I'm tired of "believe in." Substitute some version of "contend."

I contend that I am forgiven.
I contend that there is a god.
I contend that everyone, regardless, is entitled to human rights, respect, and dignity.

Take it from there. Sounds a little different.

Spooky. I just logged into my email to see a fundraising letter from East Tennessee State University.

It's the lattice of coincidence.

Sorry . . . the point being that they'd drain everything north of Atlanta to keep that moneymaker happy.

I was discussing one time the management of TVA lake levels with someone who seemed to know what they were talking about. He said it all ultimately came down to how much water passed under one bridge in Chattanooga. If that water level dropped to a certain level, they could no longer guarantee a water supply to Atlanta's insane sprawl.

And god knows, in Atlanta, as they said back in the 80s and 90s, the state bird is the crane.

10 . . .

which the Soviets came over and studied as an example of central planning.

Lived for years around the TVA "lakes"/reservoirs. Very nice, once you get to them.

6, 7: Other than Dolly Parton and maybe some parts of University of Tennessee -- and East Tennessee State University, in Johnson City -- East TN is largely populated by chuckleheads who don't give two squats about literacy, theirs or yours.

"Last night, I had too much to drink and said some things that don't represent who I really am."

Then who do they represent?

I was stranded on I-95 between Savannah and Jacksonville one time at night, courtesy of a rented U-Haul with a wonky gas gauge. Started walking down the shoulder with my friend, stepping over carcasses of god knows what in an unlit stretch of highway.

I told my friend, a former Army Ranger, that I was never so happy to be with someone who could kill with his bare hands.

81. Article didn't deliver what you expected, so you want to derail the argument?

A lot of men here just want you to shut up. Count me in.

5. I've paid homage at the Colonel's outpost in Corbin, Kentucky. Not as good as I remember it in childhood.

I was working at a parking lot in Atlanta way back when, and Andy Young came through. He was about to run for mayor. I called him "Ambassador," and he didn't seem to mind. I happily waved off his $.50 tab. He was coming out of a hospital and may have been there on a pastoral call.

When it comes to the CIA and drugs, I always consider this:

Alfred W. McCoy with Cathleen B. Read and Leonard P. Adams, The Politics of Heroin in Southeast Asia

Clinton: conservative Democrat
Obama: Bush III in many ways
Biden: Not much different

Yes, it would be nice if some of these Christian Democrats (liberal Baptist, Congregationalist, working-class Catholic) stopped fearing the conservatives in this country and had a whole lot more to show for their ideals.

Been reading for work a whole lot lately about the humanitarian left hijacking social causes for their own profit, time and time again, globally and forever, and little changes.

That's not from pundits. That's hard research being published by Oxford Univ. Press.

Trojan horses.

It's weirdly as if a foreign power has control of our government, huh?

Purchased at a price.

The NRA and for all we know evangelical Christianity, NASCAR, and the designated hitter are involved.

"narco-terrorists, Islamist terrorists, and violent left-wing extremists"

A regular axis of evil.

"Narco-terrorists" (whom US citizens are happy to support with their purchasing power), brown people (it is assumed wrongly when one mentions Islam), and librulz.

Nothing changes.

--Trump burns everyone not his family, and sometimes he even burns them.

That's when I've always thought he'd know it was the end, when he started throwing his children under the bus, especially Princess Sparklepony. But I think he's too far gone in his rhythm now to know what the hell to do anymore.

The prestigious title of "Ambassador" remains with an individual even after they have left that position, like "Colonel," "President," or "Your Honor."

I thought the only titles that stayed with you were ambassador and governor. He's Governor George W. Bush now. And I'm sure he's happy about it.

Obligatory. Some Harry Dean Stanton:

One of my clients demands that I still work in no. 2 lead pencil. And all I need is chemicals and time and silence to keep me steady and productive. Very low maintenance.

A legend. RIP.

10. A longtime Variety reader at the ready.

Hey, Retort. That's some lazy-ass headline writing.

Jell-O is one of the few edible things typically delivered on a hospital tray.

Free Luigi.