Entries this day: Grrrr_Security_Theater Listening_to_Flight_Deck Nalgene_OJ Narita PB_Party

Grrrr Security Theater

5:14am ICT Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

Fuckin' security theater bullshit. "Have your bags been with you at all times?"

No; I went to sleep and was in Alpha Centari system while they waited. "Yes."

Yes; Shawn gave me a T-shirt; Claire gave me a hug and kiss; the electrical outlet gave me electricity; the lady at the counter gave me ice; the guy at the other counter gave me a sticker; you're giving me a hard time; et fucking cetera "no."

Are you a terrrrrororrisst?

Yes, because I fucking disagree with these so called safety procedures which do not make us more safe. The World Trade Center was destroyed by Cheney and Friends to score loads of cash and start wars around the world in this New American Century. they are the fucking terrorists. Not you and me, mate.

Then they were like, "aight; stand up on this block," so I stood up on it, and they were like, "nah you gotta put your bag down" so I put them on the block with me and when they tried to take them away I was like, "do not take my bags away from me; they must be with me at all times." She gave it back, and I got to be scanned and reveal the contents of my pockets when they bleeped off the magic bleeping wand.

Then they went through my bags looking for something dangerous. Nothing found. No water, no toothpaste, no toothpicks. I think next time I'm going to put something non-stinky but gross in my bag, like fake rubber dog doo, or tons of rubber spiders; that would be awesome.

Listening to Flight Deck

10:45am ICT Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

12:45pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

I found a really interesting station on the United audio selections: the air traffic control conversations between the cockpits and air traffic control peeps over where we're flying. Our captain just happened to be requesting a "course deviation 10 miles to the right for weather" when I came across the channel. wtf I thought. Wow! and I've had it on my headphones ever since.

(we were granted permission to deviate by ten miles, but I didn't actually notice the change.)

Later, our captain requested permission to fly at "level three seven zero instead of level three three zero." Some minutes later, we were granted that permission, and I heard the engines throttle up immediately after permission was granted. Wow! Some insight on what's going on!

When the signals got a cit staticky, we were told to switch to another frequency. The captain did this and called "radar," something like, "Radar, United eight eight two" but got no response, twice. Then "Radar, United eight eight two, what was that frequency we were supposed to use?" and flipped to the new frequency and all was good.

Soooooooo, how does it work? Who chooses which frequency who uses when? Why doesn't a certain geographic tower always use the same frequency (like an FM radio station)?

A while ago we were talking to the tower called Singapore, and now Naha.

"United eight eight two contact Naha on one three two decimal three," I think we were told.

"Radar United eight eight two flight level three seven zero checking in"

- - - -

A convo just went something like this:

plane: Naha Control Romeo Bravo zero five

tower: Romeo Bravo zero five go ahead

plane: Naha Control Romeo Bravo zero five request to cancel I F R clearance and something V F R

tower: (unintelligible)

plane: request ten thousand to nine thousand

tower: (unintelligible) nine thousand maintain V F R

plane: maintain V F R zero five (spoken like yes, sir, you're the boss!)

- - - -

Man; this is really interesting to me.

The (unintelligible)s above might be intelligible, but I couldn't type them in realtime.

1:13pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

How can I look up how this works? How can I listen to the convo from the ground?

I think we should begin our descent soon.

1:34pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

Hmmm there was just now a conversation in Japanese. I guess English *or* the local language is okay..

1:57pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

Just a couple minutes ago, we switched to talking to Tokyo Tower, and we're 14 minutes from landing.

2:04pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

I just looked it up:

flight deck

Listen for your flight number to hear live communication between the flight deck and FAA air traffic control. This feature, unique to United, may not be available on all flights, including oceanic crossings with limited audio communication. Available at your captain's discretion.

2:08pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

"United eight eight two descend to level 190 [snip] knots 290"

2:24pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

Captain just told us over intercom that we're at 18,000 feet, 60 miles out, and will be arriving in 22 minutes.

I wonder what I heard about 14 minutes before...

Nalgene OJ

10:57am JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

Awesome. Because I have my Nalgene bottle, the flight attendant was willing to give me over half a liter of yummy orange juice.

2:28pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

Nice. He just gave me an entire liter. Just gave me the whole carton, "it's yours."

Narita

2:56pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

Back in Narita. Didn't cry this time, but called Emiko, and thereby spoke with her, Paola, Taki and May. I'll see some of them in the next week for massages. Awesome!

3:58pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

On the Keisei Skyliner back to Nippori, and then Yamanote to Shibuya.

PB Party

11:23pm JST Saturday 7 August 2010 (day 14745)

Attendees of the PB Party at The Pink Cow included Natty Nat Nat, Nerys, Ai, Carlos, Rachel, Yoko, Chris, Sam, Arif, and Yuuka.

In addition, I met Michi, Rachel's children Sophia and someone else, Carlos' fiance Kai, Sai, Gregory, and others whose names I've forgotten.

Natalie doing super salsa, brought comments of awe to some of the people with whom I was standing. "omg your friend can dance!"

Yeah; she teaches salsa.

I walked back to Shibuya station with Michi, and rode Yamanote to Shinagawa with her, and she continued to Tokyo and will transfer to another line and head home in Fukushima. Far out!