Outsourcing Stupid

Fortunately it is not just our own TSA that runs amuck; here is a story from Britain:

Airport bans toy soldier's three-inch rifle from plane... because it's a safety threat

Airport officials ordered a holidaymaker carrying a toy soldier onto a plane to remove its three-inch gun - because it was a safety threat.

Ken Lloyd was stunned when he was told he could not go on the plane with the nine-inch model soldier because it was carrying a 'firearm'.

The Canadian tourist and his wife had bought the toy, which holds a replica SA80 rifle, during a visit to the Royal Signals Museum at Blandford Camp in Dorset.

But when he tried to take the £135 keepsake through Gatwick Airport in his hand luggage it triggered a security alert at the scanners.

Presumably the airport security team had seen "Toy Story" one too many times.

Eventually the couple were able to mail the weapon home, showing bold and creative risk-taking on the part of the Briish mail service.  Neither rain nor snow nor three inch replica guns shall stay them...

Comments

[Barry Soetoro]

I carry my 3 incher on every flight.

[Jane]

Jay Carney is the new press secretary.

[Theo]

Size does not matter.....

[centralcal]

Insane. The world is insane.

Jane: So, the MFM has one of their "own" at the WH press briefing podium. How nice.

[Captain Hate]

I remember seeing Carney on the McLaughlin group before I couldn't stand it anymore, mainly because of the gasbag host. Jay seemed kind of reasonable at the time but it was before the hive-mind was able to exert its malign powers.

[Rob Crawford]

Great. So now there's a carney barking for the president.

[Mike Huggins]

Wusses.

[narciso]

It does make you wonder who did Gibbs, blackmail to keep his job, he made McLLelan
look competent by comparison

[Neo]

What would they have done if the gentle man had been carrying a banana ? ... or a pointy stick ?

[Rob Crawford]

Careful with the commas there, narciso.

[Neo]

Another one of those WTF moments.

[Rob Crawford]

In re "WTF" -- anyone else see the pearl-clutching going on over at NRO over Palin using the phrase?

[peter]

I know Jay Carney also from watching McL Group, which I stopped watching after many years.

Perhaps Art Carney would be more appropriate.

[Porchlight]

NRO are almost all pearl-clutchers these days. Not worth going over there 90% of the time.

[Captain Hate]

anyone else see the pearl-clutching going on over at NRO over Palin using the phrase?

Dear God; just after their togas were dry cleaned. Oh the huge manatee.

I suspect Nooner has the vapours also.

LOL @ Art Carney. NORTON get the plunger; Moochelle dropped a doozy.

[daddy]

So in the UK size doesn't matter huh?.

Then why is the very next story at TM's link to that UK paper is devoted to the very troubling question perplexing Brit Scientists: ">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1350919/Why-ARE-womens-breasts-getting-bigger-The-answers-disturb-.html"> Why ARE women's breasts getting bigger? The answers may disturb you...

"So, what’s going on? Why are the nation’s breasts getting bigger?" queries the story.

Answers range from hormones, to estrogenized cow milk, to diet.

Conspicuously missing however is any mention of Global Warming. Peculiar.

[centralcal]

Well, let 'em clutch their pearls, Rob!

Sarah Palin, Dick Cheney to headline Young America's Foundation celebration of Reagan's 100th birthday - at Reagan Ranch Center, Feb. 4 -5.

[MayBee]

I remember Jay Carney asking John McCain what his opinion on premarital sex was. And if he would encourage young people to sleep around as he had. And then crying to Brian Williams on the national news that John McCain had chaaaanged, He had become craaanky with the press.

[Porchlight]

Sarah Palin, Dick Cheney to headline Young America's Foundation celebration of Reagan's 100th birthday - at Reagan Ranch Center, Feb. 4 -5.

Poor Dana Milbank.

[Captain Hate]

I volunteer to collect primary data on can sizes. It's the least I can do for science.

[narciso]

What does Meggy Mac have to do with, Captn, sorry you left me an opening.

[Michelle O]

"I volunteer to collect primary data on can sizes.

Well come on over, I'll be waiting for you.

[Rick Ballard]

CH,

Looks like you'll have your hands full for a bit. Remember, the larger the sample size, the lower the MoE. The universe for the US is around 110 million so plan accordingly.

[lyle]

So the British men get to compensate for penis envy by patting down women with larger cans? Do I have that about right?

[Theo]

If you are going to take Michelle O up on her offer, Cap'n, you had better bring the big tape measure....Of course, size still does not matter....

[Captain Hate]

Ouch; you guys are dampening my quest for knowledge. One less job created or saved.

[lyle]

,
,

,

Sorry, looks some of narciso's peripatetic commas wandered into one of my comments. I have to ask...is English not the lingua franca where you live?

[lyle]

I really don't think the difficult measuring job for MO is near her decolletage.

[Danube of Thought]

I don't know what McCain's answer was, but before he got married he was gunning for the world title in pre-marital sex.

[clarice]

We have been without power for 21 hours. Luckily, though it was cold and often dark I was not spending that time stuck in traffic like a lot of my fellow Capitolites.

[centralcal]

lmao!

Tweet from Iowahawk:

From Time DC bureau chief to WH press secretary: congrats to Jay Carney for finally getting paid for putting out.

[centralcal]

Perfect timing Clarice, I was just about to ask what had become of you.

Hope you are warming up some now that your power is restored.

[MayBee]

yuck, clarice

[Captain Hate]

Iowahawk FTW yet again!

[lyle]

Oh, and can anyone imagine how much the tittering (as it were) from the left would be if Palin somehow came up with a slogan with an acronym WTF?

[Dennis D]

When I was a kid my backyard looked like The Ardennes Forest during the war. I had Dozens of plastic Tiger and Sherman Tanks. Howitzers and Long Toms and maybe 3000 plastic soldiers. I even added firecrackers for sound.Homeland Security would have arrested me.

[Old Lurker]

Dennis, and I had the neatest lead soldier melting kit (advertised in the back of Boy's Life) and I melted tons of lead for it, when I was not playing with my sister's chemistry set, stealing the mercury from it to coat pennies so we could tell the other kids they were dimes.

Hmmm. Maybe that explains a lot, come to think of it.

[lyle]

Homeland Security would have arrested me.

Nah, but you would have responsible for creating a wider "climate of hateful violence" and duly earning the opprobrium of all right minded people.

[Jack is Back!]

London City Airport is notorious for swiping anything they would like to have as theirs by invoking the security/deadly weapon rule. I know this isn't the case here but some advice. In the UK, they have to provide you a mailer envelope or package for any prohibited item. You have to post it and pay the postage at security. Do not give up the article to security or they will keep it, sell it or make part of their collection!

[Old Lurker]

And speaking of firecrackers, we had those too. I perfected the ability to tie cherry bomb fuses to birthday candles (making a 7 minute fuse) so I could be calmly reading books in Dad's study during their cocktail hour. When the bombs went off, my brothers got blamed every time.

Ah good times.

[JM Hanes]

Clarice:

You need a Powerpack! When the electricity goes out, plug your cable modem into it, and you're good to go. When the sun goes down, add a lamp. You can even jumpstart your car with it!

[daddy]

Predictable but worth mentioning anyway:

Nobody on the left was supposedly aware of the offensive meaning of the term "TeaBagging" when they used it 4 million times about the Tea Party. Amazing how cluelessly unhip they were about that.

But Sarah uses the 3 initials from Win The Future (WTF) and suddenly everybody on the left is absolutely hip to the lingo and pile on Sarah begins:
">http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=anger+at+palin+for+wtf&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&fp=6131a187c1c25a1b"> Google search for "anger at Palin for WTF"

I'm liking that girl better and better and better. You go Sarah!

[centralcal]

OL - shame on you!

[maryrose]

clarice: I am so sorry your power was out.Warm up and have some of that wonderful food you prepare so well. Reading by candlelight can be soothing and the noise factor is greatly reduced. I'm trying to look on the bright side. I just call a break in power "going Amish".

[JM Hanes]

Captain:

Afraid I belong to daddy's unhip group, and need a translation for FTW?

[narciso]

"For the Win" JM, sorry to here that Clarice,

[daddy]

Since it's a slow snow day, here's a quiz to lighten it up.

Which Hollywood celebrity has just been rushed to the Emergency Room with serious abdominal pains? (And no cheating by googling. Answer to be posted after the dog walk.)

1) Lindsey Lohan
2) Charlie Sheen
3) Brittany Spears
4) Robert Downey Jr
5) Any male Kennedy

Place your bets!

[centralcal]

per Drudge:

HONOLULU – Five Hawaii Democratic representatives want to pass a law making President Barack Obama's birth records public and charge $100 to see them.

The bill, introduced this week, would change a privacy law barring the release of birth records to anyone unless they have a tangible interest.

The measure hasn't been scheduled for a public hearing yet, and can't move forward until that happens.

Its primary sponsor, Rep. Rida Cabanilla, says she wants to end the controversy surrounding Obama's birth by handing over official state records to those who will pay.

hhhhmmmm

[Sue]

Anyone listening to Sean? I stepped out and apparently missed Joe Lieberman telling Sean Hannity that the day he announced his decision not to run for senator, George W. Bush called him to personally thank him for his votes and support on Iraq. Class act.

[centralcal]

daddy - Charlie Sheen (that's on Drudge too).

[Danube of Thought]

If you happen to be headed for an African hunting safari, don't pass through Heathrow on the way. No matter how meticulously you comply with all the regs about firearms, they will do everything in their power to ruin your day. A buddy and I once went NY-Johannesburg-Lihue in order to avoid London.

[centralcal]

Very classy and cool, Sue!

[Sue]

Charlie Sheen.

[Janet]

We have been without power for 21 hours.

Ours JUST came back on, Clarice! Hang on.

[centralcal]

JMH: I didn't know FTW either and have all sorts of fun trying to think up words to fit! For the win - that's a real let down :(

[daddy]

Fark the Won is how I took it. Was I wrong?

[Thomas Collins]

I didn't Google, daddy, but I had checked out TMZ already, so I know the answer. But I won't spoil it for everyone else!

[Crampy Mess in The White House]

It woulda been me from eatin that sleazy St Louis pizza cheese. But, girl, we got our own docta up in hee.

[The Ghost of George Pickett]

Last year I had a solid brass replica of an early American revolver, a miniature chotchky I bought at the Gettysburg Battlefield for my key chain. That was until I went through airline security. Confiscated. It was a half inch. Flipped my grits.

[Jane]

I'm looking forward to the liberal Palin black-out. They can stop talking about her and we can talk about her non-stop. She just keeps getting better and better. No-fear-Sarah!

[clarice]

JMH! I have that powerpak and never thought to use it for this! Thanks.

I do think with CONorth's help on finding a good contractor to do it, I will install a backup generator though. Because of the eco nuts around here you cannot cut down a tree even though this is FOREST Hills, an area with far more giant trees than people, an area which has power shortages in every gosh darned storm.

[Independent Thinker for Palin 2012]

Quote from a political poster hanging in a West Berkeley CA neighborhood TODAY, featuring a photo likeness of Governor Palin with that obnoxious, out-of-context wide mouth pose as if she is braying: "enrage them with fear until they feel justified in their violence".

The sanctimonious lizardheaded lefties of Communist Berkeley will elevate mass murderers like Stalin, Mao, and Guevara/Castro and Pol Pot.... but boy do they put their foot down when it comes to the bloodthirsty Palin. Talk about WTF.

[matt]

Isn't Lihui on Kauai, DoT?

Free The Whales is a popular abbreviant at Sea World.

as to toy soldiers, there used to be a brand that had hundreds of variants of just about any World War II vehicle and soldier in hard plastic. The figures were @ 1 3/4" high or so.

This fitted well with building models of the Pacific and Japanese fleets and those small Airfix airplane kits.

I'll never forget re-creating the battle of Okinawa with firecrackers, M-80's, various homemade explosives and flammable liquids off in the way back yard with my friends somewhere around the age of 12. We even dug a great big hole and filled it with water. It is amazing how destructive 12 year old boys can be.

[Virulent Patriot]

Mag cover today (Conde Nast?)....a picture of MooShu-Elle and Barry gazing into each others eyes in formal wear. Title of the article: The Obama's- A Couple with a Purpose.

Of course. When screwing each other is no longer a plausible psycho-sexual option, they've set their sites on the Americano taxpayer (aka "serfs" in Commie lingo).

[Cheryl Crow]

I hate her because she looks GREAT in biking shorts.

[Rob Crawford]

When I was a kid my backyard looked like The Ardennes Forest during the war. I had Dozens of plastic Tiger and Sherman Tanks. Howitzers and Long Toms and maybe 3000 plastic soldiers.

Axle and tow-bar from a long-dead farm wagon + length of pipe = field artillery.

[The 'Swiper']

* As unrest continues in Egypt, ElBaradei returns to his country: "Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel laureate who has become a leading opponent of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, returned to Cairo on Thursday in an attempt to galvanize youth-led street protests that extended into a third day across the country."

* Tunisia, then Egypt, now Yemen: "Yemen, one of the Middle East's most impoverished countries and a haven for Al Qaeda militants, became the latest Arab state to witness mass protests on Thursday, as thousands of Yemenis took to the streets in the capital and other regions to demand a change in government."

Thanks Wikileaks. You've managed to inspire more regime change in the Muslim world than the costly war of choice, Iraq.

[Michelle Hagen Das OboomBoom]

I hate her because I can't balance my junk in spike heels and give a speech at the same time.

[Melinda Romanoff]

matt-

Do you mean Tamiya Models (click for pic)?

[Melinda Romanoff]

You sure can focus in on the least likely suspect there, alligator arms.

How did you leave out conservative nefariousness?

Or is too soon before Mom calls you to dinner?

[Extraneus]

Generators aren't very expensive, and can easily be hooked up to your panel box by plugging their output into the outlet your electric dryer uses. No need for fancy inverters or electricians. Just make a double-male-ended plug, one end for the generator and the other for the dryer outlet. When the power goes out, fire up the generator, turn off the main at the panel, connect the plug to the dead dryer outlet, then the other end to the live generator, and you can power your whole house. $500 or so for a 5000W. Turn the generator off and disconnect the plugs before turning the main back on.

[Tar Baby Olsen]

Used to play flamethrower with charcoal lighter fluid, a readily available commodity in Dad's patio barbecue cabinet. Always did it on Xmas day after getting the mega 5000 Iwo Jima Battleground set complete with 2500 Japanese troops with those half-egg shaped helmets. Dig snake-like trenches, insert the enemy. Squirt and torch. No survivors. No small animals involved.

Cherry bombs were reserved for the girls bathroom toilets. Masking tape 3 per tank at the "throat". Cigarette fuses after lunch. Goodnite Irene.

[Specter]

Axle and tow-bar from a long-dead farm wagon + length of pipe = field artillery.

Heck...a long piece of pipe (when young we used metal pipe; as teens we used PVC), capped one one end and a ton of bottle rockets = portable bazooka. We used to run around shooting at each other....LOL

[clarice]

Ext--I cannot figure that out and doubt it would work for us. we have a lot of electrical appliances. I want one of those automatic kind that work off our gas line.

[Danube of Thought]

Good God--did I say Lihue? I meant Lusaka.

Or was it Lehore?

[maryrose]

Porch:
Thanks for the great book ideas on the other thread.
Matthews evidently didn't hesr about the ban on Palin bashing-he's at it again today and has added Bachmann to the mix again. I think he wants to be the heir to Olby.

[Danube of Thought]

We have preliminary reports of throngs in the streets chanting "Assange! Assange!"

They'll be holding elections and showing us their purple fingers next week.

[The Rockettes featuring Bob Hope n Change]

Yemen Yime. Oh-winj Ohwinj. Twix aw fo kids.

But i digress. Yemen. The center of the next land war in the "middle" east. We're already over here off the coast with 20,000 leathernecks ready to hit it. The foment in Egypt and Tunisia is an Iranian foil to ratchet the violence up before they make their move to snip the oil supplies at Hormuz and the Red Sea.
Baradei is as meaningful to this scheme as boobies on a boar. The protests will be crushed and no one but the UN will give a hoot. Baradei will leave with some gold and material for a new book and the all important mantle of moral authority. More war with the US involved. The real reason BHo is a one term Johnny. He bowed to the Saudi perv but only because the Yemeni rebels have forced evacuation of hundreds of border region towns between the two countries. Too close for comfort. That's why we're here 20,000 strong. You mean Chris Matthews hasn't reported this?

[The 'Swiper']

The Rockettes featuring Bob Hope n Change is the JOMer version of Starship Troofers.

Crazy as a Bachmann hare.

[matt]

well, you may have been hunting feral chickens in Lihui, DoT.They're certainly deserving of violent death, especially as they crow randomly all night long.

The model tanks and trucks etc were @ 4-5" long, hard plastic, fully assembled, sometimes as sets. I think they may have been made in the UK. It's been so long and once I discovered girls it all went by the wayside.

[RichatUF]

The axeltoads finally finished rearranging their canned goods.

[Extraneus]

Yeah, a woman of your caliber probably needs a bigger, better one. 5000 or 6000W can handle a house with a gas range/oven, just uses electric for an oil furnace, water pump, tv, computers, lights, etc. You'll probably want to spend a few grand and get one that automatically turns on, automatically switches your main off, switches back off when the power is restored, etc.

[centralcal]

Breaking news - Illinois Supreme Court puts Rahmbo back on the ballot.

[Johnny Rico]

I hope Rahm wins and hangs himself, metaphorically speaking of course.

[Pinche Cabron]

Kahlee-fo-nya is closing its juvey system, the California Youth Authority. I hear it is relocating wholesale to Guadalajara, where most of the inmates are from anywhooz.

Yo quiero Taco Bell.

[Ken Lloyd's 9 Inch Lil Soldier]

I was so bummed I didnt get on that flight. Broiled softball entrees are so yummy.

[maryrose]

centracal;
Like we all didn't see that coming...He probably sent a dead fish to Mosely-Braun.

[Rick Ballard]

Extraneous,

That setup (two male plugs) is called a "suicide plug" for a reason. A transfer switch doesn't cost much and eliminates the safety (and liability) issues. I'm not saying that it won't provide 40 amps to the panel, just that the risk/reward ratio is difficult to assess without any recognition of risk being made.

[Ignatz]

--JMH: I didn't know FTW either and have all sorts of fun trying to think up words to fit! For the win - that's a real let down :(--

I believe originally it was F*** The World; sort of an anarchists primal scream.

[Ignatz]

--A transfer switch doesn't cost much and eliminates the safety (and liability) issues.--

Our transfer switch was about $200 for a four circuit setup using a 6000 watt generator. Wired it myself in a couple of hours.
Piece a cake.

[centralcal]

Great, Ignatz - that actually was one of my first choices! I can't imagine Cap'n Hate rasping out For the Win . . . lol!

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Obama went from minus 14 to minus 4 after Tuscon, then he gives the SOTU speech and he is back up to minus 11. This has got to make some in the WH nervous.

[Extraneus]

Yeah, Rick, it's important to make sure to be thinking when going the cheap way, not plug into the power until the last step and vice versa. It's not that hard to do, but it's certainly preferable to do it more safely. $200 doesn't sound very expensive, Ignatz. When I looked into it, it was through an electrician and it was a lot more expensive than that.

[Extraneus]

Here's one for $99.

[Ignatz]

--When I looked into it, it was through an electrician and it was a lot more expensive than that.--

Well, yeah, connecting a sink can cost $10 for the trap and drain or $500 for the trap, drain and a view the plumbers buttcrack.
I got my transfer switch through Northern Tools made by Reliance Controls with six 110 circuits or one 220 and four 110 circuits. Included weather proof exterior receptacle and a ten foot generator cord.
Worked like a charm last year more than once. Our poor neighbors were about ready to move.

[Danube of Thought]

Connect from load to source, disconnect from source to load. And I'm gonna wrestle a grizzly bear, and kiss me a pretty girl.

Don't get mixed up on either hoary maxim.

[Extraneus]

So they don't power your whole panel, just certain circuits?

[macphisto]

"I believe originally it was F*** The World; sort of an anarchists primal scream."

this: long before the youthful anarchists took it up it was an acronym of choice among outlaw motorcyclists and convicts.

[Ignatz]

--So they don't power your whole panel, just certain circuits?--

The thing you linked at Amazon would power your whole house I believe, although I didn't look too close. It is for hardwiring a permanent standby generator, preferably one which could handle the entire load of your house, which if people switch on electric heaters and it has an electric cooktop or water heater can easily exceed a 6-7,000 watt generator's capacity. This type uses your own electrical panel's circuit breakers.
For smaller generators, especially portable ones, you select which circuits you'll power in the event of an outage and use the transfer switch's subpanel to send power to only those circuits, which requires a little simple wiring in your electrical box.

[Threadkiller]

What do you do with your electric car during a power outage?