The New York Times reveals today the dire threat posed by the regime in Iran to the United States and Israel -- a threat that the pantywaists and apologists and weak-kneed liberals all want to pretend doesn't exist.

That's right -- I am talking about development of a powerful new weapon by the fanatics in charge of Iran -- the Photoshop missile.

Apparently Iran's scientists have come up with a way to create missiles using Photoshop software instead of having to build them one at a time like everyone else.

Dana Milbank of the Washington Post has a story about a womanwho was put in charge of media relations atArlington National Cemetery who tried to open up to media coverage of the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq.

As most of us know such funerals have been deemed by the Bush Administration to be counter-productive to its war effort. If people started seeing funerals on TV they might demand an end to the war. Can't have that.

Yes, indeed, America under President Obama will be a living hell, a wasteland where the Dirty Fucking Hippies run roughshod over free-thinkin' Americans.

He's going to take away everything that makes life comfortable and enjoyable. He'll make you freeze in the winter and bake in the summer. You SUV will be gone and so will your guns.

And don't even think about hitting the drive-thru at McDonald's because that's gonna be regulated by Big Brother too.

Yes, indeed, it's time for the hip waders because the hysteria is getting deep.

Seems like a small price to pay for the chance to spend the day with Sen. Obama on the campaign trail if you are a local reporter.

The Herald Times newspaper in Bloomington sent a reporter along with Obama's campaign as it visited Indiana during the primary. The campaign provided bus service, meals, phone access, etc. -- as campaigns usually do -- and then billed the paper -- as campaigns usually do.

The paper was not entirely happy with the amount billed for meals -- $115.62.

Well, here we go again. Expect to see this line of BS in the next anti-Obama email campaign.

James Dobson of Focus on the Family has dug up a 2006 speech that Obama gave to suggest that he is distorting the Bible.

I have to admit that this vital issue had flown completely under my radar. While I was paying attention to rising gas prices, floods, suicide bombings and Britney Spears -- a very serious shortage of fashion models has developed right under my nose.

Yes, that's correct -- apparently we cannot find enough women to pose for magazine covers, to drape themselves over the hoods of new automobiles in commercials or to strut down runways wearing stuff that makes you say "who would buy that?"

Urgent action is needed and New York Congressman Anthony Weiner is just the guy to tackle it.

A serious crisis is looming on the horizon for the GOP -- even more serious than having John "Mr. Excitement" McCain as its nominee and the prospect of getting wiped out in congressional elections.

One of the Republican Party's most cherished dead horsesmay no longer be worth whipping:

In what some experts call Raul Castro’s boldest break yet from socialism, Cuban state companies have until August to overhaul their salary structures to one that pays hard-workers more than slackers, the government newspaper reported Wednesday.

No more will all Cuban workers doing the same job receive the same pay. Now people who do more will get more — and those who offer quality service will be rewarded, the vice minister of labor, Carlos Mateu, told Granma, the country’s Communist Party newspaper.

Twenty-five years ago people were confidently predicting that newspapers would be replaced by fax machines. You would wake up in the morning and you'd get your news delivered by fax instead of the rolled-up paper in the driveway.

Never happened.

Today, of course, newspapers are under a much more serious threat to their continued existence -- the internet. Newspapers are cutting staff all over the country as circulation is dropping. Even traditional cash cows like classified advertising are being siphoned off by Craigslist and now even Wal-Mart with the launch of Oodle.com.

And that brings us to the latest prediction of the demise of newsprint, from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer:

Foreclosures of homes in military towns are almost four times as high as the rest of the population, according to a story by Bloomberg.com.

In the midst of the worst surge in mortgage defaults in seven decades, foreclosures in U.S. towns where soldiers live are increasing at a pace almost four times the national average, according to data compiled by research firm RealtyTrac Inc. in Irvine, California. As military families like the VerSteeghs signed up for the initial lower rates and easier terms of subprime mortgages, the number of people taking out Veterans Administration loans fell to the lowest in at least 12 years.

``We've never faced a situation like this, not in the Vietnam War, World War II, or the Korean War, where so many military are in danger of losing their homes,'' said Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, a Washington-based advocacy group started in 2002 by Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans. ``No one asked them for their credit score when we asked them to fight for us.''

Since consistency is a foreign concept to the Bush Administration I'm sure the irony of their recent initiative in Sudan will be completely lost upon them.

Bush -- the guy who recently accused Barack Obama of wanting to appease dictators by daring to suggest we should talk to leaders in Cuba and Iran -- is himself practicing appeasement.

He is sending a special envoy to chat with a dictator who sheltered Osama bin Laden, whose regime is responsible for more deaths than Pol Pot and is still engaged in a campaign of genocide.

It's hard to imagine that this sort of crap goes on, that someone can lose his job because he speaks out about giving an award for excellence in journalism to a loser like Bill O'Reilly.

The issue involves something called the Governor's Award given out by the New England chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It is supposed to be the group's top journalism award.

Why they would give it to a lying sack of shit is beyond belief. And so thought Barry Nolan, anchor at CN8, a news network owned by Comcast. So he protested.

Count me among those who would like nothing better than to see Bush and Cheney in leg irons before a war crimes tribunal.

But let's be realistic -- it ain't gonna happen. In this country, no matter how much our leaders might richly deserve to be sent to maximum security -- it never happens. Nixon and Agnew didn't go to jail and neither will Bush and Cheney.

But there is a way to bring a degree of justice to the horrible disgrace they have heaped upon this country -- a Truth Commission.

It should hardly come as a surprise that Karl Rove has no intention of leaving politics quietly, thankful for having avoided the criminal prosecution he richly deserves.

He is plotting a comeback. But this time he has his eyes on a prize more suited for his unique talents -- leading the 527 assault against Barack Obama in the fall.

This revelation comes by way of Howell Raines, formerly editor of the New York Times, who was a panelist along with Rove at an awards dinner in Georgetown attended by all the old dinosaurs of the media elite. Raines wrote about the evening for Portfolio magazine.

This is a storyof Bush Administration meddling in federal regulatory agencies jumping up and biting the GOP in the ass -- specifically McCain's.

It seems that the Bush Administrations scheme to gut the Federal Election Commission by not appointing new members and thus assuring the FEC has no quorum is causing a big problem for McCain.

McCain is depending on $85 million in public financing for the general election -- money he can't get if the FEC can't meet.

We interrupt this primary day to bring you one of those fun ethical puzzles.

A researcher at MIT conducted some experiments to see gauge situational ethics -- basically to see under what conditions people might steal something or cheat.

This is one of those stories where you can just see that someone is going to end up apologizing and/or resigning.

Jason Whitlock, a black columnist for the Kansas City Star, wrote a column for Playboy magazine that is to appear in the May 9 edition. According to Whitlock, the column wil have a headline that will read:

“The Black KKK.” A subheadline will state: “Hip Hop is killing Black America, and it’s time to do something about it.”

Whitlock says this is a complete distortion of what he wrote with the intention of generating a controversy and ginning a racial controversy. Playboy has even, Whitlock says, tried to drag Barack Obama into it by accusing him of being unable to stop this "Black KKK."

Here is what Whitlock says the column is about:

Ralph Nader is running an ad looking for two people to be his press spokespersons.

Here's the ad:

Description of duties and qualifications: The Nader/Gonzalez '08 presidential campaign for a progressive, majoritarian redirection of our country is seeking experienced media persons to conduct outreach and receive press inquiries.

You can bring your conscience to work daily, commit truth, and engage the great issues of our times.

Writing and reportorial experience are needed, unless you are a sui generis talented and motivated dynamo in these tumultuous arenas of newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the blogs.

Applications are invited, together with references, writing samples and other magnetic material that you believe commend you for these tasks. Savor the experience, make a consequential contribution to public dialogue, public education and the substantive quality of this presidential year, whose major party candidates are so besieged thus far with trivia and distractions.

We interrupt this political blog to bring you some amazing news from the world of sports.

Danica Patrick has just become the first woman ever to win a major open-wheel automobile race, a spectacular achievement for women in sports.

Patrick gambled on fuel mileage late in the race, took the lead with three laps to go and hung on to beat Helio Castroneves at the Twin Ring Motegi course in Japan

Never again can she be derided as the Anna Kournikova of auto racing -- all looks and no wins.

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