The miners: The story of

The miners
: The story of the miraculous Pennsylvania miners is, of course, precisely what America needed now: good news, a happy ending.

I listened to one of them, Blaine Mayhough, talk tonight about how he asked his boss for a pen to write a farewell to his wife and children in case he did not make it. He thought about leaving them alone.

I thought about the same things in a few dark moments on September 11 but I am grateful I did not have to live with those thoughts for three long, dark, cold days.

Too many lived with those thoughts in the towers but they did not return to their families.

The people on the jet that crashed not very far at all from this mine on September 11 lived with those thoughts but saved other lives instead of their own.

These men came home. Their fears were erased. God bless the miners and their happy ending.

Nonnews
: The Pope is such nonnews. He says only the obvious. He is never questioned. No other religious leader gets this kind of coverage. No other major news figure gets by without ever being questioned. And now, especially, there are lots of questions for the guy. This is kneejerk coverage. It is dutiful without judgment. It is unwarranted.

Uncool
: When I was young, Nehru jackets were cool (OK, I’m dating myself big time). My parents wouldn’t let me get one. Finally, Johnny Carson wore won. Then my parents decided I could have one. But, of course, they didn’t get it: Now I didn’t want one. The cool was now common. The cool was uncool.

So, bloggers, are you ready to become common? Self-confessed old fart William Saffire discovers the word blog today. We’ve all been saying we want to join the mainstream, the big time. But are you truly ready? For the mainstream is by definition, no longer cool. And bloggers love being cool.

If they can’t carry a balance, can they carry a tune?
: Thanks to Boing Boing, here are the top 20 corporate anthems.

From Price Waterhouse Coopers:

United we are moving

In unity we stand

Price Waterhouse Coopers

Sounding like a band

We don’t sell no dogma

What we got is skill

Price Waterhouse Coopers

For each and every client will.

Maybe they should all try making money and doing their jobs instead of singing, eh

I used to have a corporate anthem when I was kitchen manager at Ponderosa Steak House:

If you like your steak,

Give your appetite a break.

Get your steak at the

Ponderosa Steak House!