In a very typical bureaucratic press release a couple of weeks ago, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, David S. C. Chu, said the military has been able to fill its ranks without sacrificing quality.

As has apparently happened every year since 1994, President Bush proclaimed July 23 as "Parent's Day."

Parent's Day?  Why? Don't we already have Mother's Day and Father's Day?  Is there some other kind of parent that needs acknowledging?

Continuing what I consider to be its abuse of the military contract between the government and its soldiers, "anonymous officials" in Washington are saying that the administration is, once again, considering the possibility of temporarily beefing up the forces in Iraq by extending the tours of some U.S. soldiers.

Imagine a United States federal court in this day and age ordering that the families of soldiers killed in Iraq have the right to a full judicial hearing on their claim that the United States should be forced to conduct a public inquiry into why the country invaded Iraq.  Done laughing?  That's what the British Court of Appeal just ordered.

Having already sued to prevent New Jersey officials from learning about details of the NSA electronic surveillance program, the DOJ has now filed a similar suit to prevent Missouri officials from enforcing subpoenas issued last month to find out whether AT&T Inc. supplied Missouri customer information and calling records to the NSA in violation of Missouri privacy rules.

With very low popularity and perilous election to be held in a few short months, it's probably not surprising that President Bush keeps getting bad news.  Then again, most of the bad news involves people finally standing up to oppose some of the destructive positions and policies adopted in the most arrogant and power-hungry administration I've had the displeasure to witness.  Like "signing statements"

So Roger Ailes says that Fox will mark its 10th anniversary with a "Thank You America" tour this fall, during which shows fronted by O'Reilly, Shepard Smith, Greta Van Susteren, Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes, and Neil Cavuto will do live versions of their shows from 10 cities around the country, including Boston, Chicago, Dallas and San Diego.

Maybe the cities will have to compete for the honor of hosting the shows?  You know, like the old joke about Philadelphia but here it's win first prize and host one Fox show; win  second prize, host two Fox shows?

So AP is reporting that "Bush plans to host 'American Idol' Taylor Hicks and the other Top 10 finalists Friday in the Oval Office."

Finally, a group of guests with whom the beloved president can feel intellectually and personally comfortable.

Remember when the Soviet Union was the laughingstock of the civilized world because it continually put party loyalty ahead of experience and competence in administration of the country?

According to a piece in the Boston Globe we can say hello to Comrades Bush and Rove (or, as they are known to familiars, Comrade Bushnik and Comrade Rovelinski).  And say hello to protection of Christians (in a Christian country) while saying good-by to protection of racial minorities.

Apart from their obvious concern for their political lives, there's a real reason that so many Republicans, like Gil Gutknecht are getting real nervous about Iraq.

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