I no longer fear science.

So, the next time your parents knock on the door and shout, "What are you doing in there?!" Just say, "I'm seeing my oncologist, Dr. Hand!"

Also, you may note how my blog looks teh different. That is thanks to Sir Andrew, whose coding skills make me look like a sad, pathetic shell of a man.

Facebookers take heed!

Those of you who use Facebook and support Sarah Palin for VP should take heed of a group my friend Sir Andrew created: I'm Railin' For Palin!

The official Palin for VP site is here.

Related: My endorsement

Sir Andrew's endorsement

Before you get all obsessed with George Carlin's death...

Just remember that he considered crap like this "comedy" post-drug days:
And FYI, George: Not all pro-life women are ugly witches. Many are quite beautiful, both outside and in.

(Ahem)

Journalism, and America, have been robbed.

Just imagine that telephone call.

You've just graduated from Boston College and you're on holiday in Italy with Mom, and you're getting ready to go back home when you find out that your dad has just had a heart attack - and died.

You weren't expecting this. Dad had been in Italy with you just before but decided to go back to the States early to get some work done. You and Mom were going to go home soon to celebrate Father's Day week-end after celebrating the consummation of the most important years of your life - only to learn that one of the most important formers of those years is now gone.

Now imagine that you're older, in your late 80's, and perhaps you had just read over the book your son wrote for you. Your days in this world are numbered, but you know you will leave it a better place, having raised your child to reflect your values - a child who put into print the language of the heart which only a parent knows.

But this time, that heart - that literal heart - has ceased working.

Then you get that telephone call. You will have to bury your child this week-end. And, again, it's Father's Day.

Those were my immediate thoughts on the passing of Tim Russert. Too often when a figure of Russert's stature dies, we focus on the outward accomplishments of the person as a professional, rather than the personal accomplishments of the person as a human being.

Russert made us remember both.

Every Sunday afternoon, I always watched the re-runs of my two favourite Sunday morning talk-shows, which had run during Mass: Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace and Meet the Press with Tim Russert.

I was unsurprised by Wallace's professionalism. After all, FOX News upholds itself as the pinnacle of fair-and-balanced journalism. NBC was just another cog in the Left-wing main-stream media.

Russert was the exception who proved the rule.

Oh, we could always point to Russert's political past - he worked for Democrats Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Mario Cuomo - but were it not for his jobs with those partisan figures, one would have no clue as to Russert's personal views: the ultimate sign of journalistic integrity. In fact, the knowledge that Russert worked for politicians from one side of the aisle, yet managed to make his biases almost undetectable when he worked, made his professionalism all the more apparent.

Russert was not the sort of fellow who you described as, "A pretty good host, but clearly favouring X political party." No, Russert was a man who was so neutral as to transcend both Red and Blue: He was perfect Purple.

But enough of how he worked, what about what he did? He interrogated.

If you said something to a random reporter you thought wouldn't be held against you, Russert got that quote, slapped it on-screen and made you 'fess up.

Why are you seemingly contradicting yourself, Senator?

No offence, Congressman, but it seems you flip-flopped.

With all due respect, Mr. President, I am confused by these conflicting quotes.

Russert never backed down.

But more than that, Russert was a fearless pioneer in a field - objective journalism - which is growing ever more out of fashion in favour of opinion journalism, an oxymoron if there ever was one. It was this dedication to the facts - no spin, no bias - over the comparatively tawdry shout-fests and unanswered "Special Comments" which permeate our news sources and do nothing to advance the national dialogue - indeed, they severely retard it - which made Russert stand out. So sad, really: He stood out because he actually did his job.

Tim Russert was by all accounts a good man, a funny man, an all-around nice guy with a great, big smile and a potato-shaped head. Those qualities alone do not make a journalist, but they do not need to. They make a man.

Indeed, if we have been taught nothing as children it is this: The greatest gift we can give our parents is to live long enough that they needn't bury us, and likewise, the greatest gift we can give our children is to live long enough that their lives are enriched by our presence well into adulthood.

Unfortunately, sometimes things don't work out the way we would like. Sometimes Someone has another Plan. We can not change it; we can only hope that we might cope with what life gives us. Making lemonade out of lemons and all that rot.

This week-end, whether your father - or mother for that matter - is alive or not, just remember this: When we entered this world was not of our choosing, and neither is when we leave it. Both birth and death are celebratory occasions. Neither should be sadder or happier than the other, because in the end, birth is just the first step towards our final conclusion here. It is what occurs between those events which really counts here. It it what happens after that end which really counts There.

Tim Russert showed us that a life well lived required an appreciation for what - and who - we loved most. And his was an example which we should all try to emulate.

So, this Father's Day week-end, please, keep Maureen and Luke and "Big Russ" in your thoughts and prayers. Not only are they suffering from personal loss, they are going to be reminded of that loss every day for countless news cycles, and then forgotten, left to reconcile that loss in the privacy of their own hearts.

And please, I beg you, if you have children, tell them that you love them and never, ever stop. If your parents are still alive, tell them that you love them and never, ever stop. You never know when it will be the last time your ears hear "I love you" back, even if your heart always hears it.

The heart must never grow deaf.

I love you, Dad. You are my rock. I don't need a book to tell you that; I don't even need this blog. I just need you.

Thank you, Mr. Russert, for everything you did for our country, for your family and for our families. May God bless you and give you your Eternal Reward.

Go Bills.

BRING ME THE HEAD OF MICHAEL BAY!

More than meets the eye.

This makes me happy.

The comments from Sen. Clinton's blog post informing her supporters that she will be endorsing Barack Obama for President:

"NO WAY WILL I EVER VOTE FOR OBAMA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The media is now painting a rosy picture that Hillary supporters will heal with time and support Obama. The media goes off like a cannon again !!!!! NO - Hillary supporters will NOT heal and they will NOT support Obama - PERIOD !!!! Just today in my neighborhood, I have even seen an increase in Hillary posters and lawn signs showing that people are mad as hell !!!!! I even saw a HAND WRITTEN sign saying Hillary for president on the back windshield of a car.

NO WAY WILL I EVER VOTE FOR OBAMA. I WILL BE VOTING FOR MCCAIN OR NOT VOTING AT ALL - PERIOD !!!!!!

by OR_Inspired at 6/6/2008 12:48:09 AM

NEVER VOTE FOR OBAMA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm very proud to have given you Hillary my Love and support over these months in this campaign.

However, I do see a major difference between you and Sen. Obama and for that I will not be casting my vote for him as I do feel deeply that he is and has always been a RACIST. I understand that you’re looking towards 2012 and I will again be in your corner.

I won’t have anything to do with Obama becoming our 44th President. SORRY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Keith W at 6/6/2008 4:16:11 PM

The DNC is a DISGRACE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The DNC decision ( FIASCO ) with Florida and Michigan; especially Michigan, where delegates were awarded to Obama when HE HIMSELF CHOSE not to be on the ballot in Michigan is a TOTAL let-down. The DNC has betrayed everyone with their fiasco. Thus --- NO WAY WILL I EVER VOTE FOR OBAMA. I WILL BE VOTING FOR MCCAIN OR NOT VOTING AT ALL - PERIOD !!!!!!

by OR_Inspired at 6/6/2008 1:09:56 AM

DNC......................................................................

DNC is hijacked by BO, and it will do ANYTHING for BO from now on!!!

by People at 6/6/2008 1:20:44 PM

Saturday's Speech for Hillary

I will be listening to her speak with a heavy heart!
But we must all remember that what she will say is what she needs to say to be able to keep her place in the Senate! She must now say and do what BHO's party wants her to do! We must stay strong and not give him our vote! Remember always how she was treated by his party and his supporters!!!!!!!!!!

We must either vote McCain or not vote at all. We must show them our party has power also!!

This man and his party do not have my values and by beliefs and they will never get my vote or that of my family and friends.

BHO gave a speech today from Chicago where he said he will be attending the Olympics from his home and during his second term as president in the year 2016.

I don't know about all of you out there but if i can help it he will not be in office in 2008.

by gmarose53 at 6/6/2008 2:02:35 PM

Enough is Enough

I will NEVER vote for Obama!

It's a NO!

by Iamdestiny at 6/6/2008 10:01:21 PM

I'LL ALWAYS SUPPORT HILLARY

She is the only candidate who could have beaten McCain and fought hard as President for the people of this country. I am feeling demoralized and completely disenchanted with the Democratic party. Whoever it was that invented this idiotic process ruined our chances to get a wonderful candidate into office.

I will NOT be casting a vote for BO in November.

by Santafegal at 6/5/2008 7:43:28 PM

Even though...

I became an Independent yesterday, I will still vote for Democrats down the ticket, but I will NEVER vote for Obama. At least if we can increase the Democrat seats in the House and Senate, they will be able to keep a moderate McCain in line.

Then Hillary can come back and take the White House in 2012, and we can all live happily ever after! One can dream.....

by Cats in MN at 6/5/2008 2:13:32 PM

Me too

I know that Hillary says that her and Obama's differences are small compared to McCain's, but I also cannot give my vote to Obama. He disappoints me as a person and I do not believe that he shares the same values as Hillary. He has a personal agenda, which I think he will put before the country's well being. I will vote for democrats down the ticket, but not for Obama. I even think I would be hard pressed to vote for him, if Hillary is on the ticket as VP. He just rubs me the wrong way and I have felt that way for the past 8 years about Bush.

by COGirlforHillary at 6/5/2008 7:09:09 PM

Me too

I will not support the current nominee, and will vote McCain..because of reasons previously ststed.

by Marty 1 at 6/5/2008 10:14:40 PM"

And so on...

Also, major props to our veterans, both past and present, who have served and currently serve our country.

Remember Normandy.

FINAL PREDICTIONS TILL NOVEMBER

First off, Barack Obama will win Montana, and Hillary Clinton will win South Dakota. I'm honestly not sure why Obama is doing so well in MT but not SD, but that's what the exit polls appear to be saying.

Obama has already clinched the nomination; his superdelegates simply haven't come out publicly yet. They will tonight and tomorrow.

Hillary Clinton will likely suspend her campaign for the sake of appearing sane and to stop losing money. She will fight for full representation of Florida and Michigan, for the disqualification of contested caucuses and will try to win back Obama superdelegates. There have been many Clinton-to-Obama defections thus far; there has been not one Obama-to-Clinton superdelegate reversal.

Will Obama pick Clinton for his VP? He is between a rock and a hard place. Putting Clinton on the ticket will assuage some - but certainly not all - disaffected Clinton voters. But what of those who voted for Clinton out of pure racism? What of Clinton voters like this one? I doubt that she's alone, even if there isn't an overwhelming groundswell against Obama. If I had to guess, I'd say he will not. Who wants Shrillary and Bubba dictating his campaign from behind the scenes?

A word of caution, dear readers. There will likely be a brief spike in Obama's support in general election match-ups against John McCain. This will pass, as it is merely a result of the re-alignment which comes whenever one of the major political parties chooses their nominee. The same thing happened to McCain, and it subsided. This will be a close one no matter who wins. As for my prediction about the final result of the Presidential race: You'll just have to wait till November 4th, won't you?

UPDATE: Duh.