Atonement

The Normal Blogger hereby announces that he is suspending his blog--no, not until the bailout (is that the same as out on bail?) is finalized, but until the Jewish High Holidays end on October 9. This way, TNB can concentrate on 2 critical matters--(1) the Cubs first round NL playoff series and (2) far more importantly so that he can properly use the Days of Awe to atone (as all Jews must do on Yom Kippur) for his many sins of commission and omission, perpetrated both on his blog and in everyday thoughts. Such atonement is especially relevant considering all of the following who TNB has wronged:

• Sarah Palin TNB has implied or expressly stated that The Immaterial Girl is stupid. Actually, he needs to apologize to stupid people for putting her up in their category. She deserves one of her own (Putin is going to fly over Alaska's airspace?). Perhaps she'll quit before the VP debate and return to Wasilla to prepare to be a mother-in-law and grandmother, not necessarily in that order (more atonement needed from TNB).
• John McCain TNB needs to atone for even thinking that parachuting into the "financial rescue" negotiations was another cheap political stunt (see: Sarah Palin) that was doomed to backfire since all he was able to accomplish was to stir up House Republicans. What a leader! And what's with the condescending sneer and refusal to address Obama by his first name (Barack and Track are pretty close) or even look at him during the debate? Mean Johnny M. is giving us 72 year olds a bad name (oops--more atonement needed).
• George Bush After all the (deserved) criticism leveled at W. by TNB and a multitude of others, it's actually pathetic to see that Democrats, whom he always treated with contempt, may be the saviors of his bailout plan. You have to feel sorry for him (but TNB really doesn't). He just wants to go home to Crawford and he still has to try to pretend that he knows what's up (OK--yet more atonement).
• Naomi Ragen The vicious far right Israeli author announced to her large E-Mail audience this week that American Jews who vote for Obama will be responsible when Israel is nuked off the map, presumably by Iran for which of course Barack is some secret agent. She didn't exactly say that, but she sure has come close and needs more atonement than even TNB!

Maybe TNB should just concentrate on the Cubs. Amazingly, they're less stressful than the political campaign.