Not sure I buy that blackmail theory. Not that I'd put it past the GOPers, but what the hell can they have on so many people that its disclosure (in itself proof of illegal behavior by the admin.) would be so unthinkable?

These people are so vile, despicable and without conscience that I would not rule anything out at this point. Having said that I think the raison d'etre posted a while back by one of our many Anonymi certainly strikes a chord. It bears repeating:

When the wiretapping story first broke five years ago, there was much talk about certain Telecoms (e.g. Quest) refusing to go along with the Administration’s push for their support. They knew that it was illegal to do what was requested of them without a warrant, and they also knew that approval from “just” the Executive Branch would not be enough to justify the potential for future legal actions against them if they were to comply. The Telecom legal teams were not stupid. The Administration knew this. As the media attention quieted down, the Cheney team went to work lining up as many key congressional leaders as they could to “officially” support the Administration’s contention that the Telecom industry would be held harmless if future legal problems arose. One must remember that at the time, (a.) The Administration was riding a euphoric wave of invincibility, (b.) Congress was being run by sycophantic Republicans, and (c.) Congressional Democrats were afraid to oppose anything for fear of being labeled unpatriotic. It’s also important to note that it is doubtful than any of the eventual Congressional supporters knew the real magnitude and audacity of the program that was about to unfold.

Now, as the real illegal wiretapping story comes to light, the Telecoms have found it necessary to call in their Congressional chits. Reid, et al, know that depositions given by the Telecoms would include formal evidence of their complicity, and they know that by offering immunity to the Telecoms this complicity would probably never be exposed (or perhaps exposed after several decades through the Freedom of Information Act).

It’s easy to tell now which Democrats were “touched” by the Cheney crew back then. They are the ones who are either pushing for quick congressional approval of the immunity issue, or are helping to create the beltway CW that says this is all going to blow over in a few weeks."

Not sure how one applies talcum powder without leaving fingerprints and it probably isn't a discussion we should be having here. ;->

Did I ever tell you the story about how, as a toddler, I almost suffocated my father by pouring a whole can of baby powder on his face while he was sleeping on the couch? Powderboarding anyone? It was the last time he forgot to put the lid on it, fer sure.

I doubt I read Bebop the same way everyone else does, and maybe, not even as Bebop, himself, intended. But, that's the nature of poetry, is it not?

Yes. This is what I was trying to get at using song lyrics as a vehicle. You have stated it much more simply and eloquently.

A side shout out to Karrsic - the wiki is great and has been duly forwarded to a bunch of folks, especially all of those who I have heard these exact rationalizations from. The subsequent silence from that particular peanut gallery has been deafening to say the least. Thank you for you effort in pulling this together so succinctly.

Maria enjoys reading the Bible, darning her undergarments, and arranging flowers from anything that grows locally.

Dunno about underwear sewing skills, but I'm a gardener so I can relate to arranging flowers.

Our interviews and background checks are thorough, but as long as parent and child alike are pleasured after adoption, we do not become involved in it.

Interesting phraseology here...

Angela has thick, dark hair, and flawless kidneys.

One wouldn't know about the kidneys from a photo of course...

This child has uncommonly big lips, but some parents find that to be an attractive quality for personal reasons.

Ok, this was just sick and has to be satire.

We don't want Cheney's bum parts, or any other pieces of his faulty anatomy. They can't be any better than the desert tortoises sere offerings. ;->

But you have to lay on the piano, with hair over one eye, like Veronica Lake.

Butt, of course! ;->

The good news is that he's terrified that somebody's cell phone or garage door opener could detonate his pacemaker.

Makes me want to go outside, point the clicker southeast and fire away like mad.....have to go stock up on batteries first.

Man, I'm getting tired. I'm having flashbacks from Young Frankenstein, where Igor brings in the brain labelled "Abby Normal". It would explain a lot.

Jebbie - your pny sounds a bit camelish to me.....

Last time I checked, there was supposed to be an "o" in "pny".