Free kibbles

Banks borrowing huge amounts of money from the Fed. We've long suspected that there was some secret deal between the government and lenders that went along with the other agreements brokered by the government because why would lenders need the government to broker a deal otherwise. Now we know what it was. Banks are already one of the most regulated industries and are therefore little more than branches of government, but now they're becoming even more closely tied with government to the detriment of everybody.

Supreme Court dismisses spurious lawsuit against warrantless wiretaps brought by ACLU. Nobody has been hurt by these wiretaps, so there is no remedy, so there is no case. The Court got this one right. These lawsuits were intended to get the Court to make law, but that's not its purpose - its purpose is adjudicate disputes.

US court shuts down whistle-blower website.

The last US strike killing an al Qaeda commander in Pakistan was done without Pakistan authorization. The US is taking a harder line on attacking al Qaeda's safe haven in Pakistan instead of allowing Pakistan to block us. Surely this will antagonize Pakistan's leaders, but it's about time we asserted ourselves. Letting Pakistan make all the calls has just made al Qaeda and the Taliban stronger, and Pakistan needs to recognize the US will protect US interests. While we prefer to work with Pakistan, we won't let Pakistan hurt our interests.

The widower of recently murdered Benazir Bhutto, infamous for being even more corrupt than she was, leads her party to victory in Pakistan.

Castro permanently steps down as leader of Cuba. Now is the time to promote freedom in Cuba. We should be prepared to assist any movement by the people to overthrow the communists, help restore law and order to prevent corruption, and help rebuild our neighbor. Profile of Raul Castro. US won't lift embargo at this time. Cato calls the US embargo of Cuba a failure. I disagree because had we traded with Cuba, chances are a more powerful Castro would have spread communism throughout the western hemisphere. The embargo helped contain communism. Cato says that there are signs Raul Castro and the military support reform in Cuba.

Kosovo Serbs burn down border checkpoints in protest of Kosovo independence resolution. Cato reports that Kosovo independence will put more stress on NATO, which is already stressed in Afghanistan.

It took a long time to decide that saboteurs may have cut Middle East internet cables.

China inflation hits 11 year high.

US to shoot down failing satellite Thursday. China to launch 10 satellites this year. This contrast is quite the symbol of US decline and China's ascension. We can turn that around by dramatically reducing the size and scope of government and adopting the FairTax.

As if a global compact to fight global warming wasn't bad enough, now group wants global compact to fight obesity. These incessant calls for more government control of our lives are driving me nuts. Government is the problem. Free people are the solution. And the push is now for these supranational organizations, which are nothing less than the precursors to one world government. If you think the government in the US is unaccountable, unresponsive and oppressive, imagine how bad a world government would be. We're in dire need of less government, not more, and not less accountable. Cato says that the problem of obesity is exaggerated. Especially when the solution is so easy - personal responsibility. When people pay for their own health care, they'll make themselves healthier.

Heavy snow in Greece. Snow in Jerusalem. Global warming must be making the planet cold. I think the concerns about the Maunder minimum are getting a little support from the cold weather.

Reason reviews a book asking how you fight against small, stateless groups who can do tremendous damage. As technology advances and energy gets cheaper, the destructive ability of small groups and even individuals will increase, and it will be harder and harder to stop them. This was the premise I proposed for Neill's book site.

Clinton campaign co-chairman in Michigan says that red state delegates are second-class citizens. This is how Clinton plans to unify the country.

Governor laughs at charge Obama plagiarized him. This will help Obama. Clinton tries to prove a pattern of plagiarism. Obama accuses Clinton of plagiarizing him. These Democrats are like 6 year old. I thought that about McCain's attacks on Romney too. Romney attacked McCain on policy, accurately. McCain would retort with schoolyard style attacks. We're going to be governed by children.

Michelle Obama says she is proud of America for the first time in her life. That officially makes her part of the hate-America left. How can any person be so twisted that they aren't proud of America's accomplishments? We defeated the Soviets without firing a shot. We've made tremendous strides in racial equality since the 50s. We have led the world to increased freedom, standard of living, health, lifespans, opportunity. Our accomplishments are legion, and dwarf our problems and our mistakes, and while we should always strive to improve, nobody should discount our accomplishments as a country. Her comments fit in with Obama's Marxist ties. Does anybody else think Michelle Obama is planning to follow in Hillary's footsteps and launch a presidential bid from her husband's coattails?

McCain pledges no new taxes the same day he gets endorsed by Bush the Elder. Coincidence? I think not.

Comcast possibly fudging internet performance to fool testers. I get wildly different bandwidth reports depending which tool I use to test my Time Warner connection, though each tool is consistent, so I think Time Warner is doing something similar.

Ann Applebaum understands that the independence of Kosovo will lead to many other separatists to declare independence and will like spark civil wars in the Balkans and Caucuses and possibly Spain.

Lunar eclipse saved Columbus and his crew.

Bob Geldoff recognizes Bush provided more welfare to Africa than any other American president. He'll probably be kicked out of the liberal club for say so.

What's wrong with this headline? Man Permitted to Keep 50 Cobras, Vipers, and Rattlesnakes in Residential Home. Why wouldn't he be permitted? It's bad enough he had to purchase a permit to be permitted. If you don't like the snakes, don't go in his house.

How does history differ based on a student's skin color? History is history for everybody. This man is indoctrinating students into Marxist revolutionarism with our tax dollars. Once again, progressives are exposed as Marxists.

Thanks to government and teachers unions, schools have a hard time firing teachers who molest children. Our tax dollars fund the government bureaucracies that make this happen. Government is sick, and we have to take our power back from government before it can damage us more.

Muslim group supports Barack Obama, but warns against any radical policy changes. What radical policy changes toward Muslims does this group want? This doesn't sound good at all, and it's probably not good for Obama.

Jails should provide healthy food. It's not like the prisoners have a choice.

Hamas calls for jihadists to blow up the Danish embassy and kill the ambassadors because the Danish cartoons of Mohammad have been reprinted. I wonder why Israel hasn't made peace with the Palestinians yet.

Tribal elders shut down voting for women in northwest Pakistan. This shows that Pakistan does not have the rule of law at this point. There will not be democracy on Pakistan, just like everywhere else, until it has democratic institutions in place like the rule of law.

Indiana residents warned by government to stop helping their Amish neighbors with rides because the Amish people provided gas money and occasional gifts. Our 2 party government is running amok, and everybody finds and excuse to continue voting for the 2 failed parties.

We've heard all about Hispanics, blacks, and white women in the election, but not white men. They don't matter. But Angry White Men matter. You can't talk white men unless they're angry.

I couldn't even finish this essay by this conservative socialist.

Chuck Norris understands that most of our social problems are the result of liberal viewpoints and big-government, but electing a minister who rejects evolution is not the answer. I wouldn't elect a person who thought the sun revolved around the earth either (and they're out there too).

How in the hell does a judge think he has the power to tell the Navy not to use sonar? He must think somebody made him king of the world. Judges like this must be impeached.

Author points out that Romney wasn't conservative and blames talk radio for electing McCain because they promoted Romney over Huckabee. But he fails to point out that Huckabee is the biggest spender and government power candidate of them all. Conservativism isn't supposed to be defined by anti-gay and anti-abortion ad the author would have us believe.

Pat Buchanan explains the folly of our intervention in Kosovo, protecting terrorists who have ethnically cleansed the Serbs, and then recognizing its independence. This is little more than an appeasement of Muslims against US law, international law, and for no gain. Expect this to ignite firestorm of independence claims in the Balkans, Caucuses and elsewhere.

Rich Lowry explains the real loss of intelligence while we wait for a new FISA bill. The president should never have caved to Congress or the Court regarding intercepting foreign communications during war. That was stupid. He should have stood by his constitutionally protected war powers.

Ralph Peters says that Kosovo independence is part of an inevitable trend to demolish and correct the bad borders drawn by European imperialists.