And for the travelers, a piece on traveling across the United States on a bicycle.

Aflatoxin, a naturally occurring chemical that comes from a fungus sometimes found on corn and other crops, can cause severe liver damage. Aflatoxin poisoning can cause sluggishness, a lack of appetite and in severe cases severe vomiting, fever and jaundice.The recalled pet food was sold in 23 states under the brand names Diamond, Country Value and Professional, and bears the date codes of March 1, 2007, through June 11, 2007. Consumers are asked to immediately stop using the product.

Twenty-three dogs has died as a result of this food and the company also makes cat food, so check your supply.

It took badgering by the CIA to generate any interest in the White House leaking the name of a covert CIA operative and exposing a major intelligence network.

Some may claim that this is a major intelligence revelation, but that’s false – everyone who is reportedly targeted assumed we were doing this. This is about embarrassment and Presidential criminality, not an intelligence leak.

How can I make that statement? Isn’t that just partisan rhetoric? No, sorry, it’s all about timing.

This investigation started two weeks after the story was printed, not two weeks after the leak was known. The White House knew about the leak before the last election, more than a year ago. If this leak were so damaging to national security it would have been investigated then, not two weeks after it embarrassed the President. It’s not one of the worse crimes of these people, but you are required to report leaks of classified information as soon as you become aware of them.

The White House started the investigation to attack its critics, not to protect the national security. This is all about protecting the image of the Shrubbery, not the nation.

The 27^th named storm of 2005 is sitting off the coast of Africa just to remind people that “it ain’t over, ’til it’s over”.

[Update: The first storm of 2006 will be Alberto. In 1994 Tropical Storm Alberto was a nasty rainmaker locally. Storm names are re-cycled every 12 years unless the name is retired for being a real trouble-maker.]

™ ^{[Kevin Drum]}

Ringo’s Bored

Come on let’s play.

[Editor: Productivity goes down when the temperature goes up because the cats take turns wandering in to see what I’m doing.]

Friday Ark