Links for 2010-11-20

"The virtual strip searches and actual pat-downs now performed by TSA are not selective. Everyone is treated like a terrorist. The pat-down is the same one given to a suspect being arrested, and the strip search is even more invasive. Every air passenger is presumed guilty. It's absurd. It's an inversion of core American principles. And it's finally got a conversation started that we should have been having 9 years ago."

"And let me tell you, these things look dangerous. They are quite solid and quite pointy. I really would not like to get hit from one of these falling 40 feet from a tree. It is even worse in the Spring. The tree drops these pinecones that are even bigger and green. Very deadly. I am sure if you stuck this thing on the end of a stick, it would make a great medieval weapon.

Whenever I pick up these metorite-like pine cones, I contemplate the possibility of getting beaned by one. How bad would that hurt? Should I pick up dog poop faster? Well, you know where this goes next. The best way to avoid a collision is to go inside and write a blog post about it."