I've lost a lost of pocketknives to TSA, so I was particularly biased to like the way Bruce Schneier framed TSA security.

Schneier on Security: Sneaking Items Aboard Aircraft

Security systems fail in one of two ways. They can fail to stop the bad guy, and they can mistakenly stop the good guy. The TSA likes to measure its success by looking at the forbidden items they have prevented from being carried onto aircraft, but that's wrong. Every time the TSA takes a pocketknife from an innocent person, that's a security failure. It's a false alarm. The system has prevented access where no prevention was required.

A little known fact: I fought the US all the way to the Supreme Court, but my appeal was rejected. Seeing "Kenneth Conley v. United States of America" brings back such fond memories.

This post caught my eye because I was just in Dublin and the post deals with public readings of James Joyce's works for the upcoming Bloomsday. Apparently, the celebrations are being threatened by the last surviving Joyce grandkid unless payment is made.
- Neil Gaiman: Pre-Bloomsday Sigh

I don't have a great adjective to describe this entry. Ironic? Oxymoronic? Moronic? If you were to visit www.i-am-asian.com, what type of site do you think it would take you to? How about I were to narrow it down and say, if a restaurant were to own www.i-am-asian.com, which restaurant would it be? And, what would happen, if I then told you that the restaurant claims to own the trademark on "I am Asian," what would you think?

BTW: I now take this opportunity to claim the trademarks, "I am Half-Asian^tm" and "I am Hapa^tm" for the blogging domain; other hapas beware, I'll be feedster-ing and pubsub-ing your asses to make sure you don't step on my turf.

(via boingboing)

I just finished Foucault's Pendulum, and this entry on Making Light reminded me of lunatics/Diabolicals/The Plan:
- Making Light: Dinosaurs of Eden

I had a friend in college who will one day become this man. Here's one exemplary anecdote:

driving down Comm Ave
Friend: "Stop the car! Stop the car!"
car stops, friend points to large slab of concrete sitting on the curb
Friend: "Do you think we can haul that back to the house?"
Us: "What?!?!"
Friend: "You can't let a good piece of concrete go to waste."

I better hurry before it disappears: Groups Sue to Change Name of 'Jap Road'
(via fark)

Here's an old clip that made it's rounds on the Internet awhile ago that I was reminded of. Still funny as the day I first saw it.
The Infamous Exploding Whale

Funny e-bay auction sent to a list I'm on by 999:
eBay item 3146042998 (Ends Sep-22-03 08:37:31 PDT) - Collection of 26 Beanie Babies from Ex-Wife

In case the auction listing disappears, I've listed the interesting bits below:

Maybe this is responsible for my RSI. I hate my asian half
CNN.com - Study: Chopsticks may cause arthritis - Oct. 25, 2003

The Daily Show had a hilarious segment on last night showcasing the latest debate for the Democrat Presidential candidates. The debate was quasi-bilingual, as the questions were first asked in spanish, then translated into english. This required, of course, that each of the candidates do their best to butcher a spanish phrase of their choice. Lieberman's attempt at spanish was absolutely horrible, and he gave this look that just reminded me of Gollum during the memorable Gollum vs. Smeagol scene in the Two Towers. But rather than trust my opinion, why don't you decide?

Update: If you want to see Lieberman's muchos spanish skills, On Lisa Rein has posted the segment (it's about a minute or so in).

Who is the biggest presidential liar?
- "The Mendacity Index" by Washington Monthly Staff
(via heerforceone)

Fun with signatures

(via Counterpane: Crypto-Gram: August 15, 2003)

Fox News has trademarked "Fair and Balanced" and is suing Al Franken for using it in the title of his upcoming book, "Lies and Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right."
- CNN.com - Fox sues Franken over 'fair and balanced' - Aug. 12, 2003

Now that the Supreme Court has refused to hear the case, it is now established Texas legal precedent: you can now be sentenced to half a year in jail for selling adult comics to ... adults. To quote the prosecution's closing argument:

I don't care what type of evidence or what type of testimony is out there, use your rationality, use your common sense. Comic books, traditionally what we think of, are for kids

- Newsarama - Supreme Court Refuses to hear Castillo Case

Cohen sends me a pointer to this helpful resource for vi professionals.

The European Central Bank is thinking of adding RFID tags to banknotes to protect against forgery (story).

In addition to anti-forgery benefits, think of all the efficiencies the tags will introduce: ATMs won't give out the wrong amount, banks can count stacks of bills faster, thieves can choose their victims more carefully. With RFID crime does pay... efficiently.