Bird Dog is off gallivanting again. Pictures (and more pictures, and more pictures) at his return. Meanwhile, all others ducking the honor, you're stuck with me. I'm so excited to see you every morning.
Congressional Retirement Benefits Much More Generous Than Private Sector
Porn industry wants to know what films in Osama bin Laden’s collection
Corn Ethanol: Who Pays? Who Benefits?
The University Donors’ Dilemma
The Congo: Dancing in the Glory of Monsters
Strauss-Kahn? Here’s the real IMF scandal
Dien Bien Phu, today
Fresh combat regiments of Vietnam Peoples Army's soldiers are now converging in a key province of Northern Vietnam to attack and arrest thousands of Hmong Catholic, Protestant and independent Animist religious believers demonstrating for human rights, religious freedom, land reform and an end to illegal logging and deforestation.
Vietnam Forces Kill 72 Hmong, Hundreds Arrested and Flee
Community Servitude
Thanks to mandatory “volunteer service” (or, as I call it, “community servitude”), the children I know are disinclined to do any type of volunteer work and much inclined to engage in scams and cheats.”
“Unemployment duration ain’t what it used to be. In 1982, the last time unemployment tipped double digits, joblessness was more of a short-term affair. Across these four categories, the plurality of folks were unemployed for fewer than five weeks. In 2011, by contrast, about half the jobless have been out of work for at least 27 weeks….In 1982, unemployment was a terrible cold, measured in weeks and maybe months. Today it's pneumonia.”
Anyone remember the elbow test? (That's how I met my first wife, really.)
Why Is Soros Spending Over $48 Million Funding Media Organizations?
“Pink Washing” – That’s a new term to me.
The Disappearance of Western Civ
Between 1964 and the present, the study of Western Civilization has literally disappeared from most college curricula. Not only is it not required, you’ve often got to search pretty hard to find individual history courses that tangentially cover bits and pieces of the themes once commonly encountered by most undergraduates.
Roger Ebert take down: “What kind of man hears coded racism in the words “food” and “stamps” on Sunday but excuses pro-Nazi/anti-Israel remarks on Wednesday?”
Elena Kagan’s Supreme Court nomination strategy: "Coordination" It's a hip, smart way to say "lying."
How Countrywide Financial, conspiring with Democrat hacks, helped to destroy the housing market
The Anchoress’ son job hunts
““Everywhere I went, it was, ‘we only take online applications; apply online,’” he groused. “Half the time, they couldn’t even be bothered looking up. So, you clean up, wear decent clothes, walk in trying to project a positive attitude and you hit this wall of disinterest. There’s no Human Resource Department. There’s no one interested, just these cogs in the wheels telling you that your best shot is to enter a lottery to become a cog in the wheel.”
McCain tortures enhanced interrogations
Killer Zetas
I’d rather be Zeta’d
Mahmoud Abbas and the persistence of Palestinian mythology
Colbert punks … self? “how Colbert started off trying to skewer the Supreme Court over the Citizens United v FEC ruling, and ended up getting a lesson in its necessity”
Turkey's Christians under Siege
Reaction to Obama’s latest big speech: Forgetaboutit
Wonder why? Here's a recent example from the West Bank:
... at a ceremony honoring all 73 Palestinians from Bethlehem serving life sentences in Israeli prisons, the PA unveiled a "Tree of Freedom for Prisoners." Its branches are decorated with "photographs of prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment."
The following prisoners were mentioned in the first article:
Riyad Al-Amour - Serving 11 life sentences for murder of 9 Israelis and 3 Palestinians suspected of collaboration with Israel.
Adnan Al-Afandi - Attempted to kill two children by stabbing them, 1992
Nasser and Mahmoud Abu Sorour - Participated in the murder of a member of Israeli Intelligence, 1993.
Rizq Salah - Killed an Israeli soldier with a bomb in Bethlehem, 1993
And here's another recent example from the West Bank Palestinian Authority's partner, Hamas in Gaza:
Hamas TV Extols Female Palestinian Suicide Bombers and Jihad Fighters: Jihad-Fighting Mothers Urge Their Sons to Seek Martyrdom
Here's a top-level analysis of Israel's security needs for a viable peace.
