventh Amendments to that great impediment to government the Constitution. I have Reid and Pelosi, along with the Brady Bunch and a multitude of the members of Congress working to destroy the Second Amendment. I will have more power and flexibility to join up with Venezuela, Russia, and China to bring about the changes that I promised in 2008.
I don’t have to worry about Romney in the campaign, if he wins. I have instructed the fools on all of the major television networks to keep on ignoring that champion of Liberty and low taxes, Ron Paul, so I don’t think he will be a problem, unless he wins the nomination. If he wins, then I may be in trouble. But then I have the computer programmers working for me, and that Spanish company that will be counting the votes is in my pocket. But still, Paul could be a problem. The internet is being used by his supporters to great success. My followers in Congress just passed CISPA, so I have that going for me, but Paul worries me.
My TSA is keeping the public in a turmoil just because they grope little boys and girls and old women. I told them to leave the Muslims alone.
I have a pedophile as the safe schools czar and a tax cheat as the Treasury Secretary, so I’m okay in those two areas. My military is ready to act even though the Constitution has limited their power to act within the country.
I want you to keep on registering illegal aliens and fighting to prevent the requirement of photo ID’s.
I have Boehner and Lindsay Graham seeking more power, and I will let them think that they have it. I will have Van Jones back after the election. He is a good little order-taker, if I can just get him to shut up once in a while. He always talked too much.
I have the Departments of Education and Transportation following my orders as well. And now that my TSA is being deployed on the highways, bus terminals, and rest areas, travel will become an unpleasant trial. My air will no longer be fouled by emissions from cars.
Soon, Solyndra will rise from the ashes like a Phoenix, not the one in Arizona, and with a billion or so, we will be selling Sunlight to the Americans.
You’re happy to hear from me.
The Fearless Golfer
(Editor’s Note: Now who could he possibly be referring to?)