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Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow. Or more prosaically — who ya gonna believe, me or ya lyin' eyes:

Despite all evidence, some political leaders continue to insist that the situation [in Iraq] is improving, as though the brutal TV images of the war did not exist, as if it were a fantasy invented by evil spirits. The chasm between the people’s view of reality and that of their leaders has rarely been greater.

And this observation from the editor of The Lancet hits the heart of the matter: "Our collective failure has been to take our political leaders at their word.”

We've unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe in Iraq. Even if the motives were pure and honest, this administration should be held accountable and removed for its sheer, deadly incompetence.

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Stacy at Cafe Politico gives credit where it's due :

I have never in my lifetime seen an administration that so skillfully protects their leader from any real public accountability or being put on the “hot spot” on a regular basis. They do a great job at keeping Bush in front of only very “easy crowds” so that he won’t have to answer tough questions and where every answer he gives, no matter how unintelligible, is met with nothing but applause. It’s also incredible to me how the media seems to accept this and play along with it. Sure, they bemoan it every once in a while, but they play along none-the-less.

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And speaking of buzz...

The other night on Real Time, Bill Maher asked a facetious question: Would you give up your TV remote if that's what it took to stop global warming and save the planet?

How about your cell phone? Scientists are beginning to think that might be necessary.

You've heard about the sudden and mysterious disappearance of bees in the US, Canada, and Europe. One theory suspects that radiation from cell phones is jamming the bees' built-in navigation systems, preventing them from finding their way back home to the land of sex with the queen bee and honey.

Why should we care?

The implications of the spread are alarming. Most of the world's crops depend on pollination by bees. Albert Einstein once said that if the bees disappeared, "man would have only four years of life left".

Bees, please phone home. Now.