My apologies

1.  I will be incommunicado this evening just when I should be hearing how Kirstin's surgery went.  As soon as I get back to a computer I will publish updates.

2. I did not know when I posted the Barack ad that it was going to launch every time anyone came here, though I myself found out the hard way (every time I checked my posts).  We've all heard it enough, though I like it, and I have deleted it so folks can log in here in peace.

Laterz,

BB

Non-technical difficulties

Frost on Grass
Photo taken on the morning of the
Feast of St John the Evangelist 2003

Ladies and gentlemen and the rest of you lot [I've been reading too much of Maddie]:

We regret to announce that our regularly scheduled Friday Prince Blogging did not take place yesterday. This, no doubt, will have a devastating effect upon our Nielsens, but there you have it.

The program offered in its place, Archbishop Blogging, was clearly too much like "reality" television. Our board of directors deeply regret this instance of poor judgment and the marketing vice president has been given notice.

We apologize to our loyal viewers and trust they will bear with us during this awkward time. Friday Prince Blogging will return at its regular time next week, God willing and the Rio Grande don't rise.

We thank you for your continued loyalty.

Please accept our best wishes for a joyous and blessed holiday-of-your-choice season.
--the Management

Just for the record

I am outraged by the false outrage generated over Pete Stark's having spoken the truth on the floor of the House. Ever since shoving firecrackers up frogs' butts, George Bush has taken pleasure in blowing things up. We all know Bush is a narcissist incapable of empathy and untouched by the damage he does except as it affects him. Pete Stark was getting into only somewhat hyperbolic territory when he spoke in outrage of laments that we cannot afford S-CHIP:

“You don’t have money to fund the war or children. But you’re going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president’s amusement.”

Over the top? Absolutely. Might he have toned it down some? Of course. Does he owe the President an apology? Hell no! When Bush apologies for lying us into an unnecessary, illegal, immoral war that has wasted lives, shattered a country, and made the Unites States less safe, THEN it might be time to apologize to him.

Do we all recall the crack-addled fratboy making jokes about not finding WMD? Just what is so funny about exposing the bad intelligence and bad judgment that sent our troops to invade and occupy a country that was not threatening us (and then got our troops and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed)? Every time that sick SOB punctuates his illiterate, insulting speech with his nervous giggle, don't you wonder what happened to his soul somewhere along the line? (Well, considering his family situation one needn't wonder.)

Oh, and does Rep. Stark owe his colleagues an apology? Not in my opinion. His words hurt no one, and any harm consequent to his uttering them was caused by overreaction, not the words themselves.

Bush has so degraded the office of President of the United States that he can lay no claim to respect for the office so long as he is in it.

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Welcome, friends, to Constitution Thursday!

Hope you've enjoyed the Iraq fiasco because the Iran nightmare is coming at us like a freight train and nobody is doing a damned thing to stop the crazies.
--the BB