As for the Pentagon and its illegal propaganda mill, that story isn't dead at all. As a matter of fact, it's just being born.

He's just confusing the birth pangs with one of his run of the mill gas attacks. It's never pretty.

GC - it's raining cats and dogs here and everything is greengreengreen! I am waiting for a break in the downpour so I can pick a bunch of lilacs for my 95-y-o grandmother for Mother's Day. Flowers stay fresh longer if you cut them in the rain. I wonder if hunting morels in the rain makes them tastier?

Stand by, Shooter. Your world is about to come crashing down.

-- Jebbie

At the risk of sounding like adnoto, I wonder if it might not be more like one of those slow motion land slides. Little bits of rubble and detritus come tumbling down each hour over an extended period of time, like the sand in an hour glass. The interminably slow grinding of the wheels of justice in month after month after month of congressional hearings. You might say it was intended to be that way. Jefferson may have wanted things to move along quickly and violently while he was in Paris but cooler heads prevailed. The idea is to get at the facts and try to prevent errors and harm from happening again. Not to bring government crashing down around our ears. It's one of the strengths of our system. It's durability. It won't please adnoto, (or Bucky) but it won't please Shooter, either.

I also follow Franklin Lamb's articles at CounterPunch very closely. They sometimes have the air of having been transcribed by someone whose english is a bit defective, which is odd, but generally I think they are excellent. However, I am a bit confused about "the Friday Lunch Club," because there is a blog by that name which doesn't name its author, but follows a close to Franklin Lamb type line. What exactly does the phrase "the Friday Lunch Club" refer to, if not "the Welch Club"?

Now as to the goody goody libertarians, I agree completely with Mike Sulzer, who said while I was either asleep or hiding my shame and not visiting the thread, "If libertarianism says that everything would be great if everyone would leave everyone else alone except for voluntary interactions, then the realist would say: but everyone won't. And because of that, and in reaction to that, we have governments," except that I would go further, and say that anyone who claims to believe that in the absence of "government" (and at this point one begins to wonder how they define "government") people would spontaneously revert to being nice to each other, is not just being naive, they are being disingenuous, by which I mean, they are sinister, cynical liars.

I think of this line from the song OBLIVIOUS.

"And like a funny film, it's kinda cute

They've bought the bullets and there's no-one left to shoot."

So Shooter doesn't mind spending millions of taxpayer dollars to have these generals pimp a war that will end up costing us anther three trillion.

They sometimes have the air of having been transcribed by someone whose english is a bit defective

That often happens when he's knocking one off in the middle of a war. Running from place to place, staying in different place each night amid artillery and rocket barrages and gunfire.

Obviously, it would be a false portrait, but that's never stopped them before. Probably the Dems believe they are well positioned for November, and don't want to take any chances in that regard.

Sometimes you have to do what's right, because it's right.

Most of the serious dissatisfaction I see with the Democrats as a whole (and not just the blogosphere) is that they don't stand for anything, that they're weak, that they cave in to the Repubs at every turn. It's hard to argue differently when they back away from serious disagreements out of fear.

This should be framed the way it truly has evolved. Retired generals and officers were used by the Bush administration to push propoganda and if they failed to do so, would not be allowed access to "briefings" and would lose their jobs with the networks for not having any info and possibly having defense companies they work for lose contracts.

Even shooter's not defending this, just changing the subject.

If this was a no big deal issue, typical behavoir of retired generals and the news media the story could have been reported on and twisted into attacks on patriotism. It isn't, which means the MSM is embarassed.

Love that Mommy Lady while she is still in the wrinkled skin. Hug her flesh and bones delicately. Please give her two kisses. Smell the purple Lilacs. Pretend the second kiss are my lips. Wear lipstick and paint fingers and toes various colors.

I guess you are beseeching Richard to not dress in his G-string outfit? Richard is probably begging you to not wear a gold pierced nose ring.

Wear whatever you want. Greet everybody warmly.

Mumble quietly in the breeze-wind under your breath.

Visualize every person as a baby with a chubby tummy.

The Mind's eye ~ visualize you scrubbing a soiled butt.

That's a compliment.

Where is mommy I-girl?

Happy Mothers Day to everybody.

No one knows how many hairs are on a chin that constitutes 'it' being called a beard. Do angels really dance on pins?

You must be teasing?

Angelus. Holy Merry!

Messengers in human form don't claim to know.

I am thankful for the excellent varied comments.

If you, or any one is estranged from your Mother,

I hope you don't telephone them to say "Hi" collect.

I will gently pass along your hugs and kisses. She is a fragile lady, tiny (4'11") and everything I love about green and growing things came from her. She is a special person.

The lilacs are wonderful. French with double flowers that smell like heaven. Every flower I cut brought a cascade of saved raindrops onto my head. Revenge of the lilac bush?

I saw my first hummingbird this morning. He was busy at an azalea. At first I thought he was an incredibly large bumblebee. I always think that when I see the first hummer of the season.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day. Especially those ladies who have blessed us by bringing new life into the world. You are our redemption from those who bring us war.

Peace everyone, and a gentle, quiet sunday in honor of the lifegivers.