Hey White House, declassify this!

I, for one, am bummed to hear that Second Lady Lynne Cheney's racy proto-feminist tale of lesbian cowgirls, Sisters! will not be reissued because it turns out not to have been her "best work."

From an Amazon review:

A must read for every woman!, March 25, 2004
Reviewer: A reader from Upstate, NY
The lusty story of frigid, 19th century house wives thawed only by the gentle, loving caresses of one another. Probes trepidatiously into the sweet, secret delights that await them and brings forth the deep, damp passions lurking in all women as they take their first trembling steps toward their most fervent desires on a tawdry journey of self discovery.

Actually, the other titles on this Amazon page are pretty good. They read:

"IT GAVE ME SPECIAL FEELINGS," and "A must read for every women!," and "A touching tribute to the feminity that is lesbianism."

Sisters!

Good time girls

Sometimes it's the little things that give you a sense of how crap the world really is. All though the week, with increasing frequency, I've been getting press releases about the death of California soldiers in Iraq. This one came at 4:05 this afternoon.

For Immediate Release: Contact: Margita Thompson
Thursday, April 08, 2004 Leigh Thomas
916-445-4571
Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Death of Camp Pendleton Marine
Governor Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement on the death of Lance Cpl. Shane L. Goldman, of Orange, TX, who was stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA:
"Today we honor the life and dedication of Lance Cpl. Goldman. Shane was a brave young man who served his country for a noble cause. His service and memory will not be forgotten."
Lance Cpl. Goldman, 20, died April 5 due to injuries received from hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
In honor of Lance Cpl. Goldman, Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff.
###


The releases all kind of rework the same things. Young noble person has died. We must not forget. Half-mast.

But the press release that followed this one, was different. Instead of being about just one dead marine, it's about nine. An ominous threshold has been crossed. The state government is now remembering these kids as a group, rather than individuals, which I take as a sign of how truly crap things have become over in Iraq.



GAAS:137:04
For Immediate Release: Contact: Margita Thompson
Thursday, April 08, 2004 Leigh Thomas
916-445-4571
Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Death of Nine Camp Pendleton Marines
Governor Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement regarding the deaths of nine Camp Pendleton Marines:
"This week marks a great loss for California. The death of these brave Marines is a sobering reminder of the value of our freedom and the courage of those who give their lives to defend it. Californians mourn the loss of these Marines, and we are forever indebted to them for their sacrifices. Our hearts go out to their loved ones."
Killed in the line of duty were:
Pfc. Benjamin R. Carman, 20, of Jefferson, IA
Lance Cpl. Marcus M. Cherry, 18, of Imperial, CA.
Pfc. Christopher R. Cobb, 19, of Bradenton, FL.
Lance Cpl. Kyle D. Crowley, 18, of San Ramon, CA.
Pfc. Ryan M. Jerabek, 18, of Oneida, WI.
Pfc. Moises A. Langhorst, 19, of Moose Lake, MN.
Lance Cpl. Travis J. Layfield, 19, of Fremont, CA.
Lance Cpl. Anthony P. Roberts, 18, of Bear, DE.
Staff Sgt. Allan K. Walker, 28, of Lancaster, CA.
Pfc. Langhorst died April 5; the other Marines died April 6. All died due to hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. They were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
In honor of these Marines, Capitol flags will be flown at half-staff.
###

Long live free speech

... just don't record it at a public event.

Two reporters were ordered Wednesday to erase their tape recordings of a speech by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at a Mississippi high school.

Scalia has long barred television cameras from his speeches, but does not always forbid newspaper photographers and tape recorders. On Wednesday, he did not warn the audience at the high school that recording devices would be forbidden.

Finally, I see what Condoleezza Rice and Bush have in common: similar ambitions.

From this wire story:

Some analysts also wonder if Rice, who has complained in the past about all-consuming jobs, may not be ready to leave Washington. She has expressed interest in becoming national football commissioner...