Now He Belongs to the Ages: Socks the Cat, Whose Last Years Were Spent in Exile, Dead at 20

Full marks for having a cat. Full demerits for giving him away. Cute obit.

Addendum: Sock's last job, which brought him shame.

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them. If a Little Child is Unavailable, How About the Don Rickles of El Cerrito?

Brother Bob Wieder explains how to solve a nomination deadlock at the Democratic convention. I kept looking for the irony but I couldn't find any.

Something I Want to Read Again Later

So I'll link to Jane Hamsher at Firedoglake talking about how difficult it is to make sure the contest between Clinton and Obama does not turn toxic as partisans try to tease out the difference between what we might call hurtful but unintended "racism/sexism" (its uncertain nature indicated by those quote marks) and cleverly constructed and carefully aimed Sexism/Racism (the pernicious thrust of it indicated by those loud capital letters).

What she says strikes me as smart and necessary. But sometimes you want to read something again later to make sure, so I park it here.

She concludes:

I don't know how to repair the situation other than to acknowledge that people's feelings are legitimate with regard to what they hear no matter the intent, and presuming malicious intent is a great way to make an enemy of someone who probably really wants to be an ally.

Easier to say than to do but disastrous not to try to do.

Chimes at Midnight. Maybe More Like a Fire Alarm

Last night in bed I said something to the effect that well, I guess, we may not vote for Edwards in the primary, figuring his quest is now impossible, in which case it'll be Obama for us, right?

And my wife said no. This is going to be a frank and useful discussion.