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In case anyone's been wondering why Netanyahu's been so quiet since his Likud party won the March elections and he continued as Prime Minister, it's because he's been working his ass off trying to build a governing coalition, and he's got just a few more hours left to do it. Actually, he was supposed to have it done a couple of weeks ago, but he got an extension from President Rivlin until midnight tonight. He'll probably get it done but, on Monday, Avigdor Lieberman pulled his six Yisrael Beiteinu seats out of the coalition, meaning that Netanyahu will have only sixty-one seats in his coalition, a one-seat majority. Even worse, his coalition will consist of Israel's most right wing parties, including the Jewish Home party, which wants new settlements in occupied Palestinian territories and even annexation of parts of the West Bank, as well as passage of a bill that would declare Israel a Jewish state. Of course, all of this will increase tensions with President Obama and other western leaders, and probably earn Bibi another Republican invite to address Congress. For some years, I've been reading Sheldon Adelson's Israel Hayom, Israel's largest-circulation newspaper (at least since Adelson started giving it away for free), and have often been surprised by the vitriol heaped on President Obama whenever he failed to carry Israel's water. What's even more surprising is that the same vitriol, from the same writers, has been lately heaped on any Israeli politician who similarly opposes the right wing agenda. I guess vitriol is just something that flows through the Israeli right like shit through a goose.

I understand that poor people tend to pollute less than rich people and, so far as I know, His Holiness is not calling for an increase in the number of Koch brothers.

This guy never disappoints. Even when he's talking about industry consolidation, he somehow manages to make it sound fresh.

Of course, it's always nice when someone likes his job so much that he can't think of anything to gripe about. Most folks I've met, though, usually have one or two suggestions for things they'd like to see improved.

Sure, for two hundred bucks I'll put a hot dog in it!

Funny stuff! Thanks. Was curious how it came to be and here's some background. Apparently, the process begins with the President's own speechwriters, in particular a chap from your alma mater named David Litt. President Barack Obama meets with Cody Keenan, right, Director of Speechwriting, and Presidential Speechwriter David Litt in the Oval Office, April 30, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Very nice summary, Suckrates. I missed the interview but now feel I haven't. Thanks.

Try this. If that doesn't work, try this. Or this. Or maybe this.

Once again, I think you've given me credit where none is due. I liked the lines when I read them, and knew nothing about the man who wrote them. Now, freshly informed, I'll stick with him as a parfait example of your many fine qualities. Walpole apparently intended the 'inspired idiot' soubriquet to reflect Goldsmith's exemplary literary work as well as his dissolute lifestyle. I expect your Tales from The Web alone would turn him green with envy. And any residual umbrage you've taken I hope will be returned in a plain brown wrapper as Samuel Johnson wrote Goldsmith's epitaph and called him a man "who left scarcely any style of writing untouched, and touched nothing that he did not adorn. Of all the passions, whether smiles were to move or tears, a powerful yet gentle master. In genius, vivid, versatile, sublime. In style, clear, elevated, elegant." If Oliver Goldsmith were posting here today, I bet I'd have to keep checking avatars to tell you two apart.

And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew That one small head could carry all he knew.

I can take you one at a time, boys!

Sadly, my last foray into Amsterdam's nightlife was back in the days of the now defunct Blue Boy/Why Not? clubs. If you don't get any better tips, here's a list of bars in the gay area. I'd suggest popping in for a pop and asking one of the locals. I've always found the Dutch to be friendly, multilingual, and helpful. Best of luck!

Perhaps a bit more worried than the rest of the world. Yesterday's Gallup poll, Rating World Leaders, gives the nod to the good ol' US of A, as it has for most years of Obama's presidency, with both Clinton and Kerry as Secretaries of State. You'll have to go back to the last year of Bush's presidency to find us scraping bottom in the eyes of the rest of the world. Perhaps you have better info that will show how poorly we're doing but, until you're willing to share it, I'll stick with my own modest optimism.

This one maybe? KiWi WeeWee© (the wonder down under) an OZ release

Make mine a double.

Well, they're not the only ones. I'll match my snooping paranoia with the best of 'em, but even I don't believe you need to be James Clapper to read somebody's tweets. In fact, he may be one of the few people in the world who know how to escape them. And, once you've read one, what do you do about it? It will probably take our twitchy ol' world some time to figure it all out.

Perhaps you could use it as a headrest.

I think the semtex would move it from the gyro category to the arms category, and then his Second Amendment rights would kick in.

Honestly! I wish she and Bush would each just get a note from their respective PAC's saying that they're the nominees and spare us all the next year of aggravation. Of course, the news media would have to find some other way to fill the bandwidth for the next fifteen months. Perhaps something like - oh, what the hell - news.

Well, as sick old dog myself, I find it goes best with a new trick and a nice big bone.

I hate when somebody does that! 'Kiss my ass' can be so vague.

A bad case of fissures plagued Bill So he figured he'd charge for the thrill Folks would travel for miles Just to look at his piles And he watched as the cash filled the till

Saw The Blue Angel on TV a few months ago and was surprised to learn that they shot the German and English versions concurrently. I think it was also Germany's first major sound film. I guess while they had everything in place, it didn't take that much longer to reshoot the scene in English. As long as they kept track of which version they were doing. I'm ready for mein Großaufnahme, Herr Sternberg

Betty's Boundless Buffet®, I'll bet.

Sadly, no, but here's a Photoshop while we're waiting.