President Bush's faith in the attraction of Freedom has been vindicated once again as 60% to 70% of eligible Iraqi's voted yesterday, including Sunnis in numbers that shocked -- shocked, I say -- the gainsaying pundits. The AP sounded as uncertain a tone as possible in this article, lovingly illustrated with photo upon photo of John Kerry.

Hundreds of fascist militants (commonly termed "insurgents" by the non-commital press) were rounded up, limiting the much-touted violence, which wouldn't have stopped the voters anyway.

The Mayor of Baghdad wants to put up a statue of Mr. Bush, calling him "the symbol of freedom."

Really folks, this happens everytime -- Afghanistan, the former Warsaw Pact countries, Nicaragua, Japan... How far back do we need to go? Arabs like determining their fates and exercising their rights just like everybody else in the world, if you simply give them a chance. When are certain ones going to see the obvious?

Meanwhile, the Cult-Liberals have painted themselves into a corner again, all unawares, and wound up on TV mocking the process. Cultists, as we know, have a very difficult time letting go of old, treasured doctrines.

Fresh from ranting against Secretary Rice and reportedly energized after loosing a few hundred pounds on the Atkins Diet, Senator Ted Kennedy decided to flail blindly at history again yesterday.

Something about "Iraq," Viet-Nam," and "catastrophic failure."

Commented President Bush's Press Secretary: "His views are well known."

He's paid his dues, sung the blues, and now he's fighting crime. And you know that don't come easy.

Legendary Beatles drummer Ringo Starr is partnering with legendary SpiderMan creator Stan Lee in an unlikely project to make Ringo a cartoon superhero with "a great sense of rhythm."

Why? We don't know. He was Mr. Conductor on Shinning Time Station and before that lived on a Yellow Submarine. Maybe in some alternate musician's universe this is a logical career progression.

Nominate other celebrities who should be superheros at this BBC article, then scroll to the bottom to read the thoughts of various humor-impaired Brits on the subject.

If you were a really, really big fan of that We Are The World video 20 years ago, you can now buy a 2-DVD set detailing every conceivable bit of information about it.

Really.

Despite all the yammering, carping, and naysaying (not to mention the wild-eyed, animalistic, and ultimately backfiring rage of the so-called "insurgents") , what do you suppose is going to happen on Sunday? Yup. Iraq becomes a democracy -- right on schedule.

Just like Afghanistan.

Ok, who's next?

That terrorist threat to dirty-bomb Boston that received so much play in the press last week, even though the FBI said it had no credibility? It was a hoax. By a mexican illegal immigrant smuggler who was ticked at his boss.

The cult liberals, led by Senators Kennedy and Boxer, are busily frothing at the mouth at this hour, using the opportunity of Condoleezza Rice's confirmation to rage against everything Michael Moore ever said the Bush administration did wrong.

As the "World's Greatest Deliberative Body" seethed around him, lonesome Senator Joe Lieberman, the last non-hysterical Democrat, told his fellow legislators that Rice is a "well-qualified candidate" who should be confirmed because, "there is more that unites us than divides us."

The AP, in their evenhanded way, reported his comments thusly: "Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., spoke in Rice's favor."

Turns out, all our stem cell lines are contaminated with pig molecules. Now what do we do?

All the more reason to harvest them from dead babies, right? Not so fast, says Paul R. Sanberg, director of the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair at the University of South Florida College of Medicine

"This is yet another reason to look at non-embryonic [adult] stem cell sources, such as umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, fat cells, other types," he corrects.

Having learned to pass from human to human last year, Bird Flu is now thought to hold the potential for a worldwide epidemic. Scientists are talking about drenching Southeast Asia in Tamiflu to stop that from happening -- but right now it's just talk.

One place an epidemic could start is in regions hit by the Sumatran Tsunami. Thailand is girding itself for just that eventuality.

In the escalating campaign against Secretary of War Rumsfeld (epitomized most recently by Senator Joe Biden's exhortation to Condi Rice: "And for G-d sake, whatever you do, don't listen to Rumsfeld!!!"), the Washington Post is portraying better efforts at defense intelligence since 9/11 as a Praetorian Guard loyally reporting to Rummy.

The Pentagon both confirms and denies -- because it's true they've been doing more clandestine stuff, not true that Rumsfeld's circumventing the CIA.

Oh, wait. We're receiving a transmission... Alright, now the Post is admiting the War Department group was developed with the CIA's cooperation and blessing. Ahhhhh... Ok.

Cheer up, friend! From here there's no where to go but up!

Johnny Carson -- the finest all-round TV entertainer ever, period. -- has passed on, as has Nixon Secretary and alleged "18 1/2 minute Gap" author, Rose Mary Woods -- one of the many people Carson poked fun at.

No, wait! It wasn't a gigantic asteroid impact in the Yucatan that killed all the dinosaurs. It was Global Warming!

Isn't it comforting that, whatever the issue de jour is right now (Nuclear Winter, Global Warming...), the dinosaurs already suffered from the same thing?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE: Meanwhile, other scientists refuse to let go of that passe' dino-killing asteroid idea, even if it means beaching a few whales to learn more.

Personally, we think they were all eaten by hungry mammals.

World press reaction to President Bush's eloquent and visionary second inaugural: "Oh no! He's going to kill us all!" Mr. Bush's fellow citizens liked it though.

One wonders how the citizens of North Korea and Iran would have reacted, had they been allowed to hear it.

Mr. Abbas, the new Palestinian leader and by most (but not all ) accounts a much more rational man than his predecessor, has ordered his security forces to stop terrorist attacks on Israel.

It remains to be seen how much their hearts will be in this work, but if they succeed it could be the start of something big -- particularly when taken together with 'Hamas' belated recognition of Israel's 1967 borders and the possibility that they and Islamic Jihad may institute a cease-fire.

And President Bush has made clear he currently believes Mr. Abbas is someone we can work with -- rather like a Palestinian Gorbachev.

Having made a pilgrimage to the shrine and touchstone of American liberties in the National Archives, Apostle of Freedom George W. Bush will be sworn in for his second term at high noon today.

Gnomon will reiterate here our view that Mr. Bush is where he is Providentially, and is one of the more extraordinary Presidents in our history. American Presidents have not always been men that rose consistently to the occasion and met it well. In our crisis moments, though, such men have always somehow found their way to office.

This is such a crisis moment, when the forces of barbarism battle the forces of civillization. Mr. Bush has proven himself over the past four years to be a President uniquely suited to join this battle. He has in fact met virtually every challenge wisely, creatively, and decisively.

One could wish for the gift of Reagan- or Kennedy-esque oratory. But barring some unforseen and unlikely second term scandal, we feel certain historians 100 years from now will rank him as one of the great or near-great Presidents.

And we certainly wish you well today, Mr. President.

~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE: President Bush's graceful, inspiring Inaugural Address is reprinted below.

President Bush's 2nd Inaugural Address

"There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom. "


Vice President Cheney, Mr. Chief Justice, President Carter, President Bush, President Clinton, reverend clergy, distinguished guests, fellow citizens:

On this day, prescribed by law and marked by ceremony, we celebrate the durable wisdom of our Constitution, and recall the deep commitments that unite our country. I am grateful for the honor of this hour, mindful of the consequential times in which we live, and determined to fulfill the oath that I have sworn and you have witnessed.

At this second gathering, our duties are defined not by the words I use, but by the history we have seen together. For a half century, America defended our own freedom by standing watch on distant borders. After the shipwreck of communism came years of relative quiet, years of repose, years of sabbatical - and then there came a day of fire.

We have seen our vulnerability - and we have seen its deepest source. For as long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny - prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder - violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders, and raise a mortal threat.

There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom.

We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.

America's vital interests and our deepest beliefs are now one. From the day of our Founding, we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth.

Across the generations we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals is the mission that created our Nation. It is the honorable achievement of our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation's security, and the calling of our time.

So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.

This is not primarily the task of arms, though we will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary. Freedom, by its nature, must be chosen, and defended by citizens, and sustained by the rule of law and the protection of minorities. And when the soul of a nation finally speaks, the institutions that arise may reflect customs and traditions very different from our own. America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling.

Our goal instead is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom, and make their own way.

The great objective of ending tyranny is the concentrated work of generations. The difficulty of the task is no excuse for avoiding it. America's influence is not unlimited, but fortunately for the oppressed, America's influence is considerable, and we will use it confidently in freedom's cause.

My most solemn duty is to protect this nation and its people against further attacks and emerging threats. Some have unwisely chosen to test America's resolve, and have found it firm.

We will persistently clarify the choice before every ruler and every nation: The moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong, and freedom, which is eternally right. America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies.

We will encourage reform in other governments by making clear that success in our relations will require the decent treatment of their own people. America's belief in human dignity will guide our policies, yet rights must be more than the grudging concessions of dictators; they are secured by free dissent and the participation of the governed. In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty.

Some, I know, have questioned the global appeal of liberty - though this time in history, four decades defined by the swiftest advance of freedom ever seen, is an odd time for doubt. Americans, of all people, should never be surprised by the power of our ideals. Eventually, the call of freedom comes to every mind and every soul. We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny because we do not accept the possibility of permanent slavery. Liberty will come to those who love it.

Today, America speaks anew to the peoples of the world:

All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.

Democratic reformers facing repression, prison, or exile can know: America sees you for who you are: the future leaders of your free country.

The rulers of outlaw regimes can know that we still believe as Abraham Lincoln did: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it."

The leaders of governments with long habits of control need to know: To serve your people you must learn to trust them. Start on this journey of progress and justice, and America will walk at your side.

And all the allies of the United States can know: we honor your friendship, we rely on your counsel, and we depend on your help. Division among free nations is a primary goal of freedom's enemies. The concerted effort of free nations to promote democracy is a prelude to our enemies' defeat.

Today, I also speak anew to my fellow citizens:

From all of you, I have asked patience in the hard task of securing America, which you have granted in good measure. Our country has accepted obligations that are difficult to fulfill, and would be dishonorable to abandon. Yet because we have acted in the great liberating tradition of this nation, tens of millions have achieved their freedom.

And as hope kindles hope, millions more will find it. By our efforts, we have lit a fire as well - a fire in the minds of men. It warms those who feel its power, it burns those who fight its progress, and one day this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world.

A few Americans have accepted the hardest duties in this cause - in the quiet work of intelligence and diplomacy ... the idealistic work of helping raise up free governments ... the dangerous and necessary work of fighting our enemies. Some have shown their devotion to our country in deaths that honored their whole lives - and we will always honor their names and their sacrifice.

All Americans have witnessed this idealism, and some for the first time. I ask our youngest citizens to believe the evidence of your eyes. You have seen duty and allegiance in the determined faces of our soldiers. You have seen that life is fragile, and evil is real, and courage triumphs. Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself - and in your days you will add not just to the wealth of our country, but to its character.

America has need of idealism and courage, because we have essential work at home - the unfinished work of American freedom. In a world moving toward liberty, we are determined to show the meaning and promise of liberty.

In America's ideal of freedom, citizens find the dignity and security of economic independence, instead of laboring on the edge of subsistence. This is the broader definition of liberty that motivated the Homestead Act, the Social Security Act, and the G.I. Bill of Rights. And now we will extend this vision by reforming great institutions to serve the needs of our time.

To give every American a stake in the promise and future of our country, we will bring the highest standards to our schools, and build an ownership society. We will widen the ownership of homes and businesses, retirement savings and health insurance - preparing our people for the challenges of life in a free society.

By making every citizen an agent of his or her own destiny, we will give our fellow Americans greater freedom from want and fear, and make our society more prosperous and just and equal.

In America's ideal of freedom, the public interest depends on private character - on integrity, and tolerance toward others, and the rule of conscience in our own lives. Self-government relies, in the end, on the governing of the self. That edifice of character is built in families, supported by communities with standards, and sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Koran, and the varied faiths of our people.

Americans move forward in every generation by reaffirming all that is good and true that came before - ideals of justice and conduct that are the same yesterday, today, and forever.

In America's ideal of freedom, the exercise of rights is ennobled by service, and mercy, and a heart for the weak. Liberty for all does not mean independence from one another. Our nation relies on men and women who look after a neighbor and surround the lost with love. Americans, at our best, value the life we see in one another, and must always remember that even the unwanted have worth. And our country must abandon all the habits of racism, because we cannot carry the message of freedom and the baggage of bigotry at the same time.

From the perspective of a single day, including this day of dedication, the issues and questions before our country are many. From the viewpoint of centuries, the questions that come to us are narrowed and few. Did our generation advance the cause of freedom? And did our character bring credit to that cause?

These questions that judge us also unite us, because Americans of every party and background, Americans by choice and by birth, are bound to one another in the cause of freedom. We have known divisions, which must be healed to move forward in great purposes - and I will strive in good faith to heal them.

Yet those divisions do not define America. We felt the unity and fellowship of our nation when freedom came under attack, and our response came like a single hand over a single heart. And we can feel that same unity and pride whenever America acts for good, and the victims of disaster are given hope, and the unjust encounter justice, and the captives are set free.

We go forward with complete confidence in the eventual triumph of freedom. Not because history runs on the wheels of inevitability; it is human choices that move events. Not because we consider ourselves a chosen nation; God moves and chooses as He wills. We have confidence because freedom is the permanent hope of mankind, the hunger in dark places, the longing of the soul.

When our Founders declared a new order of the ages; when soldiers died in wave upon wave for a union based on liberty; when citizens marched in peaceful outrage under the banner "Freedom Now" - they were acting on an ancient hope that is meant to be fulfilled. History has an ebb and flow of justice, but history also has a visible direction, set by liberty and the Author of Liberty.

When the Declaration of Independence was first read in public and the Liberty Bell was sounded in celebration, a witness said, "It rang as if it meant something." In our time it means something still.

America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength - tested, but not weary - we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom.

May God bless you, and may He watch over the United States of America.

Michael Newdow, the singing atheist, filed an emergency request to stop all prayers at President Bush's Inaugural. Chief Justice Rehnquist ruled that the anti-God gadfly "should get a life."

"We must use American diplomacy to help create a balance of power in the world that favors freedom," said Secretary of State-nominee Condoleezza Rice at her Senate hearing today -- demonstrating a grasp of historical context rather rare in the nation's capitol these days.

Later on, Senator Barbara Boxer commented, "Meow! Hissssss..."

The Pentagon says Seymour Hersh's report that they're conducting covert operations in Iran in case we ever need to take out their nuclear installations is so full of beans somebody could make a flafel out of it.

On the other hand, according to President Bush, nation number two in the Axis of Evil really ought to watch themselves.

Worshipped in certain circles ever since he exposed the My Lai Massacre, Mr. Hersh is normally wrong but given a pass because he's famous and entertaining.

But we are hopeful he's right this time.

If you're over 50 and being tested for colorectal cancer, the multi-sample home test has a much better chance of detecting it than the single-sample doctor's office version. But a lot of doctors continue to prefer the office test.

This according to the issue of Annals of Internal Medicine due out today.

Pssst! This is for all you conspiracy theorist UFO buffs out there...

You want to find the "Face on Titan" don'tcha? Or some other final, incontrovertible proof the ET's have a base there among the tar lakes and methane mountains.

Sure, we all do.

Well, you're gonna need the raw images, ya know -- just the way they were beamed down from Huygens. Not those processed images, oh no. Those won't do. They're just for "public consumption," ya know... for the suckers.

Well, don't tell anybody... this is just between you and us... but, those raw images? You can find 'em... here.

The Associated Press/Ipsos-Public Affairs poll, whose previous uncanny predictions included a vision of John Kerry preparing for inauguration right now, says most Americans are guardedly hopeful about President Bush's second term.

Here it is: the very first picture ever transmitted from the surface of another planet's moon, Saturn's Titan.

Looks strangely similar to all those Mars photos, does it not?

The Huygens probe began it's plunge into Saturn's moon Titan early this morning and should be on the surface now. The first solid data will begin rolling in, relayed by the Cassini mothership, in about an hour.

Monitor it here. Get some background here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE: The little probe that could landed safely and has been transmitting from the surface of Titan.

Ever thought of going into the professional stripper business? It's a great career move, students in a Palo Alto, California Junior High were recently advised, especially if you have a large bust.

A bit of gossip on how Chief Justice Rehnquist is doing, which is not good.

It's not essential under the Constitution for the Chief Justice to administer the presidential oath January 20th. Lyndon Johnson was sworn in by a local Dallas judge after President Kennedy's assassination, and Calvin Coolidge had the oath administered by his dad, a notary public.

Here's a list of who administered the oath at each inauguration since the beginning, courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Please stay home and get better, Mr. Chief Justice.

In an article you need a subscription to view, the New York Times reports on an email from Rear Admiral Paul F. Sullivan (head of the Pacific sub fleet) describing the USS San Francisco's horrific and enigmatic accident.

The Navy has allegedly confirmed the accuracy of the email.

Unfortunately, Admiral Sullivan does not go into how the accident happened; he simply describes the sad death of Machinist Mate 2nd Class Joseph A. Ashley and states that the San Francisco suffered "nearly instantaneous deacceleration" from 30 to 4 knots.

However, Mr. Ashley's father quotes the sub's Commander as saying he believes they hit an uncharted undersea mountain. The Commander reportedly stated, "On the charts we have, this is a clear area all the way through to Australia."

Gnomon has noted here repeatedly how improbable a Los Angeles-class submarine hitting an undersea mountain is. This accident was caused by either: 1.) Abysmal negligence 2.) Catastrophic equipment failure 3.) An entirely new and suddenly produced sea mount that jutted up so abruptly that the fathometer couldn't pick it up (how likely does that sound?), or 4.) Another craft.

Which solution is more likely we so far lack the data to determine.

The hunt for Saddam's legendary Weapons of Mass Destruction has officially come to an end, to the smug, clucking, self-satisfaction of certain ones.

But though the situation on the ground proved to be vastly different (once we got there) from what all the world's intelligence agencies believed beforehand, we didn't exactly come up "emptyhanded," as the media wants the denoument of their story-arc to read.

SALIENT POINTS:

• Saddam retained the precursors for chemical weapons and fully planned to resume production as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Interesting but under-publicized: That's what we said before the war.
  
• Over 50 chemical weapons, including some containing Sarin nerve gas, were found by the WMD survey team. The press glosses over this fact, apparently because they were probably produced prior to 1991.
• Saddam maintained a network of secret labs -- never declared to or discovered by the astute UN Inspectors -- to research the production of such items as sulfur mustard, nitrogen mustard, and Sarin gasses. The deadly poison ricin was produced in the 1990's for use in assassination attempts on Saddam's enemies, such as the first President Bush. Because these facilities were sanitized by Iraqi intelligence or looted, it is difficult to know the full extent of their activities. However, it's worth noting that a strangely played-down ricin attack was mounted on the Senate last February and ricin was found in possession of a british terrorist cell.
• "A lot of materials left Iraq and went to Syria. There was certainly a lot of traffic across the border points. We've got a lot of data to support that, including people discussing it. But whether in fact in any of these trucks there was WMD-related materials, I cannot say." (Charles Duelfer, head of the Iraq Survey Group, Testimony before the Senate Armed Services Commitee, October 6, 2004)
  

One other important reality to take note of:

• Saddam's in jail.

According to this post from a Sub veteran, the USS San Francisco's fathometer (sea-bottom detector) would have been running, even if they were cruising in "stealth mode." This would have picked up the decreasing depth as they approached an undersea mountain -- even an uncharted one.

Curiouser and curiouser...

For all the latest scuttlebutt on the San Francisco's mysterious accident, be sure to peruse Rontini's sub-oriented bulletin board. Some of the members are familiar with the vessel and her crew.

Meanwhile, our old friend Huygens is getting ready to dive into the smelly, orange air of Saturn's moon Titan. That takes place Friday.

At 1:47 and 8 seconds Eastern Time today (yes, it's got to be that precise), NASA will launch Deep Impact -- a space probe designed specifically to ram a comet.

That exciting event is scheduled to take place this upcoming July 4th. Watch a webcast of the launch (and later, the impact) here.

Although the primary aim of this mission is to study comet structure (and provide a keen show for backyard astronomers), less well known is its role in developing a planetary defense against killer asteroids.

The last time we recall NASA purposely smashing a probe into something (not counting all the Lunar Modules and rocket bodies that impacted the moon during the Apollo missions), was during the Ranger moon missions of the '60's.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE: Deep Impact was successfully lauched -- right on time.

To run Homeland Security, President Bush has picked Judge Michael Chertoff -- a very impressive fellow.

And he really irritates the ACLU, which is always a plus.

A political commentator was paid $240,000 by an ad agency hired by the Department of Education to promote the "No Child Left Behind" act. He has now been canned.

It is worth noting, perhaps, that Armstrong Williams, in addition to being a talking head, is also "a PR specialist with his own firm. Not too long ago, Michael Jackson called him for advice," according to talking head David Corn.

The Bush administration says they don't usually do this sort of thing, though USA Today points out that most administrations are eventually accused of using taxpayer money to promote political goals (Strangely, they leave out any examples from the Clinton years -- like Vice President Gore making fund raising calls using government-owned facilities).

For our part, Gnomon maintains our ruggedly fierce editorial independence... Of course, nobody's ever offered us squat. But honest: We'd tell you if they did. Actually, we'd probably brag about it.

Despite the nattering of his critics that Iraq and friendship with Mr. Bush are political death, Britain's Tony Blair is poised, Thatcher-like, for an historic third term, and his poll numbers are quite good, thank you.

Why? Because like another political leader we know, he just does what he believes is right.

Is that so hard?

If you know someone elderly and they've lost around 10% of their body weight in recent days, it could be a sign they will develop Alzheimer's Disease.

So concludes a new study, reported in the latest issue of Archives of Neurology. That kind of weight loss can predict Alzheimer's up to 5 years in advance, the scientists say.

The Navy still doesn't know what their submarine hit Friday. "Probably not another sub," they say.

"We have no data to suggest that there were any other vessels of any kind, submarine or otherwise, operating in the area at that time," Pacific Fleet spokesman Lt. David Benham says. "Every indication is that it struck a geological feature."

Trouble is, there are not supposed to be any "geological features" there. Not to mention that Los Angeles-class attack subs are equipped with a vast array of sensors that should have picked up any undersea mountains with ease.

One esoteric theory being kicked around is that this was a new underwater topological feature thrown up somehow by the same Sumatran quake that created that killer-tsunami. Experts say that's not too likely, since this is rather distant from that event. On the other hand, it did manage to move the ground in New Mexico by a centimeter.

That still doesn't explain why the USS San Francisco's various sonars and sensors wouldn't notice a new geological upthrust.

Are the "people" really clueless enough to choose Michael Moore's discredited Fahrenheit 9/11 as their favorite movie? That's the current buzz according to the New York Post.

Though Mr. Moore and others still in denial cannot wrap their minds around it, the real people's choice, happily, was made November 2nd.

Personally, Gnomon is rooting for The Incredibles.

~~~~
UPDATE: Yup, they're that clueless -- at least the ones who responded to his Vote-For-Me campaign. (Note: We had to link to the Google cache of Mr. Moore's page because he's apparently removed it from his site -- a bad habit he has...)

The nuclear sub USS San Francisco 'ran aground' January 7th 350 miles south of Guam, killing one crewman. They were submerged at the time and heading south for Brisbane, Australia.

Our question is: What do you run aground on 350 miles south of Guam?

Click here for a larger more detailed map.

The Brits are in an uproar and Beeb execs in hiding over a play based on the Jerry Springer Show that aired on BBC2 the other night.

This obviously highbow opera features a blizzard of profanity of the 'f---' and 'c---" variety and an appearance by Jesus in a diaper proclaiming he's "a bit gay."

"AND did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green...?"

Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor? Apparently that's what they've decided.

Not our first choice... but he does bear a vague resemblence to Gene Hackman if you look at him sideways.

The predicted election certification demonstration materialized yesterday, and is being portrayed as a brave fight against The Power, led by the noble and principled Senator Barbara Boxer, when, in point of fact, it was just more oblivious, cult-leftist yammering over exaggerated or imaginary slights.

Remember when Newt Gingrich supposedly had his nose put out of joint because President Clinton gave him a bad seat on Air Force One? It's like that -- writ large and spread out over certain easily offended groups, many not necessarily inside Ohio.

Hey, it was a big, extra-important election folks. A lot of us had to wait in long lines.

Oliver Stone says his movie Alexander flopped because of closeminded bible-belt bigots. That's funny, we thought it flopped because it sucked canal water.

Extraordinarily discerning, those bible-belters.

The freest country in the world, economically speaking? Well, it's Hong Kong if one puts stock in the Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal Index of such. There are only 16 totally free economies around, by their metrics. The US is number 12.

Naturally, that we're not in the top ten is what gets all the press.

For the record, the most repressed nation in the world is North Korea.

Andrea Yates, the Houston mom who drowned all her kids, has just had her conviction overturned because a prosecution psychiatrist lied about a Law & Order episode.

You couldn't tell from the newspapers, but terror attacks in Iraq are down.

Alberto Gonzales is history's greatest fiend! No, he's a highly qualified Attorney General nominee who's pilloried by cult-leftists in their eternal quest to discredit Bush!

Portrayed by democrat zealots (and much of the press) as "pro-torture," Mr. Gonzales himself says, no, he's actually anti-torture but pro-facing-the-reality-of-a-new-kind-of-war.

The idea of facing icy reality has become unfashionable of late.

After weeks of eggnog and fruitcake, you just want to loose all those extra pounds. But which diet to choose? There are almost as many as there are fat cells in your gut.

The well-considered, scientific answer according to a new study: Who cares?! Just pick one and get busy!

Maybe a nice Polymeal would be best.

Leading by example (as usual), President Bush gave at least $10,000 of his own money to various tsunami relief efforts, according to his press secretary.

He's already well known for generous donations, of course -- such as this one. What? You didn't know that? Now you do.

The photo has nothing directly to do with charitable giving. We just like it. Click here for a bigger version!

The Society for Protecting Tender Minds Against Inconvenient Realities (otherwise known as left wing House democrats) will stage a protest Thursday to try and disrupt certification of November's election results.

Meanwhile, devout believers are dismayed more people can't see that President Bush's resounding re-election and mandate were just an illusion.

"Everyone is corrupt except us," mused one activist.

Time was, spacecraft regularly exceeded expectations: Apollo 13's Lunar Module acting as a lifeboat, Pioneer and Voyager probes leaving the solar system and still transmitting...

Looks like they're building them that way again! Spirit and Opportunity, the two golfcart-sized Mars rovers, touched down on that planet's rusty surface a year ago.

They were originally supposed to last only a few months -- but they just keep going. Spirit just discovered a new kind of rock. And they both are credited with the #1 science discovery of the year -- that Mars was once a water world.

Normally, Gnomon tries to ignore the Scott Peterson hullaballoo, but this just wrenched our stomachs too much.

Sleezy murderer mistress Amber Frey sez: “I sometimes wonder if he thinks about me.”

The sumatran tsunami disaster is bringing out the altruistic best and demonic worst in people. That's the nature of our species, it seems.

Current estimated death toll: "approaching 150,000," though some adjustments are inevitably occurring.

A number of surrealistically catastrophic videos of the disaster have emerged; an excellent, though sometimes impossible to download from, compendium can be found here.

See the link at the top of our page for ways to help, or go here , here, or here.