It's that time of year when one's thoughts turn to summer holidays. Like a lot of people I suppose, I love the hols, but am not particularly fond of the travelling to get to the summer idyll of choice.
We don't go abroad every year, but this year we will. Not sure where yet but the main problem with leaving these shores and going any distance is flying, or, more specifically UK airports and the paranoid levels of so-called security now prevalent.
Let's get one thing clear - 99.9% of people behave 99.9% of time, but because of some mentally unstable geezer with exploding shoes we all have to suffer.
We now consider it normal to have to arrive at the airport 2 weeks before the flight leaves so that we can eventually have the pleasure of queuing to check-in where we are asked "Did you pack this case yourself". No of course I didn't. I let this kindly stranger with a rucksack and wearing a rag on his head and a two foot beard do it for me. Then we have to queue again to get through to the departure lounge, which thanks to the aforementioned mental patient with exploding footwear, involves taking off all our clothes to have them scanned for nuclear warheads and cans of petrol. There is now the added indignity of the body scanner, which I'm sure gives the staff behind the screen plenty to chuckle about in their lunch breaks.
Hooray, we are now free to sample the delights of numerous food options and shopping opportunities. Plastic burger with a scolding cup of molten iron for only £10 anyone? Then we're off!!
What I'm getting at is that this process is not in the least bit normal and should not be tolerated. Annoyingly though when asked people to seem think that these added layers of godawful "security" are for their benefit and therefore can be put up with. Wake up! It's just our wonderful rulers paying lip service to a problem that they will never be able to stop. The 0.1% of fanatics, nutters, religious freaks, etc have been around since the dawn of time, and these days blowing up planes is the disruption of choice, and they will always find a way to do it regardless of what checks are in place. That bloke with exploding underwear last Xmas got through it all did he not?
Have you noticed how on the way back home (from Europe at least - can't speak for the USA which I imagine is as bad or probably worse than the UK) it's a lot simpler and quicker getting through the airport and they have not had any more terrorist incidents than us have they?
Remember, it's all for your benefit folks!
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