Is this for real?

From Rep. Dingell's ( D - Michigan 15) floor speech

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the House
No bills were passed ‘bout which Fox News could grouse;
Tax cuts for the wealthy were passed with great cheer,
So vacations in St. Barts soon would be near;
Katrina kids were nestled all snug in motel beds,
While visions of school and home danced in their heads;
In Iraq our soldiers needed supplies and a plan,
Plus nuclear weapons were being built in Iran;
Gas prices shot up, consumer confidence fell;
Americans feared we were on a fast track to…well…
Wait--- we need a distraction--- something divisive and wily;
A fabrication straight from the mouth of O’Reilly
We can pretend that Christmas is under attack
Hold a vote to save it--- then pat ourselves on the back;
Silent Night, First Noel, Away in the Manger
Wake up Congress, they’re in no danger!
This time of year we see Christmas every where we go,
From churches, to homes, to schools, and yes…even Costco;
What we have is an attempt to divide and destroy,
When this is the season to unite us with joy
At Christmas time we’re taught to unite,
We don’t need a made-up reason to fight
So on O’Reilly, on Hannity, on Coulter, and those right wing blogs;
You should just sit back, relax…have a few egg nogs!
‘Tis the holiday season: enjoy it a pinch
With all our real problems, do we honestly need another Grinch?
So to my friends and my colleagues I say with delight,
A merry Christmas to all,
and to Bill O’Reilly…Happy Holidays

Ten days and counting . . .

So I have ten days of employment left. Ten days to figure out what to do with the rest of my life. I am seriously considering moving to Chicago in March with some friends. I just can't figure out what my next step should be, so naturally I am avoiding thinking about it. Right now my future plans consist of driving home on December 24th and spending a few days at home being a slug. Then on the 27th the entire clan is driving to Abingdon to move all my stuff. So five and a half hours in the car with the entire family. Then two hours of moving and five and half more hours driving back. You know that scene in Star Trek II where Kirk screams "Khaaaaaaaaaan" and you can hear it in orbit? That will be me. Riding south on I-81 in my parents' truck. Screaming. Unless I can find that Vicodin I stole, then I can just be blissfully unconscious. This, of course, all hinges on whether I get everything packed before then. Which, frankly, is not realistic at all. I have maybe 7 boxes packed and probably 30 to go. It's going to be a great 10 days.