They just need a little more factional infighting and they'll be just like the Democratic party.

They just need a lot more factional infighting and they'll be just like Thunderdome.

My thoughts exactly, Gud.

In the midst of my politcal squeeing, I also have a sinking feeling that the Republicans are going to use it better than the Dems did, and have the advantage in 2008. Hope I'm wrong.

Lee, I think a lot depends on what the Democrats do in the next 2 years. Go in acting like the grownups are now in charge (and yes, that's where I stole the phrase from), pass solid legislation. If that's the case, it may not even matter what the Republicans do in 2008.

To robots, people taste like bacon:

Researchers at NEC System technologies and Mie University have designed the cute little guy to the right: a metal man gastronomist, "an electromechanical sommelier", capable of identifying wines, cheeses, meats and hors d'oeuvres. Upon being given a sample, he will speak up in a childlike voice and identify what he has just been fed. The idea is that wineries can tell if a wine is authentic without even opening the bottle, amongst other more obscure uses...like "tell me what this strange grayish lump at the back of my freezer is/was."

But when some smart aleck reporter placed his hand in the robot's omnivorous clanking jaw, he was identified as bacon. A cameraman then tried and was identified as prosciutto.

Long pig!

I hope this is what happens, Fred Pete (and I actually do have hope, which is a strange and wonderful feeling), but the little voice of experience is a hard one to quell.

Lee, I think a lot depends on what the Democrats do in the next 2 years. Go in acting like the grownups are now in charge (and yes, that's where I stole the phrase from), pass solid legislation.

They can also set the Republicans up with popular legislation that will establish a voting record for 2008. An advantage of controlling the agenda. They have the minimum wage (will probably pass), not extending the Bush tax cuts for really high incomes, letting medicare negotiate drug prices, maybe trying to set up a program to make sure all kids have health care (that might be a tough one though), lots of stuff Republicans may oppose but will leave an ugly vote on their record. I don't think they will have to resort to BS issues like the flag burning amendment to pull it off.

Man injured by launching firework from his bottom:

A spokeswoman for the North East Ambulance Service said: "We received a call stating there was a male who had a firework in his bottom and it was bleeding. He was attended to and taken to Sunderland Royal hospital."

The man, whose injuries include a scorched colon, is still in hospital.

Safety experts were incredulous. A spokesman for the Firework Association said he had never heard of an incident like it in 45 years. He added: "This sort of thing is beyond belief.

"We have spent a long time working with the government to create laws that make fireworks safer and better for the public. This incident is very concerning but hopefully an isolated one."

A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said: "It's so unfortunate that someone is now paying the price for the misuse of fireworks.

"Let's not forget these are explosives. They come with specific instructions about how they should be used."

"Let's not forget these are explosives. They come with specific instructions about how they should be used."

They should have big warning labels: DO NOT PUT IN ASS!

Or maybe ARSE.

Top Chef: I thought that Betty knew that her cookies hadn't worked on the day that the nutritionists were there -- perhaps she should have brought that up to the nutritionists and asked about using sugar and making smaller cookies on THAT day instead of doing it the day that the nutritionists weren't there?