Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 11:36 am:

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Now the party kicks him aside for sticking with his support for the war against Islamic fascism.

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Every incident, including the huge airliner plot busted in London last week, gets twisted into an argument against Bush instead of a concern about the threat facing all Americans.

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Posted on Sunday, August 13, 2006 - 11:49 pm:

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To ensure the safety of passengers aboard aircraft that also carries cargo.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 17, 2005

Mr. MARKEY (for himself and Mr. SHAYS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

A BILL

To ensure the safety of passengers aboard aircraft that also carries cargo.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Safe Skies Cargo Inspection Act'.

SEC. 2. INSPECTION OF CARGO CARRIED ABOARD PASSENGER AIRCRAFT.

Section 44901 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by redesignating subsections `(g)' and `(h)' as subsections `(h)' and `(i)', respectively; and

(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:

`(g) Air Cargo on Passenger Aircraft-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish a system to inspect all cargo transported on passenger aircraft to ensure the security of all passenger aircraft carrying cargo operated by an air carrier or foreign air carrier in air transportation or intrastate air transportation.

`(2) MINIMUM STANDARDS- The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum, require that--

`(A) equipment, technology, and personnel meets the same standards established to inspect passenger baggage;

`(B) one-third of cargo carried on passenger aircraft is inspected before Thanksgiving Day of the first year after the date of enactment of this subsection;

`(C) two-thirds of cargo carried on passenger aircraft is inspected before Thanksgiving Day of the second year after the date of enactment of this subsection; and

`(D) all cargo carried on passenger aircraft is inspected before Thanksgiving Day of the third year after the date of enactment of this subsection.'.

END

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Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 8:21 am:

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`(B) one-third of cargo carried on passenger aircraft is inspected before Thanksgiving Day of the first year after the date of enactment of this subsection;

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Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 9:40 pm:

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In April 2006, he was selected by Time as one of "America's Five Worst Senators." The magazine dubbed him "The Underperformer" for his "lackluster performance", noting he "shows little interest in policy unless it involves baseball", and criticized his hostility towards staff and fellow Senators and his "bizarre behavior" during his 2004 campaign.

It has been suggested that Senator Bunning suffers from dementia, explaining his odd behavior on the campaign trail in 2004.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bunning

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Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 10:21 pm:

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This is an old story, just being replayed. First, the government drafts, or nowadays entices, young people to join the service. To join one must pass a strict physical exam and background check, and must also be verified to be in good mental health (no comments from me on that one right now).

So, military service, especially, say, in a sandy hot country where everyone is shooting at you all of the time might be a tad stressful, eh? But never fear, the government is looking out for these fine soldiers.

Now check this out, from the Colorado Springs Independent:
The Independent also found soldiers were discharged at a rate three times higher than before start of the Iraq war for "personality disorder," which experts consider a rare condition. A soldier diagnosed with a personality disorder receives no medical retirement benefits from the military.

Now, a personality disorder is something that a person is supposedly born with. Hmm, presumably the military wouldn't be taking in people with personality disorders, right (no laughter here)? Personality disorders are not compensable under the veterans benefits system though, so they are a cheaper out.

On the other hand, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is compensable, and it results from things like being exposed to stress, like people trying to kill you.

Now this is something I have a bit of experience with, having been diagnosed by the military (unbeknownst to me) with something called "Transient Situational Personality Disorder." That diagnosis was used to prevent me from receiving veterans benefits. It's a ficticious diagnosis: one which has never existed, according to the American Psychiatric Association, and it's amusing to consider, since a personality disorder cannot by definition be transient, or situational.

What's not so funny is that the government is still doing this to military personnel today. Isn't it bad enough that that soldiers are being shot at by other soldiers in a place they don't belong? Does our own government have to shoot at them too?

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