The Nice Award

The very nice Christi from Common Sense America has nominated And You Thought YOU Were Cranky for a Nice Matters Blog Award. Thank you, Christi.

Considering both the title of my blog and the rants I've been on lately, I am very touched. Apparently Christi knows what I know - that when I get absolutely livid, it's because I truly do care! Coming from someone I consider a wonderful blogger, your nomination is so very much appreciated!

The Nice Matters Blog Award is for people who have not only great blogs, but also who have more to them, there is caring, friendship and inspiration too:

This award will be awarded to those that are just nice people, good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!

And nice people are very good at finding other nice people. So the recipients of the award are invited to nominate up to seven other Blogosphere friends deserving of this recognition. My nominations:

Aaron at Lifelike Pundits
The Anchoress at The Anchoress Online
Sissy at Sisu
Laura Lee at Wide Awake Cafe
Kitty at Kitty Litter
Walt at Pajama Pack

Pat at Brainster


These bloggers are not only some of the nicest people you will ever meet, they are also true American patriots. I realize that this award was designed to be presented to women but there is no way on earth that I could overlook the three men who have been included in my list!

KATRINA ANNIVERSARY

I don't mean to be harsh, and I'm certainly not insensitive to the destruction and grief that resulted from Hurricane Katrina two years ago. My only problem is that New Orleans is still whining and wondering why the Federal Government hasn't already made them whole. My question to them is, why haven't you made YOURSELVES whole?

The Federal government should not ever be considered a universal Nanny for every single slacker who gets into trouble. The political leaders of the State of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans have mismanaged the incredible sums of money already provided to them for purposes of rebuilding. The individual people affected have received all manner of direct help, all at the expense of the taxpayers or generous Americans who frequently gave more than they could afford out of a generosity of heart.

It hasn't escaped my notice that Mississippi areas that were as badly damaged as New Orleans have been rebuilt to a substantial degree by people who aren't sitting on their fat asses waiting for someone else to bail them out some more.

Here's the deal. The authorities in New Orleans knew for years that the levees were inadequate. Substantial amounts of money have been provided for many years to upgrade. Taxpayer money - just like the recovery money already squandered.

My heart was touched - and my wallet reflected contributions that were in excess of what I could afford at the time. Massive amounts of taxpayer money were provided. And now they want MORE? Screw it. Time to hold your politicians accountable for the misuse of the massive funds already allocated and delivered. If they haven't spent the copious funds provided in an effective and fiscally responsible manner, perhaps you ought to consider THROWING THE BUMS OUT OF OFFICE? Take responsibility for your own lives and get on with it.

IT'S THE GRIM REAPER, FOLKS!

Amble on over to Blue Crab Boulevard to read about "The Reaper" the three-times-more-lethal successor to The Predator!

I suspect it is going to SUCK to be a Taliban fighter soon!

HILLARY AND THE CHINESE CONNECTION

I don’t want to seem like a nay-sayer BUT it is increasingly clear that the campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton is being funded by some very questionable means. It is equally clear that the mainstream media will do nothing whatsoever about it.

In an article in today’s Wall Street Journal Online, author Brody Mullins tracks the donations of the Paw family of San Francisco, Hillary’s top contributors to date, and examines the other top individual contributors as well.

According to Mullins:

Six members of the Paw family, each listing the house at 41 Shelbourne Ave. as their residence, have donated a combined $45,000 to the Democratic senator from New York since 2005, for her presidential campaign, her Senate re-election last year and her political action committee. In all, the six Paws have donated a total of $200,000 to Democratic candidates since 2005, election records show.

That total ranks the house with residences in Greenwich, Conn., and Manhattan's Upper East Side among the top addresses to donate to the Democratic presidential front-runner over the past two years, according to an analysis by The Wall Street Journal of donations listed with the Federal Election Commission.

If it’s sleazy, it must be the Clintons. There’s a GOOD REASON they are often called the Grifters In Chief!

I can't help wondering when, if ever, these two slippery critters are going to be busted for all their evil deeds.

A GREAT WAY TO SPEND A WEEKEND

Dear friend (and temporary roommate) Linda was in a great deal of pain this past weekend as her injuries from the Greyhound bus incident in February flared substantially during the past two weeks. On Friday she had a protracted doctor's visit-and tests- and it was determined that she needs thrice weekly physical therapy, new medications (which alternately make her light headed or nauseated) and heaven only knows what else. Added to that, it was scheduled to rain heavily both Saturday and Sunday nights (which in fact it did do).

As a result, I did what absolutely needed over the weekend (got the car serviced and filled it with gas) on Saturday and did some shopping on Sunday. Beyond that, we watched NASCAR and various DVDs, whilst enjoying the company of the dogs and cats in our household. There was, of course, the obligatory lap sitting attempts by the cats Tim and Gigi, but also by Zeus (75+ pounds and half pit bull) and Harley (1/2 Corgi and 1/2 Heinz 57 Varieties) during the really heavy rain. And Sam, not to be outdone, insisted on sleeping with his head firmly ensconced between my body and my right arm!

Are Linda and I the only people who dislike Tony Stewart? Does he EVER shave? Is there a bigger, whiney crybaby on the circuit? Why don't more people root for Jeff Gordon? Is it because, as Jeff Foxworthy opines, he articulates the language too well? Is not Juan Carlos Montoya hot?! I'm just saying.

As to DVDs, I can highly recommend Saving Grace which stars Craig Ferguson and the delightful Brendan Blethyn. Then in a moment of exuberant nostalgia, we watched High Anxiety which is not one of Mel Brooks' best, but still the worst Mel Brooks film is typically head and shoulders above the best done by anyone else. We also watched Are We There Yet? and Are We Done Yet?, both of which star Ice Cube. We also watched RV and The Night Listener on the Free Starz Weekend, both of which starred two very different sides of Robin Williams.

Clearly, between the heat, the heavy rains and Linda's pain (my own pain was not insignificant -since arthritic spines and really, really, really wet weather just don't mix well), being indolent was the way to go this past weekend! And we did so, with enormous enjoyment!

TWO TALES OF THE WEIRD!

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, that well known foreign policy maven, Marxist economist and presidential candidate, out of the deepest recesses of her vast diplomatic knowledge, has opined that Iraq’s ELECTED Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, should be “ousted”. That ought to give our allies around the world a LOT of confidence in our country in the (perish the thought) event that a bunch of the people in this country suffer a collective mind fart and elect HRC President of the United States.

Do any of these candidates (left or right) ever engage their brains before they operate their mouths?

Michael Vick has now announced that he has found Jesus! Call me a cynic but isn't this just a trifle convenient? And, as one of my friends said, why is it always "Jesus" - why don't any of these people find GOD!

ANOTHER SCALP HANGING FROM THE DEMS’ SCALPS?

This morning came the news that U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned with his last day at the Justice Department scheduled to be September 16, 2007.

In the first place, I greatly respect President George W. Bush for nominating Alberto Gonzales to the post of attorney general. I also suspect that, despite the Left’s fervent babbling in favor of ethnic diversity, they are adamantly opposed to it when it emanates from the astonishingly diverse confines of the Bush 43 Administration. When it comes to suspecting any Republican but especially George W. Bush of laudable motives, the Left clearly doesn’t buy into the program.

Predictably, the presidential wannabes of the Democratic Party were quick to open their big fat yaps. Perhaps the most outrageous statement emanated from the frequently most inappropriate candidate, Barack Obama, who has a genius for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time:

"I have long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda, and so I am pleased that he has finally resigned today. The President needs to nominate an Attorney General who will be the people's lawyer, not the President's lawyer, and in an Obama Administration that person will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution," said Obama.

Clearly Senator Obama hasn't read the U.S. Constitution lately since "promoting" anything is never mentioned. And I have seen NO EVIDENCE that the departing Attorney General has ever failed to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution of the United States of America - as he was sworn to do. Every time he opens his mouth, Senator Obama clearly displays the lack of presidential gravitas that should be present in someone seeking our nation's highest office. He is - to put it bluntly - unqualified AND a buffoon! There are days when Dennis Kucinich appears more qualified - well, okay, I guess I shouldn't go THAT far!

I can only assume that, like all leftwing dumbkoffs, Senator Obama is riding the asinine hobby horse relating to the firing of 8 assistant U.S. attorneys – an action that the President had every right under law and under the Constitution to perform since THEY SERVE AT HIS PLEASURE. There was nary a peep out of the same people when then-new President Clinton fired EVERY SINGLE ONE of the U.S. attorneys when he took office.

Attorney General Gonzales’ biggest sins are that he is (a) a Republican (apparently he doesn’t know that he belongs to a voting class that is SUPPOSED to vote Democratic and consider itself victimized) and (b) was too naive to realize that his initial response to all the phony breast beating in the U.S. Senate should have been “It was our right to fire them for no reason or any reason so shut the hell up!”

On one of the blogs it has been suggested that President Bush determine to let the Solicitor General just quietly occupy the office for the duration, but that also, simply for grins and giggles President Bush should nominate Ann Coulter to the post – for the pleasure of watching Ann illuminate what a bunch of asinine dopes actually sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Can you truly imagine a confrontation between that pontificating gasbag Edward Moore Kennedy (D-Chivas) and Ann Coulter? T’would be delicious!

CONGRESS HAS LOST THE ABILITY TO TAKE A HIGH MORAL STANCE!

A Gallup Poll released today shows that the U.S. Congress is viewed in a favorable light by only 18% of the American population. In contrast, 32% of Americans view the President favorably.

Perhaps the likes of Reid, Murtha, Pelosi, Levin, et al. should shut their sanctimonious, ignorant and seditious pie holes and concentrate on doing what they were elected to do – the business of their constituents. They are not charged with making the foreign policy for this nation. They are called law makers for a reason and it’s high time they got their noses back on the proper grindstone!

OF HOWARD DEAN - NOT HURRICANE DEAN!

Go to Tom DeLay's site for an absolutely hilarious dissection of Crazy Uncle Howard's disappearance from American life, except in the form of a devastating Category 4 (or 5) hurricane!

Here's the deal folks: The American public is rapidly getting a clear and accurate picture of just what the current crop of Dems is and is not about! By November of 2008 we can only hope that sufficient Americans are sufficiently aware to do what should be done and remove these lunatic self-promoters from a position of power, Uncle Howard included.

LIBERAL BIAS IN ACADEMIA AND THE MEDIA

It has been reported that some media outlets have been crass enough to boo the President of the United States during the State of the Union speech (MSNBC) and another newsroom erupted in cheers over some slight to our President. And I must admit the thought of the institutionalized liberal bias in broadcast and print newsrooms makes my already volatile temper flare to volcanic proportions. I was, after all, born with red hair! It’s in my DNA!

This pervasive bias exists as well in academic realms where the uncomfortable influence of politics on academia is widespread. And good manners are apparently nonexistent.

It is within this context that I now read that St. Mary's College in Maryland has named Kathleen Kennedy Townsend as its Paul H. Nitze Senior Fellow for 2007-2008. Townsend's recent book, Failing America's Faithful - How Churches Have Mixed God and Politics and Lost Their Way is the topic of her first visit's lecture on October 2. The lecture is open to the public and begins at 8 pm in the Auerbach Auditorium of St. Mary's Hall.

Now something about me that may surprise some readers is that I harbor no real dislike for the Kennedys (excepting Teddy Kennedy – because I am the adult child of an alcoholic father and I don’t DO drunks no way, no how) and consider their family emphasis on public service to be completely admirable.

What does concern me is that had this honor been given to a conservative, it is very likely that institutionalized rudeness and just plain nastiness would have been directed at the Nitze Senior Fellow throughout their tenure. THAT is what worries and annoys me.

Good manners to far too many liberals consists almost entirely of . . . well actually, absolutely nothing! Of course there are exceptions (paul, you’d be a shining example), but generally speaking it is considered a badge of achievement when a liberal is unconscionably rude to a conservative.

But another surprise to y’all – I blame conservatives for this pervasive atmosphere just as much as I blame liberals. This is one conservative who calls people on it immediately when they are hateful to me. Being a wuss accomplishes nothing.

ABSOLUTE ACCURACY IS ALWAYS THE BEST DEFENSE!

The Associated Press has reported that former Georgia representative Cynthia McKinney has, without comment by her or her legal representation, dropped the libel suit she filed in late July against the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, its parent company Cox Enterprises, as well as its publisher, managing editor and editorial page editor Cynthia Tucker. The lawsuit alleged that Ms. Tucker defamed Ms. McKinney in two columns she wrote last year, one of which dealt with Rep. McKinney's altercation with a Capitol Police Officer. That column, which Ms. McKinney found so offensive, won a Pulitzer Prize for Cynthia Tucker.

Hint to Cynthia McKinney: Just because you don't LIKE reading the truth about yourself doesn't mean you have a cause of action, honey! The fact is, you were a considered by most to be a disgrace as a member of Congress and you give every appearance of being a despicable human being.

Were I in the advice giving business, Ms. McKinney, I'd tell you to get your very unhappy ass into some serious psychological counseling, and follow that up with a trip to charm school to learn some freaking manners. But since I'm not in the advice giving business, I'll simply state, loudly and clearly that YOU ought to shut the hell up!

TO ANYONE WHO BELIEVES THAT THERE ARE NO GOOD WOMAN WRITERS ON THE INTERNET, I OFFER YOU - - - - THE BRILLIANT

LA SHAWN BARBER!

Apparently La Shawn will not be voting for Hillary Rodham Clinton, which is no surprise to me. In her post today La Shawn has one of the most extraordinarily lucid hissy fits on the subject of HRC's blatant pandering to the black voter as Hillary Clinton perceives them to be. Hillary's view of the majority of black citizens bears no resemblance whatever to the black people I have encountered in my life! Does it ever occur to Mrs. Clinton's audiences that they are being cynically patronized by a woman who clearly sees herself as superior to them? Dear merciful heavens!

WHAT THE HELL!?

As the "Church Lady" from Saturday Night Live was wont to say: "Isn't that just special!"

It seems that former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is getting some protection from the National Archives vis-a-vis records of her activities during her 8 years as First Lady. Once again it is clear - these two grifters, both Bill and Hillary Clinton, are coated in industrial strength teflon! The devil protecting his own?

Clinton's first lady records locked up
Archivists say the former first lady's documents at her husband's presidential library won't be released until after the '08 vote.
By Peter Nicholas, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 14, 2007

LITTLE ROCK, ARK --- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton cites her experience as a compelling reason voters should make her president, but nearly 2 million pages of documents covering her White House years are locked up in a building here, obscuring a large swath of her record as first lady.Clinton's calendars, appointment logs and memos are stored at her husband's presidential library, in the custody of federal archivists who do not expect them to be released until after the 2008 presidential election. A trove of records has been made public detailing the Clinton White House's attempts to remake the nation's healthcare system, following a request from Bill Clinton that those materials be released first. Hillary Clinton led the healthcare effort in 1993 and 1994.But even in the healthcare documents, at least 1,000 pages involving her work has been censored by archives staff because they include confidential advice and must be kept secret under a federal law called the Presidential Records Act. Political consultants said that if Hillary Clinton's records were made public, rivals would mine them for scraps of information that might rattle her campaign.

*****

The healthcare papers that have been released contain gaps when it comes to the part played by Hillary Clinton. A number of records involving her have been kept secret because they include confidential advice between presidential aides. Among the withheld documents are memos about meetings between Hillary Clinton and Democratic Sens. Christopher J. Dodd and Joseph R. Biden Jr. -- now her rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination.

SOMETIMES YOUR LACK OF CLASS JUST SHRIEKS OUT AT US!

"Chapel Hill, North Carolina – John Edwards today released the following statement in reaction to President Bush’s announcement that his senior advisor, Karl Rove, will resign at the end of the month:
"Goodbye, good riddance.""

Sometimes, Mr. Edwards, it's better to keep one's mouth entirely shut, rather than inserting your oafish foot in it as you have done here! If this is what passes for wit in your circles, I'm glad I don't travel in them!

What a piece of horse's excrement! And coming from the Silky Pony, quite appropriate, don't you think?

ALL THINGS COME TO HER WHO WAITS - - AND WAITS - - AND WAITS!

Seriously folks, moving from my secure little niche in Ohio to work in the big, bad city of Washington, D.C. was a major risk. I'm delighted to say that the risk has paid off in a most entertaining way. Not only have I accepted a job that I love, they are paying me an outrageous sum of money to do that job which means that Sam the cat will get his wish and soon be in a nice quiet home with me and his baby bro Tim (aka Froot Loop).

So here I sit working on Pennsylvania Avenue between The Capitol and The White House. Lucky me - I get to witness the puerile goings-on at first hand!

And although we have been in the midst of a major heat wave since I moved here, the politicians left town and - - - you guessed it, the heat wave broke!

You don't absolutely have to have a sense of humor to survive this here tough town - but I have a strong suspicion it's going to help A LOT!

CAPTAIN THE WONDER CAT - R.I.P.

Fellow blogger and exceptional online friend Lauralee Donohoe and her family have lost their beloved Cappy. I fully understand how important a beloved animal can be to a family - albeit that family consists of one or some! There's a gaping hole in the family structure right now, and I understand that. After reading about this remarkable and treasured feline companion, I can fully understand the depth of your loss. From me - and Tim and Sam (and the temporary roommates: Zeus, Harley and Gigi) - our loving thoughts to the entire family.

BUT THEY CANNOT ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR OUR SERVICEMEN IN HARM’S WAY!

Just another object lesson of the appalling dearth of serious thinking going on in the U.S. House of Representatives.

After dueling with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-Mich.) to pass a renewable energy bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) faces a wrestling match with another rogue chairman. And this one can bench-press 265 pounds. Pelosi is set to square off against Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), the power-lifting chairman of the House gym committee.

Abercrombie is touting his efforts to secure funding in the legislative branch spending bill to begin an estimated $8 million renovation of the House gym. The project is personally important to Abercrombie, who sets a yearly goal to bench-press 200 pounds more than his age, now 69.

I don’t give a rat’s ass how dedicated Rep. Abercrombie may be to his yearly goal – he doesn’t need to spend 8 million TAXPAYER dollars to achieve it. In fact, I’ll spot him $23 for a month of gym membership and it’s quite likely that a few other people would be willing to do likewise. The next ten years would cost an aggregate of $2,760!

There are quotes in the article about this asinine gym renovation that some House members find it “inconvenient” to get to the pool or the locker room or the weight room due to its present location. Listen you pampered pissants – our military find it damned inconvenient to be away from their homes and families, wearing full packs in 115 degree heat to protect our nation. So get about the important business of funding our troops and quit behaving like Marie Antoinette on Steroids!

Bunch of idiots!

FRIENDSHIPS – ONLINE AND IN PERSON

I got to thinking this morning about how important friendships can be in our lives. In fact, I daresay we cannot really live without a few close friends. If a person is lucky enough to have more than a few, then they have been kissed by the angels.

What brought this to mind was the reemergence of The Cabana Boy who was one of the first blogs to claim me (along with Kitty Litter, Lifelike Pundits, Kerry Haters and Brainster) as a loyal reader. I have missed Walt since personal concerns reduced his available time and thus his blogging activities. And now he’s back and as lucid and wonderful as ever!

Yes, I adore dear sis Linda, the extraordinary adopted friend of a lifetime. But there are other people whose friendship has become almost equally important to me. The extraordinary Pams: Pancake and Johnson: both unique and intelligent women who make me proud to be their friend. Then there is Miss Kitty of Kitty Litter who is intelligent, lucid and funny – even under stress. Aaron of Lifelike Pundits is handsome, brilliant and fun – and I’ve now had the privilege of meeting his fine young self! What a gentleman. What a truly delightful human being! Beverly (PianoGirl) has become a very close pal and yet we haven’t met (although now that I’ve moved to Virginia, it’s much more likely to happen). Sissy of Sisu, a favorite destination, shares my love of cats. Lauralee of Wide Awake Cafe is another treasured friend. And my soul has been supported and healed by reading the blogs of The Anchoress and La Shawn Barber. Last, but not least, there’s one of the few rational liberals I know, paul of Minneapolis. We started out disliking each other but have learned to appreciate our differences.

Other treasured family include cousin Stu and his friend Fred, cousin Linda and her husband Noah, and my beloved and delightful cousins Scott, Ernie and Deb and their entire families. That they are friends as well as family is simply a magnificent gift!

If you haven’t collected some of these wonderful people, I must recommend it. Having even one close friend is an essential to a successful and happy life. Having this magnificent collection makes me realize that no matter what else may be happening in my life, I am gifted with riches beyond price in the people in my life.

THE WOMAN IS A COMPLETE ASSHOLE!

This is a total indicator of just how completely incompetent Nancy Pelosi (D-Peter Principle) has proven to be as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Indeed, it is walking proof of how incompetent the entire Democratic-controlled Congress has revealed itself to be.

Pelosi Requests Conyers and Reyes Offer Legislation to Amend FISA 'As Soon as Possible'

Washington, D.C. - In a letter to Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes, Speaker Nancy Pelosi requested that the Committees report to the House "as soon as possible after Congress reconvenes," legislation to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).


Pelosi said that S. 1927, the bill passed tonight by the House to temporally amend FISA for six-months contains many provisions that are "unacceptable" and she does not believe that the American people will want to wait that long before corrective action is taken.

WHEN IS A “JOURNALIST” REALLY A STALKER?

The question arises because, after granting a rather generous amount of his time to the news media during his vacation, French president Nicolas Sarkozy lost his temper with two American news photographers covering his vacation Sunday, jumping onto their boat and scolding them loudly in French. Sarkozy and companions were headed for open water in a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee when he spotted Associated Press photographer Jim Cole and freelancer Vince DeWitt aboard Cole's boat, continuing to invade the quiet of his vacation in New Hampshire.

When does the “public’s right to know” become trumped by the public’s right to SAFETY? Or the right to a simple bit of peace and quiet?

Whether or not the stalkerazzi had anything whatsoever to do with the death of Princess Diana, the fact is that during her life, they frequently endangered her safety. The same can easily be said for Lindsay Lohan who is, no question, a deeply troubled young woman but who also has a legitimate beef against the Hollywood bottom feeding stalkerazzi who have more than once endangered her life AND the lives of bystanders with their tactics. I have seen videos of their activities vis-a-vis Ms. Lohan on the PUBLIC STREETS and they behave in a manner that can only be characterized as disgraceful and irresponsible! This young woman is troubled enough without these dangerous pinheads entering the equation!

While I understand the need to protect freedom of the press, is it not prudent of us to curtail the LICENSE being taken by the press? And why is it that legitimate news personnel must be vetted and issued proper identification and credentials, while these paparazzi do not? And if they are not credentialed and therefore identifiable and accountable, then they should be treated like the invasive thugs they truly are – lock ‘em up and throw away the key!

Congressman Calls Bush 'A Clown'; 'Can't Stand Him

North Dakota's U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy calls President Bush a “clown” and says he “can’t stand” him in a new video posted on the Internet. According to the GRAND FORKS HERALD, the Democratic congressman was approached by a group called Grassroots America last week as he was walking the streets of Washington, D.C.

Rep. Pomeroy has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1992 and in that time he has proposed a total of 15 bills, most of which deal with adjusting the Internal Revenue Code for various reasons, none of which would have dealt with the labyrinth of confusing and often conflicting regulations now in place. He is an attorney (surprise, surprise) and single.

Rep. Pomeroy, I basically don’t give a rat’s eardrum whether or not you like the President of the United States, nor do I think your regard matters one jot to George W. Bush – a man who is absolutely secure in himself and requires neither your affection nor approval to continue his life.

What I do care about, Rep. Pomeroy, is your apparent belief that ANYONE gives a fig about your opinion. As far as I can see your Congressional career has been, at best, undistinguished and your accomplishments less than scintillating. Therefore, I suspect what we have here is someone trying to make himself look good by denigrating his betters. How puerile. How juvenile. How clownlike of you.

You sir are, kindly iterated, a putz!

TRAGIC BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN MINNEAPOLIS

Our concern and prayers go out to all of those who were, either directly or indirectly, affected by this tragedy.

And to our dear friend Paul, fellow blogger and one of a rare breed (a reasonable and intelligent, sane liberal), we are all so very grateful that you are okay and safe. You were the first thought on my mind when the news came over the TV last night!