Amazing, isn't it?  

Headlines yesterday and today included media shock! at how long it took a convicted Ohio killer to die by lethal injection. 

Why doesn't the media focus on how long it takes murder victims to die?  Go all out.  Tell the world the gory details.  Be [more] repulsive.  Tell everyone how murderers torture, maim and abuse their victims. 

If MSM is so anti-death, why not rile up the masses against all murderers?  Never mind that describing the last moments (or days or hours before a victim dies) would cause extreme distress for the victim's family.  That's a cop-out.  You think families don't read about (or in some cases witness) the execution of murderers?  So why IS it that MSM doesn't hesitate to tell us how "cruel and unusual" it is to execute a convicted low-life murderer?

Meanwhile, a few prominent bloggers are doing just that -- providing the gory details of the January 2007 murders of a two (coincidentally white) University of Tennessee students who were  kidnapped, gang-raped and mutilated by a (coincidentally black) gang of thugs in Knoxville.  For some unknown reason, Rocky Top media has not seen fit to cover this potential hate-crime story.

Was the media covering up or avoiding the topic?  Fear of reverse racial-profiling?  Afraid of a Duke-backlash fiasco?   Concerned about getting a little print smudge on those rose-tinted glasses?  Somebody's nephew or niece involved?  Avoiding negative publicity for the University?

And where have the Reverends Jesse and Sharpton been since January?  Certainly not leading marches through Knoxville, making talk show junkets or rallying bleeding-heart activists in support of the murdered students. 

Now -- since the media hasn't covered the crime, Tennessee white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups have jumped on the bandwagon. 

Dang it.  If media had covered the murders responsibly, the other hate-groupies might have stayed in their caves in the hills. 

And speaking of Rocky Top -- Fred! fever is festering ....  Fortunately -- most who support different conservative candidates exercise discretion and respect when discussing why they support the respective candidates.  Most, that is.

I encountered a Fred! fanatic last night on a forum.  I offered to provide two pro-Romney "reasons" for every one reason he could provide for Fred! in a supposedly friendly debate .... He never made it to one.   He sulked away mad after calling me a "plant"  from Kos; later an enabler referred to me as a Romney "plant."  ROFL 

Never been to the Kos site.  If I want to read profanity or watch lunatics rave, I'll rent a good movie.  I visit Romney's site daily, but you won't see my blog on his support list.  And thus far, I've had to buy my own t-shirt and bumper stickers.  Real "plants" get freebies.  And money. 

Me?  I got to interact with a loose-cannon from Virginia who sez he's from TN who called me an idiot for missing the first name of Fred's mentor.  Then a second wanna-be jumped in.   #2 had absolutely no concept of what a political operative, i.e.,  "plant" was .... It went relatively down-hill from there.    I seldom comment on forums/boards for obvious reasons ....  Fortunately, the Republican umbrella is large.  It has to be to accommodate the few (and thank the good Lord they are few --) who hide behind the masks of ignorance, bias and prejudice .... They personify why libs call some conservatives "wingnuts." 

Moving on -- I'll post my last exchange with one of the nut-jobs as a comment .   I invited them to bring their "stuff" over here  ....  They'll never show.  Moonbats never come out in the daylight!  ROFL

Dad was right, by the way:  It's hard to BS a BS'er. 

Speaking of Fred Thompson -- he's a nice guy, actually.  But still a good ole' boy BS'er.  I don't recall if he's ever campaigned outside his state.  In Tennessee, he sits atop Rocky, if you know what I mean. 

[And if anyone reading this wants to pelt Mitt Romney with a similar charge, think about how he "campaigned" nationally AND internationally to recoup and restore credibility to the Salt Lake Olympics .... leading the organizational committee from a scandal-ridden, bankrupt global albatross to one of the most successful and ethical events ever.] 

But back to Fred!

Mark my words:  when Fred's brand of layed-back backroom deals, high-dollar lobbying, home-spun stump-speak and his good-ole-days-good-ole-boys' network encounters the real world of media mongols, the cyber-eye of the Internet, Shrillary and Bill Clinton and their no-homonyms-barred sludge-fest in the gotcha! world of current politics -- it'll take more than a red pickup to kindle a fire in ole Fred's belly.   While on an open-stage without make-up or script.

I like the man.  Hate to see him burn like green wood in a wild fire, though.  Know what I mean?

It's that time of year again.

Memorial Day weekend is the beginning of summer fun for most Americans, and as I've done before in this space, I want to pause to take note of the real reason there is a Memorial Day.

It's meant to honor and pay our respects to those Americans who've given their lives in service to our nation, who stand in an unbroken line from Lexington's rude bridge to Cemetery Ridge to the Argonne Forest to the beaches of Normandy to the frozen Chosin Reservoir to the Ia Drang Valley to the sands of Kuwait to the streets of Baghdad.

Over the last 12 months, 1,042 soldiers, Marines, sailors and Air Force personnel have given their lives in the terrible duty that is war. Thousands more have come home on stretchers, horribly wounded and facing months or years in military hospitals.

This week, I'm turning my space over to a good friend and former roommate, Army Lt. Col. Robert Bateman, who recently completed a yearlong tour of duty in Iraq and is now back at the Pentagon.

Here's Lt. Col. Bateman's account of a little-known ceremony that fills the halls of the Army corridor of the Pentagon with cheers, applause and many tears every Friday morning.  It first appeared on May 17 on the Web-log of media critic and pundit Eric Alterman at the Media Matters for America Web site.

---

"It is 110 yards from the "E" ring to the "A" ring of the Pentagon. This section of the Pentagon is newly renovated; the floors shine, the hallway is broad, and the lighting is bright. At this instant the entire length of the corridor is packed with officers, a few sergeants and some civilians, all crammed tightly three and four deep against the walls. There are thousands here.


"This hallway, more than any other, is the `Army' hallway. The G3 offices line one side, G2 the other, G8 is around the corner. All Army. Moderate conversations flow in a low buzz. Friends who may not have seen each other for a few weeks, or a few years, spot each other, cross the way and renew.  Everyone shifts to ensure an open path remains down the center. The air conditioning system was not designed for this press of bodies in this area. The temperature is rising already. Nobody cares.

"10:36 hours: The clapping starts at the E-Ring. That is the outermost of the five rings of the Pentagon and it is closest to the entrance to the building. This clapping is low, sustained, hearty. It is applause with a deep emotion behind it as it moves forward in a wave down the length of the hallway.

"A steady rolling wave of sound it is, moving at the pace of the soldier in the wheelchair who marks the forward edge with his presence. He is the first. He is missing the greater part of one leg, and some of his wounds are still suppurating. By his age I expect that he is a private, or perhaps a private first class.

"Captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels meet his gaze and nod as they applaud, soldier to soldier. Three years ago when I described one of these events, those lining the hallways were somewhat different. The applause a little wilder, perhaps in private guilt for not having shared in the burden ... yet.

"Now almost everyone lining the hallway is, like the man in the wheelchair, also a combat veteran. This steadies the applause, but I think deepens the sentiment. We have all been there now. The soldier's chair is pushed by, I believe, a full colonel.

"Behind him, and stretching the length from Rings E to A, come more of his peers, each private, corporal or sergeant assisted as need be by a field grade officer.

"11:00 hours: Twenty-four minutes of steady applause. My hands hurt, and I laugh to myself at how stupid that sounds in my own head. `My hands hurt.' Christ. Shut up and clap. For twenty-four minutes, soldier after soldier has come down this hallway - 20, 25, 30. Fifty-three legs come with them, and perhaps only 52 hands or arms, but down this hall came 30 solid hearts.

"They pass down this corridor of officers and applause, and then meet for a private lunch, at which they are the guests of honor, hosted by the generals. Some are wheeled along. Some insist upon getting out of their chairs, to march as best they can with their chin held up, down this hallway, through this most unique audience. Some are catching handshakes and smiling like a politician at a Fourth of July parade. More than a couple of them seem amazed and are smiling shyly.

"There are families with them as well: the 18-year-old war-bride pushing her 19-year-old husband's wheelchair and not quite understanding why her husband is so affected by this, the boy she grew up with, now a man, who had never shed a tear is crying; the older immigrant Latino parents who have, perhaps more than their wounded mid-20s son, an appreciation for the emotion given on their son's behalf. No man in that hallway, walking or clapping, is ashamed by the silent tears on more than a few cheeks. An Airborne Ranger wipes his eyes only to better see. A couple of the officers in this crowd have themselves been a part of this parade in the past.

"These are our men, broken in body they may be, but they are our brothers, and we welcome them home. This parade has gone on, every single Friday, all year long, for more than four years."

(Copyright 2007 by Robert Bateman.)

Thanks, Bob, for this Memorial Day gift.

And thanks to Bill Cook for sharing ....

(photo credit unknown)

Does it matter?  When politicians have been paid for years to represent the highest bidder, while our congressional leaders (current and recent)  personify the dregs of society -- does it really matter? 

What a crock.

When are we going to learn that what the every-day-person feels or believes has absolutely nothing to do with the decisions that are made in the highest offices of this land?

As immigration reform "stands" now, the bill will either be defeated or be so watered down, it will STILL do nothing but affirm amnesty for millions of illegals in our nation. 

The true "backers" of this reform are not unlikely clandestine bed-mates:  big businesses who want the cheap labor and democrats who want the cheap votes. 

What a crock. 

Even conservatives are now engaging in their own version of BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome):

The Bush administration wants to divert attention from this fact by talking about “Z visas,” and some of the critics have fallen into this trap. But the government will start issuing those visas only after it meets its enforcement benchmarks — if that ever happens. Illegal immigrants are eligible for “probationary” legal status, on the other hand, as soon as the bill passes. The government has only one business day to run a background check on people applying for this status.

Even those illegal immigrants who have already gotten deportation orders are eligible for this status, if the Department of Homeland Security concludes that deportation would cause “extreme hardship” to the illegal immigrant or his family. As soon as the bill passes, deportation judges are out of work, as a practical matter, and states, localities, and federal agents will no longer be enforcing immigration laws.

What happens if the government never meets its benchmarks? Does anyone really believe that the government will, at that point, make all of the illegal immigrants who have gotten “probationary” legal status illegal again?

The bill provides amnesty immediately, and forever; the “triggers” and “benchmarks” for law enforcement are meaningless; and no one who votes for the bill has any excuse for not knowing these things.

It's not JUST George Bush who supports the amnesty-laden immigration bill.  GWB has talked about a temporary worker program for years. 

While I hold GWB accountable for allowing Teddy Kennedy to piggy-back his "cradle to grave" welfare legislation -- all of our "esteemed" office holders should be held accountable for their lack of creativity, for their lack of insight and for this debacle -- for this affront to the intelligence of the American people.

Why not open the border-gates and simply increase the sales taxes across the board for illegals and legals?    Why not "forgive" all Americans back-taxes and reimburse the penalties and fines charged to every single American who has tried to act fiscally honest and responsible? 

What a crock.

Fitting and befitting a Presidential candidate ....

Several comments have been posted on a board I frequent -- stating that Mitt Romney has flip-flopped in his stand on immigration.

I ask -- when?

From MyManMItt:

FACT: As Governor Of Massachusetts, Governor Romney Took Action To Enforce Immigration Laws.

ENFORCEMENT: In December 2006, Governor Romney Signed A Memorandum Of Agreement With The Federal Government To Allow State Troopers To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws. "Governor Mitt Romney and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and ICE, which will give specially trained Massachusetts State Troopers the authority to administer and enforce federal immigration laws in the Commonwealth." (Office Of The Governor, "Governor Romney, ICE Sign Immigration Enforcement Pact," Press Release, 12/13/06)

IN-STATE TUITION: Governor Romney Vetoed In-State Tuition For Illegal Immigrants. "Romney also vetoed a number of outside sections of the budget, including:…A plan that would have permitted illegal aliens to pay the same in-state tuition rate at our public colleges and universities as Massachusetts citizens." (Office Of The Governor, "Romney Signs $22.402B Fiscal Year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget," Press Release, 6/25/04)

ENGLISH IMMERSION: Governor Romney Fought Efforts To Weaken Massachusetts' English Immersion Law. "But yesterday, Romney press secretary Shawn Feddeman said the governor will fight all attempts to slow the implementation of English immersion, known on the ballot as Question 2. … 'He will veto anything that weakens or delays English immersion,' Feddeman said." (Anand Vaishnav, "Romney Firm On English Timetable," The Boston Globe, 1/24/03)

In June 2002, Mitt Romney Said "The Approach Of English Immersion Is One That I Support. … I Would Make English Immersion The Educational Norm For All Non-Native English Speakers." (John McElhenny, "Mitt Romney Endorses 'English Immersion' Education Plan," The Associated Press, 6/4/02)

DRIVER'S LICENSES: Governor Romney Opposed Efforts To Give Driver's Licenses To Illegal Immigrants. "'Those who are here illegally should not receive tacit support from our government that gives an indication of legitimacy,' the governor said, echoing arguments that opponents have voiced in the Commonwealth and in other states considering similar license measures. 'If they are here illegally, they should not get driver's licenses,' he said." (Scott S. Greenberger, "Romney Stand Dims Chances Of License For Undocumented," The Boston Globe, 10/28/03)

FACT: Governor Romney Would Take Action To Secure The Borders Through Physical And Virtual Fences.

Governor Romney: "In my view, there are several principles that need to be part of our immigration plan. First, to secure the border…" (Governor Mitt Romney, Interview On The Northern Alliance Radio Network, 1/27/07)

Governor Romney: "You've got to have a wall or fence or electronic surveillance. You have got to make sure we secure our border, that's first." (Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor," 9/19/06)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports Strong Reforms To Stop Illegal Immigration And Encourage Legal Immigration.

Governor Romney: "The current system puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically-enabled and tamper-proof documentation and employment-verification system, and increase legal immigration into America." (David Yepsen, Op-Ed, "So Far, Romney's Been Most Impressive Republican," Des Moines Register, 7/11/06)

FACT: Governor Romney Opposes The McCain-Kennedy Bill And Any Form Of Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants.

Governor Romney: "McCain-Kennedy Isn't The Answer." "Another aspect of American sovereignty is the security of our borders. The current system is a virtual concrete wall against those who have skill and education, but it's a wide-open walk across the border for those that have neither. McCain-Kennedy isn't the answer. As governor, I took a very different approach. I authorized our state police to enforce federal immigration laws." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The Conservative Political Action Conference, Washington, D.C., 3/2/07)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports A Strong Employer-Verification System That Includes A Tamper Proof Worker Verification Card.

Governor Romney: "First, to secure the border, number two, have an employment verification system. This would be a card – a biometric card – that people who are not citizens would have and before an employer hires a non citizen they would have to look at the card, type in a number on a computer, and get verification from the federal government that this person is eligible for work in the U.S. If they hired someone not so eligible that company would be fined just like not paying taxes." (Governor Mitt Romney, Interview On The Northern Alliance Radio Network, 1/27/07)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports Empowering Local And State Authorities To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws.

Governor Romney Believes More State And Local Police Agencies Should Work With The Federal Government To Enforce Immigration Laws. "Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Tuesday that more state and local police agencies ought to consider making deals with the federal government to have their officers trained in enforcing elements of federal immigration law. … 'I think it's a good idea for us to communicate that we intend to enforce our laws,' Romney said." (Jacques Billeaud, "Romney: More State, Local Police Should Get Immigration Training," The Associated Press, 3/13/07)

It's about time those who yell "flip-flop" to offer the quotes/links to back up their claims!

Ya gotta do both, Mr. Gingrich.

You're fooling yourself if you actually believe that voters will accept you as anything other than an astute historian and analyst. 

You had your turn at the podium, Mr. Gingrich.  You did a fine job as Speaker in orchestrating the House into a "contract" with America, Mr. Gingrich.  But you lost that position by buckling to some questionable ethical charge about a book deal or speaking fees or something like that. 

End of political career, Mr. Gingrich. 

And criticizing the presidential debate format as an "undeclared" wanting to play it your way won't pan out with voters.  No more than it will pan out for Mr. Thompson.  Both of you chose to leave the very career you supposedly seek and now you want America to "beg" you to please run for the highest office in the land?  Without jumping through the proverbial hoops -- without being subjected to the criticism, the inquiries and the rebuttal that other candidates are facing?

Ut uh. 

Won't fly, Mr. Gingrich.  No matter how much "above" the process you and Fred place yourselves, the public and the political process mandate that you face your opponents head-on.  Sorry -- you can't call the shots and expect voters to fall in line behind you.

Oh, you and Fred can skillfully talk the talk, Mr. Gingrich:

"We have shrunk our political process to this pathetic dance in which people spend an entire year raising money in order to offer nonanswers, so they can memorize what their consultants and focus groups said would work," Gingrich said.

In a speech to the John Locke Foundation, a conservative think tank, the prospective Republican candidate said he will not consider running until he has created a wave of reform.

He plans to spend the next several months preparing for a series of workshops that he will coordinate. They begin Sept. 27, exactly 13 years after he and other GOP leaders released the "Contract With America" that helped their party regain control of the House.

"This idea of demeaning the presidency by reducing it to being a game show contest ... is wrong for America, and I would never participate in it," he said.

Gingrich told reporters there is room for a him in the race.

"There's a tremendous vacuum of leadership willing to stand up and talk to the country in clear ways about what we have to get done to create a generation of opportunity and what we have to do to avoid a generation for bureaucracy and problems," Gingrich said.

You don't have to hold hands, Mr. Gingrich.   You can even do your own shuffle and soft-shoe routines.  But to walk the walk you first have to "stand up" to talk the talk, Mr. former-Speaker.

Paul at Powerline ponders the "curse" of Senator John McCain's quest for the Presidency: 

The most common explanation for this phenomenon is that Senators are called upon to make tough votes that tend to undermine their popularity. Though this probably is an important factor, let me suggest another -- the Senate is a fairly rotten place. For example, it's the kind of place where 14 Senators can hijack the judicial confirmation process. Worse, it's kind of place where a handful of Senators can reach a deal on fundamental issues about the identity of America and then try to force a vote on the resulting 600 page bill with little time for the body as a whole to study or debate it.

This year, John McCain is the lone first-tier Republican presidential candidate jeopardized by the "curse of the Senate." But don't think of McCain as a potential victim of the curse; think of him as the embodiment of the sort of high-handedness and arrogance that lies behind the curse.

Curse of the Senate?  Nah.  He has always reminded me of John Murtha.  A volitile "bull in a china shop."  A hero, nonetheless -- McCain is a victim of his own undoings.

For the sake of what is left of your image, Senator, retire. 

This is the White House on the facts and myths of Immigration Reform:  Ten Issues. 

This is the Immigration Reform Bill (content being continuously updated, we're told) that will be offered for debate on Monday.

UPDATE:  TruthLaidBear has an exceptional reference to the legislation.

Observations and reactions (updated from my previous rant) ....  Forgive my brashness.  I'm eligible to draw my own Social Security benefits in a few months, and I'm a bit jaded about what I'm hearing about this "reform" our Senators will be debating.

Do I want to see 12-20 million illegal immigrants immediately deported?  No.  That's both unrealistic and non-productive.  I want those who want to become legal citizens and/or immigrants to have the option.

Do I respect and want our nation to remain fundamentally "open door" concerning immigration.  Of course.  I just want the cracks and chinks in the windows, walls and foundation closed. 

Do I want the children of illegal immigrants to have access to food stamps, education and medical care?  Of course.  I just want the adult illegal immigrants to carry their fair share in paying for these services. 

1.  I've never been a fan of backroom politics.  Most of us who believe that governance should be open also respect the concept of "Sunshine Laws" -- Especially when Teddy Kennedy is working the backroom.

2.  Those of us who've been around a while remember Teddy Kennedy personally (the low-life drunken sleaze-ball who evaded any responsibility for recklessly driving a helpless woman off a bridge and leaving her to die in a watery grave) and politically (grandfather of the welfare state we're still paying for -- which funneled trillions of tax dollars into entitlement programs in the 60's and 70's). 

This time, with George Bush literally opening the floodgates, Kennedy is preparing to drown America again. 

3.   Social Security benefits (including Disability Income):  There is absolutely NO way an illegal immigrant should be allowed by receive benefits earned via a stolen social security number.  I don't care how much they have allegedly "contributed" to the SS system .... That is theft -- of benefits, of money and personal identity.  

4.  Z visa:  I support an alternate route to legal citizenship for illegal immigrants currently in this country, BUT those who apply (for citizenship, a worker's permit and/or a student visa) must exit the country (within a designated period of time) and re-enter legally under any classification (citizenship, temporary worker, student, etc.) they deem desirable.  And for which they qualify. 

The sooner illegal immigrants apply for Z visas, the sooner their application can be processed.   And those who delay or refuse to sign up will simply go to the back into the line  ....

5.  The Fence:  It must be built before and without any "concurrent" provisions for immigration reform or "amnesty."  (If Americans don't want the job -- hire immigrants under legitimate worker permits.)  Concurrently with construction -- sufficient personnel (administrators, border patrols/electronic monitoring systems, local agencies, etc. -- MUST be employed.

6.  Employment Accountability:  The first administrative action should be to give every American employer a time-frame during which to verify and report all illegal immigrants currently employed -- before any "concurrent" provisions for immigration reform or "amnesty."

Want to boost our military?  Offer illegal immigrants the option of a viable "shortcut" to citizenship by serving (successfully) in the military for 8 years ....

7.  Tax out-of-country money transfers:  Immediately begin taxing all transfers of U.S. funds (wire, electronic, money orders, checks, etc.).  This will at least recoup a portion of the billions of dollars that are earned in the U.S. and "lost" out of the country.  If the federal government does not want the tax -- give it to local governments to support health care and education costs ....

How you gonna monitor the transaction?   Create a "pay to" and "location" section  for all transfers, money orders, etc.  Criminalize the process .... Since "everyone" with a valid visa will now be eligible for a bank account, banks can deduct the tax from the sender's account!  (Or require Bank of America to handle all transfers -- after all, they passed on defaulted illegal immigrant accounts to customers.  Let them pay.)

8.  Social and medical services should require registration as defined in #6.  And yes --- require recipients to become fluent in English.

9.  Driver's license (and insurance), bank/savings accounts (to include those with work permits), real estate ownership (for citizens only) should not be permitted without proof of legal visa status and/or citizenship status, including but not limited to a social security number -- and should be issued only for the duration of the current visa. 

Going to be here on a 2-yr work visa?  Buy a car that can be paid for within two years ..... Want to open a bank account?   Sure, but it will be closed in two years.  Want to send money "home" every month?  Fine.  But the funds will be taxed. 

Here on a student visa and want to drop out of school?  Fine.  Your school will report you to the authorities and your bank account will be closed.  When authorities find you, you will be deported.

10.  Federal and state/local law enforcement officials must be required to verify and confine illegal immigrants who violate criminal laws and (post- prosecution/imprisonment for the crime) process them for deportation.

No -- there is no way that 12-20 million illegal immigrants could or would be deported immediately!   That should not  be the purpose (from my perspective) of reforming immigration laws.  The purpose should be three-fold: to secure our borders and protect all citizenry, to improve the process of incorporating legitimate immigrants into our society, and to ensure  economic accountability from the millions of illegal immigrants who "take without contributing" to our national tax base. 

This is the gist of my opposition to this allegedly bipartisan "amnesty-by-any-other-name-is-still-amnesty" legislation.   Until someone -- anyone -- convinces me that the bill to be presented to the Senate tomorrow is anything else than amnesty --- I will not support it and will do everything in my power to encourage it's defeat.

Pick n' poke .... chomp a smoke --
homespun humor ... drawl a joke. 

If this is the real Fred Thompson : sound bytes with no substance -- I say, "no thanks." 

He appears to be living up to his reputation as a "lazy" politician.  I don't believe the rumor that his delay is related to a TV contract.  Bull butt.  (That's a southern expression, by the way.  It's a polite way to let folks know that it's hard to BS a BS'er.)  

That's all I've seen from Fred Thompson to date --- heavy on quips and innuendo, light on original ideas.   It's as if he's pickin' the best 'o what the others are saying to formulate his own platform for when (more likely IF) he chooses to run. 

Don't delay our disappointment.

He did have the courage to distance himself from his good friend John McCain on immigration .... Wonder what that means? 

We'll see.  Or maybe we won't.