(FDNY on 9/11/02) Just stumbled across a completely infuriating blog post on Room Eight; it appears that the President of tomorrow's Saint Paddy's Day parade, John Dunleavy, has ordered that the FDNY contingent be moved further to the back of the parade, from the very front, for reasons of drunkenness. A sure sign that this is a bad move is that New York's stupidest blogger agrees with it. Firehouse.com summarizes:

John Dunleavy, president of the parade's organizing committee, ignited this year's brouhaha by moving the FDNY from its traditional spot at the front of the parade to the middle of the pack. Dunleavy then created a separate brew-haha by complaining that firefighters show up drunk for the parade - and continue drinking all day while in uniform.

Nice going there; first, Dunleavy indicates his gross stupidity by excluding gays and lesbians (because, I guess, no Irish fit that description) and then removes any lingering doubts about his stupidity by literally pushing the FDNY to the back of the bus. Because, and how unheard of that would be for Saint Patrick's Day, some members of the FDNY have a drink or two at the parade, unlike other New Yorkers who watch the events in cool sobriety. Is there really anything more to add to this?