I feel like expressing some thoughts today. If Karl Rove really is the source of the Valerie whats-her-name leak, and he really did it as a political tit-for-tat against Joe Wilson, he should go to jail.

National Geographic has made a documentary version of Jared Diamond's Pullitzer Prize winning book, Guns, Germs, and Steel. Theoretically speaking, I think it is one of the sources of Jeff Sachs's book. (the theory being that geography, climate, geology, and biology have determined the fate of societies, not culture).

I'm glad to be back in Indiana. Chicago treated me pretty well, but I like having open space and accessible parking. I've often said that modern technology is lessening the advantages that big cities have over small towns. I got satellite, the internet, netflix, libraries (which I suppose are low-tech)....I can get all the culture I need. Also, since Bloomington is a university town, I can also get lots of good ethnic food and hear some good live bands....and gawk at attractive women.

The Iraq war....I guess the thing that bothers me the most is that the insurgency seems to have taken our leaders by surprise...they act like "nobody could've known this would happen," which is total B.S. People in my college, undergrads who don't know anything, DID predict this type of situation. I cannot believe that nobody in the foreign policy establishment did the same thing. I tentatively agree with the Bush policy (get out when Iraqis can fight the insurgency), but I also agree with Rashid Khalidi from Columbia...the insurgency will not stop or abate until we're gone. We aren't going to beat these people militarily.