Raise the terror warning to red!: Comes now one of the more alarming, and at the same time, pathetic, examples of what our Dept. of Homeland Security is capable of.

Seems the cover of a book that a person was carrying in his backpack was a bit too much for the security peon - see, it was a comic book (okay, a graphic novel, but I'm trying to make a point here). And it wasn't say, "Super Osama and his Band of Merry Car-Bombers", but rather a certain well-developed massive sword-brandishing chick with bad intentions on her mind.

My response: "Well, let me call the ACLU and have them come down here, and see what they think about your attempt to confiscate a book that was not in the plain sight of others due to your feeling it's not appropriate." And I pull out my cell and start scrolling down the list - ACLU-NJ is at the top, actually, before 'Amanda' and 'ardaniel' since it sorts alphabetically.

He gets all pissy at me and says, "Don't you understand this is for your safety?"

I suppose the fear was of too many teenage boys rushing to one side of the ferry to get a look.