Well, LEJ, I'd love to accept your version of the whole thing because I really do want to believe the best of people and also because imagining Dubya in his tightie whities is sort of cute. But frankly, I ain't buying it. The truth will out, one of these days and we'll find out what really happened -- either he got smashed or stoned and tripped, or ... something. But 20 years as a reporter and I smell such a rat.

Here's the research project I'D be doing if I were still a reporter: Has anyone EVER passed out like this before? What's the medical literature say? (I mean, do any of YOU know of anyone who's swallowed something the wrong way and fallen over in a heap for just seconds?) And, I don't know about your dogs, but my dogs would have been right over me the second I even made a move, particularly if there had been the possibility of food falling anywhere in their vicinity. Even if I just dropped to the carpet for a couple of seconds, they'd have been front and center. And particularly if I"d fallen hard enough to hit something and cause scrapes on my FACE!!! I mean, Jayzuz, that's quite a fall. I've never met a dog in my life who'd just sit there watching and not even come over to see how the old boy was doing. Maybe he has stuffed dogs and doesn't want to mention THAT part of it.

At any rate, there are holes in this story big enough to drive a lorrie through and I cannot believe the media is going to let this pass. My theory? He has had a substance abuse problem in the past and those are thorny problems that don't go away just because you gain control of them for a while. Maybe the pressure of the job has gotten to him, or he was feeling celebratory because of his great approval ratings and he took a few snorts. OR he has a health problem that either he's not willing to face up to himself, or that he and his minions are purposely concealing from the public.

Meanwhile, the story about him calling for fast-track trade approval and for America to step up its export of food to other countries seems to be sliding in under the radar of the media and the American people. More NAFTA, more GATT, less ability for citizens to control their destiny. More food exports = more exploitation of land and aquifers that need to be treated kindly + less attention to enabling and partnering with other countries to cultivate their own food sources and keep their populations low.

The Wizard is behind the curtain again, pulling those levers and dials and no one's asking exactly what this means beyond the most superficial slice at it.

I swear to God, I'm leaving for the Planet Where Things Make Sense as soon as I can get this damned transponder fixed. Anyone want to go along?

ww