Good column in TNR- somebody admits they were wrong. An unusual step by a political magazine ;)

CNN headline: Saddam to face arraignment. $50 and time served?

Iraq info from the GAO. Not good. Poor un-electrified Iraqis.

From today's speech by Bush (made in Turkey):

Some people in Muslim cultures identify democracy with the worst of Western popular culture, and want no part of it.

They shouldn't worry; democracy isn't all really part of (Western) popular culture, anyhow. Well, the voting isn't. Except for reality TV shows. Those are some democracy loving people. What we need is some kind of immunity challenge for Kerry ;)

Oh, yikes! Hit me in the kisser with a 2x4 before you apply stinging ointments to my lips....

What's this? Kerry used to be handsome and charismatic? Says who?!

I knew there was a problem with this ad. First time I saw it I thought- that guy has an unhealthy fixation on his hotdogs.

Will the real flip-flopper please stand up? Please stand up. Please stand up.

What's with these clowns?

A cool list to guide you when talking about religion... and an interesting article, to boot.

Mark Cuban has a blog- and a somewhat interesting one.

Disturbing Japanese people.

This baby doesn't need a pick me up...

A list of articles critical of missile defense shield.

Something's fishy about this review. I can't spot it: can you?

Well the good economic news is only very good for some... people?

Check out the solstice, from Stonehenge.Pretty cool.

Hehe- stupid, stupid, stupid administration... trying to appoint an unlicensed lawyer (he's been practicing without, no less) to the federal bench.

Wow. Yeah, this is like pancakes. Or not, maybe.

Hehehe- "great bubbling Crock-Pot of Godliness."

That's funny.

The article is pretty good, I suppose. But there's nothing new in it. The book he reviews sounds offensive, though- even to me (not a big fan of religious zealotry). I do wish the red-state peoples would vote with their material interests in mind, though.

Damn, the democrats would kick some serious (electoral) ass if people voted in their best material interests. Recall the old saw: Want to live like a Republican? Vote like a Democrat.

It is, in some small way, impressive that people vote counter to their own worldly interests. I mean, it takes some powers of concentration to ignore your poverty and powerlessness in favor of some distant final reward. Another person might call them powers of self-delusion, but whatever. The point remains that these people do some serious gratification-deferral, which is something that we frequently point to as a Good Thing.

On the flip side, liberal people do it, too. A significant portion of liberal voters vote counter to their best economic interests (short term, maybe- there's dissention on the part of economists) with the same regularity. They, too, seem to be deferring material gratification in favor of some nebulous reward. The reward seems to be liberty, equality, and fraternity, at least in concept.

What's the common thread, there?

I think that both of these types of deferral of gratification are obscuring an immediate gratification: the heady intoxication of self-righteousness. Like Tom Papa said, "Look: this is me... better than you..."

Many, many, people are voting in a manner that makes them feel good. Is it inborn? Is it the result of chance chemistry, like the predispostion to a sweet-tooth? God only knows.

Ashcroft strikes again!

Hehe- had the guy not gone all the way in the final graf, this would have been perfect.

Also, the repetition of the genital electrocution/sexual humilition phrase wasn't that good. However, the repetition works for the radiator bit.

Good article on the duplicitous congress...

Here's a funny thing: Titanic in 30 seconds with bunnies. See also: Shining, The, and Exorcist, The.

The power of Christ compels you!

Up is down! Black is white! Ann Coulter is nuts! When I read this transcript, I thought: "Gee, Bill O'Reilly is the reasonable one, here!"

Here's an interesting article about getting rid of the FCC...

The gods of the internet continue to answer my prayers. Here we have even more state by state polling. Still haven't figured out how to track the actual campaign spending, though. I think that would involve work- something I'm dead-set against.

Rule number one of fight club...The answer is two.

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Wow. Fundamentalist Christian propaganda is scary, scary stuff. (courtesy of Myles)

Wow, and Americans are supposed to be bad at geography:

In at least one case, controllers mistook the Scottish city of Glasgow for Cardiff in Wales.

Hehe. I laughed until I Kreyed. Mommas don't let your babies grow up to be named Delryn.

God.

Bill O'Reilly makes me SO mad! I want Americans to be safe. I do not want to deprive U.S. citizens of their rights. I do not want my government to torture people. Are these things so difficult to understand? So difficult to reconcile?

I really, really don't want to die. And I don't want my loved ones, or the loved ones of anyone else to die. But I also don't endorse evil acts... and call me crazy, but shouldn't we make it the priority of our government to govern in a manner consistent with the values of good people?

Good people don't want their goals achieved at any cost. There are costs that are too high. How is that difficult at all to get?

Damn Bill, and damn those who would torture in my name.

Why, you say?

Because by their acts, they damn me.

I like to say "Pachachi." The IGC doesn't, though!

This is too bad. While safety has to be thoroughly demonstrated, it is important to recall that THEY ALREADY DID. Grr on you, FDA. UPDATE: All I'm saying is that the FDA shouldn't be playing politics with womens' vaginas.