Random Thoughts on a Friday Afternoon

• Donald Rumsfeld needs to resign. You know you're in trouble when both Senators McCain and Lott agree that you're incompetent.
  
• The missile defense program needs to die. The Pentagon tried to claim that Wednesday's failed test wasn't a setback. Hi, your rocket didn't launch. How is that not a setback? There have been nine -- count 'em, nine -- tests of this system. Only nine. Five of them, under "controlled" circumstances (i.e., the target missile basically had a homing device in it to attract the anti-missile-missile), were successful. Three of them were not, and then there's yesterday's no-go. The last test, which was conducted two years ago, missed its target by "hundreds of miles." Additionally, a Pentagon spokesperson today said that the rocket that failed this week was one developed under the Clinton administration. Uh-huh. It's always Clinton's fault, isn't it? By the way, these nine tests so far have cost us $85 billion.
  
  Lest you think we are still in the "experimental" phase, Bush claims that the system is operational, based on the six missiles in Alaska that are ready to go. Assuming they can leave the silo.
  
  Launching an intercontinental ballistic missile is beyond the capabilities of most terrorist organizations, and a missile -- even one that can actually fly -- can't stop a car bombing in Washington or a sarin attack in Chicago. We would do better to take these financial resources and help secure nuclear weapons in the former Soviet countries. The priority is all wrong. (Oh, and, it doesn't work anyway.)
  
• My tin roof rusted! The rural dwelling that was reportedly the inspiration for the B-52s' hit "The Love Shack" has apparently burned to the ground. I want my juke box money back.