So. Did We Miss Anything?

November was a busy month here at the Egg.  While on break from blogging, Father Anonymous used the time to write a 54,000-word novel.  Not a good novel, he hastens to add; not even an especially funny one, when compared to last year's laugh riot about the dark underbelly of Gilligan's Island.

A few readers have asked what the said novel was about, and we had no answer -- it hadn't been written yet.  Now it has, and we still don't know, although in the last few pages the girl asks the guy about the main themes in his life, and he answers, "Violence, pain, vengeance."  She then adds "Redemption," and that probably sums it up.  Oh, and movie monsters from the golden age of Hollywood.  And Dick Cheney coming to a bad end.

But thirty days without blogging!  Good heavens!  Has anything happened in the worlds of religion, sex or politics of which we ought to be aware?  Let's check in:

• The Lutheran bishops are going to be tested for HIV.  It's about solidarity with Africa, and we support them. Still, caught us off guard. 
  
• The ELCA's Church Council decided to lower the bar for changes to its policy on gay clergy -- good for justice, bad for church unity.  And while we do like justice, we are also deeply partial to unity.
  
• Also of Lutheran interest, a synod treasurer is going to jail for embezzlement; a seminary is "restructuring" as it runs out of money, and so is the official publishing house.  Oops all around.
  
• The Mormons stood up for "traditional marriage," and can't figure out why people think that's funny.  And we don't mean "ha-ha" funny.  Well, that too.
  
• A Baptist church sign asked a Catholic church sign some droll questions about the "formerly extraordinaire" Mass versus the "avuncular."  Just play along.
  
• Benedict XVI wore the most awesome mitre ever.
• Some guy flew over a canyon with his jet pack, proving that it is finally A.D. 2000.  Finally!
  
• Pirates are everywhere, and yet it's not as much fun as we had hoped.  They attacked a passenger ship Tuesday.
• Veep-for-now Cheney and disgraced ex-AG Gonzales were finally indicted, although not for any of their real crimes.  A judge tossed it today -- but on procedural grounds.
• GW Bush said he'd "like to be ... known as somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace."  Father A., for the record, would like to remembered as a towering giant of a man, who never screwed up a schedule or lost his temper.
• Monsters attacked one of our favorite cities, which we insist on calling Bombay for sentimental reasons.  They were almost certainly trained and supported by elements within Pakistan.  One more time:  India is the world's largest democracy, but Pakistan is our invaluable ally in the war on terror, which must be nursed and coddled and above all not invaded no matter who is living in its caves.  Maybe if you keep saying  the words, they sound more reasonable, but we aren't there yet.
• The economy kept tanking, no matter what anybody did.  No links here; there's really not much else in the papers.

So that's it.  November according to the Egg.  Except, and forgive us if we're rambling, but we were sure there was one other thing.  What was it?  Oh, yes:

America elected a new president.  Who immediately started hiring his erstwhile opponents.  We don't mind Clinton for state, but please tell us we won't get Palin at Interior.