Thursday, September 6, 2012

The Thrill Is (Not Yet) Gone













While packing my suitcase this morning, I tried to estimate how many times I've flown out of Dulles Airport over the years decades, but gave up almost immediately. Numbers don't go that high, at least not ones I can calculate in my head.

Air travel has never sucked more than it does today. The thrill has definitely gone away from that part of TDY-ing it. But, I have to admit I still get a small thrill of anticipation when I start another foray outside the cubicle to visit some of the world's most vibrate and exciting locales. Or Pakistan. I'm not quite tired of Pakistan yet. But, I'm heading to other places on this trip.

I'm going light on the electronic baggage this time, so I'll monitor blogospheric events through the little screen on an iPod touch.

Wheels up in a few hours, and there should be a hint of Fall in the air when I get back home.


28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bon Voyage BB!! gwb

Unknown said...

You know the background for the famous introduction of BB and his band for his Cook County Jail album, where he played from "the former gallows?" Here's some background from the Chicago Sun Times:

http://www.suntimes.com/5869831-417/the-king-of-cook-county-jail.html

And here is the intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxtlxq7yqXA

TSB said...

UNK,

Thanks for comment. That's great background!

Anonymous said...

TSB: In case you are on your way to straighten out the Mexico problems here is what to ask for if you get a scorpion sting. Your meal allowance should cover it down there. gwb

$83,046 For A 3 Hour Hospital Visit – Why Are Hospital Bills So Outrageous?
Michael Snyder
The Economic Collapse
Sept 6, 2012
The Money Quote:
Her symptoms subsided after she received two doses of the drug Anascorp through an IV, and she was discharged from the hospital in about three hours.

Weeks later, she received a bill for $83,046 from Chandler Regional Medical Center. The hospital, owned by Dignity Health, charged her $39,652 per dose of Anascorp.

What makes this even more shocking is that hospitals in Mexico only charge $100 per dose of Anascorp.

http://www.infowars.com/83046-for-a-3-hour-hospital-visit-why-are-hospital-bills-so-outrageous/

James said...

If your destination happens to be pak. please be advised that Toyota Land Cruisers are reportedly experienceing unexpected mechanical and traffic difficulties.

Anonymous said...

TSB: They need you in Benghazi!
UPDATED: Mob sets fire to US consulate in Benghazi: witness

TSB: They need you in Cairo!!
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/09/20129112108737726.html
gwb

Anonymous said...

Interesting insight from those in contact with Chris Smith when the attack began. Looks like he might have been done in by his "protectors". gwb

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/news-of-officers-death-breaks-over-gaming-community.php?ref=fpb

Anonymous said...

TSB: There is some real "funny business" going on with the "Andrea Mitchell" side of the media here. Here is what it looks like they are trying to hide.
http://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Egypt_2336556b.jpeg
If that is the al quaeda flag being raised at the Cairo embassy by a big crowd chanting "We are all Osama" then this is the same flag used by the Libyan rebels around Benghazi.. the same guys we armed. The same guys we are arming in Syria. Seems like a flawed strategy... but as long as nobody knows.. what the heck! gwb

Anonymous said...

It took the news people about 1.5 days to dispense with this story:(18 hrs of no news and 18 hours of disinformation.

NOFORN:Nothing to see here. It was all caused by that goofy video. We have a campaign going on! If Republican, add John McCain saying:"Obama doesn't believe in American 'EXCEPTIONISM'." Have a couple destroyers set a course towards Tripoli and cancel Obama's Tues nite appt. with Letterman! gwb

Anonymous said...

A U.S. official told POLITICO: “There's no intelligence indicating that the attack in Benghazi was premeditated.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81198.html#ixzz26PZWofQX

TSB: That should keep a lid on it til morning! gwb

Anonymous said...

TSB: Remember the old days when everyone female had received "obscene phone calls"? Now one guy with a middle eastern accent can pretty much shut down anything he wants with a friendly warning. Thank you Janet! gwb
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CAMPUS_BOMB_THREATS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-09-14-12-52-06

Anonymous said...

TSB: Ever since Prince Harry decided he wanted to become a war hero like John McCain he's been following the script pretty well. Yesterday there was a little trouble at Apache Junction.. I mean Ft. Bastion. The shot up his helicopter and a few troops. Fortunately, our hero was locked up in the safe room. gwb
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/9544864/British-troops-help-fight-off-Taliban-attack-on-Afghan-military-base-housing-Prince-Harry.html

Anonymous said...

Good video of embassy in Saana. The building held up fine but perimeter security was a little light. One guy in a truck,just watching. Looks like they torched about 25 of those Land Cruisers.
Of course, since they killed most of the defense minister's body guard a few days ago some might have called in sick. gwb
http://wemeantwell.com/blog/2012/09/14/what-video-of-the-attack-on-our-embassy-in-yemen-reveals/

TSB said...

GWB: I just hope we learn lessons from all these attacks. It looks like they will be here for the long term.

Anonymous said...

TSB: The story is over here. The key to that was making sure Joe Biden said NOTHING for a whole week! I think they sent him to a Biker festival in S.Dakota or something. Maybe they can send him on a goodwill biker tour to N Africa to sort of calm things down? gwb http://www.examiner.com/article/joe-biden-and-the-biker-chick-the-picture-of-the-vice-president-gone-viral

Anonymous said...

TSB: Juan Cole digs up a little recent history. gwb
Netanyahu in 1992: Iran close to having nuclear bomb

1992: Israeli member of parliament Binyamin Netanyahu predicts that Iran was “3 to 5 years” from having a nuclear weapon.

Personally, I'm going to stick with my warning about aliens controlling our nuclear missiles because I saw it on the internet!

TSB said...

GWB: I got your three comments today, but stupidly deleted them by accident. My iTouch screen is too small for my thumbs! Agree about how news coverage and the Presidential campaign have moved on from the Benghazi tragedy.

James said...

Well I see you're still in the land of the living. With all the excitement going on I wondered if you were affected. Take care there's a lot of spontaneity happening in a rather dangerously organized manner.

TSB said...

James,

Still alive and traveling, and keeping out of the way of that organized spontaniety. I should be posting again by the end of the week. - TSB

Anonymous said...

Glad you are safe. Don't know you personally, but would miss you were you to spontaneously combust. Keep Tom Leherer's "Who's Next" in mind when deciding which enemies to keep closest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRLON3ddZIw

"...just to use on you know who

Anonymous said...

Thanks TSB! Congress is working on a bill to outlaw bad movies!

Also, Randy Newman has a new song: "I'm Dreaming of A White President." It's on U Tube but I still like I Love LA better. gwb http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b5LzCOc98E

Anonymous said...

Gary Locke "locked in his car" gwb
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9552356/Crowd-attacks-US-ambassador-in-Beijing.html

Anonymous said...

“I think all options ought to be considered, including whether we have to just withdraw early, rather than have a continued bloodletting that won’t succeed,” McCain said. (wemeantwell)
TSB: It's been quite a couple weeks! You might be coming home to anti-war protests led by John McCain? gwb

Anonymous said...

Another successful week for the DEM campaign strategy: Keep Biden from talking to any voters or reporters! http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/21/biden-on-cheerleaders-the-stuff-they-do-on-hard-wood-it-blows-my-mind/

gwb

Anonymous said...

TSB:"If you look at the drug war from a purely economic point of view, the role of the government is to protect the drug cartel." Milton Friedman

This is an excellent piece of analysis about the drug economy of Columbia. "Plan Columbia" has transformed Columbia into an oligarchy and state sponsored terror has caused 250,000 deaths. Way more than Mexico and maybe 1/3 of the toll in Iraq. So what's the big deal about Syria? gwb

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/NI08Dj05.html

Anonymous said...

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could be transferred to the Ecuadorian embassy in Sweden in order to respond to sex crime allegations that he faces there.
RT.com 9/22/12
TSB: The Swedes have been doing the CIA's rendition bidding since the big WOT began. Things have changed and secret government is under attack. gwb

TSB said...

Assange "transferred" to Sweden? I'm not sure how he would get from embassy to embassy without being exposed to British police, who would then arrest him.

Anonymous said...

Yeah! He's back! gwb