Traffic is beastly, the cars are bumper to bumper and even the mercedes charcoal filter that freshens and filters outside air is not keeping out all the carbon monoxide filling the air around us.

I let Ann drive. She may not have had weeks of combat driving training, but she's lived in New York long enough to have a rough equivalent. I sit with my laptop and peruse the latest news on Google News. Not much happening. I note the media quickly buried Janet Napolitano's signing a very powerful anti-illegal immigrant bill.

"One day wonder"

"What's that?" Ann asks as she darts behind a Prius, cutting off a slow moving Lexus.

"Oh, the duration of the Arizona immigration bill story. A one day wonder. From 973 stories yesterday to 210 the next day. Its beeing shifted out of the news loop ASAP."

"Liberals don't even have the courage to report on one of their own. You think Janet is prepping for a Presidential run in 2012?"

"I doubt it. She's not polished enough for that tier. She might be gunning for an administration position though."

I check out the Habitable Zone. My eye sees a long thread about Libby
's pardon. I peruse a few of the posts. Then I travel to Flame.

"Not the Habitable Zone again...you promised me you weren't going to surf that leftist site anymore."

"Just watch the road. There's still some entertainment value to the site. Listen to this: 'Keith Olbermann is one of the good guys. More power to him'

Ann starts laughing.

"Oh, but it gets even better! 'Ann Coulter is the daughter of Satan and a demon from the seventh circle of Hell in human form' "

"Is that the worst they've got? What a bunch of wimps! Daughter of Satan? C'mon I'm SATAN personified, don't sell me short."

"It's Robert. He's got a thing about conservative female journalists the last time I saw him so riled up was when he was calling Michelle Malkin a retarded looking monkey. Hyperbole is his friend."

"Ha! Either Michelle or I could kick his liberal posterior to kingdom come and back."

"Yeah, I know that, but he'll just call you more names if you do."

"Anything intelligent? Any sign that even two neurons are firing up?"

"Well, Tom noted you were probably 'marginally' smarter than Olbermann."

"Woah! What a vote of confidence. Olbermann's make-up artist is smarter than Olbermann. Is that the best 'pearl of brilliance' you can find?"

"Well...um..there is a discussion of a Heinlein centennial on the space board."

Ann spots an opening and floors it. The Mercedes leaps forward like a dog breaking its leash.

"Why do they all have wetdreams about that cradle-robber Olbermann?"

"You got to remember these same folks like Gore and Michael Moore. What's to figure out? Everyone in the world has taste buds, but so few actually have taste."

"I guess being a leftist means never growing up. Always whining and rebelling like a little girl whose daddy spoiled her party plans. Always pointing the finger at evil father figures"

"Does that make you a father figure?"

Ann laughs and she grabs my left hand off my laptop and places it strategically on her torso.

"Does that feel like the stuff a father figure is made out of?"

My hand lingers a bit...

"Hmmm. I don't know. I may have to make further detailed analysis."

Ann giggles. Most folks don't know that Ann giggles, but she does. We stop at a light. Some kids in a beat up old wagon are making faces at us from the 3rd rear facing seat.

"Ann, you realize you are a magnet for hate, don't you? Even kids are sticking out their tongue at you."

"You're not going to go into the mirror principle again are you? I know, I dish out the soundbite and I get it back seven-fold. What did I ever do to Robert there? He doesn't even know me and he has me smoking brimstone cigarettes with my dad in a place hotter than Arizona! I mean really? How does that work? I never called him a name in his life."

"You hurt his ideology."

"Oh. Ok. Well I must deserve it then." Ann says in her trademarked sarcastic tone.

"Hey, folks beliefs are precious to them. Shatter them, expose them or pull the curtain away and reveal the levers and the little man and they will hate you for it. They've built their lives around these beliefs. When you hurt their ideology, it hurts them worse than if you took their hand or arm. Their ideology, for all too many, is all they have.

Ann starts waving to the kids and they start waving back. It brings a smile to her face, and mine, to see. It looks like their parents are shouting at them to stop.

"See. You need to be nicer Ann. Then the Roberts of the world will respond like those little kids. "

"Talk to my agent and my publisher. See what they think. If they agree with you, I'll be so sweet you'll get cavities just sitting this close to me."

I laugh.

The light turns green.

;-)