Business…here’s a piece I’ve got on Page 2 about Donald Sterling’s role as a dreadful landlord.
So most of the universe knows about all the drama they’ve got going in the airports. It seems a foiled terrorist plot in London has everyone very worried. Many folks are aware that lotions, hair gels and other products are not allowed on planes.
But try this one on…
Friend of mine has a flight today. She received a call from her airline to let her know about all the drama. They let her know there would be restrictions.
“You’ll only be able to carry on a clear bag to hold your ID and credit cards.”
Gotta suck, but it’s understandable. Except she’s flying to Zurich!
An overseas flight with no music, no books, no magazines? Are you serious? They told her she might get the chance to buy books at the airport, but that she would be wise to ask before she wasted her money.
Because of that, I’m pretty sure that for a lot of people, today will be the worst day ever in the skies. On top of being the ashiest day in the history of flying, it will also be the testiest. What on Earth will someone do on a plane for that long? Good gracious.
It’s so bad that if Damon Stoudamire had been arrested today for sneaking contraband into the airport wrapped in tin foil, it wouldn’t seem so stupid.
(Yes it would. But it would be a little more comprehensible.)
Pray for me friend, please. If you’re that type, yanno.
13 thoughts on “The Unfriendly Skies”
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You know, sorta I’m used the funk and the ash, given my propensity to hang out at the local organic co-op, but this is going to be at that NEXT level. However, don’t want to even think about what I am gonna do for all that time with only the in-flight magazine to read. I mean, hell, the article on fun things to do in (insert city) can only be interesting the first 5 times you read it. A friend of mine had the gall to tell me it wasn’t a big deal. I had to excuse him, given that he’d never gone across the atlantic before. I guess it’s not clear that unlike car trips, you can’t put someone who is working your nerves off of the plane. Even worse, they told me I can’t even take water from the airport store onto the plane. A flight attendant trying to ration water will have me on the 6 o’clock news, just so you know. Osama really done crossed the line now. I’m ready to suit up and join the army.
…In other news, Amtrak and Dasani had an incredible spike in sales today, as thousands of thirsty travelers took to the rails in light of today’s foiled terror plot.
Nice article on Don Sterling today… I’m in grad school in L.A. and I was wondering when the hell somebody in MSM would truly examine this issue. I’ve read your blog for a bit without commenting, so I figured it was time to say nice job!
LMAO@ashiest day. i automatically started envisioning a bunch of folk walking around with dry skin and gray knees and elbows.
i would have had to cancel that trip. i can’t do without my music. that had to have been TORTURE for her.
As someone who flies 100K a year, and has 2500 miles to fly to reach the nearest airport, I gotta say this sucks. And I’m a HEAVY packer too. My carryons would break a camel’s back. Water, food, computer, two external drives, 6 or so magazines, iPod, 4 zippered bags of cables, a BIG digital camera, video camera, toiletries, LCD projector… And that’s just my carryons! I think I’m parkin’ my ass in Hawaii for a while.
I have no idea what I’m gonna do with myself on my next trip. Hopefully things will have eased up by then.
Mr. Carter, during 9/11 I was out of the country (Canada). AMTRACK saved my ass from staying in Canada 5 extra days. Luckily a friend in Chicago let me hang until they started flying to Hawaii again (one of the LAST flights to resume).
Bo wrote:
Sterling’s Racism Should Be News.
Well, thanks to you, it is… until something else trivial happens in the world of sports or entertainment.
Loved the Sterling piece. The fact that this is under the radar highlights why I loathe the vast majority of sports print, radio, and TV. These people pride themselves on their colorblindness and love to express moral outrage when black athletes “play the race card,” but this isn’t newsworthy?
As for the luggage restrictions, yeah, it would be tough to go overseas without something to read or listen to, but I’m sure they will be playing “Big Momma’s House 2” on loop to keep the passengers entertained.
Rex, they seriously let you on the plane with all that shit?
Yes. I usually have two bags stuffed to the hilt. Plus, my check in is usually pushing the 50lbs limit as well. And they are heavy… I guess that’s a thing of the past now. We’ll see how long the restrictions of carryons go on for.
Bo,
What up? I’m actually Berlin at an Internet cafe right now. I’ve been in Europe (Paris before this) since Monday. Funny thing, my bro and I were supposed to fly into London Heathrow from Rome on Tuesday the 15th on Continental, and we were supposed to fly out of London Gatwick (to the U.S.) on Friday the 18th, once again on Continental. We woke up in our hotel room yesterday to the news and I’m not gonna lie, we were pretty glad that we chose not to go to London until the last leg of the trip.
Hopefully we won’t have to spend 6 hours getting out of Heathrow, and 6 hours boarding our plane in Gatwick just for the three days we have scheduled in London. Since they say the fools that messed around and got silly with this liquid explosive shit look of Pakistani or Muslim descent, we’re definitely going to keep everyone on edge. I think everytime I reach for my drink on the flight home from London, everyone will hold their breath. The racial profiling sucks, but it happens I suppose. I just hope everyone on our flight won’t be on edge cause in all honesty, if I was white or black, I suppose I’d be nervous flying Continental out of London with us around too.
Anyways, this kind of stuff always follows me around. I was in New Orleans with my dad 4 days before Katrina hit. We were watching coverage of the entire thing and lone behold, we see our hotel on Canal Street up to 4 stories in water.
Hopefully, the recent arrests in London will make travel even safer. Although, I’m not sure how long they can continue to ban all carry-on luggage.
Sorry for the long post. Just thought it was a bit crazy that this would happen during the 12 days we planned for Europe.
Oh, I didn’t even get to the most important thing – if you have to fly over the Atlantic, I would definitely suggest Continental. They have personal entertainment systems on board for every person (except in First Class, I know, it doesn’t make sense). They have several channels playing several different movies – and decent ones too, like Mission Impossible 3. Plus, they have music channels, but good ones. The rap channel was actually up on its game – they had Lupe Fiasco bumpin’ on the station.
Additionally, they have a tv channel that continuously loops shows throughout the entire flight, even when you can’t sleep and you’re the only one on the plane (the movies are looped too). You get a little remote control, and it even doubles as a video game controller. No joke. You can play chess, or watch Everybody Hates Chris. Good stuff.
That’s all. Continental is the way to go with these recent bans on carry-on items.
I would fly if I could watch some Everyone Hates Chris, the actor that plays his father Julius is a truly funny guy. Hopefully he gets some more roles where he’s not just a crazy hulk or getting his nuts squeezed by tinyman Katt.
Bo, you got a shoutout (http://theassimilatednegro.blogspot.com/) about the Page 2 piece! Nice stuff and keep on it so ESPN has to give it more coverage.
evan
Shotclock wrote:
They have several channels playing several different movies – and decent ones too, like Mission Impossible 3.
Haha! I got the joke Shotclock. MI3 is a good movie. That was a funny one, dude.
Seriously, can Tom Cruise just go away? Imagine how differently he would’ve gone down in the industry as being a respected actor if Jerry Macguire were his last movie, instead of MI3 and the couch hopping.
I agree, about Continental. Nice to have all the movie selections in coach no less. Plus, while United and American no longer serves meals, Continental stuffs me whenever I fly them into Asia. I’m talking THREE full meals between Hawaii and Manila (plus snack service).