When Democrats Attack

Good thing this angry Democrat isn't one of those violent teabaggers. Then this story would be national news.

Mayor Adam Bradley was arrested today at around 1 p.m. by the Westchester County District Attorney's Office on new charges of witness tampering, second-degree criminal contempt and harassment.

I think he should get another 10 years just for pretending that shit on his head is actually his own hair.

The mayor had turned himself in to prosecutors when faced with the three charges, which will be added to six others Bradley already faces for allegations he assaulted his wife.

The new criminal complaint, based on statements his wife made to an investigator from the District Attorney's office, accuses the embattled mayor of confronting his wife on five separate occasions, from March 5 to April 2.

According to the charges, Bradley accused his wife of lying to police, told her that he was the abused spouse and insisted that he was defending himself against her. He also told her that to save his career, she should check into a mental hospital and say she was crazy or go to jail for lying about the abuse.

During one of the confrontations, he suggested she kill herself, the paperwork says.

If this politics thing doesn't work out he's got a future as an MSNBC host.

Obama Flexes His Muscles, Lashes Out Angrily at the Enemy

He's finally found an enemy that he can actually react to. While the rest of the planet walks all over his pansy ass, he's found an enemy he can treat with disrespect.

Way to man up, Barry.

President Barack Obama on Thursday made clear he was not going to take advice from Republican Sarah Palin when it comes to decisions about the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

Palin, the former vice presidential candidate, has not been shy about criticizing Obama's policies and this week weighed in on his revamped nuclear strategy, saying it was like a child in a playground who says 'punch me in the face, I'm not going to retaliate.'

"I really have no response to that. The last I checked, Sarah Palin is not much of an expert on nuclear issues," Obama said in an interview with ABC News.

Pressed further on Republican criticism that his strategy restricts the use of nuclear weapons too much, Obama added:

"What I would say to them is, is that if the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff are comfortable with it, I'm probably going to take my advice from them and not from Sarah Palin."

He really hates being seen as a total pussy, but he's quite the tough guy responding to the women. I bet Sarah Palin could name at least one member of the Chicago White Sox.

Stupid Democrat Tricks: Brooklyn Pol To Swim Sludge-Infested Waters for High-Speed Internet

You have to figure if this schmuck had any clout his district would already have been wired with the broadband dreams of his desire, but I've never even heard of this chump so desperate men seemingly will do anything for optimum browsing speed, even if it means taking a dip in waters so foul the EPA strongly recommends against it. By my thinking I have to think this guy is either completely loco or, considering he's from Brooklyn, could well be a Chuckie Schumer acolyte and knows that there are no depths one won't sink to to get thee some camera time.

If I were a Google rep I'd show up promising the next generation technology complete with TV cameras and promises of free Internet access and then make sure the guy got the latest in dial-up technology. He'd never know any better since he'd be in the ER fighting off the toxic damage from swimming in hazardous waste.

A Brooklyn assemblyman is offering to swim in the notoriously polluted Newtown Creek if Internet giant Google installs high-speed Internet in his district.

"I used to swim in the Newtown Creek ... and in the East River when I was a kid," said Joe Lentol (D-Greenpoint). "It was polluted at that time, if not worse than it is now. I think I can survive."

The filthy waterway that separates Brooklyn and Queens is so dirty the Environmental Protection Agency is mulling whether to designate it a Superfund hazardous-waste site.

Not to worry, said the 67-year-old Lentol, who doesn't swim laps regularly but is confident he can navigate the murky water.

"It isn't any worse than it was in the old days," he said, adding he would agree to any conditions Google makes.

Earlier this year, Google announced it would install and test a number of ultrahigh-speed broadband networks throughout the country that will be up to 100 times faster than current ones - triggering stunts by politicians trying to win over Google.

Of course the old days for Lentol were what, the mid 1950s? But hey, who are we to stop him from reminiscing?

The EPA disagrees with his tactics. "We strongly advise against swimming in Newtown Creek," said spokeswoman Beth Totman.

Don't listen to her, Joe. Do it for the children.

Smoking Qatari Was Heading to See Al Qaeda Prisoner

He probably just wanted to share a funny story with his buddy from Al Qaeda. Nothing to see here, move along.

A Qatari diplomat was on his way to meet an imprisoned Al Qaeda agent when he touched off a bomb scare by slipping into an airline bathroom for a smoke, officials said Thursday as they announced plans to send the diplomat home.

A State Department official and another person close to the matter say Mohammed Al-Madadi was going to meet Ali Al-Marri in prison. Consular officials frequently visit foreigners held in the United States to make sure they are being treated well.

Al-Marri, a citizen of Qatar, is serving eight years in prison after pleading guilty last year to conspiring to support terrorism. He was arrested after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, accusing him of being a sleeper agent researching poisonous gases and plotting a cyberattack.

The visit with such a high-profile prisoner suggests that Al-Madadi would have been very aware of terrorism concerns when he sneaked into the plane's bathroom for a smoke and, according to authorities, joked about lighting his shoe on fire.

Interestingly enough, al-Marri was the subject of one of Barack Obama's first official acts as president. He's got dual citizenship in Qatar and Saudi Arabia and was a legal resident of the United States on 9/11.

Al-Marri, a legal U.S. resident and native of Qatar, was arrested in late 2001 while studying at Bradley University after federal authorities alleged he was tied to organizers of the 2001 attacks. The Bush administration declared al-Marri an "enemy combatant" in late 2001 and held him without charges for more than five years at a Navy jail in South Carolina.

The designation was dropped when he was indicted by a federal grand jury in Illinois. Al-Marri got a bachelor's degree in business management administration from Bradley in 1991, then went to work for a bank in Qatar.

The government said he met with Usama bin Laden in the summer of 2001 and was sent to the U.S. to help Al Qaeda operatives carry out post-Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Al-Marri obtained a student visa and returned to the U.S. the day before terrorists crashed two hijacked planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Obama Hits New Poll Low, Healthcare Disapproval Now -15

I think maybe he needs to get some more television face time to help sell this boondoggle.

Two weeks after President Obama signed the new health care bill, opposition to it remains strong. In addition, the president’s legislative victory did not help his job approval rating, which hit a new low in a Fox News poll released Thursday.

The poll also finds more voters would punish rather than reward incumbents who voted for the health care bill, and that the Democratic win did nothing to energize the party faithful for the midterms.

President Obama’s overall job approval rating dropped to a new low of 43 percent. Nearly half -- 48 percent -- disapprove. In mid-March, it was 46-48 percent. His current rating among Democrats (80 percent) and independents (38 percent) are among his lowest ratings with these groups. He is now in single digits among Republicans (7 percent). By comparison, former President George W. Bush’s approval among Democrats went as low as 4 percent.

We need to work on that 7%. What are they thinking?

Qatari Diplomat To Be Transferred to Smoking Country

Here I figured it was common knowledge you haven't been able to smoke on U.S. air carriers for what, a couple decades now? Well, this clown is now aware of it.

A Qatari diplomat who sparked a bomb security scare after sneaking a smoke in an airplane's bathroom will likely be sent home or transferred to another country, U.S. officials said Thursday.

Officials from various agencies were involved in internal discussions as well as talks with Qatar's embassy about how to deal with Mohammed Al-Madadi, who authorities said grabbed a surreptitious smoke in a jetliner's bathroom during a flight from Washington to Denver and then joked about lighting his shoe on fire. Al-Madidi was released from custody on Thursday and headed back to Washington.

A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. government was discussing the case with the Qataris and said the department had conveyed the seriousness of the matter to the Qataris.

No explosives were found on the plane and authorities said they don't think Al-Madidi was trying to hurt anyone during Wednesday's scare. He enjoys diplomatic immunity from U.S. prosecution and will not be criminally charged, authorities said. The State Department official said Qatar had not yet informed the administration how they will handle the case.

The official said Qatar had not yet decided Al-Madidi's fate but were leaning toward transferring him out of the U.S. as possible.

Photo of the Day

Heh. They may be able to keep hecklers (and strippers and pancake waitresses) out of Augusta, but they don't control the skies above.

Via SBB and AP photos.

Thanks to Instapundit for the link.

'U.S. Fiscal Policy is Unsustainable'

Now they tell us. Would have been nice to get a heads-up before the multi-trillion healthcare scam was shoved down our throats.

Fundamental changes to the federal budget will be needed to rein in unsustainable deficits, Congress’s budget watchdog said Thursday.

“U.S. fiscal policy is unsustainable, and unsustainable to an extent that it can't be solved through minor changes,” Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Douglas Elmendorf told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast.

Spending on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, plus defense programs and debt interest, will exceed the rest of the federal budget in 10 years if most of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts are extended, as President Barack Obama has proposed, Elmendorf said.

One problem: Obama wants to let the Bush tax cuts expire as do House Democrats.

So everyone wants tax increases, of course. Good luck selling that to the electorate this year.

There's No Escaping Them: Obamas to Appear on American Idol

Fresh off having our viewing of the Final Four interrupted for some slobbering over Barack Obama, now these two camera hogs are now scheduled to appear on American Idol in a couple of weeks. Hey, why not just declare them the American Idols and be done with it? Do these two know what the work overexposed means?

Upside? I've never watched the show so I won't miss anything.

The President and First Lady took time out of their busy schedules on Wednesday to sit down for a taping with "American Idol" as part of the hit show's fundraising event set to air next week.

"Idol Gives Back" is a two-hour charity performance that has already raised more than $140 million in contributions for global organizations.

This year's beneficiaries include Children's Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children's U.S. Programs and the United Nations Foundation.

It seems his schedule isn't all that busy considering he has time to work on basketball picks and watch games for hours on end. Surely he'll be showing up on Master's coverage this weekend, then doing some NBA play-by-play during the playoffs.

Judging by his anemic approval ratings it seems the more people see of him the less they like him.

Update: Ouch. Even Mao Would Say, 'Hey, Pal, Leave Them Wanting More'

One of my favorite subjects of Jay Nordlinger's writing is the rapid destruction of "politics-free zones" in American life. We're also rapidly losing any corner of American culture where Dear Leader doesn't pop up. He's making Taylor Swift look obscure.

Again, note that the only time Obama didn't show up on our televisions were the three days after somebody tried to blow up a plane over Detroit.

NYC HS Drug Counselor Nabbed in Quaalude Ring Bust

Another fine example of the New York City public education system. No doubt his union lawyer is rushing to his aide.

A Queens high-school drug counselor and a teacher's aide were arrested yesterday on charges of helping a strip-club owner run a multimillion-dollar drug ring out of his luxe Fifth Avenue apartment, authorities said.

Ken Kutin, who preaches drug prevention at IS 266 in Glen Oaks, was among 22 people busted as officials took down the coast-to-coast operation that specialized in the retro narcotic quaaludes, authorities said.

"He's a disgrace," said a teacher at the school. "This is just another black eye for New York City teachers. Bad apples like Kutin make us all look bad."

Yes, but when anyone tries to fire those "bad apples" the UFT fights tooth and nail for their rights.

The drug ring's clientele included a woman who works for Donald Trump but who still stiffed the dealers for more than $14,000, according to court documents.

"There's a rich girl I know who works for Donald Trump," loan-sharking suspect Ralph Marazzo, 65, said in one of dozens of taped conversations authorities used to bust the alleged drug ring.

"She owes me $11,500, and $2,850 on the side that she can't pay me. And these are rich people, rich beyond rich, and they have no money. And she works for Donald Trump."

Marazzo, of Woodbury, LI, was a prime player in the $3.5 million operation that Manhattan strip-club owner Dennis Fairley allegedly ran out of his Fifth Avenue apartment.

Also busted were Theresa Goldring, a teacher's aide at PS 186 in Little Neck, Queens, and her husband, retired teacher Barry Goldring.

The three-year probe -- dubbed "Operation Lude Behavior" -- involved more than 100 federal and local law-enforcement officers.

Headline of the Day: 'Balls forced to drop plans for compulsory sex lessons at age five'

Go figure. A guy named Balls trying for force sex education on five-year-old.

Ed Balls yesterday dropped controversial plans to make sex education compulsory for children as young as five.

The Schools Secretary abandoned another ten flagship policies from the Children, Schools and Families Bill under pressure from the Tories in the final days of Parliament.

Parenting and religious campaigners had strongly opposed the plans to introduce sex into the curriculum in 'personal, social and health education' classes for pupils aged five and over.

But the Tories accused Mr Balls of needlessly torpedoing his sex education reforms in a fit of 'petulance' rather than compromise on one of their key demands.

Mr Balls confirmed that key parts of the Bill had been removed so that he could push through the legislation before Parliament rises - a period known as the 'washup'.

PSHE classes were due to become part of the compulsory national curriculum in primary and secondary schools from September next year.

Under the original plans, lessons in relationships and sex would begin at five, with prescribed content for each age group.

Maybe Mr. Balls can go teach safe sex in Yemen.

Yemeni Child Bride Dies After Sex

I guess we shouldn't mention this as we might be called Islamaphobes or something.

A 13-year-old Yemeni girl who was forced into marriage died five days after her wedding when she suffered a rupture in her sex organs and hemorrhaging, a local rights organization said today.

Ilham Mahdi al Assi died last Friday in a hospital in Yemen's Hajja province, the Shaqaeq Arab Forum for Human Rights said in a statement quoting a medical report.

She was wedded the previous Monday in a traditional arrangement known as a "swap marriage," in which the brother of the bride also married the sister of the groom, it said.

"The child Ilham has died as a martyr due to the abuse of children's lives in Yemen," the non-governmental organization said.

Her death was a "flagrant example" of the results of opposing the ban on child marriage in Yemen, which was leading to "killing child females," it said.

The marriage of young girls is widespread in Yemen, which has a strong tribal structure.

The death of a 12-year-old girl in childbirth in September illustrated the case of the country's "brides of death," many of whom were married off even before puberty.

Great News: Cow Farts Don't Cause Global Warming

Another silly myth now bites the dust.

In the past environmentalists, from Lord Stern to Sir Paul McCartney, have urged people to stop eating meat because the methane produced by cattle causes global warming.

However a new study found that cattle grazed on the grasslands of China actually reduce another greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide.

Authors of the paper, published in Nature, say the research does not mean that producing livestock to eat is good for the environment in all countries. However in certain circumstances, it can be better for global warming to let animals graze on grassland.

The research will reignite the argument over whether to eat red meat after other studies suggested that grass fed cattle in the UK and US can also be good for the environment as long as the animals are free range.

Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, carried out the study in Inner Mongolia in China. He found that grassland produced more nitrous oxide during the spring thaw when sheep or cattle have not been grazing. This is because the greenhouse gas, also known as laughing gas, is released by microbes in the soil. When the grass is long snow settles keeping the microbes warm and providing water, however when the grass is cut short by animals the ground freezes and the microbes die.

Dr Butterbach-Bahl said the study overturned assumptions about grazing goats and cattle.

"It's been generally assumed that if you increase livestock numbers you get a rise in emissions of nitrous oxide. This is not the case," he said.

The science is settle, I guess.

I'm going to fire up some steaks tonight in celebration.

Shocker: Census Becoming Complete Debacle

Imagine my shock to discover a $15 billion government-run boondoggle. Really bodes well when they're going to spend trillions herding us into government-run health care, doesn't it? They can't count the population, but they can administer health care for everyone? Good luck with that.

As the U.S. census nears its final stages, the government is preparing for possible debacles that could derail its $15 billion head count, from mass identity theft and lawsuits to homeowners who refuse to answer their doors.

Census Bureau documents, obtained by The Associated Press, underscore the highly fragile nature of the high-stakes population count before the government dispatches some 700,000 temporary workers to visit homes, beginning in May.

The preparedness efforts are not entirely new. Previous censuses had contingency plans in place, at least conceptually, and the Census Bureau has never failed to meet its constitutional mandate of delivering population counts by Dec. 31 each decennial year.

But this is the first time the Census has detailed - in 300 pages of internal documents released under the Freedom of Information Act - specific risks to the once-a-decade government count. It's part of the bureau's approach to handling threats that could undermine accuracy, omit large segments of the public or add to already ballooning costs.

This could have been avoided if the White House didn't politicize the whole thing, but no, the geniuses there thought they knew best. And now it's blown up in the face. But don't worry, they'll find scapegoats.

One document says the "No. 1 concern" could be a refusal by immigrants to participate.

Placing a cap on costs if immigrants try to evade the count, the response plan notes that a census worker will attempt to visit a home six times at most - or fewer, if a resident makes clear he won't cooperate - before the worker questions neighbors to get the information. If that fails, the Census Bureau will statistically impute data based on characteristics of neighboring households.

In 2000, imputation, a statistical method that was not part of previous court battles over statistical sampling, increased the U.S. population by 1.1 million, particularly among urban racial minorities who would have been missed by a head count. Census Bureau director Robert Groves has ruled out sampling but not other statistical methods.

When that fails, blame those mean old conservatives, a time-honored tradition.

Another risk being monitored by the Census Bureau is the possibility of a conservative boycott following recent rhetoric, including one blogger's threat to pull out a shotgun to scare away census workers. The White House condemned the remarks Tuesday, and the bureau said it remains on the lookout for signs of a boycott or other trouble. Conservatives who refuse to participate may also be counted by way of neighbor questioning or statistical imputation.

Oh, so now if people don't want to participate they'll find neighbors who know people are conservative and count them? I thought this was a non-political process?

'Tiki Was Perceived as Very Smug and Self-absorbed'

Smart move by Fox News.

Wife-dumping Tiki Barber tried to come crawling back to Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" last year because he was upset about being sidelined on the "Today" show, but he got nowhere, say insiders. Tiki contributed to the FNC morning show from 2005 to 2007 before bolting to "Today," where his underwhelming on-air segments caused producers to use him less and less. "Tiki was unhappy that 'Today' wasn't using him as much as he thought they would, and he wanted to come back to 'Fox & Friends,' " a source told The Post. "His agent approached Fox about a year ago, but they said, 'No, thanks.' He was not perceived as a hot commodity after he left the Giants. And he didn't make many friends at Fox. Tiki was perceived as very smug and self-absorbed. Plus, he basically used them as a steppingstone to go to 'Today.' "

On th upside for Barber, smugness and self-absorption means he has a bright future as a liber Democrat. Another plus? It looks like he may have been carrying on with the girlfriend since she was in college. What a guy.

His former teammates on the Giants weren't exactly fond of the guy, either. SHould be curious to see what some of them have to say.

Glenn Beck Hatred Ready to Skyrocket

Combine hatred, anger and envy, three traits of the modern day left, and you've got a combustible brew ready to blow. Now when they find out how much dough he's raking in, behold the fury. Of course from his taxes alone he could pay for hundreds of people to receive their "free" ObamaCare, a point sure to escape the haters.

It pays to be Glenn Beck ... and pays, and pays, and pays.

The controversial Fox News loud-mouth - hero to conservatives, dartboard fodder to liberals - made $32 million in the 12 months ending March 1, reports Forbes magazine.

His company, Mercury Radio Arts, churns out books, runs a profitable Web site, and manages his sold-out appearances.

Beck insists he's not political, even after leading the charge against health care reform, feeding the frenzy of the Tea Party members, and telling his loyalists President Obama has "a deep-seated hatred for white people."

"I could give a flying crap about the political process," Beck tells the new issue of Forbes magazine (Forbes.com).

"We're an entertainment company."

And his brand of entertainment has paid off.

"I aspire to Walt Disney's never-ending quest to try to improve the quality of what he's doing, his never-ending vision of, 'Yes, it can be done,'" Beck said.

Not to mention his building one of the most lucrative and durable entertainment empires of all time.

Here's where the money comes from, Forbes reports: Publishing (books and Fusion magazine), $13 million a year; Radio, $10 million; Digital/Online, $4 million; Paid Appearances, $3 million; Fox News, $4 million.

Doesn't look like all those childish boycotts are quite working, huh?

Great News: Eliot Spitzer Contemplating Return to Politics

Even more surreal, he's considering a run for office this year. Good thing the Democrat primary for dog catcher is still a couple months away.

For the first time, Eliot Spitzer is acknowledging what The Post first reported last year -- that he is itching for a way back into politics and, even at this late date, hasn't totally closed the door on a race this year.

And for the first time, he is acknowledging what he did to his wife, Silda, who stood by him amid a scandal involving a high-priced call girl that ended his term as governor less than 18 months after it began on a wave of hope and promise.

He goes further than he has in the past two years since the scandal broke in taking personal responsibility not just for what he did to the state, but for what he did to his family, in a excerpts of an interview posted just now by Fortune magazine on its website.

"I made an egregiously horrendous judgment at every level," he tells Peter Elkind, who has an upcoming book "Rough Justice: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer." "Not just in terms of the risk/reward calculus, which seems like a very antiseptic way of thinking about it, but also in terms of what it meant to my family. I talk all the time about fiduciary duty. What more fundamental duty is there than to a spouse?"

The disgraced ex-governor also acknowledges in the interview, which will run in full next week in Fortune magazine, that he has toyed with the idea of a comeback.

"I love politics," Spitzer told Elkind, according to excerpts of their March 31 interview. "The substance, the debate about the issues ..."

Asked specifically about some kind of statewide race in 2010 -- which The Post reported exclusively last year that Spitzer was talking to people about -- Spitzer said it's "just hard to see."

But he added, "I've never said I would never consider running for office again."

He told Elkind that his column for the online magazine Slate, among other recent endeavors, are part of an easier life that he loves.

But, according to the excerpts, he said he's "in unceasing agony" and is "incredibly frustrated" over no longer being "where I would like to be" -- finishing his first term as governor of New York. "Anybody who says disengaging from it in any way is easy is not being straightforward," he says. "Obviously, removing myself the way I did is that much more painful."

The excerpt adds, "Spitzer muses with friends and advisers about political targets. He views New York's U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as a lightweight. In the office of New York state comptroller, he sees a chance to become a national force, wielding the billions held in public pension funds to force corporate reform in a way that even lawsuits and regulation cannot. ('It is the great underutilized position in government right now,' says Spitzer.)"

Oh sure, let's give this sleazebag control of the state cash register. What could possibly go wrong?

Hitting Rock Bottom

It's been a long, precipitous fall, but Charles Johnson has at last hit rock bottom. He titles a post with this photo Tea Partiers, Circa 1950. Obvious message: All tea partiers are racist.

Just pathetic.

H/T Ringo.

Figures: NJ Dems Snapped Up Springsteen, U2 Tickets While Bashing Ticket Brokers

Is anyone really surprised a sleazebag lowlife like Jon Corzine would be a shameless hypocrite? Of course not. Fortunately, Corzine is gone from office, but we're still left with plenty of pols with their greedy paws out.

Former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine’s office got U2 and Bruce Springsteen seats the public couldn’t buy last year, at the same time the state was suing brokers over ticketing practices, according to documents showing 22 elected officials received special treatment.

Corzine’s office reserved 57 tickets for U2, Springsteen and the Jonas Brothers at Giants Stadium and IZOD Center from July to October 2009 through the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, agency records show. The documents, evidence in a state lawsuit against ticket Web sites, indicate more than 350 seats for 15 concerts were set aside for elected officials.

Officials got a jump on some of the season’s hottest shows by obtaining seats through the state agency, which operates the two venues. At the same time, New Jersey was suing online brokers over marketing tactics including taking orders before tickets are on sale. Tapping the agency for tickets may violate ethics rules that bar officials from taking “unwarranted privileges,” the head of the state ethics commission said.

“The means by which the tickets are secured has everything to do with undue access and using official position to secure an unfair advantage,” said Paula Franzese, chairwoman of the state Ethics Commission. “I would like to see an investigation.”

Are you listening, Governor Christie?

Fred Scalera, the deputy assembly speaker who drafted legislation to crack down on scalping, had 40 seats set aside for Springsteen, the Jonas Brothers, U2, AC/DC and Eric Clapton.

Scalera said the orders were for people who call his office and that he’s “never done it for myself or my office.”

The bill would require venues to disclose how many tickets are available to the public. Federal legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, a New Jersey Democrat, also would require the disclosure of how many tickets are available to the public.

Democrat Senator Paul Sarlo’s office reserved a total of 68 tickets, the most among elected officials.

Chris Eilert, Sarlo’s chief of staff, said he used tickets to see the Jonas Brothers and Springsteen. The senator also attended shows, Eilert said. To reserve tickets, state officials call the agency’s executive office and give them credit card information for the purchase, he said.

“This is something that has been happening since the authority opened,” said Eilert, who was listed to pick up 66 of the tickets.

The office of Senator Richard Codey, the former acting governor and president of the New Jersey Senate, received a total of 60 tickets, second-most on the list.

“Not me or anybody on my staff went to any of those concerts,” Codey said.

The 57 tickets reserved by Corzine’s office included three tickets to see the Jonas Brothers on July 14 that were held for Jennifer Velez, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services.

Velez paid for the tickets to take her daughter and friend to see the Jonas Brothers, said Ellen Lovejoy, a spokeswoman. The seats were arranged through Corzine’s office, she said.

Pelosi: People Are 'So Thrilled' What ObamaCare Means for Them

Really, people are thrilled about it? How exactly does that jibe with deteriorating poll numbers? Is it possible she's smoking the same stuff as Dingy Harry when he's claiming how people are so nice to him?

Or, more likely, we have coordinated talking points at work here as Democrats furiously spin while their electoral chances dim even further.

Here's the latest spin from The Queen.

Pelosi also underlined her confidence the legislation could withstand political or judicial attacks.

"We wrote the bill very carefully," she said. "It's typical when you pass something of this consequence that those who oppose it would challenge it."

She remained confident the public would embrace the ideas behind the reform as they become more familiar with what it means for them.

"I travel the country, and people are so thrilled about what it means for them, as they learn more about it," she said.

Part of her image problem is her travel and the massive expenses incurred, especially that bar tab.

I'm not sure what part of the country Pelosi is traveling around other than her home district and Washington, but in case she's so drunk with power or taxpayer-funded booze, someone ought to remind her that her approval rating nationally is 11%.

Racist Dog Stabbed by Hate Bark Victim

I wonder if this dog attended any tea parties?

A prejudiced pooch that reportedly disliked minorities was slashed last night by a black man who had grown tired of the dog's incessant barking at him, police said.

The German Shepherd lost an eye, and the alleged slasher — who worked for an oil delivery business where the dog stood guard — was arrested on a felony aggravated cruelty charge.

Andrew Owens, 58, was arraigned this morning in City Court after spending the night in jail.

“The dog reacts to black people, Hispanics, anyone who is not white,” owner Paul Tocco said. “She always barked at him. He (Owens) was well aware the dog didn’t like him, and he knew to stay away from her.”

Where Is the Media Hysteria On Rising Gas Prices?

Just a rhetorical question, of course. Recall two years ago when prices hit around $4 a gallon nationwide and there was absolute hysteria in the media. Every day, all day, top of the hour newscasts we were inundated with stories on how people had to sacrifice food to buy gas. Little old ladies couldn't afford medicine due to gas prices. It was hammered home relentlessly. And, of course, the evil Bush and "greedy" oil companies making a paltry eight cents on the gallon were held responsible. Then when prices dropped precipitously the media hand wringing vanished, Bush wasn't give credit and the sob stories disappeared as fast as an Obama college transcript.

Cut to today and we're seeing prices rise precipitously and when was the last time a national newscast even mentioned gas prices?

The numbers keep ticking up. Nationwide the price of a gallon of gas hit two eighty three this week.

That’s up eight cents over the past month.

It’s up eighty cents from a year ago.

CNBC’s Sharon Epperson said, “If we continue to climb like we’re doing here, for the price of crude oil, we could likely get to that four dollar mark.“

Analysts call it a perfect storm of factors.

More drivers on the road in warmer weather, refineries switching fuel blends for the summer and what could be the biggest driver; futures traders betting on a growing economy.

Former Associate Deputy Secretary of Energy Randa Fahmy Hudome said, “People who are trading the oil futures in the speculation market who are rallying and predicting that the economy is going to increase tremendously.“

They’ve bid up the price of oil to a five month high.

If that trend continues, “That could take the wind out of this economic recovery that we’ve seen, that could starve the economic recovery,“ said Epperson.

Just wait until we're whacked with carbon and energy taxes. Of course the media will spin that as doing our part to save the planet.

Hmmm: Stupak to Retire?

Facing public outrage for selling his soul for ObamaCare, is Michigan's Bart Stupak planning to retire?

With just a few days to go before the end of this recess, House Democrats are cautiously optimistic that they could get through it without a single retirement announcement. That said, there is still a concern that some important incumbents in districts that they are uniquely suited could call it quits. At the top of the concern list this week: Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak. The Democrat best known this year as the Democrat who delivered the winning margin of votes for the president's health-care reform bill is said to be simply exhausted. The criticism he received -- first from the left, and then from the right -- has worn him and his family out. And if he had to make the decision now, he'd probably NOT run.

Aww, the poor thing is worn out. Well, he could have made life easaier if he stuck with his alleged principles. Before he goes, he should see to it that het gets a few more payoffs for his district if he plans on still living there.

Meanwhile, the tea part express is rolling through Michigan this week reminding the voters of Stupak's perfidy.

CNN + Tea Party = FAIL

It seems the liberal media just cannot get out of its own way. I saw a promising article about the Tea Party rallies over on the CNN web site with the title

Reporter's notebook: What really happens at Tea Party Rallies

I said promising because I thought finally somebody is going to do an article to dispel so many of the myths and stereotypes that surround the folks who attend these events and comprise the movement, but alas, the reporter just continued to perpetuate so many of the half-truths while trying to say he was giving a behind the scenes look.

He repeated the now disproven, or at the very least not proven, charge of protestors hollering racist slurs and spitting on African American members of Congress when they walked right through the opponents of the health care bill in Washington DC, led by Queen Pelosi with her smug, arrogant look and oversized gavel.

He spent almost as much time congratulating himself on working for CNN, which was the only national news organization covering the western swing of the Tea Party Express, as he did retelling so many of the anecdotal stories that somehow go from fantasy to fact in the media in regards to this movement. At the same time, he seemed to be condescending in his comments about how African-American members of the crew were not treated harshly or subject to any racial hatred. He was equally amused that nobody chided him for driving a Volvo and went to great lengths to explain how he came about driving that said Volvo.

You can file this report in the fail folder, just like so many of the other reports. The reporter admits surprise at not being treated badly; in fact, he was treated rather nicely, but only uses that in between repeating the very stereotypes and myths he purports to be trying to dispel.

At least the article shows the bias that exists in the minds of those reporting the news for all to see. He had a preconceived notion of who and what the Tea Party was all about and nothing they did was going to prevent him from continuing the agreed-upon narrative and talking points that the media have decided to use against the hard working Americans who make up the Tea Party.

On the other hand, this is about as close to balanced reporting that you are going to get nowadays. Two or three paragraphs showing that these are average Americans, and the rest of the article repeating the story line about how they really aren't racist Obama haters, but just to remind you I am going to throw out this nugget.

'OK, I'll Say It - He's a D***head'

You've got to love the sense of humor of the folks down in Australia. Where else would you possibly see a national campaign that involved the use of the word dickhead?

Boy Racer Lewis Hamilton's misery in Melbourne was complete after he was branded a "d***head" by an Aussie road safety minister.

Former world champion Hamilton was humiliated after he was arrested by traffic cops and had his Mercedes impounded as he drove from the circuit to his team hotel.

Then he launched a furious radio rant at his McLaren bosses after trailing in sixth behind teammate and race winner Jenson Button following a controversial pit stop.

And Hamilton's retreat from Oz added insult to his indignation on the day Victoria transport minister Tim Dallas launched a road safety campaign entitled 'Don't Be A D***head'.

Asked if Hamilton's run-in with the police matched the campaign's criteria, Dallas crowed: "OK, I'll say it - he's a d***head."

Needless to say, the Don't Be a Dickhead campaign is causing quite a stir.

It’s the same concept as the “drink drive bloody idiot” campaign which put the B word up there in lights. Gosh how daring THAT was too but we all know what happens with this sort of propaganda, it’s that irritating Law of Diminishing Returns. After a while “bloody idiot” doesn’t seem quite so hip and happening any more, drivers just got back to running in to trees and wiping out pedestrians and we’re just left with one more swear word that has been approved and stamped by officialdom for public use.

“Dickhead” will go the same way. Thanks to the bow-tied marketing nerds, “dickhead” will have official sanction (although the Premier has been refusing to say it publicly, how hypocritical is that?). So what’s next? I guess we go the F word – then the C-word. After that, there’s not much left. Apparently “shithouse” is already in the “dickhead” series of ads too and we’ve already done “bugger” in a car ad years ago.

Hairy Munchkin Taunts Obama

Gee, that smart diplomacy is really paying dividends, isn't it?

Iran's hard-line president on Wednesday ridiculed President Barack Obama's new nuclear strategy, which turns the U.S. focus away from the Cold War threats and instead aims to stop the spread of atomic weapons to rogue states or terrorists.

Obama on Tuesday announced the new strategy, including a vow not to use nuclear weapons against countries that do not have them. Iran, however, was a notable exception to that pledge, along with North Korea, because Washington accuses them of not cooperating with the international community on nonproliferation standards.

Concerns over Iran's nuclear program figure prominently in the new U.S. strategy. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the focus would now be on terror groups such as al-Qaida as well as North Korea's nuclear buildup and Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad derided Obama over the plan in a speech Wednesday to a crowd of thousands in the country's northwest.

"American materialist politicians, whenever they are beaten by logic, immediately put their finger on the trigger like cowboys," he said.

"Mr. Obama, you are a newcomer (to politics). Wait until your sweat dries and get some experience. Be careful not to read just any paper put in front of you or repeat any statement recommended," Ahmadinejad said in the speech, aired live on state TV. "(American officials) bigger than you, more bullying than you, couldn't do a damn thing, let alone you."

I guess it's time for more outreach and smart power, huh?

Fifteen months in his presidency and we're a joke on the world stage. So glad everyone loves us again.

Classy: NBC Host Tiki Barber Dumped Pregnant Wife for Young Blonde

The folks at NBC must be so proud to have this wholesome family man out there promoting their brand.

Ex-Giants superstar Tiki Barber has dumped his 8-months-pregnant wife, Ginny, for sexy former NBC intern Traci Lynn Johnson, sources told The Post last night.

The football star-turned-"Today" show-correspondent left his wife of 11 years, Ginny, for the 23-year-old blonde, who also worked at 30 Rock, the sources said.

Ginny, who is expecting twins, found out about the relationship late last year, after the run-around running back moved out of their Upper East Side home.

Johnson, a model-thin bombshell, was photographed sitting next to Tiki last month at a Washington, DC, screening of a documentary on Senegal that he hosted for the Travel Channel. Sources believe Johnson also accompanied Tiki to Senegal for the filming late last year, when Ginny was three months pregnant.

The affair is particularly stunning in light of Barber's long-standing disdain for his philandering father.

"I don't give a [bleep] that the relationship didn't work," he said of his parents' split in a 2004 Post interview. "Not only did he abandon her, I felt like he abandoned us for a lot of our lives. I have a hard time forgiving that."

Barber's confidants were shocked.

"He was always the nice guy with a million-dollar smile," a Barber family friend told The Post.

"We were shocked to find out that he could walk out on his wife of 11 years while she's pregnant with twins. He was with this girl in Senegal while Ginny was three months pregnant.

"And we believe she was also with him in Vancouver while he was blogging about the Winter Olympics for Yahoo.com."

As a NY Giants fan I'm so glad this locker-room cancer decided to retire when he did. Is it any wonder as soon as he left they won a Super Bowl?

'Where Do We Get the Free Obama Care, and How Do I Sign Up For That?'

It's a good thing Obama and the Democrats patiently explained the glorious benefits of socialized medicine to us or doctors might be inundated with questions like this.

Oh wait, they didn't explain it? You mean they don't even know what's in the bill themselves yet?

Two weeks after President Barack Obama signed the big health care overhaul into law, Americans are struggling to understand how — and when — the sweeping measure will affect them.

Questions reflecting confusion have flooded insurance companies, doctors' offices, human resources departments and business groups.

"They're saying, 'Where do we get the free Obama care, and how do I sign up for that?' " said Carrie McLean, a licensed agent for eHealthInsurance.com. The California-based company sells coverage from 185 health insurance carriers in 50 states.

McLean said the call center had been inundated by uninsured consumers who were hoping that the overhaul would translate into instant, affordable coverage. That widespread misconception may have originated in part from distorted rhetoric about the legislation bubbling up from the hyper-partisan debate about it in Washington and some media outlets, such as when opponents denounced it as socialism.

"We tell them it's not free, that there are going to be things in place that help people who are low-income, but that ultimately most of that is not going to be taking place until 2014," McLean said.

Adults with pre-existing conditions are frustrated to learn that insurers won't have to cover them until 2014 (though those under 18 will be protected in late September); then they become both hopeful and confused upon learning that a federal high-risk pool for them will be established in the next few months. "Health insurance is so confusing. You add this on top of it and it makes it even more confusing," McLean said.

The Obama administration is embarking on a years-long public education campaign about the overhaul, including a Web component. However, much of the guidance will depend on Department of Health and Human Services regulations that are still being developed

A years-long campaign? Why didn't they take care of that before shoving this crap sandwich down our throats?

Thankfully we have some useful idiots from Hollywood to let us know how wonderful being herded like sheep into a government boondoggle will be.

Actor Sam Robards, the son of Lauren Bacall and the late Jason Robards, was visiting Washington last week with his children and Danish-born wife. Chatting in front of the White House gate, he said he tried to follow news coverage of the overhaul but conceded that "I'm not totally clear" on the details. He said he was glad that he got good coverage through the Screen Actors Guild so he didn't have to worry about it.

The couple previously lived in Denmark, which has universal health coverage. They applauded the overhaul's aim of extending coverage to nearly all Americans.

He'll probably soon be heading back to Denmark once the evil Republicans regain Congress.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

Dear Leader Sets World Fashion Trend

Admit it, you figured this was another puff piece about Obama, didn't you? Well, I'm sure one of his bootlickers at MSNBC will dispute this, but there truly is only one Dear Leader and we all bow to his sartorial splendor. This cat doesn't do mom jeans, people.

The trademark suit sported by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is now in fashion worldwide thanks to his greatness, Pyongyang's official website said Wednesday.

Uriminzokkiri, quoting an article in communist party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, said the modest-looking suits have gripped people's imagination and become a global vogue.

"The reason is that the august image of the Great General, who is always wearing the modest suit while working, leaves a deep impression on people's mind in the world," it said.

"To sum it up, that is because his image as a great man is so outstanding."

The article quoted an unidentified French fashion expert as saying world fashion follows Kim Jong-Il's style.

"Kim Jong-Il mode which is now spreading expeditiously worldwide is something unprecedented in the world's history," the stylist was quoted as saying.

The suits consist of an overall-style zipped-up tunic and matching trousers, usually in khaki or blueish-grey.

The 68-year-old leader wears them even when receiving foreign dignitaries.

During his outside "field guidance" trips in winter, he also dons a shapeless anorak and fur hat.

In other Nork news, the global fashion icon has sentenced an American teacher to eight years hard labor. Expect our Secretary of State, a global leader in pantsuit fashion, to go groveling shortly.

North Korea has sentenced an American teacher to eight years of hard labor and ordered him to pay a $700,000 fine after he crossed illegally into the country - the fourth U.S. citizen to be detained by the islolated regime since last year.

Aijalon Mahli Gomes, of Boston, acknowledged his wrongdoing during a trial at the Central Court Tuesday, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said in a brief dispatch on Wednesday.

The North said last month that it arrested Gomes, 30, on Jan. 25 for trespassing after he crossed into the country from China.

Gomes, a graduate of Bowdoin College in Maine, had been teaching English in South Korea and no details have emerged about why he went to the North. However, Jo Sung-rae, a Seoul-based activist, said Gomes may have been inspired by his acquaintance with an American missionary who made a similar trip to the North in December to protest the country's human rights record.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Unless You Tweet It, Of Course

Am I the only one who finds this a little strange?

At 5:38 p.m. this afternoon, actor Jim Carrey tweeted: “Jenny and I have just ended our 5yr relationship. I’m grateful 4 the many blessings we’ve shared and I wish her the very best! S’okay! ?;^>”

Given the Carrey is, to say the least, a tad bit of a prankster, Speakeasy weren’t sure if the “Yes Man” actor was being truthful or not about the end of his relationship with actress and autism activist Jenny McCarthy. He could have been pulling the social-media version of a Jack “Post-It” Berger breakup. So we contacted his publicist, who confirmed that Carrey’s (”tweetment”) was legit, telling us via email: “Jim and Jenny have recently decided to end their five year relationship. They are grateful for the many blessings they have shared and wish each other the very best.”

I've found some interesting folks on Twitter, enjoy following it for news and some occasional chatter, but I think the last thing I'd do is announcing intimate personal news or a breakup. Is this what publicists are for?

'If at the End of the Day We Need to Raise Taxes, We Should Raise Taxes'

They'd like to raise taxes at the beginning, middle and end of every day, except they're anathema to the public. But hey, if they're willing to further compound their misery and ensure electoral disaster this November, this is a good way to start.

Volcker, answering a question from the audience at a New York Historical Society event, said the value-added tax "was not as toxic an idea" as it has been in the past and also said a carbon or other energy-related tax may become necessary.

Though he acknowledged that both were still unpopular ideas, he said getting entitlement costs and the U.S. budget deficit under control may require such moves. "If at the end of the day we need to raise taxes, we should raise taxes," he said.

I'd like to see a poll to see how toxic a VAT would be, not to mention a carbon tax.

These people really need a good smackdown come November. Which is probably why they're in such bad shape they think running against Bush is a marketable strategy.

This Day In Litigation: Stripper Sues Over Tainted Integrity

It's come to this: Strippers concerned over their intergrity.

Get it right - she would never bare her breasts for Scores.

A former stripper at the Penthouse Executive Club is outraged that her sexy snapshots were used in ads for Scores, according to a new lawsuit.

Nicole Hughes, who peeled off her top at the W. 45th St. jiggle joint from April 2007 to July 2009, contends her "integrity as an adult entertainer" was tainted when her pictures popped up last year on billboards for Scores.

"Ms. Hughes has suffered severe emotional distress as well as severe financial hardship and disruption to her life as a result of [Scores'] unlawful actions, and her involuntary public affiliation with the 'Scores' name," her suit says.

The suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, charges that Hughes was "forced" to take part for the May 2008 photo shoot and "misled" into thinking her pictures would only be used to lure strip club fans into the Penthouse club.

"The defendant compelled Ms. Hughes to execute the release by threatening Ms. Hughes that she would not be able to work for Penthouse ever again and would have to go home if she didn't sign," the suit says. "[Hughes] did not even receive the $4.00 that was promised in connection with signing the release," the suit says.

Maybe someone could slip a fivespot into her g-string and she can move on with her life.

One can only imagine her horror.

"I was riding in the back of a taxi minding my business, looking out the window, and boom, there I am, massive in my underwear on a billboard for Scores! I about fell out of my seat," she said.

"I was so upset that I called my mom and then, boom, another one!"

The Levine & Blit lawyer said his client had tried to keep her dancing life private, but now "it was in the open for everyone to see - friends, family, everyone."

If she wanted to keep it private, why'd she call her mommy?

Porn Star Dumps Democrats, Declares Herself a Republican

It's all about financial frugality or something. As well as an obvious tweak of the RNC.

"While this decision has not been an easy one, recent events regarding Republican National Committee fundraising at Voyeur, an LA based lesbian bondage themed nightclub finally tipped the scales.

"As I have said for well over a year, it is time that our government and our tax policy begin rewarding entrepreneurship and creativity again. It is time again to inspire positive risks and out-of-the-box thinking in the interest of growing a strong economy and a strong America.

"For me, this spirit can be summed up in the RNC's investment of donor funds at Voyeur.

"As someone who has worked extensively in both the club and film side of the Adult Entertainment Industry, I know from experience that a mere $1900 outlay at a club with the reputation of Voyeur is a clear indication of a frugal investment with a keen eye toward maximum return.

"And I firmly believe that it is precisely this type of creative and calculated investing that we, as taxpaying Americans, should expect not only from our political parties but from our government. The American taxpayer deserves consistent conservatives who reject wasteful spending and unwarranted government intervention in the private sector.

"As is the case with so many of my fellow Louisianans, I have been a registered Democrat throughout my life. But now I cannot help but recognize that over time my libertarian values regarding both money and sex and the legal use of one for the other is now best espoused by the Republican Party."

Washington Man Charged With Threatening Senator Murray

Unlike the maniac who threatened to kill Eric Cantor, I'm sure this story will merit mention on the evening newscasts.

A Washington state man has been charged with threatening to kill Democratic Washington Sen. Patty Murray over her support for health care reform.

Court documents say federal agents arrested Charles Alan Wilson in Yakima on Tuesday.

An FBI agent's probable cause statement says Murray's office in Seattle reported the threats, which were left on voice mail from a blocked telephone number. Agents say they traced the calls to Wilson's home in Selah, near Yakima.

Murray's office told the FBI that it had been receiving harassing messages from the caller for months, but they became more threatening as Congress was voting on health care legislation.

Clearly anyone dumb enough to threaten public officials deserves what they've got coming. The fact this idiot did it from his home should earn him bonus time.

Naturally the usual suspects in the leftwing blogosphere are giddy and breaking out their usual juvenile "teabagger" comments. We have no knowledge that Wilson had any affiliation with tea parties, nor do we know if he's a Republican or Democrat. But that won't stop the left from shamelessly smearing millions of people by the actions of one man.

A Charles A. Wilson who would match the suspect's age is listed in the Washington voter database but it does not identify by party affiliation and it doesn't appear he's listed close to the city where the suspect reportedly hails from.

Change! Democrats Plan to Run Against Bush This Fall

The same, old tired playbook to be unveiled this fall. They've got nothing to run on themselves so they figure they can play the Bush card again.

Weak. Very weak.

House Democrats plan to revive the political ghost of former President George W. Bush in their bid to retain the majority this fall, according to Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the head of the party’s re-election efforts.

Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, on Tuesday signaled House Democrats will try to repeat their success in the last two election cycles by once again running under a change banner.

Well, if their signature legislation of healthcare is so popular, why not run on that?

“This time we will make the case that supporting a Republican is simply turning back the clock to Bush economic policies, the same policies that got us into this mess to begin with,” he told reporters gathered at the downtown offices of Third Way, a centrist Democratic think thank. Republicans, Van Hollen added, “will I think put themselves clearly in the position where they represent the status quo and that the Democrats, while we have the White House and both houses of Congress, remain the party of change and reform.”

Van Hollen waved off comparisons to the 1994 midterm elections, when insurgent Republicans channeled popular dissatisfaction with Democratic control to knock off 54 Democrats and win back the House. But Van Hollen argued that in 1994 — unlike now — the GOP presented itself as a viable alternative; Democrats were caught flat-footed; and President Bill Clinton’s support was sagging.

And while Van Hollen declined to predict how many seats Democrats will lose in November, he stated flatly they will maintain control of the chamber. “Our Republican colleagues are prematurely measuring the curtains in their new offices and prematurely popping the champagne bottles, because we’re going to make sure this is not 1994 all over again,” he said.

Sure, it won't be 1994 all over again.

It'll be 1946.

Recent polls tell me that the Democratic Party is in the worst shape I have seen during my 50 years of following politics closely. So I thought it would be interesting to look back at the biggest Republican victory of the last 80 years, the off-year election of 1946. Republicans in that election gained 13 seats in the Senate and emerged with a 51–45 majority there, the largest majority that they enjoyed between 1930 and 1980. And they gained 55 seats in the House, giving them a 246–188 majority in that body, the largest majority they have held since 1930. The popular vote for the House was 53% Republican and 44% Democratic, a bigger margin than Republicans have won ever since. And that’s even more impressive when you consider that in 1946 Republicans did not seriously contest most seats in the South. In the 11 states that had been part of the Confederacy, Democrats won 103 of 105 seats and Republicans won only 2 seats in east Tennessee. In the 37 non-Confederate states, in contrast, Republicans won 246 of 330 seats, compared to only 85 for Democrats.

Freaky: Biologists Discover Giant Lizard With Two Penises

I guess this creature shouldn't be compared with the dickless, husky, pony-tailed blogger.

BIOLOGISTS have reported the discovery of a spectacular species of giant lizard, a reptile as long as a full-grown man is tall, and said it is endowed with a double penis.

The secretive but brightly-coloured beast, a monitor lizard, is a close cousin of the komodo dragon of Indonesia.

But unlike the fearsome dragon, it is not a carnivore, nor does it feast on rotting meat.

Instead, it is entirely peaceable and tucks into fruit.

Dubbed Varanus bitatawa, the lizard measures two metres in length, according to the account, published by Britain's Royal Society.

It was found in a river valley on northern Luzon Island in the Philippines, surviving loss of habitat and hunting by local people who use it for food.

Headline of the Day: 'Scam alert issued on new health care law'

The whole damn thing is a scam, which makes this the perfect headline. Imagine the shock of this dimwit Sebelius to find out scammers are trying to scam people over a scam pulled by scammers.

It's scam-tastic!

President Barack Obama's top health official says scam artists are taking advantage of the new insurance law to peddle phony policies.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday she's writing state officials about a proliferation of scams involving the new health care law, which Obama signed March 23. Federal fraud investigators are also on the lookout.

Of course we don't get to enjoy the wondrous "benefits" of this scam until 2014.

In fact, the big expansion of coverage won't come until 2014. And door-to-door salespeople are unlikely to be part of the plan.

Of course that'll probably change since about 20 million more people will be unemployed by then and the gubmint can use some of them as muscle for the IRS agents that will be coming door-to-door to make sure you're signing up.

Dead on Arrival: Women Try to Smuggle Corpse Onto Plane

Those baggage fees are a killer, especially when your baggage is a dead man.

Two women have been arrested after they allegedly tried to smuggle their dead relative on to a passenger plane.

The corpse was pushed in on a wheelchair - complete with sunglasses - to try to fool staff at the check in desk at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, it is claimed.

The man's body had been driven to the airport in a taxi after the women told the driver he was asleep.

But as his two companions attempted to check the dead man in for a flight to Berlin on Saturday, staff became suspicious and alerted the authorities.

The two women were arrested at the scene.

It is understood the 91-year-old German national had died a day earlier, and an attempt was being made to smuggle his body back to his homeland.

A source said: 'The airport staff at the check in were not happy with the situation.
The women, aged 44 and 66, are currently being questioned 'on suspicion of failing to give notification of a death'.

The body was brought to the airport from a house in Oldham.

An airport source said: 'They tried to get him in by a wheelchair. He was wearing sunglasses.

'He was dead before they got him in the taxi and he had been dead for a day.'

The cab driver is said to have been left 'upset and devastated' after being informed.

It is believed the two women attempted to smuggle the body back to avoid repatriation fees, which can be as much as £3,000.

Big White Sox Fan Can't Name Any White Sox He Rooted For Growing Up, Enjoyed Games at 'Cominsky' Park

Obama: “You know uh ….. I … I thought that … uh …. you know … the truth is a lot of the Cubs I like too! But, uh … I did not become a Sox fan until I moved to Chicago. Because I uh …. I was growing up in Hawaii so I ended up actually being an Oakland A’s fan.”

He also refers to Comiskey Park as Cominsky Park.

What a two-bit phony boob. Typical of his front-running ways he wound up rooting for the Oakland A's just when they were winning three consecutive World Series. He probably later became a fan of the Big Red Machine and New York Yankees in the later 1970s. I wonder also why he wasn't a San Diego Padres or LA Dodger fan since Hawaii is closer to those cities than Oakland? And why not the San Francisco Giants? Oh, probably because all those teams weren't winning titles in the 70s.

Color me suspicious, but why do I get the feeling Obama didn't become a White Sox fan until 2005?

Via SBB.

This just in: Obama announces he will be rooting for Duke last night and predicts a close game with Butler having a shot to win at the end.

Obama Administration Ready To Piss Away Ten Years of Sacrifice

In yet further proof of this administration's application of "smart power" they have now managed to totally hack off the president of Afghanistan. Nobody is going to deny that there were problems with the elections recently held, but if this administration is going to hail Chavez in Venezuela as some sort of hero then they need to drop their criticism of Karzai.

The Afghan President’s frustration boiled over at a closed meeting on Saturday. According to one Afghan MP who was present, Mr Karzai said: “If I come under foreign pressure, I might join the Taleban.”

This country hasn't seen this level of destruction since Sherman made his infamous march to the sea. Instead of leaving torn-up railroad tracks and burned plantations in their wake, they have instead used the Constitution to light the stogies of their political allies, and shackled all of us with the chains of debt and reliance on the federal government for everything from the cars we buy, the banks we do business with, loans for school and our very life by their takeover of healthcare in America.

This revelation coming on the heels of the nuanced new policy in regards to our nuclear stockpiles have our enemies not just knocking on the gates, but coming into the kingdom in a ticker tape parade.

Everybody wants to stay optimistic and talk about upcoming elections as a chance to restore the republic; I have my doubts we will survive that long or that the damage being done by this administration can be reversed.

Environmental Wacko Sentenced For Attempted Firebombing

I blame Al Gore for this leftist culture of violence.

A Texas man who tried to firebomb a condominium development under construction in Pasadena has been sentenced to five years in federal prison.

Prosecutors say 44-year-old Stephen Murphy apologized to the court and to his fiancee Monday before he was sentenced in federal court in Los Angeles.

He pleaded guilty in January to conspiring with another member of the environmental extremist movement Earth Liberation Front to burn down the multimillion-dollar condos with a juice bottle containing gasoline in 2006. The timer attached to the bomb failed.

So due to his incompetence he lucks out and gets only five years.

He should get an additional five for eating tofurky.

Instapundit links. Thanks!

'There's Definitely a Culture of Favoritism, Which in My Impression Seems to be Based on Gender and Color'

These Democrats love to pay lip service to equality, but they never seem to walk the walk. Why are these Democrats such racist, sexist pigs?

There's an Ol' Boys Club in Brooklyn's Borough Hall.

That's the picture emerging from a sex-discrimination suit against Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Documents in the case show Markowitz slamming female staffers as incompetent - deriding one as "Tinkerbell" - while admitting under oath he kept an absentee male staffer on the payroll.

"There's like an old boys network mentality," said Regina Weiss, Markowitz's ex-communications director, who is suing for discrimination.

Another ex-staffer named in the documents echoed Weiss' charge.

"There's definitely a culture of favoritism, which in my impression seems to be based on gender and color," Sharon Toomer, a predecessor of Weiss, told The News. "That culture is driven by the borough president himself."

Depositions from Markowitz and his former chief of staff, Gregory Atkins, reveal a third staffer complained about a dirty joke "that had something to do with a sausage," Atkins said.

Convenient how the word "Democrat" is conspicuously missing from the story.

Thompson Has Big Lead Over Feingold

Maybe Tommy Thompson should seriously consider running against Russ Feingold.

A new poll suggests that if Republican Tommy Thompson decides to get into the U.S. Senate race, he would defeat Democratic incumbent Russ Feingold.

The St. Norbert College Survey Center Poll released Tuesday shows Thompson with 45 percent support compared with 33 percent for Feingold.

Thompson fares much better than a generic Republican Feingold opponent. Feingold captures 40 percent compared with 37 percent for an unnamed Republican challenger.

Terrence Wall and Dave Westlake are running as Republicans but Thompson has flirted with getting into the race.

Since Thompson didn't vote against ObamaCare he apparently doesn't have to worry about the mythical backlash brewing against the GOP.

This poll is starkly at odds with a Daily Kos poll from last week.

Wonderful: Obama Plans to Limit Our National Defense Capability

It really seems as if this regime intends to leave America as weak and defenseless as possible. I've really got to question the motivation here.

President Obama said Monday that he was revamping American nuclear strategy to substantially narrow the conditions under which the United States would use nuclear weapons, even in self defense.

WE now have a president of the United States who would not use all out capabilities to defend the country he has sworn to defend.

But the president said in an interview that he was carving out an exception for “outliers like Iran and North Korea” that have violated or renounced the main treaty to halt nuclear proliferation.

Discussing his approach to nuclear security the day before formally releasing his new strategy, Mr. Obama described his policy as part of a broader effort to edge the world toward making nuclear weapons obsolete, and to create incentives for countries to give up any nuclear ambitions. To set an example, the new strategy renounces the development of any new nuclear weapons, overruling the initial position of his own defense secretary.

Mr. Obama’s strategy is a sharp shift from those adopted by his predecessors and seeks to revamp the nation’s nuclear posture for a new age in which rogue states and terrorist organizations are greater threats than traditional powers like Russia and China.

So it seems he plans to disarm us while charming rogue states into giving up their nuclear ambitions. Sounds like a nifty plan.

Sign of the Times

Well, this sure is an attention grabber. Probably very helpful if you're looking for a hooker.

The experienced motorist will have seen a multitude of road signs warning of children crossing, elderly pedestrians and wildlife.

But the one to the right would surely prompt a second glance.

Some might say that the image of a well-endowed woman in mini-skirt and high heels is, in itself, a hazard.

Giovanni Azzolini, mayor of Mogliano in the Italian province of Treviso, however is determined to use every means to fight the growing number of prostitutes – often transsexuals – who line the streets at night.

‘I will not leave any citizen alone to combat this phenomenon, which has by now surpassed any level of tolerability,’ he said.

He added that some motorists were having accidents after being distracted by scantily-dressed hookers.

Tea Partier Issues Death Threat: 'The Next Time I See You, You Will Be In a Box'

These tea partiers really need to control themselves. This wave of violent threats is really getting out of hand. Oh wait, it wasn't a tea partier? It was a Hollywood liberal and pal of dictator Hugo Chavez?

Actor Sean Penn threatened to kill a paparazzo if he ever ran into him again, according to a new lawsuit filed by the photographer, entertainment website TMZ reported Monday.

In a suit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Jordan Dawes claims Penn assaulted him by “kicking and punching” him as he filmed a documentary about paparazzi in October 2009.

Dawes says Penn broke his camera and said, “The next time I see you, you will be in a box."

These angry liberals really need to control themselves.

Pure Hilarity: Obama Throws Out First Pitch

Maybe next year they can let him throw from the woman's tee. Either that or just stop showing up at sporting events and ruining any of the diversions we Americans enjoy to get away from his face. It would be nice tonight if we could enjoy a basketball game without once hearing about him.

Obama has now scheduled a press conference for tomorrow where he'll announce his pick for the winner of tonight's game between Butler and Duke. Rumor has it he's leaning toward the eventual winner. Upside to the end of the college basketball season? No more Obama on ESPN for at least another week.

I almost wish I were in DC to see this live. People must have been laughing their asses off at this moron. Enjoy it now because the media will probably bury this quickly. All those sportswriters and TV types who slobber over him will not be amused to see their hero is so lame. Of course if this were Bush we'd see this clip 24/7 for the rest of our lives.

Amazingly, CBS reports some in the crowd booed Obama.

The AP calls this pathetic effort historic.

Traitorous Hack Now Viewed as 'Model Democrat'

Let's see. He votes against the will of his constituents, has a smug, condescending attitude, is a slimy opportunist, enjoys backroom deals, is a cranky prick and faces the end of his career come November.

By golly, they're right. He is a model Democrat.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) says he feels fully comfortable with his new party since leaving the GOP almost a year ago.

And, facing a challenge from the left in the May Democratic primary, Specter seems every bit the reliable foot soldier.

He’s become a leading advocate for organized labor within the Senate Democratic Conference and has developed close working relationships with some of the party’s most influential leaders.

“My colleagues on the Democratic side have been very receptive,” Specter said in an interview.

Well, of course they are. There isn't anyone Democrats love more than a useful idiot.

“They were glad to see me buck the Republican obstructionism and provide key support on the stimulus and the 60th vote on healthcare reform,” he said.

When he was a Republican, Specter gave GOP leaders and the conservative base fits with his independent stands, such as not voting to convict former President Bill Clinton during Senate impeachment proceedings.

Despite vowing independence when he switched parties on April 28 of last year, Specter has become a model Democratic senator.

During Specter’s 29-year career as a Senate Republican, he voted with Democrats 35 percent of the time. Since switching parties in 2009, he has cast more than 95 out of 100 votes with Democratic leaders.

Specter said his political outlook became “irreconcilable” with the GOP when most of his Republican colleagues refused to support economic stimulus legislation that he says “saved the country from a 1929 depression.”

Of course the stimulus hasn't worked in the slightest, but hey, don't let facts get in the way of a good puff piece.

Meet the 'Beaster Bunny'

Good Lord, look at the size of this creature. Must be taking some bunny steroids.

At 4ft 3in from nose to tail, Darius the Continental Giant has been crowned the world's biggest rabbit. And he's still growing.

Darius, pictured with six-year-old Georgia Hadley, is only just over 12 months old and breeder Annette Edwards expects him to keep adding to his 3st 7lb bulk for at least another six months.

That's good news for her greengrocer in Worcester because he already eats 12 carrots, six apples and two cabbages a day.

Thanks to his huge appetite, he has stolen the title from Alice, who also weighs 3st 7lb but at 3ft 3in is a foot shorter than her offspring.

And Darius may grow bigger still. Former pet shop owner Annette Edwards, who bred both rabbits, said she expects him to keep developing for at least six months before reaching his full size.

She said: 'He is very gentle and I wonder if this has helped him grow bigger than the rest. But he also runs around, so the combination of food and exercise has worked out for him.

'He really is a handsome beast and there's always a glint in his eye when you go near him.

'The frightening thing is that Darius is still growing so he could be absolutely massive by the time he reaches full size.'

Thanks to Hot Air for the link.