In a �Dear Colleague� letter sent early Tuesday afternoon, Pelosi told Members that attendance will be taken at the weekly hour-long sessions this morning and each of the next two Wednesdays, with Democrats using the sessions to discuss their �New Direction� agenda.

�These crucial meetings will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end promptly at 10:00 a.m.,� Pelosi wrote. �The meetings are mandatory and I have asked [Caucus Chairman James Clyburn (S.C.)] to take attendance.�

The goal, those close to Pelosi say, is to rev up Democrats in advance of the August recess, focusing them on the economic and national security priorities outlined by party leaders throughout this year. Next month�s break will mark the longest sustained period of time that Members will be in their districts before the pre-election recess.

The New Direction agenda, however, is separate and distinct from the campaign platform Democrats will later unveil.

�We�re going to lay out what we want Members to be talking about back home during the break,� Clyburn said. �I think when we get back in September, we�ll lay out our �06 agenda.�

Maybe they've never been to London and so don't know that it cannot be 7 o'clock simultaneously both in Washington and London.

Catchy Caption of the Day

Actual Caption:

The remains of the celebrated 18th century Italian castrato Farinelli, depicted here in a painting, have been exhumed to find more about his peculiar powers as a singer.

Uh, HUH. What, I wonder, do they think they're going to find. Or not find?

(AFP/OFF )