Dick Cheney was there. Dancing like a fool given his cardiac condition.



Of course, every rally has its ugly moments. Poor figs.



The Silent Generation was there, and they spoke up.



What is the post-Millenial generation? Because this sweetheart is in it, and her generation deserves a name.

Best pic from the rally.



I have more, but don't know how to post them unless WaPo posts them first. But anyway, it was a day to remember. And God bless us, every one.

I always liked this one. No Lovin' Spoonful, or Elvis "Suspicious Minds," but a good tune for the era: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIu7aoC205s

He died 85 years ago. His life was brief, but well spent.

I think this is about as good as it gets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK_z0LtRu3M

I vividly remember the Cuban missile crisis, JFK assassination, Vietnam, RFK, MLK, Kent State, Watergate, Chernobyl, Iran hostage crisis, Challenger, 9-11, taking us into the Iraq war, Katrina. And many more.

But this disaster is certainly up there with any of them. And potentially the death of the the Gulf of Mexico. At least. Is anyone else having difficulty coping with the scope of this disaster? I can't remember anything like it; certainly the Exxon Valdez is puny in comparison.

I am stunned. Are you?

No, didn't get forced over. We were stopped at a light. Still have the Obama sticker on the car.

Two lanes, over, some dirtbag (in a Mercedes, no less) leaned out the window and yelled the quote he was directed by Palin to say (verbatim), "How's that hopey-changey thing workin' out for ya?"

I smiled and gave him a thumbs up, responding pleasantly, "Great. Thanks for asking."

I think he expected to take me by surprise; he didn't know he was dealing with a DUer. So he replied with a snappy retort (thought up all by himself!), "Couple ignoramuses!"

I smiled and said, "No, you must be thinking of Sarah."

He mumbled under his breath, shook his head, turned red and pulled away.

He didn't throw me off at all because we all know this could be coming, but it is a bit disturbing to think that her minions will do precisely as they are told. As he did tonight. I have no doubt that she knew exactly what she was saying when she told her Tea Party crowd to "pull (cars) over" that have Obama stickers on them. That didn't happen here. This time.

Anyway, I hope he blew a gasket on his way home. Personally, and on his Mercedes.

I can't believe how important his life has been to me as I approach 60. More than three years and seven months lost from his prime because he was right about the Vietnam War.

He's like the Beatles. When they throw the dirt over us, they matter.

Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church cemetery in Silver Spring. It's on the grounds of land owned by Daniel Carroll, an historic figure himself and father of John Carroll, first Catholic archbishop in the U.S. (no, I'm not Catholic - just a history buff). Anyway, it was a beautiful day, and I've been meaning to wander the grounds, so did so. Oldest grave there that I saw was of Eleanor Carroll, wife of Daniel and mother of John, who was in her 90s when she died in the 1790s.

Anyway, I came across a small garden area with a little plaque giving the names and birthdates of Sheila and Katherine Lyon, who were 11 and 13 when, as the plaque indicated, they disappeared in April 1975.

When I got home I got online. I had no idea what a huge story this was in DC, one of the biggest ever - the Chandra Levy story of its time. And they have never solved it. Here's Wikipedia on this tragic story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_sisters

Like I said, haunting.

Source: New York Times

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Former President Corazon Aquino, who swept away a dictator with a ''people power'' revolt and then sustained democracy by fighting off seven coup attempts in six years, died on Saturday, her son said. She was 76.

The uprising she led in 1986 ended the repressive 20-year regime of Ferdinand Marcos and inspired nonviolent protests across the globe, including those that ended Communist rule in eastern Europe.

But she struggled in office to meet high public expectations. Her land redistribution program fell short of ending economic domination by the landed elite, including her own family. Her leadership, especially in social and economic reform, was often indecisive, leaving many of her closest allies disillusioned by the end of her term.

Still, the bespectacled, smiling woman in her trademark yellow dress remained beloved in the Philippines, where she was affectionately referred to as ''Tita (Auntie) Cory.'' . . .

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/07/31...

---

Wow. I remember so well her husband being murdered by government thugs on the tarmac at the airport when he flew back to the Phillippines, and her courage in going forward.

It was great stuff. RIP, Corazon Aquino.

His name is Sonny, and he's 8 1/2. I named him Sonny for track 8 here: http://www.hatsharpening.com/j&w/moremusic... .

He's neutered, declawed and had been at the shelter for a couple months; long enough that his time was about up. Just a tabby. Big ears, though (hello, Barack).

The people who got rid of him said he was not a lap cat. Uh - no. Sat on my and my significant other's laps forever tonight. They also said he peed all over the house. That I was worried about, but uh - no. Used his litter box twice tonight. Of course the people who dropped him at the shelter also said they had "multiple cats" and changed the litter box "once a week." (Yeah, right). I suspect that had something to do with it.

Anyway, going to bed soon, and I suspect I will be walked on tonight. This is my first ever male pet, going back to 1955. I had to put Purrcilla down at 17 two months ago, and didn't feel ready until now.

Lest anyone feel I am a cat guy, let me tell you, that I also have three dogs. Old ones, and my vet drives a Mercedes, thanks to me.

Anyway, I will report back. Climb upon my knee, Sonny Boy.

I know how DEEPLY despised my beloved DU treats sports, but the NHL Hall of Fame class was announced today, and some well-deserved candidates went in, including Steve Yzerman, a class act in Detroit on the level of respect of Al Kaline - high praise indeed.

Whatever. They bring much to our lives, whether Ali against the war, or Phil missing out again this weekend, or Al Kaline being a substitute role model who never let me down for this guy who grew up without a Dad. This will likely be moved (sports is verboten here), but congrats to these deserving recipients, and especially Steve Yzerman. Class act from the time he was a teen to now. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?i...

He was at Buchenwald, Rush. If you had any education or curiosity whatsover, you might know what that meant. Plus, he acknowledged the German people for honestly confronting their past. But your blind, obsessive hatred means you can't see anything - not the Holocaust, not its victims, not Germany's attempts to come to terms, not Elie Wiesel's comments, not Obama's honesty and integrity about the issue. Only your narrow hatred - solidified by 20 years of the same blather 3 hours a day - matters to you and those whose minds you have poisoned.

The rest of Rush's quote went like this: ". . . blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah -- one day, one day after praising to the hilt Islam and talking about how Islam is a nation -- America is a Muslim nation and so forth."

Again, he was at Buchenwald, Rush. That means something to those of us other than your dittoheads, who worship you without question. The rest of us have learned something from history, about which you are profoundly ignorant, amazing to me given that we were born in the same year.

Born into privilege, yet you are one of the most ignorant and uncurious Americans to ever live. That in itself is curious. You keep getting away with your leadership of the lynch mob, Rush, and if anything should befall the president, your next step will be to use it - along with your orc minions - to intimidate not just progressives, but decent people everywhere.

To paraphrase Joseph Welch: Rush, you've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?

I can answer that. You do not, and have not for at least 20 years. What Germany did, the president did rip. But he did not rip the nation. And all decent people think what was done at Buchenwald was indecent. You do not, apparently, Rush. Which defines you yet again. We can only consider ourselves fortunate that June 6 falls on a Saturday, and that the president in Normandy does not provide you on that day with the opportunity to ridicule and dismiss those who helped liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny the way you today disgraced the memory of those who died in the Holocaust, and those who fought to end it.

Well, good stuff.

This is why I joined DU. This is why I am here. With a bow to David Herbert Donald, who died today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRB2dGI1vRM

It wasn't just November 22, 1963. It was the space program, and his role in ending the Vietnam War, and his basic decency. He regretted stepping down when he did, and he was correct in that regret, as a couple generations have not known of his skill and integrity.

We have David Gregory and Faux News as his successors, and it's just pathetic. He will be 93 this year, and I for one miss him. But I am also glad he is still with us. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Cronki...