"...it might be best not to pick up today's edition of The New York Times and read the article datelined 'Over the Abbott Ice Shelf, Antarctica.' The one in which scientists describe the relentless thinning of huge glaciers, the disintegration or retreat of 'ice shelves the size of American states.' In some parts of the Antarctic, according to a British survey, 'large growths of grass are appearing in places that until recently were hidden under a frozen cloak.'" -- From Bill McKibben's article "Changing the Climate-Change Climate" (1)

"I got the horse right here, his name is Paul Revere...." From Guys and Dolls

Imagine actually being on the Oceanic Titanic, anachronistically watching DiCaprio's earlier ('97 Skipper Cameron) disaster of a mov(i)e...ignoring the tip of the iceberg looming ahead, as your ship plunges...onward, Christian Soldier.

No, this is not just meant for our beloved troop torturers. It's written for all of you blind gamblers. A lot to shoulder.

UK bookmakers have Jamie (Ray) Foxx, Hilary (Baby Wanker) Swanker, and Cate (as Kate) Blanchett as odds on favorites...as of the moment. And William Hill and Ladbrokes have given The Aviator 4/9 and 8/13 odds of winning Best Film, with Million Dollar Baby in second place at 9/4.

Be happy if you don't know who Hill and Ladbrokes are; gambling's not healthy.

By the time you read this, the election tally should be rolling in...and a (related) partial dead/maimed count computed also. This time around U.S. forces will probably be adding up the number of wasted Iraqis...a dead head count of sorts...though they may fudge the figures of the disfigured corpses before relating results.

But what are the odds that outfits like Bet Direct and Bet 365 will be giving decent odds for the number of seriously injured to exceed the number of in-Iraq voters going to the polls...and living to tell about it?

That's the question Americans might ask themselves. Then, after securing some action for themselves on the action --Harry Burton no less than Halliburton lives not on literal bread alone-- there will be plenty of time to ask ourselves why we have to ask such questions at all.

Or will there?

I'm feelin' a stiff chill in the air. And I haven't even taken the icecubes out of the fridge yet...for my drink.

Ah, I think I'll let my (recently earned, young) bucks sink or swim as the case may be. I'm feelin' lucky.

Let's roll...those dice!


Richard Oxman, who has often seen people drown in their own tears, but rarely in the sorrows of others, seeks another channel...where the Soap Opera of American History will end. A non-drinker, he hopes that readers will contact him at dueleft@yahoo.com to keep him from turning to drink in Los Gatos, California...as he prepares to relocate back to Santa Cruz soon...unless readers can find him another locale, where mold is controllable.

Note:

(1) http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=56&ItemID=7125