A studio audience. His routine needs to feed off the energy of a crowd, and the monkey just wasn't cutting it.

A new report finds that up to 7 percent of Boston priests serving in the past 53 years have been accused of sexual abuse. 7 percent. That means that if you were a kid going to CCD or involved in the church in a capacity where you were alone with a priest, you had about a 1 in 14 shot at getting diddled by a figure that not only represented trustworthy authority, but was the representative of your religion. The human emissary of God. That's severely f**ked up.

The fact that an organization with this institutional problem and even families in the parish could let this cancer fester for so long is even more screwed up. Growing up Catholic, the sexual tendencies and frustrations of a lot of these folks seemed pretty obvious to me. In fact, I found that a lot of the people that were most heavily involved with the church were just plain creepy. The deeper in you went, the greater the mental illness.

I'll never forget one priest I ran across at my ex-girlfriend's sister's wedding, when I was about 18. I started chatting with the guy at the reception, and he tells me to sit down next to him, making small talk about whether or not I'm next to get married. As the conversation turned a bit weird and he put his hand on my shoulder, I excused myself and tried to get up. He literally yanked me back down and insisted on continuing our conversation, pulling in physically closer this time. At which point I removed his hand from my shoulder, excused myself once again, got up and beat a hasty retreat. I had to ask myself: did what I think just happened actually happen? The answer was yes, I was hit on by a drunk priest in the middle of a reception after a wedding.

Now I was 18, so I wasn't a minor, but I highly doubt that a guy that reckless, stupid, aggressive and liberal with the "blood of Christ" would make distinctions between an 18 year-old and a 16 year-old, much less a minor with whom he might have more private access. Especially a kid enamored or awed by the power and mysticism of the church.

"Thank God" I was an atheist by my second year of CCD.

U.S. Lifts 23 Year Old Ban on Travel to Libya

There are rewards to engaging the international community, accepting responsibility for the past and giving up the pursuit of terrorism and WMD development. Are you listening Kim?

It seems that the 1st Marine Division learned some successful counter-insurgency tactics.

Pretty cool.

September the 11th, 2001 taught a lesson I have not forgotten. America must confront threats before they fully materialize. In Iraq, my administration looked at the intelligence and saw a danger. Members of Congress looked at the intelligence, and they saw a danger. The United Nations Security Council looked at the intelligence, and it saw a danger. The previous administration and Congress looked at the intelligence, and made regime change in Iraq the policy of our country. We all knew Saddam's history well. He waged aggressive wars against neighboring countries, and aspired to dominate the Middle East. He cultivated ties to terrorists. He built weapons of mass destruction. He hid those weapons. He used chemical weapons against thousands of Iraqis and Iranians.

In 2002, the United Nations Security Council yet again demanded a full accounting of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs. As he had for over a decade, Saddam Hussein refused to comply. So we had a choice to make: Either take the word of a madman, or take action to defend America and the world. Faced with that choice, I will defend America every time. (Applause.)

Others would have chosen differently. They now agree that the world is better off with Saddam Hussein out of power; they just didn't support removing Saddam from power. (Laughter.) Maybe they were hoping he'd lose the next Iraqi election. (Laughter and applause.) We showed the dictator, and a watching world, that we mean what we say. Because our coalition acted, Saddam's torture chambers are closed. Because we acted, the Middle East is more peaceful. Because we acted, Iraq's weapons programs are ended forever. Because we acted, nations like Libya have gotten the message and renounced their weapons programs. Because we acted, an example of democracy is rising at the heart of the Middle East. Because we acted, the world is more free, and America is more secure.

...

Some of our opponents are skeptical that the war on terror is really a war at all. They view terrorism more as a crime -- a problem to be solved with law enforcement and indictments. Our nation followed that approach after the World Trade Center was bombed in 1993. The matter was handled in the courts, and thought to be settled. But the terrorists were still training in Afghanistan, plotting in other nations, and drawing up more ambitious plans. After the chaos and carnage of September the 11th, it is not enough to serve our enemies with legal papers. With those attacks, the terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States -- and war is what they got.

...

For all Americans, these years in our history will always stand apart. There are quiet times in the life of a nation, when little is expected of leaders -- this is not one of those times. You and I are living in a period when the stakes are high, and the challenges are difficult, the choices are clear and resolve is needed.

None of us will ever forget that week when one era ended and another began. On September 14, 2001, I stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers. I remember a lot that day. Workers in hardhats were shouting, "Whatever it takes." One man pointed at me and said, "Don't let me down." As we all did that day, these men and women searching through the rubble took it personally. I took it personally. I've a responsibility that goes on. I will never relent in bringing justice to our enemies. I will defend America, whatever it takes.

I have a feeling that France may soon re-learn how terrorism is a problem that cannot be solved with negotiation. From an audio-tape recorded by Al Quaeda's number two:

"The decision of the French president to issue a law to prevent Muslim girls from covering their heads in schools is another example of the Crusader's envy, which Westerners have against Muslims," the voice said in Al-Arabiya's tape. "This envy boils in their hearts and overflows in their chests and they pass it on to the generations."

Now ask yourself: this Islamist is pissed off about France's plan to ban headscarves; how do you think he will take action against this affront to his religion?

A. A challenge in the court system
B. Organize Muslim protests
C. Strap explosives to someone and have them execute some innocent civilians

Yes, "C," very good.

France has faced terrorism long before the US, and will continue to walk a fine line between appeasement of its growing Muslim demographic and fighting terror, but unless this country takes a strategic view of what is effectively the stirrings of a clash of civilizations, union strikes to maintain 35-hour workweeks will be the least of their worries.

The perils of a welfare state. The Sun features "Britain's laziest woman."

The pair are surviving on the £51-a-week Jobseeker’s Allowance paid to Jennifer, who stopped working in 1969 when Susan was born. They also receive housing benefit worth around £45 a week.

Susan, who spends much of her day listening to CDs and watching videos, said: “It’s awful trying to survive now. We only have one wage — my mum’s benefit. The Jobcentre won’t let us have a thing. It’s disgusting.”

PS - Don't get sucked into clicking on the extremely hot Page 3 gals on the left if you are at work.

(Via Dave Barry)

Go vote for the best top ten list at IMAO:

Top Ten Ways the Loony Moonbat Left Will Make Themselves Look Even MORE Hopelessly Ridiculous in 2004

My favorite? #5. A couple just weren't that funny, and a couple just tried a bit too hard. #5 was aiight.

John Kerry:

"That said, they are really misleading all of America, Tom, in a profound way. The war on terror is less -- it is occasionally military, and it will be, and it will continue to be for a long time. And we will need the best-trained and the most well-equipped and the most capable military, such as we have today.

But it's primarily an intelligence and law enforcement operation that requires cooperation around the world -- the very thing this administration is worst at. And most importantly, the war on terror is also an engagement in the Middle East economically, socially, culturally, in a way that we haven't embraced, because otherwise we're inviting a clash of civilizations."

Donald Rumsfeld:

Donald H. Rumsfeld sat in a vault-like room studded with video screens and talked with President Bush as the Pentagon burned.
"This is not a criminal action," the secretary of defense told Bush over a secure line. "This is war."

...

Rumsfeld's instant declaration of war, previously unreported, took America from the Clinton administration's view that terrorism was a criminal matter to the Bush administration's view that terrorism was a global enemy to be destroyed.

"That was really a breakthrough strategically and intellectually," recalls Douglas Feith, undersecretary of defense for policy. "Viewing the 9/11 attacks as a war that required a war strategy was a very big thought, and a lot flowed from that."

Rumsfeld wanted a war that was fought with ruthless efficiency: special forces, high-tech firepower, a scorecard for killing or capturing terrorists. He had no desire to become the world's jailer. And he refused to be stymied by bureaucracy.

Now ask yourself: which administration do you want at the reigns in 2005?

A couple of years ago, I attended the commencement ceremony of a friend who was graduating from the Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Unlike most graduations, it held the prospect of being somewhat interesting since the commencement speaker was the Dalai Lama. Unfortunately, his semi-coherent spiel was actually pretty damn boring, as he spoke with a rambling rhythm and cadence very similar to another great 20th Century philosopher. It was all "love this" and "love that." Love, love, love, love. Overall, it didn't make a whole lot of sense.

Anyhow, I just found out that this year's commencement speaker is Rumsfeld. As my friend put it, "My how times have changed." An upgrade, as far as I am concerned: the DL never flew fighters, wasn't a champion wrestler, isn't Secretary of Defense, never transformed US Military Doctrine for the 21st Century, never had a hand in liberating 25 million people and, as far as I am aware, does not know kung-fu.

Dalai-Lama Quote:

"In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."

Rumsfeld Quote:

"The aim is to kill as many of 'em as possible." (Explaining the use of cluster munitions against the Taliban)

I'm just going to straight-up lift this excerpt from Instapundit (who lifted it from Vodkapundit), because it is such a powerful argument:

Something about this war is eating Bush's detractors alive, something unquantifiable with conventional weights and measures. I think that it is because if George W. Bush really did lie (and thus surprising both the Right and Left), the anti-war crowd would still have to face a disheartening Spectacle of Freedom For An Entire People, instead of the more satisfactory Humiliation Of Bush At The United Nations And Mass Graves Nobody Knows About.

That simple.

Nothing is more irritating than watching your enemies fail to live up to your worst expectations. If George W. was hawking stolen museum art, or John Ashcroft was forcing Shiites to convert, or Dick Cheney was sucking the oil from Iraqi teenager's skin, the Left would have far lower blood pressure. They would be relieved, vindicated, because the war would be delightfully immoral.

The anti-war crowd long ago started measuring themselves as culturally, intellectually, and morally superior to the pro-war crowd, instead of measuring whether their policies were superior. Thus, the incredible success in Afghanistan and Iraq is not a blow to their policy, it is a blow to their ego and sense of self.

Yes, yes, yes.

Kerry vs. the chicken hawks
John Kerry's band of Vietnam War brothers has the Bush army running for their lives

As a former subscriber to Salon, I used to get pissed at their leftward lurch and subsequent descent into foaming, eyes-crossing, babbling left-wing madness ... MADNESS! Madness? Now however, I just love it. It's almost beyond parody.

By the way, Heather Havrilesky and Charles Taylor are still consistently excellent writers featured on Salon.

Kim Jong Il's former cook writes a tell-all book:

One day in 1992, as I was riding behind Kim Jong Il at a right-turning path, I noticed that his horse was standing by itself. Kim had fallen off the horse. It had apparently slipped on a bed of pebbles laid over some asphalt being repaired. Kim Jong Il had hit his head and shoulder quite hard and had fallen unconscious. A doctor was called immediately.

...

From that day, every evening at 10:00 P.M. for the next month, five or six of his administrative staff members and I would be injected with the same painkiller that Kim Jong Il was taking. He was afraid he would become addicted to it, and didn't want to be the only one.

And this:

During a banquet one night a group of five dancers in the entertainment entourage were performing a disco dance. Suddenly Kim Jong Il ordered, "Take off your clothes!" The girls took off their clothes, but then Kim told them to take it all off. They seemed surprised and could not hide their bewilderment, but they could not object to their Dear Leader's orders. In awkward embarrassment they stripped down and continued their performance in the nude.

After a while he turned to his cabinet staff members and instructed them, "You guys dance with them too." And soon enough I, too, was ordered to dance. However, he cautioned us, "You'll dance, but you won't touch. If you touch, you're thieves." In other words, I think Kim Jong Il felt these girls were like his own daughters.

Man, oh man. It's like E True Hollywood Story, except the self-absorbed, insane nut in question has nukes under his control. Imagine Rick James in the old days with a nuclear hot button.

Dr. Dean drops out of the race.

In a way, Dean was one of the most noble candidates in the Democratic Primary. When he speaks, his honest views actually infect his political spiel to a startling degree. Unfortunately, those honest views were frighteningly wrong on many issues regarding our national security. The ad hoc repetition of conspiracy theories was pretty damaging as well.

Now all this country needs is to wake up and sniff out JFK's incredible weaselosity ...

And you thought Dick Cheney was a liability ...

The kung-fu fighting styles of Rumsfeld.

(Hat Tip: Frank @ IMAO)

UPDATE: More fighting pictures of Rummy.

When will the multiple rounds of news stories highlighting how Saddam paid off many very vocal "peace activists" and Western politicians finally sink into the public consciousness and cause outrage? When will these people be tried and imprisoned for state treason?

These people aren't mere spies; they are elected politicians fulfilling the political will of a hostile foreign power. For money.

This new media environment has a lot of pluses and minuses. Pluses include the widespread and unbelievably quick dissemination of information. A big minus is the fact that some stories that ought to have legs don't; they become overtaken by the waves and are lost in a fractious media environment. This story is a big deal. Read it. Really.

An Iraqi creates a touching memorial.

It pains me beyond belief to think that so many "pacifists" and isolationists fail to grasp the meaning behind this statue.

(Hat Tip: Dean's World)

Anyone who can piss off this many Canadians with a few well-aimed barbs qualifies as a true American hero. Even humorless politicians are in on the outrage.

Félicitations, Triomphe! You have now joined President Bush as zee most hated Ameri-ken!

In regard to a recent moonbat opus, a letter-writer to Salon advises Michelle Goldberg to come back to terra-firma:

Salon is sacrificing any hard-earned credibility by misrepresenting the content of the article about infiltrators into antiwar groups and reporting mere innuendo as fact.

First, to imply that individual police forces spying on antiwar groups is due to the current president is simply irresponsible and false. As long as there is a group that presents itself as outside the mainstream, there will be people in positions of authority who will perceive them as threats to that authority. Right-wing militias were watched after Oklahoma City, communist groups during the Cold War, and anarchists during WWI. Tone down the spastic rhetoric against Bush as evil puppeteer and attack him on what you believe is truly wrong in his philosophy and actions.

There was absolutely no connection between the content of the article and the image of the "nameless" female protester that led the story. Where is your journalistic integrity? Of course, a beaten and bruised woman is an arresting image. To display her as an example of Bush's policies is inflammatory and baseless.

-- Matthew Grygor

Exactly. But that's what makes Salon so very fun to read! I mean, it's entertainment! No one seriously writes into the WWE and tells them that the wrestling moves look fake, do they?

Would you vote for a man who has a clown fetish? Well, would you?!

The "Shit Bitch You is Fine" Bear.

Dirty?

I've had the misfortune of seeing Kerry up-close-and-personal once. I was at a reception following a pro-choice comedy benefit and Kerry was working the crowd with some really empathetic-looking small-talk (as empathetic as one can look when one's eyebrows will not move). I just stood next to the guy, really just gawking up at him and trying to figure out if he was human or not. Seriously. The dude is like nine feet tall, looks like a walking, talking cartoon and that horseface and thick head of hair required their own box seat for the performance. He was very physically imposing. Not good-looking in any sense of the phrase, but just scary as hell. Perhaps the fear-factor scores interns; it also seemed to work for this chappie.

Forget joining a rock band; elected representation is where all the action's at ...

UPDATE: The intern story seems like a farce; she's denying it. It's awful weird how one newspaper quotes her pa saying Kerry was a creep, and then another paper quoting him as being a Kerry supporter the following day. (I'm too lazy to link it.)

Blair links Lileks for a great treatise on left-right conversion and spiritual awakening. I'm so ahead of the curve, I shudder to think what I will politically morph into as I get a few more years under my belt. A bomb-throwing anarchist?

Steyn is mentioned in the post as well. That's an unholy trinity of the best in wonderfully snarky conservative humor, in my estimation.

Speaking of alarmism, some recent crazy-fun headlines from Zzzzalon, all by Michelle Goldberg:

Outlawing dissent
Spying on peace meetings, cracking down on protesters, keeping secret files on innocent people -- how Bush's war on terror has become a war on freedom.

A thousand J. Edgar Hoovers
State and local police are taking it upon themselves to investigate antiwar activists -- and in the computer age, the threat to our civil liberties is even greater than it was in Hoover's day.

The partisan "mastermind" in charge of Bush's intel probe
Whenever there's a vast right-wing conspiracy, Judge Laurence Silberman keeps turning up.

Um, am I detecting a predictable narrative here? Ms. Goldberg, scarf your meds now.

He keeps his word on the important things.

Mr. Hussein believed that a "casualty averse" White House would order a bombing campaign that Iraq could withstand, according to the secret report, prepared for the Pentagon's most senior leadership and dated Jan. 26.

I wonder where he could have gotten that idea? Now contrast that conclusion with Dubya. Say it with me: "credible threat of force." "Cre-di-ble ... threat ... of ... force." In proportion, gay marriage doesn't matter. A Vietnam war-record doesn't matter. Whether a Medicare bill includes test markets that pit privatized insurance vs. the government program doesn't matter. Fiscal responsibility almost doesn't matter.

The writing is on the wall, people. The credible threat of force is the only thing that even has a chance at saving our society this century. Bush has established it. Voting for Kerry will diminish it. We need to be respected more than liked. It is a precedent repeated over and over and over again throughout history.

That is all.

That Colin Powell got angry.

Powell was recalling for the panel his review of the prewar intelligence. "I went and lived at the CIA for about four days to make sure that nothing was," he began, when he paused and glared at a staffer seated behind the members of Congress.

"Are you shaking your head for something, young man, back there?" Powell asked. "Are you part of these proceedings?"

Powell's unusual remarks threatened to derail the hearing. Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a 12-year veteran of the House, objected, "Mr. Chairman, I've never heard a witness reprimand a staff person in the middle of a question."

Powell shot back, "I seldom come to a meeting where I am talking to a congressman and I have people aligned behind you giving editorial comment by head shakes."

His typical calm dignity is among his greatest assets, which is exactly why such an uncharacteristic outburst carries great weight. But I can't help but yearn for such an eloquent and highly respected figure to more aggressively stand up and defend his administration from the more scurrilous charges being bandied about in the name of politics. The political dialogue about Iraq has become shameful and is undermining an entirely justifiable course of action. Considering the fact that Powell was an integral part of the considered decision to go to war, it's past-due for him to take a stand. Hopefully, this is a good start.

Al Gore barks at the moon. YOU HAVE GOT TO HEAR THIS!

The always-brilliant Fareed Zakaria does what no Democratic strategist could accomplish: he makes a great case against Bush's fiscal policy by effectively tying it to National Security.

If I were President, I would have this man on my staff, in a heartbeat.

Some other, superior sketches by Brian Tiemann:

The "Open-Minded Reader"

The "Refugee Reader"

The "Guerilla Reader"

The "Rage Addict"

Mr. Spock sings a paen to Bilbo Baggins.

(via Jonah Goldberg in the Corner)

Frankly, I'm a bit shocked at some of the negative opinions regarding Bush's performance on Meet the Press, especially from conservative commentators. What, have you had your eyes closed through the last 10 Bush interviews? Did you begin mistaking his improvement in prepared speeches for an improvement in his improvisational political scat skillz? This is George W. Bush. Not Jack Straw, not Dick Cheney and certainly not Tony Blair. So, judging based on that scale (reality), Bush did a-ok. He took some hits on the economy, but he expanded his defense of action in Iraq beyond "Saddam is evil," and sounded relatively confident and thoughtful. Much, much better than his pants-down spanking and self-immolation with Dianne Sawyer. And the sound-bites, probably the most politically important product of the show, came out pretty well.

Howard Kurtz put it best:

But he made no single mistake that could be replayed again and again with Janet Jackson-like fervor. In that sense, Bush survived the encounter with one of the top interrogators on television. Russert asked hard questions but didn't break much new ground.

I thought Bush was going to be dog food against Russert. Instead, he held his ground, interrupted Russert rather than vice versa and spoke with conviction. B+.

UPDATE:
It seems that I practice the "the soft bigotry of low expectations."

"If someone is going to throw a snowball, you may not want to have a preemptive attack," he said. "You can afford to take the blow, and live with it and do something after the fact."

"As you go upscale from snowball to weapons of mass destruction, at some point where the risk gets high enough it's not going to be a snowball in your face," he said.

"It could be a biological weapon that is going to kill tens of thousands of human beings. Then you have to ask yourself if you have an obligation to take the blow and do something afterwards."

Rumsfeld acknowledged an assertion that the US image in the world had been hurt but blamed it on media coverage, which he called "shocking, absolutely shocking."

"To think what was going on in Iraq a year ago with people being tortured, rape rooms, mass graves, gross corruption, a country that had used chemical weapons on its own people, used them on their neighbors, defiant to the United Nations through 17 security council resolutions," he said.

"And look at the way it was treated in the press. There were prominent people who represent countries in this room who opined that they didn't think it made a hell of a lot of difference who won," he said.

From the "What the F**k?" file ...

"It is perfect!! Saying thank you doesn't seem like
enough,so I'm sending you a hug too!! I can't wait
to hang this lovely piece of artwork in my home."

(Hat Tip: Achewood)

President Bush will appear on Meet the Press this Sunday, chiefly to defend himself from Dem attacks regarding WMD and the war in Iraq. I'm scared. Ever since Bush became visibly angry and served up nonsensical answers when Diane Sawyer questioned him regarding Iraq, I have found his public speaking in defense of the war to be especially simplistic and full of rhetoric, a style that gives folks the appearance of evasion and cognitive dissonance. There are so many reasons that invading Iraq was the right thing to do, I just wish that Bush could articamalate them more betterer.

I admire Bush, but I have a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach, sort of like a loving mom who is sending her retarded son to match wits in the all-county spelling bee, a venue where he faces certain annihilation. Tim Russert is a journalistic hard-ass, probably the best interrogator in the business.

Perhaps Karl Rove is planning on channeling Tony Blair, or they have a little earpiece to facilitate some Cyrano de Bergerac action:

Russert: What about David Kay's testimony stating that there were no readily available stocks of biological or chemical weapons?

Bush: Saddam gassed his people.

Russert: Yes, we know that, but what about the more recent pre-war statements about Iraq's inventory of weapons that was used as a casus belli?

Bush: Saddam gassed his own people! Uh ... oh, hold on ... (listening to hidden earpiece)

Blair: Damn it George, don't make it obvious that you are listening to an earpiece. Now listen: tell him that you took action based on the best intelligence estimates that were available, estimates agreed upon by even many of the most vociferous opponents of the war, estimates agreed upon by every serious intelligence agency in the world and estimates agreed upon by your predecessor. These estimates, combined with Saddam's refusal to lawfully accept the will of 13 years of UN mandates and the horrific human rights disaster in Iraq, would have made it irresponsible of you not to act in defense of the United States and the larger causes of Democracy and universal human dignity.

Bush: (Pauses, makes a whistling sound) "I did the right thing. Saddam gassed his own people!"

New York Times:
Fewer Jobs Than Expected Created in January Report Says
The U.S. economy created just 112,000 new jobs in January, far fewer than the 150,000 new jobs expected, government data showed today.

Drudge:
Jobless Rate Drops; 112,000 Jobs Added

Reuters:
Job Growth in January Disappoints

Wall Street Journal:
US Payrolls Grew
in January by 112,000 jobs, the fastest clip in three years but short of the 160,000 economists had been expecting. The unemployment rate dropped to 5.6%

Washington Post:
Jobless Rate Falls to 5.6%
January figures at lowest level in more than two years; 112,00 jobs added, fewer than analysts expected.

From this tiny sample, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal deliver the most appropriate and informative headlines. (And people ask me why I prefer the WashPo over the NYT ...)

Tim Blair links this piece that highlights some serious urban graffiti wars taking place in Baghdad, and speculates what might happen if the Iraqis ever see "8-Mile." Hmmm, let's see ...

Yo, yo, yo, yo,

Yeah we got camels,
Usually nuttin' but animals,
'Cept when it get cold at night,
You mad infidel you bang dat tight ...

CAMEL ASS! Just like you ma got,
You coward if you see a Jew you ain't take no shot,
I'm gonna drop you like a roadside bomb,
while the Imam say Saddam is busy bangin' you mom ...

WORD.

UPDATE:

Over at the Blair thread, commenter "Ocher" adds a great ditty. It's not quite spontaneous or hard enough for battlin' on da mic 8-Mile style, but it's pretty damn funny:

Yo, Dick Cheney! Let's kick it!
Allright, stop. Collaborate and listen
Saddam is back and he's in detention
Soldier...grabbed ahold of him tightly
Now he's in a cell both daily and nightly
"Where's the WMDs? Yo, I don't know!
Turn off the lights, and they'll glow."

Lice, Lice, Baby. Checkin' him for Lice, Lice, Baby.

UPDATE:

Another blog goes at it.

The transcript of George Tenet's speech explaining the intelligence surrounding WMD is very educational.

Frank from IMAO solidifies my belief that Karl Rove is really the evil mastermind behind the Democratic Underground web site:

I don't think there is a single blog out there I read that hasn't at least once linked to Democratic Underground's Forum. The place is like a train wreck of human thought; you just can't help but gawk at their twisted logic and wild-eyed conspiracy theories. I've even ended up becoming addicted to the site; anytime there is breaking news, I think, "I wonder what the nuts are saying about this," and head straight for DU. It’s like a daily freak show.

I could really give two shits about Hollywood, but this piece that sums up all the good parts from Joe Eszterhas's tell-all book is a must-read. Excerpt from the excerpt:

Flip to Page 337, on which Eszterhas details his one-night fling with Sharon Stone. They romp at her house in the Valley; he says "her body was doughy, too much peanut butter and Wonder Bread maybe." At the end of the evening, Eszterhas returns to his hotel suite across town. Stone wakes up in a panic, walks out her front door, and ambles down the street with a butcher knife. Neighborhood security personnel shepherd her back inside.

Excerpt #2:
Page 483-4: The director Constantin Costa-Gavras returns from Marlon Brando's Fijian island with some strange news: Apparently, Brando asks everyone who visits to provide a stool sample for his private collection. Costa-Gavras tells Eszterhas he declined.

As Instapundit would say, "Heh."

A brave soul contemplates the grievous ramifications of High-definition porn:

When it comes to televised porn, technological ignorance may be bliss.

What hath technology wrought?!

(Dusts off his tin foil hat)

Hmmmm, it seems that they found some Ricin in Bill Frist's office. In David Kay's testimony to Congress he mentions the finding that Iraq's "continuing work on ricin and aflatoxin were not declared to the UN."

Just before the war, when worries about a terrorist attack were high, I thought:
Self, if you were Saddam Hussein, what would you do?

Easy - shave the Freddy Mercury mustache.

No, no, I mean during the war.

Oh. Well self, I'd distribute quantities of biological or chemical agents among Mukhabarat and terrorists and give them plane tickets all over the world with instructions to wreak unholy vengeance on the countries that were invading Iraq.

In my opinion, if you are gonna go down swinging like any self-respecting and competent homicidal dictator should, it would seem prudent to hit these countries in the only way that could really hurt them - off the battlefield. So, I'm not sure what to make of this ricin report. Related? Better late than never?

Then again, in another conversation with myself, I also decided that it would be almost impossible for someone to be so delusional and defiant as to accept certain war and the end of their regime in lieu of fully complying with 1441.

(Shrugs)

PS: For those of you that are fond of running around repeating the soundbite that there were no WMD, please read all of Kay's report. I'll even link it again for you. Yes, I know it's long, and lots of words may hurt your eyes, but really, what's a few minutes of your life when compared to sounding like ...

A COMPLETE JACK-ASS?

Change is brewing in Iran. I like it:

More than one-third of Iran's Parliament resigned Sunday to protest a sweeping ban on candidates running in the parliamentary election later this month.

These people have guts. The students who recently protested and received a violent beat-down by government-backed thugs have guts. Iranian bloggers have guts. I wish them all luck.

The poor moonbats at BlogforAmerica still think this bird can fly ...