Well, maybe it will free up a few of them to go to Iraq:  The former director of President Bush‘s flagship democracy program for the Middle East is saying that the State Department has “effectively killed” a program to disburse millions of dollars to Iran‘s liberal opposition. In an interview yesterday, Scott Carpenter said a recent decision to move the $75 million annual aid program for Iranian democrats to the

They’re just facing up to the facts: It was a quagmire. They left, pretty much the way Pete Doherty leaves a pub. Meanwhile, JD Johannes is putting the finishing touches on his latest documentary over at Outside the Wire, which means he’s too broke and busy to go to Vegas for the Blog World Expo.  Too bad, because Geek Goddess Liz Stephans and that guy she vlogs with might be

Rusty gets all the good curses.

Yeah, I know. But it’s the best I could come up with off the cuff, and besides, it beats “Aceapalooza” — which, let’s face it, is so remarkably lame that were it to have any designs on walking, it would need a helmet, and one of those giant-soled shoes made specially for Flannery O’Conneresque clubfoots. Anyway, if any of you are in the Santa Barbara or surrounding areas and wants

What does new research do? It suggests. Among stroke survivors, women seem to be at greater risk of poor physical and emotional well-being than men are, new research suggests. In a study of nearly 1,300 stroke survivors, researchers found that women tended to report poorer quality of life than men did six months after the stroke. The reasons are not completely clear, but factors such as age and stroke severity

What a post-modern discovery.  Start rewriting the history books:  LAHORE: Muslim scientists have made all discoveries of the current age, said University of Columbia’s Arabic and Islamic Studies prof George Saliba at a seminar at the Government College University (GCU) on Monday. The seminar, titled The Problems of Historiography of Islamic Science, was held at Fazl-e-Hussain Hall. Saliba gave a critique of the standard classical accounts of the rise of

Report: Abstinence Not Curbing Teen Sex Bombastic Texas Minister Embroiled in Firestorm of Sexual Turmoil Cowabunga/Geronimoo–What is it raining?  Not cats and dogs. Universal Studios apologizes for freaking out over breastfeeding–Because people shouldn’t be able to see some things for free. More Seriously   [Ramesh Ponnuru] I do think the Robertson endorsement is a big plus for Giuliani. It’s not as big as getting a more current figure, but it beats

According to Andrew, a cow.* Meanwhile, no use crying over abandoned grapes. House and Garden foreclosed. On a personal note: that excision from my back around the precancerous mole that was earlier biopsied shows no spread, and I get the stitches out Thursday. Thanks very much for your glib responses. *Coincidence? Charles and Linda Everson were driving back to their hotel when their minivan was struck by a falling object

Kucinich is from . . . damned if I know. In a quest for an “electable,” “not insane” presidential candidate, you are willfully overlooking the candidate who actually comes closest to representing the things in which you really believe: justice and peace and the basic freedoms that should be afforded to every American, regardless of race, class, religion, gender, sexual orientation or galactic origin. In an effort to distance yourself

be sure to wear antennae in your hair.  If you’re going to Blog World Expo, you’re sure to meet some geeky people there. Make sure to keep an eye out for Geek Goddess Liz Stephans (and that guy she vlogs with), who will be videoing the proceedings.  You lucky bastard.