Politics and other nightmares

This may be the most intricate intertwining of government and religion you'll ever see:

In one of history's more absurd acts of totalitarianism, China has banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. According to a statement issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month and strictly stipulates the procedures by which one is to reincarnate, is "an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation."

I'm still fascinated by and playing around with the "Simpsonize Yourself" site. Some efforts look better than others. I just had to put this pair in, but I doubt if many can guess who they are.

Remember that "It blows up REAL good" running gag on SCTV? Add the Allen County Republican Party to the list of things with that attribute. County Recorder John McGauley, after a meeting of the party's executive committee Monday:

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg challenges Gov. Blanco for the smartest-politician-in-America contest:

"Nobody's going to elect me president of the United States," he told Dan Rather for a program that will air Tuesday on cable's HDNet channel. "What I'd like to do is to be able to influence the dialogue. I'm a citizen."

Well, we can't blame the Katrina fiasco on Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco. She is one smart woman:

“If the next governor makes roads the No. 1 priority, I promise you higher education is not going to be the No. 1 priority,” she said.

The Democratic debate in Iowa yesterday made clear what the contest on that side of the primary has come down to:

Please, please, please, Cheri, don't let Mitch use this in the gubernatorial campaign:

Indiana First Lady Cheri Daniels took home two blue ribbons after taking top honors in the annual celebrity cow milking and watermelon seed spitting contests.

The Journal Gazette tells Matt Kelty that he should do "what is best for voters":

Kelty also deserves a strong defense, and that means one that is well prepared. Yet, from all appearances, the issues are straightforward, and Kelty has arguably the best criminal defense attorney in northeast Indiana representing him.

Sorry, Bub, you're seeking to be the leader of the free world, so everything about you is fair game, including your family:

Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani, whose strained relations with his children have drawn unwelcome attention in the race for U.S. president, asked on Thursday that voters "leave my family alone."

I think Morton Kondracke is right:

Democrats, liberal historians and even a majority of U.S. voters already consider George W. Bush a “failed” or “poor” president — in fact, perhaps, “the worst president in American history.”