Top Ten Boneheaded Things of 2009

The end of the year is a traditional time for doing best of/worst of lists. In keeping with the spirit of the times, I give you: Top Ten Boneheaded Things of 2009 (I know we still have a couple more days, but I don't think anything is going to top these!) 1. Launching a helium balloon from your backyard and calling 911 to tell them you think your little boy is in the balloon. While you’re at it, call it a “flying saucer”. Balloon boy’s day will be serving time after the New Year begins. 2. Not having all the facts of an incident where someone you know is arrested, and publicly proclaim, while acknowledging that you do not have all the facts, that the police “acted stupidly”. Do this in a national forum, if possible. 3. Passing a national health insurance bill that a majority of the people do not want. 4. Giving Barack Obama a Nobel Prize for things he hasn’t done yet. 5. A tie between shredding the actual data that would prove or disprove man made global warming and keeping incriminating emails on your computer that talk about the tricks you use, in lieu of hard science, to make your numbers believable. 6. Anyone paying any attention at all to Al Gore. A blizzard follows this guy everywhere he goes…in his carbon spewing private jet and limos, to preach global warming and carbon offsets. 7. Giving a cheesy DVD gift to Great Britain. Their ambassador gives a priceless history relic and you give him cheap DVDs that aren’t even the correct format for him to play, in return. 8. US Attorney General dropping slam dunk case of voter intimidation against New Black Panther Party 9. Turning two Somalian detainees over to a government the US doesn’t even officially recognize, then watch said government release them. 10.And last, but not least, bringing wartime detainees into the US and give them legal standing not accorded to them by the Geneva Conventions and a civilian trial. You may have others? Let's hear them! Update: I actually wrote this list on Saturday, or I might have been tempted to put Janet Napolitano's "The system worked" comment on the list. Update II: How could I have forgotten Air Force One buzzing NYC for a photo op? That was this last year, too! So many boneheads, so little time!