New York Times: U.S. Finds Iraq Insurgency Has Funds to Sustain ItselfBAGHDAD, Nov. 25 — The insurgency in Iraq is now self-sustaining financially, raising tens of millions of dollars a year from oil smuggling, kidnapping, counterfeiting, corrupt charities and other crimes that the Iraqi government and its American patrons have been largely unable to prevent, a classified … [Read more...] about What the West Reaps from Paying Ransoms

Student accuses teacher of preaching in class. Teacher denies it. Administrators ready to believe teacher. Student caught it on tape. Oops. Oh, and as is common when religious minorities come out with such things in heavily religious communities, guess who the local student body is upset with? … [Read more...] about New Jersey No No

It is hard to read this NY Times article about appropriations and earmarks and not get at least a little agitated. The bi-partisan collusion to manipulate the allocation of public funds is deep in the DNA of any legislature. Gaining control of the treasury is essentially the point of winning office. The Blue Dogs have a tough fight ahead of them. Unless they can change the … [Read more...] about Earmarks – There’s a better way to bring home the bacon

If this is true, I as a pro-choicer am ashamed of those who would threaten a politician who disagreed with them: Allahpundit at HotAir.com: Brit MP threatened with death over bid to modify UK abortion law Allapundit quotes an anti-choice site Lifesite.net: “My staff have been told they will burn in hell, my home has been besieged by anonymous telephone calls, extremist … [Read more...] about Bad Behavior from the Left?

Vice President Dick Cheney is in town, and he's hunting...for solutions:Vice President Dick Cheney sought Saudi help on Saturday in dealing with Iraq's spiraling violence and other regional trouble spots where U.S. policy is on the line: Iran, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. Cheney's visit with King Abdullah was brief, lasting only a few hours before he flew back to … [Read more...] about Warning To Saudi Arabians: Cover Your Face

Since Election Day in the US, almost three weeks ago, most of the political campaign signs have come down. I get tired of looking at the abandoned signs and sometimes stop my car and remove them to drop in a dumpster later. I consider sign removal to be the job of those who placed the signs but, if they're not going to do it, the rest of us should be willing to do so. Please … [Read more...] about Election Signs Begone!

The unveiling of the designs for the "Presidential $1 Coin Program" has prompted some thoughts about the state of money in America, so I figured why not throw some random suggestions out there. First, I like the idea of a dollar coin, since it makes so much more sense (not to mention cents) for the government to produce coins rather than dollar bills (they last a bit longer, … [Read more...] about Musings on Money

If you're pondering whether a movie monikered after the charismatic primary contender for the 1968 Democratic nomination - but that features him for a total of maybe 20 minutes - can be any good, I have an answer - and it ain't pretty. … [Read more...] about FILM REVIEW: “Bobby”: Dropping Acid While Writing Might Have Improved

Politicians and spectators are on the edge of our seats to see how the Democrats manage their new and surprising influence. Will they wisely steer as close to the center as possible or will they veer left and risk alienating the moderates who voted merely to give them a chance, not a mandate. While it appears that the Democrats have wisely moved towards the center vacated … [Read more...] about Plan B for Moderates…If the Democrats Tank

Nuri al-Maliki had problems aplenty from the moment he became Iraq's first duly elected prime minister, but his relationship with firebrand anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was bound to result in a train wreck sooner or later. Observers of the bedlam in Baghdad have seen the trains chugging toward each other for months, and the only question has been when and over … [Read more...] about Iraq: The Train Wreck This Way Comes

You KNOW we're living in a ridiculously litigious society when people who are insulted with reprehensible racial insults by a bombing and flailing comedian get a lawyer and suggest they want money.Two men who say they were insulted by actor-comedian Michael Richards during his racist rant at a comedy club want a personal apology and maybe some money, their lawyer said … [Read more...] about Men Insulted By Michael “Kramer” Richards Reportedly Want Money (UPDATED)

Two of my hottest buttons are hypocritical politicians and the erosion of government-paid veterans' benefits. With the war in Iraq, the two have come together nicely to make a hot button the size of a volcano. In fairness, the erosion in vets benefits began during the Clinton administration but has accelerated since The Decider took the throne and sent hundreds of thousands … [Read more...] about Support the Troops, Screw the Veterans — Part I

Nick was never the same after Vietnam. He would lapse into deep depressions. He let his teeth go, chain smoked cigarettes and pot and drank way too much booze, fought with his wife and would leave home for days at a time after suffering nightmares about the people that he had killed and seen killed. I was one of the few people who knew about Nick's Vietnam experience. It was … [Read more...] about Support the Troops, Screw the Veterans — Part II

So click on THIS at your own risk then click on the link there if you want. You have been warned. … [Read more...] about Definitely Not P.C.

It's the joke police: … [Read more...] about John Kerry Should Watch Out For THIS Guy

Rampant, unchecked, and unpunished retaliation against whistleblowing intelligence officers. No excuse for this to be legal. … [Read more...] about Things Guaranteed To Piss Me Off

Poisoned-by-radiation former spy Alexander Litvinenko's dying declaration points the finger squarely at Russian President Vladimir Putin. The full text, released by his friends today:I would like to thank many people. My doctors, nurses and hospital staff who are doing all they can for me; the British police who are pursuing my case with vigor and professionalism and are … [Read more...] about Alexander Litvinenko’s Dying Statement Implicates Putin In His Death

AP via Haaretz:British authorities are trying to locate the Israel owners of a white cat that stowed away on a 17-day sea voyage from Afula to the north of England. Emerging with a shock of white fur, the cat stunned cargo workers in England as it jumped out of a goods container after a journey of more than 3,200 km from Israel to Britain, an animal charity said Friday. … [Read more...] about Another Traveling Cat Story

Gunman Arrested at Miami Herald BuildingMIAMI (AP) — A gun-wielding cartoonist dressed in camouflage surrendered to police at The Miami Herald's building Friday afternoon, more than two hours after arriving and demanding to see an editor of the newspaper's Spanish-language sister paper, police said. No injuries were reported. Police spokesman Delrish Moss said the man, … [Read more...] about Dangerous Cartoonists

Charles... stop obsessing over Borat. Read my lips: it's funny. You know, humor? Comedy? 'haha'? UPDATE Also read Pete Nicely's post over at Valley Jew. … [Read more...] about To Charles: Lighten Up