Fuck the TSA, Fly Naked

[digitaldiscipline]

http://community.livejournal.com/metaquotes/5379638.html

lil_m_moses riffed on the theme well, and, frankly, I'm at the point now where I'm willing to forego flying altogether because I'm fed up with the bullshit. Unfortunately, people have it in their heads that I need to go hither, thither, and yon for this, that, and the other, and because I don't have unlimited free time off, flying is the only feasible option other than not going.

Frankly, not going is beginning to gain a fair amount of traction.

Comments

[fenixinthedark.livejournal.com]

ROFLMAO! That was brilliant.

But, they should x-ray the passengers too, not just the luggage, just to be sure there *isn't* anything shoved up the guys... er... "digestive tract". And, if you're gonna do that, might as well leave peoples clothing on. Cuz ya know? I performed at a nudist camp once. I don't want to deal with that every time I fly. ;-)

That having been said, what with the price of gas and all this BS about flying, SL has gained even more importance to me. It let's me go "see" pals from all over the world, spend time with them hanging out socially (listening to some music, playing a game, whatever) without dropping a single dollar on airfare, having to deal with *ridiculously* early arrival times and long waits, or being afraid of whether or not *yours* is the next plane to be blown to bits.

:::hint, hint:::

[etcet.livejournal.com]

Sorry, kid. There's no.fuckin.way I'll take up SL again.

After trying it initially, my reaction was, "If I want to do something pointless, frustrating, and confusing, I can go outside. This is supposed to be fun, and it ain't."

When the mere act of character creation and walking around stymies me, that's not something I'm going to engage in for fun. I suck at making progress in Real Life, I don't need to be reminded of that frustration by having an artificial universe grow up around me while I try and figure out how the fuck to put a shirt on.

However, there are myriad other VOIP/IM options. :-)

[fenixinthedark.livejournal.com]

...and you call yourself a gamer. ;-P

The controls are remarkably like WoW, IMO... but, shit isn't constantly trying to kill you. For me, the whole "death avoidance" thing in WoW is what makes that too much like work for me. SL is pure, lazy assed social enjoyment for me.

But, yeah, OK, I accept your decision. I think your missing out (on my band in world, as a fer instance), but it's your choice, absolutely.

I have AIM and skype (with video-cam). Pick your poison.

[hellsop.livejournal.com]

Can't taste the beer online.

All I can recommend is to keep telling the world "Amtrak's out there." And, you know, the Silver trains go from Tampa all the way up to NYC...

[fenixinthedark.livejournal.com]

Can't taste the beer online.

Easy fix. Buy the beer (cheaper) at McLiquors, bring it home and never have to worry about getting pulled over for drunk driving after you leave the bar, cuz the "bar" is virtual and sitting in your living room.

Trains do indeed go that distance and more (rode to Boston a few years ago). But ya do need to take more time to do it than when flying. I guess that will need to be the price we consider paying in future. Until, that is, they start blowing up the trains too, and this idiocy begins to impact that form of travel as well.

[mighty-man.livejournal.com]

Heh, the easy way around that is to get your friends to fly and see you.

See you in Nov, you ungrateful bastage! =8-)

[hellsop.livejournal.com]

The reason planes are targets is that they're a combination of steerable, flying bombs full of fuel, and any serious mishap kill *everyone* on board. Two of those three conditions do not obtain with trains. You can't steer 'em, and you can't even gimmick 'em like Silver Streak did; fairly safe derailier systems can be flipped on at just about any point into a population center. And a REALLY BAD train wreck like the one in 1992 or something (where a train got dropped into a swamp) might kill 20% and injure half the rest.

Oh, and diesel fuel burns for crap in comparison to kerosene.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

AIM it is. :-)

[etcet.livejournal.com]

Google Messenger also allows vox chat...

[hellsop.livejournal.com]

Oh, and drinking in front of a computer game counts as "drinking alone" in my book. Unless you've got other people in the room with you playing the same or different game. In which case, you're right back to the transport question.

[trystbat.livejournal.com]

But if you don't fly, the terrorists win!

[etcet.livejournal.com]

If I don't get to kill the terrorists, it's substantially less fun for me.

I have to get on the plane unarmed; that puts me at a disadvantage. :-p

[ivy]

A serious response to a possibly flippant comment: I think the terrorists have won. We're making bad and reactionary decisions that substantially and negatively impact the quality of American life for no real gains, and half the population is running around terrified. They don't even *have* to bomb anywhere; we are kicking our own ass. It's embarassing.

I hate not flying because of the restrictions, but if they ban all carry-ons, I'm done. I am not staring at the back of the seat in front of me for 9 hours without at least a book and a bottle of water. Screw that.

[etcet.livejournal.com]

The above comment is full of sexy brains. :-)

[lil-m-moses.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I'm pretty sure most of MI is out of the loop for Amtrak. I could take a train to Grand Rapids, but I'd still have to either rent a car or have a friend or family dedicate 5 hours in a car for the 150 miles to get the rest of the way home. Still, that does sound more appealing than driving the whole 1400 miles in December.