Thinking Points 2

I'll see if I can do these on a semi-regular basis. It'll help you to see what sort of things interest me.

• The New York Times is sueing the Pentagon. Why? They want more information about who was spied on and why, as per the Freedom of Information Act.
• A Texas-based political group of leftist persuasion has been investigating all the problems of Tom DeLay. One day the IRS comes in and audits them because they have been ordered to from "on high". Who ordered it? Sam Johnson, another Texas Republican representative. According to TPM, the evidence that the IRS audit was deliberate retribution is sizeable.
• Minnesota Republicans are apparently trying to infect computers with spyware. This is probably more a case of incompetence rather than malice in my opinion.
• According to the WaPo, the situation in Iraq has led to more deaths than previously thought.
• A CBS poll puts George Bush's approval rate at a mere 34% - the lowest it has ever been apparently. If it hits 33% then the chances are that Bush-lovers are outnumbered by 2 to 1 (depending upon the amount of "unsures" polled). The CBS poll seems weird because a Cook/RT Strategies poll that was done at the same time recorded a 40% approval rate.
• And what is it about polls below 40% and the "pony" motif? Alas for my ignorance!
• DailyKos asks where should the 2008 Democratic National Convention be held? Although Dallas would be a great place (being deep in enemy heartland), I think the only real choice would be New Orleans.
• John Aravosis at AMERICABlog is absolutely outraged that the Evangelical "American Family Association" is trying to get "Desperate Housewives" off the air. While he waxes lyrical about their anti-Semitic, anti-Homosexual agenda, I'm not exactly outraged. For a start, I don't watch "Desperate Housewives" and if I did I would probably be outraged by its predictable cookie-cutter plot and dialogue. I once visited a church where the preacher denounced "Charmed" from the pulpit as though it was causing demons to infest teenage minds. My assessment is: empty threat, hardly worth getting worried about.
• John Aravosis also reports that 72% of American soldiers in Iraq want out of Iraq within 12 months.
• US 4th quarter GDP was larger than reported, but still low at 1.6% p.a.. Thanks to Kash at Angry Bear for this one.
• Brian Van Reet has an infuriating story of an incident he experienced while serving in Iraq in 2004.
• For whatever reason, right-wing blogger John Hinderaker at Powerline is now arguing that Iraq's WMDs were secretly moved to Syria. Payson at Think Progress is right when he states that Hinderaker is merely peddling unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. I've done my own research into this issue, and, unless any new evidence comes to light, the facts just don't support a Syria-WMD link.
• Rat Poison at Sizzlers.
• Now I have to fear my cat!
• Computer viruses cost households and businesses dearly. Surely the costs associated with the switch to a more stable, safer and free operating system would be outweighed, over the long term, by continuing to use an OS that was just plain unsafe?
• This has been good to listen to while I type.
• Sydneyanglicans.net profiles another Christian athlete that we can be inspired by. Hopefully he won't go the way of Hansie.
• Golf in space - one way to raise valuable revenue.
• Latest PBF Cartoon is not funny. Unique, but it doesn't make me laugh.
• 52 years since Castle Bravo.
• 48 years since Gary Sobers made 365.
• Happy Birthday Shahid Afridi (26).
• Starbuck turns 61. Frack!
• That blond headed guy who played Tommy in the movie is 62.
• The first incarnation of The Master would have been 88 today.
• 12 years since Nirvana's last gig.
• 35 years since terrorists destory a toilet in the US Capitol Building
• Jim Morrison proves to his 1969 audience that it's not just Iggy who has a biggy.
• 53 years since Stalin began his inexorable descent into hell.
• 70 years since the Hoover Dam was built. This explains why all American cities do not require power plants and why there is no pollution.