Watch this video and marvel at how small we are in relation to other planets.
Whoa.

Whispers from Hotline…
We’re not trying to start anything but with the decision by Evan Bayh to not run, there was a lot of commentary on the Sunday shows wondering if Mark Warner was having second thoughts.
And by sheer coincidence this week, one of our NH spies informed us they received a holiday card in the [...]

You’re literally not going to believe this…
Because of the prevailing prices of metals, the cost of producing pennies and nickels exceeds the coins’ face value.
A nickel is 25 percent nickel and 75 percent copper. The metal in one coin costs 6.99 cents for each 5-cent coin.
Modern pennies have 2.5 percent copper content with zinc making [...]

Governmental transparency is good — unless it involves legislative salaries.
Rep. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., introduced a bill that would remove all information on House employees from public records….
Wicker’s spokesman, Kyle Steward, said the Web site is what prompted his boss’ interest in drafting legislation. Seward said Wicker plans to reintroduce the measure when the new Congress [...]

He had bleeding in the brain.
From the AP:
Johnson, 59, suffered from bleeding in the brain caused by a congenital malformation, the U.S. Capitol physician said. He described the surgery as successful. The condition, usually present at birth, causes tangled blood vessels that can block the flow of blood or rupture.
“The senator is recovering without complication,” [...]

This from Reuters:
While there was no immediate word on the condition of the 59-year-old senator, the source, who is familiar with Johnson’s situation, said surgeons sought to remedy an unspecified medical problem.
Just hours after Johnson was admitted to George Washington University Hospital, a spokeswoman for him said the senator had not suffered a stroke. She [...]

Seriously…this is funny. Because if you break the law, you should report it to the IRS…trust them…they won’t say anything.
From AllFinancialMatters:
Bribes. If you receive a bribe, include it in your income.
Illegal income. Illegal income, such as money from dealing illegal drugs, must be included in your income on Form 1040, line 21, or on Schedule [...]

Oddly enough…yes.
From CNN:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration is considering doing away with health standards that cut lead from gasoline, widely regarded as one of the nation’s biggest clean-air accomplishments.
The Environmental Protection Agency said this week that revoking those standards might be justified “given the significantly changed circumstances since lead was listed in 1976″ as [...]

That’s many people’s dream, and an Oregon Senator is offering a plan that may make it a reality.
From USA Today:
WASHINGTON (AP) � A dozen years after Congress rejected a Clinton administration plan for universal health care, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is readying a proposal to provide health care coverage to all Americans through a pool [...]

Sorry readers, I jumped the gun. My apologies for that. And it looks as if he’s doing better.
From the AP:
Johnson, who turns 60 on Dec. 28, was admitted to George Washington University Hospital with an undiagnosed illness, said a spokeswoman, Julianne Fisher.
She said, however, the senator did not suffer a stroke or heart attack. His [...]

First, my thoughts and prayers are with Senator Johnson and his family. Let’s hope this is not a life-threatenting event.
Second, a statement from his office…
“Senator Tim Johnson was taken to George Washington University Hospital this afternoon suffering from a possible stroke. As this stage, he is undergoing a comprehensive evaluation by the stroke team. [...]

I’m back. I went away to carry out some projects, but I’m back. Thanks to Justin for the patience. In this post I’m going to lay out what I’ve been busy with. Tomorrow I will come and post some of the foreign policy discussions I’ve been having with progressive leftists.
If you haven’t done so, please [...]

(UPDATE: It’s the real guy. See below original post for his email response.)
In Sean’s great post about restricting free speech, the lone commenter says this…
The report in which I said that gas chambers did not exist, was the result of a summary of news articles about me and was NOT, I repeat, NOT what I [...]

(Note: I’m “pushing” this post back to the top because of some confusion about whether or not these military people violated any rules. See below the original for new info.)
It’s my firm belief that the evangelical movement will beging to slow and eventually come to a pretty distinct stoppage in the next 20 years. That’s [...]

As all of you undoubtedly know by now, Iran is hosting a conference on the Holocaust. Billed as an academic inquiry, the thinly-veiled gathering of Holocaust deniers has drawn international criticism.
Let’s be clear here. Holocaust deniers rank right up there with flat-earthers as people not to be taken seriously. They’re a bit like creationists, pointing [...]

A charming new video game from the folks who brought you the Left Behind book series is on the shelves right now, and well…if you don’t think radical, extremists have taken over the evangelical movement and are now its voice…please keep reading.
From SF Chronicle:
Liberal and progressive Christian groups say a new computer game in which [...]

Please take a moment and go vote for The Moderate Voice in the Weblog Awards. As you’ll soon find out, the category is Best Centrist Blog, and since I blog over there from time to time…well, consider it a vote for Donklephant too.
I know it’s silly, but just vote here.
Thanks.

You know the center has grabbed the attention of Washington when the money flocks to them. But how will centrists conduct themselves?
From The Hill:
Worried about what the Democratic Congress may mean for their business clients, to say nothing of the new limits on member access Democrats may impose as part of an ethics reform package, [...]

…much more than they do Bush.
Certainly not surprising, and definitely not hard to imagine, but what does that mean for our Iraq policy going forward? Will Bush pay attention or simply stick to his guns?
More from Gallup:
Regardless of their familiarity with the Iraq Study Group, more than 7 in 10 Americans support three of [...]

Clicking on the ‘Buy Now’ button for cheap Chinese-made goods at Amazon.com, we’re little different than Lord Bellamy summoning servants with his new-fangled electric buzzer for afternoon tea.