Hillary Nutcracker The production of this toy will likely have the same kind of divisive reaction the woman herself has on the public. People will love it or hate it. Republicans are likely to cheer and laugh and those with feminist tendencies are likely to wonder when this society will stop portraying women who rise to power as ball busters. The rest of us will wonder who actually cracks walnuts anymore.
New Republic Everyone in the blogosphere seems to be talking about Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp and the articles he wrote for The New Republic under the assumed name of Thomas Scott. Beauchamp's pieces chronicle one soldier's eyewitness accounts of unsavory acts committed by his fellow soldiers in Iraq. FAIR reports here on why a series by The Nation deserves more attention and how the conservative press' (The Weekly Standard, DefenseLink and others) smear campaign on the soldier's reports distract from the real story.
Hal Fishman It's amazing that a local news anchor's death, at the age of 75, can be the top searched story in the nation. Sure, LA is the center of the known universe, but the death of KTLA's Hal Fishman is hardly national news.
Michael Vick Chew Toy The people at www.vickdogchewtoy.com at first promised to donate proceeds from sales of the chew toy to local animal shelters, but have since backpeddled, issuing the following statement on their website: Due to unforeseen circumstances. Because of squabbling over charitable donations. Our Statement claiming we will donate proceeds from the “Micael Vick Chew Toy” has been removed. We will now do so anonymously. However we urge you to continue supporting your local animal shelters, and do something to STOP animal abuse. Apart from committing crimes against grammar, it looks like these chew toy profiteers were most likely spooked into rescinding their charitable promises because they never had any intention of following through.
Retreat Mining An Associated Press report says the miners who were trapped in a mine in Utah Monday used a method called “retreat mining,” where pillars of coal are used to hold up mines while miners work their way out of that particular shaft. This method apparently requires incredibly careful planning and engineering to pull it off safely. -- Sean Cronin
