Someday, we will stop requiring our rock stars (and actors and athletes and . . . ) to also be role models.

I met my share of "rock stars" during a mis-spent youth in radio. Some were quite charming. Some were colossal asses. I quickly learned that I didn't care about them as people, with very few exceptions. I cared about the quality of their music, and whether the music itself resonated with something I found vital.

Courtney Love was a punk rocker. Not a great one, but a pretty good one. Roughly described, punk is rooted in anarchy, disillusionment, nihilism and abuse. Good punk music is raw, loud, in-your-face and disturbing. All fit Love pretty well. No role model, to be sure. Neither was her husband, who by all accounts was one messed up dude himself.

If I had to give a rat's ass about whether I "approved" of a musician's life choices in order to enjoy their music, the list of records I'd have to toss from my collection would be long, ranging from Charlie Daniels to Elvis Presley to Ted Nugent to Jerry Lee Lewis The Sex Pistols to . . . . I hope you get my point.

Back to Love: it seems as if the reactions to her depend greatly on whether you were a Cobain fan (see Ono, Yoko; death of the Beatles) or how you feel about strong female personalities ("she's a whore!" "she's a feminist hero!"). But really, the only rational and legitimate way for us to "judge" her is through her own music (and to a lesser extent her acting performances). Everything else tends to say more about the commenter than the subject.

Remarkable, really, when you think about it. Bush and Rove succeeded where the Viet Cong could not, finally breaking the once proud Senator from Arizona. Sad and scary, too. The sooner we are rid of their stench upon the Potomac the better.

Let me get this straight: the spokesman for George Bush, that's George W. Bush, the current president of the USofA, right?, the spokesman for THAT George Bush just called for Democrats, now that THEY'RE in power, to reach across party lines?

I have to say, even in defeat, these guys have BALLS. No brains, perhaps, but giant brass cajones all the same.

I don't know why it's so hard to understand why the Republicans didn't have a contingency plan in the event they lost. They sure as hell didn't have a contingency plan for Iraq. These guys truly believe they are doing "God's will." To make a contingency plan is to doubt God's plan for them.

As to the timing of Rumsfeld's departure, and what the rank and file may be thinking, I'd guess it means there won't be much sympathy from that side of the aisle in what are sure to be very pointed inquiries from the House (& maybe the Senate, too) Armed Services Committee hearings.

A friend called last night to see where I was on the "giddy" scale, and was surprised by my subdued mood.

I explained that while I am certainly glad Democrats are back in control of the legislative branch of government, the Supreme Court still lists too far to the right, and Bush and Cheney remain in the White House. This is, then, a time to get to work, not to celebrate minor -- though certainly significant -- advances.

I also observed that these advances will be short-lived indeed if the newly empowered Democrats fail to govern like adults. The right-wing punditocracy is hoping -- waiting in fact -- for Pelosi and Reid to go on a binge of Bush-bashing, tax-hiking and surrendering. While it is important to begin the long-overdue process of Congressional oversight, and to address the iniquities of the Bush tax cuts, among other things, it is equally important to realize that Bush maintains a veto, and the goal should be progress, not grandstanding by passing legislation that is sure to draw that veto.

If Democratic leadership plays into the hands of those claiming the party will "run amok" then building upon our progress will be that much more difficult in 2 years. It is only by taking back the presidency, to go along with Congress, that we will truly be able to get about the business of safeguarding both our freedoms and our planet, and of providing opportunty for all people, here at home and around the world.