I spent some time this evening watching the Democratic National Convention in Denver. I saw Hillary's powerful speech and thought she did a very good job of pointing out to her supporters that the worst thing they could do with their bitterness regarding her loss is to turn it into a vote for McCain.

Those are my words, of course, but she made that point very clearly. She made a number of other ones, and had some catchy slogans. That's not the point of this diary. Here I'm trying to make a simple point.

Let's start with everyone's favorite topic...How are we torturing people today?  Oh wait...we aren't...

"This government does not torture people. We stick to U.S. law and our international obligations," Bush told reporters in the Oval office. "There are highly trained professionals questioning these extremists and terrorists."

Wait a second...when we we start the "War on Extremism"?   When we expand the war to a whole new set of people?  I remember declaring the war on "terror" (and therefore "terrorists"), but when did we expand it to a war on "extreme" (and thefore the abovementioned "extremists"?

Repost of a blog covering the stuff in the title.  I normally don't do intro text, so this is just filler.  I will say that if you read this post all the way to the end, you'll see why the lynching of Don Imus is retarded.

I was just reading a bit about the 400 or so Iraqis that got turned into ground meat the last few days and realized something that seems to have been missed in this whole war discussion.

I woke this morning dreaming of blood and oil.  It is no surprise, in retrospect.  Much of my reading and thinking of the last four years has revolved around the two topics.  Both are incredibly importart to modern life, one because it is the lifeblood of the body human, the other because it is the liefbood of the modern state.

And so I woke thinking...

In this diarly, the author ties together a "method of operation" regarding Dick Cheney's approach to government and how that approach has worked out so far. In one sense, Great. In another, Horribly.  The first sense in for Dick Cheney himself.  The other sense is for everyone else.

the author has written extensively on the clusterfuck the Bush Administration has made of the Middle East.  He is a writer, forensic accountant, and all around interesting chap.  He is putting this here because the main story doesn't have an "intro" per se, and copy and pasted it below.

Stting here watching "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib" tonight.  I don't think I've ever felt worse about the state of my nation.

It's kind of surreal to listen to the people who took the pictures, and did some of this stuff, talk about it.  Science told us this would happen a while back.

Not really sure what to do fix this one, so let's make some jokes to lighten the mood instead, eh?

[I am was drunk, this is a  Fat Tuesday Rant]

Anna Nicole Smith is still dead.  Britney cut her hair.

What else is going on?

Three somewhat related articles here, wherein I try to tie scientific formulas to present-day politics to future-day politics to horrid, stinking metaphors, and add a little inspring bit at the end.

...Which I'm sure is so terribly important for everyone to know, so the 24-hour networks will be all over it for the next week or two or three.

What else could possibly be happening in the world?

[read below for some more meaty political reading if you're up for it today and haven't yet gotten your fill.  Copy and Pasted from QP.net (my normal home)]

I have something of a sadistic habit.  Every now and again I will wander around the blogosphere and engage in conversation with people who have a far different political mindset than my own.

I have developed something of a knack for the activity.  Normally, I come in with a short and to the point comment.  Deal with the standard replies, and then expand the conversation as ad hominmen attacks and non sequiturs inevitably creep into the conversation.

More often than not, I end up getting banned from those sites.  It has happened once again.

[he following is re-posted from my own site.  That is why there's all the self-links.  Feel free to share said links with anyone you wish.

Regardless, have a nice day.  -w]

This should be a rather far-ranging rant.   While I have continued my more-than-daily readings on the subject, my last Iraq Update was nearly a month ago [link (pops)], and a whole boatload of crap has happened since then.

Congratulations my fellow Americans.  We have officially started a civil war in Iraq.

Pat yourself on the back, buy some more stock in the MIC, and laugh all the way to the bank.  Good jorb, guys!!

If we keep this up, there'll soon be a million or two less potential terrorists in the world.  Sure, they'll be 20-30,000,000 more actual people with mortal grievances against US, but, hey...at least...uh...at least...well......"least" pretty much says it all.

On with the update.

Let's start off this latest Iraq update with a quick joke.

Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to screw in a light bulb?

A: There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; its conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom?

--

Let's start this off with the usual White Houst denials of fact.

WASHINGTON -- The White House said Friday that U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney was not talking about a torture technique known as "water boarding" when he said dunking terrorism suspects in water during questioning was a "no-brainer.''

Human rights groups said Cheney's comments amounted to an endorsement of water boarding, in which the victim believes he is about to drown.

[full story

Read beyond the fold for the standard snarky reaction to the Tin Man and Scarecrow that are running our country.