George Rebane
Yesterday we returned from a couple of weeks in Europe with friends visiting Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Somewhere I picked up massive cold augmented by the Hungarian Hack that I brought home on a miserable return from Budapest to SFO in three draining hops. Air travel (we traveled first and biz class) has lost all of its glory and glamour, and for some years now has been Greyhound with wings. I’ll have more to say in upcoming posts what we saw in the capitals and country sides of those countries.
An example of the power of unions to put a business on its knees was evident in our last leg from O’Hare to SFO on AA. It seems that the co-pilot spilled hot coffee all over his right hand seat and then refused to fly until they replaced the cushion with a dry one. What happened over the next two hours is too painful to recount in detail. The captain was helpless and kept feeding the fuming passengers pabulum for two hours while we were parked at the gate; he mainly asked that we wouldn’t take it out on the cabin crew. Finally people who would miss their SFO connections started exiting the plane (leaving their luggage behind) as AA mechanics were desperately searching for a spare 737 cushion at one the world’s largest airports. A painfully obese mechanic kept bringing cushions that for one reason or another weren’t exactly kosher, and had a hell of time fitting into the cockpit in his attempt to try them out in situ. Long story short, we arrived in SFO 2.5 hours late, and then there was a mix-up in getting our bags to the terminal – don’t ask. Finally, acknowledging the concerns of the sumbich who didn’t want to sit on a plastic bag, the first class seats in the plane were as old as the airframe and all sat out. It felt like sitting in a chair whose front legs were two inches shorter than the back ones. And there’s more …
NPR reported this morning that Sacramento will expand Medicaid coverage to illegal aliens in 35 more counties to that “more Californians can receive healthcare.” It appears that butt stupid liberal thought has been picking up steam in our absence. When was the last time that you could illegally enter Mexico and then be referred to as being Mexicans by the Mexican government?
Europeans are so frustrated with their governments that populism is now rampant – witness yesterday’s Austrian election. The ‘Socialist dream’ of that continent has foundered by every measureable (more later) with their unemployable populations burgeoning while the producers are told that taxes and regulations will be increased to more evenly divide what’s left. Young people, dismally ignorant and with no visible prospects, are wandering around the Schengen countries supposedly looking for work or bigger handouts. Meanwhile our lamestream continues to promote the National Lie that everything there is hunky-dory and we need to be more like them. What you see in the capitals is not what you see in the countryside.
Finally, apologies for letting the last sandbox continue for so long. My cold, connectivity, and a demanding cruise schedule left the happy hour as the only slack in the day, and I didn’t think anyone would dun me for setting properly setting my priorities.
[24may16 update] Heard on NPR this morning that TSA security administrator Kelly Hogan was “removed” from his job due to long security lines across the nation and especially at O’Hare where we witnessed them last Saturday. The interview with SecHSA Jah Johnson this morning was the usual mealy mouthed cover up of gross incompetence. The firing was doubly embarrassing because Hogan had received over $90K of bonuses for outstanding performance over the last year when in fact none was in evidence. This again confirms that there is literally NOTHING that government does well, and most certainly not better than what private (non-corporatist) industry can do. Of course none of this makes no never mind to our big government liberal readers. (more here)
[25may16 update] Socialist thugs rioted at a Trump rally last night in Albuquerque in the attempt to stop the candidate from speaking. Waving banners like “We’ve heard enough”, throwing stones and burning objects at police, the leftwing crowd put on what has become a typical response across the nation to speakers they oppose either on or off campuses. As reported by Associated Press (here) their biggest burr was Trump’s initiatives to stop the illegal entry across our borders and succor illegal aliens in our midst. Evaluating her walk vs talk, even New Mexico’s Republican (sic) governor Susana Martinez supports easy access to our land and largesse by illegals. Now we will again hear that the Left really does support free speech.
And regarding that great socialist idea of a high minimum wage, a correspondent sends this corporate decision from MacDonald’s as a response to hiring humans at such butt stupid wages. The question stands – are the socialist elites evil or just stupid like their constituents?
[26may16 update] Mexicans protesting at Trump rally in California. This photograph from the 26may16 WSJ puts into sharp focus the real agenda of those who oppose the construction and maintenance of secure borders for America.
[27may16 update] For joy, in education today’s “most important news is that voucher students show ‘statistically significant’ improvement in math and reading test scores.” The lying Left will continue to tell its low-info constituents that no such thing is possible – government-designated, union-operated schools are just as good or better than any alternatives, and can be improved even more by pouring in more money. (more here)
