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The united states of total paranoia
| It's another hit piece, but this one by an arrogant dimbulb. We live in a "total police state." Really. And we're all stoopid. Really, really stoopid, unlike him. |
 I know Britain is full of incompetent water board officials and stabbed Glaswegians but even so I fell on my knees this morning and kissed the ground, because Ive just spent three weeks trying to work in America. Its known as the land of the free and Im sure it is if you get up in the morning, go to work in a petrol station, eat nothing but double-egg burgers with cheese and take your children to little league. But if you step outside the loop, if you try to do something a bit zany, you will find that youre in a police state.
| I guess one man's "zany" is another man's "felony." |
We begin at Los Angeles airport in front of an immigration official who, like all his colleagues, was selected for having no grace, no manners, no humour, no humanity and the sort of IQ normally found in farmyard animals. He scanned my form and noted there was no street number for the hotel at which I was staying. Im going to need a number, he said. Ooh, Im sorry, I said, Im afraid I dont have one.
| Did you think of looking on your receipt? Since I'm purported to ahve an IQ higher than that of a barnyard animal, it would have occurred to me right away... |
This didnt seem to have any effect. Im going to need a number, he said again, and then again, and then again. Each time I shrugged and stammered, terrified that I might be sent to the back of the queue or worse, into the little room with the men in Marigolds. But I simply didnt have an answer. Im going to need a number, he said again, giving the distinct impression that he was an autobank, and that this was a conversation he was prepared to endure until one of us died. So with a great deal of bravery I decided to give him one. And the number I chose was 2,649,347.
| Wasn't smart enough to look on the receipt, or he preferred to lie. How zany. |
Posted by: Fred 2006-07-04 |
