Did you read the story about the mass exodus of federal air marshals from the TSA? Seems they aren't too happy with their working conditions. The Raven can sympathize. Having flown in coach quite a bit over the years, we know just how hard it must be to spend 12 hours a day wedged in a narrow seat next to a "yappy" passenger, and have only peanuts and water for sustenance. Life in the not-so-friendly skies today isn't much fun, we'll admit. No booze, no smoking, and thanks to those numbnuts with the boxcutters, no food either. Figure after about halfway through your first day on the job you've read all the inflight mags and safety cards, but regulations forbid you bring a book or other distractions. But no, you thought it would be cool...

"We were promised the Garden of Eden. We were given hell," one current marshal said. "If they don't make major changes fast, they're going to have no one left but the bottom of the barrel."

Target Reich

Target stores are scrambling to recall a line of clothing emblazoned with the logo "eight eight" and "88" after being informed that "Among white supremacists, that stands for 'Heil Hitler' because H is the eighth letter of the alphabet."

Joseph Rodriguez, a video producer for the University of California, Davis, was shocked when he found the printed symbols on a pair of red shorts at the Elk Grove Target store in June, according to the Sacramento Bee.

The symbols are commonly used among supremacists in graffiti and is a popular tattoo.

It's Just That Simple

Regular Raven readers know that my local paper seems to screen the letters to the editor it prints on the basis of how high they register on the "moronometer." They must sit around passing the daily submissions amongst themselves and howling with laughter, "Hey, look at this one!" "Naw, nobody could be that stupid!" "Let's print it!" Sound unlikely? You be the judge:

Let's Just Nuke 'Em

All this talk about Iraq, terrorist groups, and rogue nations working to acquire nuclear weapons to use against the United States or other countries got me thinking. Let's just nuke them now.

We'd show Iraq and any other country or terrorist group that we are serious about keeping ourselves and the world free.

I'm tired of hearing that Iraq will cooperate, then they won't, then they will, on and on. Nothing is going to change except eventually one of these groups will get their own nukes.

More than 500 nukes have been detonated in the air worldwide. It didn't kill us all, did it? One more won't hurt, either.

We can't play the wimp role anymore. We must move quickly and decisively to rid the planet of madmen bent on the destruction of all free people.

Don W. - New Brockton

8:55:49 AM