Just to start with something different, there has been an interesting discovery in our solar system: two very small moons around the ‘planet’ Pluto. There is a lot of debate on whether Pluto is a planet (when is a orbiting mass a planet?) or something else. What else is beyond me. I think it would be fair to history to allow Pluto to be the smallest example of a planet for now. You have to draw the line some place and this is a reasonable point for now. The discovery was made by the Hubble Space Telescope, one of NASA’s most successful efforts and a gift to mankind. Hubble will be turned off and burnt up in a de-orbit maneuver sometime in the next few years (NASA keeps going back and forth on whether to service it again to make one last round of upgrades and repairs). The replacement telescope is the James Web Space Telescope – which you can read about here. The thing is absolutely enormous. And enormously expensive. Hopefully they can put this one up without a glitch.

Oh well, onto something else new. A good friend of who I worked with many years ago dropped by over the summer to chat with the wife and I on the back deck. The conversations rolled around topics for a while until he told me his wife’s father used to work for Michael Jackson at his Never Land ranch. Well, suffice to say that peaked my interest a bit. To cut to the chase, I was able to score a kind of an interview with this person and hope to have the information up this week. It is truly a fascinating behind the scenes look at the shenanigans that went on there, and possible mistakes by the prosecutor in not using some information in the trial. I hope everyone finds it interesting.

The Fritz fiasco keeps rolling through the media (thus my lack recent lack of interest in the news!). The Washington Post has an article out on how a Libby trial would be some kind of bad news for the White House.

Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, is expected to plead not guilty to charges that he lied and obstructed justice in the CIA leak probe when he is arraigned Thursday, setting the stage for a possible courtroom fight in which Libby’s interests could collide with those of the Bush White House, according to several Republican officials.

As you might expect, I disagree. The White House has been muzzled by a request from Fritz up until this point. But Libby is now free to defend himself to some degree, though it is not wise to talk too much while going through a criminal trial. The point is, though, the discussion has all been one sided, with Fitz taking the word of reporters and administration critiques without questions to support his ‘agenda’. Obviously he made a deal with Miller to allow her to print her story right after her testimony, making the others wait until after the indictments were out. I wonder how many other deals Fitz made with his buds in the press, or with the Wilsons.

But now the untruths from the Wilsons can be explored to great depths. As well as the role the press played in printing lies, which somehow slipped right by Fritz. The press is using their megaphone to start the trial in the media, but they expose themselves as well. Tom Maguire discusses one such instance involving Kristof:

In a well-hidden Times Select column, Nick Kristof reveals himself to be a bit of an ironist – he exhorts Dick Cheney to come clean about his role in the Plame leak while lying shamelessly about his own.

If I were Libby and the White House I would say ‘bring it on’! The critics have had an open, unchallenged field. Now it is time to set the record straight.

Tom Maguire also takes on Tim Russert here. Fitzgerald is in a mess. He indicted someone who had firm, inside knowledge of Valeries relation to Joe, his trip and her CIA job, who never once leaked this information the press (instead misleading them by saying he ‘heard that too’ from other reporters). Fitz is still the fool who indicted someone for not leaking Valerie’s name and job, and for telling the truth to lies printed in the media. We need a better class of prosecutors.

The Alito nomination is a gut check for the right. After too many needlessly and callously attacked Miers, they now have their battle. And if Alito loses it will not be Bush’s fault. This should be interesting to watch. Alito now must get confirmed solely by the far right, abortion litmus testers (which if course became a clear hypocrisy from too many). First the right-punditry called for the civil war, and now they call for the battle royale in the Senate when Bush is at a very weak point and the 2006 elections are in the balance. Their thirst for risky strategy decisions seems to be growing. If they can get the gang of 14 to hold firm against the filibuster it might work. The other option is the nuclear option (which I would like to see in place in any event – there should not be filibuster for nominations to the administration or courts). But if they fail, or they look too extreme or hypocritical, it will come back to bite them in 2006.

Here’s to hoping they are right. Because I have serious doubts the nation is in the mood for a partisan donnybrook right now.

Hope everyone has a good day!