X. Benedict

Is the denial Clintonian? I mean is it really cheating on your wife if all you had was a little speed and a rub and tug. Is a rub and tug sex? These are good questions for the pastor.

Much new world Catholic Church architecture can be seen as a reaction to nativist or anti-immigration sentiments, at least in the Northeast and Mid-west. The architecture did not so much develop as a desire to market or to proselytize - but to assert the communities stability in American society. Churches were funded locally, and usually built with immigrant labor, so at once they were job projects, grand, and usually ethnic. The Irish had to build a better church than the Polish, for example. Their very building were job projects and at once jobs by and for the poor. As for Vestmentry, these were usually made by orders of nuns and sold to parishes to support themselves and their ministries to the poor. Of course in some cases it was just as you say, conspicuous consumption. I'm not saying I am great fan of ornate churches, but there was a cultural and internal economy to their creation. Most modern churches tend to be understated, as the ethnic model and the nativist influences have disappeared. Damn. Am I a big hit at parties or what?

Ever seen a grown man naked, Bobby?

Let me ask, do you ever turn the TV off when there is a game in a shootout? I was skeptical at first, but I have to say it brings a new level of stratagem to the game and displays talent.

If the accusations are totally baseless, why the resignation? Doesn't a resignation tend to give the accuser more credibility?

I'm a real hit at parties too

Well there still is a divide but the nomenclature has changed. The Dems began loosing the South with Lyndon Johnson's Civil Rights initiatives, and really let go with Jimmy Carter. The Democrats that were lost in the South with Civil Rights/Carter are gradually being replaced with immigrants.

As far as the state is concerned, nothing but a legal contract.

Maybe a broader question - but why the hyper-sensitivity (I'm not saying you) on the right about any slight to the military? I mean Kerry wasn't intending to piss off the military? And it is pretty clear that it is what you think he was insinuating - not so much what was said- that is offensive (or not). I just think the guy is terminally unfunny. But more worrying about all of this kind of crapola is the idea that somehow the military is the keeper of our national virtues (it is not, protector perhaps). I just think its silly that we have let politics get to a place where the discussion of who/what honors the military makes the issue of whatever the hell we are asking them to do, subordinate.

Not funny. Just prudent.

When I was a kid I wanted to be King Solomon - wise with lots of wives and concubines. I'm such a degenerate.

Well the same news teams lead the news with the President of the United States publicly demanding an apology from John Kerry. Is not it fun to look back at the substance of our last presidential choices?

Kerry is an idiot, and here is why: he got pulled into a suckers fight in an election year. The Republicans have nothing to run on - nothing - nada - zip - goose-egg. They have only two real trump cards left: A terrorism incident Rerunning a past election Kerry - the dumbass that he is - has stepped in doggie poo - and handed the RNC a gift for the last week of campaigning. They will make the campaign about him and not anything remotely connected to reality. As an aside - this election year has proven that every politician in America hates the troops. Bush for getting us into this dumbass war. Kerry for some honor bull sh-- thingy. Others for some bill or other. They all hate the troops. Be glad troops - everyone is doing such a great job attacking those pooping on you.

Hey, how did you get to MC the breakfast?

Half elves: ruining the pedigree of the elven gene pool.

Sounds shaky to me. He is the one attacked - doesn't go down to the ground - and breaks both of his hands. How does that happen? Sounds like he was doing some swinging too.

If marriage needs to be defended, shouldn't divorce be against the law? Until divorce is against the law - somebody splain how allowing more people to marry is against marriage?

Not working hard in school is terribly disrespectful to teachers.

It is probably a power issue, I can't get WGR's stream either.

Wasn't she one of the Golden Girls?

That is a good point. That wasn't the angle on cable this morning, however. Lots of interviews with friends, teamates, family, focusing on Cory Lidle the man. They spent 5 minutes on CNN this morning about what kind of ice cream the man liked, and his habit of eating Nestle Bars and his battles to be accepted by his teamates. That is lazy journalism, and co-joined with grief, I find it effusively sentimental.

We don't do grief very well here. Having said that, I think every news cast in the past 24 hours has led with this story. ESPN did a Thurmun Munson retrospective. Every newscaster and journalist is telling us that this story is important by its lead in the News. FOX, CBS, MSNBC, CNN etc. This story was extremely prominent: My cynicism has very little to do with the fact that people died and that there was a crash. It has more to do with its selection as being important. I think there is an unwholesome interest by the media to push us into public grief over these kind of stories. It is important to New Yorkers, Yankee fans, baseball fans - But should it really push the North Korean nukes story to the margins? Because that is what it did. Carry on.....

Tis a clear case of mocking the dead. panties in a bunch. Oh dear, you go too far. Guilty by juxtoposition. Meh bad. Culpa.

I actually think they have a point, however untactful. There was discussion on the board about this incident before it was learned it was Cory Lidle flying the plane. Most likely this guy was flying a plane recreationally - and it ended in tragedy. I am not sure of the most recent press conference, but it sounds like he took some innocents with him. It could have been pilot error? It could have been malfunction? ( I actually haven't seen a post that has directly mocked Lidle, maybe I missed it, Kzoo)