Christopher Walken for President; raucous Gaza withdrawal underway

Best news of the day, Christopher Walken for President. "If you want to learn how to build a house, build a house. Don't ask anybody, just build a house." There you go. Clearly the best thing ever.

New York - Early today [August 9], actor Christopher Walken, 62, held a private conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York in which he announced his intentions to run for the Presidency of the United States in the 2008 Election.

Said the Queens native, “I have always been a follower of politics. My father was friends with the mayor of Schodack (NY) back in the 1940’s. We would walk the streets of Schodack and the people, they would wave to him. The children adored him. That is what I love to be, a man of respect and love.”

Sweet pwnage: "The Wrath of Khan's Spoiler". What happens when Captain Kirk just wants to read the new Harry Potter in peace? [spoiler warning: don't watch this if you want to read the new book] See also lindsaylohannekkid.ytmnd.com (Safe for work)

It's Gaza Time! What will the US do next with Israel?? This is full of interesting inside tidbits about how Rice is taking the leading role in presenting some kind of accomplishment, and now the Israelis & the US are eager to give Abbas some kind of goods so that he can

Stuff from Haaretz about Monday's tumultuous pullout events. Yoel Marcus reflects on Sharon's move, and his Farewell to the concept of Greater Israel (eretz Israel). Analysis: In speech of his life, Sharon looks to convey hope. "Sharon to nation: I had hoped to hold onto Netzarim forever." Two alternative scenarios of Radical Jewish or Palestinian attacks & what might happen. Most settler families in Northern Gaza agree to leave. They will not treat remaining protesters with 'kid gloves' if the residents actually get out of the way. 100 extremists attempt to march on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, as I predicted. "Still the same old Arik".

Dallas law cracks down on feeding homeless. If there's one thing we've got too much of today, it's clearly Compassion for the poor. Dammit!

Awesome bronze head of Bush!! (via Atrios)

Washington Post dramatically indicates that the U.S. is officially giving up on the high and mighty rhetoric on Iraq and just wants out: "U.S. Lowers Sights On What Can Be Achieved in Iraq" An interesting tidbit from Juan Cole on the state of affairs in Sunni country... It is very difficult to tell how things are shifting around at this level right now:

The Washington Post reports that the Sunni tribal leaders and the remnants of the Baath Party (Jaish Muhammad or Muhammad's Army) in Ramadi have decided to protect the city's small Shiite minority from a planned pogrom by the Sunni Salafis allied with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. I suspect the issue of protecting the Shiites has crystalized a power dispute in the city between the Salafis and the old tribal/Baath elite. I would not put a lot of hope in the split becoming permanent, since both groups would still cooperate against US troops. I wonder if the rumors of the shelling of a mosque reported by al-Zaman yesterday are Salafi propaganda to cover the fact that Sunnis are fighting each other?

DailyKos had stuff about this article about Democratic change these days: "The 'Netroots' Versus The Establishment".

Murray Waas is coming up with the goods on Rove:

Justice Department officials made the crucial decision in late 2003 to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the leak of the identity of undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame in large part because investigators had begun to specifically question the veracity of accounts provided to them by White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, according to senior law enforcement officials.

Several of the federal investigators were also deeply concerned that then attorney general John Ashcroft was personally briefed regarding the details of at least one FBI interview with Rove, despite Ashcroft's own longstanding personal and political ties to Rove, the Voice has also learned. The same sources said Ashcroft was also told that investigators firmly believed that Rove had withheld important information from them during that FBI interview.

Waas also had a story that the FBI cleared Felt of the watergate leaks, proving that he couldn't have done the Deep Throat stuff alone.

Air Force colonel accused of defacing cars bearing pro-Bush bumper stickers. Man airlifted out of gorse bushes. "A man has been rescued by helicopter after being trapped in prickly gorse for two days." The Blogometer: looking at Cindy Sheehan coverage...

CHINA journey: In other news, Arthur Cheng is now headed for at the Neusoft Institute of 'Infomation' Technology in Chengdu, Sichuan province of China. Look at these excellent photos of the campus.