Padiddle*

I've had at least one eye open for the better part of the day -- a grand improvement over the past four. I'm still an irritable, uncomfortable, phlegmy, miserable mess with a barking cough and the attention span of a gnat, but that's what makes the intartubes wonderful -- they're as good taken in small bites as they are in big gulps.
_____

I suspect that even if I was feeling better, this would have given me a major case of the sniffles:

Who: Joe Brottman, 15, of Palatine, founded the Taps Brigade, a group of volunteer high school trumpeters who play taps, the haunting, 24-note bugle call played at military funerals and ceremonies.

What he does: Brottman, a sophomore honor roll student, is an award-winning trumpet player in the marching and jazz bands at Fremd High School in Palatine. He formed the nonprofit brigade after he learned that because there are so few buglers left in the military, a recording of taps is very often played at military funerals instead of being performed live.

"It's more respectful for the veterans and more meaningful for the families to have someone playing taps for them," said Brottman.

Go read the rest your own self. Even Donald Mills would approve.
_____

As far as I'm concerned, this is a novel... and probably valid... argument... but ballsy:

The gay soldiers arrested outside the White House protesting "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will annouce today that they're demanding that President Obama testify in their trial on minor civil disobedience charges.

Their novel argument: Obama himself called on gay rights advocates to pressure him, so they were just following orders.

It's about time the Big Cheese learned to measure twice and cut once with his words.
_____

Three quick laughs... and if it made me actually crack a smile today, I know it'll give you a giggle:

• Expert riposte.
• How much do you want to bet this brain trust is a gold digger in training?
• The song I'm adopting as my personal anthem, given my own Facebook experience (NSFW):

_____

Quote of the Day:

"Can you imagine, Obama as President under Acidblogging? Heh." -- Jay Solo (from my comments)

Yes I can, actually. He'd have formed his own legion of pissed off folks, but I suspect he'd have preferred to call it a Whiskey Rebellion... or a Sweet Tea Party.
_____

Headline News:

'Tessellation' starts Thursday at Subway, avoiding gaps and overlaps

Elisson, my cheese-loving friend? I expect at least a 100 word story!
_____

That's it. I'm pooped.
_____

*What? You don't know what a padiddle is?