When I heard some of the stories of hardship and agony from the Carnival Cruise from hell, it reminded me a little of the folks still waiting to be rescued in the wake of another disaster.

Why can't the republicans loosen their death grip on the whole Benghazi thing. It is a non-story. It is a distraction from the fact that their party is in disarray after losing the presidential election. They are so focused on this stupid issue that they can't even see the real danger they are creating. 

The death of iconic leader Kim Jong-il in 2011 did not do much to change North Korea's crazy antics. Kim Jong-un is following closely in his father's nuclear footsteps. 

Allegheny County executive Rich Fitzgerald is on a tear! He is determined to have his hand in every agency under his purview. Heads have rolled to make that happen. I hope this is not just another example of a political ego cleaning house. I hope Fitzgerald plans to get good people and give them the freedom to work at least semi-independently.