Turning Airport Security into a Game

I've never been airborne via commercial airliner, but I can imagine this is an accurate representation of what the security checkpoints are link.

Following the footsteps of the Civil Rights movement

Many people who follow this blog already know, but for those that don't several students from San Jose State are following the footsteps of the Civil Rights movement en route to President Barack Obama's inauguration.

You can follow it here. The work that is being put out is fascinating and interesting, although Dr. Cheers is in far too many pictures.

Honoring Bush the Right Way

I love the shoe thrower. I could just as easily look up his name, but I prefer to just leave it in the same category as the Lone Ranger. He doesn't have a name, he could be you or me.

He is the Shoe Thrower, the man who rectifies the wrongs of eight blunderful years with his god damn size ten loafers!

But he did something else, too. He has reinvigorated how we hate the outgoing president! I really like the comment about sticking an effigy of the president with sharpened five-inch heel stilettos.

Full disclosure, as well - I've hit the president in the face with at least 300 shoes at Sock and Awe.

If only the proposal to rename a sanitation plant after the Dubya had passed in San Francisco. Her assertion that the plant doesn't smell bad enough is a good one to be named after Shrub is good, but I think people gagged on the idea of spending money to honor the outgoing president, even if it was to mock him by naming a place that handles human excrement after him.

My last question - who will we make fun of when Chimpicus Presidentus is gone? Do I really have to poke fun at President Obama?

Nah. I'll just keep throwing shoes at Bush in effigy.

Feinstein's Temper Tantrum

The Central Intelligence Agency has become use to operating a certain way. It used torture to get the information it wanted and generally has acted less like an intelligence agency and more like the nation's secret police.

While I understand California Senator Dianne Feinstein's concern about Leon Panetta's nomination, I think she misses the point of his nomination. He's a good candidate for the position because he's a good administrator with no prior experience with the CIA. Perhaps, then, he can change the culture of the organization from one of thuggery to one more reputable.

SFGate.com also points out that this is likely not personal, but rather the senator's attempt to wear the daddy-pants in the Democratic Party.

My problem? Feinstein is as bad as that snake in the grass Joe Lieberman for piping up about her problems with Leon Panetta, especially for the reasons suggested.

Sure, she has the wonderfully powerful committee chairmanship in a post relevant to Panetta's position. But in a moment when it's important for the Democrats to be circling around the Republicans armed with the regulation sticks and welfare stones in preparation for the mugging of a life time, it emboldens your political foes to see dissension in the ranks after less than two days in power.

Feinstein is helping no one with this temper tantrum. She needs to stop, and save her concerns for the confirmation hearing.