When Upton Sinclair wrote his scathing attack on the meatpacking industry, it's horrors and threat to the safety of the American people could not be ignored. Laws were passed the USDA was born and though not perfect a way was found to protect the public from this unfettered menace.

Here when you think about it, Bill Moyers has exposed an equally harmful aspect of industry America relies upon. Like meatpacking, the press is a necessary staple which, when allowed to go bad can lead to the deaths of thousands of Americans. Meatpackers can be regulated, though. Not the press.

The worst part of Moyer's story is exactly what Glenn Greenwald best points out; these people are not only still employed, but enjoying even greater publicity. Cal Thomas is not only not the first to be frog marched to the gallows, none of them are.

The government, and for good reason, cannot regulate the press. So what is the next solution. Is it bloggers? Maybe. It obviously needs to be a new media that will drive the likes of WAPO, WSJ and FOX to the margins, of (I can dream can't I) the stands in grocery stores next to Weekly World News. My guess is that requires the rise of news media with real reporters and a medium cost effective enough to compete with the big guys. But WAPO was once a hero. How can I be sure Salon won't become next years lacky?

There is a sort of governing body of journalists. Perhaps it is time for them to convene and create a self regulating ethics panel with a set of principles that deal with working with government sources, inside information, informants and responsible reporting. It would be nice if there was some rule that whenever a Broder or Krautheimer or Jonah Golberg article came with a truth in advertising stamp, like the ones in the NYT that say "ADVERTISEMENT" Then in block letters the the writer would be identified as an advocate, the piece and opinion piece, and the financial backers; as in "The following is an opinion piece, written by an advocate of "rich guys for sending poor people to die for their wealth" and paid for by the Petroleum Institute, Halliburton, Coors, some crazy old guy with too much money, fanatical Zionists who don't actually live in Israel but want to see it conquer the "promised land" at any cost, and Christian Fundamentalists who agree with the fanatical Zionists so God can slaughter all the Jews and usher in Jesus' return."

Yeah, that type of disclaimer might just get us back to some type of sanity.

In a non bizarro world, where a candidate's hair or mixed race didn't matter, McCain's abstention would be, should be, big news. In case you hadn't noticed, he's centered his campaign around the Iraq War. (anyone know his position on immigration? Tort reform? Greenhouse gases? Gays in the military? Thought not). So here is the most momentous vote in Congress since the war began, the point where Congress has effectively repudiated the President's own war strategy and seeks to supplement it's own and the man who wants to be king, or at least king of victory in Iraq is conspicously AWOL (yeah, harsh term for a former POW, but I'm feeling FOX-like on this).

McCain, to hear him on Jon Stewart two nights ago, wants victory, for the troops, for the Iraqis, for all of us. Now Bush and Congress are set for a major battle over how any plan for victory should be pursued and McCain stands on the sidelines with uh, no plan. He won't side with Bush. He won't side with the majority in Congress, and worst of all, he has offered no third way.

That is an act far more damning than his age, his rumored temper, his kissing up to Falwell, or even his Straight Talk Express jerking so far over the median of logic and common sense it would have been pulled over by a drunken Mel Gibson hallicinating he was filming for Lethal Weapon 4.

Actions do speak louder than words. This was not an inconsequential vote. It's one thing to miss some minor vote while campaigning, its another to avoid a vote on the very platform you are campaigning on.

Dead man walking.

When your Vegan friend feels the urge to attack you for your lifestyle, as if your existence was some sort of undealable harm to him/her, just respond the only logical way anyone can:

"Bite me."

It is not just apt, but also safe. He/she will never do it as you are meat and are made of proteins fed by other meat. It's against her religion to bite you and he/she will cower before the thought the way vampires fear biting into garlic.

Bite me.

Short simple and yet says so much more.