From the Big Tent mailbox (Cali edition):

Steve, cheer up, the new Modest Mouse album (Good News For People Who Love Bad News) is due April 6 (the same day I'll be seeing them at the Fillmore in S.F.). Here's a sample and it's really frickin' good.

Totally agree with your headline about the Spanish elections. What worse reaction could you have than to impetuously throw out the government that agreed to help the U.S. put an end to the very terrorist attacks that have your entire country quaking with fear. I'm sure the media is going to spin this to reflect poorly on Bush (Bush's browbeating causes death in Spain) when it actually should show how good a job he's done in securing our safety. If we had behaved the way Spain is (and which I'm afraid voters might, come November) after 9/11 we'd be knee deep in suicide bombers instead of tightening the noose on bin Laden.