It borders on the physically ill for me to consider the demise of yet another journalistic source. The Rocky Mountain News will die today. And it makes me sad, indeed, to say the very least.

I was the editor of my college newspaper. I was lucky. Nobody else wanted the job...so now I have that one on my resume. I learned a lot about not just publishing, writing stories, assignments, etc, but also about the inevitable office politics of journalism. Most of all, after my stint as editor, I confirmed to myself what I already knew about the modern state of journalism: It's vital. It's of paramount importance to our society. And: Putting out information that can be trusted is not just a sacred duty on the part of the publisher, but the part of the reader as well.

I still remember when my town had three newspapers: The still-kicking Post-Dispatch, the short-lived and shocking-for-my-conservative-little-town (because of its tabloid template and style) St. Louis Sun, and the ironically-named Globe-Democrat, the local champion of all issues Republican.

Hard times for publishing struck St. Louis long before the Rocky Mountain News called it quits. Even the Pulitzer family is now out of the newspaper business, having sold the Post a few short years back. And the story of St. Louis publishing would be bereft without the mention of our alt-weekly The Riverfront Times, which 1) reports the trash, important and otherwise, that the Post can't because of sacred cows being gored and 2) has also been sold by its original owner, the most famous liberal in town, Ray Hartmann.

Both the Pulitzers and Ray must have seen this coming. They're no dummies. These folks have covered their asses and their fortunes. But that doesn't help that feeling of despair when I think of the present-day condition of print publications.

During a recent trip to the powder room here at the house, I found an empty roll of toilet paper on the holder. A few flecks of white tissue clung to the brown cardboard. This is a sight that every human can probably relate to, or at least those who have no live-in maids.

The chore was before me. I opened the cabinet door beneath the sink and pulled out a fresh roll of paper and took the plastic holder off and placed the roll on it, and fixed it back on to the fastener beside the toilet.

The strangest things come to your mind at the strangest times.

It occurred to me that the chief reason my wife and I married, and still are, comes down to this: We agreed long ago as to which side the toilet paper would face--inside or out. Forget politics; forget who makes how much money; forget the various and myriad choices in the upbringing and discipline of children.

Since we discovered these small facts long before we made the decision to live together or get married or have children, it seems to me that it's a good thing it was decided on, and that we could move on to other more important matters at that time.

This is hilarious.

President George W. Bush may have left office with a historically bad 22% approval rating, but he's still eager to impart his wisdom -- for $150,000 a speech.

Man, I must be getting old...but I could swear that Ronald Reagan and Poppy Bush BOTH commanded fees in the MILLIONS for giving a speech after their presidencies...same for Bill Clinton.

And that's the beauty of the free market...!

From Think Progress:

The government is facing "mounting pressure" to invest billions more in "some of the nation's biggest banks, two of the biggest automakers and the biggest insurance company." AIG "indicated on Monday it was now negotiating for tens of billions of dollars in additional assistance," while Citigroup "could raise the government's stake...to as much as 40 percent". Additionally, Ford and Chrysler are seeking $22 billion.

"Mounting pressure"? From whom? You? Me? A public outcry?

For the record, the only companies I want bailed out are the ones that provide the most jobs for the most people. Auto companies and other manufacturers need special attention and all the help they can get, as long as the money goes to where it does the most good for the most people. Call me a commie. Go ahead.

But hundreds of billions for banks and mutual funds and insurance companies? Why? They make the auto company bailouts look like the bargains they really are.

"Well his father was Kenyan and they said he was born in Hawaii, but I haven't seen any birth certificate," Shelby said. "You have to be born in America to be president."

Everything Senator Shelby said in this sentence is true. He's no liar. No, sir. Not the good Senator from Alabama.

It was bullshit--but not lies.

It was also red meat, in case you didn't notice.

It sure strikes me as strange that so many 'patriotic' FOX News conservatives are willing to put up with a President who is not constitutionally able to stand as President. Why aren't they rioting in the streets? How can they call themselves Americans, if all they can do about this crime against the laws of the land is bitch about it?