A few filibuster-free items

Maya's post-vaccinations reaction was very comforting. A few hours of marginal fussiness and then a LONG night's sleep. She seems to be as content as ever this morning. Another bridge crossed for her and her admittedly naive 'rents.

The Chili Finger Bandit's digit donor has named his price - $50. The cruelest irony is buried in the story which notes that the president of the paving firm that the Bandit's husband and the digit donor worked for called in the tip (pun intended) to Wendy's reward line. That reward was advertised as $100K. Insult VERY much following injury.

Al Franken's post for Ariana Huffington's blog yesterday noted (appropriately) how little attention is being paid to the graft taking place in Iraq with our cashola ($8.8B according to the latest reporting going unnoticed by 99.73% of the Public). Plus he gets in some jabs at that sleazy lit'l grandstander, Norm Coleman (R-MN), which is always good for a few chuckles.

Only the most-depraved newswhores are still paying any attention to the Michael Jackson trial. For those of you, today's big fish is celebrity non-interviewer, Larry King. If you're in Santa Maria covering the trial, take an extra LONG pull off of your flask and kiss your soul good-bye forever while you file your report on what color suspenders Da King wears to court.

In a story that is sure to warm the hearts of irate hockey fans everywhere, the NBA is poised for an off-season lock-out after talks between the owners and players' union broke off yesterday. Can't say that I'd miss the NBA. Although I am rooting for the Sonics this year, in a throwback shout-out to my mid-90s time in GrungeCity. Sadly, my childhood Bucks are as far from competitive as Lamar Alexander reigniting his presidential dreams.

Robert Novak just gets crazier and crazier. No news there. But it's still awfully sad to see him descending into such a state of politically-motivated dementia. Lucky for him there's plenty of company in that wing of the asylum.

While I hate to further the career of the typically awful Hayden Christensen, almost everyone's frothing over with praise for Emperor Lucas' return to mastery. I'll withhold judgment until after acutally viewing the spectacle since we do plan to get a babysitter and see the new "Star Wars" over the weekend. I'll be the one in the Princess Leia slave-girl bikini. Sarah wants to go as an Ewok. Rock on.