Tom Toles for October 05, 2010

And just what, pray tell, are we supposed to do? Stand around being nervous? These warnings are nonsense unless they provide something practical to do other than “avoid traveling to Europe.” Europe’s a big place, folks; I don’t really think there are that many terrorists out there…

I have not had time to learn how to post links that are not corrupted but if you check cracked dot com the five popular safety measures that don’t make you any safer are listed. Some of the other 4 on the list use the logic that relying on safety measuresmakes people more reckless, but not the airline one

We should all learn how to speak nasally in school so we can travel safely disguised as British ex-pats.

My son travelled many places where it was “selective” what nationality they “chose to be”, and what language to speak. But the real issue is, do we REALLY want to go back to Bush’s “Terror Terror Everywhere and not a whit to think”?

^thst was a good one, trout. You can break a hip feeding the cat, so enjoy what you love if it is travel, and be informed, and enjoy.

rottenprat said, ”We should all learn how to speak nasally in school so we can travel safely disguised as British ex-pats.”

I think carrying a British passport can now also count against you.

Do you mean those who speak with received pronunciation? Lived here in England a fair while and haven’t come across many who speak nasally. Many do speak thru’ their arses but that’s pretty much anywhere. Even my acshunt isn’t a flet wun. By the way, do y’all have a drawl?

The UK itself advised its residents to avoid travelling to the continent. However, they forgot to add the warning that the Continentals should avoid coming here, too.

If Americans would ditch the baseball caps and jeans, that’d would help alot. Keeping your mouth shut also helps. This idiot I worked with in Brasil used to go around with a t-shirt that had an American flag on it with 9/11- never forget. He couldn’t figure out why he was always getting hassled. I bought a pair of Brasilian shoes and everyone was speaking Portuguese to me. Tu ta bem.

“Keep Fear Alive”, as Colbert says

stealth, that works both ways. Contrary to your apparent belief, we depend a lot on European tourism. Just ask any Floridian.

^We can do without the French Canadians though. They keep arguing with the poor cashiers over the sales tax.

@ Stealth: Not just to echo MM’s post but underline his point:

USA is 2nd only to France in numbers of receiving International Tourists.

I’d love to know how many of those almost 55 million international tourists that visited the USA last year were from Europe; and what it would mean if they had stayed at home (or visited other destinations instead). They brought in $94billion. If you think you can do without them…

Snap out of it, people! Ever wondered why it’S called terrorism? Because they WANT people to be afraid.

And the US has been scared stupid for almost a decade, now.

Oh, I wouldn’t just slap American wrists, everyone else is at it as well.

I said earlier: ”The UK itself advised its residents to avoid travelling to the continent. However, they forgot to add the warning that the Continentals should avoid coming here, too.”

Well, t it for tat: France issues UK Terror alert

And, froggie, it was the stupid (on “our side”) who wanted/want to keep us scared. Even the foggiest in the TEA party, are selling fear, when you get right down to it.