| Monday
April 22, 2002
Flew Brisbane to Adelaide Sunday evening
The helm of the Dragons Abreast Team was refused
permission to pass security because she wore a metal coaches pea-whistle.
Her luggage had to be received from the plane hold
and the whistle placed in baggage.
I have yet to hear of anyone being stabbed with a
pea whistle!!
Regards Peter Carr
I am pleased to see that we are not
the only ones who have gone mad, although I suspect you have yet to blow
up a pair of heated shoes.
And some good news:
Subj: Whoopers return to Wisconsin
Remember the Whooping Cranes that followed the
ultralight aircraft from Wisconsin to Florida last Fall?
Well, they migrated back to Wisconsin on their own:
http://www.bringbackthecranes.org/new/index.htm
I guess the next milestone on the path to
establishing a new migrating flock of Whoopers is laying eggs. 8-)
Rod Montgomery == monty@sprintmail.com
Let's hope they learn.
From: Stephen M. St. Onge saintonge@hotmail.com
Subject: The politics of airport insecurity
Dear Jerry:
In his salon article, Malcolm Gladwell says
"What I mind is a security system that doesn't make flying more
secure." Well, maybe, but if I were in the administration, I'd be
skeptical.
Remember the Bash-the-GOP-over-Social-Security Game?
A Democratic politician suggests that Social Security is in financial
difficulty. He asks Republican politicians for suggestions. At least one
Republican complies. Necessarily, the suggested solution had to be some
version of 'spend less and/or tax more.' At this point, all Democratic
politicians, in unison, claim that the evil Republicans wish to 'destroy
Social Security.' Voters get frightened, and support Democrats -- which
was the goal of the game. The only way the GOP could win was by refusing
to play.
Same thing with airport security. Mr. Gladwell's
main suggestion is to look for terrorists, not weapons. Any successful
strategy to do that will result in looking at non-'whites' a lot more than
'whites'. Then the Democrats cry that the evil Republicans are a bunch of
racists, and more people vote Democratic -- which I suspect is the point
of this exercise.
"Democracy is the theory that the people know
what they want, and deserve to get it, good and hard." If I were
Bush, I wouldn't be taking effective measures against hijacking either.
Best, Stephen
So long as political correctness
trumps objective truth we will have problems, whether it is with airline
security or the environment.
And on
Electronic Books and such:
Jerry,
I don't know if you've read Eric Flint's current
essay regarding the Baen Free Library and its apparent effect on printed
book sales. He cites hard numbers and has an interesting perspective that
is definitely at odds with Harlan Ellison's views. I mention the article
only because you have the link to the SFWA site and have been promising us
an essay of your own (real soon now, please) regarding the issue of
copyright and copyright infringement. While I hope to see your essay,
please don't let it interfere with writing your next novel. It's much more
important that we get the next installment in the series (hint, hint!)
http://www.baen.com/library/palaver6.htm
The home page has the reason that he and Jim Baen
started the library. He doesn't defend online piracy; in fact, he agrees
that it is definitely immoral as well as being illegal. He just believes
that the practical effect is the opposite of what is being claimed by
groups such as the SFWA. He put his money where his mouth is (figuratively
speaking) and persuaded a publisher and other writers to do the same. Now,
he apparently has hard facts to support it.
http://www.baen.com/library/
Dean Sanchez
"The trouble with fighting for human freedom is
that one spends most of one's time defending scoundrels. For it is against
scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be
stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all." - H. L.
Mencken
It is almost certain that up to now
most of us have done better through electronic piracy than worse: that is
the number of people who have bought books as a result of being exposed to
the story on line is larger than the number who would have bought a
book and didn't because they could get it on line.
But that's now with past and present
technology. The technology is improving, and this needs to be thought
about. And I haven't time to do more than say this.
I thought it interesting that the same week that you
put the banner for the sfwa.org e-piracy link, I also was made aware of
this link: http://www.baen.com/library/palaver6.htm
I'm sure you have probably received a number of
emails regarding this issue, I'm just wondering how you feel about this
issue? I for one either borrow books from the library, or buy them, I have
never sat down and read a book electronically, but I'm sure the day will
come when that will be the preferred medium. It will make it easier for me
to find my place when I fall asleep on the couch and the book slams
shut... :)
Tom Lichti
Well, I have to say I put up the
SFWA link largely on whim. I have completely mixed emotions on this stuff.
But piracy ought to be discouraged on moral grounds.
And for your information:
Dear Dr. Pournelle,
Some of your readers comment on dealing with Saudi
Arabia. They are either ignorant of conditions there, or choose to ignore
them. I lived there and prospered on a one-year contract, supporting the
Saudi Arabian armed forces on a project still classified. There are some
things any non-resident should know before going there.
1. The only religion allowed there is Islam. Some
Christians in isolated locations may have weekly discussion groups, but
they keep a very low profile.
2. There are no tourists. You must be in Saudi
Arabia on business with a Saudi Arabian sponsor or a religious pilgrim.
Religious pilgrims are tightly controlled. All visitors must surrender
their passports on entry for keeping by the sponsor. It will be returned
when leaving the country.
3. Business visitors: Men in single status are
common. Professional men with families are welcome, and living
accomodations are nice, with special provisions for female family members,
who must conduct themselves according to most Islamic traditions. Veils
are not required. The shopping bargains available without taxes or duties
make "shop until you drop" a favorite activity, but all women
are acutely aware that women's restrooms are quite rare, and they must
plan carefully. Modest (neck to ankle length) dress is required, and a
black long robe (abaya) is strongly recommended. Women in single status
work as nurses, teachers, and stewardesses. They live in tightly
controlled dormitories, and even a hint of improper behavior will be
subject to brutal treatment. Housemaids have their passports held, and
sometimes are not allowed the ID necessary to travel outside the house.
The male sponsor rules. There are abuses at all levels, but they are rare.
All foreigners are in Saudi Arabia as servants to the native population,
and are treated that way.
4. Alcohol is forbidden, but can be found inside
some compounds. Drugs bring the death penalty. Prostitution has a penalty
of death by stoning. The sexes do not mix in Saudi Arabian society, and
all restaurants have walled-off family areas. Single men are allowed there
only by expressed invitation. There is no night life, movies, plays,
dancing, opera, etc. One thing the male visitor must know before arrival:
DO NOT SPEAK TO A SAUDI WOMAN without the clearly expressed consent of her
or her male escort under any circumstances. It implies that she is a
prostitute and deserves death by stoning. This will not make friends for
the visitor.
5. Visitors break the rules all of the time, but
they do it carefully, and must be ready to accept the penalties. Men get a
lecture and deportation, but really have to work at it to get jail time.
Women are routinely beaten, jailed, have their heads shaved, and get
"Prostitute" stamped in their passports. The religious police (mutawa)
can beat on anyone with a half-meter stick for misbehaving at any time.
They are infamous for beating "immodest" women with little
provocation. They cannot do anything else unless permitted by a Saudi
Arabian policeman. If the policeman is present, he will allow them to do
whatever they want. They are noted for closing down stores and restaurants
at prayer time, forcing non-Muslims to wait outside during the five daily
prayer calls. Be aware that the mutawa can come in any building at any
time if they feel that a sin is being committed. Foreign compound guards
have elaborate alarm systems for this eventuality. Also, no one is allowed
to leave if there is any trace of alcohol on their breath. Men cannot jog
unless clad from neck to knee, unless they are in a closed compound. Women
cannot swim, run, ride bicycles, drive any vehicle, or ride animals
outside of compound walls. Women in shorts are not tolerated. Some
compounds are quite large. Foreign men and women do meet (cautiously) and
the Hash House Harriers have runs and beer kegs in the desert. The Saudi
Arabians are not amused.
6. Any discussion of war with the Saudi Arabians
must recognize that the military reserves there are Bedouins. Bedouins
have considerable power here. Where most traffic on the freeway system
travels well over 100 MPH, the Bedouins drive their Toyota pickups, all
with identical paint jobs, at about 50 MPH. Nobody in his right mind will
mess with them. They prosper in a desert, the Empty Quarter, where the
temperatures are normally over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime, and
can drop below freezing at night. attempts to post the regular army in the
Empty Quarter have all failed. They cannot take the heat, barren land, or
lack of water. Bedouins have wells, usually brackish. The Bedouins
volunteer as reservists because every reservist is given a submachine gun
when he goes on active duty. No Bedouin goes anywhere without one.
7. The law here is strictly Islamic. Saudi Arabians
get precedence. Other Arabians follow. Europeans are next, with Muslims
getting precedence. Third world countries follow, again with Muslims
getting precedence. Yemenis were automatically guilty when I was there,
but this might change. Israelis do not exist, even in Palestine. There is
no Israel.
8. The royal family is a special case. They are
about 4000 strong, all wives or direct descendants of Abdul Azziz Ibn
Rahman Al Saud, known in the United States as Ibn Saud. They have
distinctive license plates, reserved seats on all aircraft, and rule the
country through the one they decide is the current king. Faisal is the
current king, but too infirm to rule. Abdullah actually rules now. A king
who will not step down on demand is killed. This has happened. All relief
work in the country is done by, or supervised by, the royal family. Widows
with no sons to take them in, or no surviving family to support them and
their daughters, must go weekly to a royal family home for subsistence.
There is no other legal means. The royal family does support them.
9. I met some men there who were in Iran and Kuwait
when trouble broke out. They had already arranged hiding places and
stocked them for indefinite stays. Survival is not a game to these men.
The income in Arabia and the side benefits of low prices, free housing,
and no taxes are a powerful draw, but survival when law breaks down is not
pretty or fun.
10. I dealt with several Saudi Arabians and many
imported workers while there. The Saudi Arabians are devout, polite, and
ask only that you honor their religion and customs. They have surrendered
their lives to God's will, which is identical to the will of the male head
of the family and the will of the King of Saudi Arabia. To a Muslim, there
is no difference. The only person I upset was an elderly man that expected
me to speak Arabic. The barber quickly stepped in to help out and the
situation ended.
regards, William L. Jones wljones@dallas.net
And that's the way it is...
And from Roland:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4398235,00.html
Sigh.
And if you want something to read
while I am gone
http://www.ttgnet.com/rbt/thisweek.html
will do nicely.
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