Unfortunately, I think the sycophancy of the press at that event would make me go George Bush all over someone's lap. I'm honestly not sure I could sit in that room.

As I'm fond of saying of certain gatherings, I wouldn't go ... because I don't own a flamethrower.

Newman's Own funds a camp for terminally ill kids up near Lake George. My sister attended for several years (not terminally ill, but "special needs", and most camps can't accommodate that, or at least couldn't when she was growing up). Newman was really hands-on with it-- visited the camp regularly every year until just before he died. My folks went to the fundraisers every year, and had nothing but great things to say about him. I went to one a year or two after he died (they held them at Great Adventure, shut down the park for the night and let you ride all the rides for "free"). I'm a cynical bastard but what they did for those kids was amazing-- they went white water rafting, horseback riding, ect. A team of nurses on staff to accommodate all sorts of illnesses, which is not cheap. The teens who volunteer there are a special breed, too.

Wow. Great.

Reminds me somewhat of the time about 24 years ago when I was able to drive up from Little Rock to a college campus in Conway (can't remember whether it was UCA, where Scottie Pippen played, or Hendrix, where years later I caught free shows by the likes of Pere Ubu, Richard Thompson, T-Bone Burnett, Van Dyke Parks, Lucinda Thompson, Ron Sexsmith, etc.) where they were holding the Special Olympics so I could watch my sister compete.

Bless all of those volunteers, not to mention the competitors.

That's another charity I give to for reasons other than the privilege of feeling morally superior, I have to say.

one of my favorite things about MLBN is that they for the most part let the local broadcast do the talking

I like that as well--except when it's F.P. Santangelo.

Who actually thinks this? Some particularly miserable, desperate individuals, I'm sure, but I'm pretty sure most strip club patrons are just there because they like having some boobies in their face, not because they're searching for a personal connection.

Agreed--maybe what I'm saying is that connectionless boobies in my face, that I'm paid for, doesn't do much for me.

Writing that makes me think of disembodied boobies. Which reminds me of what I saw on the T this morning: A woman (?) in black, wearing an ugly mask, and attached at the waist to a pregnant ventriloquist's doll made up to look just like the woman.

I can't unsee that.

A woman (?) in black, wearing an ugly mask, and attached at the waist to a pregnant ventriloquist's doll made up to look just like the woman.

She must have been on her way to Walmart.