Don't ask me if I like literary adaptations 

I saw the new Oliver Twist adaptation, directed by Roman Polansky. I liked it, though I can hear the purists squawking already. Very handsome production, though in a gritty way, as it should be. Of course, the new Pride and Prejudice and Harry Potter movies were previewed. They look promising too, but I'm easy to please.

Keeping it bottled up 

Lies.com points to two posts about the increasing chatter that G.W. Bush is drinking again.

Mark Kleiman says the gossip has been around Washington for a year and a half, but an unspoken rule doesn't permit open discussion of it (except by comics). Odd convention, isn't it? It reminds me of media commentary during the Lewinsky affair, recalling that JFK's sex addiction was widely known among the Washington press corps at the time. However, 45 years ago it wasn't "done" to out that sort of behavior.

This comment of Kleiman's reminds me of something, too.

"As the bogus 'Kerry intern affair' story illusrated, the right wing can use Drudge and the Murdoch press to shoehorn even very weak stories into memehood; reporters who wouldn't have touched the original story can report on the reporting. There's no comparable mechanism on the other side of the aisle."

That's right! As we saw in the the Broussard-Russert incident, conservative bloggers have developed a foolproof tactic: set the collective virtual plow in motion to dig up some dirt, about... oh nothing or anything, doesn't matter. Then sit back and watch the MSM do the rest of the dirty work. OK, sure, liberal bloggers spew invective, too, and I know I'm not objective, but I don't believe that liberals have that same bent for pettiness, piling on, and persistence. (And, just IMO, we don't do it with that slappable little sneer either.)

JBC also links to a post about the 25th amendment, which provides for removing a president from office if "the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office." As Dwight Meredith points out, the constitution isn't very helpful in providing guidelines on how to determine if the president is incapacitated. No doubt any attempt would end up in court. Think The Caine Mutiny.

Adding another dimension to the whole thing, the issue has to be seen through slime-colored glasses, since it's the National Enquirer that's out in front on it, and who wants to climb onto their bandwagon?