You need to read this. I�ve seriously been concerned that Tony Blair�s popularity in the UK will suffer, based on his support of these crazy US policies, but if anyone can save him, it�s our Bill. What a lovely, humble, brilliant man. Funny that it�s taken me awhile to figure this out. Well, I guess the juxtaposition of the presidents made it immediately clear, post-election. But I�ll get off my soapbox. In a moment.

While we�re talking about politics, I�ve been giggling about this guy since yesterday. But I don�t think I could vote for a blue man. It�s really more an ashen gray in the photo, frankly, and it does give him a rather deathly pallor.

And if you�ve been keeping up with Ask the Pilot, you�ll be entertained. It�s a bit long. He�s clearly been reading Middlesex (see below).

Down to business.

I was pleased to find a box awaiting me last night. My copy of You Shall Know Our Velocity, fresh from approval by customs officials. I�m sorry, but Middlesex is becoming tiresome. I�ll finish it eventually. I�m only about 30 pages into YSKOV, but it�s been lovely. (Granted I thought the same of Middlesex at that point, too.)

In other news, I was supremely disappointed to hear our beloved Johnny Cash�s �Ring of Fire� being used in an Applebee�s commercial. Sigh.

Now we present a bit more on the woes of being Salman Rushdie.

And finally, I think you all need to read Omar and be informed about nose douching. It touched off quite a discussion with a friend yesterday, who's evidently been doing this for years using a small syringe. Huh? Only time will tell whether your heroine will do anything, including sticking small pots up her nose, in order to reduce snot and to sleep better.

Don�t forget the Neko Case show Sunday evening. She may leave you crying in your beer, but you won�t regret it, friends.