Boy, there's nothing like the President commuting Scooter Libby's sentence to fill me with that pre-July 4th pride! I'm feeling so patriotic, I could shit red, white and blue turds! Just watch me!

Possibly my favorite part of Bush's statement on the commutation (pretty clearly written by his usual staff, except the last paragraph, which you know they cribbed from the text of some other presidential commutation ) is the following:

"My decision to commute his prison sentence leaves in place a harsh punishment for Mr. Libby. The reputation he gained through his years of public service and professional work in the legal community is forever damaged. His wife and young children have also suffered immensely. He will remain on probation. The significant fines imposed by the judge will remain in effect. The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant and private citizen will be long-lasting."

This is an excellent point! The harm to his reputation is certainly profound, excepting that it's not been harmed so much that he can't get himself a Presidential intercession into his punishment. But his reputation, man, think of his reputation! If his reputation weren't so badly damaged, he'd have had something like a five percent better chance of getting that Presidential Pardon that he's inevitably going to get at the end of Bush's term. Golly!

Still, at least he's on probation, so as long as he can go the next two-and-a-half years without outing another CIA agent strictly as payback from a vindicative administration, he'll be golden.

Albertson's (my preferred supermarket, your mileage may vary) is now carrying sponge cakes infused with REAL SODA FLAVOR. Not a joke, not a hoax, but a debillitating blow to the diabetic community, to be sure. These are brand-name sodas, too. My recollection of the flavors available are: 7-Up, Orange Crush, Hawaiian Punch, Dr.Pepper Berries & Cream and Dr.Pepper Cherry & Vanilla.

They had samples of the Orange Crush and the Hawaiian Punch. I tried them yesterday, while shopping.

The Orange Crush cake was good, but not so good that I feel I should be paying name-brand prices.

The Hawaiian Punch? THE HAWAIIAN PUNCH I CAN STILL TASTE.