Yeeps! The Weekly Standard is reporting that a recent and credible poll has Republican Scott Brown taking a one point edge over Democrat Martha Coakley in the Massachusetts (in actuality, a statistical tie).

Brown has closed the gap between No Chance in Hell to One Point Lead in a matter of about one week, with the election happening on the 19th. Although many pundits rightfully caution that the Democrats are quite aware of this and will step up campaigning efforts, there is another strong possibility that many Democratic voters will skip the inconveniently timed election, giving Brown’s angry, pissed-off voting community a real advantage.

Imagine: the Lion of the Senate, the Late Senator Edward Kennedy—champion and face of the Democrats for decades—>thisclose< to being replaced by a conservative Republican. You are aware of the historical irony, no?

As you are also aware, this would give the Republicans the vote needed to screw the merged healthcare bill, which Brown has pledged to do; in response, Democrats are scrambling to find a way to delay Brown from participating, so that temporary MA-D incumbent Senator Paul Kirk can get the critical yes vote in for the Democrats (which Kirk has pledged to do, if he is able).

This will be worth watching for many, many reasons.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.