DATELINE: USAir flight to Reagan, 2 October 2006

Day lost to column, which I'm still tweaking. Tentative title is "Why Pissing Off Terrorists Is the Right Thing To Do."

Wanted something punchy and topical for first potential Scripps-distributed piece and the first of my now weekly column for Knoxville.

As I start having to come up with something new each week, I'm going to start tapping science and technology issues, as I am informed on them by Oak Ridge National Lab. Next week I'm going to pen something on genetically-modified threats based on my exposure to some work at ORNL. It's a fascinating story I can't wait to explore, although there's only so much you can do in 720 words, as I constantly discover.

Flying to DC tonight for some quiet consulting tomorrow in the intell realm. Hauling ass to get to my hotel not too long after Pack-Eagles game begins. Would love to see them go 2-2 but fear for the worst. Have seen McNabb bedevil them live at Lambeau, and it still burns!

Carrying about two dozen WAPO, WSJ and NYTs on my person. They may be my only consolation if things get bad tonight.