THE TENSION: The Decline and Fall of Western Civ for 24 Jan.

A croc(odile) of tears.
After reading: wash, rinse and repeat.

ABC News reports, in an emotional speech on the Senate floor, John Kerry, the losing 2004 presidential candidate, on Wednesday said he would not seek the Democratic nomination in 2008 but would instead remain in the Senate to fight George W. Bush's "misguided" war in Iraq.

According to Kerry associates, reports The Boston Globe, the senator's plans changed dramatically in the fallout of his election-eve "botched joke" about the education levels of US troops. The harsh reaction to that incident -- from many Democrats as well as Republicans -- displayed to Kerry the extreme skepticism within his own party about whether he should mount another run.

He was for the joke before he was against it.

The Hotline dabbles in a rather foolish exercise about some conflict between Barack Obama and Fox News after they broadcast a story credited to Insight Magazine that said Hillary's team had questions about Obama's Muslim background. The Hotline, liberals, Democrats, random bloggers -- blatherers all -- simply miss the basic point of the story the folks at Fox repeated: the Clinton hit-machine is in gear and selecting targets. Kudos to Hill and camp for a well executed two-fer ploy by making conservatives take the heat for the `Bama hit.

Speaking of Hill and `Bama, ABC News reports Hillary's Hollywood friends have switched sides; movie producers Spielberg and Geffen have invited hundreds of stars to their big Obama fundraiser.

Reuters reports a leading restaurant association has called for the cancellation of a TV commercial featuring Britney Spears' estranged husband, Kevin Federline, as a failed rap star working in a fast-food eatery.

The following story is really not news by now but stands repeating to illustrate the important things in U.S. politics. B&C notes what was worth commenting on in the State of the Union Address was the contrast in blinks per minute between Pelosi and Cheney. While Pelosi clocked a good 25-30 blinks per minute, Cheney barely mustered 3 or 4.

USA Today reports a novel in which the entire narrative consists of mobile phone text messages was published Wednesday in Finland, home of the world's top handset maker Nokia Corp. LOL dweebs.

A man from Wollongong south of Sydney, who has been offering his life for sale on Internet auction site eBay, says he will accept an English offer of 7,500 pounds ($A18,751) if the bid is genuine, reports ABC News Online.