IMHO, a grossly underrated movie. Funny, smart, and comically dark in a way I really enjoy.

The Cusacks have some hometown sensibilities I can relate to, and Minnie Driver is fabulously appealing as an actress and sexy thang, and as little as I’ve seen her in “real life,” an equally decent human being.

For a niece named Stella (it’s fun to yell at her in Elaine’s voice) who is a bit more like Marley of book fame (not movie fame) than any dog I’ve ever been around. Large yellow lab with a bit of a…rambunctious nature. Most dogs submit to me pretty easily. This one is going to take some work.

Her tail has the effective kill and clearing radius of a crashing helicopter. My cats are quite used to dogs, but this one, though she lives with cats and wouldn’t hurt them, is just too physically demonstrative for things to settle and the whole process will take longer than usual.

Slush will come out first, and stake his claim. A good shot of why.

And Stella, making sure no one gets within 100 yards of us without a “we have to visit” suggestion from the young (1 1/2?) thing.

At least it fits my own view of how Corporate journalism works.

Matt is a lot of fun.

Update: I’ve worked in a large corporation for 25 years, and most people close to me have worked in large bureaucracies of one kind or another. It’s awfully strange to be hearing about how the government can’t do anything right in the context of your corporation laying off 30% of its employees, and losing a lot of money and (of course, never failing, good times and bad, inevitably) paying the “leadership” bonuses, which I am on record as telling bonus-level folks that if they just changed the word from “bonus” to, “entitlement” I’d be fine with the whole deal.

So, the point about Matt’s post is that a PhD in Organizational Behavior is not required.

Every now and then they still show some cajones.

This one was good. I have watched this process up close and personal. It is real. And it is a horrible creepy waste of public money.

…own abortions! That’s gotta cost him on Judgement Day.

We are in one weird place in history. I suppose any serious crackpot can succeed, Beck is hardly the first, but I’m 50 and I just don’t recall stranger times.

And I was sentient in the ’70’s!

…human being doesn’t like this stuff?

I had a pretty bad day all in all, and this rescued me, as it were.

The day I get shit-canned is the day I pick myself up a dog and love it into submission.

IOW, soon, at least maybe.

John Cole sums up just a whole gunnysack fulla problems.

(And the Rolling Stone writer he’s referring to is Matt Tiabbi, whom I can’t believe Goldman-Sachs hasn’t disappeared yet.)

We are in one weird place in world history.

Jesus Christ.

Digby and Glenn have more.

Update: Major confession: These things wouldn’t be a bad idea, just in case the right-left thing gets too out of hand. I would just point it like I golf:

If you’re worried about hitting the tree, aim at it.

A heartfelt sincere shout-out to anyone who has ever served in the defense of this country. Your sacrifice is unimaginable to me. If I was King, you’d never have to pay much for anything “public” ever again.

Bless you all.

Sarah Palin continues to impress.

Update: The commentary at BJ is awfully smart and funny.