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Clueless George Goes to War, by Utah political cartoonist Pat Bagley, is a parody of the Curious George children’s books.

It’s the first of three such books. The others are Clueless George is Watching You and Clueless George Takes on Liberals. They’re short — each one less than 30 pages — but they’re funny, and they land some sharp jabs at this disastrous administration.

As The Man tucks him into bed at the end of Clueless George Goes to War, George worries about some of his critics.

“They were obviously America-hating, evildoer-loving liberals,” The Man patiently explained.

“So that’s why you sent them all to Geronimo Bay…” mused George. “Shouldn’t we have given them trials?”

“The answer to that is very nuanced,” said The Man.

This administration tries to “nuance” our rights out of existence. The proper response to that isn’t nuanced at all.

You can find sample pages from all three books, other books and pins here.

I’m a big fan of the old Stan Lee – Jack Kirby Fantastic Four, but not of the 2005 Fantastic Four movie.

I’m sure the forthcoming movie sequel will be another terrible disappointment, but the title is Rise of the Silver Surfer, and there’s a teaser trailer here. What? No sign of Galactus?

Well, I’m a glutton for punishment. Bring it on.

Cartoonist Ruben Bolling:

When President Bush was asked what sacrifices he’s called on civilian Americans to make in support of the enormous sacrifices made by those in the military in Iraq, he replied: “They sacrifice peace of mind when they see the terrible images of violence on TV every night.”

So Bolling gives us some “Posters For the Homefront.”

Yes, you’ve done enough. Now, let somebody else bear the burden of our “existential conflict.”

Political cartoonist Tom Tomorrow on the next war:

Of course Iraq has descended into chaos and civil war — but Iran is going to be a cakewalk!

I mean, c’mon! Nobody can be wrong all the time, can they?

Doonesbury:

Drat! These pesky scientific facts won’t line up behind my beliefs!

Via Coyote Gulch: the Union of Concerned Scientists have put together The A to Z Guide to Political Interference in Science:

In recent years, scientists who work for and advise the federal government have seen their work manipulated, suppressed, distorted, while agencies have systematically limited public and policy maker access to critical scientific information….

From air pollution to Ground Zero, the A to Z Guide showcases dozens of examples of the misuse of science on issues like childhood lead poisoning, toxic mercury contamination, and endangered species.

The January issue of MAD magazine is the source of this parody cover of Scientific American.

Via Coyote Gulch, here’s a preview of tonight’s titanic Bush plan for Iraq.

The Fountain of Youth continues to elude us, but there’s plenty of stuff available for my second childhood. Via Boing Boing: the complete run of MAD magazine in PDF form, on DVD-ROM.

[E]very issue of MAD from 1952-2006 on one DVD. That’s over 600 issues (17,500 pages), plus a bunch of special features such as interviews and some animation. It also runs on Mac machines, and the pages are in PDF format, which is great for printing and viewing on handheld devices (I hope).

But that’s not all. Amazon suggested 44 Years of Fantastic Four and more from the same publisher.

Ahhh, life is good.

These young folks today just don’t understand that no video game is as exciting as real life.

Via Boing Boing, a list of video links to the 50 Greatest Cartoons.

This is the kind of thing that makes high-speed internet connectivity desirable. The quality isn’t good enough yet, and there are other technical and legal issues yet to be resolved, but we’re headed toward billion-channel television.

Surely, with a billion channels, there will be something worth watching. Right?

In the meantime, it’s nice to catch a few cartoons.

Mark Fiore’s animated Remedial Iraq Study Group:

Remedial Iraq Study Group can help you reach that basic minimal level of competency that has eluded you for so long.

Cartoonist Ward Sutton looks back at 2006: The Year that Wasn’t.

Tom Tomorrow’s Year in Review: Part I and Part II.

More hard-hitting political cartoons via Daily Kos and Bob Geiger.

Cartoonist Ruben Bolling shows us the home life of a neoconservative.

Nate, you’re in the wrong house again! You live next door!

Meanwhile, Tom Tomorrow brings us the Ballad of a NeoCon.

Rumsfeld really screwed this up! Not to mention Condi! And don’t get me started on Chalabi! Am I alone in my competence?

What a surprise. George W. Bush seems to be rejecting recommendations from the bi-partisan Iraq Study Group before they have even made any recommendations:

Although the president was not asked directly about the panel’s recommendations, which will be made public next week but which were partially leaked to reporters late Wednesday, he did say that “this business about graceful exit just simply has no realism to it whatsoever.”

Hey, if anybody knows about “no realism whatsoever,” it’s George W. Bush.

What Bush says:

President Bush on Thursday dismissed calls for U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq as unrealistic, saying American forces would “stay in Iraq to get the job done, so long as the government wants us there.”

What I hear:

What we are supposed to believe is this:

• That George W. Bush totally “gets it” that things aren’t going well in Iraq.
• That he is ready and eager to make the policy changes necessary to end the spiral of disaster there.
• That he cannot make those changes if they would cause him to “lose face.”
• That James Baker’s Iraq Study Group (ISG), a non-partisan group of the nation’s finest minds, will map out a new plan that will save face for Bush, and allow the nation a way out of the Iraq debacle.

Bush met with members of the ISG yesterday:

Bush offered little indication that he is planning to adjust his approach, telling reporters gathered in the Oval Office that “the best military options depend upon the conditions on the ground” in Iraq. The president also met for more than an hour with former secretary of state James A. Baker III, former representative Lee H. Hamilton (D-Ind.) and other members of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which is looking to chart a new course in the war.

…

The White House was extremely guarded yesterday about the round of meetings the study group held with Bush and other members of his administration, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley and Vice President Cheney. Bush said he was not going to “prejudge” the group’s report, which is expected in early December. He said that they had a “really good discussion” and that he was looking forward to “interesting ideas.”

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s my cynicism talking, or maybe it’s my years and years of experience watching this guy. But I’m thinking the ISG report isn’t going to make the slightest difference to Bush’s policies in Iraq. Well, maybe he’ll change some slogans: “Stay the Course” becomes “Maintain Current Heading,” perhaps?

Does this remind you of anyone?