Not a whole lot to say about Teddy. We all knew it was coming, but it’s still sad. It’d be nice if this triggered the passage of a universal health care bill, the way JFK’s assassination led the way for the Civil Rights Act. But I don’t hold out much hope for that. Funny, back in ’64, LBJ managed to shove that legislation through Congress (after 54 days of filibuster – six days a week – and you needed 67 votes back then; the last Senator to speak against the Act before the Democratic Whip at the time – Hubert Humphrey – decided he had enough votes to end debate was WV’s Robert Byrd, who had spoken for over 14 hours), despite the nation being truly polarized over segregation and equal rights for black folks. Today, the vast majority of the population want at least the choice of a public health care plan, and the Democrats have flopped and foundered under feckless leadership. Not a fit legacy for a lion. I only hope I can manage to avoid reading the venomous hatred that’s sure to spew from all the usual wingnut sources over the next week or so.

In brighter news, Floyd Little is a finalist for the NFL Hall of Fame. I know what you’re thinking: why the hell wasn’t he inducted 25 years ago? Either that, or you’re thinking, “Floyd who?” But Little (whose #44 was retired by both the Broncos and the college team he played for – whose name escapes me at the moment) played for Denver when they were pretty shitty, so he was mostly overlooked. Now, it looks like he’s a shoe in, with his induction being voted on by a 44-member Board of Selectors on the day before Super Bowl 44. So, good luck Floyd.

Oh well, off to work.