Maya Tips the Scales Convincingly

Our visit to the pediatrician yesterday went swimmingly. Maya's packin' on the pounds, upping her weight to 7lb., 12.5 oz. from 7lb., 4 oz. last Friday when she left the hospital. She showed off her peeing skills by coating Dad in an impromptu hosedown on the way to the scale. All of our minor concerns were addressed and shown to be normal (a term baby "sheds" skin, her willingness to sleep in longer chunks of time is a blessing at this stage, yada yada yada). And I didn't even crack wise when the opportunities presented themselves. Maya got a Hep B shot in her thigh, which she took with little more than a grimace like a pro wrestler eyeing an opponent launching off the top rope. Tired her out, big time. But all's well in the sphere of Maya's health and welfare.

Dan Rather's final newscast was one worth watching, even though I see the Big Three's nightly offerings about as often as I get my teeth cleaned. For all the crap Dan's gotten from radical right-wingers, he's a man worthy of respect. And his final sign-off solidified that belief in my mind. CBS has no one to replace him. Maybe they shouldn't bother. Regardless, as someone who grew up in a CBS News household (Cronkite, then Rather, out of loyalty), I wish Dan well.

In a gossippy tidbit that should make everyone cringe more than a little, the New York Post's Page Six reports this morning that Bruce Willis (age 50) and Lindsay Lohan (age 18) were seen at a premiere after-party engaging in a "mutual gropefest." Included is a description of Lindsay's ass tat (reading "La Bella Vista"). Even if it's not true, the fact that such conoodling on her part is realistically ponderable is a damning commentary. The kid's on her way to a Christina Aguilera-esque scum slide into mockable oblivion.

Dubya's Social Security push is looking more and more like a Hillary healthcare-like faceplant. Today's WSJ reports (subscription required) that the head of the Government Accountability Office testified before the House that "Mr. Bush's proposed accounts by themselves would "exacerbate the solvency problem" that Social Security faces." At the same time, Conservative maniacs like "Steve Moore and Larry Hunter, who favor privatizing Social Security, said Mr. Bush has made a mistake in opening the door to future benefit reductions and payroll-tax increases." And the Dems are uncharacteristically holding firm in their opposition. Call it over already, folks. This plan and the timing of the argument is becoming quite apparently the worst misstep of the Bushies' otherwise well-timed greasing of the Congressional skids.

I hope we all wish Bubba good luck and a fast recovery from his scar tissue surgery. Here's to the desire that he stay active in the public discourse for decades to come.