There, your conscience is salved.... ;-)

-5.75,-4.05
"God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time." -- Robin Williams

There, I said something nice too.

Despite what you may have heard.

That he was damn ugly-looking. I'll keep the really negative considerations for tomorrow.

Here's one for the count:

His excuse that he really didn't see the guy that he plowed down in a hit run looks posthumously much more plausible. His brain tumor must have been well advanced at the time.

See - said something nice too.

In June of 1988 I, along with other broadcasting/ journalism students, was hired as a runner/driver for CNN during the 1988 G-7 Summit in Toronto. Many of us were recent graduates already working, who took vacation or unpaid leave for an opportunity to volunteer in the broadcase centre and watch coverage of nearly a week's worth of news cycle, up close.

My first assignment was to take one of the pool vehicles to Pearson airport and pick up a Mr. Robert Novak, deliver him to his hotel and provide his accreditation for entry to the Summit later that day. Having only a vague sense of who he was, I dutifully held up the 'CNN' sign in the arrivals area and waited for someone to claim their ride. When a sturdy 50-something gentleman in a three-piece suit approached and introduced himself with a smile and a handshake, I did recognize his face and voice.

During the drive to downtown Mr. Novak was very kind, inquiring about our student group's training and aspirations. On his breaks he spent some time with us and asked our thoughts about government and world politics. He was a journalist right up until quitting time at 11:00, and the days started early.

There might be Canadian tv footage somewhere, of Mr. Novak in the audience of the Blue Rodeo concert that was put on for the attending media and staff on the next-to- or final evening. He certainly was not a stuffed shirt; rather, a friendly and congenial sort.

Regardless of the negative connotations in his later career, I will remember him as a kind and thoughtful professional toward students who were willing to learn. It was fascinating to watch him work, think, and prepare.

“The absence of any US-Iran bilateral channel...may have the perverse effect of reinforcing Iranian interest in progressing in the nuclear realm so that the US will be forced to take it seriously and engage it directly." ~ Richard Haass

Take Hitler, for example. A lot of people get so hung up over the amount of blood on his hands that they forget to balance it with the way he could be such a great guy in the little things.

Hitler was the perfect boss: Former maid breaks her silence on the 'charming' dictator

By ALLAN HALL
Last updated at 9:32 AM on 04th December 2008

... 91-year-old Rosa Mitterer is the sole survivor of those who served Adolf Hitler in the years before the Second World War. And her verdict on her former master: 'He was a charming man, someone who was only ever nice to me, a great boss to work for. You can say what you like, but he was a good man to us.'... 'I remember so clearly the first day I spoke to him in the kitchen. I said I was Anni's sister and that made him smile, because Anni was his favourite. I only ever knew Hitler as a kindly man who was good to me.'...

... In 1935 she fell in love with local businessman Josef Amorts and handed in her notice. She was told she could leave immediately. 'I only met Hitler once more, on December 10, 1936, when Anni married Herbert Doehring, manager of the Berghof. He came to the wedding and was nice to me, saying he missed me.'

... 'That he had ordered such terrible things, I just couldn't believe it,' she said. 'Even now, I prefer to remember the charming facets of his personality.'...

Daily Mail, December 2, '08

and yeah, Novak sucked

BBC

North Korea has sent condolences for the death of the former South Korean president, Kim Dae-jung, the North's official news agency has said.

Pyongyang also said it would like to send a delegation to pay respects at Mr Kim's funeral in Seoul.

Relations between the countries have been poor since President Lee Myung-bak took office in the South last year.

But the North has said it wants to ease border restrictions and re-open a joint industrial park near the border.

North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, carried the brief message from the North's leader, Kim Jong-il.

"I express my deep condolences to Mrs Ri Hui Ho and other bereaved family members," he said.

"Though he passed away to our regret, the feats he performed to achieve national reconciliation and realize the desire for reunification will remain long with the nation."

A long-time aide to the former president also said Kim Jong-il had sent condolences and had announced he wanted to send envoys to the funeral.

"The delegation will carry a wreath sent by Chairman Kim Jong-Il," the aide, Park Jie-won, told reporters.

more

...who probably should have gone to jail over the Plame outing.

www.iauthorbooks.com
http://iauthorbooks.blogspot.com/

I'll quote it in its entirety:

Robert Novak seemed like an extremely happy person, with love and compassion exuding from his person.

Additional remembrances follow in the comments.