Quick Hits, Non-election edition

I really have to get off talking about the election, though I have far more to say. But for now, let's go outside the bubble:

• This detailed report about the death of Pat Tillman, finally coming to light after over two years, is unbelievably tragic and revealing. I wouldn't even know where to begin to excerpt it. The dysfunction of the military ought to be a point of emphasis in the Armed Services Committee in 2007.

• Our thoughts go out to Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas, diagnosed with leukemia. We need to fight war on diseases like this, they're far too pervasive given the technology at our fingertips.

• Gay civil unions pass in Catholic conservative Mexico (albeit in their most urban of areas, Mexico City). The times they are a'changin'. In 30 years we'll all have a laugh about this stuff.

• Speaking of gay, can't this guy be comfortable with who he is instead of spending three to five years trying to deny his true self? There's a difference between succumbing to temptation and just being naturally attracted to the same sex. Ted Haggard needs to understand himself, and he'll be happier for it. Even the administrator of this "spiritual counseling" says that it's only 50% effective, after FIVE FUCKING YEARS of putting the fear of God into people.

• Lots and lots of bomb threats at my old high school, one of the top public school districts in the state of Pennsylvania. That's disconcerting.

• Not election-based but agenda-based: I want to see a minimum wage increase, I want to see movement on energy independence (even with Bush's help, though I suspect that to him that means ethanol subsidies and nuclear power), I want to see changes in the Medicare bill (or as I like to call it, the Pharmaceutical company welfare bill), I'd like to see real port security where all containers are checked, I'd like to see a Voter Bill of Rights. I'm sure I can think of 20 other things, but I forgot, Democrats don't have any ideas.

• This was unusually quick: a federal judge blocked Prop. 83 in California for being unconstitutional a day after it passed! Good, it was a stupid feel-good law that would do nothing for public safety. Making sex offenders live far from parks or schools just makes them harder to track, and doesn't stop them from buying cars to drive to the parks or schools.

• Was on an excellent conference call today as part of the California Courage Campaign, as well as a debriefing from MoveOn's Call For Change program (which reached over 7 MILLION voters nationwide). I'll have a lot more to say about that tomorrow.