Bulletin from the ongoing battle for Ramadi:  The U.S.'s training of Iraqi soldiers is really having an effect--they still run away from firefights, but now their times are much faster.

W. Ralph Basham, the new head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, says he doesn't think a wall on our border with Mexico will solve the illegal immigration problem.  Especially, I would think, if we use the same contractors who built our levees.

Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, is considered "moderate" in comparison to President Ahmadinejad, which means he believes in beheading and stoning, but also recycling.

Gas prices continue to pinch U.S. drivers.  Living in New York, I get to save that expense and take mass transit,  although I do spend $300 a month on pepper spray.  The good news is that I'm getting 40 miles per gallon of pepper spray.

Developers of the new New York Mets stadium are trying to calm local protesters by stressing the jobs and money that flow from a new ballpark--you know, in the way that Yankee Stadium has made the South Bronx such an economic miracle.

The New York State Supreme Court may rule this week on legalizing gay marriage--my opposition to gay marriage is rooted in my deep hatred of buying wedding gifts.  In fact, I support a straight marriage ban.  One more duvet cover and I'm broke.

Congressman Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), co-sponsor of a bill calling for displaying the Ten Commandments in the Capitol, could only name three of them in an interview--no wonder he needs them on display!  Maybe we could have some church/state separation if this guy stayed awake in Sunday school.

An investigation revealed that U.S. Special Operations personnel in Iraq held prisoners in 4 foot by 4 foot boxes for days at a time.   This doesn't get a lot of sympathy in New York, where a 4 by 4 box is going for $2400 a month these days.  I'd love to have a box that size, but I'd need roommates to swing it.