The US has launched a fourth offensive, called Operation Scimitar, in Iraq. This serves only to remind me how little I know about the military--I thought the whole invasion was Operation Iraqi Freedom. The political story has shifted from weapons of mass destruction to Iraqi democracy while the military operation names went from Iraqi Freedom to Scimitar. Neither suggests we'll be getting out any time soon. Wish we spent as much time thinking about the cost of war in Iraq beforehand as we do now.

"Asians now hold $1.1 trillion worth of U.S. Treasuries. What are they going to do with all that loot? The bid for Unocal is peanuts. Asians could buy more than 50 companies Unocal's size - or a controlling interest in every major corporation in America. Without firing a shot, the rising Empire of the East could seize command of the industrial base of the declining Empire of the West. This is where America's strange system of imperial finance has taken us. Where next?" http://www.dailyreckoning.com/Issues/2005/DR070805.html

most embarassing song you know the words to?

Coverage of the London bombings seems almost perfunctory to me. Perhaps we are adapting to this eventuality. The world barely slowed down this time. Well, I am still horrified. I send my tears and prayers to you, London.

Lost, I think, in these reports is any context to help Americans understand. London lived with IRA bombings for years. The city removed trash cans from all subway cars and stations because the IRA used to put bombs in them. The Underground added cameras like crazy, and they learned a great deal about fighting terrorism. So for this to happen there means that places like the USA are nowhere close to ready to prevent or stop attacks.

I was just thinking...the top of the plunger on a soap dispenser has to be the dirtiest place in the world, doesn't it? I mean, you're getting soap because your hands are dirty, and what do you touch? Soap plunger. You might argue that the faucet handle is just as bad, but look, you're washing your hands, you might adjust the temperature or flow a little, then you turn it off. So the faucet gets your clean hands on it. But not the soap dispenser! America, go clean your soap plungers.