governors in movies

ok, is it just me or does the movie 'Predator' have WAAAAY too many governors of the USA in it? I mean, it has Jesse Ventura, 38th governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 38th governor of California from 2003 to present day. Now, first off the whole two governors in the one movie is just freaky enough but to have two governors in the same movie that happen to be the 38th governor of the different states, is just plain wacky, wouldn't you say?

Anyone else out there find that just plain strange, weird and wacky? anyone else think they can name another movie that has more than 2 governors, or even presidents, of any country in the world in it? Trivia hunt for all those movie buffs out there. First prize is to be hailed as the movie king (or queen) of the bloggers.

may you live in interesting times

I love it, I really really love it. I mean, big bust over seas stops a mass attack on airplanes, security is tighened incredibly. I mean, it is sooo tight that they are not even allowing over the country medication on the planes. I flew on the 16th to fly to work and the lady at the Edmonton International airport went through my carry on baggage searching for something. I was confused and wondering what she was looking for when she finally found it and produced it with such flair. My Otravin nasal spray mister. I, for some strange reason, sometimes get major nasal pains when I fly and I find that a shot of nasal spray helps clear up the passages and helps me to breath. If I dont have it, it is like a needle spike through my eyes into my brain for the entire duration of the flight. Now, you might not think that is bad, but consider how painful it is to put a needle in your arm and twist it slightly. Sit like that for an hour and you get an idea of how painful it is. Anyways, she produces it and tells me that no liquids are allowed. I tell her that the signs do say that "medication like insulin with passengers name on the bottle; breast milk, milk, (though juice for this was scratched out strangely enough*G*); and non-prescription essential medication" is allowed on the plane. I say that it is non-prescription and basically essential (for the above mentioned reason) and should be allowed. Was told that it is a liquid and a liquid is not allowed on the planes anymore. However, my pills of gravol and Sinutab werent even opened and inspected but past through without a glance.

So, long story short, I had to surrender my nasal bottle to the powers that be. I nearly laughed out loud, though, when she told me that I could leave the security area, return to the front desk, hand them my bottle for them to check on the plane and return through the security area. I looked at the security area and saw that they were already 30 minutes behind because of the new searching policy and going through everyone with a fine tooth comb and figured I would probably have at least a 1 and a half to 2 hour trek ahead of me to save this $10 bottle of medication that was already half empty. Yeah, lady, thanks for the offer but I think I will have to sacrifice the $10 and catch my plane cause if I miss it I miss one days work at nearly $300/day. But, have to say, she offered a suggestion. Just wish it was a bright suggestion. She might as well have said "if you are experience nasal pain in your flight, feel free to stick your METAL knife that we give you for breakfast through your eyeball and try to dislodge the pain".

Now, I read this in the news today (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060813/dutyfree_liquor_060818/20060818?hub=Canada) I guess the threat of losing money is too great for the Canadian gov't and they have to readjust their little paranoia. I mean, you can be paranoid to the limit of losing millions or billions of dollars to a rich and powerful company, which may have the chance to offer great donations to political campaigns, and not to mention provide jobs for lots of people. Even better, they probably made it so that more jobs are created because now you have to have more people to sort through the packages, get them to the right gates and deliver them to the people.

I am not even going to ask questions like: "I started to pack a change of clothing and toilettres in my bag because the airlines kept losing my luggage or getting the luggage there a day or two late, making me buy more clothes and toilettries. Does this mean that the airlines will stop losing my luggage?" or "airlines are known for lost luggage, does that mean that there is going to be lost and miss laid duty free goods to the gates?"

Either which way, I see that the ancient chinese curse is coming to bear on all of us in the world today "may you live in interesting times", and these times are REALLY interesting.

There is a fine line

They say that there is a fine line between insanity and genius, and that is quite possibly true. I am sure that if someone came up with a theory that wasn't prepared by a committee that was paid for by the gov't of the nation with your tax dollars, and if the theory was actually practical, they would call you a madperson and ignore you. However, if you are a politician or professional with a degree of many letters (LLB, Ph.D., MBA, NBA or just plain BS) then your theory, even if it is totally stupid and nonsense, will be heralded as sure genius and will not be questioned.

Is that what is happening with the airlines today? Is there a fine line between safety and paranoia? I just got this email from Westjet because I happen to have a brother that is flying tomorrow and we used my email address to book his ticket. Here is what that email read in total:
***
Dear WestJet Guest,

On Thursday, August 10, 2006, Transport Canada announced increasedsecurity at all Canadian airports following a major counter-terrorismoperation in the United Kingdom.

As a result of this situation, Transport Canada has implementedrestrictions for carry-on baggage. Until further notice, no liquids,gels or creams will be allowed on board any aircraft, either on yourperson or in carry-on baggage. Liquids or gels in containers of anysize include: all beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams, toothpaste,hair gel, and other items of similar consistency. These items can beplaced in checked baggage but will be at the guest's own risk. Any ofthe above mentioned items will be confiscated at pre-board securityscreening. Guests may bring aboard baby formula, breast milk,if a baby or small child is travelling. Prescription medicinewith a name that matches the guest's ticket, insulin and essentialother non-prescription medicines are allowed. At time of check-in,WestJet customer service agents will give guests the option toremove any restricted items from their carry-on baggage and placethem in their checked baggage. These restrictions currently applyto all flights including transborder into the U.S., domestic andinternational. Due to possible delays at security screening, guests areadvised to check in a minimum of two hours prior to departure.

All these restrictions are subject to change. For updated information onthese or other Government of Canada security requirements please visit;www.tc.gc.ca or www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca or phone 1-888-294-2202.If you have any questions regarding your travel arrangements with WestJet,please contact us at 1-800-538-5696.WestJet
***

So, they are now telling us that unless we have a babe in arms to give the bottled milk to, or prescription drugs, we can not bring any liquids onto the plane? What happens if I dehydrate easy and need to have a bottle of water for a flight? Have you ever tried to get a bottle of water or an extra drink on any flights? I mean, you ask them for some water and then around 10-15 minutes later they come around, hand you a dixie cup that you down in one mouthful and then have to ask for another glass that takes 10-15 minutes. Then after the 5th time you ask for some water they give you the glare like you have just asked them for their first born child.

I understand about security, I understand about the thought "we must take a stand to prevent terrorists from harming people in the world". What I do not understand is going beyond common sense into plain out paranoia. I mean, if you ban water, juice and other liquid substances on the plane, but allow insulin and other liquid drugs, what is to stop a terrorist from creating a chemical brew that is more potentant than regular explosives and yet fits into a small jar. Then one would say "oh, but you need a doctors note to get it onboard" As if a doctors note is going to be hard to create. If we make it so that we call every single doctor that gives out a prescription drug, and with the way this world has turned to giving out drugs, pills and shots from everything from a sniffle to a life threatening illness, that could mean that you would have dozens of people with drugs on the plane that would need a doctors varification. In which case, for my 9am Monday flight I have to get to the airport around noon on Sunday to start going through security to make my flight. A little exaggerated, but where does this madness end?

All I am saying is that when they took my lighters at the security point, when the wanted to do a random strip search, pat down my shoes, have me turn off/on my laptop and have them inspect every part of my pockets and clothing I was fine with that saying, "ok, safety reasons" but taking away a persons water bottle???? That has got to be a step beyond rational safety and into paranoia. Might as well just ask people to fly naked with no carry on. No chance of smuggling on bombs or weapons when we are all naked. Before we get on the plane, have a person with a glove and bit of vaseline and up the chute he goes with everyone just to make sure you have no weapons of minor or mass destruction up where I think this new safety plan should go.

Here is an idea. I say, if a person wants to take a water bottle on the plane, have it run through the x-ray like everything else to discover any possible secret compartments. Then, once through and it proves to be just liquid, have the person carrying the item, crack it open and take a big (and I mean BIG, not a little taste on the lips) gulp of the liquid. I am no chemist, but I figure anything that has the capacity to blow a hole out of a plane is not going to do much for a human body once ingested in a large quantity. Have security walk around to all the gates and anyone found curled into the fetal position in pain and agony gets detained for questioning. OR, have the bottles pass through that swabbing thing that they do on your laptop. They say it can sniff out and sense if your laptop has been near any type of explosive material in its lifetime. Figure if they can find a small bomb in my laptop with that device, I am sure that they can discover that a terrorist is carrying one bottle of sulphuric acid and the other has nitric acid in it, dont you think?

I say, come over to the side of rationality people, and stop playing on the side of madness. Safety is fine, but when you are held prisoner due to your fear of those out to harm you, you might as well put a gun to your head and end your life now. A life lived in fear is not worth living in the least.

Do I need to re-evaluate my position in life?

Normally I write about things that other people do that make me scratch my head and go "mmmmmm". Like, for instance, the lady that has been in camp here for 3 months now that keeps putting her cup in the wrong place when going to the sink. Let me explain. We have a little window where you walk up to, put your tray on the ledge, throw out your trash and waste food into the bins beside the window on your side, put the plates on the sink counter when you reach through the window into the bin of hot water and put your silverware in the little bucket we have floating in the water. The cups, however, belong on a cart that is right beside the persons hip, in fact, if they turn and walk away in a hurry they will actually trip over this cart, that has a tray for it to rest on. It takes a normal person one day to watch one person do the routine, then they copy the routine, and all is well. You know, how some monkeys or apes will watch one ape use a stick as a tool to grab ants from an ant hill and eat them, then he will copy the motion. Simple, easy and effective learning. HOWEVER, there are some people that will require some instruction, and we have to pull the cup from the water, hand it back to them and say "cups go on the cart beside you". The people then apologize, put the cup there and with one instruction, learn.

Now, I know you are thinking, "stupid, why doesnt the dishwasher just put the cups there?" simple, for me, the dishwasher of the week, to put the cups there I have to take the cups from the water, walk to the door, put the cups in the tray and then walk back to the dishpit. If one person does it, no big deal. If I have to do that for all 100 peoples cups (some times more since people grab 2 to 3 cups of juice for one meal), I would effectively go mad and stab them all with the bones of a chicken.

Anyways, this lady has been here for 3 months, has watched people put cups where they belong and has somehow missed this little action and has continually put her cups in the water. Finally, two days ago I broke down and said "cups go there, no one said?" and she went "oh, no one told me. sorry, didnt know" Well, thought the problem was solved. The next day she put her cup back in the water. I thought, "great, slow learner, will tell her tomorrow" Well, yesterday I watched her to see where she put the cups. I couldn't believe what she did. She actually came up, looked at the cart that had the cups, looked at the bin of water, looked at her tray and actually put the entire tray on the cup cart, emptied her plate in the garbage and then left the tray and all on the cup cart.

Who knows, maybe she is forming her own little psychological warfare on me. Maybe this is her way of getting back at me for embarrassing her. Maybe she is an idiot, I dont really know. All I know is that I saw her do this, shook my head and went "oh boy".

Now, that is the sort of thing I would blabber about but today I thought I would pick on me. Tonight, after my shift, I came to my room, logged onto the internet and went to a webpage called www.askmen.com to see a few jokes and all, and I came across three articles on the front page. One had to do with "how to handle stress", the other was "Foreplay Moves She Loves" and the third was "Game Review: Civilization IV: Warlords". I looked at the three, thought for a split second and then instantly clicked on the one that I wanted to read first. Which do you think it was? the foreplay? NOOOOO....the stress? NOOO...I, for some reason, found myself reading up on Civ IV game review!!!! Now, if my friend did that, the first thing I would do would be to move away from him slowly and go "mmmmmmm".

So, now, this is me...inching slowly away from myself (which isnt an easy feat mind you) going HMMMMMMMMMM

a rose by any other name????

I often wonder if the reason that men are considered so primitive, so easy to please and so simple is because men are just basically so honest with themselves and their actions, more so than women, that we just seem to be that way.

Just this morning I was talking to a friend and she mentioned that she would be passing through a town on her travels (travels quite frequently for her work) and that there was a guy that she knew in that town and she was wondering if she should call him up. I asked if he was her boyfriend or an aquantance if they head out for drinks or movies or something. I got the response "nope, I am just going to be in town for 3 hours so just want to have some sex". Being a guy, I didn't take this as bad or offensive just "ok, no problem, guys do that all the time..breeze in, sleep with a girl, have a good time and then leave...booty calls are normal when you are single". She then hit me with the addition "but I dont want it to feel like a booty call so not sure if I should call him"...THIS statement got me doing a double take to her and nearly slamming my head into the table to make sure I heard her right.

I asked for clarification. You call him up and get together for sex (YES), you talk to him online by MSN and email (YES), you call him and talk to him on the phone or he calls you (RARILY BUT YES), you go out to dinners/watch movies/hang out and do enjoyable things that dont lead to sex (NOPE). Yeah, had to break it to her...she was in a FWB relationship and it was a booty call*G* she was quite firm in the stand that it wasnt a booty call, it would never be a booty call simply because she doesnt do booty calls because they are not nice and good to do.

Are all women like this? there is something that men do that women have objections with, so when women end up doing it as well, they simply say "nope, that is not what it is" and float down denial like Cleopatra in her boat and all is well with the world. If you dont actually admit to yourself that it happens, then does it really happen? a man is in a booty call relationship and he says it is a booty call relationship and he makes it known to her that it is a booty call relationship but she, on the other hand, calls it a 'process of love and friendship between him and I that will blossom to something more'. In this case, is it a booty cal for the guy but something completely different for the female? is that why women are viewed as being so virtuous and true because they lie to themselves and others around them about certain situations and women help other women lie about the situation themselves, thus perpetuating the lies. Whereas, a guy tells the truth and calls the spade a spade and all of sudden men are considered the despicable ones.

Think us guys should stop telling the truth and start taking lying lessons from the female gender. Maybe then we could salvage our reputations