drat fink

vested interest

"Yet the memo is gloomy in most other respects, portraying a country mired in dysfunction and corruption, overseen by a CPA that "handle(s) an issue like six-year-olds play soccer: Someone kicks the ball and one hundred people chase after it hoping to be noticed, without a care as to what happens on the field." But it is particularly pointed on the subject of cronyism and corruption within the Governing Council, the provisional Iraqi government subordinate to the CPA whose responsibilities include re-staffing Iraq's government departments. "In retrospect," the memo asserts, "both for political and organizational reasons, the decision to allow the Governing Council to pick 25 ministers did the greatest damage. Not only did we endorse nepotism, with men choosing their sons and brothers-in-law; but we also failed to use our prerogative to shape a system that would work ... our failure to promote accountability has hurt us.""

blow by blow job

wonkette gets her full court press passage.

saudi sores

"WASHINGTON (AP) - The State Department on Thursday ordered the departure of non-essential U.S. government employees and family members from Saudi Arabia because of security concerns."

condimania

feeling it?

hot topping

the pizza delivery guy last night gave me a fridge magnet for east village radio.com.

air forceps

anybody listening to air america?

park n ride

i read a biography of butch cassidy while i was on vacation. probably the most interesting part was the mystery surrounding his death. as the movie implied, it was long thought that he and harry longabaugh aka the sundance kid were killed in a shootout in bolivia but there were various reports of future encounters with cassidy back in the states including one from his sister. but even the veracity of her account has been deemed questionable.

ive got presence for everyone

back in the sad dull again. and just in time too, but for what i have no idea.

it was a tearful goodbye as i made my way to el aeropuerto. however, they were not shed for me but because of me. the twenty minute drive was too much of a burden for poor little aireta whose playdate with cousins was interrupted on my behalf. well, not exactly. playtime was over but the two were associated in her mind and no truth was to impede her tantrum. and it took an enormous amount of patience for me not to tender my less than laudatory appraisal of her antics. while her mother cajoled i fumed. so i felt not an uncertain amount of relief once my foot reached out for the curbstone and i was relieved of the need to be judicious in my consideration of the little ones. but the fates would have at me again as i was seated next to a thirteen month old boy with a proclivity for banging on anything within reach. god bless the ipod for without which i may be composing this post in shackles.

thats it for the moment. i have to reaquaint myself with the sofa and the tv. but yo, whats with the freakin cold?

come fly with me

im off in the am. first to old san juan for a night. then either a short plane or ferry ride to vieques for a few days with my friends and their two girls. after that its unclear what we'll do. ill probably spend time at their house in naguabo. i dont really like to plan these things. in fact, i dont even really like to go. shopping for the trip was brutal enough.

anyway, off to bed. i am looking forward to the disconnect from the newstunnel. i hope to forget i even know what an 'atrios' is. bill, im leaving you in charge. make sure tom doesnt hurt anybody while im gone. and see if you can option any of those screenplays ive been knocking around. i know theres gold in there, i just know there is. (glint of light glances of toothy grin.)

hamstrung out

to pod or not to pod?