The green light was on, but a sad and lonely GE EntryScan machine waited for no passengers at San Francisco International on Monday night. We peeked ahead trying to see if we would be shunted through the machine, but to no avail!

While SFO wasn't on the list of airports getting body scanners, apparently the hulking machine that could destroy our privacy but allow us to keep on our clothes arrived early for its date with the TSA. Its presence suggests that despite security concerns raised by the ACLU, among others, body scans or required pat downs are in the future for air travelers.]]> egw 2008-06-17T13:30:49-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/6/4/03911/82791

Now here's something you never saw on MTV: Apparently Laguna Beach -- the town starring in the guilty-pleasure television series which claimed to depict "The Real Orange County" (unlike that other show) -- has a gay bar. And that gay bar, the Boom Boom Room, is in trouble, because the building that holds the club is currently up for sale, future unknown. The L.A. Times even mentioned the spot, a former clubhouse for semi-closeted actors like Rock Hudson, as an example of "heterosexualization," noting "once-blighted neighborhoods that were settled by gays--often because they felt unwelcome elsewhere--now are so gentrified, in many cases, that younger people can't afford them."

Some residents of Laguna who are actually old enough to get into the Room are looking to Brad Pitt and George Clooney, who had been in on a previous deal to buy the building (it never went through) to save their club, CBGB style--sort of. Save the Boom thinks having the actors on their side will give them a higher profile, and maybe convince a developer to leave their little corner of paradise alone. Will the lifelong bachelor and Mr. Angelina Jolie step up to the plate? Boys, it's the least you can do for Pride Month. But the bar's lease is up in September, so you have to act now.

[Photo: Save the Boom]

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· Hotels in Laguna Beach [HotelChatter]]]> egw 2007-06-04T09:16:26-05:00 33.531316 -117.77522 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/10/10/122214/00 If you're itching for a trip to the West Coast but don't think Grandma would enjoy the AL Playoff madness in Oakland or wouldn't like the winos in Napa who think that "Sideways" was the best movie ever, take her over the river, through the woods and into the mountains to tiny Boonville, CA for a respite.

Enjoy the lush forests, sample the products of the Anderson Valley wine district and see if you can master Boontling, the area's own 19th century folk language.

Cat lovers should check out the quaint Boonville Hotel for its charming, airy rooms and simple but tasty breakfasts, which you can enjoy outside in the garden with the hotel cat. Just make sure Grammy isn't allergic.

[Photo: Catherine George/Flickr]

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· A Paws that Refreshes [Jaunted]
]]> Zulkey 2006-10-10T17:05:10-05:00 43.479661 -75.314336 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/4/24/9435/08788

In certain circles, mentioning the city of San Francisco is simply shorthand for people with too much time on their hands, none of which they spend working, showering, or eating foods manufactured by Kraft. While we think that is the point of living in California, and strenuously disagree when anyone refers to the city in derogatory terms, it's hard to explain away the following video.

A few months ago, San Franciscans--one thousand of them--came together in front of the Ferry Building to participate in the first annual meeting of the San Francisco Pillow Fight Club . And by participate, we mean beat each other senseless with pillows. Think of it as flash mobs (which were just invented by a Harper's editor anyway) with goose down. Isn't this all very 2003?

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·   Hundreds Attend Mass Pillow Fight [SF Chronicle]
·   My Crowd [Harper's]]]> AVB 2006-04-24T09:20:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/4/18/121449/296

Thrills! Tepid, yawn-inducing thrills! For the theme-park loving contingent of tourists who will fan out across the nation this summer, the new roller coaster season is likely to be a lot more mild than those in years past. Many of the large theme park operators have determined that whiplash and nauseating rides tend to put a dent in concessions.

Teenagers, with whom those rides are the most popular, don't spend all that much at the park anyway, but families do, and they prefer rides that are low key. Once again, the list of new rides is in the subscription-only Wall Street Journal, so here's what speed freaks have to look forward to underwhelming them this year. They seem, on the whole, pretty boring:

Pirates 4-D at Busch Gardens: Surround-sound, vibrating seats, and a voice-over by actor Leslie Neilsen all mimic the experience of watching Chinese DVD pirates make 400 copies of Maid in Manhattan in less than twenty minutes. Or there's something about sea pirates.

Killer Whale Ballet at SeaWorld: The name is entertaining enough for this one. There's a "Dine with Shamu" feature opening there this summer, too. Maybe SeaWorld is hoping to cut back on costs by feeding children to the famous Orca.

Bugs Bunny National Park at Six Flags: Rejoice at the reservations-only brunch! Nothing says action-packed quite like Eggs Benedict. Daily parades and clearly marked exits spell excitement here.

Reese's Xtreme Cup Challenge at Hersheypark: Riders sit in two competing cars with a laser pointer and shoot at targets while the operators pump in the smell of peanut butter and chocolate. Then there are "sweet rewards" waiting at the end. Hmm, what could they be? Oh, right. Six peanut butter cups.