What the gubmint's been up to

[skreidle]

On the one hand: Pittsburgh International could become the nation's first major airport to get the OK to abandon the post-September 11 rule that says only ticketed passengers are allowed past security checkpoints. (via deusinnomen)

On the other hand: Legality of government protecting "state secrets" based on government lies 50 years ago. (Long article/story, but worth the read.) (via learath)

And how about this? Via djkangal, US Preparing for Military Draft in Spring 2005. (Actually, that's not new news, it's just a variation on the "required military service" link I posted a little while ago. It does, however, add that higher education is no longer a shelter, and that college students could only delay service by a semester or two.)

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On a lighter note: An ironic Google search. (via vinz_klortho)

Egad! From a Conversatron thread: When a low-margin winery loves a target demographic very very much...

Comments

[xviragox.livejournal.com]

That google is the best! :-D

Pittsburgh Airport...

[my2perfectday.livejournal.com]

I'm from Pittsburgh and my parents still live there... and when I went to visit them recently, they asked my mom if she wanted to come with me to the gate, for no real reason. It's the third time that they've given the person I'm with a gate pass for no reason (the other two times it was my husband.) All 3 times I was flying USAirways, too. I wonder if that's their way of testing it now?

Draft....

[blaisepascal]

If you check the Thomas.loc.gov website (which is the official government site for tracking bills) you will find that the legislative history of the bill is simple:

It was introduced into both houses of Congress on 1/7/2003 by Senator Hollings (SC) and Rep. Charles Rangel (NY-15). Five representatives immediately co-sponsored it. Three weeks later, eight more representatives co-sponsored it.

So only 15 members of congress have formally endorsed it, and only one of those is a senator.

In both Houses it was immediately referred to their respective Armed Services Committee on 7 January 2003.

In the Senate nothing further has happened.

In the House, it got referred to a subcommittee on February 3, 2003, which asked for comment from the Department of Defence.

And that is the last to have happened to it in over a year.

I don't think anything is going to happen to it more. Everything that has happened so far appears to be "bill dies in committee" type stuff.

Re: Draft....

[fuzzyamy.livejournal.com]

Tracking Bills online is hot! Thanks for the link, I'll use it in the future.

I also enjoy seeing where the Bill is right now --

2/3/2003: Referred to the Subcommittee on Total Force

... which makes me think of All Your Base Are Belong to Us.

Re: Pittsburgh Airport...

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

Testing the waters of terror at the gate! *nod nod*