If the Bush team's "getting religion" on Iraq amounts to Condi Rice's sideways admission about "tactical errors" in the war, then I fail to see how it gets better from here. Based on Mr. Dreyfuss' description, the bad stuff on the ground just went from worse to worse than worse. Yet the Secretary of Defense says that there were no mistakes made. Such shocking denial in the face of the facts on the ground leaves the US troop presence in an absolutely hellish position. They have no choice but to fight on until they can't anymore. Soon, they will be outgunned, and forced to retreat. Short of dropping nukes on the place and leaving a big smoking hole in the ground where Iraq once stood, there will simply be nothing left to throw at this two-headed beast that keeps growing new heads. This war, touted as a quick and easy "shock and awe" strike, easily winnable has become the bane of our existence; the swirling vortex that threatens to swallow not only us, but the entire Middle East in its maw. And that the Administration can even publicly contemplate striking Iran while sinking further into this quicksand is testament to its complete madness. As I've said before: there is no honor to save. WE MUST LEAVE IRAQ NOW! We may as well accept the national and international embarrassment we'll face as the consequence of our collective hubris, and get ready to eat humble pie for the next little while. I suspect the next president will spend two terms just mending fences, assuming there are any left by then.

God help us all.

I know it's only Monday but my week wouldn't be complete without another healthy dose of the unintelligible, grammatically incorrect, ill-spoken gibberings that proceed from the mouth of our smirking imbecile Commander In Chief.

The real wonder is that a prestigious institution such as Johns Hopkins would even allow this moron to speak to their students. Most Harvard grads have better command of the English language than this.

I must admit, I've never quite known how to feel about Barry Bonds and I've watched him for a long time. His days with the Pirates as part of the "Killer B's", and his early heroics with the Giants. That he is an unstoppable force at the plate is obvious. I get that the National League is understandably wary of him even now in his hobbled state. He will make adjustments. He's had slow starts before. He's been the game's most consistent slugger until this injury slowed him. Many people believe he got the extra heft in his swing when he got bigger, and many think he got bigger taking steroids. He was a complete player until his focus shifted to homeruns. He stopped running as much, his play in leftfield became just good instead of great. Granted, any team would like to have a weapon like Bonds in their lineup, but I miss the Bonds that found so many ways to beat you, with his speed, with his bat, with his glove.

I miss the complete player. Although I still am in awe of the discipline at the plate, the whole thing is one note.

No one fears Barry on the bases,and no one fears Barry in leftfield. So, controversy or no, Barry Bonds is and has been a shadow of his former self. He has become a one-trick pony, and now the one-trick may not be be enough.

I loved the ending line of this article; "such is the passion of George W. Bush". I just couldn't help thinking, "It's more like the Madness of King George". I try not to indulge my glee over this crumbling empire too much. The truth is, even with 1000 days left in his term, he and his minions could do a lot of damage and he already has. The value of Democrats taking back one or both houses is that there would finally be the check on the president's power that the Constitution requires, and that most small government conservatives would agree with. That check would include investigations of various abuses of power by the Executive Branch.

Assuming the current scandals don't sink these guys first, beginning in 2007 we will see this merry band of thugs reined in and possibly dismantled by the findings of those Democrat-led probes. We must assume there will still be this endless nonsense in Iraq because while Democrats are calling for at least "redeployment" of troops, this president would rather see the USA boil in oil before letting that happen, no matter what new puppet government gets installed there. The only way to stop this madness is to put the White House on notice that they are not above the law. With any luck, that may happen before the midterm elections when Karl Rove faces his day of reckoning and the Abramoff scandals threaten enough Republicans in Congress that the landscape is altered sooner by their resignations.

So, in all, cautious optimism and reason for hope. But, a sobering reminder that a whole lot can happen in six months, or 1,000 days for that matter.

Keep the faith.

"Brilliance!

That's all I can say!

SHEER, UNADULTERATED, BRILLIANCE!!"

A direct quote from Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius

SHUT THE %$^&&* UP!!!