How can 59054087 Americans be so dumb?

* another highlite from the sitecounter - someone googled "What is the answer to "How can 59054087 Americans be so dumb?"" - i wish i knew the answer.

* i havent been posting about iraq - cos its such an unspeakable disaster and theres nothing interesting to say. the best outcome is so heartbreakingly bad that there isnt really much to say. we can only all pray to the FlyingSpaghettiMonster that she decides to give us one of those good options, and not one of the immeasurably worse outcomes like, say, Turkey getting fully sucked in. if that happens, do all NATO countries have to join in? i wish we could all jump in a global time machine and go back 3 years. or 5 years.

* "ABC News reported Aug. 1: "When members of the Louisiana National Guard left for Iraq in October, they took a lot equipment with them. Dozens of high water vehicles, humvees, refuelers and generators are now abroad, and in the event of a major natural disaster that, could be a problem.
"The National Guard needs that equipment back home to support the homeland security mission," said Lt. Colonel Pete Schneider with the LA National Guard."" (link)

* the other day i mentioned the NH phone-jamming scandal - it turns out that abramoff's fingerprints are on it :-) (link)

* "Indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff claimed in e-mails sent in 2002 that the deputy secretary of the interior had pledged to block an Indian casino that would compete with one of the lobbyist's tribal clients. Abramoff later told two associates that he was trying to hire the official." (link)

* juancole: "So I think Sunni opposition to the constitution may be considered more or less unanimous. The division is between those who want to fight it at the ballot box and those who want to fight it with bombs." (link)
(emphasis his)

* is pat robertson directing Katrina? is he trying to direct it away from the coast? or is he intentionally targetting the sinners in new orleans?

* "Omri Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister's elder son and campaign manager, faces up to five years in prison after being indicted on charges of illegal fundraising for his father's successful contest in 1999 for the Likud leadership and later for the premiership... The Prime Minister's son was charged in Tel Aviv magistrates' court yesterday with forging corporate documents, perjury and breach of trust." (link)

* Malaysia is running an ad campaign on the teeve - apparently for tourism - the message seems to be "the air quality isnt *that* bad" - how bizarre.

* is anyone at the Notting Hill carnival?