Travel News - L.A. food stylist pulled from flight for 'Atom Bomb' tattoo

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2010/11/la-food-stylist-pulled-from-flight-for-atom-bomb-tattoo.html

It was the Tweet heard 'round the L.A. food world.

Noted Los Angeles food stylist Adam C. Pearson was settling into his seat aboard a Delta flight Saturday morning when the flight attendant tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to come to the front of the plane. His first thought? "I'm getting an upgrade!"

Not exactly.

Pearson was temporarily asked to step off the plane and learned that another passenger had reported him for suspicious behavior, and noted that he had the words "Atom Bomb" tattooed across his fingers. Questioned by the captain and the flight attendant, Pearson explained that the tattoos referred to a childhood nickname. After answering a few more questions, Pearson -- who is a frequent Delta passenger and has flown over 142,000 miles with the airline this year alone -- was allowed to return to his seat.

[head in hands]

1) What is the average educational level of the general population? somewhere between 3rd and sixth grade, right?
2) What's the national pastime?
Watching TV
3) What are the most popular television shows in the US?
It's stuff like Jerry Springer, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and Hannity (Hmm, I feel bad including Mr. Springer in that list, but oh well, collateral damage!)
3) What have we just spent the last ten years doing to Mr. and Mrs. America?
Telling them there are terrorists around every corner, that their freedom is in danger, etc, etc.

So, is it any surprise that when these people do remember to report something suspicious (like being oblivious to the guy in the parking garage carrying a slim jim and a coat hanger), it's going to somethign stupid like a hair-do, a tee shirt or a tattoo.

My apologies to Mr. Pearson for having to endure stupid people.

On the other hand, the headline here is pretty inaccurate. It suggests that the guy was removed from his flight but the story says he was asked a few questions and then returned to his seat.

Molehill - meet mountain. :rolleyes:

There is another thread somewhere, can't find it at the moment, but it's basically a non story. Some other pax noticed his tattoo, mentioned it. The FA asked him to come up front, he spoke with the FA and pilot, and they were satisfied. He returned to his seat and tweeted a false claim that he'd been kicked off the flight. When he landed at his destination, it had already gone viral.

Andy Warhol would be proud of this guy.

My apologies to Mr. Pearson for having to endure stupid people.
In this case, my apologies to people for having to endure stupid Pearsons.

There is another thread somewhere, can't find it at the moment, but it's basically a non story. Some other pax noticed his tattoo, mentioned it. The FA asked him to come up front, he spoke with the FA and pilot, and they were satisfied. He returned to his seat and tweeted a false claim that he'd been kicked off the flight. When he landed at his destination, it had already gone viral.

Andy Warhol would be proud of this guy.

OTOH, it is an event from the standpoint that Mr. Pearson has apparently traveled 142,000 BIS miles with DL this year alone. I'll take a silly wildass stab in the dark (yes, I'm fusing my abbreviations and idioms now) and estimate he's probably got a 1/2 million miles under his belt and that this is the first time anyone's questioned him about his tatoo.

In this case, my apologies to people for having to endure stupid Pearsons.

LOL

[head in hands]
3) What are the most popular television shows in the US?
It's stuff like Jerry Springer, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and Hannity (Hmm, I feel bad including Mr. Springer in that list, but oh well, collateral damage!)


Uh... no. The most popular shows in the US are things like:
-NFL Sunday Night Football
-Glee
-Dancing With The Stars
-Modern Family
-2and1/2 Men
-Big Bang Theory
-NCIS
-Family Guy
Hmmm... doesn't really fit your anti-FoxNews narrative. Nice try, though. Keep on ranting!

[head in hands]

1) What is the average educational level of the general population? somewhere between 3rd and sixth grade, right?

As 85.2% of Americans over 25 have graduated high school, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_United_States) I believe this is a mathematical impossibility, even factoring newborns. But I believe 3rd to 6th is about the level of education needed to use Google for a 30-second fact check.



3) What are the most popular television shows in the US?
It's stuff like Jerry Springer, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and Hannity (Hmm, I feel bad including Mr. Springer in that list, but oh well, collateral damage!)
I don't see any of those in the latest Nielsen Top 25. (http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/11/09/tv-ratings-broadcast-top-25-nfl-modern-family-dancing-with-the-stars-criminal-minds-top-week-7-viewing/71407) Or even the Cable Top 25. (http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/11/02/cable-top-25-monday-night-football-heatceltics-the-walking-dead-top-weeks-cable-viewing/70454)

Pardon me if the facts got in the way.

As 85.2% of Americans over 25 have graduated high school, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_attainment_in_the_United_States) I believe this is a mathematical impossibility, even factoring newborns. But I believe 3rd to 6th is about the level of education needed to use Google for a 30-second fact check.

Yes, you are right - I am thinking about the average literacy level in the US, which I understood to be far lower (I'll leave it to you to google whether it's at the 3rd, 5th, 7th or 9th grade level). On the other hand, I would not brag about the talents of the average American High school graduate - LOL


I don't see any of those in the latest Nielsen Top 25. (http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/11/09/tv-ratings-broadcast-top-25-nfl-modern-family-dancing-with-the-stars-criminal-minds-top-week-7-viewing/71407) Or even the Cable Top 25. (http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/11/02/cable-top-25-monday-night-football-heatceltics-the-walking-dead-top-weeks-cable-viewing/70454)

Pardon me if the facts got in the way.

Yes, Desperate Housewives, Spongebob Squarepants, American Football, Simpsons, Dancing with the Stars - all high quality, educationally and culturally enriching programmes as they must seem to you, are still largely in the same category as those I listed above. The point remains that people who are not particularly bright and who have lived an insular lifestyle make up the vast majority of the population, and the powers that be have entrusted and encouraged these people with identifying and reporting suspicious activity. If you were a dark skinned, Muslim nuclear physicist and one of these lowlife's reported you as being suspicious simply because you were proofreading some industry papers while waiting for a flight (true story from before 9/11 actually), would you be as quick to defend the empowered but uneducated McGruff's of the American proletariat?

On the other hand, I would not brag about the talents of the average American High school graduate - LOL?

Darn, you edited out the "or even the average College Graduate - LOL!" right before I replied. Because as a Ph.D., a college professor, and someone who has conducted research overseas for several years, I most definitely WOULD brag about the talents of the average American college graduate. Likewise, I would brag about the talents of the average American high school graduate, compared to the average "Global" HS-equiv grad. You really have bought into the whole "people who don't think like me must be morons" meme, haven't you!



Yes, Desperate Housewives, Spongebob Squarepants, American Football, Simpsons, Dancing with the Stars - all high quality, educationally and culturally enriching programmes as they must seem to you, are still largely in the same category as those I listed above.

No, they're not in the same category. Your cited TV programs were mostly political commentary shows on FoxNews that I assume you were ranting against because they oppose your political bent. The one show you cited that wasn't a political show was the Jerry Springer Show... definitely not highbrow television, but you referred to it mainly to say that it was much better than the FoxNews shows! That was your point, right? That the average viewer of Jerry Springer is more intelligent and reasonable than the average viewer of Hannity or Glenn Beck?
BTW, I assume you watch exclusively Masterpiece Theatre and C-SPAN, and read "Foreign Policy" Magazine and Marcel Proust.

The point remains that people who are not particularly bright and who have lived an insular lifestyle make up the vast majority of the population, and the powers that be have entrusted and encouraged these people with identifying and reporting suspicious activity. If you were a dark skinned, Muslim nuclear physicist and one of these lowlife's reported you as being suspicious simply because you were proofreading some industry papers while waiting for a flight (true story from before 9/11 actually), would you be as quick to defend the empowered but uneducated McGruff's of the American proletariat?

So the VAST Majority of the population are unworldly dolts, who have the gall to "identify and report suspicious activity"? How dare they!

Oh, and nice transition into anti-Muslim sentiment from out of virtually nowhere! It would have been tedious to argue the unfairness of someone covered with shocking, radical tats/piercings/body-art being looked at differently than the average person. I'm sure he cries himself to sleep every night because all he wants is to fit in!

So, in summary, what was your disgust at right-wingers expressing concern about some average everyday guy with "Atom Bomb" tatooed on his fingers, a sleeve of tats and body art inserts, now has morphed into your disgust at stupid Americans discriminating against Muslim scientists? Just trying to keep up here....

Darn, you edited out the "or even the average College Graduate - LOL!" right before I replied. Because as a Ph.D., a college professor, and someone who has conducted research overseas for several years, I most definitely WOULD brag about the talents of the average American college graduate. Likewise, I would brag about the talents of the average American high school graduate, compared to the average "Global" HS-equiv grad. You really have bought into the whole "people who don't think like me must be morons" meme, haven't you!




No, they're not in the same category. Your cited TV programs were mostly political commentary shows on FoxNews that I assume you were ranting against because they oppose your political bent. The one show you cited that wasn't a political show was the Jerry Springer Show... definitely not highbrow television, but you referred to it mainly to say that it was much better than the FoxNews shows! That was your point, right? That the average viewer of Jerry Springer is more intelligent and reasonable than the average viewer of Hannity or Glenn Beck?
BTW, I assume you watch exclusively Masterpiece Theatre and C-SPAN, and read "Foreign Policy" Magazine and Marcel Proust.



So the VAST Majority of the population are unworldly dolts, who have the gall to "identify and report suspicious activity"? How dare they!

Oh, and nice transition into anti-Muslim sentiment from out of virtually nowhere! It would have been tedious to argue the unfairness of someone covered with shocking, radical tats/piercings/body-art being looked at differently than the average person. I'm sure he cries himself to sleep every night because all he wants is to fit in!

So, in summary, what was your disgust at right-wingers expressing concern about some average everyday guy with "Atom Bomb" tatooed on his fingers, a sleeve of tats and body art inserts, now has morphed into your disgust at stupid Americans discriminating against Muslim scientists? Just trying to keep up here....

The above post is an excellent example of the dangers of depositing the task of analyzing individual behaviour in the hands of everyday folk. When individuals that claim to be highly educated are unable to identify and respond to relatively simple arguments in equally simple internet bulletin board postings, I rather despair that there is no hope for the rest of the population to effectively analyze something as complex as whether or not someone is an immediate threat to the safety of an aircraft.

What was the threat posed by young Mr. Pearson, the 150,000 miles per year Delta flyer with the inocuous body art? Is it reasonable that Mr. Pearson should have to undergo an amateur BDO session by the flight crew before being cleared to fly? If he's not a threat to the food he styles, why is he suddenly a potential threat when strapped to his seat in an aircraft?

Requiring those who report idiotic things such as a passengers clothing, tatoos, publications, games, movies, and the like to have some skin in the game would in my opinion be an excellent way to discourage such passive aggressive targetting of others by unworldly dolts, as the other poster rather unkindly labeled them.

The point is why did it even reach the stage of a non-story?

Are Evul Turrists known for having "Atom Bomb" tattoos?

Is this another example of "an over-abundance of caution" where even obviously stupid concerns are treated seriously?

Is this another example of "an over-abundance of caution" where even obviously stupid concerns are treated seriously?

Yes, I believe it is.

The above post is an excellent example of the dangers of depositing the task of analyzing individual behaviour in the hands of everyday folk. When individuals that claim to be highly educated are unable to identify and respond to relatively simple arguments in equally simple internet bulletin board postings, I rather despair that there is no hope for the rest of the population to effectively analyze something as complex as whether or not someone is an immediate threat to the safety of an aircraft.Wow, over 6300 posts and still manage to throw in a troll post?

Anyway, I still agree about the original argument to the thread...having "atom bomb" tattooed on one's fingers isn't a cause for airplane safety.

I think what the main problem is that people are trying to be too PC. They want to jump on that bandwagon so much, that they forget what type of person, nationality that is, is most likely going to be a terrorist. Go ahead and flame all you want, but white Americans aren't what we're looking for. White Americans aren't the reason this all got started 9 years ago, AND YOU KNOW IT!!

We all know what region of the world breeds terrorists, what they look like and their typical methods of operation. So stop being all mamby pamby about the problem and solve it already!

Wow, over 6300 posts and still manage to throw in a troll post?

Anyway, I still agree about the original argument to the thread...having "atom bomb" tattooed on one's fingers isn't a cause for airplane safety.

bitbugr, it's not a troll post at all! It's a social commentary on some of the attributes of the average individual that the authorities have empowered to identify and report what they think is suspicious.

And the Secret Service wrestled the tattoo to the ground..... ;)

And this just in....

Out of an abundance of caution®, the TSA has determined that passengers flying with tattoos must have their tattoos removed* at one of the newly installed tattoo removal stations** or they will not be allowed into he secure area.


*Tattoos with ""Mother" or "Mom" have been deemed safe and passengers with those tattoos will be allowed into the secure area but only after undergoing a thorough enhanced patdown.

**After thorough testing, the TSA has determined that the tattoo removal process is safe.

And the Secret Service wrestled the tattoo to the ground..... ;)

And this just in....

Out of an abundance of caution®, the TSA has determined that passengers flying with tattoos must have their tattoos removed* at one of the newly installed tattoo removal stations** or they will not be allowed into he secure area.


*Tattoos with ""Mother" or "Mom" have been deemed safe and passengers with those tattoos will be allowed into the secure area but only after undergoing a thorough enhanced patdown.

**After thorough testing, the TSA has determined that the tattoo removal process is safe.

Goalie, you crack me up. :D

The above post is an excellent example of the dangers of depositing the task of analyzing individual behaviour in the hands of everyday folk. When individuals that claim to be highly educated are unable to identify and respond to relatively simple arguments in equally simple internet bulletin board postings, I rather despair that there is no hope for the rest of the population to effectively analyze something as complex as whether or not someone is an immediate threat to the safety of an aircraft.


And your post, sir, is the perfect example of a rant. You start off making an arguement backed up with faulty claims. Then when called on it (by several people), you change to a different arguement. Then when that shift is identified, you make ad hominem attacks and feign indignation and "despair that there is no hope for the rest of the population." Sheeze.

My "claim" to being highly educated was made only to support the fact that I feel American HS and College graduates are not as deficient as you think they are. And I have dealt with a huge number of them in my job.

And as to my "inability to identify and respond to relatively simple arguements", well... my posts were addressing specific fallacies and unsupported claims you made in your posts. For the most part, you are just rambling from one arguement to another.

I couldn't give a rats ... whether someone has "Atom Bomb" tatooed on his or her fingers. People can do whatever they like. I can't say, though, that I am overly concerned when someone gets tats and piercings and sports a freaky hairstyle and dresses wierdly and then is shocked that they are looked upon as being different! Horrors! Especially when the result of them looking different is merely that they are asked a question or two to ascertain whether they are some sort of dangerous freak, or just an edgy dresser.

You're the one making wild and false claims about the stupidity of the general population (which of course you are not a member of), the television they watch, their opinions about muslims, etc.

I believe your beef should be with the airlines who have policies that did not adequately deal with this passenger voicing a concern. Just as you have the right to rant on about how the vast majority of Americans are morons because they watch FoxNews programming (which, by the way, I do not watch), a passenger on an airplane has the right to point out to an FA that they are concerned about another passenger with tatoos saying "Atom Bomb". It is the reaction of the flight crew that was the problem in this case, and I probably agree with you in thinking that the flight crew should just have ignored it. Your need to turn the incident into bold statements that the vast majority of Americans are uneducated and unworldly, I do not agree with.

Feel free to again ignore the specific things that several posters, myself included, have brought up... that you were wrong about the most popular TV programs in America, that you were wrong about the average education level being between 3rd and 6th grade, that you brought up discrimination against Muslims out of nowhere. I know it is difficult in the middle of a rant to say, "OK, you're right... I shouldn't have made that argument.. but what I really wanted to say was XXXXXX" and then make a logical point. It is much easier to just attack the people pointing out your mistake, and maybe lump them in to the the group you are ranting against, all the while failing to even notice that they might not even disagree with your basic point (here, that an "Atom Bomb" tatoo is a poor reason to fear for aircraft security). Rather, they just wanted to call you on your emotional rant that American adults have the intelligence of 4th graders, and that they all watch FoxNews pundits and thus are morons. But I suspect you are all about emotions, not logic, and thus this was all a waste of both my and your time.

I couldn't give a rats ... whether someone has "Atom Bomb" tatooed on his or her fingers. People can do whatever they like. I can't say, though, that I am overly concerned when someone gets tats and piercings and sports a freaky hairstyle and dresses wierdly and then is shocked that they are looked upon as being different! Horrors! Especially when the result of them looking different is merely that they are asked a question or two to ascertain whether they are some sort of dangerous freak, or just an edgy dresser.
The point you seem to have missed is that just by being different he was treated to the same "over-abundance of caution" that is so typical these days.

And your post, sir, is the perfect example of a rant. You start off making an arguement backed up with faulty claims. Then when called on it (by several people), you change to a different arguement. Then when that shift is identified, you make ad hominem attacks and feign indignation and "despair that there is no hope for the rest of the population." Sheeze.

My "claim" to being highly educated was made only to support the fact that I feel American HS and College graduates are not as deficient as you think they are. And I have dealt with a huge number of them in my job.

And as to my "inability to identify and respond to relatively simple arguements", well... my posts were addressing specific fallacies and unsupported claims you made in your posts. For the most part, you are just rambling from one arguement to another.

I couldn't give a rats ... whether someone has "Atom Bomb" tatooed on his or her fingers. People can do whatever they like. I can't say, though, that I am overly concerned when someone gets tats and piercings and sports a freaky hairstyle and dresses wierdly and then is shocked that they are looked upon as being different! Horrors! Especially when the result of them looking different is merely that they are asked a question or two to ascertain whether they are some sort of dangerous freak, or just an edgy dresser.

You're the one making wild and false claims about the stupidity of the general population (which of course you are not a member of), the television they watch, their opinions about muslims, etc.

I believe your beef should be with the airlines who have policies that did not adequately deal with this passenger voicing a concern. Just as you have the right to rant on about how the vast majority of Americans are morons because they watch FoxNews programming (which, by the way, I do not watch), a passenger on an airplane has the right to point out to an FA that they are concerned about another passenger with tatoos saying "Atom Bomb". It is the reaction of the flight crew that was the problem in this case, and I probably agree with you in thinking that the flight crew should just have ignored it. Your need to turn the incident into bold statements that the vast majority of Americans are uneducated and unworldly, I do not agree with.

Feel free to again ignore the specific things that several posters, myself included, have brought up... that you were wrong about the most popular TV programs in America, that you were wrong about the average education level being between 3rd and 6th grade, that you brought up discrimination against Muslims out of nowhere. I know it is difficult in the middle of a rant to say, "OK, you're right... I shouldn't have made that argument.. but what I really wanted to say was XXXXXX" and then make a logical point. It is much easier to just attack the people pointing out your mistake, and maybe lump them in to the the group you are ranting against, all the while failing to even notice that they might not even disagree with your basic point (here, that an "Atom Bomb" tatoo is a poor reason to fear for aircraft security). Rather, they just wanted to call you on your emotional rant that American adults have the intelligence of 4th graders, and that they all watch FoxNews pundits and thus are morons. But I suspect you are all about emotions, not logic, and thus this was all a waste of both my and your time.

LOL - this is a joke, right?

I stand by all statements I made up-thread. Your failure to correctly analyze these statements in situ and in light of the overall point put forward perhaps lends greater credence to the obviously hyperbolic aspects of my original post.

Again, thanks for the LOL - too good.^

LOL - this is a joke, right?

I stand by all statements I made up-thread. Your failure to correctly analyze these statements in situ and in light of the overall point put forward perhaps lends greater credence to the obviously hyperbolic aspects of my original post.

Again, thanks for the LOL - too good.^

Cool! So you stand by your statement that the most popular TV shows in America are Springer, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, and Glenn Beck... even when they aren't. You stand by your statement that the average education level in America is between 3rd and 6th grade... even when it isn't. And, yes, your original and subsequent posts were full of hyperbole. But, unfortunately, the hyperbole was not an exaggeration of a truth, but rather of your feeling that basically anyone who doesn't agree with you is of a certain political slant and is uneducated.

So, to you, someone who judges a guy with "Atom Bomb" tattoos is automatically a right-wing idiot... but when you judge people you haven't even seen or met as being right wing idiots, you are the voice of reason.

As I said, you argue from emotion, not logic, and this is a waste of both our time. No worries.

stop it you 2 :)

I cannot start to imagine what it air travel will be like 10-20 years from now!

You stand by your statement that the average education level in America is between 3rd and 6th grade... even when it isn't.
Perhaps we should say the average education level of anyone who thinks tattoos = threat is between 3rd & 6th grade - as is the education level of people who take should fears seriously

Pearson was temporarily asked to step off the plane and learned that another passenger had reported him for suspicious behavior

Behaviour that would have made the Stasi proud. Amerika's very own cultural revolution - how delightful.

And the Secret Service wrestled the tattoo to the ground..... ;)

And this just in....

Out of an abundance of caution®, the TSA has determined that passengers flying with tattoos must have their tattoos removed* at one of the newly installed tattoo removal stations** or they will not be allowed into he secure area.


*Tattoos with ""Mother" or "Mom" have been deemed safe and passengers with those tattoos will be allowed into the secure area but only after undergoing a thorough enhanced patdown.

**After thorough testing, the TSA has determined that the tattoo removal process is safe.

Hey goalie, if you run out of Tootsie Pops don't hand any of these (http://www.sugarstand.com/sc/sc00829668-atomic-fire-balls-candy-200-ct.htm) out to crews. :eek::D

Hey goalie, if you run out of Tootsie Pops don't hand any of these (http://www.sugarstand.com/sc/sc00829668-atomic-fire-balls-candy-200-ct.htm) out to crews. :eek::DN-F-W as they are just too hot ;)