You just can't trust those dolphins.

You know Ari Fleischer's lyin' about 90% of the time, but it's always nice to catch him in one. Here's what he said Mar. 28 about the difficulty of the Iraq invasion:

"The statements the White House has always made about this is that people should be prepared for the fact that it would go longer," Fleischer said. "That's exactly how the White House explained what we expect.

"When the White House says to you that it can be long, lengthy and dangerous, we're anticipating that any number of scenarios can develop."

*sound of buzzer*

Here's what the Administration and its supporters (OK, it wasn't precisely the White House) said during the run-up to war (compiled by Salon):

Vice President Dick Cheney, on NBC's "Meet the Press" March 16:

"The read we get on the people of Iraq is there is no question but that they want to get rid of Saddam Hussein and they will welcome as liberators the United States when we come to do that."

"My guess is even significant elements of the Republican Guard are likely as well to want to avoid conflict with the U.S. forces and are likely to step aside."

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, in an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN March 23:

"The course of this war is clear. The outcome is clear. The regime of Saddam Hussein is gone. It's over. It will not be there in a relatively reasonably predictable period of time."

"And the people in Iraq need to know that: that it will not be long before they will be liberated."

Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, in a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars March 11:

"Over and over, we hear reports of Iraqis here in the United States who manage to communicate with their friends and families in Iraq, and what they are hearing is amazing. Their friends and relatives want to know what is taking the Americans so long. When are you coming?"

"In a meeting last week at the White House, one of these Iraqi-Americans said, 'A war with Saddam Hussein would be a war for Iraq, not against Iraq.'"

"The Iraqi people understand what this crisis is about. Like the people of France in the 1940s, they view us as their hoped-for liberator. They know that America will not come as a conqueror. Our plan -- as President Bush has said -- is to 'remain as long as necessary and not a day more.'"

Richard Perle, recently resigned chairman of the Defense Policy Board, in a PBS interview July 11, 2002:

"Saddam is much weaker than we think he is. He's weaker militarily. We know he's got about a third of what he had in 1991."

"But it's a house of cards. He rules by fear because he knows there is no underlying support. Support for Saddam, including within his military organization, will collapse at the first whiff of gunpowder. "

Ken ("Cakewalk") Adelman, former U.N. ambassador, in an Op-Ed for the Washington Post, Feb. 13, 2002:

"I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. Let me give simple, responsible reasons: (1) It was a cakewalk last time; (2) they've become much weaker; (3) we've become much stronger; and (4) now we're playing for keeps.

Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a breakfast meeting March 4, 2003:

"What you'd like to do is have it be a short, short conflict. The best way to do that is have such a shock on the system, the Iraqi regime would have to assume early on the end is inevitable."

Christopher Hitchens, Vanity Fair writer, in a debate Jan. 28, 2003:

"This will be no war -- there will be a fairly brief and ruthless military intervention.

"The president will give an order. [The attack] will be rapid, accurate and dazzling ... It will be greeted by the majority of the Iraqi people as an emancipation. And I say, bring it on."

Michael Moore's next project will be Farenheit 911, a look at the "murky relationship between President Bush's father and the family of Osama bin Laden..."

I've posted the Daily Variety story in the comments below...

MB and I finally ate at Tenament on Ludlow between Stanton and Rivington. They spent a lot of money building this place. Very slick old time LES feel. Two interesting semi-private rooms in the back. Music from the live dj was nice. Very good feel to the place.

The food is trying, but so far not making it. The dishes reminded me of Alias except not as good (although Alias had some problems at the start too, so maybe there is hope.) Service was scattered at best. Probably won't return unless I hear something different.

We tried the new Clinton St. place, Salt, last night. Nice casual room. More bar than restaurant. Maybe 10 deuces, plus a long communal style table in the middle. Couple beers on tap. Fairly short wine list that didn't seem special to my relatively untrained eye.

Menu is small and very meat oriented. What we had was not very impressive, but not a disaster either. (Alex?) But it's not really about the food in any case. Very young, hip, euro-ish crowd. I don't expect it to be popular with the locals, but that's probably a good thing in terms of them making it. I'd meet someone there for a drink over, say, Verlaine, or SX137, but that's not saying too much.

L'Impero was fun, we did tasting menus and all very happy, I have to admit by all the hype I expected more, I like the space very much, will try it again one more time....2*

one for you oregonians before they start hauling you away for being terrorists.

Weblog song.

That perfect link I hope to find
Check MetaFilter for the 40th time
I left a comment, I hope you see
How this issue pertains to me


Semantic web, RSS, and e-mail
Single white guy seeks athletic female
I'm busy building the digital commons
Cook me up another bowl of ramen

via the morning news:
Federal investigators have arrested an enigmatic Wall Street wiz on insider-trading charges -- and incredibly, he claims to be a time-traveler from the year 2256!

Sources at the Security and Exchange Commission confirm that 44-year-old Andrew Carlssin offered the bizarre explanation for his uncanny success in the stock market after being led off in handcuffs on January 28.

"But the fact is, with an initial investment of only $800, in two weeks' time he had a portfolio valued at over $350 million.

Officials are quite confident the "time-traveler's" claims are bogus. Yet the SEC source admits, "No one can find any record of any Andrew Carlssin existing anywhere before December 2002."

I can't find the Beavis and Butthead thread, but this is relevant:

Retired Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey said the Army and Marine forces converging on the Republican Guard south of Baghdad will have no choice but to continue to attack those Iraqi defenders. "We've got no option, we're committed," he said. But, he added, "I wouldn't go into Baghdad before I had another armored division come up into my rear."

On a more serious note, this comes from a back-of-the-Washington Post article that gives a more realistic (ie pessimistic) prediction from the Pentagon about the length of our stay in Iraq, the difficulties we'll be facing, etc. I've asked my brother to send me a link.

Mr. Wilson, what's your take on this? Catholics propose St. Isidore as patron saint of internet users. (That's Saint Isidore of Seville Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, of course.) Surely we can do better than that?

Went to Union Pacific for the 3rd time in 3 years, and while a couple dishes were super-dup (taylor scallop/uni/tomatoe water and mustard seed & a fava morrel shrimp thing), they rest were just good, liked the first time the best....2*

Another Dinner at Ripe, Sat March 15th.

Somber mood due to the war, but since Ripe works by rsvp guests showed up.

Chioggia beets and mache with horseradish vinaigrette

spring risotto (peas and asparagus)

Herb encrusted pan seared halibut with yellowfoot mushrooms
and caper beurre blanc

Italian almond poundcake with lemon curd and whipped cream.

$20 plus gratuity. Dessert $2
I brought a Charles Shaw Cabernet. $3 at Trader Joes

I love this place.

On Wednesday afternoon the Senate narrowly voted to pass an amendment that took consideration of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge out of the fast-track budget reconciliation bill, so a vote of Yes was a vote to protect the Refuge.

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Boxer-Chafee Amendment
Passed by a vote of 52-48, 3:38 pm, 3/19/2003 thus removing the Arctic drilling language from the Senate Budge Resolution.


State Party Senator Vote


AK R Murkowski, Lisa N

AK R Stevens, Ted N

AL R Sessions, Jeff N

AL R Shelby, Richard C. N

AR D Lincoln, Blanche Lambert Y

AR D Pryor, Mark Y

AZ R Kyl, Jon L. N

AZ R McCain, John Y

CA D Boxer, Barbara Y

CA D Feinstein, Dianne Y

CO R Allard, Wayne A. N

CO R Campbell, Ben Nighthorse N

CT D Dodd, Christopher J. Y

CT D Lieberman, Joseph I. Y

DE D Biden, Joseph R. Y

DE D Carper, Thomas R. Y

FL D Graham, Bob Y

FL D Nelson, Bill Y

GA R Chambliss, Saxby N

GA D Miller, Zell B. N

HI D Akaka, Daniel K. N

HI D Inouye, Daniel K. N

IA R Grassley, Charles E. N

IA D Harkin, Tom Y

ID R Craig, Larry N

ID R Crapo, Michael D. N

IL D Durbin, Richard J. Y

IL R Fitzgerald, Peter G. Y

IN D Bayh, B. Evan Y

IN R Lugar, Richard G. N

KS R Brownback, Sam N

KS R Roberts, Pat N

KY R Bunning, Jim N

KY R McConnell, Mitch N

LA D Breaux, John B. N

LA D Landrieu, Mary L. N

MA D Kennedy, Edward M. Y

MA D Kerry, John F. Y

MD D Mikulski, Barbara A. Y

MD D Sarbanes, Paul S. Y

ME R Collins, Susan M. Y

ME R Snowe, Olympia J. Y

MI D Levin, Carl Y

MI D Stabenow, Debbie Y

MN R Coleman, Norm Y

MN D Dayton, Mark Y

MO R Bond, Christopher S. N

MO R Talent, Jim N

MS R Cochran, Thad N

MS R Lott, Trent N

MT D Baucus, Max Y

MT R Burns, Conrad N

NC R Dole, Elizabeth H. N

NC D Edwards, John R. Y

ND D Conrad, Kent Y

ND D Dorgan, Byron L. Y

NE R Hagel, Chuck N

NE D Nelson, Ben Y

NH R Gregg, Judd N

NH R Sununu, John E. N

NJ D Corzine, Jon S. Y

NJ D Lautenberg, Frank R. Y

NM D Bingaman, Jeff Y

NM R Domenici, Pete V. N

NV R Ensign, John N

NV D Reid, Harry Y

NY D Clinton, Hillary Rodham Y

NY D Schumer, Charles E. Y

OH R DeWine, Mike Y

OH R Voinovich, George V. N

OK R Inhofe, James M. N

OK R Nickles, Don N

OR R Smith, Gordon H. Y

OR D Wyden, Ron Y

PA R Santorum, Richard J. N

PA R Specter, Arlen N

RI R Chafee, Lincoln D. Y

RI D Reed, John F. Y

SC R Graham, Lindsey N

SC D Hollings, Ernest F. Y

SD D Daschle, Thomas A. Y

SD D Johnson, Tim P. Y

TN R Alexander, Lamar N

TN R Frist, Bill N

TX R Cornyn, John N

TX R Hutchison, Kay Bailey N

UT R Bennett, Robert F. N

UT R Hatch, Orrin G. N

VA R Allen, George F. N

VA R Warner, John William N

VT I Jeffords, James M. Y

VT D Leahy, Patrick J. Y

WA D Cantwell, Maria Y

WA D Murray, Patty Y

WI D Feingold, Russ Y

WI D Kohl, Herbert H. Y

WV D Byrd, Robert C. Y

WV D Rockefeller, John Y

WY R Enzi, Michael B. N

WY R Thomas, Craig N

el Bulli has a hotel now where you can eat dishes from the many years of the restaurant....

ill just blame the rock that ive been living under all my life for not being aware of alice waters. finally caught up w/ this american masters series piece twice in the last week on pbs ch 13

aKa is in the running in two catagories

in this down (mentally and financialy) time, maybe talking about food & and spending money, is not good, but i will continue along till my DMTree contact runs out at the end of 2003.....$5 sandwich!! Sophies Cuban Cuisine 96 Chambers, I had the pork, super juicy, with swiss, mayo, potato chips inside, spicy onion, pressed bread FANTASTIC!!!....Fuleen Seafood, the Post Protest Crew dined here, we were 7 and we spent apox $35 each, I think I liked the meal the most, lots of cleanly fried food, fresh seafood out of tank (served clear with few flavors), a wonderful sauted onion on top of chive blossom!! 1*....

Oklahoma up by fifteen over Cal but OU doesn't hold on to a lead very well so lookout, Hollis Price playing with injury, Bookout recovering from flu, Quannas White hitting his threes.

Get Your War On #22

Brief mention of a terrorsit plot to hit a nuke plant in Arizona on the local classic rock station yesterday. Found the story on energy web

Not much info, but there is supposedly an "EMERGENCY PROTEST TODAY, TIMES SQUARE 5:00PM, Thursday, March 20."

There is no permit for this action.

Come help Samoa cerebrate his 45th birthday with his fabulous country band, The Lonely Samoans!! Monday, March 24th. 8pm sharp. @ The Bowery Poetry Club 308 Bowery St 212.614.0505

Dear MoveOn folks in the New York area,

This Saturday, March 22, tens or even hundreds of thousands of us will finally get the opportunity to march for peace in New
York City. The march is fully legal. I've attached a memo
from organizer Leslie Cagan that gives the details, but here's
the basic information:

When: 12 Noon, Saturday March 22
Where: Assembling between 42nd and 36th street on Broadway
More Info

I'll be there. I hope you can make it too. If hundreds of
thousands of us take to the streets, we'll send a strong
message that New Yorkers continue to oppose this war.

Sincerely,
--Eli Pariser
International Campaigns Director
MoveOn.org
March 18, 2003

the polanski file: details from his "trouble" with the law.