Short Cuts

Big Boots: Crusty, crumpled and often very funny, Gen. Tommy Franks said good-bye yesterday as Commander of Central Command and threw one last parting shot over his shoulder by endorsing W's "Bring it on" remark that has the metrosexuals among us in such a swivet. After listening to W for nearly two years it should have dawned on them that nothing he says is truly off-the-cuff but designed to drive them nuts. They fall for it every time.

Big Questions: Is there something fishy about the sexual misconduct charges against NBA star Kobe Bryant or what? Colorado prosecutors are now saying they not sure they will file charges of sexual assault. Great, now that they have dragged what appears to be a very decent, clean living young man over the hot media coals. Yesterday, in a press conference, Eagle County prosecutors called to discuss the case they then proceeded not to discuss it. It's all very confusing and may damage Bryant permanently, true or not.

Big Squeeze: The tabloid story of the summer (so far - we can only hope there is another one coming) reporters are finding it hard to advance the Kennedy/Cuomo split-up now that the Cuomo camp has dried up and stopped blabbing and Kerry Kennedy's 'betrayal' with a polo player. Today the NY Daily News reaches out to the father of the polo-players ex-wife for a quote about what a cad he is. We knew that but that will have to do for now.

Big Yuck: Our nomination for the best headline of the morning is on an AP story about the Matrix freak kids in New Jersey. Their ring-leader, Matthew Lovett, 18, walked around with a baseball bat and a hit-list of enemies. He and two friends were arrested with an arsenal of weapons after an attempted car-jack. The headline: Teen Nabbed in Alleged Plot Called Angry.

Big Whoop: The New York Times front page reports the White House admission yesterday that W was fed bad intelligence that Iraq had sought uranium from Africa. When was the last time a White House stepped-up to the plate and said they were wrong? Can't remember? Neither can we. This gives the running-on-empty W haters a chance to shriek "Liar, liar" when it isn't a lie at all. It's called being a grown-up and admitting a mistake. But, the best sorting out of the situation is the reply by Ldotter ZurichMike on this thread.

-Your LComStaff