Question:  will the giant tsunami we’re being told could any day now wipe out the entire west coast have the salutory effect of flooding out the most statistically-likely point of dispersal for an avian flu epidemic we’re told could kill 50 million of us (give or take)? Because if so—and granted, this has much to do with my not living on the west coast—I’m all for it. Sorry.  But to

From Bloomberg: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today defended President George W. Bush against reports he authorized spying on American citizens and foreign nationals in the U.S. following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The New York Times reported that Bush in 2002 secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop without the court-approved warrants that are required for domestic spying. The international phone calls and e-mail messages of hundreds,

A blow to the White House and the Justice Department.  Roving wiretaps secured by judges’ order?  Why, that’s an affront to freedom!  IT MUST NOT STAND! Whatever.  Let 47 preening Senators (well, 46, actually; Frist deployed a nice procedural maneuver to keep open the possibility of a follow-on vote) play at being heroic guardians of civil liberties.  But keep a running count on how many of them change their votes