My linux machine just rebooted due to a storm passing through here,  and
the following quote showed up after I logged back in:

"Politician, n.:
      An eel in the fundamental mud upon which the superstructure of
organized society is reared.  When he wriggles, he mistakes the agitation
of his tail for the trembling of the edifice.  As compared with the
statesman,  he suffers the disadvantage of being alive."  -- Ambrose
Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"

:-)

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