Three random thoughts:

1. About this guy who flew even though he was infected with a particularly nasty strain of drug-resistant TB (I know - he didn't have symptoms or anything but STILL):

he was apparently on a no-fly list. And yet he got on several planes and flew all around. And the TSA is confiscating cuticle scissors and not allowing people to carry bottles of water on planes*?

(*I don't fly so maybe that's been changed recently, but I remember when the dictum came down I just figured: that's it. No more planes for me.)

That doesn't exactly fill me with loads of confidence re: the TSA doing a good job.

Why is it always that honest, law-abiding people wind up having their freedoms abridged, but the jerks who think they're the only important person in the world manage to get away with doing whatever?

And - he went to get married. I hope to God he informed his wife of his health status.

Ugh. I think this guy is my Friday eff off. (I'm seeing in my head little satellite-diagrams like on that "Numbers" show, where you could trace out a whole chain of people infected, because one person on the plane got infected, then carried it home [unknowingly] to his wife and kids, and then the wife went to work at the day-care...and on, and on.

And it strikes me: this is a reason why it's a good idea for people to learn at least the basics of math and science. I'm no epidemiologist but I can totally see the implications of flying with a contagious disease - how it could ripple out into the larger community. [My father once cancelled a visit to come see me because he had a mild respiratory infection and didn't want to spread it to others he was traveling with].)

Yeah, yeah - I know, the guy wasn't symptomatic and he probably didn't infect anyone. But it still strikes me as a-holish behavior to say "I WILL fly" even though he'd (apparently) been counselled against it.

(I've resisted, up to this point, making any reference to the fact that the guy's a lawyer and one of the claims he was making was "But nobody told me NOT to fly." Yes, but I'm willing to bet they explained to you that you were carrying a serious disease that could kill other people if they got infected with it. Don't be looking for loopholes, sicky.)

2. I heard on the radio today that Neptune, like Mars, is experiencing global warming. (One of the radio hosts jokingly said it was because of cow flatus). Now, there is a part of my brain that is still 13 years old because my immediate next thought was: "I wonder if Uranus is experiencing global warming, uh-huh-huh-huh-huh."

(I really kind of hope it is, just because I can't wait to hear all the immature jokes that come out about it.)

3. I wish to goodness that my activist colleague would stop sending me all these damned invitations to join "communities of concern" or sign online petitions.

First off: online petitions aren't worth the electrons they're printed on. Even if I agreed with what they were asking for, I'd not sign them.

Secondly - even if I agreed with the ends of these "communities of concern," I have no desire to be dunned to give away even more of my time, money, or expertise. I'm kinda at the breaking point there, and I just want to draw back and have me for ME for a while.

I dunno. One of the things that kind of tires me out about the academy (but not enough to seek employment elsewhere) is the sort of constant, in-your-face tirade of simple solutions to complex problems. No, I don't think the Muslim terrorists would go away if we just left Iraq. No, I don't think the world would like Americans any better if we went around self-flagellating for whatever sins we seem to have committed. No, I can't walk to work and the grocery store instead of driving even though it saves baby seals and makes Gaia happy.