This week has been a bit of a gong show on Fishbowl -- we had Mom in town, had our show, have been hacking up a lung, our blogware has been temperamental, and our cable hasn't been working properly so we can't access our treasure trove of DVR'd Daily Shows and Colbert Reports. But that, of course, does not stop the news, and there's been plenty this week that we've missed. Rather than let it all disappear into the ether, we decided to post a few links just for kicks and let you click according to your fancy. Yes, pet, we fancy you too. Okay, away we go!
Bush staffers seek to protect sanctity of Presidential seal, claim to have sense of humor: Because they don't have enough to worry about these days, the White House is cracking down on the Onion's unauthorized use of the Presidential seal. Yeah, well, we'll see exactly what the term "unauthorized use" means when Fitzgerald's indictments come down. [NYT]
Wal-Mart: Bring us your tired, your sick, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...except for the tired, sick, and huddled masses Wal-Mart would like to cut costs by discouraging the unhealthy from working there. Oh, those pesky sick. They're REALLY gonna be a nuisance when that avian flu hits. [NYT]
Speaking of.... Be afraid, be very afraid. [Newsweek]
I am the eye in the sky, looking at you I can read your mind: CBS News president Andrew Heyward is out; CBS Sports president Sean McManus is in; Les Moonves wishes everyone well; no one is surprised. [TVNewser]
These are the people in Arnie's neighborhood: In twelve short days the good people of California will be voting on all sorts of propositions that were evidently important enough to call a $50-million special election for. As we wait for a zip-lipped Patrick Fitzgerald to deliver de letter to de rest of us (Friday? Come ON!!), this fun little flash cartoon should at least provide the kind of amusement that comes from seeing Dick Cheney's head superimposed on the body of Cookie Monster (and Bill O'Reilly as Oscar The Grouch is kind of a stroke of genius).
You think Maureen Dowd went after Judy Miller? Oh-ho. Then you don't know (how she feels about) Dick. Upshot: not a fan.[NYT]
Chalabi for President! Well, Prime Minister. Of Iraq, according to Time's Joe Klein. Apparently Condi and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley think Judy Miller-WMD-duper Ahmed Chalabi is a "plausible and acceptable candidate" for the top Iraqi post. Which, if I'm not mistaken, was kind of his plan all along, right? Who says nice guys finish last, huh? [Time]
80's Bar Mitzvahs ROCKED. Seriously, you should have seen the throwdown at mine. I'm a December birthday, so by the time my Bat Mitzvah rolled around boys and girls had totally discovered each other. Oh, Benjy Weinberg, you stud. In any case, MEL is pretty psyched about this book. Fun for everyone, even the goyim! [NYT]
Update: We knew we recognized his name; one of the authors, Nick Kroll, is the very same Nick Kroll who briefly whooped it up as Andy Roddick's mojo. Let's hope this book has a bit more staying power.
And, of course, Kiss. It ain't a crime to be good to yourself, people. Don't need to wait for an invitation; rock out here.
Amanda Ernst
