I, too, am �disgusted�. I�m disgusted not only by the appalling manner that these Iraqi prisoners of war were treated by U.S. soldiers , but I�m also disgusted by the fact that the U.S. media has stifled the story. CBS sat on the story for 2 weeks! And even now that it�s been reported, the story is lost among headlines of Michael Jackson pleading not guilty and NBA stars escaping manslaughter convictions.

CBS first aired the story on Wednesday�s 60 Minutes II. That was Wednesday. You would think that the story would have been emblazoned all over Thursday�s headlines. Not the case. The first wind I got of it was an afternoon NPR news program. Even this morning, the story was not prominent among U.S. print headlines.

How is it that in America, with our First Amendment and free press and our often touted high regard for the unencumbered flow of communication and open discourse, the media � the very institution charged with disseminating information, all information, fully and fairly � can silence a story of such magnitude for weeks and then gloss over it until world outcry makes it impossible to ignore?

In the same vein of carefully filtered news, some stations are refusing to air tonight�s �Nightline� tribute to soldiers killed in action in Iraq. The Fourth Branch is failing us miserably.

* * *

In other equally annoying yet far less vital news, I was accosted by hordes of Wiggles fans yesterday. I left work a bit early to make it to the Weight Watchers meeting (news of which will follow shortly). Unfortunately, my departure coincided with the end of The Wiggles� show playing at the venue across the street. Masses of children and their shell-shocked looking parents streamed out of the theater and headed straight for my parking structure!

It took me 10 minutes just to be able to cram my way onto an elevator. Another 5 minutes to pull out of my parking space. And 35 minutes to finally make it out of the structure!

The time, however, was not entirely wasted. I had the dubious pleasure of watching three mothers change their child�s diaper in either the trunk of their car or the cargo area of their SUV; I was amazed by the show of strength of one mom who able to hold her very hefty looking toddler with one arm while folding and loading an even heftier looking Volvo stroller with the other; I saw the most horrendous display of assorted hats gracing the heads of otherwise cute toddlers, which I�m sure their parents were forced to pay an outrageous sum of money for at the show. I would have been amused, really, if I hadn�t been so teeth-grittingly annoyed by the hordes of children and their parents, who apparently had no place to be in the next hour, except perhaps for a McDonald�s Play Room somewhere, making me late. Because if there�s one thing I hate being, it�s late.

Fifty minutes after I had left the court house, I was finally on my way to the Weight Watchers meeting, that had started 20 minutes before. Luckily there was a later meeting that I was right on time for! Which is really a good thing, since I really, really hate being late.

So, Weight Watchers. Steph and I both re-joined yesterday. The weigh in was bad, but not surprising as Trainer Boy had made me face the scale on Tuesday. Today, I�ve been eating well, journaling everything, drinking a lot of water, etc., etc., just as I should have been doing all along.

I also had another torture training session with Trainer Boy last night. I�m still fairly sore, but it�s been downgraded from pain to mere discomfort.

Despite the misadventures with the Wiggles fans and the sore muscles, it definitely feels good to be back in control of this aspect of my life again.

Before I go and get the work-week wrapped up, I need to send out a GRACIAS to pandionna and ladiebug for adding me to their favorites. Pandi, if Ashcroft ever comes after you, I�ll be happy to represent you � pro bono, even.

Listening To: NPR
Reading: boring legal crap
Feeling: disgusted