Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

This blog will pay for itself.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

The next time the wall wtreet journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Americans barely caring about Afghanistan is so last month.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

After roe, women are no longer free.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

You cannot shame the shameless.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

The words do not have to be perfect.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Breaking: Flight Delays – Staffing Issues

Breaking: Flight Delays – Staffing Issues

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The Federal Aviation Administration halted flights into La Guardia airport in New York City on Friday amid a shortage of air traffic control staff, according to multiple reports.

The partial government shutdown has impacted air traffic controllers, who are deemed essential workers and have to work without pay.

Newark and Philadelphia reportedly are also stopping all incoming flights, according to Bloomberg.

Various reports of Reagan being closed but reopened.

Stay safe if you’re flying today.

Reader Interactions

183Comments

  1. 1.

    Elizabelle

    Bring on the delays. It’s the only thing that will get sociopaths Trump and McConnell to take a deal.

    As Nancy Pelosi said yesterday, they need to take YES for an answer and reopen the government.

  4. 4.

    Elizabelle

    TaMara: Please don’t call it Reagan. Call it Washington National. Or DCA. We need to get that name changed back.

    Reminds me to write Ron and Patti about it. I think they’d be fine with changing the name back.

  11. 11.

    dmsilev

    I’d much rather that there be air traffic delays than air traffic crashes.

    Also, I’m sure both the airlines and all of the Masters of the Universe who fly in private jets are right now screaming to any politician they can get their hands on to end this mess.

  14. 14.

    The Midnight Lurker

    Good luck to all the Juicers taking to the skies today.

    Please, please be safe! Godspeed.

  15. 15.

    hells littlest angel

    @Yarrow: CNN says delays at LaGuardia, Newark and Philadelphia.

    Or as Trump will soon be calling them, Democrat airports.

  16. 16.

    Mnemosyne

    Oh, shit. I have someone in the air right now on his way from Barcelona to JFK. Are overseas flights getting redirected to other airports?

  17. 17.

    comrade scotts agenda of rage

    This partial shutdown BS and working w/o pay (because in effect, we Feds can’t strike) is the main way the Repubs can get away with this for so long. If it were a *real* shutdown and/or every TSA agent and air traffic controller went out on strike, you can bet this shutdown would have lasted 5 minutes. Bring the air system to a screeching halt and everybody sees just how important the socialist air system is.

    Good to see the effects are finally happening. It’s too bad it took this friggin long.

  20. 20.

    Jeffro

    @hells littlest angel:

    Or as Trump will soon be calling them, Democrat airports.

    Probably true.

    Also probably next: “I don’t understand why people don’t just fly in their own Learjets” – Wilbur Ross

  21. 21.

    Jeffro

    I wonder if the nation’s major airports start shutting down, if that gets us to veto-proof majorities in Congress? I bet it does.

  23. 23.

    Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)

    I for one am in awe of the cataclysmic incompetence of the president [sic] and everybody around him. It’s staggering. It’s like people ran an experiment to see how bad it can get when you specifically set out to find the dumbest, saddest, most petulant, whiny, mean spirited, sadistic clowns on Earth and put them in charge of the biggest economy and military in history. I mean, shit. We’re two years in now, and I can’t think of one thing these guys have failed to fuck up utterly. These guys make George Bush the Younger look like Abraham Lincoln.

  26. 26.

    cain

    I’m supposed to fly out on Tuesday. I have no idea what is going to happen. I plan on being at the airport 4 hours before the flight It’s going to go to Atlanta which is also going to be hellish it seems. The longer this gone on, the worse it is going to get. Those people who have to work are going to get tired.. make mistakes..

  28. 28.

    WaterGirl

    @Yarrow: I had a thought last night as I listened to one of the late night hosts saying MAGA hats or MAGA people over and over again during their bit.

    What if we all started pronouncing it MAY-GAY? I like to think they would find it annoying.

  30. 30.

    Yarrow

    The #TrumpShutdown has already pushed hundreds of thousands of Americans to the breaking point. Now it's pushing our airspace to the breaking point too. .

    @realDonaldTrump, stop endangering the safety, security and well-being of our nation. Re-open government now!
    — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 25, 2019

    Bring it, Nancy SMASH!

  31. 31.

    cmorenc

    I just booked a flight at the end of Feb from RDU=>SLC, but in rather worried fashion that I may be taking a reckless risk:
    1) hoping the govt shutdown is over by then and TSA/air traffic control are back up (re)paid at full strength;
    2) if not, AND if planes are still flying, wondering if I will be taking a foolish risk of bad things happening at 1000 ft (air traffic control) or 32,000 ft (things that go BUMP in the flight).
    3) if US air travel is pretty much shut down by then, will I be able to get any sort of prompt, straightforward refund, or will the crush of other frustrated woulda-been flyers needing same make this a drawn-out PITA?

    And yeah, there’s the part about the return flight home a week later, same concerns, including knowing my safety is in the hands of people who might not have been paid for six or more weeks.

  33. 33.

    Face

    all of the Masters of the Universe who fly in private jets are right now screaming to any politician they can get their hands on

    Really, there’s just one politician to call. He calls KY his home and often times you have to knock on his hard outer surface and take him away from the heat lamp to get him to awaken. Getting him to actually listen requires money and polling data.

  37. 37.

    Paul T

    Straight from the ATC Command Center. ZDC is Washington DC center, and ZJX is Jacksonville center. A Center is a large facility that covers thousands of miles of airspace. Not being able to “decombine” means some sectors are working with too few controllers, and the workload has to be slowed down to handle the planes with fewer people.
    The same sort of messages are being sent out for the tower at LaGuardia airport.
    ZDC AND ZJX HAVE STAFFING CONCERNS THAT PREVENT THE ABILITY OF SECTORS TO
    BE DE-COMBINED. ROUTE STRUCTURE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED ALONG WITH GDP’S AND
    CONSIDERATION OF AFPS TO HELP BALANCE DEMAND IF WARRENTED. ROUTES
    IMPLEMENTED INCLUDE:SERMN_SOUTH_PARTIAL AND NO_J42_2_PARTIAL. ADDITIONAL
    RESTRICTIONS WILL BE IN PLACE TO BALANCE THROUGHPUT. A LGA GDP WAS
    IMPLEMENTED AND THE REFERENCE FOR A SEA INITIATIVE WAS REMOVED. WILL
    CONTINUE TO MONITOR RESTRICTIONS AND ADRESS ANY REDUCTIONS WHEN ABLE.

  38. 38.

    Brachiator

    @Elizabelle:

    Bring on the delays. It’s the only thing that will get sociopaths Trump and McConnell to take a deal.

    The next moves will be very interesting.

    One scenario could be McConnell taking a deal, but Trump declaring a national emergency to get his Wall. Then we move ahead with the next constitutional crisis.

    One crazy thing I saw suggested that any government funding would be short term.

    Pelosi and the Democrats need to break Trump from this stupidity of using extortion to get his way.

  40. 40.

    Yarrow

    @Jeffro: If Atlanta shuts down, that’ll do it. Busiest airport in the world and the Super Bowl is there next weekend so it’ll be extra busy this next week.

  41. 41.

    Punchy

    @cain: It’s hard to focus on radar screens when you’re constantly taking calls from debt collectors and angry landlords.

  42. 42.

    Gozer

    A necessary action, but any advice for US travelers currently abroad? Dr. Mrs. and I are on vacay in MX until Feb 03 and are a little concerned that we might not make it home…

  43. 43.

    Elizabelle

    TAMARA: THIS IS ELIZABELLE SHOUTING. PLEASE DO NOT CALL OUR CAPITOL’S AIRPORT “REAGAN.”

    CALL IT WASHINGTON NATIONAL. OR DCA. THAT NAME WAS FORCED UPON US BY GOP CONGRESS.

    Non-Republican locals do not call it Reagan. It’s a stick in the eye, every time you hear it called that. As it was meant to be. Thank you.

  46. 46.

    Jeffro

    @chopper: @Yarrow: Ok, ok, “National”…the important thing is not to call it “Reagan” ;)

    (DCA)

    @Yarrow: True.

    Hey having the entire nation’s air system shut down hasn’t happened since…9/11. Wonder if Trumpublicans will see similarities, a connection? I bet with a little guidance, the American people will see it that way…

  47. 47.

    Aleta

    My theory (by ignoring so much else) is *this* is what’s giving Republicans the willies at last. Time is money! Money’s why we were put on this earth! Government is to be like business, by business and for business! Also, never never interfere with the schedules of private jets.

  48. 48.

    Ohio Mom

    It must be eerily quiet in the parts of Queens under the flight paths. It’s just background noise until it’s gone, and then its absence is palpable.

    Also wonder if this means Steve in the ATL has to actually stay in the ATL.

    ETA: I guess so, just saw his comment.

  50. 50.

    Immanentize

    @Yarrow: That is my view too. Washington National. As one air traffic controller put it — I’d rather dig out my own eyes with nails than call it “Reagan.”

  52. 52.

    lgerard

    I think the thing to do is to shut down all private aviation.

    Lara trump can explain to the job creators that their inconvenience is contributing to the greater good.

  53. 53.

    Punchy

    @trollhattan: Is abortion still legal? Do Icky Gheys still tie the knot? Soooooo…..nope.

    Cue Alex Jones to declare these airports are just filled with crisis actors, and that the airports are not actually closed, but bigly open and shipping off 143 planes a minute.

  55. 55.

    japa21

    Trump’s latest tweet, just a couple minutes ago:

    Greatest Witch Hunt in the History of our Country! NO COLLUSION! Border Coyotes, Drug Dealers and Human Traffickers are treated better. Who alerted CNN to be there?

  56. 56.

    hueyplong

    Thrilled that Roger Stone has moved from “tick tock, motherfucker” to “thoughts and prayers.” Tick tock to the rest of that slimy crowd. Twelve indictments leaves room for pretty much everyone to suspect that he/she might be on the list.

    I am not bothered by the airport thing pushing the Stone story to the side. The airport story is essential to the effort to expose Trump as an incompetent loser, which is a condition precedent to his ever being abandoned by the requisite number of GOP senators at impeachment time.

    We’re past the end of the beginning and venturing into the beginning of the end.

  58. 58.

    Brachiator

    @Aleta:

    Also, never never interfere with the schedules of private jets.

    In New York, Westchester County Airport is most used by private jets. In Los Angeles it is Van Nuts Airport. I wonder how they are being affected by the government shutdown.

  61. 61.

    Gelfling 545

    Damn. My daughter is supposed to fly back from PR this weekend. She’s been down there working on legal clinic business with the University of PR. This on top of the crap weather predicted worries me.

  68. 68.

    Immanentize

    @japa21: Wow! Trump is really upset no one is listening to his squawking lately. Thgat reads like, “ME! not them, MEEEE!”

  71. 71.

    Luciamia

    Folks delayed at Reagan should go camp out o the White House lawn. Maybe Lara Trump can send out snacks to ease their pain.

  72. 72.

    catclub

    @Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.):

    I mean, shit. We’re two years in now, and I can’t think of one thing these guys have failed to fuck up utterly. These guys make George Bush the Younger look like Abraham Lincoln.

    Nope, GWBush after two years was still worse than Trump so far.
    April-May 2001, Bush VIP’s joyriding in US Navy Nuclear submarine, submarine sinks Japanese fishing school vessel.
    Navy Reconnaisance/Spy plane downed by Chinese. (Forced to land in China.) BFD
    9/11 Bush didn’t exactly keep us safe there.
    Bush fucked up any slowing of NKorea nuclear development.

    I haven’t even gotten to 100’s of thousands of dead Iraqis. So far, Trump has nothing to compare with that.
    Bush also dropped ABM missile treaty.

  73. 73.

    satby

    Wish me luck jackals! I’m at Houston Hobby now and will leave for Chicago Midway in two hours. I’m rooting for the “sickout”, but since it’s 1° in Chicago, I hope I’m not trapped somewhere.

  74. 74.

    mali muso

    I had a quick trip to SFO from IAD (Wash-Dulles) this past week and gave myself lots of time for possible TSA delays on both ends. In fact, it was incredibly uncrowded and quick. Almost makes me think that at least in some locations at least, air travel is down. The plane back from SFO to DC was probably only half full…I had an entire row to myself.

  75. 75.

    WaterGirl

    OT, but we have a measles alert here at the University of Illinois. One patient so far. The anti-vaccine people have a lot to answer for.

  76. 76.

    gratuitous

    And, when those connecting flights out of LaGuardia don’t depart, we’ll see other airports affected. Then connecting flights out of those airports will be delayed or missed, and it will spread like an algae bloom. And, because every flight has every seat filled (and even overbooked), there’s no way to get those passengers on another flight. We should prepare to call the stranded travelers setting up house in the airports “Trumpvilles.”

  85. 85.

    WaterGirl

    @Steve in the ATL: You are surely traveling, as usual, so this probably isn’t good news for you, but it might portend good news for about a million people who are not getting paid.

    I was late getting back to last night’s thread – yes, WordPerfect! So much better than Microsoft Word! I’m starting a petition to get Mnem thrown off the blog for not liking WordPerfect. (not really, of course)

    IANAL

  90. 90.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    I just passed the café here where FOX is the default channel. They were talking about the Stone arrest. Is it possible that’s a better story for them than the air traffic delays?

  92. 92.

    opiejeanne

    @Brachiator: I like what autocorrect did to Van Nuys Airport in your post. I agree with whoever suggested that the private jets all be grounded for the duration but I would include all private aircraft. I think that would get people’s attention in a massive way. Spread the pain.

  101. 101.

    Timurid

    Everything’s broken and messed up, but Roger Stone will die in prison. So, all in all, a good day.

  103. 103.

    Another Scott

    @DCrefugee: Thanks for the link.

    The only red I see now is ATL. If one really wanted to mess up air travel, that’s the place to do it.

    I hope the ATC people stay strong. They have a great deal of power to help bring this senseless shut down to an end.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  105. 105.

    Barbara

    @eric: So sorry. I hope you have a good visit even under such sad circumstances. My brother’s memorial service is tomorrow. We’re driving but others are flying and it’s not clear whether they will get there.

  107. 107.

    Yarrow

    @eric: So sorry to hear that. Hopefully you’ll get there without any issues.

    @Plato: He doesn’t appear to be out, judging from the crowd of reporters on the sidewalk outside the courtroom. Waiting on the mugshot.

    Edit: The judge said he had to forfeit his passport but Stone said he doesn’t currently have a valid passport.

  109. 109.

    BC in Illinois

    It’s not only air traffic control. There are also concerns about aircraft maintenance.

    I was at a ukulele concert Tuesday by James Hill when he paused to tune his uke. His comment:

    Tuning–like aircraft maintenance–is always worth it.

    He’s right.

  110. 110.

    Fleeting Expletive

    I wrote in my journal last night that the likeliest outcome here is that Atlanta airport shuts down, Super Bowl gets cancelled, cascade failures—the plot of Die hard with a Vengeance, the one with Kevin Smith and Timothy Oliphant basically. The end of shutdown. Oh, and Resignation and Indictments.

    Maybe the East Coast problems will bring this all to a close more quickly, and gods willing, avoid a tragedy caused directly by screwing people over to the extreme.

  113. 113.

    Elizabelle

    @TaMara (HFG):

    (1) It was joke yelling, as you should have realized, and the second request, both of which have “please” in them. Did you see that?

    (2) I don’t care what you do, but if someone told me that a phrase I was using made the locals wince, I would stop using it.

    But, stand your Reagan, TaMara.

  114. 114.

    Brachiator

    @opiejeanne:

    I like what autocorrect did to Van Nuys Airport in your post

    I didn’t catch that! Beautiful! Snark by Auto-correct.

    Man, I hope Trump is choking on his shutdown.

  116. 116.

    Yarrow

    PSA: If you’re traveling by air anywhere and you take any kind of medication, take at least a week’s extra supply. Make sure you have the original prescription bottle so you can go to a pharmacy if you need to. Also have your doctor’s phone number. You never know what kind of delays might happen and you’ll get stuck somewhere.

  123. 123.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Aleta: flight delays need to be directly attributable to the McConnell/Trump government shutdown, then we will see the government reopened tout de suite

  127. 127.

    different-church-lady

    We’re about five weeks away from a bunch of pissed-off civil servants dragging a whale out of the oval office by his heels.

  129. 129.

    eric

    @satby: Thanks…..He was doing well up until Monday and then took a turn; there is a still a chance of another (temporary) uptick, but between the cancer and COPD, time is limited.

  133. 133.

    Elizabelle

    @eric: You’re wise to go. That combination took my mom out quickly.

    My sympathies, and hope you have smooth jet trails and get a good visit in.

  134. 134.

    Elizabelle

    @Barbara: My condolences on losing your brother. I hope the memorial service is a wonderful family and friends gathering for you.

  137. 137.

    Martin

    Seriously, the players and owners should tell the NFL to postpone the Superbowl until the government reopens. It’s a huge additional load on the TSA and ATC in Atlanta, and on DHS as it’s a huge security concern that requires a lot of manpower.

    Postponing the Superbowl will grab the publics attention more than a crashed 737 will, and it hurts nobody. I’d go so far as to say the pro sports teams should enter into a broad agreement that pro sports of any kind don’t happen when the government is shut down.

  138. 138.

    Yarrow

    @Barbara: Condolences on your loss.

    CNN reports that Roger Stone was shackled around his waist and ankles. Also has to submit to drug testing.

    All of that makes me happy. Does that make me a bad person?

  139. 139.

    chris

    I read somewhere that Davos was expecting 1500 private aircraft. 1500! Gonna be fun when they can’t fly home.

  140. 140.

    different-church-lady

    @japa21:

    Border Coyotes, Drug Dealers and Human Traffickers are treated better.

    Yeah, well, they’ve earned it.

  142. 142.

    cmorenc

    @BC in Illinois:

    I was at a ukulele concert Tuesday by James Hill when he paused to tune his uke.

    Ukes and banjos are always in one of two conditions:
    – being tuned cause they’re out of tune;
    – being played out of tune.

  143. 143.

    Yarrow

    The House Intel charge is big: Dems begged Republicans to send the transcript of his testimony to Mueller and demand more info from Ston. They said months ago they suspected him of perjury. Rs balked. https://t.co/3h2uDNLLP5— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 25, 2019

    Republicans in the House are accessories. Tick tock, motherfuckers.

  144. 144.

    Martin

    @lgerard:

    I think the thing to do is to shut down all private aviation.

    That’s an excellent idea, actually. That would take a huge burden off of ATC.

  145. 145.

    Kay

    Ann Coulter, perhaps the most vocal Trump supporter pushing for a wall

    Donald Trump caved to a threat by Ann Coulter and that’s why we’re in this mess.

    The grifters have gone from being gross and repellent to being capable of shutting down US air transportation. They have real power.

    The air traffic controllers should go out as a public service. It’ll be historic. They’ll be heroes. It’s a neat bookend, too, right? They go out and this nightmare arrives and they go out decades later and end it.

  146. 146.

    chris

    Roger Stone is live on Alex Jones's show, because sure, and says "they could have just contacted my attorneys" to turn himself in. He says, "It was meant to intimidate me, but I am not intimidated." Jones then tells him to hold on and runs some ads in which Jones is screaming.— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) 25 January 2019

  147. 147.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @opiejeanne:
    CNN was in hand to film the FBI arresting Stone in the middle of the night. CNN says they were playing a guess who was indicted and staked out the location. Some people think the FBI tipped them off, I guess to humiliate Stone. Conservatives have decided this is a huge display of law enforcement overreach which makes the arrest illegitimate and proves Comey and Hillary are the ones who should be in jail. Yes, I’ve seen them go there.

  148. 148.

    Kelly

    Living out on here in the Pacific time zone so much has gone on by the time I wake up I never really catch up. Probably for the best.

  149. 149.

    John Fremont

    @BC in Illinois: Yes. Not only the controllers but all of FAA tech support to keep the radars. radio stations, navigational aids etc. operating are short staffed as well. Some of those ground stations are in some very remote areas which means the repairmen have to drive long distances to fix them. I wonder if their gov’t debit cards are working right now to put fuel in their vehicles

  150. 150.

    Peale

    My father had a stroke on Monday night. I’m finally in Milwaukee today to give my mom some relief. Thankfully I was able to leave Newark this morning. Whether I’ll be able to go back is a good guess, but thankfully I’m where I need to be today

  151. 151.

    MomSense

    O/T but my friend asked me to pick up her prescriptions and I have gone to drop them off three times since last night , called, and texted. She doesn’t answer and I’m really worried. Going to do a wellness check soon. I have a bad feeling about this.

    She turned off her ICD after her last hospital stay.

  152. 152.

    Kay

    @chris:

    It’s funny how they still think it matters how they “feel”. It’s a function of how privileged they are, I think, that it’s all so ego-driven.

    He can be intimidated or not intimidated. The big machine will process him the same either way, and either spit him out or lock him up. It just doesn’t matter. Defiant, cowed, very upset, sadly accepting, doesn’t matter. Manafort is still in this place too. He doesn’t get it yet.

  154. 154.

    Kent

    I haven’t been in an airport lately. But I’m surprised we aren’t seeing more work slowdowns. That is a classic labor move when you can’t strike. TSA workers can work at different speeds. Stop and pause and stare at every bag on the conveyer. Run the machine back and forwards a couple times for each bag. Pull each one aside to get swabbed. There are a LOT of things a group of TSA employees can do to create 8 hour lines in front of the security check.

  159. 159.

    Skepticat

    @p.a.:

    As Atrios pointed out, action may occur once The Only People Who Count ™ begin to be inconvenienced.

    That does seem to be the only thing that might make any difference. General aviation/private pilots are having delays too. And Yarrow is so right that if Atlanta has problems, especially around the Super Bowl, there’ll surely be some silk knickers in a twist.

    @WaterGirl:

    What if we all started pronouncing it MAY-GAY? I like to think they would find it annoying.

    I’m already using MAGGOT.

  160. 160.

    Redshift

    I appreciate the air traffic controllers’ efforts to make sure the disaster that forces an end to the shutdown is one of inconvenience and snarled air traffic, rather than something deadly. I mean that in all seriousness.

  163. 163.

    normal liberal

    @WaterGirl: Thanks for the alert – I will see to it that the barriers are set up on I-74 west. Seriously, I hope this is as limited as it can possibly be and that UIUC steps up and gets everyone treated ASAP.

  164. 164.

    opiejeanne

    @Frankensteinbeck: Thanks. I went over to Twitter and dug around and discovered some nuts saying they wish the FBI had been fired on because how dare they argle-bargle.
    A journalist who ought to know how these things work (it’s Friday, duh! and there was the whiff of indictments coming down the pike yesterday) asked if CNN had paid someone to sit in a car outside Stone’s hideout and eat Doritos.

  165. 165.

    Gravenstone

    @Martin:

    I’d go so far as to say the pro sports teams should enter into a broad agreement that pro sports of any kind don’t happen when the government is shut down.

    Nice sentiment, but I don’t see it flying with any player’s union unless their pay is guaranteed for games missed due to the agreement. Making them up after the fact will have all sorts of trickle down effects that make it problematic.

  166. 166.

    pat

    Does anyone remember Reagan firing all the Air Traffic Controllers? Back in the 80s? We arrived home from an Austrian ski vacation just in time to see folks stranded in airports all over the world. At least that’s the way I remember it. Correct me if I got anything wrong, as Rachel Maddow likes to say.
    Ha.

  168. 168.

    CarolDuhart2

    @PatrickG: So much for encouraging democracy, @Jack.

    How are you liking the “Marie Antoinette” stuff from Trump and his clueless Cabinet? Grocers extending credit? Tell that to Kroger, pal.

    I was just thinking how if I hadn’t retired last year, how I would be able to cope. Yes, I would be in non-work because I wasn’t essential-but if I was, running out of food, laundry supplies and money-at some point I would be unable to go to work without starving once my funds ran out. It would have been a choice between mortgage and lunch-and the mortgage would have to win.
    How efficient is working while hungry, anyway?

    That’s what’s happening with the Air Traffic Controllers. It costs money to go to work and when that runs out-no gas money or lunch money-and you have to drive, folks. Most airports aren’t on the bus line, and if you work a shift when the bus doesn’t run, or ends after they do., how do you get to work? I suppose some can get rides, but how many rides can you get if your shift begins or ends at 1am, or an emergency makes you stay after shift. Like police, you have shifts, but if you are needed afterwards, you have to do the overtime until the job is done
    Do you like hungry Air Traffic Controllers scanning the skies, Trump?

    Borrow money? When you can’t even say when you will get your money back, and when you do, you have to do all the catchup things necessary (pay back bills and utilities)?

    There will be a Day of Action on Tuesday, but don’t wait until Tuesday. Call/Card/whatever your Member of Congress right now if you can.

  169. 169.

    Central Planning

    I’m flying ROC-EWR-BCL today. Slight delay due to weather. I’ve heard about outgoing delays at EWR, but we’ll see what happens.

  170. 170.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Martin:

    I’d go so far as to say the pro sports teams should enter into a broad agreement that pro sports of any kind don’t happen when the government is shut down.

    College football would still be played? Ok, I’ll support your plan.

  177. 177.

    PaulWartenberg

    I am hearing online that trump is giving an announcement this afternoon that he will agree to a short CR to fund the government. I think the REALITY of shutting down airports was the goddamn wakeup call he and the Far Right needed to see.

  179. 179.

    PaulWartenberg

    Down here in Central Florida, it was lost in all the tragedy of the Sebring shooting, but here in Bartow a lady shot and killed herself while sitting in the WalMart parking lot while a relative did some shopping. The story I’m getting is that the woman was coping with medical problems and more bills.

    We still don’t have a great or affordable healthcare system in this country. God damn us.

  182. 182.

    Robert Sneddon

    @PaulWartenberg: A lot of legalese is boilerplate texts, contracts and such. WordPerfect was (and still is) very good at doing that sort of thing. Unfortunately WP didn’t survive the move into working under a GUI-based OS — they tried with WordPerfect for Windows, I just happen to have the coffee mug I picked up as schwag at a WPfW promo show at my left hand while I type this, but it wasn’t a success.

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