You know we're getting close to Halloween when...

Today is Frankenstein Friday, Pumpkin Day, and Howl at the Moon Day.

All of these are observed today.

And, speaking of really scary stuff, today is also the anniversary of the day on which President Bush signed the Patriot Act into law.

Interestingly, according to Wikipedia, the terrifying (and inappropriately named) Transportation "Safety" Agency was not created by the Patriot Act, but rather by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, an entirely separate (if equally panicked) response by the President and Congress to the infamous crimes of September 11, 2001.

And, if you must know, the Department of Homeland Security wasn't created by the Patriot Act either: According to Wikipedia again, the Department was foisted upon the America public by the Homeland Security Act. And the Department was created in 2002 -- after most reasonable folks should have calmed down a bit.

Of course, we are talking now about politicians....

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Image obtained from Wikipedia.