So the United States Congress has started an investigation into the lacking governmental response to Hurricane Katrina. Now that, on face value, seems great — until you realize who will notably be missed in such an investigation. That's right: Congress! We have heard a lot of lamenting about the error of adding FEMA to the huge bureaucracy of Homeland Security — by the very people that voted to place FEMA under HS. Who is it that created the regulations of how the various pieces of government interact? Congress. Who is it that controls the purse strings of the Federal budget? Congress. Here is a more specific example. One of the congressional panel to question Brown, the Former Head of FEMA, was Rep. William Jefferson. Jefferson used the National Guard to retrieve things from his home after Katrina hit. And it actually gets better: apparently there FBI is currently investigating Jefferson, and some surmise he may have been removing evidence from his home. Oh yeah. Let's let that guy question Brown about how he was deploying Katrina resources.

• Amid Katrina Chaos, Congressman Used National Guard to Visit Home
• Jefferson downplays stop at his New Orleans house

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What is it about bubble wrap that makes it difficult — if not impossible — to refrain from POPPING IT! Sony is cashing in on that irreversible urge and giving you the opportunity to pop, pop, pop… and push playstation buttons… sort of.

• PlayStation Bubblewrap

Rush Limbaugh takes on the much-hyped but not quite delivered Mega-Anti-War-Rally at DC! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! See the millions of pissed-off Americans devouring support for the Iraq War! I read about the dang rally on my Yahoo news feeds for over a week before the thing even happened. Speaking of which why do we still call this a "war"? The war was pretty much over when we found Saddam Hussein hiding in a spider hole. Sure, Iraq is not exactly what I would call a Mecca of Peace, but if it is a "war" who, exactly, are we at war with? There was an official surrender quite some time ago. Our government is on friendly terms with the currently elected government in Iraq. Most of the insurgents are foreign nationals from Syria and other countries, but we're not at war with any of those other countries. Oh and I don't buy the whole "war on terror" as an actual war. I just have to shake my head when I pass the signs that say "No War In Iraq" — That's right: there's no war in Iraq… what's your point? Maybe I'm nit picky, but I just wish people could be more accurate in what they believe in/are fighting for. How about a sign that said: "I don't think Iraq will directly affect me one way or the other, and I don't want ANYONE to die… so let's bring the troops home." Not exactly brief and perhaps a bit naive, but ACCURATE. And for some reason that is important to me. Read more

Michael Crichton gave a speech on environmentalism and the challenges facing mankind. He makes an interesting parrallel. Though his use of "faith" is more what I would describe as "blind faith"… two completely seperate concepts. But that is the topic for another day. Below are excerpts followed by the full text. I have been asked to talk about what I consider the most important challenge facing mankind, and I have a fundamental answer. The greatest challenge facing mankind is the challenge of distinguishing reality from fantasy, truth from propaganda. Perceiving the truth has always been a challenge to mankind, but in the information age (or as I think of it, the disinformation age) it takes on a special urgency and importance. We must daily decide whether the threats we face are real, whether the solutions we are offered will do any good, whether the problems we're told exist are in fact real problems, or non-problems. Every one of us has a sense of the world, and we all know that this sense is in part given to us by what other people and society tell us; in part generated by our emotional state, which we project outward; and in part by our genuine perceptions of reality. In short, our struggle to determine what is true is the struggle to decide which of our perceptions are genuine, and which are false because they are handed down, or sold to us, or generated by our own hopes and fears. As an example of this challenge, I want to talk today about environmentalism. And in order not to be misunderstood, I want it perfectly clear that I believe it is incumbent on us to conduct our lives in a way that takes into account all the consequences of our actions, including the consequences to other people, and the consequences to the environment. Read more

An Idaho weatherman recently gained attention for an unusual theory that Hurricane Katrina was caused by the Japanese mafia using a Russian electromagnetic generator. Scott Steven believes a little-known oversight in physical laws makes it possible to create and control storms using a Cold War-era weapon allegedly made by the Russians in 1976. Stevens even more recently has quit the television station KPVI-TV. His departure comes after station officials learned the "Make a Donation" link on Stevens' Web site, WeatherWars.info (is anyone else a little frightened that weatherwars.COM was already taken?), where he expounds on his theory, was connected to Stevens' KPVI e-mail address. What can I say? You can't make this stuff up.

• Idaho weatherman quits… AP

Man Jeff has been contributing so much great stuff we may have to make him and editor… Things Republicans/Conservatives Believe Read more

Today I saw a man riding his bicycle home from a short shopping trip… you know, high gas prices and all. All the while he was smoking a Cigar! Man I love the South.

"They had no good cigars there, my lord; and I left the place in disgust." — Alfred Lord Tennyson, returning from Venice

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This is the story of a boy and his crimefighting supercar. Through the wonders of ebay, Jason was able to aquire the Knight Industries Two Thousand or K.I.T.T. This is the chronicle of that fateful trip home, Jason really puts it best: After saying farewell to my new friends, KITT and I hit the road, heading west… Everywhere I went, people wanted their picture with KITT. Every time I stopped the car - getting gas, at tourist attractions, even stoplights, someone would ask about him.I made a lot of new friends on the road. And, you know, fought crime. KITT and I roamed far and wide across this great nation… Putting right what once went wrong… And stopping to enjoy the scenery whenever it warranted. The road opened up wide before us. KITT always did his best to keep me out of trouble, but we had plenty of misadventures. We even had a very SPECIAL adventure in Vegas… I learned a lot on that journey. A lot about America. A lot about myself. "One man CAN make a difference," said the really intense voice in the Knight Rider opening credits. While the dorky obsession is obvious, Jason weaves a compelling visual tale of a six day road trip rife with destinations. It makes you want to suit up and hit the road yourself… well maybe in a few weeks when gas comes back down…

• KITT Road Trip Summary
• KITT Road Trip More Dets

Thanks Sarah

The home page of Peter Pan created by: Randy Constan is, well, a train wreck that just won't stop. I tried to find a quote that would sum up his page, but this web site DEFIES description… well at least in any succinct way. Anyway, check it out BUT be warned you will be amazed (but not in a good way). Especially on the photos page that keeps going and going… when all the while you're thinking no one person could possibly have ever worn so many bad outfits — let alone make a web site about it.

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With 62 BILLION dollars already earmarked for Katrina aid, many people are begining to worry about how all those tax dollars will be spent. The government has never been good with money what with waste and corruption and all… well here's a story that will basically validate your feelings on the subject: PRAGUE (AFP) - A Czech town has built a 10,000 euro ($12,000) bridge to protect a handful of squirrels from a busy road, without knowing if they will use it. The seven-metre (23-foot) high cable bridge attached to two trees spans a road that divides a large park in the town of Sokolov in the west of the country, near the German border. "We think this construction is unique in the world. I myself witnessed two dead squirrels on the road in the space of two months and I felt we had to do something," Sokolov mayor Karel Jakobec told AFP Thursday. At the moment the park is home to just three squirrels. "The idea is that instead of going down trees and crossing the road to get to the other side of the park the squirrels will go up and across. But we don't know yet if it will work," he added. Most of the 290,000 koruna (9,920 euro) cost was met from a grant by Czech brewer Staropramen as one of 10 grants it awarded for ecological projects in the country. The remaining 40,000 koruna was funded by the town council. "We have already arranged for two more pairs of squirrels to be brought from an animal rescue centre and we are hoping that the squirrel population in the park will now grow," added Jakobec. Squirrels are a protected species in the Czech Republic.

Thanks Jeff