Somehow I don’t think that using the magic of Photoshop to add a slightly demented looking Duke Aiona’s face into a picture of Gov. Linda Lingle and Rep. Colleen Meyer is going to give a boost to Meyer’s campaign. It did, however, provide some chuckles when Meyer’s campaign brochure arrived in the mail this week.

And it raises issues. Should candidates rely on faked or substantially altered photos? Should they be identified as such? And it’s an embarrassingly amateurish and crudely executed use of Photoshop at that. It makes me wonder about why Meyer insisted on using it.

As usual, just click on the photo for a closer look.

When is someone going to say the obvious? That is, we have to wind down the Bush war in Iraq and, soon after, in Afghanistan not necessarily for ideological or political reasons, although they are important, but because we flat out can’t afford this adventure any longer. As the cost of rescuing the economy becomes clearer, the continuing waste of billions (and eventually trillions) in Iraq becomes increasingly intolerable. And providing the financial fix will do far more to enhance our security that the continuing of imperial ambitions in the Middle East.

Hmmmm. Check out John Dean’s column on Dick Cheney’s big lie that led the country to war.

Speaking of lies, also check out my friend Chuck Smith’s essay, ““Liar Nation”“, found on his blog, “Of two minds”, and this column, “The end of a gilded age“.

Meanwhile, tent cities spread across the country, in Canada, and elsewhere, like across the street from one of John McCain’s luxury homes.

And it’s the usual fare for this Feline Friday. More of our family of Kaaawa cats, with one friend in the neighborhood also included.

This is Mr. Duke caught in full glory a few days ago. Luckily he held the pose while I grabbed the camera.