Now THIS is a library!

Take the tour.

Tip from American Digest.

Thnik again! again

Jan Nordgreen’s Thnik Again! blog is back on the air.  Get your Thinking Caps ready.

“Comply with me”

Iowahawk’s lyrics have been made into a music video:

Apropos of all this searching and probing, Mrs RandomTexan asked me this morning, “Aren’t these TSA searches supposed to be same sex?  With so many people of indeterminate gender out there, how do you know that TSA agent is really the same sex as you?”  A-r-r-r-gh!  I just knew this whole GQBLT thing was going to cause problems…

Update (18 November).  A sign of the times:

 

Unreasonable search?

A lot of folks, including some airline pilots, aren’t too happy with the TSA’s new body scanners and pat-down procedures.

Nevertheless,  Princess Napolitano persists.  Doc Hsieh says the scan is the lesser of two evils, and some folks are doing protest tees:

Update (16 November). Well, that was fast.  The first leaked photos are on the web.

Update (17 November). Why am I not surprised that the scanner contract went to a company that employs a former Homeland Security bigwig?  Who says the Obama Administration is hostile to business?  They purely LOVE some businesses, like The Goldman Sachs.

Update (18 November).  Keep me away from this thumbsucker

The changes close gaps identified both by would-be terrorists and by government investigators who covertly try to smuggle weapons through to test the effectiveness of screening, said TSA Administrator John Pistole.

“If you have two planes, one where people are thoroughly and properly screened and the other where people could opt out of screening, which would you want to be on?” he asked.

This reminds me of the days when smoking was allowed on commercial flights. While I wasn’t a big fan of cigarette smoke, I knew that I’d rather be sitting with the smokers during bad weather or flight delays; they took everything in stride and could be readily cheered up with a free drink. Meanwhile, the nonsmokers would bitch and whine about everything from air pockets to scratchy blankets, and try to scam a free meal. I’d guess “Pisser” Pistole for a non-smoker.  Nowadays, I want to sit with the OptOuters.

“Thanks for coming to New Orleans!”

Was something I heard repeatedly while attending the Joint Mathematical Meetings.  I’ll be updating this post with details.