The current Newsweek tries to imagine how to rehabilitate George W. Bush’s reputation. They go for the obvious — admit the mistakes on Iraq and the economy; lay claim for improving education, and AIDS treatment in Africa; and blame everything else on how “the terrorists” changed the game and nobody had a playbook.

But I’ve got a better way to rehabilitate him, one that should be even more obvious: Send him to prison. That’s what it’s there for.

No, Virginia, music videos did not die out with the MTV we remember. They just went online. Here’s the one for “Ulysses,” the new single from Franz Ferdinand. The video’s okay — the song is great.

In the UK, a pet owner has put her neurotic and jealous parrot on anti-depressants. Here’s the story.

The story comes from a Chinese newspaper’s website. While I’m confident that Western papers would run this too, I can’t help wondering what the Chinese think about this.  Perhaps this:  “Is this where all our money went?” And then, “Who’s stupider? Them, for squandering it, or us for lending it?”

Me, while watching “Battlestar Galactica” tonight:

“Hm.  They’re giving this character a lot of play. Why? She’s got nothing to do with anything going on with this show any more. Why is she even in this scene? Here she is again. I guess she dies tonight.”

Five to ten minutes later:

“No wonder my kids think I’m psychic.”

I’ve talked here before about my love of the radio station Indie 103.1 FM. It’s the sort of radio station that you hear used to exist, one where deejays play what they like. In this particular case, that means shows run by people like Steve Jones, guitarist for the Sex Pistols. That alone says “indie.”

Indie was founded probably five years ago at this point, and sure enough, it was too good to last. They’re not dead, but they’ve moved online. Why? Because the powers-that-be wanted them to play Britney Spears or somesuch.

Here’s the station’s new internet URL, and here’s their farewell-to-broadcasting message.

Indie Activist:

This is an important message for the Indie 103.1 Radio Audience –

Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting over this frequency effective immediately. Because of changes in the radio industry and the way radio audiences are measured, stations in this market are being forced to play too much Britney, Puffy and alternative music that is neither new nor cutting edge. Due to these challenges, Indie 103.1 was recently faced with only one option — to play the corporate radio game.

We have decided not to play that game any longer. Rather than changing the sound, spirit, and soul of what has made Indie 103.1 great Indie 103.1 will bid farewell to the terrestrial airwaves and take an alternative course.

This could only be done on the Internet, a place where rules do not apply and where new music thrives; be it grunge, punk, or alternative – simply put, only the best music.

For those of you with a computer at home or at work, log on to www.indie1031.com and listen to the new Indie 103.1 – which is really the old Indie 103.1, not the version of Indie 103.1 we are removing from the broadcast airwaves.

We thank our listeners and advertisers for their support of the greatest radio station ever conceived, and look forward to continuing to deliver the famed Indie 103.1 music and spirit over the Internet to passionate music listeners around the world.

Massachusetts has essentially adopted Amsterdam’s marijuana policy:  not exactly legal, but not prosecuted. (Add “and definitely taxed” and you’ll have the Amsterdam policy.)

Just three days ago at that Democratic conclave I was advocating legalizing — and taxing — marijuana. My thinking:  With a $42 billion (with a “b”) budget deficit in this state, we need the revenue. And I think I’d sooner take my chances with someone holding a joint, which is illegal, than someone holding an assault rifle (which, naturally, is legal).

Slate does us the service of providing the Top 25 Bushisms of All Time.  Number 3 is the one we kept on our refrigerator for many moons: “Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?” That one sums it all up.

Last week I embedded this video of a young lady with a forked tongue. All over town, I’ve gotten responses to that. Now I know exactly who among my friends and acquaintances reads my blog, because they greet me this way: “Oh my God, that video!” Tonight I found out that my teenage son’s entire class watched it today in school. I’m glad to shape the hearts and minds of our future leaders, but maybe not like this.

That video shows the young woman demonstrating her adroit facility with a forked tongue, which no doubt leaves lingering images in male minds. But everyone has speculated over what the surgery necessary for acquiring a forked tongue might be like. Well, speculate no longer: Here it is. Warning: I’m not embedding it because it’s not for the faint of heart, and not just because the soundtrack is by Nickleback. You’ve been warned.

And now I think I’d like to leave this topic for good. But not before adding that while I’m in favor of universal health care, this video reminds me that some things are better left out of the universe.

Yesterday I was re-elected to the California Assembly District 43 delegation to the state Democratic Party. Here’s the story from the Glendale News-Press (it’s also in the Burbank Leader).

I was also elected to the executive board, which means that in addition to attending the annual state convention as a delegate, I’ll be attending quarterly executive board meetings. Which means it’s my role in those meetings to represent the hopes and frustrations of Democrats in Burbank, Glendale, North Hollywood, Valley Village, Silver Lake, Valley Glen, and part of Van Nuys. It also means that for at least four weekends a year for two years I’ll be staying in hotels somewhere in the state while attending these meetings.

It was an honor to be elected and I’m looking forward to serving and I’m very grateful to all the people who voted for me. At the same time, I couldn’t help noting the comment of the outgoing executive board member I’m replacing: “Now you can spend between $3000 and $5000 a year doing this.”

I guess there is a price we pay for Democracy.