You have quite the group of compassionate misfits here. Pretty awesome, if you ask me. Thanks to you and all for making it so.

And, yes, I'm not paying any attention to the renegades that are not so compassionate.

Just spent a few minutes perusing the pics of Chicago on my FB.

Hold me.

Oh, and Ricketts is an ass.

I don't know why things keep popping on and off the front page, but it's making me a bit batty.

But, just in case you were looking for my insightful insight...I like the front page better without the other stuff. A couple of the other Lounge Lizards agree.

Sleek, to the point, professional. Top notch stuff there.

'Trending' and...um...'Most recced'(?) are gone.

I like it!!! Now it's "The Left Column" and "Latest Breaking"!

Keepin' teh drama offta front page is good!

Edit: Ummmmmm...I was gonna change sumthin' but I forgot what it was. Carry on.

Edit 2: Nevermind. It's back. I liked it better the other way. I'm not self-deleting because humility builds character or some shit.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-quinn-calls-on-house-to-send-him-gay-marriage-bill-20130509,0,4965924.story

“It's time to vote,” Quinn said Thursday. “Illinois passing marriage equality into law, I think, sends a great signal to the people of our state and the people of America. So it's important to Illinois (that) the House of Representatives get going.”

Did you feel that? The tide has changed!

Hats offta Gov. Quinn of my homie state!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/la-sp-sn-charles-barkley-gay-players-20130507,0,902539.story

"Of course I did. Everybody did," Barkley said. "Everybody played with a gay teammate, Dan. And it’ s no big deal."

Barkley said he knows this for a fact because he had private discussions with gay teammates who hadn't come out publicly. “I had several teammates, I probably had three guys I played with in my 16 years," he said.

Plus, Barkley added, “Think about Jason Collins. He played on six teams, so six teams played with a gay guy. And so, everybody has played with a gay guy, you just didn’t know he was a gay guy. 'Cause until a gay guy comes out, it’s none of your business.”

Love ya, Charles! Even when you played on the wrong damned team.

Edit: To take out the sneaky Google thingy.

I'm not kidding. Yesterday. May 5, 2013.

Would you support Sarah Palin should she decide to run for the presidency in 2016?
(For the faint of stomach, you don't actually have to click the link. It's a lot of 'Absolutely' and 'you betcha'.)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3016040/posts

Bless their little, tiny hearts. They never learn and just keep making it easier for us. I can't believe I get to say this again, after all these years...Run, Sarah, Run! Please!!!!

Sadly, the Alaskan Bachmann won't do it. It's too simple to fleece your followers for cash. But, she won't say she's not running until the very end. Damn...that's 2.5 years of non-campaigning! Go get 'em Sarah!!!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-kirk-at-1st-public-appearance-in-ill-since-stroke-rehab-works-20130503,0,7069335.story

Kirk did not address his health but, when asked about it later by a reporter, he said: “It is a change. I will say that rehab works. Part of my mission is to tell everyone in Illinois who has (a parent with a medical issue who is depressed), call me and I’ll get them up.”

-snip

"The reason I limp around is because I suffered a stroke, which rendered my arm and leg non-operational," Kirk told the students. "I am not as quick as I used to be. I have a mission ... to show and be an example to your older parents who go through something like that that ... you can come back."

I'm not a heartless person, so I will say that I'm glad he's doing well. He has a lot of family that cares for him. He also has a lot of taxpayers paying his bills. Many of those same taxpayers can't afford rehab, much less the initial healthcare costs of a stroke. So, now that he's 'back in the game'...fuck off you piece of shit. You were scum before and having a limp isn't going to make you any less scummy. You can sit in that fucking wheelchair and choke back those crocodile tears until your God strikes you down. It won't make a difference to the thousands and thousands of people that will die because they can't afford the same quality of care that you can. They'll die, Kirk. Just die. No rehab. No nurses to help them dress or eat. Nothing. They'll just...die.

Go to hell.

It's a beautiful day here in central AZ, so I was out back by the creek enjoying a few drags off half a cigarette. There were these two hummingbirds flitting about when one...lit? alit?...screw it...sat on a branch about 4 feet away. I stood there with a slight smile on my face enjoying the zen moment when the damned air conditioner that was right next to me turned on.

I jumped about 2 feet off the ground, tossed the cigarette into my hair, brushed it out and it almost went down my shirt. In my panic to keep from burning alive like those poor women in Salem, I tripped over the step and almost rolled down a steep embankment into the very dry, very rocky and very dead tree filled creek.

The silver lining? I have a cold and can't smell the singed hair.

TGIF...1.75 hours and counting.

My son just got a job offer that he's 99.9% sure he's accepting. My mother was born there, but that was like a hundred years ago.

My stomach feels gross. I just get him back in the US and now he's skipping the state and moving offta nowhere. Poopiness.

I'm not really looking for stats, just general DU opinions 'cause you guys know pretty much everything. Especially here in the Lounge.

Edit to add this freakin' amazing link to the KCMO Public Library! http://www.idesignarch.com/kansas-city-public-library-missouri/ Sooooo cool!