No blogging until late tomorrow night perhaps, though maybe not until monday. Just a heads up.

While I'm gone, be sure to check out these 13 myths about a war in Iraq.

HEHEHE AGAIN

Check this out, make sure you read carefully before you click it off!

I ALMOST FORGOT

This is where I was on sunday:




The atmosphere was incredible. You can see hundreds of newsprint photos and think you know what the atmosphere was like, but when you're actually there, and the crowd is marching... cheering... smiling... unbelievable.

One of the things conservatives don't get -- primarily because they stay very, very far from these things -- is that perhaps aside from some speakers, the vibe of the march and protest is very, very positive. Part of it is the discovery of hundreds of thousands of people -- millions and millions around the world -- who share your values and your conscience. Another is the inspiration and the optimism inherent in being progressive, at least in my case. When it adds up, a conservative viewing it either does one of two things: 1) characterize all the protesters based on a handful of bad eggs, like that small group of masked anarchists, or 2) observe, puzzled, from their high hill, a la the Grinch.

The conservatives then gloat and laugh when Bush says protesters can't change his mind. To them I say, this isn't all about Bush. This is about suburban mothers, the working class, and the conscience of the world . . . and perhaps Tony Blair while we're at it.

Every couple of minutes a cheer would race down the blocks like a wave, myself and my sexy accomplice participated. Conservatives will never, ever understand that cheer.

HEHEHE

Roger Ailes (the other one) runs a great blog, but, hehe, I beat you to the "victory fries" joke by 8 hours.

I FEEL SAFER ALREADY

We've come a long way in 50 years.

hehehe (from bartcop)

CHA-CHING

Arianna reminds us that the motivation for an Iraq war may have to do with something even simpler than oil in the eyes of Cheney, etc. Howabout money!

(hmm, wouldnt $73 million from Cheney to Saddam count as "giving comfort to the enemy"?)

MUST READ!

Today's Krugman is, as I said, a must-read.

Drudge says CBS plans to censor any anti-war displays or sentiment at the Grammys.

I say, please, go for it, I dare you. I didn't tell you to nominate Coldplay, but that's what you get*. And hey, if you have a problem with it, here's the solution: get the pro-war artists to make better music.

But Toby Keith and Lee Greenwood suck, you say? Haha, too bad.

And besides, telling high-quality rock musicians not to evoke political issues is like telling hiphoppers not to thank Jesus Christ for whatever little statues they win. Good luck.

And hmm, CBS is censoring liberals. Wonder what Bernie thinks of this...

*- Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head" was among my ten best albums of the year, by the way

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS REAL

No really, I can't.

Some neanderthal who runs a restaurant in North Carolina has decided to take the "French" out of "French fries", renaming them "Freedom fries".

Neal Rowland, the owner of Cubbie's, now only sells his fried potato strips as "freedom fries" -- a decision that comes as Americans watch French officials back away from support for possible war in Iraq.

"Because of Cubbie's support for our troops, we no longer serve french fries. We now serve freedom fries," says a sign in the restaurant's window.

Rowland said his intent is not to slight the French people, but to take a patriotic stance to show his support for the United States and the actions of President Bush.

"It's our way of showing our patriotic pride," he said, noting that his business has a lot of local military troops as customers.

First of all, a lot of Orwelian nonsense has come from the Bush Administration as of late, but this plucky restauranteur has topped it all! "Freedom fries"? Sounds too much like "victory gin" to me...

Also, unless given an order to do otherwise by their superior, the troops will still call them "french fries", or just "fries". Deal with it. I usually just say "fries".

Finally, a question for Mr Rowland, columnists like George Will (or even Tom Friedman), and conservative nitwits across the country: You are driving in your town or city, and you come up to Lafayette Street. Does that mean anything to you? Anything at all?

FROM THE "CAN WE BOMB MUSLIMS IN THE MEANTIME?" FRONT...
also, the "can we bomb them cheap?" front...

...we're sending 3000 troops to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, a report comes out saying that even a short Iraq war, where just about everything goes right, could cost a trillion dollars. That's with a T. And a long one could cost triple that. It could cost 1-3% of world GDP. Alcoholic Bush has already driven the American economy into a ditch. Next stop, world!

While I'm at it, I'm curious, question for Dubya: Would you mind explaining, in that plain, from-the-hip Texas English of yours, exactly what a disarmed Iraq looks like? And don't say "I know what a disarmed country looks like, and it doesn't..." etc. Give me a positive answer, sir.

YEAH RIGHT, AND ARAFAT AND SHARON ARE GONNA VACATION TOGETHER TOO

On the heels of the Led Zeppelin reunion and tour rumors, we hear that Simon & Garfunkel are in negotiations to tour together again, for the first time in . . . well, a while.

A number of questions remain, including
-Who gets the profits?
-Will Art lend Paul some of his hair?
-Will the Kings of Convenience open?
-Look at them . . .

. . . they're on drugs!

Within financial constraints, of course, I'd like to be there. I'm guessing my father would as well, that should make things easier.

HUZZAH!

I return! It's been a nice 5 or 6 days off from blogging, things are beautiful in the land of TFM.

Here's a good motivational video from those rockstars at Take Back The Media.

I might be gone from thursday through sunday night, or I might be here for the duration...

UPDATE: I'll be here all weekend and beyond, so get ready!