From the "Good causes" file.

Blue Gal's got the tip jar out. I mention this because indie bloggers have to stick together in these troubled times, and her unique blend of insight, passion and mad Photoshop skills make Fran one of the best and an invaluable resource for me. If you've got a few bucks to invest in the blogosphere this month, Blue Gal's the place to put it.

Besides, there's the ice cream issue. Do it for The Children®.

By the way...

...reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.

Most of my pals are fine, too.

Oh, please.

John Aravosis...

Damn, Howard Dean seems to have more backbone that the White House and the Congress combined.

Backbone? What does Dean's attention grabbing hissy fit have to do with backbone? Howard Dean has absolutely no skin in this game at all. He isn't responsible to any constituency and he's totally insulated from the effects of any health care plan whatsoever by his own insurance, personal wealth and membership in an elite ring of "professional courtesy." He's free to completely ignore the plight of the millions who will be denied insurance or lose their insurance, some of whom will suffer early and painful deaths as a result, without the reforms that exist even under the Senate plan as it stands before possible (I'd argue for probable) improvements in conference. It doesn't take backbone to toss bombs out the hatch of a secure bunker.

John Cole gets it...

…you know who will have health insurance even if this bill fails: Howard Dean, Katrina van den Huevel, Ed Schultz, and 99% of the people burning up twitter and memeorandum right now.

And Kos, Hamsher and Arovosis, too.

From the "The more things change…" file.

Two of my favorite bloggers, Nick Beaudrot and Neil (the Ethical Werewolf) Sinhababu, have set up shop at Donkeylicious, which you should be reading regularly.