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Fatah gunmen disarm and pledge not to attack Israel in support of Abbas. Interesting.

Turkey prepares for election to determine if it will remain secular or become an Islamic state.

China shuts down 3 plants for safety concerns.

Good news about the weak dollar. This shows that free markets with floating monetary policy work.

Bush issues orders regarding interrogation techniques.

Congressman hunts for CIA employees who leaked info on secret prisons.

There's nothing wrong with businesses accepting pesos in payment. A business can accept anything it wants. If immigration hawks don't like it, they should work to stop illegal immigration, not attack businesses for taking advantage.

OxyContin Maker and 3 executives fined $634 million for misleading public about addiction. This is how it's supposed to work.

Libertarian positions on animal cruelty. Animals are not people, but that doesn't excuse animal cruelty.

As comfortable as it is here in late July (a high of 74 yesterday), there's a heat wave in southern Europe.

Slate on the Pentagon-Clinton dust-up. I think it will just disappear.

The world's stupidest fatwas.

Space station to dump more space junk. We need to find a better solution or we won't be able to leave the planet.

Dust storms threaten Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Awesome picture of lightning in Mars dust storm.

More proof that conservatives are just liberals-light. Republicans complain that bill doesn't have enough spending for social programs.

Australians are recognizing The Great Global Warming Swindle. So is everybody else. Skepticism is on the rise.

Larry Kudlow explains that today's great economy is part of Reagan's legacy. The greatest economic story never told indeed.

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Rocket launcher found on lawn in New Jersey.

White House asserts expanded privilege, stating Congress has no power to compel the Justice Dept. to pursue contempt charges. This makes sense to me, but we should have never gotten to this point. Congress' stupid, baseless attacks on the President over firing attorneys that he has complete power to fire has led to this assertion so that Bush can protect his advisers. Now they've created a Constitutional crisis over a non-issue, just like they got Libby convicted on a non-issue.

Committee passes high tech supported patent reform.

Harry Reid's rudeness has left Senate relations at all time low.

General warns that it will take until spring to consolidate gains made so far, and any premature pull out will lose those gains. Even the UN warns against accepting retreat and defeat in Iraq.

The CIA read emails as they were written in Iraqi internet cafes. How boring would that job be? Surveillance is always boring, until you find what you're looking for.

Iranian President Ahmadinejad meets Syrian President Assad. Two terrorists in a pod.

Pakistani Supreme Court reinstates Chief Justice previously suspended by President Musharraf.

China sends us poisoned, fake, and rotten imports, then warns us against talking about it. Why do we put up with this bull?

China has developed an anti-ship missile that can't be stopped by our anti-missile defenses. How could we be behind China in this arms race? Also, Bush pushed Dubai ports deal in exchange for intelligence.

Russia threatens British companies over diplomatic standoff. We need to stop these thugs, China and Russia, who are waging a very real Cold War of Terror against the west.

Underground lake in Darfur is dried up. We're back to building a water pipeline.

Reason asks why pro sports owners are scared of marijuana. Because it's illegal.

Oil hits $76.

Harry Potter secrecy run amok.

Anti-smoking ads have opposite effect on kids. Maybe because kids are rebellious? This should surprise nobody, but it will surprise liberals anyway because their religion is so out of touch with reality.

Slate has an homage to space travel.

Cassini discovers 60th moon orbiting Saturn.

Funny hypothetical questions for presidential debates.

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Russia expels 4 British diplomats in ongoing struggle over extradition of Litvinenko murder suspect. British scramble fighters to intercept Russian bombers approaching British airspace. This new Cold War of Terror is really starting to resemble the old Cold War.

Bombs in Pakistan kill 33.

Iraqi group reported to be front for al Qaeda, spokesman an actor. Sunni insurgents attempt to unite and become a political force.

Because of our shortsightedness, energy supply will not meet demand without huge investment in new production of oil. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize this would happen. We've been reading about exploding demand for decades, but we've done little to expand supply.

Bush sets up panel to investigate safety of imports.

Valerie Plame's spurious lawsuit against administration bogeymen is dismissed.

Congressman mistakenly thinks taxpayer money is his personal money. He also claims that Republicans lost the majority because of opposition to earmarks. I can't make this stuff up.

Reason says Bush is the biggest regulator since Ford and Nixon, but most of his regulation is on post 9/11 security.

Slate thinks that more domestic spying is in our future, and wonders how it will be done legally.

Justice Dept. oversight of the FBI is a farce.

Ban alert: New Zealanders unhappy with ban on political satire of parliament.

Gore keeps stepping up the alarmism in his apocolyptic visions. All religions need an end-of-the-world scenario. This man needs to be in a straight jacket. Eating beef is more green-house gas unfriendly than driving. I drive to get my beef, so there.

Walmart considers investing in Chinese retail giant.

Reason follows John Edwards. You'd think they'd have something better to do with their resources.

Obama supports sex ed for kindergarteners.

Scientist thinks imported Asian parasite is killing American bees.

Enigma machine for sale on ebay.

Crocodile bites off vet's arm, rescuers save it, and doctors reattach it. Graphic picture warning. From boortz.com.

Author shows that perceived lack of opportunity frustrates Americans, not income disparity. This is so obvious, it should go without saying, but liberals like to pretend otherwise to advance their socialist agenda.

Hugh Hewitt interviews Gen. Petraeus.

Executive order aimed at freezing assets of Iranian forces and their proxies operating in Iraq.

The fate of Iraqi refugees if we prematurely pull out of Iraq.

Pentagon official challenges Hillary for her suggestion the Pentagon plan for retreat and defeat.

Austin Bay describes 7 potential scenarios if we prematurely pull out of Iraq.

Dick Morris points out that the House bill that supposedly mandated a withdrawal from Iraq was in fact merely a reduction in troops. This highlights what I've been saying - Democrats know we can't actually retreat from Iraq, despite what they keep saying. There will be no fundamental difference between the parties on the Iraq war, and this election will come down to socialism versus big-government conservatism, and Americans won't vote for socialism.

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Captured al Qaeda in Iraq leader documents ties to bin Laden and Zawahri. Does this photo look staged or what?

Militants ambush Pakistani troops.

Britain foils Russian plot to kill billionaire. Britain suggests 3rd country trial of suspected Litvinenko murderer.

Democrats only muster 52 votes in Senate to force retreat from Iraq. So much for the wavering Republicans. Congress' approval ratings at record low. The voters see through these ridiculous stunts.

Discovery of underground lake could end Darfur conflict. Why didn't somebody just build a water pipeline?

Stealth ads appearing in news programs.

New Orleans ocean dead zone expected to grow.

Earmark for organization that may not exist.

Reason discusses how the news media plays on people's emotions, leading to policy driven by emotion instead of reason.

Why doctors should fear the DEA. As should we all.

Slate assumes there's a problem with executive privilege. I think the problem is Congress' abuse of oversight for perceived political gain because it distracts from their failures.

Slate incorrectly claims that the Iraq war is making us less safe at home. They don't seem to understand opportunity cost. All those terrorists fighting and dying in Iraq aren't fighting elsewhere. The few who leave to murder elsewhere are a much smaller number than would attack us if we pulled out of Iraq.

Trying to understand democracy in the Middle East.

Democratic candidates promise tax-payer funded abortions for everybody. They're cutting their own throats. Many pro-choice people don't want to pay for others' abortions.

Hillary reschedules location from gay bed and breakfast to traditional inn, fearing backlash.

Reason wonders if Bill Richardson is a libertarian Democrat. I don't think such a beast really exists, but Bill Richardson is the best of a terrible Democratic field.

Sonar evidence supports great flood theory making Great Britain and island.

The NIS reports that al Qaeda's leaders meet regularly in Iran.

White House order freezing of assets for groups that support terrorism. Why did this just happen? Didn't this happen on 9/12? Why the delay?

Americans recognize liberal bias in the mainstream media.

Norwegians upset over exorbitant taxes.

Thomas Sowell points out the folly of propping up an elected Iraqi government before we built the institutions for democracy, including security. Thank you! I've been saying this for years, and it's nice to have somebody else finally saying it.

Ed Koch is done supporting the Iraq war.

John Stossel continues to pound on Michael Moore in the big-government debate.

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US faces persistent terrorist threat from al Qaeda in Iraq. This is why we need to continue destroying al Qaeda in Iraq, not retreating from them. Al Qaeda in Iraq is on the run. Great WSJ article explaining that not all libertarians oppose the war in Iraq. Some even supported the invasion. Do we need a news article to tell us that safe havens are a problem? Didn't we learn that in Vietnam?

Russia threatens UK over expelled diplomats. Russia is like a spoiled kid who think it can murder at will with no consequences, then threatens everybody who fights back.

There are no good plans for Iraq, but the surge is the least bad and the most likely to succeed. Democrats plan all night debate as a political stunt. That ought to help us win the war. Most Democratic supporters will see right through this stunt. Contrasting positions of Gen. Pace's comments about a sea change in security in Iraq and Harry's Reid's slumber party for defeat political stunt in the Senate.

Airborne antimissile laser passes test.

Muslim US Senator compares Bush to Hitler.

Sweden is failing to integrate Muslim immigrants.

Reason examines if high oil prices are here to stay. We're not doing anything to increase supply, so of course they'll stay.

Stay at home mothers are gaining new respect.

Ron Paul leads Republicans in donations from the military. Reason says libertarians have a lot to gain from Ron Paul's candidacy even if he loses.

"None of the above" is the leader in the Republican race.

Blogs and Google are taking advertising from tech media.

Mitochondria and reviving the dead.

3 points about terrorists that should be reported every day.

Elderly couple may lose house because they missed $1.63 tax bill.

8 year old boy stopped from flying because his name is on the terrorist watch list.

Hamas has replaced Mickey Mouse lookalike that promotes suicide bombing with a cute bee that promotes suicide bombing. Very peaceful.

Article says that Islam is in the middle of a civil war all over the middle east, and that makes it hard for us to influence events.

Thomas Sowell asks what happens afterward if we pull out of Iraq.

Jonah Goldberg puts some perspective on claims of imperial presidency in the 20th century and the effect of partisanship.

Small donors increase campaign funding.

The only office Democrats want to cut is the one for labor union oversight.

The government has no power to force people to buy health insurance.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali politely puts anti-American Canadian interviewer in his place.

Bill Bennett says Republicans should unite behind victory in Iraq. I say all Americans should do the same.

Dick Morris examines a poll that shows that the vast majority of Iranians disagree with their terrorist government.

Pat Buchanan asks if President Bush is waging a covert war in Iran, in preparation for a hot war, and what Congress' role is. Now is not the time for a hot war with Iran. I'm all for a covert war that leads to regime change, but we need overt pretense for a hot war, and even then it should only be on the fringes of Iran, like sinking their navy and blockading their ports, so that Iranian public sentiment doesn't turn to support for their regime.

Peggy Noonan rips President Bush, seemingly on a personal level. I understand ripping Bush for tangible reasons, but it seem Peggy as lost her objectivity.

Hypocrisy Over Libby

Hypocrisy Over Libby

by Mark Luedtke

Bill Clinton admitted to lying to a grand jury, and he never spent a day in prison or even lost his job. The same liberals who are up in arms because President Bush commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence want to reward the admitted perjurer with 4 more years as co-president. Bill Clinton lied to cover-up sexual assault and witness tampering. There was no underlying crime in the Libby case, but liberals are gathering torches and pitchforks because Bush saved him from prison. Liberals love it when their side gets away with lies, but those on the other side must pay a steep price.

This whole Plame/Wilson/Libby affair is an encapsulation of what's wrong with our government: self-interest, dishonesty, hypocrisy and exaggerated partisanship.

It all started with Valerie Plame's self-interest. Frustrated from riding a desk, Plame wished to return to a covert agent role at the CIA. She was against the Iraq war from the start, and when she had an opportunity to assert herself beyond her bureaucratic position into the pre-war debate, she recommended her husband, Joseph Wilson, for the task of verifying whether or not Saddam Hussein had attempted to buy yellow-cake, a form of uranium, from Niger. Unfortunately, instead of sending a professional, the CIA took Plame's advice.

Wilson traveled to Niger and obtained confirmation from the former prime minister of Niger that an Iraqi delegation had expressed interest in yellow-cake, but Niger let the matter drop. Wilson dutifully returned to Washington and reported his findings. President Bush used Wilson's confirmation to back up his now famous statement in his State of the Union that, “The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.”

Wilson's lies followed. He wrote an op-ed in the New York Times claiming he had not received confirmation. He also testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee that he had seen a suspected forged memo documenting Saddam's attempted purchase before that memo had ever surfaced. After examining all the evidence, the Senate Intelligence Committee concluded that Wilson had lied in the op-ed and in his testimony.

You don't have to take my word regarding those facts. The Senate Intelligence Committee reports about Wilson's and Plame's actions, including Plame's email recommendation, are readily available. Wilson and Plame's lies have been exposed by their own words, but liberals regard them as heroes.

After Wilson's op-ed was published, Richard Armitage, a war opponent who worked at the State Department, not the White House, accidentally leaked the information to Robert Novak that Plame had recommended her husband, Wilson. Novak's revelation triggered a partisan rampage. Reports from several reporters and more witnesses that Plame's marriage to Wilson was common knowledge in Washington were drowned out by the baseless attacks on the White House.

Unrelenting partisan attacks led to the appointment of Patrick Fitzgerald as special prosecutor to investigate the leak. Within the first 2 weeks of his investigation, Fitzgerald discovered that Valerie Plame had been a bureaucrat, not a covert agent as defined by law, well past the statutory limit on outing covert agents. Fitzgerald also learned that Richard Armitage had leaked Plame's name to Robert Novak. At that point, Fitzgerald had met the goals of his investigation, and any responsible prosecutor would have shut it down, announced his findings, and ended the whole sordid non-affair.

But Fitzgerald saw a chance to pay Libby back for defeating him in a high profile case several years before, so, stoking partisan fervor, Fitzgerald orchestrated a grand jury process that guaranteed everybody in his investigation would make statements that contradicted each other and even contradicted themselves because of imperfect memory of minutia recalled several times over several years. For 3 years, Fitzgerald spun his web of contradictions. Inevitably, nearly a dozen witnesses told contradictory stories, but Fitzgerald singled out only his nemesis, Libby, and charged him with perjury and obstruction of justice. Because Fitzgerald knew that Plame had not been legally covert at the time of the outing, he didn't charge anybody with that crime.

When Fitzgerald ended his investigation, President Bush should have stepped in and pardoned Libby and fired Fitzgerald for conducting a witch-hunt. It was a mistake for Bush to sit on the sidelines and allow Fitzgerald's personal vendetta, fueled by partisanship, to continue. Libby was convicted by a partisan jury that wanted to see Cheney in the dock, as they told the press after the trial, but settled for convicting Libby because he was all they had. After the trial, when his claim couldn't be refuted in court, Fitzgerald claimed Plame was covert in a successful attempt to draw a harsher sentence.

Fitzgerald's prosecution is reminiscent of Mike Nifong's Duke case. Like Nifong, Fitzgerald withheld exculpatory evidence for 3 years that would have ended his investigation. Like Nifong, Fitzgerald used partisanship to advance self-interest. Unlike Nifong, Fitzgerald got away with prosecutorial abuse instead of losing his job.

Commuting Libby's sentence allows Libby a chance to clear his name. A pardon can't do that at this point, though I expect if Libby's appeal fails, Bush will pardon him. President Bush missed his window of opportunity to take the high ground and use his bully pulpit against a rogue prosecutor powered by partisanship, and so liberals hypocritically rage on while the Plame non-affair continues to divide the nation. But Scooter Libby is paying an unjust price.

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Two car bombs kill 80 in Kirkuk. Gen. Petraeus has tightened security in Baghdad, and al Qaeda is on the run, but they're trying to keep the killing in the press. This is al Qaeda's counter offensive against the surge.

US plans to keep robots in operation in Iraq for years. US general makes case for continuing the surge until the beginning of spring.

Cheney pushing Bush towards military strike on Iran. We still haven't tried tough sanctions. We should stop doing business with any company that does business with Iran. Iranian prisoners in Iraq escape.

UN inspectors confirm that North Korea shut down nuclear reactor.

UK and Russia in stand-off over extradition of Polonium murder suspect. UK expels 4 Russian diplomats.

Reason questions Bush's optimism about Iraq. Again, they're underestimating the effects of security on the grass roots.

India plans mandatory registration of fetuses to cut down on abortions.

Rising food prices mean UN can't afford food aid. If the UN stopped feeding people, they would feed themselves. Welfare of all kinds is damaging to both recipient and provider. This push for ethanol doesn't make any sense because it's not driven by the free market and it's driving up the cost of food, but welfare doesn't make any sense either. Ice cream makers feeling heat.

Suspected al Qaeda cell in Hollywood after 9/11.

House Democrats vote to surrender Iraq to al Qaeda and Iran. Senate considers same.

More and more people dislike Hillary every day.

Apparently fundamentalism is common in Muslim professionals. Lovely.

British schools will stop teaching about Churchill, Hitler, Stalin, etc., to focus on drugs and GM food. This is not a joke.

Tax cuts around the world fuel record global economy. We need to adopt the FairTax to remain at the top of the economic food chain.

Democrats are trying to derail Thompson.

Thomas Jefferson attended church in the House of Representatives. That's not a violation of the First Amendment. Judicial activism has run amok regarding the separation of church and state.

Robert Novak says earmark reform is a sham.

Michael Barone warns against stopping the surge prematurely.

Remembering Hillarycare; socialized medicine.

The precarious position of Unifil in southern Lebanon.

Phylis Schlafly blasts the Senate for another education power grab.

Earmark for Andre Agassi. The government subsidizes millionaires including Scottie Pippen not to farm.

If Islam is a religion of peace, why won't Muslims put an end to Muslim violence and hatred. Why aren't there a 1000 Muslim leaders calling for Osama bin Laden's capture? Why haven't Muslims turned him in? Why aren't there a 1000 Muslim leaders calling for peace for every radical cleric calling for suicide bombings? Why aren't there 1000 Muslim schools teaching tolerance and peace for every Wahhabist and other radical Muslim school? The war on terror won't end until Muslims stop violent Muslims, when Muslim mothers care more about their children's lives than jihad. I'm not disparaging the many peaceful Muslims, I hope for their help, but the ideology clearly, commonly inspires fanatical violence.

Rich Lowry calls Bush the last hawk standing.

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Website posts bin Laden video. This fits the pattern for a call to attack. I hope they can't pull off anything.

Pakistan terrorists end truce with government. We should bomb that entire area into dust. Allowing al Qaeda to use it as a safe haven and reconstitute it's strength back to pre-9/11 levels is unconscionable.

Iranian rocket launchers found in Iraq, targeting American base.

Israel continues to boost Abbas. US warns that terrorists are targeting US businesses in Israel.

Of course we want to see US troops off the front lines in Iraq. I don't think these comments by the President mean anything. The Iraqi Parliament is seriously hurting itself if it takes August off.

Marines on trial for murder.

LA Archdiocese to pay $660 million to settle abuse lawsuits. Wow.

Firefox is threatening IE domination in Europe. Come on Americans. We can kick Microsoft too.

Fantasy Congress game online.

Excellent essay tying al Qaeda closer to Soviet communism and other murdering utopian movements.

Fantastic summary of a discussion about why we can't fathom our jihadist enemies.

William Kristol is right that if Bush succeeds in Iraq and a Republican wins the election in 2008, Bush will be considered a successful President. I think that despite Democrats' best efforts, both will happen. I don't think much of the other policies mentioned.

Unbiased data shows our income tax system is indeed progressive despite what liberals claim. This doesn't address the serious problems with the income tax itself. Adopt the FairTax for progressive system that frees American workers and companies to compete on a level playing field with foreign competition.

The US government is reaching out to the wrong Muslim groups. Britain has learned to reach out to the right ones.

George Will blasts Antioch College, celebrating its closing.

Rich Lowry says Michael Moore's Sicko attacks the character of America.

Harrison Ford dons the Indiana Jones hat once again.

Maliki's comment that Iraq could handle its own problems without Americans was misconstrued. I should hope so.

Cato recognizes that welfare is counter-productive to fighting poverty.

Cato calls for abolishing the office of surgeon general.

Cato says pulling out of Iraq later will be even more catastrophic than pulling out now, but they can't back it up, and it defies credibility. Their underlying assumption is that things can only get worse, and that assumptions is grossly incorrect.

Cato thinks Bush is abusing signing statements. Since they have no force, I'm not sure what the problem is. If somebody thinks they have force, that somebody is making a mistake.

Cato discusses the failures of socialized medicine.

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Fears that last Zawahiri message was a call to attack.

Russia suspends treaty with NATO on conventional forces in Europe. This is just another small part of its new Cold War of Terror with the west.

Iraqi troops becoming more dependent on US troops due to attrition. That means they were never truly self-sustaining.

US skeptical of Iranian nuclear agreement. I would hope so.

Indian doctor in Australia linked to doctor's terrorist plot in Britain.

North Korean reactor to shut in days. Is it even useful anymore? North Korea claims to have shut down the reactor.

Warning that the UK will break from US foreign policy. PM Brown denies.

Spain seizes salvage ship that found treasure ship.

China seeds clouds for rain. I guess we're making a big deal out of it because he haven't gone beyond the experimental stage.

Iran asks Japan to pay for oil in Yen, not dollars.

Democrats block amendment to prevent Fairness Doctrine.

Bush spins Iraq report as 1/2 full. Slate takes issue with that conclusion.

Foreign retailers are moving in on the US. They can sell cheaper because their parents don't have to pay any US income tax. We need to adopt the FairTax so all American workers and companies in every market segment can compete on a level playing field.

Australia has coldest June since 1950.

America on the decline: wannabe cheerleader sues because she failed to make team.

The people of Easter Island are changing because of prosperity.

Technological gadgets are taking over some applications of our long term memory. Of course our long-term memory is still storing stuff, like it always has, it just no longer stores the things we keep in our gadgets. The calculator did this to math skills 25 years ago.

IKEA offers sleepovers in showrooms for shoppers.

Charles Krauthammer decries that the Senate is giving up on Gen. Petraeus just when he's implemented a successful counterinsurgency strategy.

Victor Davis Hanson rips the New York Times call for American defeat.

Pat Buchanan praises Robert Novak.

Essay on the debate between long war and big war proponents in the Pentagon.

UK editorial gets it right on the war in Iraq and wrong on illegal immigration.

Interview with Gen. Petraeus.

Great world-wide economy. We aren't getting out share because of our oppressive income tax. Adopting the FairTax would bring unprecedented growth to the US.

The war on terror is driving expansion of government. No kidding.

William Kristol wonders if the Democrats have overplayed their hand on Iraq. Details. I think they once again overplayed their hand. They are misreading America's anger at Bush's execution of the war for a desire for defeat. Democrats' greatest fear is that the US will turn the tide in Iraq and they'll be exposed as the political opportunists who would defeat America for political gain that they are. They fear that Gen. Petraeus will report success in September, and that the American people will hear him and regain hope. So the Democrats are surging against Bush and Petraeus now in an attempt to keep the American people from hearing what will likely be positive news in 2 months.

Author says we should abolish the SAT. It's bad enough that the SAT lowered its standards in the 90s so that our educationally challenged students wouldn't feel so bad about themselves, but abolishing the great standard that has been used by colleges for over 50 years is ridiculous. The SAT should be returned to it's historical difficulty level so we can have a measure of the effectiveness of our schools over generations.

It's a sad measure of the Bush Presidency that al Qaeda is as strong today as it was 6 years ago. Bush will be remembered for the war on terror, and after 6 years, we're no better off than when we were attacked.

Indiana exempts BP from pollution laws for development.

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Bush has enough votes to veto if Congress passes a bill to force a pullout from Iraq.

US General says that due to success in Diyala province, US troops could begin a draw-down in January. I think Bush will begin troop withdrawals in January, and I think that's been his plan since he announced the surge.

Senate doubles bin Laden's reward. Excuse my cynicalness, but I can't imagine the terrorist harboring bin Laden saying to himself, "I held out long enough. I knew if I waited long enough they would double the reward so I could make an extra $25 million. I'll turn him in now."

North Korea wants military talks with the US. They haven't followed through on even one requirement of the last deal. No doubt this is a way to get more concessions without giving up anything.

Computer scientist suggests privacy is a biological imperative. I like the way this person thinks. Our minds and our society reflect our genes, and we want privacy. It's very likely a biological imperative.

Iranian nuclear agreement fails to address the key issue of Iran's nuclear program - enrichment. But the deal is still a deal, and any deal is a step in the right direction. I don't know what Iran has to gain, except maybe fooling the public into thinking their leaders are rational. It may be a ploy to slow down what they see as ever increasing sanctions or even a military attack.

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FBI using data mining for more than hunting terrorists. This has to be stopped.

White House to deliver mixed report on Iraq. That sounds about right. Made progress on 8 of 18 goals.

Undercover operation exposes weakness in US nuclear security.

Al Qaeda is back to pre-9/11 strength. Why do we allow al Qaeda a safe haven in Pakistan?

New Jersey state Senator proposes making toy guns adult only. Boy are we stupid for voting for these people.

83 dead after seige of the Red Mosque in Pakistan. Terrorists should be sent to their martyrdom on our terms, not their own.

NBC gives 75 hours of free air-time to Gore's concerts. Do you think they'll give 75 hours of time to global warming skeptics? Do you think they'll play The Great Global Warming Swindle 37 times? I doubt it. Do you think the Fairness Doctrine would apply to NBC? Their ratings would be better if they played skeptical programing.

Reason downplays the war on terror because the terrorists aren't very capable. This argument is flawed for several reasons. First, the reason al Qaeda's capability is so diminished is because we're attacking them. Second, even a broken is right twice a day - bad terrorists can still kill us. Third, one nuke exploding in an American city is all it takes to pretty much end freedom forever. Just because this war is like nothing we've ever seen before, doesn't make it less dangerous. We better fight and win this war.

Reason on the Fairness Doctrine and government regulation of speech.

Researches say fat tax could save lives. How does this jive with the recent report that obese people live longer? We can look forward to this and 100,000 other regulations if we allow socialized medicine to take over.

Walmart changes policy back to prosecuting shoplifters. How dumb was it to let crooks get away with stealing?

Democrats claim to have found religion. This won't jive well with their homosexual issues debate. They're trying to have it both ways, and it's going to backfire on them.

Counting fish in the Caribbean.

Robot learns how to walk.

Scientists find water on extra-solar planet.

Author looks at the history of English speaking nations and says if they stick together, they can win the war on terror. It doesn't look like England will stay in the fight for long.

Victor Davis Hanson discusses the upside-down politics of dealing with terrorists and the middle east.

Fred Thompson comments on his legal career and the attempts to use it against him.

Gen. David Petraeus speaks to Ralph Peters.

Victor Davis Hanson says education has transformed from learning facts and thinking to being therapeutic.

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Slate discusses how Gonzales used incompetence as a cover for wrongdoing. This guy should be fired.

Congress tries to take on OPEC, which is a self-defeating proposition. They have the oil, and they can use it as a weapon.

Deficit falls to $205 billion. We all know tax cuts lead to increased revenue. If we adopt the FairTax, we'll generate a surplus in no time, and not using the phony calculations the government uses.

Another Republican Senator co-sponsors Iraqi pullout bill.

Islamic militant rebels in Philippines behead troops. This scourge is everywhere.

Euro at all-time high against the dollar.

Iran shuts down moderate news agency.

Reason says Bush should right a lot more miscarriages of justice than Scooter Libby's. I agree.

Reason wonder's why Bush is so taken with Putin.

Licensing fees are killing net radio.

Cloning drug sniffing dogs.

Using global warming as a reason to attack on high-end sports cars. Give me a break.

Presidential debate dedicated to gay issues. That will help them win 5% of the vote while alienated 70% or more.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are making a new album. When's the last time you heard the world album? I hope it doesn't suck.

The WSJ explains Petraeus' counter-insurgency plan and its successes so far.

Walter Williams asks the pro-amnesty crowd about the rule of law.

John Stossel discusses his conversation with Michael Moore and the compassion of freedom versus the force of government.

More people pay attention to the news than I would have thought, but it's still not many.

Obese people live longer. How does that jive with the rise in diabetes and other obesity related diseases?

Ralph Peters says that if we pull out of Iraq, Reid and Pelosi will own the subsequent massacres.

Michelle Malkin highlights an example of the media double standard regarding violence by anti-war protesters.

Dick Morris says Bush has to start a pullout from Iraq if Republicans are to have any chance in the 2008 election. There's nothing new here. We've known that all year, and Bush knows that. That's why the first surge review is set in Sept. Chances are Bush will continue the surge until the end of the year, then start a draw down of troops. I think that's been Bush's plan since he announced the surge. The anti-war crowd would be far smarter to sit back and let it unfold than to actually force it.

Prosperity has outstripped happiness.

Jonah Goldberg rips Al Gore and his concerts.

Gun control hypocrite shoots burglar.

More random thoughts from Thomas Sowell.

Author explains that Democrats' polices are terrible for blacks.

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Progress report says Iraqi government met zero benchmarks set by Bush administration. Wow. That's an impressive failure. Paper says White House is in panic mode. They ought to be. How can you claim Americans should sacrifice lives when the Iraqi government doesn't work? In an ideal world, we would oust that bogus government too, and start over by building government from the grass-roots up, like we should have done the first time. But I don't think there's any way that can happen now.

China executes past head of food safety for corruption. He was removed in 2005, and the safety seems worse than ever. Counterfeit drinking water in Beijing. China's trade surplus hits all time high. I'll bet our trade deficit does the same. Didn't we open up China as a market for US products? How'd that turn out for us? We need to adopt the FairTax to bring factories, jobs and wealth back to America.

Pakistani troops storm mosque and kill rebel cleric. 58 killed.

Canada to expand navy and lay claim to arctic.

DC Madam posts records. A bunch of hypocrites will be exposed.

Paper claims Gonzales knew of abuses of Patriot Act before testifying he didn't.

The Roberts Court is overruling the unconstitutional judicial activism of O'Connor. The article thinks that's bad, but having a court finally uphold the Constitution is a great thing.

New feed for cattle in hopes of reducing methane emissions. This process uses science to empower the free market.

Juror arrested for using hijab to hide MP3 player.

George McGovern doubts an anti-war Democrat can win the election. George and I agree on something.

McCain's strategist and campaign manager both quit.

The dangers of prescribing anti-depressants.

Reason compares Washington to the fall of Rome.

Reason on Robert Heinlein exaggerates his impact on society.

Nicotine is the new wonder-drug.

Women love men with muscles. Why didn't they tell me that years ago?

Boortz says home schooling grows by 15% per year. Wow.

Australian TV to air The Great Global Warming Swindle.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claims that global warming skeptics are committing treason and should be treated as traitors. This is what passes for an open mind in the church of global warming.

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Iraqi minister claims Turkey has 140,000 troops ready to assault Kurdistan rebels.

Iran tunneling near nuclear sites.

UN inspectors to shut down Korean nuclear plant.

Fighting continues in Lebanese refuge camp for Palestinians.

The New York Times is reporting that Bush is considering drawing down troops in Iraq. I think this is wishful thinking. Bush has nothing to gain by capitulating on a withdrawal - if he does, he'll share ownership for defeat. He should continue to fight for victory, and make Democrats, with some Republican help, take full ownership of defeat. Bush should take to the bully pulpit, explain the terrible consequences, and make sure the public understands that Democrats will own responsibility for them. Bush denies report.

Manhattan plans London-style surveillance network. I'll mark Manhattan off of my places to visit.

70 year old woman arrested because she can't water her lawn.

Is it just me, or does it seem like Spain does the running of the bulls every other month?

Christopher Hitchens on the doctor's terrorist plot in Britain.

Metallica singer stopped because of Taliban-style beard.

Gore's concert ratings dismal.

Boortz says Giuliani was jeered in Jacksonville for his opposition to the FairTax, but of only two news outlets that reported it, one called it the Flat Tax. Give me a break.

Women skeptical of Hillary. I don't think it's just women.

Star Parker says Democrats dismissal of individual responsibility for blacks is a form of racism.

If we haven't been recruiting Muslim spies already, our intelligence people should be fired.

Make your own shame on ... banner, courtesy of Boortz.

A Senate proposal to reform the tax code purposely named the Fair Flat Tax to confuse itself with the Fair Tax. This is crap. It's still an income tax with all the issue associated with an income tax including Congress' ability to mess with it 3 times a day.

Cold water on Gore's global warming concerts.

Michael Barone is beginning to see the light about China and Russia.

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Senate confident it can force Iraq pullout with series of votes. If Democrats succeed in forcing American troops to come home, Iraq will explode in violence, and Democrats will own our defeat and the subsequent violence. Democrats are mistaking anti-Bush sentiment for a desire to lose, and Democrats will lose because of it. Two more Republicans join Iraq war critics. This is why I call conservatives, liberals-light. They're just a few years or few percentage points behind liberals in our devastating race to the left.

Israel to release Fatah members from prison to aid Abbas. This support for the Fatah terrorist group is going to backfire.

Foreign fighters inside radical mosque in Pakistan. Pakistan arrests Taliban aides.

The rich and powerful in China are flaunting the 1 child rule because they can afford to pay the fines.

Growing narcissism among children.

Critics fail to warm to Gore's concerts and their hypocritical energy use. Snow and cold dampens turnout for global warming concert in Johannesburg.

New Jersey passes law to raise prices on energy and hurt its economy to fight global warming. Hopefully Jersey will pay a high price for this folly, and the rest of the nation will be spared because of it. I doubt it will happen soon enough.

Cato explains that when health care is paid by a third party, people will get more of it for no good reason, driving up the costs for everybody else.

Cato exposes the distortions and misconceptions about Greenland's melting ice sheet - it's so minor as to be almost unmeasurable.

Cato says government's failure attempting to deal with Katrina illustrates the failures of big government. It also says federal assistance to states has always been a driver of ever increasing size and scope of government.

George Will takes some shots at FDR's big government.

Mark Steyn explains why Britain hired jihadist doctors.

Hypocrisy of supposed supporters of human rights with regard to Iraq.

Democratic strategist points out that bringing co-president Bill into the campaign will backfire on Democrats. No kidding.

Rich Lowry exposes the hang-Libby crowd's hypocrisy.

How the Mullahs are destroying Iran. We need to make sure they don't get the bomb before they self-destruct.

The NYTimes calls for withdrawal from Iraq, fully expecting genocide to follow. How's that for supporting human rights.

The role of Islam in violence.

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Truck bomb in Iraqi market kills 105. Al Qaeda using Iran as safe haven.

Republican Congressmen are getting nervous about Iraq.

China is supplying weapons to Iran, which is funneling them to Afghanistan and Iraq. China and Russia are the real powers fighting us, and we need to acknowledge their new Cold War against us.

Radical Muslims in Pakistan holding women and children as human shields.

Appeals court supports Bush administration, overturns wire-tap ruling.

Gore's Live Earth climate concerts underway. I wonder how much energy they're burning. Gore doesn't care. He burn energy for whatever he wants. It's just the rest of us who have to restricted by government and made more poor. Conservative estimate of stars' flights for concert: 222,623.63 miles. Wow.

A feel-good case for biofuels that can't stand up to logic. I sure hope we find a biofuel that's clean, efficient, and can be mass produced. Sugar cane can't be mass produced, and corn is neither clean nor efficient. Some guy in Washington was doing well with soy beans. Relative greenness of biofuels (corn's the worst). Using all of the US production of corn and soybean would only supply 12% of our fuel needs. Of course we'd all quickly starve, reducing our energy needs.

Yellow journalism has turned green - how the loony left eco-nuts and global warming con-men have co-opted the press with sensationalism.

Record heat moving east.

California puts up stop sign cameras.

US tourism down.

Russians arrest suspected British spy.

Reason discusses why really big things, like the US government, fail.

Reason says you can dislike Charlie Rangel's ideas and policies without being a racist. Whew.

Reason says Robert Heinlein predicted southern California's culture and politics.

Reason asks why Arab dictators always get away with murder. We prize stability and the devil we know over human rights in the oil rich Middle East.

Bush's dumb reasons for commuting Libby's sentence. He should have taken the moral high ground, denounced the partisanship that empowered Fitzgerald, and fired Fitzgerald for his witch-hunt. Libby may or may not get his $250,000 fine back if Bush later pardons him.

Ron Paul has more cash than John McCain.

Essay discusses how socialized medicine allowed jihadist doctors into the UK to blow up British subjects.

The new 7 wonders of the world.

Another report of bad science to promote the global warming myth.

French President Sarkozy is being criticized for jogging because it's associated with performance and individuality.

Newt Gingrich comes out strongly in favor of libertarianism, but he uses a term likely to be much more effective - classic liberalism.

George Will explains how the left twisted Brown -v- Board of Education, and welcomes the Court's recent correction.

Al Gore's proposal for a carbon tax.

Sen. Lieberman on Iran's proxy war against the US, which is really a proxy war by China and Russia on the US.

Good insight into the Democratic Congress.

I'm watching a movie on Sci-Fi at 11PM (not that that should matter), and whenever one of the characters tokes on a joint, it gets grayed out. Is that voluntary or mandated censorship?

A history of presidential pardons.

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Al Qaeda's number 2 man, Zawahiri, releases another video. Upset that Iraqi Sunnis have turned on al Qaeda.

Pakistanis support government over radical cleric. Explosions at mosque.

Medical syringe caused UK bombs to misfire.

More stupid Congressional hearings: House Judiciary Committee to probe Bush's commutation of Libby's sentence. Democrats need to get a life. Tony Snow comments.

Reason celebrates partisanship.

Record temperatures in southwest.

Rock stars speak out about hypocrisy of Gore's global warming concert. Gore thrives on that same hypocrisy.

Italy opens all-female beach. At least it has cameras.

Libby pays his $250,000 fine.

The French think jogging is self-centered. They're right. Breathing is also self-centered. What's the problem?

Victor Davis Hanson on the failed immigration bill.

WSJ reports that terrorism is still the number 1 issue. It is after last weekend. It's a shame no candidate (damn Ron Paul) has yet to articulate the message that smaller government means more effective government at fighting terrorism, and also means more responsible citizens, first defenders, to fight the inevitable terrorist attack.

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So much for the Bush, Putin summit. Russia threatens new missile capability against Europe.

All the terrorist conspirators in London and Glasgow bomb attempt were members of UK Health Service. Is that what we can expect from socialized medicine?

The US is getting Shiite tribes to turn against Sadr like they have managed to get Sunni tribes to turn against al Qaeda. Gen. Petraeus knows what he's doing. Video of helicopter rescue in Iraq.

Pakistani troops capture radical cleric trying to escape dressed in a burqa. I bet wearing women's clothes is quite the hypocrisy for a cleric pushing Sharia law.

New British PM Brown won't call terrorists Muslims or use the phrase war on terror. That'll help us win. We have to identify the enemy if we are to defeat the enemy.

Warming made lake vanish. This sounds reminiscent of the great flood legends.

Chavez throwing his weight around in South America. Why did we neglect our own backyard?

Massachusetts makes health insurance mandatory.

Another ACLU lawsuit to force courthouse to remove picture of Jesus.

Japanese car makers gain market share over US car makers. We can stop that by adopting the FairTax.

Jonah Goldberg wonders why Americans aren't allowed to talk about cultural identity without being accused of being racists.

Gore son arrested for DUI and drug possession.

Decline of civilization: shoppers step over dying stabbing victim. One takes a photo.

Reason offers very little insight into the RealID debate. This is a unusually weak essay from them.

Reason thanks talk radio for stopping the fraudulent immigration bill.

Declining circulation may make newspapers return to past success.

Democrats' solution to failing schools? More money. It's always more money. They know that the more money we dump on schools, the worse education our kids get. We have to acknowledge that the money is the problem. Private schools provide a superior education at half the price. Give the money to parents, not schools, and parents will make sure their children get a good education.

Pat Buchanan says Bush should join the border security movement that dominates America to help win a better legacy. That's so simple, and he should have been doing that since he took office in 2001. Bush won't grasp this issue. Thomas Sowell blasts the elites for insulting our intelligence about the fraudulent immigration bill.

Europe's epitaph.

Thomas Sowell points out that America is unique, created by our people, and that our freedom is the rare exception in the world, not the rule. He says that America was the first nation in the world to debate the morality of slavery from its foundation.

Cuba's food rationing.

Muslim bomb threat closes down Jacksonville.

The founding fathers wanted to control immigration so that only people who wanted to learn the language, culture, history, and laws became Americans. They were right about that too.

Ann Coulter reviews a book showing that felons vote overwhelmingly Democrat among other things.

President Bush's own words and actions indict him for his failure to secure our borders.

Jonah Goldberg has an interesting take on wealth, saying most of it is in our heads and culture, not our resources or products.

Dick Morris analyzes Hillary and Obama's fund raising, and says thanks to the internet, grass roots fund raising outstrips old-style courting-the-rich fund raising. This sounds good for freedom and empowering individuals, but it also means government will quickly move to restrict the internet.

Author says it's the Europeans who don't listen, not Americans.

Dinesh D'Souza says freedom is what is great about America. We need to get it back from government.

Victor Davis Hanson lists his real threats to civil liberties.

Author describes Gen. Petraeus' new strategy in Iraq, and points out that political progress comes after security, not before. That's why rushing to install this government has proved counter-productive.

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Bush commutes Libby's jail sentence, but leaves the rest of his conviction and sentence intact. Democrats furious. This is the worst possible decision by Bush regarding Libby. He cut the baby in half. Both sides will be upset, and he did nothing to right the wrong Fitzgerald's witch-hunt did to Libby. Libby deserves a full pardon and Fitzgerald should be fired for using his office to carry out personal attacks.

On second thought. I think Bush refrained from giving Libby a full pardon to allow Libby the chance at an appeal. He can always pardon Libby later, if he loses his appeal. I think Bush made a decision that kept Libby out of prison but maximized his opportunities to clear himself after Fitzgerald's witch-hunt.

Environmentalists complain that humans use too much plant energy from the sun! They'd prefer we just died, except for them all the civilization and technology to make sure they could live their lives of luxury.

BBC survey shows great skepticism about the effects of climate change. I'm sure the church of global warming will redouble its efforts to scare everybody.

BBC reporter released in Gaza.

UK bombing suspects all have medical links. Also ties to al Qaeda in Iraq.

Iraqi cabinet approves amended oil plan and passes to parliament. Iraq plans to privatize industries. This is a great idea, but only if they don't sell everything to the militias. The corruption in Iraq is terrible right now, with such poor security. I'd say they should establish security first so they can limit corruption.

Riots outside Pakistani Mosque leave 7 dead so far.

Venezuela and Iran team up against the United States.

China buries World Bank report that pollution in China causes 100,000s of premature deaths each year.

Reason on the militarization of police departments.

This Reason article is off base from the first sentence. A decade ago, we all knew that Hillary had already been anointed as the Democratic candidate for 2008. That hasn't changed.

Nature provides new internet sounding board for science white papers.

Slate on the British bomb attempts. Note that the Glasgow bombers were first intercepted by British citizens - first defenders.

Liberals decry that the Supreme Court stood up against racial quotas that institutionalize racism.

Mexican telecom tycoon surpasses Bill Gates as world's richest man.

Repentant Jihadist speaks out about religious motivations, not motivations over foreign policy, of terrorists.

Hillary complains that Libby clemency reeks of cronyism. Doesn't she know that people out there remember her co-presidency and the Marc Rich pardon? List of Clinton pardons. Hillary invites Bill on campaign to remind everybody of their co-presidency. Everybody likes to say how smart she is, but she never makes smart decisions.

Michael Barone analyzes why the immigration bill failed, and what government needs to do to pass immigration reform in the future.

Ralph Peter blasts our leaders about their execution of the war on terror. This is politically incorrect honesty at its best.

John Bolton says that Bush's capitulation to North Korea on several aspects of the nuclear plant agreement marks a complete reversion to Clinton's failures. I think so too.