calvin likes the company he is keeping. It’s almost enough to give up his Garfield-like behavior. Almost. Because being a cat means never having to say you’re sorry. Hey, it’s a cat thing.

Speaking of the Devil:

Ann Coulter is a war profiteer. Her celebrity is derived solely from the grief of others.

November 10, 2001

Just two months after 9/11…

Royal Caribbean’s then-new vessel, “Adventure of the Seas,” arrived at 10:00 a.m. today at New York harbor, making her the first major passenger ship to return to the harbor since the tragic September 11 terrorist attacks.

The 142,000-ton ship will be officially named by representatives from the Fire Department of New York and New York Police Department in a ceremony on the ship at Pier 88 at 5 p.m. today. Representing the firemen and police officers who saved so many lives and lost their own in the collapse of World Trade Center towers are Maggie McDonnell, widow of Police Officer Brian McDonnell; Tara Stackpole, widow of firefighter Captain Timothy Stackpole; fireman Kevin Hannafin, who lost his brother, firefighter Tom Hannafin; and Sgt. Richard Lucas of the NYPD Harbor Unit, which assisted rescuers. Approximately 2,000 police and firemen’s family members will join the four godparents and Mayor Giuliani for the naming ceremony. The families will then sail on a special two-night tribute cruise. Royal Caribbean will also make a $50,000 contribution to the Twin Towers Relief Fund.

ANN COULTER WAS NOT ONBOARD…

2000 damaged souls met, many for the first time (mostly widows and their children), to grieve together on a two day “cruise to nowhere” courtesy of Royal Caribbean.

On that cruise, many stories were shared and many tears were shed over late-night drinks at the bar. The images of children at play, many laughing for the first time in two months, were muted by the fact that most were wearing their father’s fire hat or police hat – in memoriam.

The “Formal Dinner” included wives of the fallen in formal gowns, accessorized by their husband’s oversized dress blue service jacket. Their “dates” were their children, each wearing a piece of the Father’s former uniform %u2013 some so big they hung to the floor.

Ms. Coulter wasn’t on that ship for those two days.

She wasn’t there the morning they returned to port, only to learn that an American Airlines jet had just fallen out of the sky and landed in their own neighborhood. She doesn’t know that they were forced to scurry off that ship so that it could be put back out to sea – as it was determined to be a terror target that morning. She wasn’t there when they arrived back to their neighborhoods in time to see the smoldering wreckage of yet another American Airlines plane.

Ms. Coulter wasn’t there to see the terror come back into their lives after that two day respite.

Ms. Coulter is simply a media whore and a war profiteer.

She is the perfect spokesperson for this administration.

Keep speaking out Ms. Coulter.

You define yourself and your affiliations every time you do.

It’s kind of like finding that author that Holden Caulfield was looking for .

You know, the one he wanted to call up after he finished reading one of their books.

Well, that’s sort of what FDL is like after you finish reading one of the fabulous posts.

And then you call up the author with your comment, and, well…..the conversation starts.

.

Thanks for the rave review. I was worried I would destroy peoples’ high expectations of me. (I think I sound better in writing than in person. Kind of like how some bands are crappy when you go see them live.)

I have to say, talking to emptywheel is intimidating in that, for me anyhow, I knew I was intellectually outmatched. She is super sharp and nothing short of brilliant.

The FDL group was professional and very open to the public. They gave freely of their time and ideas.

The subject of Blog hierarchy led to an informal survey between a few attendees Sat night. The questions were:

How many newspapers do you read on line daily?
Low 3 High 14

How many political blogs do you read daily?
Low 4 High 8

How many other blogs do you read daily?
Low 3 High 10

What would you do if Kos pulled the plug tomorrow? Composite answer:

Spend more time on FDL, Digby, TPM etc.

The only way there can be a true hierarchy is if there is limited access, (Broadcast Networks, Major Market Newspapers) but going back to the fundamentals of the net, since there is no there, then there is no hierarchy.

New voices are always springing up and people will gravitate to sites they like. There is no gate keeper on ideas. Popularity is fleeting, tomorrow’s Kos may only have 5 readers today but there is no limit to success. It’s all about ideas.