The numbskulls at McDonald's on 35th and Peoria elected to fly their flag at half-mast tonight. I immediately realized that I had not been near a news outlet all day, and would have missed anything having to do with the astronauts. Full-on panic mode ensued, with Loren (who was riding to and from the fireworks with me) treated to a precisely-enunciated, low-voiced rundown of my thoughts and feelings about endangering the lives of "my astronauts" and endangering "my space program" for a goddamn fucking political holiday stunt. She now knows how we sound when Dagger focuses Naomi's wishes. Dangerous, that, especially for those who have done wrong by one of mine.

I was marginally reassured when I got in and saw that the friendslist was business as usual, because surely someone would have been posting about disaster if there had been one. Then I saw a news feed article saying all was well.

I don't know what the folks at that store were mourning that they felt it was worthy of lowering the flag to half-mast, but it had better have been a good one.