The Global Test

Crystal Ball Watch

I think everything can be explained easily: President Bush can see into the future. In 2002, he looked into the future and saw that dangerous elements in Iraq were aligned with Al Qaeda. It wasn't true in 2002. We had Zarqawi in a region we controlled. But now in 2004, Zarqawi is apparently located in Baghdad, and growing stronger. In 2002, he looked into the future and warned that Iraq was putting dangerous and powerful weapons into the hands of terrorists and those who would use them against Americans. Not true in 2002, as the IAEA had explosives sites under lock and key. But now in 2004, powerful explosives are in the hands of who knows what groups. As others have noted, 1 pound of this explosive is enough to bring down a jet aircraft, and now "shadowy forces" have enough explosives to try to repeat the Lockerbee attacks 760,000 times. (That would be 205 million dead people, were they to succeed). In 2002, he looked into the future and said that Iraq was full of terrorists. Not really true then, but now it is. In 2002, he looked into the future and blamed the Iraqis for 9/11 in so many words. Not true then, but now I’m sure there are a lot of people in Iraq who wouldn’t mind hurting us.

So, in a way, it's Dim Son's amazing prescience which has allowed us to fight a war that created the conditions for the original justifications for the war in the first place. If only he had applied his powers to post-war planning, as well, instead of retroactive justification.

Voting Watch

Ha ha ha ha ha! Get ready for more zany antics from those crazy officials in Florida, as they once again disenfranchise voters in lots of wacky ways. More on the serious side of this issue later, but for now here is a pretty humorous movie (quicktime format) of a voter trying to cast his vote.

Draft Watch

Check out this amazing rant on the floor of the House by representative Tim Ryan, who thinks it is a little much to ask that we take this administration's word for it that they won't institute a draft. Well worth watching.

Battle of the Airwaves Watch

Here is a new ad which they are gathering money to air. You may feel like donating to the effort. It refers to the hilarious antics of Bush when he regaled a crowd of media folks with a slideshow showing himself looking under couches and behind chairs for those pesky WMDs. The national reporters laughed and laughed at that droll Dubya. “He really fooled us but good!” they seemed to be saying. Good times, good times.

Blog Watch

There is a new blog by funny and talented Bob Harris. Bob is a five-time Jeopardy champion (under the old rules, when that was all you got). Also, check out James Wolcott's blog, which I find deliciously bitchy.