...till your well is run dry (William Bell). Or, you don't know what you've got, until you lose it (Ral Donner). This has been a great column, but I didn't read it enough. It's kind of triage with me, there's so much stuff to read on the Web. One could spend the entire day on Salon alone. I sort of rummage around for fodder for my own writing.

For me, the strength of this column was to put sports in their (or "its") proper context. It will be interesting to see in the times ahead what role sports will play in a smaller economy, especially ifwe fail to curb the effects of global warming. A King Kaufman perspective would be worth having in the mix.

I suppose that in the grand scheme of things, this is not such a big thing, but one little drop in a large and painful ocean. My job is likely to end in a few months, and then, on to the next thing. In a weird irony, I will have plenty of time to read sports.

This borders on pettiness. It has meaning, but it would be better not to run it into the ground. What this matter does point out is that the Bush regime, a comprehensively criminal organization, wants to be back in power. They had plans for the country, and those plans are now ashes. The propaganda efforts are only the public projection. What they are cooking up in private is what we should be really concerned about.

What is missing is an analysis that ties together the criminal threads of the Bush era into an integrated whole. Here's a quick rundown: steal the 2000 election, look the other way when warned of major terrorist attacks, use the attacks you were warned about as excuse to invade two countries, set up torture camp offshore, create climate of fear, trump up terror charges against hapless former gang member, torture him as way of setting up infrastructure for inhumane treatment, kidnap people and have them tortured in "friendly" foreign countries, establish repressive laws to restrict rights of citizenry, spy on citizens, install compliant Supreme Court justices, steal the 2004 election, look the other way when warned of threat of levy collapse in New Orleans, look the other way when levies do collapse, open up Federal lands to oil drilling, turn Justice Department into haven for political hacks, use said political hacks to prosecute political opponents, use media hacks to make all this criminality look noble, and on and on and on.

There is a pattern here. Elections are a nuisance to a criminal gang involved in politics. Through a number of simple twists of fate, the criminal gang known as the "Republican" party was voted out of the Whitehouse and much of the Congress. They likely stole millions of votes, but it wasn't enough to overcome the tide of Obama's candidacy. These people are dangerous, and they fully intend to regain power. Anonymous sources should be the least of our concerns about this criminal element.

At some point the tenure of Rahm Emanuel will have to come to an end. He's dirty, and it will eventually catch up with him. One thing to keep in mind about Barack Obama is that he takes very seriously the image he has around the world, and the belief he generated among many millions of "Americans." When push comes to shove, he will have to decide in favor of truth, the rule of law, and common decency. What we need to do is guide him in the direction of these decisions.

Among the first among those decisions is the value of keeping Rahm Emanuel employed in his administration.

The game is afoot. Barack Obama is finding himself boxed in. Patience and persistence are called for in this matter. Like Watergate, as momentum builds, truth unfolds in exponential ways. Our integrity as a nation is at stake.

Ever the politician, Obama will cave if public opinion goes against him. One thing that I suggest is to agitate "right-wingers," to poke them, make fun of them, rub truth in their faces, and make them eat it. The "Republicans," criminals almost to a man and woman, will whine and scream. Good. Make them whine and scream more. Phony "Democrats," of which there are plenty, should also be hounded with truth.

Talk show host Stephanie Miller does exactly this. She's a bit protective of "Democrats," but takes no prisoners when it comes to "Republicans" and "right-wing" media hustlers. Not a perfect example, she still has the correct attitude toward these lower forms of life.

Lurking under the surface of this matter is the interest "The Pentagon" has in promoting war. In a constitutional democracy such as we have in the "U.S.," the "Defense Department" is a civilian agency that is legally chartered to prepare for and conduct military activities at the behest of the president, who acts on behalf of the "American" people.

When "The Pentagon" takes an interest in war, and an interest in promoting it to the public, it reveals the fact that it has another agenda. The reasons for Pulitzer prizes for investigative reporting are to support and reward the informing of citizens about issues and concerns that are held secret from them. Investigative reports that reveal secret wrongdoing are not meant to be the end of the story.

The revelation calls for further investigation. What is going on in the deeper levels of "The Pentagon" that the generals on TV plan reveals at the surface? Is anyone investigating this?