The first thing that came to mind after hearing that White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. had resigned (see, among other items, "Andrew Card Resigns as White House Chief of Staff," by Peter Baker and Debbi Wilgoren of the Washington Post) was -- and let's all cringe together -- "That's an inside the beltway story."

And really, fundamentally, it is just that.

What has changed, other than the name on the doorplate? What will change? I'm having trouble seeing what that might be. This is no "shake-up." This is public -- actually, media -- relations of the lowest order.

Anyone paying attention can see that the bigger story today can be found here: "Fed Boosts Interest Rate to 4.75 Percent," by Nell Henderson.

We just can't have that jobless recovery getting out of control, can we?

[Post-publication addendum (March 29): The editors of the New York Times, addressing Card's departure, put it nicely today in "Not Quite What We Had in Mind": "If this is what passes for a shake-up in this administration, the next two and a half years are going to be grim indeed. This is a meaningless change, and it simply sends the message that Mr. Bush lacks the gumption to trade in anyone in the comforting, friendly cast of characters who have kept him cocooned since his first inauguration."]

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From Paul Berman, in his Sunday Book Review essay considering Francis Fukuyama's America at the Crossroads, "Neo No More":

Nowadays, if you are any kind of political thinker at all, and you haven't issued a sweeping denunciation of your dearest friends, or haven't been hanged by them from a lamppost -- why, the spirit of the age has somehow passed you by.

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It's bad enough I don't have the time lately to post as much as I used to. What's worse is when Blogger chews up items in the process of posting and eats a item or two that already has been published. Grrr.

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Well, yes, there was the time I was mugged here, more than two years ago now, but despite that and to be honest, I rarely think about violent crime as I go about the ever-improving streets and such of Philadelphia.

And so it was disturbing to hear of a horrific incident last evening at an "El" station, on the Market-Frankford Line, just one drop south of my home stop.

The Philadelphia Inquirer today reports:

A 25-year-old man was stabbed twice in the ribs on the El last night at the Girard Street stop, according to police. Police said the man, whose name was not released, was attacked about 7 p.m. by several men. The victim was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Witnesses said the attackers ran from the station.

No sense staying around.

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I can't help but wonder whether Red America is a reference to certain states' voting habits or instead to a national blogging embarrassment.

Ben Domenech signed off his latest post, stamped 2:10 p.m. on March 23, with the words, "Now, back to your regular dose of Red America."

If ever.

My bet is someone -- a certain someone who stumbled, and I mean that, into one of the best blogging gigs in the country -- has been spending the day enduring quite an unpleasant series of conference calls.

[Post-publication addendum: Well, that was quick and that was that: From new media star to plain old-fashioned nobody in under 72 hours. The Washington Post reports Domenech has resigned, according to a statement by Executive Editor Jim Brady: "In the past 24 hours, we learned of allegations that Ben Domenech plagiarized material that appeared under his byline in various publications prior to washingtonpost.com contracting with him to write a blog that launched Tuesday. An investigation into these allegations was ongoing, and in the interim, Domenech has resigned, effective immediately. . . . We appreciate the speed and thoroughness with which our readers and media outlets surfaced these allegations. Despite the turn this has taken, we believe this event, among other things, testifies to the positive and powerful role that the Internet can play in the the practice of journalism."]

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The blogging's been light here lately, and I apologize for that. The least I can do is share some items of interest that caught my attention during the past week.

"Don't Democratize My Olympics," by my friend Diana Moon of Letter From Gotham in the March 27 issue of the American Conservative.

"Pure Face Emerging from Scars of War," by Carolyn Davis in the Sunday, March 19, edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer: an update on Jennifer Anyayo, the Ugandan girl brought to the area for intensive surgery to repair injuries sustained in that country's civil war.

"Attack of the Pandas," by Mark Magnier in the Los Angeles Times of March 21.

"Russ Never Sleeps," by Chris Lehmann, a story about Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) in the March 27 issue of the New York Observer.

"Lewis Lapham Lights Up," by Peter Carlson, the Washington Post, March 21, on the inestimable departing editor of Harper's.

"Clear and Present Dangers," by Columbia University history professor Alan Brinkley, a review of American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century, by Kevin Phillips.

"Accused Breeder Says His Dogs Were His Family," March 20, by Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Bonnie L. Cook, who talks to the area breeder accused of neglecting hundreds of dogs and other animals.

"The Ground Zero Grassy Knoll," by Marc Jacobson, in New York, March 27.

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"Accounting just doesn't get that creative." -- Sherron Watkins, former vice president at the now-defunct Enron Corp., during yesterday's testimony in the Houston trial of Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling.

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Chuck Pennachio, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Rick Santorum (R), is scheduled to appear today on "Radio Times," on Philadelphia's WHYY radio (90.9 FM), with host Marty Moss-Coane, beginning at 10:00 a.m., with a rebroadcast at 11:00 p.m.

Note that some portions of "Radio Times" are broadcast on other public radio stations around the country. For that, check local listings.

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Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) wrote a letter to the editor, published in today's Philadelphia Inquirer:

I strongly disagree with the comments of Jennifer Stockman, on behalf of the Republican Majority for Choice, criticizing U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum ("S. Dakota Abortion Law is an Assault," March 8). [Hyperlinks and name-bolding added.]

While Sen. Santorum and I disagree on issues, I believe that he has done an excellent job for Pennsylvania and ought to be reelected. Without his support, I would not have won the 2004 Republican primary. Sen. Santorum's reelection is my top priority in 2006.

The organization which identifies itself as the Republican Majority for Choice ought not to be actively seeking to defeat Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter

Emphasis added.

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It's sad to see a once proud journal like Foreign Policy reduced to trafficking in utter stupidity, but there it is, in the latest issue, the March-April number, in "The Geopolitics of Sexual Frustration," by Martin Walker.

Walker, an editor at the once great United Press International, spins out quite a few bizarre theories and fantasies, of which perhaps this excerpt represents the most patently ridiculous:

Some Chinese experts speculate, off the record, that there might be a connection between the shortage of women and the spread of open gay life since 2001, when homosexuality was deleted from the official Classification of Mental Disorders. It is possible to dream up all kinds of scenarios: Mumbai and Shanghai may soon rival San Francisco as gay capitals.

It is possible, of course, for anyone to dream up -- and speculate about, while sharing a drink with a sympethetic and tinny Western ear -- any kind of scenario whatsoever, even, apparently, one in which an imbalance in birth rates by gender gives rise a generation or longer thereafter to allegedly pervasive and geographically dislocated homosexuality.

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How about that?

My alma mater, the University at Albany, made it to the men's NCAA basketball championships for the first time ever, and in a game to be played right here in Philadelphia!

Unfortunately, the Great Danes will face the University of Connecticut in the first round, so odds are that's as far as it all goes. And about as long as I would have paid attention.

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Good for Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.)!

The New York Times reports today, in "Feingold Calls for Censuring Bush Over Spy Program," by John Files: "Mr. Feingold, who spoke on the ABC News program 'This Week,' said he planned to introduce legislation on Monday that would censure President Bush and condemn his authorization of the eavesdropping program."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (Tenn.) responded by calling Sen. Feingold's proposal "a crazy political move."

Well, if anyone knows from crazy, it's Senator Frist.

[Post-publication addendum: See also, "Feingold Wants Bush Censured Over Spying," by Douglass K. Daniel of the Associated Press, at the Washington Post web site.]

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I'm not sure I have explicit permission to relay this story, but it's just too good to pass up.

One of my nephews, a kindergartner, recently was enjoying some vanilla yogurt, and during his repast he said to his mother, "We should send some of this to Mildred. She likes it, right? Is she a Capozzola? She hasn't gotten married yet. Some dogs do and some dogs don't."

Oh, yes, Mildred likes vanilla yogurt, and yes, she is a Capozzola, and no, she's not married yet.

At nearly nine years old and still unmarried, I guess that makes her your spinster aunt, you wonderful little boy.

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I don't know if the proverbial duck is quacking yet, but there's a big hen warming up backstage, that upon hearing the news Dubai Ports World is backing out of the deal to assume management operations at six American ports, and that after, according to the Washington Post, "Republican leaders from the House and Senate met with President Bush to tell him Congress appeared ready to block the deal."

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My fellow Philadelphian bloggers, those over at She Flies With Her Own Wings, have captured on film, or whatever the kids are calling it these days, a clever blog-related graffito, one that I suspect occurred locally and hope will be displayed for posterity, published under the heading, "You're not even Tbogg."

And for that graffito I must commend the writer for having grasped the basics of apostrophizing, since TBogg, skilled a writer as he is, sometimes has difficulty with same, and as for Atrios, well, he's far beyond having to worry about such niceties.

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Dana Reeve, Pound Ridge, N.Y.: actress, singer, editor, advocate for the disabled, political activist, foundation executive, mother, wife, widow, 1961-2005.

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Impeachment talk: It's not just for cranks anymore.

See: "Impeachment Proves Risky Political Issue," by Jeanne Cummings in today's Wall Street Journal (free link).

And "The Case for Impeachment," by Lewis Lapham in the March issue of Harper's, selections from which are available on the web site.

And in case you missed it earlier, "The Impeachment of George W. Bush," by Elizabeth Holtzman in the January 30 issue of The Nation.

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I thought my bulldog Mildred was spoiled until my friend L.S. told me about her pet chinchillas, and specifically about one I'll just call P., a lovely, I'm sure, rodent who occasionally gets to eat bits of Dunkin' Donuts doughnuts.

"She only has three legs," L. emphasized. "And she's so sweet. I'll give her anything!"

Forget about it, Mildred. Your annual birthday ice cream cone, just three months away, is as close as you'll get to a Boston Cream or anything similar.

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