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Rights of the few

Post 2721

Montana Redhead (now with letters)

Yep.


Rights of the few

Post 2722

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

Maybe someday someone will turn thre Gutenberg Bible into a graphic novel.






















Actually, come to think of it, this has already started to happen, in a manner of speaking. smiley - erm


Rights of the few

Post 2723

Baron Grim

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Genesis-Illustrated-R-Crumb/dp/0393061027


Rights of the few

Post 2724

Hypatia

Maybe I'm just being petty, or even cutting off my nose to spite my face, but I am annoyed by the practice of some of the grocery stores in my area of requiring a shopper's card in order to get an advertised price. I refuse to shop at any of them for this reason.

Granted, the cards are free. So that isn't the issue. What bugs me is that in oreder to obtain one you have to give the store personal information which they then sell to their vendors. So say I always buy cat food. The computer that scans my shopper's card can track all of my purchases and knows to send my name and address to the companies that sell cat food. And what business is it of anyone that I buy cat food or wine or frozen french fries or anything else that finds it's way into my cart?

Another issue I have with it is that it gives me yet another card to keep track of. They try to get people to use the key chain ones. This way every time someone sees your keys, you are giving the company free advertising.

Finally, if the store can afford to sell me a can of soup for a dollar if I present them a shopper's card, then they can afford to sell it to me for that price if I don't have a card. I really hate playing games like that.


Rights of the few

Post 2725

Amy Pawloski, aka 'paper lady'--'Mufflewhump'?!? click here to find out... (ACE)

The only keychain card I use is the library one--I figure I already have my wallet out to pay when I'm shopping. Most of the stuff I buy at Safeway (the cheapest regular grocery store in the area) is just the stuff I can't get at the discount grocery store, which changes all the time. Or whatever is on sale--the cards don't bother me, and I've had mine long enough that we've lived in 6 towns, so the details aren't accurate anymoresmiley - shrug I'll have to get a new one if I ever lose it, though--we didn't even have a phone number when I got it, so I just picked 10 random digits (which you could do for the address and whatnot, I suppose)


Rights of the few

Post 2726

BeowulfShaffer

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8471451.stm
de/re railing the thread(assuming you count obesity as a disability)


Rights of the few

Post 2727

Montana Redhead (now with letters)

I am certainly not heavy enough to fill two seats, but the fact is, if someone *is* wide enough to fill two seats, I think they should pay extra. Kicking them off a planeƉwell, that's a bit much, if they bought two seats, but still.


Rights of the few

Post 2728

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

Obese people need to travel just as much as non-obese people do. The problem is that it takes more fuel to get them aloft, and airlines need to use more fuel, which seems to be trending upward in price. If the airlines don't ask for higher ticket prices, they lose out.


Rights of the few

Post 2729

Baron Grim

Wait... it seems these stories were misleading.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34956957/ns/travel-news/

They weren't demanding that obese passengers buy an extra seat. They were just recommending it and offering a 25% discount if they do with the price of the seat being refunded if the plane wasn't full.

That sounds pretty reasonable to me.


Rights of the few

Post 2730

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

They seem to be trying to meet passengers halfway.


Rights of the few

Post 2731

Hypatia

That does seem a practical approach. It isn't going to do any of us any good if the airlines go out of business. I don't think it is unreasonable to pass along increased fuel costs to their passengers. Take the new checked bagage costs. I don't like it, but I understand why it's happening.

If a person is too large for one seat, then they should buy a second one instead of spilling over into the space of the person next to them. This isn't discrimination, in my book.


Rights of the few

Post 2732

Baron Grim

MSNBC has had quite a few useful stories today. I also just read this one about those checked bag fees. Don't pay 'em! Have your bags shipped instead.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34943460/ns/travel-tips/

I'm overly concerned about the ridiculous idea that the TSA can demand you give them access to your laptop and any passwords under threat of having it confiscated and hacked at their leisure. I've been thinking about traveling to Scotland (for too many years now) and I would like to take my laptop with me but I will not submit to such an invasion. I'm now thinking I could just have my luggage, laptop and camera equipment shipped to my first hotel ahead of me and avoid the trouble and save some money while I'm at it. smiley - towel


Rights of the few

Post 2733

Hypatia

That would work for some situations and not for others. It makes sense to explore your alternatives. Shipping across the Atlantic might be costlier than paying the airline. On my trip over last spring, I got two free checked bags on Northwestern. They were adding baggage charges for domestic flights but not international ones. I don't know if that is still the case or not.

Are you saying the TSA routinely does this? smiley - yikes I wouldn't like that at all.


Rights of the few

Post 2734

Baron Grim

Whether it's 'routine', I don't think it's gotten to that point. But routine or not, without suspicion of any crime they should have no right to do so.
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/07/tsa-confiscating-lap.html


Rights of the few

Post 2735

Baron Grim

Here's the original article. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/06/AR2008020604763.html?hpid=topnews


Rights of the few

Post 2736

Hypatia

Dang. That's scary. I didn't realize they were doing that. I don't own a laptop, but could have taken one of the library's. I even thought about doing that, but didn't want another thing to cart around.

It looks like I'll be vacationing in the US where I can drive to and fro for a while anyway.


Rights of the few

Post 2737

Baron Grim

The ACLU is working to stop this sort of behavior.


Rights of the few

Post 2738

Hypatia

Good group, the ACLU. That's why the conservatives hate it so much. One thing I think is notable about them is they will defend the rights of their detractors as quickly as those of their supporters.


Rights of the few

Post 2739

Baron Grim

I loved a recent case (can't remember which state) where the ACLU was working to stop sectarian prayers before football games at a public school. Many students organized to protest the ACLU and the ACLU demanded that the school allow them to protest. smiley - applause


Rights of the few

Post 2740

paulh, vaccinated against the Omigod Variant

"I was assured that my laptop would be given back to me in 10 or 15 days," said Udy, who continues to fly into and out of the United States. She said the federal agent copied her log-on and password, and asked her to show him a recent document and how she gains access to Microsoft Word. She was asked to pull up her e-mail but could not because of lack of Internet access. With ACTE's help, she pressed for relief. More than a year later, Udy has received neither her laptop nor an explanation."

smiley - yikes

If Udy brought her laptop to assist her with her work, then losing it for 10 or 15 hours, let alone days, would have been a hardship for her. smiley - cross And now it's been a year. smiley - sadface


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