Today’s reason: A history lesson in the end to major combat.

One year ago today Bush declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq. Looking for a quick and easy win, he tried to force an idea of success on the people of America with showy grandstanding. Instead we’re still fighting this war every day. Misrepresenting the battle ahead showed this administration’s inability to maintain an honest dialog with the people of this country.

Play the classic game of luck — no skill required, but Flash© is — Battleship.

(Is this what naval warfare is really like, papa jank?)

Today’s reason: it’s my birthday … I’m not even supposed to be here today.

Take a moment…relax…breathe deep. For me — for my birthday, take a clear-headed view at the current administration. Ask yourself how you’d feel about Bush if the rhetoric were dialed back and you were allowed to calmly review the last four years.

Truth is, I’m no fan of Kerry, but we need to give someone else a try since Bush is not doing a good job.

I am sick AND tired of watching the OC and seeing them steal little details from my life. Did any of you see the preview from the season finale?

It turns out that they are going to have a wedding in a little chapel by the sea.

This is after they had a reception in a little outdoor-reception-hall-type-area by the sea.

Hell, neither of these places is even in OC.

Bastards. We picked out unique, seldomly-used, highly personal venues for our wedding and reception, and now they are going to become trendy So-Cal hot spots.

That’s it; I’m writing someone a nasty letter.

If the wedding involves a horse-and-carriage, I’m suing.

At least our media is crafty when it lies, unlike the North Korean media who gets to print outrageous whoppers with no regard to the hundreds of people killed last week.

Many North Koreans died a “heroic death” after last week’s train explosion by running into burning buildings to rescue portraits of leader Kim Jong-il and his father, the North’s official media reported on Wednesday.

Can I get a witness? Muammar Gaddafi is the pimpest dictator on the planet! Female bodyguards dressed in matching blue-camo Bond-villian-henchwomen uniforms? The man is the fat Elvis of totalitarianism.

Today’s reason: misguided funding.

Hawks argue that we are still fighting the cold war, which I think is reflective of a poor ability to let go of the past, but even if we are still worried about nuclear long range battles, we’re spending too much on it (as has been explained elsewhere).

The budget is busted; American soldiers need more armor; they’re running out of supplies. Yet the Department of Energy is spending an astonishing $6.5 billion on nuclear weapons this year, and President Bush is requesting $6.8 billion more for next year and a total of $30 billion over the following four years. This does not include his much-cherished missile-defense program, by the way. This is simply for the maintenance, modernization, development, and production of nuclear bombs and warheads.

Measured in “real dollars” (that is, adjusting for inflation), this year’s spending on nuclear activities is equal to what Ronald Reagan spent at the height of the U.S.-Soviet standoff. It exceeds by over 50 percent the average annual sum ($4.2 billion) that the United States spent—again, in real dollars—throughout the four and a half decades of the Cold War.

Military spending should shift to personal/mano-a-mano fights, yet Bush is increasing funding for nukes.

Okay, I know we have a delicate truce here re: abortion. And I don’t want to break that by getting into a discussion of the issue itself. However, I do hope that we can discuss Karen Hughes’ use of September 11 to defend/promote Bush’s anti-choice position. (you have to scroll down pretty far to get to her interview with Wolf Blitzer).

I’ll forego my usual “Can you please let the man die first?!” rant, but it looks like having to go to college with liberals may soon be optional.

On the silver screen, he was a college football hero and a cheerleader. He played cadets at two different military academies. He appeared as a zoology professor in the Hollywood classic “Bedtime for Bonzo.” But now America’s only movie-star-turned-president may have another dramatic role in higher education: as the namesake and inspiration for Ronald Reagan University.

Backers of the ambitious plan to build a private university outside Denver that would focus on the former president’s economic and diplomatic principles asked the Colorado legislature this week to endorse the idea.

From the NY Times, Wes Clark responds to the recent criticism from Karen Hughes and others about Kerry’s Vietnam medals and subsequent protests. Choice quote:

“I believe those who didn’t serve, or didn’t show up for service, should have the decency to respect those who did serve — often under the most dangerous conditions, with bravery and, yes, with undeniable patriotism.”

I reserve the right to upgrade this from “Paranoia” to “Politics” and reuse the content in a future ABB NOTD at a later date should events warrant such an action, but for now I will say it’s probably just slanderous paranoid propoganda.

Did Bush have a seizure?

“Vice President Cheney is the de facto President of the United States. When he arrives at the White House for one of his “briefings” of the President, all employees are cleared from the West Wing and especially from the Presidential office suites. Cheney arrives in an escorted armored limousine surrounded by his own personal, heavily armed bodyguard and is always shown directly into the President’s office. It is reliably reported by [redacted] that Bush has a thick pad of lined, yellow note paper on his desk, placed there by [redacted] just before the Vice President arrives.”

“After Cheney’s departure, the notes taken by the President are transcribed by [redacted] and prepared as talking points for the President…”

“At some time in the past, according to both [redacted] and [redacted] the President suffered what one of his aides called “a very minor seizure” and as a result of this, the President has a very difficult time following any unscripted conversations. For this reason, his staff carefully and aggressively protect the President from “unexpected” questions that he is not capable of answering.”

West Wing stories come to life?

I received an email this afternoon from the assured DNC candidate, “A grassroots campaign to change America”. Besides the fact that a grassroots campaign can not by definition be initiated by the leading Democratic Presidential Nominee especially in a plea for DNC donations, I am sick of this term being used in an effort to publicize campaigns.

p.s. jank- does this qualify as my ABK favor-return post?

Today’s reason: a very large group of normally genteel former politicians across the pond are taking a swipe at their leader, and make a point to hit ours, too.

More than 50 former British diplomats sign a letter criticizing Prime Minister Tony Blair’s support of U.S. policies in the Middle East and Iraq. The diplomats point to the U.S. endorsement of Israel’s plans to retain some West Bank settlements, and are critical of U.S.-led military tactics in Iraq.

p.s. There’s another good NPR today piece breaking down the Cheney Energy Task Force flap.

The Washington Post started a series this weekend on the political and cultural divide in our country. Since I often feel like I’ve crossed a divide when I visit my family or return to Washington, DC it resonated with me.

Political Split is Pervasive

Life is Sweet in Sugar Land A profile of a “typical” Republican in Tom DeLay’s home district.

City by the Bay A family in Nancy Pelosi’s district.

I gave up my subscription to Stuff Magazine (and FHM and Maxim, etc.) because 99% of their content was 100% banal. I do miss their irreverance, though, like this pictoral/‘interview’ with “Baby Jessica”. (Yes, it’s surely a joke and not really her.)

STUFF: Are you OK?
JESSICA: Yes, I am OK.

You were so young. It must have been scary to be stuck in a well.
It totally was.

Wow. You are so brave.
Thank you.

Is it cool being that brave?
Kinda.

You are so inspiring.
Thanks.

Wanna go out for dinner or something sometime?
Not really.