Let's call them "advisors" - hey, there's an idea.

I'm kinda thinking it didn't work too well the last time but that was someplace else. This, now, is Iraq, a place where they really want to be like us. As soon as the stop with the bombs and stuff. Whatever. Meanwhile...

Commanders say they believe that a major influx of American advisers can add spine and muscle to Iraqi units that will help them to move into the lead in improving security.

So there you go. Commanders say. (That's sort of like "dentists say," come to think of it. Or "homemakers say." But that would be advertising and this is... OK, just forget I brought that up.)

Anyway, spine? What's with the "spine" here? They're not saying... OK, forget I brought that up too. Let's just call the troops "advisors" and - woohoo! - our problems will be solved!

Fine. I'm in a grumpy mood. First, it's snowing. Sure, just a little, and sure, it's going to be back in the 40s tomorrow (but cold again by the end of the week), and yeah, it's December, yada yada. But I say it's snow and I don't want it.

What I do want is my iMac back but it's still in the shop, tomorrow is the earliest date they will give me and even that's an "if" - we're talking eight freakin working days to replace a hard drive here. I could do it myself in 20 minutes given the part. Ten minutes with a PC tower. I am not a happy camper here.

Of course I have my 12" PowerBook to work on, for my money one of the best laptops ever built (so of course they've stopped making it). But I have a desktop publishing job to do and a 12" screen is not the ideal place.

There are gonna have to be some changes made.