Odds & Ends
Sorry I haven't posted much today, but I just spent the last five hours deleting the 5,947 emails I received courtesy of the MyDoom worm....

The Winter That Won't End has delivered a pretty good hit on much of the nation. Here in DC we got about six inches of snow Sunday night, followed by about a day and a half of freezing drizzle. Then for good measure, we wrapped it all up with another inch or two of snow earlier this evening. Still, compared to some other areas effected by this same storm, we got off easy.

One thing you can count on when the weather turns treacherous like this is morons getting behind the wheel and driving at 60 mph. Then they look absolutely bewildered when they end up upside down in the median strip.

Yesterday morning I watched a guy in a Honda almost rear end a car. He came down a hill towards traffic stopped at a red light. In keeping with the Idiots Code of Honor, Mr. Honda waited till the last possible to step on his brakes. Unable to stop on his own, he ends up running into the piles of snow along the side of the road. Finally, he's able to come to a complete stop without hitting any other cars.

Now most people in this situation would thank their lucky stars for not getting involved in an accident and perhaps even learn a lesson, but not Mr. Honda. As soon as the light turned green and we started moving, he got right up on the bumper of the car in front of him. Then he darted into the center lane, passed the stupid rational driver, and zipped back into the right lane to tailgate someone else.

Then early this morning, I was driving along at about 35 or 40 mph, which is pretty much what the rest of the very few other cars out at 5:30 AM were doing. And with all the slush and slick spots on even the main highways, that was the best one could safely do. Then an older Chevy comes blowing by us at about sixty.

A few miles later I saw a set of taillights sitting at the bottom of a ten foot embankment. It was the old Chevy. If I had been able to safely stop, I would have.

No, not to render assistance. Rather, I would have politely asked the driver if he's stupid. Then again, the answer to that is so obvious that my question would in and of itself been stupid.

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Back from the Dead
Congratulations to Senator John Kerry on his victory in New Hampshire. Three weeks ago the man was written off as politically dead, having gone as far as to mortgage his home to remain in the campaign. And now, with two victories under his belt, he is suddenly the Democratic frontrunner.

Meanwhile, former governor Howard Dean delivered a gracious concession speech. Then he stripped off his clothes and began signing a medley of songs from "Cats."

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Paar for the Course
Jack Paar, who preceded Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show, has signed off for the last time.

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Poor Howard

----------Oliphant