I've been a fan of Patrick Smith's "Ask The Pilot" column on Salon for quite a while, even though I'm not an aviation geek. His enthusiasm is contagious, and his writing and viewpoints are engaging.

Today's column is especially worth reading, as it's a particularly clear illustration of something that's been bugging me (all three readers: "Yeah, what hasn't been bugging you, you whiner?"): the all-purpose excuse for more and more police-state trappings being introduced into our lives -- "It's a different world now." Is it? Who gets to decide that?

Recommended reading. You might have to sit through an ad if you're not a subscriber.