Prairie foreclosed home companion

Though I wish he would sing a little less on his show, I've always admired Garrison Keillor for his nerdish stardom (an inspiration to all radio nerds, famous and not, from Ira Glass to me). He's parlayed a brilliant mind, a gift for storytelling, a sense of the under-appreciated and a face for radio into a unexpectedly long, successful and lucrative career.

He has given a voice to the Lutheran farmer, and the precocious teen in a flyover state who cherishes The New Yorker.

He is also a brilliant essayist, and more so when he's angry. And he's angry now.

Arrogance and power

We all have a good laugh about Louisiana politics, when the mention of corruption comes up. In Louisiana there's almost a proud tradition of graft.

But corruption seems to be endemic in Connecticut politics. From depraved mayoralties in Bridgeport and Waterbury, to a gubernatorial administration that stank from the head down, to Connecticut state legislators who hire mobbed-up goons to do their dirty work, and others who think it's legitimate to have lobbyists shore up their day jobs.

But William Dibella has more gall than any politician in Connecticut. Convicted of securities fraud by a jury, he chuckles when someone questions his ability to lead a major public utility.

So laugh at Louisiana, if you will, at least they have gumbo and zydeco.