Everybody dance the Contango. The conspiracy theorist in me can't help but wonder: is the time near to dump off all of that excess inventory? November's two months away. There are hints already.

Hmmmm, smells like 1979. Interestingly, the author does not pick up on the fact that Khatami was considered a reformer, someone, perhaps, that the U.S. felt a little friendlier with. Remember when the Shah was given refuge in the U.S. for health concerns? I can't help but wonder if Khatami's visit is something along similar lines. I'm guessing he's the odd man out over there given the current regime.

I don't put a lot of stock in the right wing meme "Middle East Nazis" that's being floated around. But Ahmaninejad is someone we should be very worried about. Contrary to what the neoconservatives might think, he is emboldened by our actions in Iraq. Remember the "peace through strength" argument that was bandied about during the first Gulf War? We've shown that we're overextended and Iran is moving to exploit it. Things are bad now over there, and they're going to get a hell of a lot worse. And I have no faith that the Bush Administration knows what it's doing. They're making up shit as they go along.

Well put, Jimmy:

"You never can be certain in advance that negotiations on difficult circumstances will be successful, but you can be certain in advance if you don't negotiate that your problem is going to continue and maybe even get worse."

I see Gozdilla, Jurassic Park or Frankenstein in our future. Biotech is just a-going all buck nutty.

Somewhere in the midst of my previous post's tirade, I thought I might mention the AFSP walk, but then I figured I'd wait until I cooled down. And now it's been a bit of time since we walked, but I just want to say thanks to everyone who donated and participated. Our team raised almost $8700! It was a great experience and a good healing process. We will probably do this every year and try to stay involved with the AFSP as they open an office here in the Bay Area. Jon's passing is something I am still trying to process. Somehow it doesn't feel real. During the walk I meditated on the subject often, how we used to talk about some of the suicides in the neighborhood as we were growing up as kids. Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed Jon had any thoughts like that. I've since come to learn that this is true for many people's friends and loved ones. Sometimes it's simply not wanting to be a burden on others. You could call it putting on a mask, but it's a fine line between that and just being an optimist who looks at the bright side of life. I guess we friends and loved ones of those who aren't feeling well need to listen to our instincts a little more, at the risk of being overly cautious. If it seems like something's being swept under the rug, best to listen to those impulses and at least approach the subject. When this is not done, and someone ends his or her life, it is, in my mind, a big source of the the guilt we end up feeling: What if I had brought up the subject? Would it have made a difference? More on this later.

Um, are there any lawyers out there in the audience who can tell me whether or not incompetence could be interpreted as high crimes and misdemeanors?

Jesus Christ, where to start? Oh, I know. Here:

"QUESTION: Mr. President, officials have been quoted saying that the international force would not include U.S. troops. And I wonder if you can explain why that is. Is it because the military is already overtaxed? Is it because you're afraid that the U.S. doesn't have credibility in the region?

BUSH: No, I think, first of all, there's been a history in Lebanon with U.S. troops.

Secondly, I have said that if the international force would like some help with logistics and command and control, we'd be willing to offer logistics and command and control.

You know, there's some places where - it's like Darfur. People say to me, Well, why don't you commit U.S. troops to Darfur as part of an international peacekeeping?

And the answer there is that those troops would be - would create a sensation around the world that may not enable us to achieve our objective.

And so when we commit troops, we commit troops for a specific reason with the intent of achieving an objective. And I think command and control and logistical support is probably the best - is the best use of U.S. forces."

This article talks about our "history in Lebanon." It is not pretty. I've never been a fan of Reagan, which comes as no surprise. But old Ron's a philosopher king compared to this buffoon and the tool he shared the podium with today. Should Condi know better? I'm not so sure.

And the Darfur comment...talk about false dichotomies. And, duh Mr. "President," you have already achieved the sensation around the world that may not enable us to achieve our objective by rushing into Iraq without a strategy to deal with a long term guerrilla war. This is why Iran...oops, I mean...Hezbollah, is moving now, you fucking dumbass.