The country's best-known silver thief, the rascally Blane Nordahl, was arrested again on Monday. You know, they say he once lifted $50,000 worth of salt and pepper shakers from Ivana Trump. How didn't I know about this guy? How didn't we all know?

Don't be fooled by the lighthearted heroics in today's first tidbit. Syria is still an issue, and we're ready to attack whenever the President gives the high sign, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said this morning.

Here's an account of the likely chemical attack that's got us thumbing the button.

Joke if you like about the Rim Fire's hilarious name, but this thing won't let up. San Francisco's already paid more than half a million dollars for electricity because of the blaze, and it's threatening drinking water and stately redwood groves.

This year's conflagrations have already inspired a good deal of criticism of federal policy. The Los Angeles Times points out the US Forest Service's firefighting budget fell prey to the ongoing headache of sequestration. And US Sen. Ron Wyden said yesterday the federal government's not doing enough to prevent fires.

Speaking of sequestration, we've reached that point again in Washington where the government needs to be able to borrow more money to avoid economic cataclysm, but everyone's just going to argue and rattle their limp rhetorical sabers while we move closer and closer to assured societal catastrophe but then at the last minute we'll reach a completely inadequate compromise designed to keep us solvent for a few more months. I love that point!

And, hey! Speaking of depressing perpetual masquerades, get ready for a new iPhone announcement next month.

Badger cull! The Brits are slaughtering their badgers by the thousands, an attempt to stave off tuberculosis in cattle. Someone needs to get Brian Jacques' opinion on this, ASAP

.... Wait. Brian Jacques died?!

A missing Arizona teen was found dead in rural Oregon yesterday. Specious Into the Wild connections are being thrown about.

Winter is coming.

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WRONG! Your ears you keep, and I'll tell you why.