Should Be Fun

Flying home from Christmas visiting today.

Anything happen over the holidays?

Oh, right:

A Nigerian man tried to ignite an explosive device aboard a trans-Atlantic Northwest Airlines flight as the plane prepared to land in Detroit on Friday, in an incident the United States believes was “an attempted act of terrorism,” according to a White House official who declined to be identified.

The device, described by officials as a mixture of powder and liquid, failed to fully detonate. Passengers on the plane described a series of pops that sounded like firecrackers.

Federal officials said the man wanted to bring the plane down.

“This was the real deal,” said Representative Peter T. King of New York, the ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, who was briefed on the incident and said something had gone wrong with the explosive device, which he described as somewhat sophisticated. “This could have been devastating,” Mr. King said.

I don't want to underplay this. but Peter King, the go-to Congressman for national security leaks when the press needs quotes, thinks everything is the "real deal."

My initial feelings about this "attempted terrorist attack" as the White House is calling it, is that it is fairly serious and more than a little scary, but once again, the so-called Al Qaeda terrorists seem to have more than a little Laurel and Hardy in them when they're trying their attacks.

Think shoe bomber Richard Reid trying to blow up his shoes with matches instead of a lighter (ironically, Reid tried his attack 8 years ago this week.)

While Peter King and other Repub Congressman are linking this incident to Al Qaeda, this could also be some disgruntled crazy guy acting alone.

I guess we'll learn more in the coming days.

But one thing I am sure about today - flying home post-Christmas is going to suck.

Rumor has it they've added proctology exams and stir-ups to the pre-flight security check.

Can't wait.

UPDATE: Fantastic - new flight restrictions, including you're no longer allowed to access carry-on baggage during the last hour of your flight or have personal items on your lap.

You know, none of this crap makes me feel safer. You know what would make me feel safer? An American foreign policy that didn't create enemies by the tens of thousands along with a country willing to invest in effective airport security technology that could detect the kinds of the things that can bring down planes and pay airport security screeners more than the minimum freaking wage.

But I guess that would be asking for too much.

So sir, can you please bend over, touch your toes and spread? We think you're hiding a bomb up there...