But Captain, I really gotta....

It's early in the story. In due course we'll know enough to make better assessments than my current one, maybe:

The clown's father came to the U.S. Government and said his kid was wiggy in a terrorist fashion. Our leaders said well gee thanks and went off to dip shrimps at the nearest reception.

Because of that you'd better have one Hell of a lot of bladder control if you forget yourself and have a cup of coffee a couple of hours before scheduled touchdown. And imagine the agony if you're flying into O'Hare and are awarded one of those extended stays in the pattern over Skokie.

The next hot business opportunity is a chain of Depends dispensers in the nation's airports.

Dashing through...

Christmas morning, 2009. The Bell Drifter lives in plain view outside the big north window, reminding me of kindlier times to come.

Nothing is built to withstand that kind of load, so the top of the bay window was cleared immediately after the photo was taken.

As of 9:53 a.m. CST, the snow continues. Merry Christmas.

The Most Awesomest News Reporting Ever Award

That's the subject line on email from a friend who happens to be one of the sane toilers in the MSM. The substance is from an early Des Moines Register lead on the current storm of our imminent doom:

...and just how bad is it going to be?

"It's going to be pretty bad," said ... a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

The Primer Shortage Explained

Brits are demonstrating their competitive spirit by popping too many Christmas crackers which are fueled by fulminate of silver.* Not only that, sceptered scientists** have just released results of a grueling study which provide a surefire method of getting the good poppy end and leaving Mum with the fizzle, no matter how hard she worked on the Christmas goose.

Aren't you really glad we won that 1776-83 spat?

----

*Don't be picky. It could be primer compound.

**Yes, these would be the grandsons and granddaughters of Winston's Wizards, who developed radar and many other devices for annoying the Nazi's.