If he was molested by a priest, shame on the priest. If he wasn't, shame on Foley for even trotting this out. The only reason they've shifted to publicizing this variation of "Foley as a victim" is because they saw the alcohol thing wasn't getting traction and the "predatory pages" meme was actually blowing back on them.

I don't have a problem with "no problem". At least there is an acknowledgement of your existence which is nice all by itself. I find my self answering "of course" instead of "you're welcome". I don't know why I do that but I'm sure Mr. Keillor would make a frowny face at me.

On the other hand, the way things are going, even though I am a mere 50 I may find yet myself one of those grumpy old men whose anger at the people in charge keeps me alive at 80. And that thought, that things may not change and IS a problem, depresses me.

Yes, erosion of civil liberties in the name of security is more important than a sex scandal.

Yes, the possibility we are having rigged elections in the US is more important than a sex scandal.

Yes, the bungling of the Iraq war is subjecting the US to a hideous loss of blood, treasure, and world esteem is more important than a sex scandal.

Yes, the torture and indefinite of imprisonment of "war on terror" detainees is an abomination to American ideals and is more important than a sex scandal.

All these are true; but, for reasons which escape me completely, America just doesn't get what has happened to us in the last 5 years. So for that reason I'm grateful that something finally is waking them up and helping them realize something is wrong with their government.

Throughout the various posts on this subject, I keep seeing the term "hypocracy". The correct spelling is "hypocrisy". Hypocracy would suggest institutionalized hypocrisy...oh, I forgot...never mind.

Interesting over the next few days will be to see who will lay down and "take one for the team" and who will work overtime to throw somebody else under the bus in their place.

I stutter when I try to say it and I even use to speak German. Still, I like it. Pleasure with justice...only a terrorist could be against that.

Or a republican maybe

Simple "shocked", if true, would be enough. People who have never served in the military might not know that "shellshocked" was a world war one term for what would later be called battle fatigue, a condition that occurs in sustained combat and is most likely to occur when a soldier feels powerless and is overwhelmed by his extreme and relentless circumstances.

Now if this rages on in the Republican trenches for another 4 weeks, the term "shellshocked" may actually apply. We can but hope.

How to pronounce it? Just like it's spelled, silly.

ger=gair

recht-hard in English, say wreck and that's close enough

tig-again not good in english but say teak

keit=kite

freude-Like Sigmund with a duh on the end.

There! Ganz einfach!

And this, like all other atrocities committed in America's name over the last 1/2 decade will be attributed to "a few bad apples". The problem with this rationalization is that it is seldom true. Normal people put into abnormal situations do abnormal things. (That was the main point of "lord of the flies"; not just that there are sadists among us but that most of us are capable of horrible, inhuman acts when things line up wrong). The solution is not to find the "ring leaders" to scapegoat but, instead, try not to put people in such situations in the first place. Historically, a long battle against an ambiguous foe, brings out the worst in the finest armies and police forces. It's happened. It's happening now. It will happen again. Time to declare victory in Iraq and the war on Terror (whatever that is) and go home before our national standing gets dragged further in the mud by young soldiers and old politicians.

I consider myself a rational thinking person (although Joe thinks I'm a crazed progressive) but I still remember september 2001 where, right after airspace was reopened, a plane crashed on take off out of LaGuardia or JFK. The bizarre thing then, like this tragedy today, is thinking "Thank god it wasn't another terrorist attack." The folks involved are just as dead but somehow I don't feel as personally threatened. It's not right but that's the way it is. If even I can feel that way, it's no wonder that joe six-pack has been so easy to play these last 5 years.

When I made my posting above, I didn't know Joe would actually have something stupid to say about this, too. I'm in awe. But he did! And it really is stupid! Even for Joe! (And that says a lot). Jeebus, Joe. You don't have to say something about progressives (look up the term in the dictionary by the way and then tell me what's so bad about that) in response to absolutely everything in the world. It rained in Oklahoma today: Joe blames the f**kin' progressives!

About being embarrassed I mean. It's clear that all professional politicians, republicans especially, are generally without shame. But I wonder if the writers of Daily Show feel a little bit guilty about the show more or less writing itself these last couple of weeks.

I used to think Shays was an episodic voice of reason in the wilderness. I agree that full panic mode does not become him.

Hey, that's my $10,000. I protest. I also protest the pensions these guys get. If you earned the pension and go to prison for robbing a bank, you can keep the pension as far as I'm concerned. It's yours for the work you did...right up to the bank robbing thing. But when the crime is that you failed to faithfully and truly perform you duties as a public servant, in my mind you've earned nothing.