So, some of you may have noticed a set of links that now reside in the page footers here. They’re not there because I endorse them (far from it; they look like the typical shit that you get spammed with, so I wouldn’t bother clicking on them). They’re there because they offered me money – up front, no “per click” nonsense – to put them there. I feel a bit as if I’m selling my soul, but they’re pretty unobtrusive text-only links (I’ll bet most people won’t even notice they’re there), and they actually pay me a month in advance. My guess is that they’re just there to get noticed by web spiders, so that the sites they link to will get elevated in search results. Whatever. I’m not getting a fortune for them, but they actually cover the cost of the web hosting fees, with enough left over to buy a beer or two. So, I couldn’t resist. While I can’t vouch for the sites that these links go to, it seems like the advertising company that’s paying me is actually on the up-and-up. Now I can keep this site going forever – even if everybody goes away (which is looking more and more likely these days).

Anyhow, so I got an e-mail from Barbara Boxer yesterday. She wants me to “take a stand on Iraq.” Well, sorry Barb, but, guess what? I took a stand on Iraq a long fucking time ago. It’s time for you assholes in the Senate to take a goddamn stand for a change. Now, I’m sorry to take it out on you, BB (I think you’re one of the better ones, frankly), but jeezus fucking krist, don’t try and feed me this bullshit about how signing an online petition (that I’m pretty damn sure will eventually lead to a money contribution form) is really gonna “show ’em.” Petitions, marches, e-mails – been there, done that. It’s time for you to take a stand, and get the spineless Democrats and the corrupt Republicans to put an end to this shit now. Then, maybe, you’ll get a buck or two out of me. Otherwise, it’s the spam folder for you.

I also heard an interview on NPR last night (kind of a three-way, actually), with Robert Siegel, EJ Dionne of the WaPost, and David Brooks of the Bush Administration NY Times. They were speculating on a replacement for Gonzo, with Brooks saying something to the effect that they’d need to pick a Washington “insider,” since the big job for the United States Attorney General would be defending the Administration’s Executive Privilege claims. Excuse me there, Dave, but I thought the AG was supposed to work for the United States of America (you know, “we da people”), and not as the preznit’s personal mouthpiece. I know the DOJ has become Dick and Dubya’s plaything (and the US Constitution has become like Jeff Gannon in a mens room full of Republicans), but isn’t it about time we stopped that? Of course, neither Siegel nor Dionne bothered to interject. Bastids. Anyways…

Happy Birthday, Amanda Tapping! Yeah, I’m a geek.