Sunday, January 5, 2003

Penn on airport security: complain all you can, then call the cops Last Thursday I was flying to LA on the Midnight flight. I went through security my usual sour stuff. I beeped, of course, and was shuttled to the "toss-em" line. A security guy came over. I assumed the position. He reached around while he was behind me and grabbed around my front pocket. I guess he was going for my flashlight, but the area could have loosely been called "crotch." I said, "You have to ask me before you touch me or it's assault." He said, "Once you cross that line, I can do whatever I want." [Daypop Top 40] I hope Penn presses charges. I don't think the security guard had any malice, but it's clear that airport security -- and federal law enforcement in general -- has gone over the line to thinking that because they're "protecting" us from terrorists they're above the law. 2:18:45 PM

A War for Oil?. I have no problem with a war for oil -- if we accompany it with a real program for energy conservation. But when we tell the world that we couldn't care less about climate change, that we feel entitled to drive whatever big cars we feel like, that we feel entitled to consume however much oil we like, the message we send is that a war for oil in the gulf is not a war to protect the world's right to economic survival -- but our right to indulge. Now that will be seen as immoral. [NYTimes] 2:03:52 PM

Microsoft's masterplan to screw phone partner Sendo's 27-page filing in a Texas court - disclosed here for the first time - is a rich litany of double dealing, betrayal and larceny. [Daypop Top 40] 2:01:28 PM

© Copyright 2003 Michael Alderete.