Aargh. Just....AARGH.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, Florida, 2:10 PM EDT: Through my own unique combination of hearing loss and obliviousness, I have somehow managed to miss a connecting flight from the gate right next to the one where my flight from Atlanta deposited me. The airline gate personnel insist they made announcements, yet I heard nothing until I looked at my watch and noticed it was a few minutes from flight time.

And their next flight to Washington isn't until 7:25 pm. For another 5.5 hours. Five. And. One-Half. Hours. And doesn't get into DCA until 10:25 pm.

Which means at least four hours I might have had with my Songbird are now pissed away through my own stupidity. I might as well not have taken the day off work and flown after 4 PM for all the time this is now going to take. As if I wasn't already aggravated enough by Spirit Airlines' charging $20 to check even one bag ($5 above what other airlines are now charging) and $3 for in-flight sodas (others charge $2), nickel-and-diming us passengers at every turn in an effort to offset their skyrocketing jet-fuel costs. And paying over $11 for a sandwich, chips and a bottled lemonade for lunch.

Sigh. At least the airport here has free Wi-Fi and I have my laptop. Now to hope SB isn't too mad at me and my checked bag doesn't get lost by the time I finally get up there.

In Memoriam: Timothy John Russert, Jr., 1950-2008

As if I needed more bad news today...With thanks to kradical  for the alert, it is with shock and sadness that I must report the sudden death of NBC News editor/host Tim Russert at 58 of cardiac arrest at his network's studios in Washington. The author, host of NBC and MSNBC shows and commentator was struck down while recoding voiceovers for this Sunday's edition of the NBC weekly talk show he hosted, Meet the Press. MSNBC has a report on his death here.

Coming on the heels of  the death last week of Jim McKay, his colleague at ABC, Mr. Russert's untimely passing makes it a month of double loss for the world of journalism...not to say a loss to the worlds of politics and letters. I watched him frequently on MTP when he bird-dogged politician guests sitting in the show's "hot seat," politely but firmly demanding straight answers to questions the pols were trying their damnedest to duck. Especially in this national election year, not having him around to keep the candidates honest is going to make it that much harder to make an informed choice.

My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and co-workers in this most difficult hour. Thank you, Mr. Russert, for helping keep one of TV's oldest news shows going...and our democracy as well. And as another famous deceased newsman would have said, "Good night...and good luck."