Government Shutdown Crisis

If you're a little confused about this, maybe a snippit of personal history will help ease your mind.

I was present in Washington for the great U.S.Government hiatus of 1984.  I personally observed that the White House groundskeepers were not at work and that public access to the Washington Monument was denied. The latter frustrated several Greyhound loads of tourists.

When all the  players had milked the crisis for all the PR it was worth, things went back to normal.  You could climb the monument stairs, and President Reagan once more had the nicest lawn in the neighborhood.

I can't foresee a Great Shutdown of 2011 being much different.

Ms. Normand

If you liked Mabel as the farmer's daughter in that Wiki cite, you you'll love her as an urbane grownup.

Libya: "I thought YOU brought the custard pies."

Reuters characterizes some of the activity this weekend:


Without the backbone of regular forces, the lightly-armed volunteer caravan has spent days dashing back and forth along the coast road on Brega's outskirts, scrambling away in their pick-ups when Gaddafi's forces fire rockets at their positions.


And if that doesn't make a guy think of Mack Sennett I'll kiss your arse on the shores of Tripoli and give you a day to muster an Arab Brotherhood audience.

Serene Sunday Morning

I was Binging all over the place -- trying to make sense of statistics on Mexican gun imports -- when New Dog Libby started fussing. Since I was dressed only from the ankles up, I settled for through-the-window surveillance of whatever threat alerted her.

--One lonesome hen turkey, pecking around the mulch pile,

--A mallard swimming in the canal.

--Three or four very hyper fox squirrels prospecting for buried acorns in the newly thawed earth.

Spring is nice. Screw Mexico.
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