CHARGE!

I've been a little distracted lately but in trying to catch up, I'm overwhelmed by all I've missed. But I've neither the inclination nor time right now to dwell on all the negative aspects of the news of the past week.

Like the confusion on Bush's "stay the course" response to calls for Iraq withdrawal while our Secretary of State, the former Chevron oil tanker Condoleezza Rice, says we may be able to pull down US troop strength in Iraq. As noted by DOD spokesman Bryan Whitman, the "very positive" development of Iraqi security forces is evidenced by the burgeoning number of suicide bomber attacks and resultant soaring death toll I guess.

Nor will I recapture Fannie Mae's offer to FEMA over two weeks ago of 1,500 foreclosed homes to homeless hurricane victims to use rent free for up to 18 mos. that FEMA ignored! Only when this was made public did FEMA reveal its reason for inaction. Apparently FEMA's priority was their concern for the privacy protection of those poor displaced folks that might be violated by prospective buyers parading through homes. (Is "Brownie" STILL working at FEMA?)

And I won't recount the government's denial we used white phosporous as a weapon on Fullujans. Then their admission we did. Or their denial white phosporous is a chemical weapon despite their earlier assessment it is. Seems it all depends who's using it. Sadam uses it on his own people, it's a chemical weapon. The US uses it to spread democracy, it's a conventional weapon.

And I won't address Bush's claim that his chief 'skirt' in his Iraqi misadventurism, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair, is lying when he says Bush wanted to bomb al-Jazeera, the Arab satellite television station, but Blair dissuaded him. Obviously, if the above examples from the past week's news items is indicative of any pattern, just wait a few days and we'll get Bush's complete turnaround on his spin of this story as well. (Just don't wait for an apology Mr. Prime Minister. Bush is a man of no regrets.)

No, rather than look back on the serious news items of things I missed due to the loss of a family member, our greyhound Annie, I prefer to look at the lighter side. I'm talking about the two beautiful Bush metaphors, one intended, the other not.

In the annual Thanksgiving ritural earlier this week, Bush, with Cheney standing behind him, pardoned two turkeys. It was impossible to miss the gesture as a hopeful portension for Bush's war criminals ladened administration.

Then there were those locked doors in a Chinese hotel where Bush was embarrassingly caught on video "trying to escape. It didn't work." It was impossible to miss that gesture as a hopeful portension for Bush's war criminals ladened administration.

These provided the press and the public with some chuckles. They would've been a helluva lot funnier if Bush--Cheney didn't have the nation and the world so totally screwed up.

But I've no time to concern myself with such matters now. No, I'm just a couple hours from 5 a.m. Time to get over to the local Wal-Mart Super Center. To grab a little holiday spirit by joining the annual 'running of the bulls'. To--using a football metaphor--practice my clipping and illegal blocks to the back skills against other like minded and spirited shoppers. To give a sharp elbow to the ribs of some 37 year old pregnant mom over the last X-box on the shelf.

Happy holidays everyone!