There's nothing like a World War II commemoration to produce a news vacuum- which is how it feels just at the moment. The BBC has been mixed today: they did report several apparent good news stories for the coalition.

A lot of 'hailing' was going on, as the new Iraqi PM, Iyad Allawi, used his first TV broadcast to the nation to 'hail' the coalition and urge Iraqis to support them. Meanwhile the UN's human rights watchdog (for what it's worth) 'hailed' the end of Saddam's regime in Iraq (better late than never, I say).

On the other hand, the Beeb regarded its top headline for the afternoon that protestors had gathered in Rome in large (but dramatically disputed- 25000 if you're a policeman, 150000 if you're a protester) numbers to heckle Mr Bush as Mr Bush was chided by the Pope over the war in Iraq- facts which left me, er, unsurprised to say the least. I'm waiting for the BBC to acknowledge that across Europe there are people who live the protester lifestyle, and to whom any opportunity to heckle the leader of the economically advanced world is oxygen for their fevered moonbat minds. Harry's Place has shined a sidelight from the New Statesman on the relationship between the BBC and the moonbats- and how the editors at the Beeb have suppressed scrutiny of the anti-war alliances. It's a bit skewed, but it's interesting.

You know a holiday season beckons when the moonbats start to gather in large numbers, but also when you find the latest Harry Potter film to the fore. Jonathan Last in the Weekly Standard 'hails' the latest Potter as the best yet. Erin Montgomery, meanwhile, notes a classier kind of moonbat gathering- one which contained people who know how to make money- notably George Soros and Hilary Clinton. It's fair to say there was a certain lack of gravitas at the very expensive Take Back America conference in Washington. Contributions to the dialogue like

'* "George Bush is nuts."

* "I don't care if John Kerry is a sack of cement; we're going to carry him to victory."

* "Battling the bastards [conservatives] is about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on."'

tell me that the silly season- business as usual for some- is gathering momentum amidst the surreality of George Bush having to visit the Pope and Jacques Chirac in the same weekend.

Oh, and Tim Henman lost (no link).