In honor of Valentine's Day...

... I thought this photo was cute (no, it's not a kitten and a duck, but still cute ;)

The Oddest of Odd Couples

And a belated ball-drop moment...

Given how I've followed the Clintons' ups and downs this past year, I couldn't resist posting this cheerier moment from New Year's Eve.

Aww heck... bah humbug aside...

... a happy holiday to us all, both Dems and 'pubs, Libertarians and Socialists, Greens and (Other)!
Hope the day's as joyous as November 4th! ;-)

Update on Burned Iraqi Boy

Yes, the title of this CNN article is a bit giddy, but if there's something special about America, it's not what's going on in DC; it's the 12,000 CNN readers who contributed to the fund to help this boy, and the doctor who agreed to treat him for free.
Maybe if our policymakers consulted those 12,000 people more often, or gave a damn what they thought, we'd all be better off.

Related: Another heartbreaking story from Iraq...

A Welcome, if Fleeting, Respite

Some good news from Iraq

But one can always hope it will have some small unifying effect on the country. You never know.

I'm a sucker for anthropomorphicized robot buddy stories

Robots in Iraq

(this blog's first and perhaps only post to get both the war tag and the warm and fuzzy tag.)

The Furry Demographic

Well, Tom Vilsack already won my heart (if not my primary vote) with the "Aflac" gag on The Daily Show, but this (almost) clinches it.

I'm not kidding. He gets points for this (with me.)

Thanks to Wonkette

Goodbye (party of) Lincoln!

Per Jon Stewart's suggestion last night, an elephant whittled out of chocolate, in honor of outgoing Republican (to the extent that a Yankee can be either outgoing or, apparently, Republican) Senator Lincoln Chafee...

chocolate elephant sculpture
This CGI one is pretty cool, too...

Brief Respite from Cynicism: Secret Santa Reveals Identity

For 26 years, (Larry) Stewart, known only as Secret Santa has roamed the streets quietly giving people money. So far he has anonymously given out about $1.3 million. It's been a long-held holiday mystery. Who is Secret Santa? But now, weak from chemotherapy and armed with a desire to pass on his belief in random kindness, Secret Santa has decided it's time to say who he is and at least semi-retire.