* The city of Huntsville, Ala., has announced it will reopen an abandoned mine and turn it into a fallout shelter so that the city’s residents will have a safe place to go in the event of a nuclear attack by terrorists.
I’d have guessed Huntsville was pretty far down al-Qaida’s list of possible targets, though I suppose you never can be too careful. But it might behoove the good folks who run Huntsville to remember that far more Americans die in mine collapses than in terror attacks during the average year.

* President Bush said on Thursday that he’ll take steps to reduce air traffic congestion and long delays that have left travelers grounded.
“Endless hours sitting in an airplane on a runway with no communication between a pilot and the airport is just not right,” he said, trying to sound sympathetic toward frustrated travelers.
Let’s see, George. Over the last 25 years or so, you’ve been president of a country, governor of a state, head of an oil company and owner of a baseball team. Spend much time stuck on runways or in airport terminals during those years? I’m guessing no.

* Twice in the last week, I've mentioned the New York Mets in my blog. When I wrote about how badly they’d been playing, the promptly won their next three games. When I then mentioned the winning streak, they responded by losing four straight. So now that I’ve mentioned the latest collapse (which has dropped the Not-So-Amazin's into a first-place tie with the Phillies in the N.L. East), perhaps they’ll sweep the Marlins this weekend. I’m not a Mets fan, by the way, and how they play really has no effect on me; I’m just curious to see if my blog has some sort of mystical power over their performance.