I got nothin' as far as a witty introduction; I think my witty battery's low.
So, let's move directly on to SPARK! :D Here's an example of fine local government at work, boys & girls. If you feel like donning your birthday suit with someone you love to enjoy some drinks in your back yard, make sure it's your back yard!
Finally, these folk had to have been Bat$hit Bachmann voters in the Ames straw poll. AND, you'll take their "regular" light bulbs outta their cold dead hands! ;D
On with The Rachel Maddow Show!
"Tipping Point" - Colonel Kodaffy may officially be kaput; I'll believe that when I see it. Richard Engel's in Tripoli! There are celebrations going on behind him. Rebels have 90% of the city; well, Kodaffy & his peeps can do a lot with that 10% to spread a whole lot of misery. I don't mean to sound like a downer, but you don't stay in power for 42 years & not know how to be a $hit. Kodaffy lives in a military base. Does it make anyone else nervous when gun play is used in celebrations??!! The flag of Libya wasn't too damn imaginative, was it! The chic at the state - run television studio is packing heat?! $HIT!! They are now off the air & replaced by a pro - rebel news network. Ya' know, I'd be willing to bet some anchors in this country pack heat, too, but they don't brandish them out in the damn open! Libyans don't appear to care where Kodaffy is. However, much can change in a short period of time. A BBC reporter quickly found himself in the middle of an ambush. Kodaffy's kid was allegedly arrested - until he appeared on the television machine. Thomas Erdbrink's in Libya, too. Mr. Erdbrink found himself in an ambush earlier today, too. So, again, "things" aren't over yet - not by a long damn shot. He doesn't think ANYONE is in control of Tripoli.
"Tipping Point Part Deux" - As we've heard, Senator McCentury & the Senator's Mini - McCentury dissed our country & President Obama for our roll in Libya. 2 years ago, Senator McCentury was BFFs with Kodaffy! No, we didn't take the lead, and no Americans were killed. Did Senator McCentury & Mini - McCentury want bloodshed? Dan Rather is in studio to chat Libya! He's very excited about all the change in the Middle East. He's also interviewed Kodaffy 3 times; he could also see Kodaffy going the martyr route but also thinks family concerns could preclude some asylum activity. What country would take Kodaffy? Would Saudia Arabia take Kodaffy?! Forming a democracy in Libya won't be easy, and democracy there probably won't look like democracy here. We've spent $1.1 billion in Libya over the last 6 months; that's what we spend in a day in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. YIKES! OK, Dan Rather gets a pass from me for life for quoting Janis Joplin; no, I don't care that it's a Kris Kristopherson song because Janis sang it! ;D
"Air Apparent" - I remember those Richard Engel reports about the Libyan rebels that couldn't shoot straight! And, some weren't even really armed. I wonder who taught the rebels how to shoot & stuff? No troops from anywhere were on the ground; most of it was by air. 1 unmanned helicopter was shot down. Steve Clemons gets to chat up Libya, too. He thought President Obama's intervention was about the correct tone; he's concerned that the outcome in Libya is controlled by Libyans. Water supply & infrastructure need to stay functional. Yea, remember how well things got in Iraq when people only had power for 3 hours at a time? Juan Cole is a history professor & a Middle East specialist. The NATO involvement was controversial in some spots, but that was a minority opinion. He thinks Libyan reaction in Tripoli puts a Libyan "stamp" on the deal. Syria might be $hitting a brick - which means they could shoot even more than they have been. Qatar & the UAE were involved in Libyan efforts over the past 6 months, too; Turkey had quite a big stake, too.
"Don't Mess with Text" - YEA! A break from Libya! I'm not discounting the importance of what's going on there, but I lurve an opportunity to demonstrate what an ultra - maroon Governor Secession is. ;D Governor Secession told someone in IA to read his book concerning his thoughts about Social Security. Now? Well... ;D Hey! Did y'all see on the cover who wrote the forward?! Newt "Never Met a Tiffany Diamond He Didn't Like" Gingrich!! HA! He might think Medicare & Social Security are unconstitutional, but most of the rest of the country kind of likes them.
{Rachel, I'm sorry, but I can't deal with Michael Steele tonight; bat$hit day at work has depleted my capacity of what I can put up with.}