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Today's Monday is nominal:
I'm sleepy, as per usual.

I'm less than enthused about being here, because there's a myriad of other things I could be doing. However, they do not make me as much, if any, filthy lucre.

I'm looking forward to the gym and being home-bound.

My oldest cat, Sascha was being very cute this morning. He came up to snuggle with me just as I was waking up. I watched a little CSPAN while Sascha was looking adorable, sprawled out with his head and one paw on my stomach. Maximus, far from the morning cat, was still zonked out at my feet.

I am a little distressed about the move to shut down an Iraqi paper. Yes. Democracy is working everywhere.

(no subject)

It is done. I have cancelled Dish Network.

I like how they tell me if I want to ever restart service with them, there will be a $25 restart fee, plus I'll have to pay two months of service in advance.

Well, with a parting shot like that, I really want to come back to you twits.

Sure, I'll be paying an extra 3-5 bucks a month, but I've got all the services I want for a low start up cost. Of course, if DirectTV jacks up my monthly fees, that will be a different issue.

I don't miss Dish at all.

(no subject)

It is amusing to note that among the throng of executives we have here at my company, one looks like Danny Bonaducci, and another looks like Mr. Burns from the Simpsons, but with more hair.

On Richard Clarke...

Goodness, it can easily be a full time job to keep up with all the press going on about various issues that are important to us with regard to politics and our government.

Sometimes I just want to kick David Frum. He's such a whiner, especially in this article. I imagine he was beat up by bullies in school, in addition to being brainwashed by his likely deficient parents. Of course, if it turns out he was actually born of disceringing, thoughtful parents, I'll retract my previous statement and chalk it up to Frum running with a bad pack of pseudointellectual fratboys.

My ad homynyms aside, Frum's article is hideous rhetoric. He acts like Clarke is the only one bringing up the fact that Bush, et al was obsessed with Iraq. He's not. He shouts "Appeasement" at various governments when appeasement was never quite the problem. These terrorists will have a lot of complaints against those they seek to terrorize. No terrorist organization tries to kill us citing that we were too nice. Right, wrong, or indifferent, these folks have a dispute with us and other governments. We haven't/won't acknowledge those disputes. They will continue to remind us.

We have Karen Kwietkowski, a conservative Pentagon insider has a lot of even-headed criticisms for Bush, as well. Her latest article on Militaryweek.com is rather interesting, as well. In fact, I would love to see a discussion between those two. Of course, Frum, the Woody Allen of politics, would take way too long to make whatever weak point he needs to make. Read her article. It's great.

My favorite paragraph:
At one time, Saddam Hussein, like current dictators in Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan, served a useful purpose. The future of Iraq might have evolved, under its own power through domestic reformers, in the pattern of post-Suharto Indonesia. Suharto, a former ally, was dictator for thirty years, was accused of genocide and murder of his own citizens, and was recently awarded the title of "most corrupt leader in modern history," beating out Ferdinand Marcos and Mobutu Sese Seko. A lot like Saddam Hussein, without the WMDs. Which is to say, a lot like Saddam Hussein.

And remember Paul O'Neill? And I haven't even moved to the left wing critics yet, folks! This problem with our war in Iraq is beyond a liberal plot. This is some right wingers holding an intervention for Bush the Crusader for the Rich and Christian.

Frum seems truly perplexed as to why the Bush Administration's responses to these criticisms are so lackluster. Well, it's simple. They've been caught, and we're no longer caught up in our fears. These folks prefer to scurry around behind the scenes.

On that note, work is complete. Time for the gym. I hope everyone is having a wonderful evening. Including those poor unfortunate(s) who had to get up at O'dark:30, work a full day, and then go to school until 9pm.