Early Mornin' Bits 'n' Pieces

Heard a couple of interesting things on NPR this morning on the way in:

• In a story on a terrorism class being held at the Joint Special Operations University, an instructor referred to the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) as "Thousands Standing Around" and as the "Take your Shoes off Agency" (which was really reaching, but quite appropriate).

It's no great secret that I do not hold the TSA in high esteem. They, like the rest of TSA, are still preparing for the last attack, instead of thinking about the next. Certainly, anyone who has spent any time at a major airport since 9-11 can recall all those white-shirted losers standing around looking official (when they're not stealing from passengers, groping a pregnant woman's breasts, or missing [fake] bombs). Just Google "TSA screener arrested" and see what pops up: ten pages of stories. Ten PAGES.

• There was also a story on "faith-based investing", which is, to me, a terrifying concept. One "faith-based investor" said he's not homophobic, he just doesn't want to invest in companies supporting the "homosexual agenda".

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but the only people I've heard using the term "homosexual agenda" are the fundamentalist neocons... who tend to be homophobic to the hilt and/or closted gays: the Ted Haggards, the Mark Foleys, the Ken Mehlmans.

In his (her?) Kos diaries mentioned a few weeks ago, Dogemperor -- a walk-away from a dominionist church -- refers to a "dominionist glossary" (if I can find the link, I'll update this post); I believe "homosexual agenda" was listed as one of the "code phrases" understood by dominionists (and other mouth-breathin', Bible-thumpin', hooker-humpin', sister-marryin', rifle-rack-in-the-pickmup neocon wingnut idjits), and totally missed by others.

One of the local wingnuts here also said there was a "clear correlation between the homosexual agenda and the prevalence of birth control, partial-birth abortions, and sexual immorality".

• The lovely yet talented Mrs 618 was watching C-Span last week, and saw an interview with an author who wrote about "selective literalists" - those whackos who pick and choose certain parts of the Bible (usually from Leviticus) for "literal" interpretation, while completely ignoring passages that don't agree with their preconceived notions of right and wrong. More on this later.

We now return you to your regularly-scheduled work day.