Is this a joke? [UPDATED]
From TPM

In the department of 'you can't make this stuff up' Scooter Libby, lawyer, foreign policy hand, author and Dick Cheney's personal one-man heat shield, has hired a memory loss expert to assist in his defense.

The new cottage industry? Psychics and other mediums willing to reach into the tortured souls of Republican elected officials for the purposes of legal defense?

[UPDATE: As Deb points out in the comments, Scooter may well be more interested in hiring the kind of "memory loss experts" you saw in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind...making sure his memory gets erased, not restored.]

all-time low [UPDATED]
34% -- ouch

UPDATE: Meanwhile, college teachers are at 59% and rising (link found via Wonkette)
-- Deb

MEDIA MONDAY
What have you been reading, listening to, watching?

New York's MOMA's a Scream
The Museum of Modern Art is running a Munch retrospective through May, and there's a great slide-show with commentary at Slate on it. Check it out.
--Don

Load and fire that one bullet, Barney.
One of my personally best loved actors has died, Don Knotts, 81, apparently Friday night.
http://www.barneyfife.com/

The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club was founded in 1979 by four students at Vanderbilt University. The club now has approximately 20,000 members and 1,150 chapters around the world. I'm a founding member of the Girl Campers of America chapter of Nashville, TN, and probably not a week of my life has passed without watching TAGS at some point. I think Barney Fife is possibly the best sitcome character ever, thanks to Don Knotts' comedic timing and style.

Join me in tribute by watching an episode or two tonight, it's always on TVLand and usually a handful of local affiliates every day. (For non-aficionados, black and white only, please, no color episodes.) Barney, thanks and happy motoring.

Weekend Box Office:
1 Madea's Family Reunion
2 Eight Below
3 The Pink Panther
4 Date Movie
5 Curious George

Does anyone know anything about this Madea’s Family Reunion and the man behind it and it’s predecessor movie? Is it another Big Momma’s House, or something more substantial?

Programming Note: Jon Stewart will be on Larry King tonight to talk about the Oscars thing, for those of you who can overlook Larry King to enjoy Jon Stewart.

No matter where you go, there you are
I thought I had moved away from embarrassingly goofy politicians, but I should have known better: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is all over the news today for his cluelessness in a recent Daily Show interview.

As predicted by Springfield IL radionewsguy/blogger Jim Leach when the interview aired two weeks ago, Blago was unaware of The Daily Show when they interviewed him about his emergency contraception executive order (forcing pharmacists who refuse on religious grounds to dispense).

I don't believe anyone who is not aware of The Daily Show is fit to govern; perhaps one of Rod's staffers agrees.

No time today
But read this. It would seem that our math-challenged friend Richard Cohen (see Tuesday's post) has associated himself squarely with sub-canine mathematical ability. Well, sort of. Just read it.

Debt
Plenty of bad news in a recent report on average family income, which declined 2.3% from 2001 to 2004. But to me the scariest was this bit:

The Fed survey found that debt as a percent of total assets rose to 15% in 2004, from 12.1% in 2001. Mortgages to finance home purchases were by far the biggest share of total debt at 75.2% in 2004, unchanged from 2001.

So personal debt is up, and it's not due to taking on more in home mortgages.

And it's no small increase. 12 to 15 may be an gain of only 3 points, but that's a 25% increase (try to follow along, Richard Cohen) in debt as a percentage of total assets in just 3 years. So, that's more than just a tracking of the fact that income declined.

Not a good night...
"The subject dropped the knife." Yeah no kidding.

worth thinking about
While the feeding frenzy continues piling on Bush for the UAE port security deal, Jimmy Carter is for it. There may be political gain here, but I'm still not convinced on the substance. Neither is Kevin Drum.

3 branches?
I still am not sure what to think about this issue of port security. It feels like something of a trap for some reason--this one's too easy. But I was struck by a couple phrases from the President's statement in strong defense of his position today, even threatening veto if Republican leadership pass a bill that would undo the deal.

I can understand why some in Congress have raised questions about whether or not our country will be less secure as a result of this transaction. But they need to know that our government has looked at this issue and looked at it carefully. Again, I repeat, if there was any question as to whether or not this country would be less safe as a result of the transaction, it wouldn't go forward.

The last time I checked, Congress was in fact a part of "our government." They even - if my high school civics class serves me right - have something of a role to play. But Bush sure doesn't sound like he considers the body to be anything other than a sideshow, allowed under some circumstances to "raise questions". It's certainly in keeping with other stances he's taken - that the Executive branch is really the only governing body. But kind of shocking that he can say it so starkly--he really is saying to Congress: "don't worry so much... 'our government' has things under control."

Whose government exactly? Sounds like he just means him, Cheney and the boys.... you know, our government.

Is Algebra Necessary?
If you are a regular reader of the liberal blogosphere, you know that this topic is soooo last week. The story begins with a column by the Washington Post's Richard Cohen, arguing that algebra should not be a requirement for high school graduation.

You will never need to know algebra. I have never once used it and never once even rued that I could not use it. You will never need to know -- never mind want to know -- how many boys it will take to mow a lawn if one of them quits halfway and two more show up later -- or something like that. Most of math can now be done by a computer or a calculator. On the other hand, no computer can write a column or even a thank-you note -- or reason even a little bit. If, say, the school asked you for another year of English or, God forbid, history, so that you actually had to know something about your world, I would be on its side. But algebra? Please.

I will leave aside the issue of whether or not algebra is "used" in daily life or not, other than to say that just because you don't sit down with pencil and paper and factor binomials to solve a pressing problem doesn't mean that the part of your brain stroked by algebra class doesn't come into play regularly.

No, my problem is this: the idea--common among math strugglers--that there is some discrete gene that controls your ability to perform (or not) algebra, and only algebra. I contend that if you failed high school algebra more than once, while giving a sincerely earnest effort to learn, understand and apply it, with all the spoon-feeding direction high school generally affords, then you have some problems that reach outside the walls of the algebra classroom--comprehension, problem-solving, reasoning, likely even fundamental math skill kinds of problems. I'm not saying it's easy. But I can't think that it's too much to ask of a high school graduate.

To be sure, there are certainly bad algebra teachers out there. You may fail to make heads or tails of bad algebra teaching when you might be able to pretty well grasp some better methods of explanation. But that is not the problem of having a faulty couple of brain cells that are useless anyway, which is what I always hear algebra-haters claiming. That is a problem that brings together bad teaching with poor problem-solving skills and a bad enough support system at home that there's nobody to help get you over those humps. You can fail any class with that combination. It's not an algebra problem.

Kevin Drum shows some sympathy for Cohen's basic question here. Atrios does not here. Jeanne at Body and Soul has a response that is beautiful but beside the point. Matt Yglesias tries to get specific with some Algebra uses here. But if you want to read the harshest smack-down, there's Pharyngula.

Japan's Only Resource is Shrinking
I find it ironic that at the same time the world is facing an overpopulation crisis, Japan is facing a crisis of underpopulation. Last year I spent 3 months in Japan, and heard the subject come up at least 10 times, in casual conversation, on tv shows devoted to discussing the crisis, and in a fifth-grade social studies class. Almost everyone in the country seems to be able to cite the low birthrate statistics: 1.3 nationwide and a mere 0.9 in Tokyo.

I saw the current effects in the shrinking schools I visited. My wife's elementary school has half the students it did when she attended. Others already affected include seniors, who are increasingly living alone in a culture that still assumes the norm to be children living with their aging parents. Also, social security has been in the red for a few years now, with no black in sight.

As for solutions? Allowing mass immigration is one possibility. Robots are another.

MEDIA MONDAY
What have you been reading, listening to, watching?

Just What is the Big Deal?
Over at the Huffington Post today, Jesse Kornbluth tries to answer the big question I had after seeing Brokeback Mountain: "Why are so many Americans so full of fear and hate for gay men?" I don't get it either. He recounted the study that showed homophobic men being more aroused by gay porn than heterosexual porn. Does it really come down to that? A bunch of dudes with low self-esteem?
--Stevie T

British Film Awards
The British film (Constant Gardener) gets the snub. Cowboys win.

NYTimes on Jon Stewart
Profile of Stewart and the challenge of emceeing the Oscars:

Somehow, Mr. Stewart and his writers must be arch enough to bring along the 1.4 million viewers who lap up "The Daily Show" each night on Comedy Central, while being broad enough to win over perhaps 40 million other people who typically watch the Oscars but may never have seen "This Week in God," a sendup of religion that is a "Daily Show" staple.

"We're hoping to disappoint fans of 'The Daily Show' and similarly disappoint new fans who had no idea who Jon was," Mr. Karlin, now executive producer of both the Stewart and Colbert shows, said in an interview.

Weekend Box Office
1. Eight Below
2. Date Movie
3. The Pink Panther
4. Curious George
5. Final Destination 3
Blah blah blah.
--Don

WICDT?
I don't have the expertise to know whether it's a good decision to hand over the US's port security to a company from the United Arabs Emirate. I know that it sounds more than a little funny, and needs to be explained to me. But mostly what it makes me think is it's a good candidate for the next chapter in the book of WICDT? (What If Clinton Did That?)

Powerball Odds
Like much of America, I had a Powerball ticket for Saturday. $360 million and all.
I had: 15, 17, 43, 48, 55--PB 27
The results? 15, 17, 43, 44, 48--PB 29

What are the odds of catching 4 of the 5 numbers without the powerball number? Approx. 1 in 14,254. So...if I got actual odds, my ticket should have turned 1 dollar into $14,254, right? Even if the state splits it with me evenly, I should still be looking at $7,127 wouldn't you say? So what do you get for 4 out of 5 without the powerball? $100. Quite the sucker bet, no?

The Magic BB
Funniest thing I've read in a while. (Thanks Doug)

Where is the Tipping Point?
The president is a compulsive liar and criminal; the vp declassifies CIA info on undercover ops for political retribution and shoots a man while under the influence; Katrina; Iraq; Iran; Abramoff; Libby; glacial melting; Alito's confirmed with no filibuster; I needn't go on.

A recent BBC survey on views of other nations found the US ranked more negatively than positively and finishing just above Iran (worldpublicopinion.org), and I personally agree with the ranking.

Why aren't millions of American people in the streets with pitchforks and torches demanding change, and more importantly, WHY ISN'T THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP LEADING THE MARCH?

Bob Burnett blogs about "Searching for the Democrats - The Leadership Issue" on the Huffington Post, and the question has been analyzed at length in the liberal blogosphere in regards to now-former Ohio candidate Hackett and whether he was swiftboated by fellow Dems.

I get so frustrated I could scream. As is often the case, Molly Ivins speaks brilliantly when I cannot:

What kind of courage does it take, for mercy's sake? The majority of the American people (55 percent) think the war in Iraq is a mistake and that we should get out. The majority (86 percent) of the American people favor raising the minimum wage. The majority of the American people (60 percent) favor repealing President Bush's tax cuts, or at least those that go only to the rich.

The majority (77 percent) think we should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment. The majority (87 percent) think big oil companies are gouging consumers and would support a windfall profits tax. That is the center, you fools. WHO ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
(snip)
Do not sit there cowering and pretending that the only way to win is as Republican-lite. If the Washington-based party can't get up and fight, we'll find someone who can.

Some days, I lose hope or maybe just patience. If the Dems can't be bold, come together, and kick these soul-less weasels out now when conditions couldn't be more appropriate, is there reason for hope?

Responsibility? What's that?
Former Reagan press secretary Marlin Fitzwater is "appalled": Cheney "ignored his responsibility to the American people."

Join the club, Marlin. We've been saying those things for 6 years now.

Please, No
God help me.

What's being said about Cheney
RJ Eskow (at the Huffington Post)

The real story is already emerging, if you're willing to do a little digging. Cheney and Whittington went hunting with two women (not their wives), there was some drinking, and Whittington wound up shot. Armstrong didn't see the incident but claimed she had, Cheney refused to be questioned by the Sheriff until the next morning, and a born-again evangelical physician has been downplaying Whittington's injuries since they occurred.

Alan Dershowitz

A simple cost/benefit analysis suggests that he (or those advising him) must have believed that there was more to be gained than lost by a 14 hour delay that would eventually be made public. It is likely, therefore, that something happened during that 14 hour period which was worth the negative costs of the delay.

What is the most likely thing to happen during a 14 hour delay that is worth the negative publicity? One possibility is that it takes approximately that period of time for alcohol to dissipate in the body and no longer be subject to accurate testing. It is fairly common for people involved in alcohol-related accidents to delay reporting them until the alcohol has left the body. There is no hard evidence that this is what happened here, but we are entitled to a better explanation.

Josh Marshall

How big is the Kenedy County Sheriff's Department? They rapidly concluded that "this was nothing more than a hunting accident."

But how big an outfit is it exactly? Kenedy County has a population of 414 people, which makes it the fourth smallest county in the United States.

David Letterman

[T]he real question now is -- is this a one-time thing or will the vice president try to kill again?

What good quotes have you found?

New Poll
Link

"Based on what you have heard or read, do you think George W. Bush – definitely broke the law, probably broke the law, probably did not break the law or definitely did not break the law?"

Probably or definitely broke the law = 49%
Probably or definitely did not = 47%

So, can we please be making more out of this now?