OMG! OMG! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!

So now the Federales say the Russian jetliner that crashed in Egypt a few days ago might have been blown up in mid-air by a bomb planted by ISIS or Al Qaeda or maybe Dick Cheney, but they're not really sure.  What I do know is that the news media is hyping this for all the ratings they can get.

Right now there are probably people all over 'Merica fretting over whether to go ahead with their plans to fly to grandma's house for Thanksgiving, or to surprise the kids with a trip to Disney World over the Christmas holidays.   

"But what if those mean jihadi people blow up OUR plane?  You heard what Blitz Wolfer said, didn't you?"

Whoa....whoa....let's review:  There are approximately 93,000 airline flights worldwide every day.  That's 33,945,000 flights every year, give or take a couple.  And how often, historically, have bad guys blown up airliners?  Even if they blew up one a year, that would still mean your odds were 1 in 33,945,000 that it would be your plane.  Would you go to Vegas and bet your 401K with those odds?  Really?

So what should we (you and I , Mr. & Mrs. John Q. Public) do?  Easy....NOTHING.  Go about your business...go to work...go to school...go to a movie, do whatever you normally do.  Sure, we should always keep our eyes and ears open for anything suspicious, but that's just everyday common sense.   And honestly, I don't run with a rough crowd likely to bomb anything.  I doubt I'd be the one to hear a couple of jihadists making their martyrdom plans.

I'll admit, I don't have much faith in US airport security.  I think they're a bunch of lightweights.  But I do think there are plenty of super-smart intelligence operatives world-wide who would more than likely hear of something this dastardly (with the obvious rare exception) and alert our TSA Barney Fife's in time for them to get out their bullet.

Seriously, I think ISIS, if it did in fact blow up this airplane, has really messed in their mess kit.  While Western democracies are all too aware of public opinion and take great care to at least appear to dot their I's and cross their T's before they go on the warpath, not so the Russians.  They just crank up their tanks, gas up their planes, and start kicking ass.  Vladimir Putin is not known for his timidity.

It might be in our best interest to just sit back and let the Russians in Syria get all worked up....let them take out their anger on ISIS.  Let them wear themselves out and spend their limited fortune.  Let them be the proud owners of the largest debris pile in the Mid East.

*Now, where was I?  Oh yes...cleaning my guns*  ;)

S

Jihad comes home....w/ late EDIT

Listen up Jihadists....Texas ISN'T France!

This evening (Sunday) my old home town, Garland, TX, was the scene of a shooting involving at least two (presumably) Muslim...let's just call them what they are/were...terrorists.  I know the area well.  I lived just 5 minutes from there, I shopped nearby, and all of my daughters went to Naaman Forest High School, located right next to the Curtis Culwell Special Events Center where the shooting took place.  It is a very nice area.

Some background:  This past January a Muslim group rented the Special Events Center from the Garland Independent School District in order to hold a "Stand With The Prophet" rally essentially saying that freedom of speech did not include the right to blasphemy (?) the prophet Muhammad.  They had a right to rent the center, they paid the fee, and despite a few peaceful protesters, the event went off without incident.

A pro-free-speech group rented the same building, which was also their right, for this weekend as a counter event to re-enforce the idea that free speech means free speech for ALL.  Their vehicle was a Muhammad cartoon contest, which incidentally was won by a "former Muslim".  

As they knew this was a potentially incendiary event, the Garland Police beefed up security, planning for all contingencies.  At least several dozen GPD officers were present, with some reports saying as many as 40, all this in response to some tweets that threatened violence.  This was in addition to the normal contingent of Garland ISD security that attends all special events.  In place was a command post, the SWAT unit, the robotic bomb unit, and I'm sure many more specialties that aren't being publicized. 

A personal note:  I know the Garland Police Department well.  For 18 years I was on the city's Civil Service Commission, serving as Chairman for many years, overseeing the police and fire departments.  I know police chief Mitch Bates well.  He is a no-nonsense professional.  I attended the city's (civilian) police academy, and know how the department operates.  Their SWAT unit, indeed the entire force, is first class, and not to be trifled with...BIG mistake!

This evening two men drove up to the Events Center and opened fire, wounding one of the GISD security people.  (He will be OK.)  Garland Police returned fire, killing both terrorists.  The entire attack was over in less than 20 seconds.  The area was quickly secured, and a nearby Walmart Super Center, a Sam's Club, and an Academy Sports store were also locked down.  Attendees to the free speech rally were quickly moved to the nearby high school, and are all safe.

Some might be surprised to learn that there is a sizable Muslim community in the Dallas area, including a mosque in adjacent Richardson, TX that has been associated on many occasions with extremism.  There is another large mosque in Arlington (another Dallas suburb), plus many more smaller ones scattered throughout North Texas.
  
All kidding aside, the stereotype of Texans being "adequately armed" is...umm...TRUE!  All the ingredients are in place for some serious unrest.  It's gonna be interesting.

S

EDIT:  Now we learn one of the dead gunmen was from the Phoenix area, and the event organizer was based in New York.  It seems the locals were just pawns in this bizarre tit-for-tat game.  It does show, however, that violence can happen any where, any time.