It's time again to test your observational skills. In the photos below decide which ones are of animals, which ones are of vegetables, and which ones are of cronies in the Bush Administration. Best of luck!

Subject #1: Is it an animal, a vegetable, or a Bush crony?

Subject #2: Animal, vegetable, or Bush crony?

Subject #3: Animal, vegetable, or Bush crony?

Subject #4: Animal, vegetable, or Bush crony?

Subject #5: Animal, vegetable, or Bush crony?

Subject #6: Animal, vegetable, or Bush crony?

Subject #7: Animal, vegetable, or Bush crony?

ANSWERS:

1. Vegetable. It's a potato. Potatoes are edible tubers. Their name comes from the Spanish word "patata" and they are really good when fried and served with dip.

2. Animal. It's a lemming. Lemmings, along with voles and muskrats, are members of the subfamily Arvicolinae. They are solitary creatures and their teeth never stop growing.

3. Bush crony. It's David Safavian, the U.S. procurement czar (up until a couple weeks ago). He was in charge of government spending (about $300 billion dollars) each year. Many procurement experts say he was the most unqualified person to hold the job since its creation. Before being procurement czar he had a lobbying partnership with Grover Norquist, an anti-Federal Government economist and a close friend of the Bush Administration. Safavian also worked in a law-firm with Jack Abramoff, a GOP fund raiser and an ally of Rep. Tom DeLay (who incidentallly was indicted on criminal charges yesterday). Safavian resigned on Sept. 16. Shortly thereafter he was arrested and charged with lying and obstructing a criminal investigation into Abramoff's dealings with the Federal Government.

4. Vegetable. It's poison oak, a plant that produces a skin-irritating oil called urushiol. I've never had poison oak before. Thank god. I just spent the last five minutes on Google looking at picture of people who've had it and it's really nasty.

5. Bush crony. It's Julia Myers, recent nominee to head Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Currently, she is a personal assistant to President Bush. She also happens to be the niece of Air Force General Richard Myers, the outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A couple of weeks ago she married John Wood, the chief of staff for Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Other than barely working the required five years in federal law enforcement, her only other qualification to head the ICE is that she hasn't been indicted on any criminal charges. Yet.

6. Animal. It's Kira! She's a Suicide Girl and she's awesome! Kira was a subject of last year's "Animal, Vegetable, or Suicide Girl?" post. I find her delightful. I think the Bush Administration should appoint her to something. She'd be great at whatever they wanted her to do. Kira is awesome!

7. Bush crony and vegetable. Sort of a trick question. Everyone knows that Michael Brown, former head of FEMA, is the Bush crony of all Bush cronies. He was a college roommate of his predecessor at FEMA, Joseph Allbaugh, who himself is an old Bush crony from Texas. Prior to running the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brown organized the judging of horse shows. So, yes, he's definitely a Bush crony. But he also qualifies as a vegetable because he did as good a job leading FEMA as a potato would do if it held that position. However, I'm not sure how good Michael Brown is when fried and served with dip. My guess is not very.

SCORING:
All 7 Correct: "Wow! You really know your animals, vegetables and Bush cronies!!"

4-6 Correct: Not bad. Try harder next time.

0-3 Correct: Ouch. Your animal, vegetable and Bush crony observational skills need a lot of work. Remind me to never to ask you to water my plants or feed my cat. Thanks.

This post is dedicated to Phil Collins.