Homeland security? Pfft, don't make me laugh.

So, get this, U.S. Homeland Security is building a big-ass wall a little bit north of the U.S.-Mexico border in order to keep out undesirables, right? Makes sense - it worked for Imperial China way back in the day, right? So, uh, why the hell are there going to be gaps? Isn't the idea of sacrifice for security in a democratic society that everyone contributes, rich and poor, average schmoe and politcally connected? Why do Eloisa Tamez and Daniel Garza get punked by the bureaucracy while the River Bend Resort and the Hunt's get away unscathed? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Oh yeah, another reason Homeland Security is a fucking joke. Why now? Why not right after the second plane hit the World Trade Center and continuing on through today? And, yes, I'm aware that Amtrak and Homeland Security are administered through different government agencies, but the point is that both are part of the government. They should coordinate security better.

And now for something completely different. Castro resigns as el Presidente de Cuba. He's outlasted eight U.S. presidents and almost outlasted el Arbusto. Go figure, Bush's one true positive accomplishment might just end up being President while Castro retires from office.

Check out Fresh Air with Terry Gross on NPR later. A religious scholar (Update: Bart D. Ehrman, author of Misquoting Jesus) who is a former Christian like me, talks about his new book (Update 2: called God's Problem) about the nature of suffering, how it is explained in the Bible, and why those explanations are unconvincing bullshit. Should be a good listen.