BUSH EATS CAKE, PLAYS FIDDLE (OR WAS THAT A GUITAR? AND WHAT CHORD WAS THAT???)-- AND CONDI SHOPS FOR FANCY SHOES

Gawker is like some kind of a NYC gossip site (gawker.com) where someone like me is very unlikely to find himself. But a friend of mine from Air America insisted I take a look today. He never steers me wrong so... among the stories on Martha Stewart, Sienna Miller (don't worry; I never heard of her either), Howard Stern, Jann Wenner, Diane Sawyer, Tom Ford, Lynn Hirschberg and other masters-of-their-own-universes/superfluous-to-real-people was a story about the Secretary of State of the United States taking a minute or two out from extricating us from the looming catastrophes in Iraq, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Pakistan, the E.U., the UN, (nor to mention our only little crisis down in Bush Country) to do a little shoe shopping.

Rupert Murdoch's trashy New York Post's trashy Page Six reports that Condoleeza's working on her backhand with Monica Seles. "So the Gulf Coast has gone all Mad Max, women are being raped in the Superdome, and Rice is enjoying a brief vacation in New York. We wish we were surprised. What does surprise us: Just moments ago at the Ferragamo on 5th Avenue, Condoleeza Rice was seen spending several thousands of dollars on some nice, new shoes (we’ve confirmed this, so her new heels will surely get coverage from the WaPo’s Robin Givhan). A fellow shopper, unable to fathom the absurdity of Rice’s timing, went up to the Secretary and reportedly shouted, 'How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!' Never one to have her fashion choices questioned, Rice had security PHYSICALLY REMOVE the woman. Angry Lady, whoever you are, we love you. You are a true American, and we’ll go shoe shopping with you anytime."