Blogcritics Comments on Passport Purgatory!

Comment by Elvira Black on Passport Purgatory!

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 03:25:12 EDT

Alicia, it's "reassuring" to know that someone else received the same forms. It is very hard to find any reference to this anywhere. I finally found one reference on one of those passport agency sites where you pay extra to have them expedite your passport application, but it doesn't seem to be well publicized at all. BTW: I too was hesitant about the matter, but finally sent the info about 10 days ago and just received my passport the other day...

Comment by Alicia on Passport Purgatory!

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 22:35:46 EDT

That blog was very informative because I just received the same set of documents from the passport center today. I was convinced it was fake until I searched on google and found this blog entry, but still I think I'll continue with a little research of my own before I send in all of these things.

Comment by SHZ on Passport Purgatory!

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 03:03:24 EDT

Oh my god how many forms, photo's you have to submit to prove, that you are an American and get a passport. My friend applied for her passport and got it with 2 weeks. She is living in Florida, was born in Ohio, all she needed was her birth certificate and driver license.

Comment by STM on Passport Purgatory!

Fri, 8 Jun 2007 00:15:59 EDT

Dartmoor? Possibly Clav, that's one to think about ... there's been a theory that ships from America used to come and and go from the River Dart, the first entry to port in south-west England. But this ain't America. The other is that the convict transports used to leave from Woolwich, and would pass on their journey up or down the Thames through Dartford, now part of greater London. It may have no maritime connotation at all. Who knows. We are a strange mob, I know that ... nearly as mad as you blokes :)

Comment by Clavos on Passport Purgatory!

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 23:55:12 EDT

Given the history of your original countrymen, the prison in England, perhaps?

Comment by STM on Passport Purgatory!

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 23:51:14 EDT

No Dave, but the origins are very obscure. At one stage, people thought that it related to the new arrivals and was an acronym for prisoners of mother England (POME). That's since proved to be a load of bullsh.t, as it's not been found in any written records. However, many new arrivals from England in the 19th century tended to be a bit pasty-looking (nothing's changed! :), and their cheeks and faces invariably would get a bit red because of the strong southern sun and extreme heat. They were thought by the locals to resemble pomegranates, and we think that's how the term came about. Makes more sense than the prisoner theory. The Kiwis also use the term, so that's telling. There is also a quaint name for England, still in common usage: the Old Dart - but used only by Australians and New Zealanders, and no one's really sure where it comes from.

Comment by Dave Nalle on Passport Purgatory!

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 23:20:04 EDT

Historically Pomerania was part of north-eastern Germany. I think what was once Pomerania is now divided in some way between Germany and Poland. As for Poms, I have a theory which is probably wrong. I think it's a misprononciation of the first syllable in the name of Lord Palmerston who was the British Prime Minister during part of the early history of Australia. Any truth to that theory? Dave

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Passport Purgatory!

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 22:19:34 EDT

Where is Pomerania anyway? Somewhere in Turkey?

Comment by STM on Passport Purgatory!

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 22:05:39 EDT

Elvira ... Poms = The English (now generic for Brits). Pomeranians ... lol. They'd really love that.

Comment by Elvira Black on Passport Purgatory!

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 17:46:32 EDT

Stan: What a pain...do you know how long this has been a requirement? And what are Poms? Pomeranians? Who knows--they might think you're an, um, albino Arab? Sheesh, what a world.

Comment by Elvira Black on Passport Purgatory!

Thu, 7 Jun 2007 17:41:02 EDT

Ruvy: I knew I shouldn't have given in and gotten a cell phone--not only is it expensive, but now I can be tracked! Though the powers that be would probably be bored to tears at my meanderings, which are mostly just to the grocery and the 99 cent stores and back... And the idea of a detention camp is bad enough, but in Wisconsin? Oy vey. The US may be dangerous, but as you can see, "they" don't seem to want me to leave (lol?)

Comment by STM on Passport Purgatory!

Wed, 6 Jun 2007 05:09:25 EDT

You are lucky Elvira ... I can no longer get into the US without my biometric details (including digital image and all my passport details) being held on file ... including fingerprints, which must be given on arrival. Failure to do so results in refusal of entry to the US. I would baulk at my own government having those details, but a foreign one! I'm certainly not keen on the US govt having those records (perhaps I've watched too many conspiracy movies), but times have changed and if you wish now to travel to America, it's what you have to live with. I guess the annoying thing about it is that we are friends of the US (possibly your best friends, along with the Poms) and just on a personal level, I look so bloody anglo. There's no way in a million years anyone could mistake me for an Arab terrorist, even when I've been surfing a lot and have a suntan. Especially then, as my hair goes totally white. And there'd be no doubt what I am when I open my mouth. Still, when it comes to working out what terrorists might look or sound like, the answer should be: "How long's a piece of bloody string?". I can understand the paranoia post 9/11, but I don't like it much. Just another thing to blame on those murderous bastards.

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on Passport Purgatory!

Wed, 6 Jun 2007 05:09:13 EDT

Elvira, I don't know if you realize this or not, but if you have a cell phone, some putz from a government agency can literally follow you around using GPS triangulation. That's creepy. If you think, "national ID card" is creepy, find another name for it that sounds nicer. I know you are a creative writer. The big WASPS running the show behind the scenes in America will thank you (and THEN they'll stick you in one of their detention camps in Wisconsin or something...). And get the hell out of America! No matter how dangerous it may seem from the Arabs, and no matter how many low culture Israelis there are (or nasty Brooklyn Jews like me), you'll be safer here than anywhere else on earth - particularly in the mountains of Judea and Samaria.

Comment by Elvira Black on Passport Purgatory!

Wed, 6 Jun 2007 03:40:15 EDT

Bahama Eva: Many thanks! I only saw your comment by chance because apparently my Yahoo e-mail is only consistent in sending me spam rather than my BC comments so I can actually see them and reply. Sigh... But yep, it probably pays to really plan ahead. I think the Passport Bureau is insanely scrambling to try to get all those last minute rush applications through. And "National ID card"--just the sound of it sounds creepy, almost Hitlerian somehow.

Comment by Bahama Eva on Passport Purgatory!

Fri, 1 Jun 2007 12:57:03 EDT

In response to a previous comment - the national ID card idea freaks me OUT! Bad, bad, bad... But back to the topic at hand - I guess the only thing you can do is make sure you're up to date on the regulations so you're vacation goes smoothly...Happy travels, yall.

Comment by Elvira Black on Passport Purgatory!

Thu, 17 May 2007 21:01:33 EDT

Thanks Ruvy and Ruth: My boyfriend actually found my old passport today in a dresser drawer--it is way, way expired--and now that I've got most of my old paperwork over at my new place I will go ahead and submit a copy of that as well as the other documents--though it is very old and I looked a lot younger. But yes, it is disturbing, and I'm not sure who to approach to inquire about it. I'm pretty sure I'd get nowhere though. The thought that I was "singled out for some strange reason" is pretty chilling--but trying to get answers out of a bureaucracy? Yeah, right...

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on Passport Purgatory!

Tue, 15 May 2007 19:23:27 EDT

Elvira, On 13 May Ruth Spindler wrote: My jaw dropped in disbelief when I read this article. Several months ago my husband and I renewed our passports on line with no problems. Within ten days we were issued new passports. As some of you know we travel extensively and have been to Amsterdam and the Britain's as well as Israel may times. It would appear this person was singled out for some strange reason. b'AHAVA (With love) RUTH

Comment by brinkcraven on Passport Purgatory!

Tue, 15 May 2007 10:21:57 EDT

fascinating and informative article and discussion. it comes at an interesting time since I may be applying for a passport soon. wish me luck, seems like I might very well need it. Ugh.

Comment by Elvira Black on Passport Purgatory!

Tue, 15 May 2007 04:59:32 EDT

Many thanks to you all for your great comments. I think what I'm taking away from this is the fact that when bureaucracy rears its ugly head, the result is frustration at best, if not disaster at worst. It all seems to hinge on the particular "person" you encounter at a particular place and time--and maybe even whether they are in a good mood or not; have a personal prejudice or "bone to pick" with certain groups, etc. This kind of personal "discretion" obviously wreaks havoc, and bureaucracies are also notorious for unaccountability. Combine human foibles with a set of rules which can be bent or applied--or not--depending on the person enforcing them--and virtually anything goes. The same person who may give you a hassle may let someone else go through with no special scrutiny. That's what haunts me about this incident--the fact that I could get no explanation at all. Maybe because I had my old passport (almost surely expired) packed away somewhere--since it's never a good idea to have a passport floating around unaccounted for. But I guess I'll never know. Ruvy, your friend Sergio's experiences are chilling--and I'm glad he found American agents much easier to deal with--but again, it seems to me that's just the luck of the draw to a certain extent, and what was hassle free "yesterday" may not be so today.. As to the video you linked to--I read some of the comments from both sides, and I do agree that there is a double standard at work. Arab terrorists are not our allies--and although Israel and its policies may not be perfect, there is simply no way I can see using this incident as an excuse to indict "Zionists" and defend enemies who hate us--Jew and Gentile alike. For any isolated incident such as this one, there are countless other examples of outrageous behavior and actions on the part of our enemies which are beyond excusing on any level--but some do. Howard, it actually worked out for the best at least in the short run that I didn't go, but if I'd kept to my travel plans I'm not sure what would have happened. In any case, I still want a passport and have 90 days to respond--but noted with some alarm that failure to comply would "result in a delay for any future requests." Again, what irks me most is that while so much scrutiny is being utilized against American born citizens, there are still dangerous cracks in our domestic security on countless levels 5 plus years after 9/11. The recent incident at Fort Dix is just one example of why terrrorism experts generally say it's not a question of if, but of when, as far as further attacks on the U.S. If it were not for an ordinary store clerk alerting the authorities, these terrorists in our midst might have succeeded in their evil plan to kill as many military personnel as possible. I'm sure people realize that extra security hassles are necessary in this day and age--but it seems as if still and all, those who should be scrutinized more closely can wriggle through the cracks fairly easily. Stan, what you said about your photo looking different is one of the things that troubles me as well. My passport photo now doubtless looks very different from my first passport photo taken 15 odd years ago, and I can literally look like two different people depending on the way a photo is taken, so all my photo ID's vary considerably. Will the computerized facial recognition technology be able to discern these changes? Will one be at the mercy not just of human caprice, but a machine? And if humans can be imperfect and unbending, a computer can be even more "illogical" and unyielding. A routine trip to any store with security scanners bears this out. The things beep almost indiscriminately--so much so that often the technology is rendered worthless.

Comment by Howard Dratch on Passport Purgatory!

Mon, 14 May 2007 16:21:56 EDT

Elvira. I hope you get to take your trip to Amsterdam. The rest of your story is one of the frustrations known world-wide and always a surprise to us, Americans, when we are reminded that we are far from exempt. The part about not getting to go is pure sadness. To make your hassles a little less threatening I could tell you about the process of getting an FM3, Mexican yearly visas. The first took a year or more from a bureaucrat in the Immigration office (INM) who did not like: 1. foreigners, 2. men and 3. working -- not necessarily in that order. Now she has been bumped up somewhere. Last year new federal oversight of the agency made the renewal process take 3 months. Mexico does ask religion, Ruvy. However, with Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata in mind, I always say "none", a very proper revolutionary response. For an American it is short for "none of your business" -- a proper American response.

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on Passport Purgatory!

Mon, 14 May 2007 09:13:06 EDT

Elvira, I'd ask you to look carefully at the turn the comments have taken here and think about which other group gets slammed with "mildly offensive" terms. A "much bigger dog" dragged this video in his jaws and dropped it in one of my articles, growling angrily at the Jew who did almost all the talking in it. The title of the video was "Zionist insulting British Activist and Jesus". A slightly different version of the same video was called "Hebron Settler confronts British Journalists." The bottom line here is that in Europe and on university campuses across your country, the word "Zionist" has replaced "kike", "sheeny" and "Christ-killer" as the "slur of choice." In essence, the name of the video that MBD bitched and whined about was "Kike insulting British Activist etc." This means that whenever you see the word "zionist" on an anti-Israel or anti-Jewish website, the word "kike" should come to your head immediately - for that is what is meant. One of the really nice things about living here, Elvira, is that the only place I see "kike," "Jew-bastard," or "Christ-killer" is on the web. People who like to keep their teeth do not utter these words in Israel - unless they are Jews referring to the goyim who so.

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on Passport Purgatory!

Mon, 14 May 2007 08:50:44 EDT

"...the term Paki... might even be regarded among some sections of the British population as highly offensive." Stan, Have to agree with you on this. My limited experience with the reactions to this term show your assertions to be true, rather than those of Drs. Nalle and Dreadful.

Comment by STM on Passport Purgatory!

Mon, 14 May 2007 04:12:46 EDT

That's because it's too hot and we can't be bothered dragging everything out.

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Passport Purgatory!

Mon, 14 May 2007 03:31:53 EDT

Yes, Australians are certainly known for their succinct turn of phrase.

Comment by STM on Passport Purgatory!

Mon, 14 May 2007 03:18:44 EDT

Or, as they are known in Australia, "towelies".