. . . should be an annual awards dinner.

Said Chris Plante the other day. Hear him on Chi WLS 890 a.m. 9 a.m. CDT to 11 (when Rush takes over).

Blogger Dad 29 heard him in July, Me? Just the other day. It’s sort of thing he tosses in during rapid-fire commentary. Quite good.

. . . and to you if you show them some love:

Funny, funny people . . .

Out of the Orient a star has risen.

U.S.???The NBA has found itself at odds with its lucrative Chinese market, and the league is doing its best to appease the Chinese government. In a move intended to patch things up with China, the NBA announced that President Xi Jinping has made the All-Star team this year.

The president will tower under the competition at an intimidating 5’11”. Especially threatening to the opposing team will be the president’s ability to imprison or execute any player who dunks on him. He is also expected to execute players on his own team who speak out against him or suggest he’s unfit for the basketball team. . . .

Stunning development.

more more more here.

Like teachers, abandoning their charges?

Have hostages (THE CHILDREN), will negotiate.

He said he doesn’t buy Jesus’ divinity, for instance, the latest headline-grabber:

After each such story, the Vatican has issued clarifications and disclaimers, telling the world that Scalfari’s interviews cannot be considered accurate. That line of defense is no longer plausible.

If Scalfari is not reliable, why is he granted interviews? More important, if Scalfari’s stories “cannot be considered as a faithful account,” why can’t the Vatican furnish something that could be considered a faithful account? What did the Pope say? [boldface added]

In this latest case, why couldn’t the Vatican announce, in clear contradiction of Scalfari’s claim, that of course the Holy Father holds and teaches what the Church has always held and taught? The stakes are far too high to accept another bout of uncertainty; the confusion is far too widely spread. The faithful need unequivocal assurance that the Bishop of Rome accepts the Nicene Creed.

I have a theory: Francis is a sort of Peck’s Bad Boy of the church. He gets a kick out of causing a fuss.

Besides, he plays to the gallery of priests and bishops the world over, including Jesuits, who just don’t believe in that stuff and instead are vaguely, somehow, leaning on their good deeds — protesting global warming, etc. — to get them in acceptable condition into whatever after-life there is.

Equal parts of both, I suppose.