The Concrete Tomb of Hradzka

The debates aren't supposed to be used in political ads, but the DNC has released a video compilation of President Bush's funniest facial expressions.

Not to be outdone, the rightish partisans at the Daily Recycler have produced a montage featuring John Kerry's tongue.

Reading Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln, I ran across a quotation of a newspaper article from the early days of the Civil War. Background: a Massachusetts regiment marching through Baltimore en route to DC was set upon by a mob of Southern sympathizers. Bricks and bullets were exchanged; two soldiers and twelve of the mob died. A few days later,

"President Lincoln said to a Baltimore deputation that if the passage of U.S. troops was again obstructed he would lay their city in ashes. One of the deputation said that 75,000 Marylanders would contest the passage of troops over her soil. To this the President said that he supposed there was room enough in her soil to bury 75,000."

Damn.

Had the day off; slept in and then headed downtown to finalize my voter registration, with which I'd had some problems. I registered at the DMV when I got my new license after moving, and they failed to send my voter registration card. I called, and confirmed my registration -- and they still didn't send the card. So I went down and did it all again in person. I met up with hjcallipygian for dinner, and he needed to register locally, so we walked back there. On the way, a couple asked us if we knew the way to the election supervisor's office -- "Why, yes. Just follow us..."

Big line there; it was the last day to register in Florida for the November elections. The office was well-prepared for the onslaught.