Everyone Gets to Be Offended (even if we're only offended that people take offense at the things that strike us as innocuous)

"I'm [angry, outraged, offended] so you have to take my idea seriously."
"No. Your idea needs to be serious to be taken seriously."

Right now, there are folks getting upset because Joe Biden is too physical. I find this Biden (and before it the Al Franken) thing so frustrating. if you can't tell the difference between rape, molestation, sexual harassment, misogyny, a fumbling sexual advance, a dumb joke, and someone who is demonstrative ... or worse, if you can tell the difference but think they should all be treated the same, you should just leave society. Seriously. Because this world is not pure enough for you and never will be. 

That said, I suspect this is one of those instances in which we're the victim of algorithms. The algorithms that maximize attention and response drive these sort of stupid issues up to the top of the list because they do offend everyone: from the purists who think that Joe being demonstrative is offensive to the rest of us who think that taking offense at that is offensive. Everyone is offended and the "how do I maximize hits?" algorithm wins. Even blog authors write a post about it.

Stuart Smiley in Purgatory

Al Franken hasn't won until the loser cries uncle. Given the Democrats have taken a stand against waterboarding, it's not obvious that there is any effective way to get Norm Coleman to give up his fight for the Minnesota Senate seat.

There is, however, a tactic that Al Franken might use that just might work. He could show up each day at Norm Coleman's house and, like a suburban missionary, stand on Norm's stoop and mock him anew with daily affirmations.

"Norm," he could say, "you are almost good enough. You are almost smart enough. And doggone it, nearly as many people voted for you as they did for me."

Stuart Smiley in the Senate?

It looks as though Al Franken might win the final recount in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden, in his typically candid style, tells George Stephanopoulos that the U.S. economy is danger of absolutely tanking in 2009.

If Biden is right, I don't suppose it would hurt to have regular reassurances that we Americans are smart enough, good enough and doggone it, people like us. I feel comforted just thinking about it.