[Spoiler alert: If you haven't seen Babel, stop reading now.]

The Media has always virtually ignored the issue of money in politics. I have always considered it a major issue, but, like the Israel/Palestine issue, not seeing any readily discernible solution, I don't spend much time on it. The Media does not either, other than using it to extoll how much of a maverick McCain is or covering Abramoff's crimes.

But the Washington Post pays attention now, because it can bash Dems. Clearly, the hire of John Solomon was for this purpose. Today, he joint authors another hit piece:

Democrats took over in January after a campaign that accused Republicans of fostering a "culture of corruption" in Washington and "selling access" to lawmakers. Abramoff has been convicted of fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy and is in federal prison. Now, with the tables turned, Democrats are courting Abramoff's most famous clientele -- Indian tribes.

What a bigoted piece of nonsense - Indian tribes are reduced to being "Abramoff's clients? Outrageous. And wrong.

Yes, I blog about the Oscars. Every year. I'm just as interested in the clothes and the red carpet goings-on as I am in the movies.

But this year, I'm also into the music. There will be performances by James Taylor, Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Randy Newman, Melissa Etheridge and more.

More viewers are expected this year because many of the awards, including Best Picture, are up in the air. Babel or The Departed?

Predictions anyone?

It's hard to buy publicity like this.

DEFENSE lawyer Joe Tacopina will be featured in a six-page profile in GQ under the headline, "1 800 Save My Ass." The story by Lisa DePaulo begins: "Suspected of murdering that blond girl in Aruba? Having some problems with your appointment as homeland-security chief? Made the mistake of having sex with Christie Brinkley's husband? Call Joe Tacopina, the best-dressed, smoothest-talking, hardest-working criminal-defense attorney going, and for a mere $750 an hour, everything will be okay."

Maybe Libby should have dialed that number.

On the flight back to Denver today, I couldn't escape the Anna Nicole Smith hearing on the plane's tv. I'd totally tuned out the story the past five days. But it just keeps getting more bizarre by the day.

An Indian tribe is expected to seek a DNA test because she applied for tribal membership in the late 1990's.

The Tejas indian nation may file papers with Broward court requesting a DNA test to determine whether Smith has the tribal genome.

If Smith, whom tribal officials say applied for tribal membership in the late 1990s, does have Tejas blood, the matters of her body and her burial could be further complicated, possibly even requiring a tribal court's ruling, said Juan Matthews, a spokesman for the Tejas nation.

The Judge appointed a guardian ad litem for the child. All sides, not surprisingly, objected, to no avail. He also appointed an "administrator ad litum" to provide a roadmap.

And the judge ordered her embalmed.

"We want to preserve the beauty and model figure of Miss Smith," said Judge Seidlin. "Beauty was important to her."

Greg Sargent has the goods on the lying phony "civil" Republican David Brooks. David Brooks now:

Far be it from me to get in the middle of a liberal purge, but would anybody mind if I pointed out that the calls for Hillary Clinton to apologize for her support of the Iraq war are almost entirely bogus?... Today, the liberal wing of the Democratic Party believes that the world, and Hillary Clinton in particular, owes it an apology. . . .

David Brooks then:

Here's what Brooks wrote in The Weekly Standard back in 2003 after the Saddam statue fell:

I'm curious about how all the war opponents are going to react if things continue to go well. Sure, they opposed Saddam, they will say. They just didn't want to do anything about him. . . . They were tolerant. Tolerant of tyranny. They doubted, and continue to doubt America's willingness and ability to serve as a force for good in the world. That was their crucial mistake. I suspect they will not even now admit their errors. I doubt the people of Europe will say: We were wrong. . . . I doubt the Arab propagandists will say: We will never spread such distortions again. We will never again be so driven by resentment and dishonesty.

What a piece of work. A dishonest piece of work.

You Tube has been on a witch hunt lately, removing copyrighted videos. To me, the real value of You Tube has been the music videos. I just checked my saved favorites list, and 10 (of 27) are no longer available. That totally devalues You Tube for me.

It's not just music either, it's also television segments they are removing.

Thank goodness for John Amato of Crooks and Liars who posts the tv videos on his own servers.

Politics TV will also be hosting their own stuff.

Live Medical Examiner Press Conference

She was virtually dead on arrival at the hospital.

Excluded any physical injury such as blunt injury or asphyxia.

No determination of the cause of death. More tests are needed. But, there was no finding of prescription drugs in her stomach. Chemical tests are needed. No conclusion. Three possibilities: medical problems, medication related; combination.

Police Chief says there is no evidence of a crime. No illegal drugs found, only prescripton medicine. Everyone has cooperated fully.

Original Post: 2/8/06
R.I.P. Anna Nicole Smith

Anna Nicole Smith is dead at 39. May she rest in peace. She had such a troubled life.

I'm just catching up on the debate over whether "24" is a right wing show endorsing torture.

Jane Mayer in the New Yorker devotes three pages to the right-wing politics of Joel Surnow, the shows creator and executive producer.

I just started watching the show this season. There's an African-American President who is sensitive to the Constitution even though sometimes conflicted about the right thing to do, his sister who is an ACLU type lawyer and a female high level advisor who advocates against internment camps and argues for constitutional rights to counterbalance the ridiculous positions of the advisor who wants to trample rights (played by an ex- Ally McBeal co-star. There are also two former Six Feet Under characters and one from Commander in Chief now in "24".) There have also been scenes from detention camps revealing that many of the guys locked up had nothing to do with terrorism.

Last week, the show highlighted the absurd policy of making one of the CTU workers go through an extra clearance to log onto her computer because she was of middle eastern heritage. Also, there were plenty of American villains, including Jack Bauer's brother and father, and some guy named McCarthy who was willing to provide someone who could release the triggers on nuclear bombs in exchange for money.

More....

For Anna Nicole Smith, 1967 - 2007

And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in

For Cheney, Libby and all the Administration's manipulators, who will soon be finding out the jury's verdict:

"The highways jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybodys out on the run tonight but theres no place left to hide"

Everybody knows that the boat is leaking Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
like their father or their dog just died
Everybodys talking to their pocket
Everybody wants a box of chocolates
And a long stemmed rose
Everybody knows
That's how it's goes