The White House today took what may be a lone stand against the Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act, a bill the House may vote on as soon as Wednesday. It would require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to publish standards regulating worker exposure to diacetyl, a flavoring chemical used in microwave popcorn and other foods that can cause bronchiolitis obliterans, or “popcorn lung.”

The White House Office of Management and Budget today suggested the bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Lynn Woolsey of California, is a hasty mandate that could disrupt OSHA’s already-adequate response to the problem. “More time is needed to gather sufficient evidence concerning” the causes of popcorn lung, the “range of exposure levels that may be hazardous,” and “the kinds of control measures that are most effective,” OMB said.

Haven't we heard this song and dance before? Wouldn't this be the same story trotted out by such defenders of the public interest as the Tobacco Institute? All the bill does is require OSHA to act, nothing else. How this interferes in them doing what they should already be doing baffles me.

Washington Wire - WSJ.com : OMB Recommends Zapping 'Popcorn Lung' Bill

The Fed's half-point interest rate cut last week to 4.75 percent came in response to market turbulence in the U.S. and elsewhere in the fallout from a subprime mortgage crisis. Investors this week will be looking for signs that U.S. inflation is under control. The market is also hoping that readings this week on U.S. durable goods demand, the housing market and consumer spending power will show that the U.S. economy isn't heading for recession.

Many analysts see more U.S. rate cuts ahead -- which could further weaken the U.S. currency, as investments denominated in dollars become less attractive.

This is actually going to continue to worse. The housing market shows no signs of improvement, the subprime balloon has burst and is looking worse daily, and the upshot of the whole thing is, as W said a few months ago, more people than ever own their own homes, and more people than ever are having their mortgages on those homes foreclosed.

Couple this with the actual decline in real wages (previously noted here) and we're looking at a disastrous confluence.

New Week, New Low for Dollar: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Well, Mandela is dead, because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas.

Ummmm... I'm not even sure what to say about this disconnect from reality. Oh wait, yes I am. He clearly has no connection to the real world and has demonstrated clear incapacity to execute his office. Can we now impeach him and get on with something approaching a rational government again?

Crooks and Liars - GWB: Saddam killed Mandelas

The Canadian dollar has reached parity with the U.S. dollar for the first time since 1976.

ummm.... holy shit?

ABC News: Dollar Drops to Canadian Dollar's Level

DeDona responded: "Unfortunately, under the current regime, the view within INV [the office of investigations] is to keep working the BS cases within the beltway, and let us not rock the boat with more significant investigations."

The letter also said that Krongard's actions have resulted in a "dysfunctional office environment in which you routinely berate and belittle personnel, show contempt for the abilities of career government professionals and cause the staff to fear coming to work." The letter said high personnel turnover has left the office with many senior-level vacancies and only seven of 27 investigator positions filled.

And it seems the partisan hackery goes into the Inspector General's office at the State Department.

You know, I'm sure there are Republicans out there with some kind of integrity, but where are they? Why aren't they screaming about the sheer criminality that the Bush kleptocracy is pulling on this country?

Waxman: State Dept. Official Thwarted Probes - washingtonpost.com

The undercover detective expressed concern about physical injury to the 5-year-old girl as a result of the sexual activity. Detectives said Atchison responded, " I am always gentle and loving; not to worry, no damage ever, no rough stuff ever. I only like it soft and nice."

The undercover detective asked how Atchison can be certain of no injury. He responded, "Just gotta go slow and very easy. I've done it plenty," according to detectives.

I don't get it? Why did Gonzo set up a porn task force when it's really kiddie porn that gets his guys going?

Federal Prosecutor Arrested In Child Sex Sting - Local News Story - WDIV Detroit

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Like when it shows the Iraqis not even bothering to respond to W's attempted photo op.

Michael Shaw: Reading The Pictures: Bush Hype And The Loss Of Sheikh - Media on The Huffington Post

From Matthew Chapman, writing in Harper's.

In the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, eleven parents sued to remove intelligent design from the curriculum. The defendants brought in some of the leading lights in the intelligent design movement to defend it as science and elucidate the gaps in evolution. The plaintiffs brought in experts on evolution to explain it and refute intelligent design.

That's the basic story, but if you think you know everything there is to know about this, you are wrong. Only I know the truth.

This essay appears in The Best American Science Writing 2007.

God or Gorilla

Now this is great. What to do with Barry's #756.

For The Record...

"We have canceled the license of Blackwater and prevented them from working all over Iraqi territory. We will also refer those involved to Iraqi judicial authorities," Khalaf said.

Gee, guess that privatization of the military isn't doing so well is it?

Blackwater License Being Revoked in Iraq