Yes, somewhat ironic I suppose, but I’ll be spending a part of my next-to-last full weekend as a bachelor at a wedding. Congrats-in-advance to Joe and Kim, who will be getting married tomorrow in Williamsburg!
Pilots Won’t Be Charged, But Should Be!
CNN reports that the pilots who breached DC airspace yesterday have been released without charges.
Let’s think about this for a moment. . . . If I drive 75 in a 35 zone because I don’t know the speed limit, I’d still be charged with speeding and/or reckless driving. If I ran a red light because I didn’t see it and caused an accident, I’d still be charged with running a red light.
Seventeen Days Remaining; Job Under Control
Oddly enough, Melissa and I are getting married in 17 days. It’s hard to believe, really, but it’s true! (And I guess that means I should figure out the music and find a voluntary DJ, eh!? Any volunteers?) Keep an eye on the wedding website for more info, as I’ll try to keep my exclusively-wedding blathering over there in the wedding blog.
Additionally, I’m getting these new job responsibilities figured out and under control. That’s helped my sanity quite a bit. For a while there I was totally lost and confused and somewhat stressed about it (but that’s pretty typical for starting what’s essentially a new job with lots of new things to learn).
Anyway, no time to chat right now. I’ll hopefully have some stuff to post later in the week!
Suspicious Aircraft Prompts DC Evacuations
The White House and Capitol Building in Washington, DC, were evacuated for a short time mid-day today when a small plane entered restricted airspace. Two Air Force F-16 fighter jets and a Department of Homeland Security Blackhawk helicopter were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. Warplanes issued warnings and fired at least four flares in an attempt to deter the intruding aircraft before it finally turned away from the Capitol.
Piracy in the Senate
Let’s talk about the filibuster.
For those who don’t follow the minutiae of the United States Congress, the filibuster is essentially a very long speech that interrupts the business of the Congress and prevents items from reaching the floor for a vote. The word itself comes from the Spanish/Portuguese term for pirate, ‘filibusteros.’ This procedure was allowed under both Senate and House of Representatives rules until the House enacted time limits in 1842. The Senate still allows it today.
Scott Bradford is a writer and technologist who has been putting his opinions online since 1995. He believes in three inviolable human rights: life, liberty, and property. He is a Catholic Christian who worships the trinitarian God described in the Nicene Creed. Scott is a husband, nerd, pet lover, and AMC/Jeep enthusiast with a B.S. degree in public administration from George Mason University.