"In Korea, the Bush administration now seems to be pursuing a policy of what we might call 'strategic ridiculousness': a policy involving the seemingly intentional pursuit of every amateurish and counter-productive gambit conceivable in each given situation. What shrewd purpose might stand behind this doctrine I'm not able to ascertain. But we can at least tease out its main components. "

Joshua Marshall on some of the Administration's latest silliness regarding North Korea.

"Former senator Gary Hart (Colo.), who sought the Democratic nomination in 1984 and ran briefly in 1988, said yesterday he will decide this spring, after four major policy speeches and some strategic visits to key states.

"I'm not being coy; I don't know," Hart said when asked whether he will seek the nomination again, but added that he is eager to be back in the middle of the debate over the country's direction in some capacity. "I sat on the sidelines for 12 years and was not happy there," he said.

Hart will deliver his first speech, on national security, Jan. 21 at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, followed by a trip to Iowa. He plans other speeches on foreign policy, economic policy and American values, the last to be delivered at the University of Virginia in late February. He also will huddle with House Democrats today to talk about security matters. "

Political Wire has a bunch of information on Gary Hart's near-term plans:

"Gary Hart (D) will meet with Iowa supporters "this month in Des Moines to gauge interest in a 2004 comeback," the Des Moines Register reports. The Rocky Mountain News notes Hart "said he'd make up his mind by April, perhaps the end of March."

Meanwhile, Hart is giving strategy advice. The Denver Post says Hart "told a meeting of House Democrats on Thursday that their party has ceded national security to Republicans for too long and suggested ways for the party to assert itself on homeland security." The Hartford Courant says Hart "still commands attention. A sizable number of reporters turned out as Hart returned to the Capitol, where he served as a senator from 1975 to 1987, to talk to House Democrats about national and homeland security, subjects he's been studying for years." "

Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr, MSNBC Senior Political Analyst, sometimes host of Hardball (which makes a brief cameo at the beginning of the episode) and a former writer and producer for the "West Wing" would seem to have a potential hit on his hands with his new show "Mister Sterling".  I just caught the debut episode and it looks to have the same spark that "West Wing" had at the beginning, and has slowly lost over the last season.  It tells the story of a freshman Senator (played by Josh Brolin) from California and son of a Democratic party icon and former California Governor.  It's got a great cast, great writing, and all the appeal of the first few seasons of "West Wing" but seeing the world (incidently, the same world that "West Wing" inhabits  - Jeb Bartlett is President) through the eyes of a Senator.

The first episode was great, I just hope it escapes the mid-season replacement curse.  At the very least, it provides me with a capable replacement for "Firefly" on Friday night. 

I'll be keeping an eye out for interesting reviews.

Knight Rider was cool.

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"It's official. John Edwards (D-N.C.), the telegenic senator with the tobacco-road twang, is running for president, and doctors and HMO executives and chambers of commerce across the country are undoubtedly not lining up to offer their support. (After all, Edwards made his fortune as a trial lawyer, bagging eye-popping sums in personal-injury and medical-malpractice lawsuits.) But there's another category of people who should be apprehensive about the prospect of an Edwards White House: college applicants counting on a little help getting into mom or dad's alma mater. As part of his education platform, Edwards has proposed eliminating the legacy preference from college and university admissions. It's a move designed to play to his strengths as a candidate -- and it might even recast the long-simmering debate over college admissions."

I like it.  The contrast with Bush is the kicker.

[via Plastic]

"Then Schiller drops the bomb: "You know, the more I look, the more it is just as it says in the Bible." The Book of Daniel, he tells Leggett, predicts that increased earthly devastation will mark the End Time and return of Christ. Paradoxically, Leggett notes, many fundamentalists see dying coral reefs, melting ice caps and other environmental destruction not as an urgent call to action but as God's will. Within the religious right worldview, the wreck of the earth is Good News!

Some true believers, interpreting biblical prophecy, are sure they will be saved from the horrific destruction brought by ecosystem collapse. They'll be raptured: rescued from earth by God, who will then rain down seven ghastly years of misery on unbelieving humanity. During this tribulation, a powerful ruler led by Satan and called the antichrist will rule the world. Then Jesus will come in glory to defeat Satan's forces at the battle of Armageddon. His return marks the Millennium, when the Lord restores the earth to its green pristine condition, and the faithful enjoy a thousand years of peace and prosperity."

An interesting article by Glenn Scherer on Salon about what may be a hidden factor behind Bush's anti-environmental stances.  The same literal Christianity that claims creationism as truth would also seem to indicate that God won't let us kill the Earth, at least not until Judgement Day, but by then all the true-believers will be hanging with JC up in Heaven.  By this logic, God will provide all the gas we need for our SUV's, as long as we believe in him.  Uhm ... yeah.