WSJ reporter Farnaz Fassihi's e-mail from Iraq

Wasn't intended for publication, but it's making the rounds nevertheless. If they gave Pulitzers for e-mail, this year's would be his to lose.

Highlights:

"America's last hope for a quick exit? The Iraqi police and National Guard units we are spending billions of dollars to train. The cops are being murdered by the dozens every day -- over 700 to date -- and the insurgents are infiltrating their ranks. The problem is so serious that the U.S. military has allocated $6 million dollars to buy out 30,000 cops they just trained to get rid of them quietly."

"I heard an educated Iraqi say today that if Saddam Hussein were allowed to run for elections he would get the majority of the vote. This is truly sad."

Whole thing here.

96 hours of ice cream

...which isn't really as spiffy as it sounds. More like "96 hours of mostly nothing but at most ice cream to eat." That's less fun.

But today the sun rises. I have taken my first swig of caffeinated beverage in four days and it is good.

Let the healing begin.

New addition to the family....

Not going to see 'tiels any more. We've hit the critical mass of three. Found one who we just couldn't live without. He's not weaned yet, so he'll stay in town until he's ready to come home, begin one month of isolation in the house, and then be properly introduced to his two siblings, Tiny Moo and Moosie.

And yes, we've decided on a name for him. Just guess. Just you guess.

Edit: Okay, my original name got overruled, but his new name is very similar. Begins with the same first two letters, anyway.