DUDE, WHERE'S MY CIVIL WAR?  —  I'M trying.  I've been trying all week.  The other day, I drove another 30 miles or so on the streets and alleys of Baghdad.  I'm looking for the civil war that The New York Times declared.  And I just can't find it.  —  Maybe actually being on the ground in Iraq prevents me from seeing it.

Live-Blogging the Oscars 2006  —  Does anybody care what Nicole Kidman is wearing (or not)?  Does anybody care how many times Jon Stewart disses Dick Cheney?  Does anybody care who even wins the Academy Awards anymore?  —  Yes, we all care - even if we say we don't... It's the Oscars, after all!

Look, Up in the White House...It's Splatman  —  Crooks and Liars has some video clips up from today's Sunday morning gabfests.  All I can say is "ouch."  —  First, there is this clip from Rep. John Murtha's appearance on Face the Nation: … Murtha comes across as not only very credible …

The New York Times and the Great Wal-Mart Blogger Conspiracy  —  New York Times reporter Michael Barbaro is working on a story about the fact that public relations people working for the giant retailer Wal-Mart have been feeding news tips and information to sympathetic bloggers around the country.

Control and Sex  —  I earlier linked to Digby's post about the South Dakota ban on all abortions except when the woman's life is threatened by the pregnancy.  In that post Digby quotes an example of the type of abortion which would not be allowed under this ban:

Primary is a barometer for DeLay  —  "I'm like a cemetery — I'll take anything!"  —  That was the exhortation from U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, Sugar Land Republican and certified auctioneer, as he squeezed $16,600 from the crowd during a live auction at a Harris County Republican Party dinner last week.

Transcript for March 5  —  MR. TIM RUSSERT: Our issues this Sunday: Iraq.  Hundreds of civilians die as Iraqis, Sunnis and Shiites kill each other.  Is this a civil war?  What does it mean for the 130,000 American troops on the ground?  With us: the top military man at the Pentagon …

Bush Rules Out a Nuclear Deal With Pakistanis  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, March 4 — President Bush made clear on Saturday that Pakistan should not expect a civilian nuclear agreement like the one with India soon, and he bluntly said the two rivals on the subcontinent could not be compared to each other.

IS MURTHA NUTS?  —  Democratic Congressman Jack Murtha seems to have gone around the bend.  Check out this exchange from this morning's Face the Nation: … It's rather remarkable that a sitting United States Congressman would play so fast and loose with the facts, especially in the context …

Holland to allow 'baby euthanasia'  —  WHEN Frank and Anita's daughter Chanou was born with an extremely rare, incurable illness in August 2000, they knew that her life would be short and battled against the odds to make it happy.  —  They struggled around the clock against their baby's pain.

Life After Roe  —  For the first time in 14 years, legal abortion in the United States is in serious jeopardy.  —  In recent days, the shape of this assault has become clear.  First, on the morning of Justice Samuel Alito Jr.'s debut, the Supreme Court announced that it would review …

LIVEBLOGGING AIPAC 2006  —  Hey guys, got into DC late yesterday for the AIPAC conference.  Huge turnout.  Should be interesting.  Postings will be lighter than usual but action packed ...........stay tuned.  —  Meanwhile Hamas Sets Up Standing Army in Gaza to Spread Jihad  —  LIVEBLOGGING David Kay

Dark Portrait of a 'Painter of Light'  —  Christian-themed artist Thomas Kinkade is accused of ruthless tactics and seamy personal conduct.  He disputes the allegations.  —  Thomas Kinkade is famous for his luminous landscapes and street scenes, those dreamy, deliberately inspirational images …

The Love Song of J. Alfred Kerry  —  Perusing this item from the Democratic Daily blog; it occurs to me how singularly appropriate it is that Senator Kerry "feels like 1972 again", particularly since his spirit has never left those glory days of America bashing.