Flying used to be fun, but now, it's just an exercise in authoritarianism on the ground and in the air. To be fair, the TSA people are just doing their job as well as the air crews. But let's face it, the minute you step foot in the airport, you lose all civil (and uncivil) rights. I am a fan of the New Yorker too, which is why I have it loaded on my tablet. I don't need to go to the magazine vendors and pay the high street price. I can also go to emails as well as WBGlenn's postings easily. There's free wifi on the ground at the airport. While in the air, I don't bother with wifi. Instead, I have a collection of books and notes to go through or I might read the latest Masonic literature available that I've previous.y saved on my iPad. The times when it's been over-the-top stressful (like the time I flew home from a family funeral, the idiot/red neck TSA agent decided to go through everyting on my carry-on, then said "oops," and threw all my contents on the floor. I complained to a supervisor. "Did you see that? I didn't see nothing." I just settle in and take a nap when we ar airborne.
I hate the TSA. I don't for a minute think they are just doing their job. The last two times I have flown out of Sea-Tac, I have been treated like dogshit by the TSA. I even had the TSA pre-check and still had to suffer through both the whole body scan, as well as a pat-down on my junk. I never have issues with the TSA at any other airport, but here at home it is humiliating and dehumanizing. As a military veteran you would think I would be treated a little better. I am normally a very respectful person towards government workers, but at least the TSA people at Sea-Tac are complete and utter assholes.
The entire airline industry has turned into flying cattle cars. I remember the glory days of enduring 11-12 hour flights on Northwest Airlines flying to and from South Korea, at least we could smoke (I smoked back then)....and then all of a sudden, that was taken away too. The worst flight was 17 hours in a C-130 from Germany to Delaware. No smoking on that flight, was probably the longest I had gone without nicotine. I was coming back from my time in the desert, six months in Kuwait. We flew from Kuwait to Italy, then Italy to Germany where we had a 24 hour crew rest. First thing I did was find the liquor store and bought a bottle of jack daniels (I hadn't had any alcohol the entire time I was in Kuwait) and spent my time in my visiting airmans quarters getting drunk. Then the flight to Dover, then a commercial flight to Houston, then a short 2 hour hop to Tucson AZ, where I was stationed. Every flight was terrible, until the very last leg, where (I guess) the crew saw I was traveling on military orders, and moved me up to first class. So, for my week long journey to get back home, the last two hours were briefly ok, with at least a couple free drinks in me.
Sorry, were we talking about commercial flying and the new yorker, not sure where that story fits into that narrative lol.
When I travel, I read a lot of books. These days so I don’t fly on planes too often. It’s a great passive activity while you sit for sometimes 16 hours depending on your destination. In the 80s I read two books going from Los Angeles to Johannesburg.
I've not found myself able to properly read books on airplanes. Too darn many distractions capture my attention. I wish I could, but it seems I can only do short works while flying.
Flying used to be fun, but now, it's just an exercise in authoritarianism on the ground and in the air. To be fair, the TSA people are just doing their job as well as the air crews. But let's face it, the minute you step foot in the airport, you lose all civil (and uncivil) rights. I am a fan of the New Yorker too, which is why I have it loaded on my tablet. I don't need to go to the magazine vendors and pay the high street price. I can also go to emails as well as WBGlenn's postings easily. There's free wifi on the ground at the airport. While in the air, I don't bother with wifi. Instead, I have a collection of books and notes to go through or I might read the latest Masonic literature available that I've previous.y saved on my iPad. The times when it's been over-the-top stressful (like the time I flew home from a family funeral, the idiot/red neck TSA agent decided to go through everyting on my carry-on, then said "oops," and threw all my contents on the floor. I complained to a supervisor. "Did you see that? I didn't see nothing." I just settle in and take a nap when we ar airborne.
I hate the TSA. I don't for a minute think they are just doing their job. The last two times I have flown out of Sea-Tac, I have been treated like dogshit by the TSA. I even had the TSA pre-check and still had to suffer through both the whole body scan, as well as a pat-down on my junk. I never have issues with the TSA at any other airport, but here at home it is humiliating and dehumanizing. As a military veteran you would think I would be treated a little better. I am normally a very respectful person towards government workers, but at least the TSA people at Sea-Tac are complete and utter assholes.
The entire airline industry has turned into flying cattle cars. I remember the glory days of enduring 11-12 hour flights on Northwest Airlines flying to and from South Korea, at least we could smoke (I smoked back then)....and then all of a sudden, that was taken away too. The worst flight was 17 hours in a C-130 from Germany to Delaware. No smoking on that flight, was probably the longest I had gone without nicotine. I was coming back from my time in the desert, six months in Kuwait. We flew from Kuwait to Italy, then Italy to Germany where we had a 24 hour crew rest. First thing I did was find the liquor store and bought a bottle of jack daniels (I hadn't had any alcohol the entire time I was in Kuwait) and spent my time in my visiting airmans quarters getting drunk. Then the flight to Dover, then a commercial flight to Houston, then a short 2 hour hop to Tucson AZ, where I was stationed. Every flight was terrible, until the very last leg, where (I guess) the crew saw I was traveling on military orders, and moved me up to first class. So, for my week long journey to get back home, the last two hours were briefly ok, with at least a couple free drinks in me.
Sorry, were we talking about commercial flying and the new yorker, not sure where that story fits into that narrative lol.
I don't disagree, my friend.
When I travel, I read a lot of books. These days so I don’t fly on planes too often. It’s a great passive activity while you sit for sometimes 16 hours depending on your destination. In the 80s I read two books going from Los Angeles to Johannesburg.
I've not found myself able to properly read books on airplanes. Too darn many distractions capture my attention. I wish I could, but it seems I can only do short works while flying.
Everyone is different! I like paperback novels because they are so easy to carry.
On a plate I read only easy reads like John Grisham books. You don’t have to really think.
Now, of course, if I ever end up with that Gulfstream jet...
💯😆