Yippee! I've been waiting for something about the brite-lite Boston terror non event, so I can chime in. This Reminds me of the scene in Caddyshack where a kid throws a candy bar into the country club pool. The uptight, elitist windbag (wonderfully played by Ted Knight) freaks and has the pool drained and sanitized by workers in HAZMAT uniforms, thinking the object is a turd. Clueless groundskeeper (Bill Murray) locates said turd, and recognizing it as what it really is, has a big bite. Windbag's wife faints. Ba-dum, ba-dum.

Is this what we've come to? I don't know if it's Bush, OBL, Dept. of Homeland Security or who, but somebody has succeded in turning this nation into a bunch of paranoid pussies. Did you see the footage of the guy from the bomb squad approaching the brite-lite cartoon board? Then they blew it up with a water cannon. Hey sheeple, the world laughs at the mighty USA.

The news channels are on it round the clock, tut-tuting the pranksters, and reminding them and us that this is SERIOUS!

I say Boston should sue the official who authorized the costly overreaction. What the hell is someone like that doing in office in the first place?

Yeah Tim, you nailed our fearless (and apparently sensitive) commander-in-chief's over-use of "I fully understand". Has anyone noticed Cheney's frequent insertion of "if you will" into his remarks?

Everybody likes to talk about "supporting the troops"; but, as the Walter Reed scandal has shown, the shameful reality is that for soldiers like Ty the future is sure to be filled with disappointment and frustration. Most of these soldiers will go home to the care of small-town underfunded, bureaucratic nightmare, VA facilities. These soldiers have only begun their lifetime of sacrifice. The prospects of an education, meaningful employment, and I'm sad to say, a successful marriage are poor for these young people. When the PTSD, depression, failed marriages, unemployment, addiction, and sense of betrayal add up enough so that these people put down the bottle long enough to get a gun barrel into their mouths, they become KIA ten years after the fact.

You see, "supporting the troops" really means money for munitions, gasoline, propoganda, and bribing our strange bedfellows of the moment (body armor is further down the list). This government has never given a rat's ass about supporting the troops, in the field or later, when they're too dis-abled to be efficient fighting machines. The article mentions the sense of dread they feel as their reward for such sacrifice is a simple discharge. "Thanks fella (what's left of you) but your services will no longer be needed".

I hate this war and the administration which brought us here; I'm as liberal as they come, and part of that mindset means taking care of the dis-advantaged among us. It doesn't matter how they came to be that way. Some got shot up on the battlefield, others were unlucky enough to simply have been born at the wrong place or time, or to the wrong parents. The neo-cons and chickenhawks have shown time and again that they are unwilling to put their efforts and money behind their words. It's time to stop waiting for them. Liberals/progressives have to lead the way on this one. WE have got to donate our time and money to the veterans and the dis-enfranchised. Don't forget what feels good and right about being a liberal people!

We should take the lead on this one, and point out the stinking pile of hypocrisy the others have become.

Chris

I watch TDS and TCR just about every night and have found both Colbert and Sterwart to be pretty gentle with their guests. I would say that the only time a guest should feel threatened would be if he held some real whacko-fringe beliefs, and didn't understand the sarcasm. It's like the old joke where if you can't figure out what everyone's laughing at- it's probably YOU. These delicious moments are the exception however. Most of the time, guests are aware of the gentle ribbing they're getting; some are even rather gracious, and I've come away with more respect for them. I thought it took real guts for William Kristol to go on The Daily Show, Christ, there's not a single thing he could defend! I don't think Dems have much to worry about; Colbert and Stewart have been carrying their water for a few years now (maybe a little needling about their spinelessness would be a good thing).

Contrast TDS and TCR with what is laughingly called the Mainstream Media's endless regurgitation of shills spewing talking-points. To see Tim Russert lob a softball question to Dick Cheyney and then sit there and take an answer that is obviously a lie and let it go by without a follow up, makes me wanna hurl! On any given night, I can make it through about 10 minutes of the world news (pick a network) before I get too disgusted to watch any more. At least with Comedy Central I get to see the dissemblers get called on their billshit once in a while.