What Caught My Eye Today

Iraq - Top U.S. military leaders presented Defense Secretary Robert Gates with their strategy for future force levels in Iraq, including expected recommendations for a pause in troop cuts for as much as six weeks later this summer. There was no indication that Gen. David Petraeus had backed off his call for a brief pause in troop cuts after July in order to see what effect the lower force levels have on violence in Iraq. I guess the big question is how long 'brief' really is. If we're talking about a 100 year engagement--props to John McCain for that rosy outlook--then brief could mean several years. There has been some tension among other top military leaders over how long additional troop cuts can be delayed. The Army's chief of staff, Gen. George Casey, has expressed concern about the stress that long and repeated war deployments are putting on his soldiers and their families. And the Marine Corps commandant, Gen. James Conway, has voiced similar worries about the Marines. Jeez, would you guys like some cheese what your whine? I fail to see how a little thing like lack of troops can keep you military types from seeing the big picture. We're going to stay the course until the mission is accomplished. Wait a second. I seem to recall that someone said we did that a couple of years ago. Oh, what do I know.

2008 Presidential Campaign - The drive for a second Michigan presidential primary collapsed Thursday, and a fresh dispute broke out between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton over the fate of the state's 156 national convention delegates. Obama's campaign said a fair resolution would be to split them evenly with Clinton. Aides to the former first lady instantly rejected the idea. Well, there's a big surprise. The state held a primary in January, so early in the year that it violated party rules. As a result, it was stripped of its delegates. Obama and several other Democratic candidates removed their name from the Michigan ballot and all Democratic candidates agreed not to campaign there. Michigan Democratic leaders had proposed a do-over primary, to be conducted by the state on June 3 with funding by private donors. But lawmakers showed a lack of enthusiasm for a bill authorizing the vote, and state Senate adjourned without taking it up. I said it once, and I'll say it again. If the Democrats had just done the same thing that the GOP did and penalized Michigan--and Florida, for that matter--half its delegates and let the primary run its course, this would all be over and would could focus our attentions on more important things, like the discovery of water a couple of hundred million miles away.

Water - Scientists say they have found the best evidence yet that an ocean of liquid water may be hidden below the surface of Saturn's giant moon Titan. The latest evidence of an underground ocean is indirect and is based on analyzing radar images and Titan's spin rates from observations by the international Cassini spacecraft from 2004 to 2007. Scientists determined that winds in Titan's atmosphere exert a torque on the lunar surface and concluded there must be a liquid ocean below. Now before you contact your real estate agent to get in on the ground floor of some possible waterfront property development, keep this in mind... If an internal ocean exists on Titan, it would likely be buried below 62 miles of ice and made of water and traces of ammonia. Titan is one of the few objects in the outer solar system with a significant atmosphere, and scientists have long puzzled over the source of its methane. They have theorized that methane is locked in the ice covering and released through processes involving an ocean below. And here I was thinking all that smog was caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

Bathroom Breaks - This one is almost beyond belief. Union officials in Colorado say a supervisor tried to cut down on lengthy bathroom breaks by telling workmen to use disposable urinal bags in the field. The manager distributed the bags to 25 male field technicians, telling them not to waste time leaving a job site to search for a public bathroom. You have got to be kidding me. Companies have for years offered portable urinal bags to workers who could find themselves in the field far from a bathroom. I suppose this would be handy if you were hanging out on a telephone pole all day long. The bag's manufacturer said it provides the bags to various industrial companies, including electric utilities, municipal public works and telephone companies. Now here's a job that I'd like to have--urinal bag quality assurance tester.

American Idol - This Kristy Lee Cook broad is killing me. Amanda Overmyer, who sang "Back in the U.S.S.R.", was voted off "American Idol", leaving 10 hopefuls to vie for the title and record contract. Carly Smithson and Kristy Lee Cook were the other lowest vote-getters. I so totally don't get why Smithson was in the bottom three, other than the fact that the outfit she wore on Tuesday was hideous. This year's roster of celebrity mentors was also announced: Dolly Parton, Mariah Carey, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Neil Diamond. Curious that there are only 4 mentors this year. Do you think the fact that last year's mentor kind of stole the limelight from the contestants has anything to do with this year's selections, or lack thereof?

Basketball - I hate to blow my own horn (okay, maybe I don't), but as we go to press this opening day of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament, guess who is 12 for 12? Yeah, that's right. Me, baby. Don't get me wrong. I know that I'll be totally screwed tomorrow or the next day. But for now, WHO'S DA' MAN?

Golf - Newsflash. Tiger Woods shot a 5-under 67 in the first round of the CA Championship in Doral, Florida. I mention this simply to point out that he isn't leading...yet. Woods is two shots back of Geoff Ogilvy and Miguel Angel Jimenez. I'm sure that situation will take care of itself tomorrow, and if not, then definitely on Sunday.