Scanning the ‘sphere; from fun to fractures and first lines

A super busy today – I’d love to expound on some of the themes being sounded in some of these posts, but they are so well done, they really don’t need my additional and extraneous blather:

Before you read any of this, though, head over to this site (H/T Pianogirl) and see why art is important and why it matters. Stuck in our little gerbil cages (especially here in the ‘sphere) and tucked into our own little worlds…stuff like this can lift us out of ourselves and bring wonder, amusement, awe…and perhaps an open-ness of mind.

Don’t forget to come back! :-)

Okay, now you’re all refreshed?

Dept of I Would Seriously Consider This: if my kids were still school age, because it seems more seriously scholastic, oddly enough. I wouldn’t suggest doing away with public schools because – believe it or not – not all parents may be depended upon to see to their kids edumacation, but the indoctrination techniques of some teachers and dubious field trips might definitely sway me toward home schooling.

Dept. of fragments and shards: Lorie Byrd takes a careful look at factionalism and drama queening in the GOP, and makes some salient points while highlighting a few good women. She’s wondering how all that’s working out for you…but I figure it’s too early to tell. We’ll have to see who the inevitable third-party candidate is before we can tell.

Me? I’m increasingly disillusioned with “left,” “right,” and the whole “if you disagree you’re my enemy” thing. I suspect others may be too, and with the whole lack of ordinary goodwill.

But if you’ve the energy here is a collection of thought on illegal immigration by some surprising people. ((H/T Sally)

Dept of Lawyers calling war strategy?: Can we think of more ways to screw up in Iraq? Of course, not all is as one thinks. Or as easy as one might think.

Dept of Albania? What Albania?: The US press details Bush’s trip but misses the good times in Albania!

Dept of what rock did you crawl out from under?

Dept of Are Worms Turning?: Jules Crittenden looks at what it means to be a lame duck.

Dept of “Well goooooolllly!”: If they’d been reading blogs they wouldn’t be so surprised.

Dept. of Dad, I’m Out of Ideas: , Happy Father’s Day!

Dept of Great Fun: From my Li’l Bro Thom, a collection of first lines from great novels. Yes, great fun!