Yep
I want one!
Flying coach on a commercial flight is not a constitutional right. You have the freedom to drive, freedom to ride a train, freedom to take your own plane, freedom to ride your bike, freedom to take a boat, freedom to go somewhere else. You also have the freedom to start a career with TSA, work your way up to an executive position where you have the power to direct their actions.
Yea TSA is a pain in the ass, but it makes me and most other people feel safe in the airport when they take their jobs seriously.
They pay my junk almost every time I go through. When they say they are going to I say “I got a vasectomy a few years back. Its not loaded”
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And if you live in the southeastern US, if you fly you will go to or through Atl airport. Even if you’re going to heaven…
It’s the world’s busiest, and along with that goes the most screwed up.
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There are definitely airports I’ll avoid - Atlanta being one, Dallas (DIA) and Miami if possible (immigration and customs is nuts there, but has gotten better recently).
But London Heathrow takes the cake. Absolute hate going through there and I’ll avoid it at all costs. You talk about TSA being bad? Their agents are some of rudest on the planet. And having to land in a terminal and then take a 20 minute bus ride only to wait in another security line is rediculous.
And if you ever use miles and have to go through Heathrow, check the taxes. The reason why that ticket on miles is $700 in fees is due to their hefty airport tax. Instanbul on the other hand is only like $25 in taxes.
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Heathrow is a pain in the ass. That transfer bus system is a nightmare and you have to have an electronic authorization just to transfer through there now. I have to go through there a few times a year for work and can’t avoid it. Charles de Gaulle in Paris is worse though. I never really minded ATL but I don’t go through there much anymore.
While this may be true (I do have the freedom not to fly)… my wife does NOT see it that way.
She “loves the smell of jet fuel” and thus drags me kicking and screaming.
But, I am voting with my dollars. I have cut our flying back by 50% (and pray the rest of America does as well so we can fix this- as I am only one person– but as a whole- we can get things done). Last year I drove to my ID property.
But I am with @Tarponhead I am almost fully checked out on flying.
I told my wife Alaska may be a one and done as I doubt I would fly back up… and driving from FL would be something only in retirement.
I am toying around with the idea of netjet as an alternative… but I am super frugal and doubt I am willing to pony up the initial buy in.
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I watched a very old man in an airport in Ohio get massively abused one day by TSA. The poor guy could barely walk, he was confused about what and why this was happening, so I broke out my camera with a 24-70 lens and started shooting photos and video. They were in a glass sided interrogation room, and everyone could see in. I was so pissed. They saw me with my camera, and immediately came out and demanded to have my CF card out of my camera. I refused. Then they threatened me with incarceration, and I had a flight to catch to go to another job location. I finally relented and gave them my card. I told them what a bunch sorry m***********s they were. That almost did it and got me landed in jail.
This ■■■■ has gone on for way too long. It is not about safety at all. Americans are too damned complacent and accepting of authority. I recently got set up to never pay income tax ever again. Something I have wanted to do for years. How did I do this? By not wanting to take their ■■■■■■■■ any longer. Yes there is a legal way to do this. We all need to become A LOT more proactive in standing up to these egregious offensive jerks who try to scare people into toeing the line and bending to their will. Oh and a nice 30%+ raise I gave myself don’t hurt either BTW.
OK rant over. Just this crap infuriates me.
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I don’t care how safe you feel in an airport any more than you care about my opinion, I guess we’re even.
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How do we avoid taxes taxes, please share!!
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It is necessary to formally enter a revocation of election with the IRS. After forming an unincorporated association. If a person does not reside in Washington DC, USVI, Puerto Rico, or Guam, and does not work for the US Government, That person is not liable for paying federal income tax. As has been clearly established by several Supreme Court rulings. There is no law that states that we are liable for paying that tax, in fact the Constitution expressly forbids an unapportioned tax on the people’s income. SO they tried to get around that by veiled legalese based on jurisdiction. And getting people in fear of the IRS, the collection arm of the international banking cartel that owns the federal reserve, which is neither federal nor a reserve. Have to know the law. Since there is no formal law that commands that we pay that tax, the obligation to do so occurs when we sign and return our first 1040 to the IRS, which then establishes a contractual commitment to owe and pay the federal income tax. So the revocation of election reverses that very first selection to enter the taxpayer system. Many thousands of people have done this, and not one occurrence of the IRS going after them.
So I just gave myself a 30% pay raise just by stopping the illegal collection of the federal income tax from my paycheck. AND the unincorporated association also provides superior asset protection compared to a trust, LLC, or S Corp. I am looking to next open a bank account under my association, and all brokerage accounts etc. can also be domiciled under the association, including businesses. This does nothing to interfere with social security or anything else. Been wanting to do this for many years, just recently discovered how to do it legally. It cost 4000 to do it, but that is way cheaper than establishing a trust, generally costing around 15k to do that. Also, corporate structures are still tied to your SS number, your evil twin. It is really fascinating to learn about the actual law, and how they use legalese to obfuscate perception and of course they will never come out and say the truth. Did yall know that not one penny of your income tax goes to do anything for the US government or offsetting the national debt? It all goes to the international banking cartel, as they charge a 3% interest on every single dollar bill they conjure up out of thin air. And the fed conjures a ■■■■ load of dollars out of thin air, which continually dilutes the purchasing power of every dollar in existence, to where now, the actual purchasing power of a dollar is around 2 cents. Which is the hidden tax of inflation.
More than likely, what they will do is revalue the price of gold, to around $15000 to 20000 / ounce of gold. Or they will restart quantitative easing (money printing on a grand scale) to inflate away the debt in ever cheaper dollars. So those $400 trips to the grocery store will then push 5 to 600 to get the same amount of groceries. SO, it is really necessary to stop the theft of our earnings to the extent possible just to stay even with inflation basically. The system is designed to bleed us out and leave us destitute, and has been doing that very well. The middle class is being squeezed out, and hard. Why our great grandfathers built a home for 4500, now the same house costs 450000. And why our new skiffs are pushing 60k and even a lot more, when they should be around 10k, like they used to cost not so long ago. Inflation is not prices going up, it is continual degradation of the fiat currency. Loss of purchasing power.
There are going to those who say all this is a bunch of BS, fine. I see my paychecks and know the truth.
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Correct
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I have been watching this thread for a bit…
I would need to sign into all my accounts to check my FF balances; however, last time I remember, I had over 1,000,0000 yes 1M FF miles on:
Delta
American
United / COPA
When I worked for Coke as the head of Global Juice Procurement, I travelled about 150-200 days a year in some years….when I joined Pepsi as Head Quaker Co-Manufacturing for Latin America - I was on the road every week to points south of Miami.
LATAM Cities Frequented:
Mexico City
San Jose,CR
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Panama City, Pananam
iBogota, Colombia
Quite, Ecuador
Lima, Peru
Sao Paolo, BR, Rio Brazil,
Buenos Aires, AR
Santiago, Chile
To include European and Asian I’d be here all day writing…I’ve been to about 100 countries.
the point I’m making, I’ve seen it all in most every country. Yep, been there in Heathrow…but, if anyone has ever flow from Santiago Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina during Football Season….the BA ground crew will purposely go on slow mode to make the Chileans wait if they are clearing a LAN Chile Flight (I think it was bought out now), so I would purposely fly an Argetinean Airline inbound to BA….yearh, crazy.
Our system with TSA is not too bad actually…just plan accordingly, My opinion, and I wish people would not disparage them for being stupid or ignorant…..they are trying to do a job, and I’m glad they are working, unlike some people on welfare who can work, but, don’t. Let’s just remember, they are people with families, etc. Some are very good, some not….have you ordered at a McDonald’s or other fast food location…..everyone has challenges….
..If any of you have not seen the movie UP in the Air, he had some tips
Don’t get behind families with lots of backpacks
always pack the same - don’t carry anything in the carry on you don’t want to loose.
Don’t check luggage if you can avoid it….I did for many years, adds at least 1 hr to your trip.
Dont’ get behind older people who need extra time
and others…..
My basic rules after years of traveling:
CAPTAIN TIP - CARRY YOUR TWIC CARD - GET’S YOU THROUGH TSA PRE-CHECK (SOME TSA AGENTS DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT, CALL A SUPERVISOR AND THEY WILL MOVE YOUR THROUGH)
USE you AMEX card and get CLEAR - speeds things up in a tight situation of time
GET TSA Pre-Check
Arrive at least 2 hours in advance of the flight - yeah, seems like a PIA - but, have a coffee at a lounge while you wait
I also don’t fly coach when traveling if I can avoid it…..I’ll pay the extra $$$ to get the front of the bus to allow me to board first and relax. Yeah, costs $$$ but, in my previous life my company paid for business class, now with my own supply chain company, I don’t fly first on European flights, I fly premium economy which is good enough for me.
the previous poster is correct, we have choices how we travel, car, train, boat, etc.
The system we have is far from perfect, but, it works, for good or bad.
Just plan ahead….it’s the stress we see in the lines that’s make TSA a not so pleasant experience.
Off soapbox.
DC
Honest question…and I want you guys to look this up. Cross reference, no mainstream media BS either. Once you guys do, report back with your findings.
How many terrorists has the TSA caught and prosecuted since inception?
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Excellent question
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