Security Haiku ... and Bumper Stickers ... and Evolution

The popular Japanese poetry form called haiku creates short, elegant poems free of every extraneous word. It's very simple: each haiku is three lines long - the first line has five syllables, the second seven, and the third five again. It's deceptively simple, but creates beautiful and haunting poems.

It also lends itself very well to humor.

One of my friends sent me a link to a collection of security-related haiku at the Greater Greater Washington website. Here are three of the best ...

Welcome to DC

You need two forms of ID

Please remove your shoes

This is who I am

I am bored but in control

Let me scan your bags

and...

Yesterday yellow

Today went up to orange

Wake me when it's green

Speaking of all things security (are you enjoying those pat-downs at the airport?), here are a few bumper stickers to raise your security consciousness, courtesy of my friend Bob ... and the Transportation Security Administration, of course ...

Can't see London/Can't see France/Unless we see your underpants.

Grope Discounts Available!

If we did our job any better, we'd have to buy you dinner first.

Don't worry, my hands are still warm from the last guy.

It's not a grope, it's a freedom pat.

and...

We rub you the wrong way, so you can be on your way.

In other news, today is the anniversary of the date in 1859 on which Charles Darwin published his classic work titled On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.

Darwin's theory (which was not new) argued that organisms gradually evolve through a process he called natural selection. In natural selection, organisms with genetic variations that suit their environment tend to have more descendants than organisms of the same species that lack the variation, thus influencing the overall genetic makeup of the species. Darwin had formulated his theory of natural selection by 1844, but he was reluctant to reveal his ideas to the public because they so obviously contradicted the biblical account of creation. Indeed, even today - in the face of overwhelming evidence - many people insist on believing in "creationism."

Charles Darwin died in 1882, but his theory of evolution by natural selection remains central to our understanding of the development of life.

Except for the development of hardshell Republicans and Democrats. Nobody can explain them. Or explain anything to them.

Have a good day. Be secure. Evolve. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo