LIVE AT FIVE – 01.03.12
Posted on | January 3, 2012 | 5 Comments
— compiled by Wombat-socho
TOP NEWS
24 Year Old Arrested In LA Arson Spree
Tough luck to those who had (redacted) in the pool
Iranian Navy Test-Fires Cruise Missile
Strutting their stuff during maneuvers near the Strait of Hormuz
Cuomo Gets Credit For Governing From Center
Dismisses talk of White House run
POLITICS
Decision Day Here For Hawkeye Caucii
Overview of the last day’s campaign events, per the Des Moines Register
YOUR WORLD IS DOOMED AND ONLY RON PAUL CAN SAVE YOU
SecDef Panetta Facing Tough Choices
Mitt Romney Redefines Momentum
Obama Returns To Chilly Washington, Political Scene
Supremes Take Up Idaho Property Rights Dispute
THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Brent Crude Hits $109 On China Data, Iranian Threats
European Stocks, Euro Firm On Economy Hopes
Dollar Falls As Signs Of Manufacturing Growth Damp Safety Demand
Smallest S&P Gain Since 2005 Seen By Wall Street Analysts
Caterpillar, Rio Tinto Lock Out Canadian Workers After Talks Fail
No Hacking Required: Rupert Murdoch Signs Up For Twitter
WebOS: Doomed From The Start?
A Tasteless iDea
Gasoline Falls Below $3 In Denver
EA, Nintendo, Sony Withdraw Support For SOPA
SPORTS
Australia Takes Charge After Restricting India

India's Sehwag walks from the field after being dismissed by Australia's Pattinson during the second cricket test in Sydney
Pattinson takes four wickets as Aussies bundle India out for 191 on second day of Test, finish frenetic day on 116 for three
Oklahoma State Beats Stanford 41-38 In Fiesta Bowl
Quack Attack: Oregon Sets Rose Bowl Records
Rangers Rally For Classic Finish
Defense Struggles, Early Mistakes Lead To Thunder’s First Loss Of Season
FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Aretha Franklin Getting Married
Queen of Soul gets her king
Demi Moore To Play Gloria Steinem In “Lovelace”
Beyonce “Enormously Pregnant In Sky-High Heels”
Brandi Glanville Drunkenly Weds MMA Manager Darin Harvey
Kirstie Alley: I’m Dancing For 100 Days
Katy Perry Leaning On Rihanna During Divorce
Ellen Barkin Blasts NYPD, Bloomberg Over #OWS Arrests
Hefner Makes New Year’s Resolution: Stay A Bachelor
Carnie Wilson Says Weight Is Back Up
Derek Jeter & Minka Kelly Rekindling Romance?
FOREIGNERS
France Wants Stricter Sanctions On Iran
Arab League Says Syria Monitors Helping, Activists Disagree
Egypt Holds Final Round Of Voting As Mubarak Faces Prosecutors
Opposition Protests New Hungarian Constitution
Chile Battles Huge Forest Fires
Government Bans All Spas In Maldives After Islamist Protests
BLOGS & STUFF
NRO Corner: Newt Doubts He’ll Win Iowa, Slams Romney
Pirate’s Cove: Can Ron Paul Capture The Youth Vote?
Legal Insurrection: Dear Iowa, A Vote For Santorum Is A Vote For Romney
Verum Serum: Santorum Surging, So Here Comes The Race Card
Israel Matzav: Why Iowa?
Gateway Pundit: “60 Minutes” Grills Eric Cantor On Why He’s A Republican In Sunday Night Hit Piece
American Power: #OWS Crashes Rose Parade With 70′ Nazi-Era Octopus Depicting Global Jewish Conspiracy
Pat Dollard: The Book – GOP Publishes 500-Pages Of Quotes And Videos Using Obama Against Obama
Yid With Lid: Former Staffer Eric Dondero Responds To Ron Paul’s “I Don’t Believe In 9/11 Conspiracies”
Jihad Watch: Egyptian Islamist Preacher Calls For Ministry To Promote Virtue
Biased BBC: Polly Toynbee’s Blind Prejudice
Ed Driscoll: Andrea Mitchell’s Bitter Clingers Moment
SOTD: Explosive
Santorum, Duggars, And Fundraising As The Deadline Looms
Posted on | January 2, 2012 | 6 Comments
by Smitty
Stacy is getting down to crunch time, somewhere in the corner of an Iowa deli. He asks that I call your attention to something he put up in the Green Room, over at Hot Air:
For months, Santorum has been the only Republican presidential candidate whose campaign didn’t have a big custom bus – and he still doesn’t, because this bus actually belongs to the famous Duggar family of Arkansas, who arrived in the Hawkeye State this week to join their favorite candidate’s final push in the Iowa caucuses. I interviewed John Duggar, one of the family’s 20 children, at the event in Boone:
Also over at Hot Air, Tina Korbe quotes Political Ticker’s note from Rick on finances:
“I would just stay this: We have raised more money in the last few days than we have in the last few months. And going from zero to 60 in the polls, if you will, will help those resources a lot,” said Santorum, in response to a question from the town’s mayor, asking if the candidate had the financial resources to take on President Barack Obama.
Nothing succeeds like success. Tomorrow’s caucus vote is rather clearly as crucial to Santorum’s campaign viability as, say, the 2010 election was the the survival of this country.
While falling short of saying that other candidates have not also worked hard, one might venture that a candidate who has had to scrape by, and spend more time pressing the flesh could have a better finger on the pulse of the Tea Parties than the more insider, elite, well-heeled, deep pocketed, fully staffed, focus group tested, hung out in the queue and now it’s their turn, dol burn it, ones.
Rule 5 Monday: Apocalypse Edition
Posted on | January 2, 2012 | 11 Comments
— compiled by Wombat-socho
So here we are in 2012, when according to a bunch of people who don’t understand Mayan the ancestors of today’s Guatemalans say the world is going to end. Whatever; we have pulchritude to post! On the off chance that your HR department gets to you before the Rapture happens, though, I remind you that the following links contain a vast selection of pictures which are not even remotely work safe despite containing no soft-core or hard-core pr0n. Tits may bring hits, but they also bring the hairy eyeball of HR, so don’t read this at work, mmmkay? On with the show!
First out of the inbox this week is Laughing Conservative with Emily Ratajkowski (and more Emily), followed by the Rio Norte Line with Zoe Saldana and Fishersville Mike with Lauren Alaina. Randy’s Roundtable lists his top five Rule Five draws of the year, also, Heather Jo Hughes. Reaganite Republican goes With Miss Albania 2011, the toothsome Xhesika Berberi, while Three Beers Later points to Karla Luna as evidence of gorbal warmening. Or something.
Proof Positive had Melissa Adams, vintage babe Claudette Colbert, and some sex in advertising starring Scarlett Johansson.
A View From The Beach kicked off his week of Rule 5 with some Seven of NineJeri Ryan, the “Did You Just Look At My Breasts?” video, and some Christmas cuties from Vargas and others.
Soylent Green’s inter-holiday Monday Motivationer was Erika Zivovic, followed by Karen Elaine Price, some British birds, Happy Hour Hotness, Friday’s corset brief, and an apology for sleeping in.
Dustbury went with the interesting duo of Benazir Bhutto and Jessica Stam, while Maggie’s Notebook stuck to her musical theme with Yesica Toscanini and Troglopundit offered the extremely useful PSA “A Very Zombie Holiday”. The Camp of the Saints was away from the Intertubes this holiday season, and only has Carol Alt and Alice Eve for us. Valley of the Shadow rattles the tip jar with Siouxsie Sioux and Postaldog barely makes it under the wire with xoxo Leah.
The Daley Gator’s Megahit Megababes last week were India Arie, Beyonce, Meagan Good, Jennifer Allen, Lisa Marie Scott celebrating the one millionth hit, and Crystal Leigh.
Thanks to everyone for their links! Deadline for next week’s Rule 5 roundup, which will actually be on Sunday for once, is Saturday, January 7; please make sure all your Rule 5 linkagery goes to Rule 5 Wombat and NOT the e-mail address at the top of the post!
After #Occupy Reaches The Full Zombie Apocalypse Phase, Remember This Clip
Posted on | January 2, 2012 | 2 Comments
by Smitty
via Make
More Of This, Less Of Its Cause
Posted on | January 2, 2012 | 19 Comments
by Smitty
I didn’t bother posting on Alan’s earlier remark. But the apology, and forgiveness, are two of the most powerful and under-utilized tools in our culture. The former, because hearts are so hard that ‘New Tone’ is mostly honored in the breech, and the latter, because politics is blood sport set to something off of No Remorse, say Steal Your Face:
That Shaggin’ Was In The Line Of Duty
Posted on | January 2, 2012 | 23 Comments
by Smitty
It’s an interesting call. Seriously. As a military member, lawful orders place one in life threatening situations. Can lawful orders include sexual acts as part of a cover story, as in this bit from the U.K.?
An undercover police officer has defended having sexual relationships with unsuspecting eco-activists, saying they were ‘essential’ to maintaining a convincing cover story.
Mark Kennedy, who spent eight years posing as eco-warrior Mark ‘Flash’ Stone, has spoken out after learning that three women plan to sue the Metropolitan Police for emotional distress, saying he ‘duped’ them into sex.
Later in the article:
Kennedy’s cover was blown a year ago and he has since left the police and moved to America, where he is working on a book and has signed a lucrative film deal. A Channel??4 documentary about him, Confessions Of An Undercover Cop, aired in November.
In 2002, Kennedy, 42, was recruited by the Met’s National Public Order Intelligence Unit and travelled throughout Britain and Europe, infiltrating activist groups as long-haired, tattooed protester Stone.
Kennedy, who is now getting divorced, insists he was celibate during his first year undercover. ‘I avoided sexual contact, despite the fact that free love is part of that lifestyle,’ he says. ‘I was a new face with money and a van, so I was a catch but I said I’d just ended a relationship and was recovering emotionally.’
In fact, Kennedy was married to Edel, mother of his 12-year-old son and ten-year-old daughter, though he claims he and his wife stayed together only because of the children.
Now, wait a minute: as far as the women go, what is the effective difference between these women fornicating with Flash Stone (really?) and then suing him for money, and just selling themselves as prostitutes? Is it that the notion of charging for the protein transfer did not occur until later?
And Flash boy? Look, if you’re a good enough actor to pull off an undercover gig, why can’t you come up with a better line than “I’d just ended a relationship and was recovering emotionally.’” There are plenty of medical reasons for celibacy. Now you’ve got a failed marriage as an albatross hanging about your neck.
But really: are these environmental outfits really so dangerous that governments need to place undercover operatives within them? What, are they smuggling explosives? May this pulp fiction story not do well in the market, say I. There is no way that the government should have people committing immoral acts. Furthermore, it’s medically dangerous to be engaged in sexual gymnastics like that, and the taxpayers should not be on the hook.
The whole thin smacks of a hoax.
via Digg
You Can’t Outlaw Beclownment
Posted on | January 2, 2012 | 13 Comments
by Smitty
Legislation introduced to the Indiana Senate would make it a crime to stray from approved lyrical or melodic guidelines while performing the national anthem at any event sponsored by public schools and state universities.
The bill was proposed by Sen. Vaneta Becker (R). She told The Indianapolis Star that it was inspired by a constituent who emailed her after being upset by a parody of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
“Sometimes it’s just done in a joking manner,” Becker said. “But I don’t think the national anthem is something we ought to be joking around with.”
I cry tears of pride when the anthem is sung correctly, and my jaw tightens when a Roseanne Barr makes a fool of herself with it.
But making a law barring Barr’s idiocy? No. Doesn’t Indiana have actual issues to manage, and doesn’t Becker look nannyish for even proposing this?
via Memeorandum
Update: linked at The Daley Gator
Media Scrum Is Heavy At Santorum Event
Posted on | January 2, 2012 | 9 Comments
by Smitty
BOONE, Iowa
Stacy called to say that he can’t get anywhere near Rick Santorum, due to the amount of media there in Boone for the 2 PM CT event. The Duggar family is here, and have loaned their bus to the Santorum campaign. Stacy has an interview to transcribe later.
Thanks to Three Beers Laterfor this fake but accurate depiction of the scene:

Mostly accurate, except the car is a black Mustang and the skyscrapers should be cornstalks and people.
TBL was reacting to the Village Voice story which actually noticed Stacy’s reporting, and then turns up the snark on the dextrosphere.
Other reactions:
- Don Surber: Iowa holds its caucuses in 24 hours and the pollsters have agreed that Mitt Romney and Ron Paul are tied — maybe with Rick Santorum.
- Legal Insurrection: Both polls show Santorum surging. What happens if Romney ends up in 3rd, as now seems a possibility? Also, does Perry continue if he doesn’t break 10%?
- American Power: The Financial Times reports that 41 percent of Iowa caucus-goers are still undecided. See, “Final Iowa polls show fragmented field.”
- Daily Kos: It’s anybody’s guess who will win Iowa, but it certainly looks like Santorum, Romney, and Paul are the only three candidates seriously in the running. And while Romney may yet still win, he has to be worried about his nightmare scenario: coming in third place in a race he was supposed to win—and the emergence of a single Not Romney who has done more than lead a poll, but has actually won an election.
via Memeorandum
Update: linked at Da Tech Guy, who calls it a “A ‘Sarah Palin like’ press scrum” and Maggie’s Notebook.
Update II: Troglopundit applauds his personal lack of an attention span, whereas The Lonely Conservative sounds more upbeat.
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