The Daily Background

Explanations
I announced yesterday that the site format would be changing a little bit. Or a lot-a-bit. This is due to a variety of reasons, partially the loss of my normal computer (although everything on it has been saved, thankfully), and partially also due to a changing schedule (I explained that I will be working on a documentary which will be taking up some of my time).

The upshot of the situation is this: I’ll be blogging, but I’ll be blogging in a different way than I did before.

I’ll be writing a little bit about the documentary I’m working on (revealing more about the subject, and my thoughts on the process itself) and there’ll also be plenty of the usual talk about politics. This may come in the form of a single (but meaty) update per day, with multiple sections to it. And, as much as I hate to say it, It might end up looking a bit like The Note. Except leaning more towards analysis, rather than obnoxiously cynical over-the-top-snarkyness or rumor-mongering supposed-insideryness. Topics will likely change from day to day.

I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage everybody to subscribe to the site via RSS (direct link to feed). Don’t know what RSS is? Well, this is a perfect opportunity to learn about it. I’d also encourage everybody to make the switch over to Firefox from Internet Exploder Explorer.

Okay, with all that site business out of the way, we can get down to business.

Spygate
Senate Judicary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania, not up for reelection), who had for days been telling everybody that he was close to some sort of deal with the White House over the illegal NSA spying, but now he’s telling people that he’s considering a lawsuit against the Administration over the issue. Is he actually serious? Some people have their doubts. Nothing new to report on the ACLU lawsuit front yet.

An Inconvenient Truth
After having watched a good deal of interviews of former Vice President Al Gore, I’m more and more convinced that he either intends to run in 2008, or is at least seriously considering it (despite his claims to the contrary). In addition, his global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth is now in 514 theaters nationwide (and more to come soon), and has surpassed the 10 million dollar mark. You can find a theater that will soon be showing the film near you here. I hope to see the film in early July, and I’ll report back with my thoughts then.

The Middle East
So apparently it sucks to be an Iraqi or a Palestinian these days. Who would have guessed it? Seriously, regarding the Palestinian situation, what right does the Israeli military think it has to cut off water and electricity to thousands of random civillians, bulldoze random houses, and detain dozens of people (not to mention kill some) because one of its soldiers was kidnapped?

In other news…
… The President is asking Congress for line-item veto powers. Cause you know, he’s used regular vetos so effectively. Oh wait, he’s never used a single one. Ever. In six years.

Goats will be goats.

… Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee, retiring from Senate this year to persue 2008 Presidential ambitions) is still a freaking idiot.

Filed under: Z-TDB Blog