Short takes

What can I say about Tom DeLay that hasn't already been said a thousand times? The poster child for everything that is wrong with government finally departed Washington yesterday, leaving in his wake a legacy of corruption, gerrymandering, "pay for play," divisive partisanship, and Gestapo-like strong-arm tactics that have helped put America in the awful condition it's in today.

I wish I could believe that his exit from Congress signals a turning point of some sort. But like an evil Sith Lord, The Hammer made sure to leave an apprentice in place as Majority Leader, to carry on his dedicated service to the dark side of the Force. You gotta love his statement that he's always worked "honorably and honestly" though - despite that bile rising in the back of your throat. That's like Ann Coulter describing herself as a "competent and objective journalist."

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One thing you can say about the Bush Administration is that it's fed us an endless supply of oxymorons (a term I used to think best described addict and propagandist Rush Limbaugh). I mean, just think about it: "Clear Skies Act", "Healthy Forests Initiative", "No Child Left Behind", "Operation Iraqi Freedom" - I could go on all day.

Sad to say that the leading oxymoronic label for an inexcusably long time now has been "Department of Homeland Security." The New York Observer's Joe Conason comments on the latest reason why - and why even the elimination of Michael Chertoff won't lift the DHS from the ranks of the inept.

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Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead. Guess that means the much-ballyhooed "War on Terror" is over, and all our problems in Iraq - and elsewhere - are over, eh?

Wha-? B-b-b-but I don't understand... Even the President says that "We can expect the terrorists and insurgents to carry on without him"?! Didn't you tell us this was all about defeating al Qaeda in Iraq? Didn't you promise us that bombing the hell out of civilian populations - and occasionally getting lucky - was the way to eliminate terrorism? Wasn't this guy at the top of that all-important deck of cards you used to tout as the key to swift and absolute success?

Guess this whole "terrorist" thing was a bit more complicated than you thought, Georgie. Like we've been saying since the beginning.

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And a very special thanks to The Enigmatic Paradox's Star A Decise for pointing out this twistedly inspired homage to the Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas - performed by two mad scientists with Mentos, Diet Coke, and a truckload of ingenuity. Sound crazy? Just watch and enjoy.

The feel-good, "hope for humanity" moment of the day. XOXOXO, Ms. Star.