Oh Fuck

I'd managed to convince myself this wasn't really going to happen...

Nothing To Say

Well, there it is then. I have nothing to say. If you want the long view of where the US is going try Rich, here (or here). If you want a rational look at the Democrats you may agree with Brad or with Daniel on Crooked Timber, and again on Crooked Timber there's an interesting article pointing out the difference between a conservative and a neoconservative. If you want the soundtrack for today, there's Kat. If you want resigned optimism, there's A.J.Hall. If you want to join in the comments on a splendid bit of polemic I'm sure Brendan has the energy for you (and see also L'Emmerdeur for not dissimilar sentiments from an American).

Me, I'm following the inflatable president with Fafnir and Giblets.

Appositely enough, I've just been watching the last part of The Power of Nightmares. One-sided it undoubtedly is, nevertheless his description of the intelligence about the existence and intentions of the alleged Islamicist terror network reminded me irresistibly of Umberto Eco's deconstruction of the true history of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion (dealt with briefly in Foucault's Pendulum and examined in more detail in an essay in Six Walks in the Fictional Woods): a Russian revolutionary turned Tsarist secret policeman's fantasy; based on a scene in a bad novel written by a German postman masquerading as a British diplomat itself borrowed from a scene from a good novel by Dumas (Joseph Balsamo) but using the Jews in the place of Dumas' Illuminati and ascribing to them a plot from a pamphlet by someone else accusing Napoleon III of nefarious doings; which had itself taken the description of the plot from a polemic by Sue against the Jesuits. (It shouldn't be, but probably is, necessary to point out that I am not drawing any direct parallels between radical Islamicists and Jews here, merely between the ways their "plots" have been analysed and raised panic.)

Edited to add: Jesus Christ! Lawyers: how's this for a specific disclosure application (well, Freedom of Information strictly)?:

"Item 1. All notes, emails, memos, and other communications pertaining to any and all problems experienced with the voting system, ballots, voter registration, or any component of your elections process, beginning October 12, through November 3, 2004.
Item 2. Copies of the results slips from all polling places for the Nov. 2, 2004 election. If you have more than one copy, we would like the copy that is signed by your poll workers and/or election judges.
....
Item 7: All e-mails, letters, notes, and other correspondence between any employee of your elections division and any other person, pertaining to your voting system, any anomalies or problems with any component of the voting system, any written communications with vendors for any component of your voting system, and any records pertaining to upgrades, improvements, performance enhancement or any other changes to your voting system, between Oct. 12, 2004 and Nov. 3, 2004.
Item 8: So that we may efficiently clarify any questions pertaining to your specific county, please provide letterhead for the most recent non-confidential correspondence between your office and your county counsel, or, in lieu of this, just e-mail us the contact information for your county counsel."

(Black Box Voting)
(from Quixotic Kitten)

Edited to further add, because I really can't be arsed to do another post, there's also Mike Knell debating where the real threat to our way of life is to be found

I can't do original content these days. Can you tell?