Courtesy of the L.A. Times. Who else?

In assessing the legacy of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, most eulogies have begun by celebrating his legislative achievements, which have touched virtually every American. He is routinely — and rightly — placed among the greatest senators who ever lived. Others have pointed to his less tangible contributions to the nation — that as his brothers’ heir, he kept the Kennedys’ progressive flame lit and continued to carry the torch for the least powerful among us.

. . . .

What we loved and admired in him, what we hope for ourselves and our country, is his sense of moral largeness, his unbounded capacity to care, not because he was a saint but because he wasn’t. By challenging us as he challenged himself, and reminding us where we fall short, Kennedy shames us, a gift that, one suspects, will linger in the national soul.

Oh yeah he said that. A guy who got liquored up, drunkenly drove a car off a bridge, left his female companion to die, and told authorities about all this . . . oh, about ten fucking hours later — you know, once his blood alcohol level was safely back around zero — what a morally large fellow he was!

Excuse me while I puke.

P.S. You do know that Harry Reid said today of Ted Kennedy’s death: “it’s going to help us” on ObamaCare.

You do know that, don’t you?

Hell, I already have a Photo of the Day and Image of the Day. But you have to admit this is pretty cool. It’s the Station Fire from space — with numerous other prominent Southern California landmarks, like the Channel Islands and the Salton Sea:

BONUS: Amazing photos of the Station Fire here.

A picture is worth a whole buncha words:

Rasmussen’s poll also says that 52% of Americans — that’s a majority! — disapprove of The One’s job performance, and 57% would throw out the entire Congress if given a chance.

A savvy friend thinks 2010 will be a repeat of 1994. It’s obviously too early to say that, but these numbers can’t be encouraging for the Administration.

Damn oligarhs:

UPDATE: He meant to do that!

Nice find by Jose Guardia in a Spanish-language article. Jose translates the critical passage for us:

Shortly after the Iraq war started I saw Senator Kennedy in a public session of the U.S. Supreme Court. As we were taking our seats he briefly took my arm and told me he greatly appreciated the attitude of the Spanish government regarding the decision taken by the White House because, he said, “although you know my position ” — he was one of the few senators to oppose the authorization for the war — “I appreciate the solidarity with my country in times like this.” “I would appreciate if you relay this to President Aznar,” he added.

Jose says:

Let me see if I get this straight: if it’s good to show solidarity with the US “in times like this”, why did this only apply to foreigners? Why didn’t he start with himself? I understand the “politics ends at the water edge” principle, but it’s one thing not to criticize, and another to send a clear, precise message like this.

I read the article as saying that Kennedy thought that, once we were in the war, we needed to stay in and win. And so, with that in mind, let us pray:

For the successful conclusion of the Iraq war, as Ted Kennedy, the Lion of the Senate, would have wished, we beseech thee: Lord, hear our prayer.

Amen.

Eastern China:

Six farmers were killed in eastern China Sunday when the hut they were sheltering in during a storm was struck by lightning, state media reported.

Another farmer in the hut was injured and taken to hospital, the Xinhua news agency quoted local officials in Anhui province as saying.

Six from one lightning strike. And they were indoors. Just when you think you have taken enough precautions, you learn you haven’t. Time to be even more careful.

Because, you know, we’re looking at an accumulating pile of bodies here.

This post is part of an ongoing series. Explanation here.

Superman and ObamaCare.

View from the backyard, from Friday night:

From L.A. Observed comes this excellent time-lapse video of the Station Fire:

Ken from Popehat took this picture before evacuating:

And I took this picture the other night of our Rancho Palos Verdes fire: