Malaysian Airline: Is the FAA Stupid? Is it Senile??

A flight recorder, the big black box, is in place so when something goes wrong on a plane, we have some data to analyze and figure out what happened.  It's not just to have more accurate history but to make improvements that reduce the chance of another crash, hijacking, etc.

Okay, listen FAA (Federal Aviation Administration & the equivalent from other countries).  Pilots sometimes are part of the problem.  Why would you give them access to the flight recorders and the ability to turn them off.  That is just plain, unabashedly STUPID.

Second, why would you only record data to a box that may end up five miles deep at the bottom of the ocean.  Have you heard of the Internet?  Apparently FAA is not too smart, but couldn't they hire someone to set up a system to broadcast a signal from the plane to the Internet.  I'm not any smarter than the FAA in this matter, but I would bet Google could figure it out, after all some planes have in-flight Internet so it can't be all that complicated.

And third, does anyone really believe that turning on a cell phone jeopardizes the safety of the plane. How stupid do you think we are? If its true don't tell the terrorists. Really?  How many phone calls could have been made clandestinely and otherwise by the passengers on the Malaysian airliner if it was routine to use cell phones on a plane?  If it was normal to use a phone on the plane, do you think someone would have noticed when all the calls stopped.  How about all those text messages and Twitters that would have stopped coming out of the plane.  Or how many could have gotten through to tell us what was going on? Why don't we set up the Internet on the plane and only allow it to be disabled with the consent of the control tower and the pilot?

Reviewing.  The FAA is stupid.  Flight recorders should not be able to be shut down by the pilot. Automatic on, automatic off, pilot not required. When the FAA gets this message we will move on to lesson two.  We will go slow and work with the FAA.

Do We Believe in Democracy?

Crimea's referendum, even if not conducted perfectly, probably represents the majority since 95% of those that turned out, voted to become part of Russia.   The world, including the U.S., has completely denounced the referendum saying it was illegal.  Russia and Crimea, of course, disagree.  It's funny how we don't care what the will of the people is when it disagrees with what we want ... we being our politicians.  The American people, I am quite sure, don't give a damn.

So, let's face it, the people of Crimea for the most part want to be part of Russia.  Should they be supported in making such a decision over their own lives?  I guess not from what I hear. 

So, they are going to put Sanctions on Russia.  Russia is trembling. The U.S. and Europe are talking tough.  Guess what, Russia supplies much of the energy for Europe, natural gas and oil.  So, guess how that is going to go in the end.  My guess, Russia is not going to sweat the small stuff.  The U.S. still has the illusion that we are in charge of the world, but guess what, our clout is not what it used to be. No one gives a shit what we the people want.  Not other countries, not our politicians.  And some countries have even figured out that our government seldom speaks for even the simple majority of us Americans.  Sad.

Crimea's Case for Leaving Ukraine is strong.  Ukraine is a crabby place to live.  It is corrupt, it is run by about 10 “oligarchs”.  It is a place where we there are the "have's" and the "have nots".  Kind of like America and China.  Who would have thought it, China and America with the same income distribution.  Those nasty communists absorbing all the wealth from the poor workers. Not like our great system (was).  And yet in our minds we think we are better.  Sad.

Putin is even getting praise for his stand against gays from our Tea Party.  That says so much I don't even know where to start.  Putin believes he is right, everyone else is wrong. No negotiations, no compromise.  The Tea Party thinks like Putin, no?  Sad.

So, why can Putin do what he wants.  Like a drug dealer, he controls the Candy.  He can get the young ladies to sell their bodies to get just one more taste of Candy.  The Candy of course is energy, natural gas and oil.  Europe, like America, is addicted.  We just have different dealers.  Europe's pimp is Putin. 

It is so sad that we can't see ourselves through the eyes of Putin.  We are like an old prostitute that no one even notices anymore standing there on her corner. 

Ukraine and the Broken Eagle

Ukraine and Russia, okay its messed up.  But, why is it any of America's business?  America sounds more like a squawking chicken than a Golden Eagle.  

Crimea: do the people there want to be part of Russia? or Ukraine?  Neither side are really pushing for a referendum so I don't think anyone really cares what these people want. 

Can the Golden Eagle really do anything except squawk.  Do you think Europe which gets much of its oil and natural gas from Russia are going to impose sanctions.  Let's see we can freeze and walk or we can let Russia have Crimea.  Duh?  And the U.S. which doesn't buy oil and natural gas from Russia anyway, is not going to buy any?  

Is Russia playing by our rules or even International Rules? Nope, but how about the rule all is fair in Love and War?  Okay, its military action is not okay and its withholding oil and gas to get its way is not like us, we simply invade a country, i.e.,  Iraq (where up to a million civilians died with our help, but who cares).  And, it is not fair that they stop selling oil and natural gas to get their way.  Who would do something like that?  Who was that country that cut off trade with Cuba for 50 years to punish their people? (We showed them.)

Okay, back to my original point: Why is it our business?  Nobody is getting massacred like in Syria.  No one is under country arrest like in Palestine.  If Crimea is attached to Russia or the Ukraine, job creation in America will still be dreadful.  Europe should care more but they have sold their souls to Russia for energy.  Ukraine should care but they are  broke, leaderless, and without any clear sense of direction.  Crimea is ethnically divided and abusing minorities no doubt, so they don't deserve a lot of sympathy.

So the American Golden Eagle sounds like a toothless rooster squawking at a Russian fox that is eating his chickens.