The sun sets on every empire, no matter how treacherous and overdrawn. After twenty-four years of enraging CBS viewers, Dan Rather is, at long last, exhibiting a shred of class and resigning. Tonight, the voice of bias and derision surrenders the nightly news cast crown for good. Wow, that took forever.

Don’t cry for Mr. Rather too loudly. He’ll hold 60 Minute and 60 Minute Wednesday viewers hostage into the foreseeable future. There’ll be guest anchor spots, speaking engagements and if we will it real hard, maybe a book or five.

This is a good first step. Now, If Mr. Rather wants to resign his other gigs, I’m in his corner 100 percent. To Mr. Rather I say, you’re on a roll, sir. Don’t quit quitting now! Give the audience what they want, and do it all the way. Do this for me and I’ll buy you a Cookie Puss AND Fudgie the Whale.

Surviving a disaster makes one stronger; even greater than the growth of rising to the challenge of adversity, surviving makes one wish hell found another place to loiter.

After most disasters, the media moans about the lack of prepartions. But, in all fairness, disaster planning is a tricky science. Every scenario implies countless actions and reactions. Today I salute the zookeepers in Tama, Japan.

Concerned about the possibility of a lion attack, the zoo staff conducted a simulation. A zoo keeper ran upright, and in full costume, wrecking havoc. A breakneck chase ensued throughout the park. The mad lion raced about, tail akimbo

Final score: zookeepers 1, faker lion hopped up on crack 0.