It’s Friday, and our brief reprise of summer is now over. Two days ago, on the anniversary of the day that Republicans believe was the worst attack against the United States – you know, Benghazi – which as I’ve probably said before always makes me think of Ben Gazzara – it was 94° here. Yesterday, 80. Today? We’ll struggle to get into the 60s. Oh well, time to develop that thick winter skin.

In case you haven’t heard, the Voyager 1 spacecraft, much like Elvis, has left the heliosphere, and is now in interstellar space. Coincidentally (or maybe not), Voyager was launched less than three weeks after Elvis croaked in 1977. Yes, a piece of equipment designed over 40 years ago has not only continued to function (mostly) but is something like 17 light-hours away from Earth. Considering light travels at over 186,000 miles per second, that’s quite a ways away (something like 11.4 billion miles, if I’m doing the math correctly). They plan on keeping the little bugger going and sending back at least basic info until 2035, at which point I will hopefully be both retired and still alive (and mostly functional – though if I don’t start taking better care of myself real soon, that’s kind of doubtful).

It’s kind of interesting to see a bunch of Republican chickenhawks who previously never met a way they didn’t like now suddenly turn into a bunch of doves. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ll be happy if it turns out we don’t get involved in Syria but, hey, let’s face it – they’d oppose Mother’s Day if Obama was for it. That and most of the general public isn’t buying this stuff.

It’s time to get back to threatening to shut down the government.