"We Support Your War On Terror"

There are currently only 10 U.S. diplomats in Baghdad, including Crocker, who are fluent in both written and spoken Arabic, the State Department says.

Army considers longer combat tours again -- Yahoo! News

Mormon Logic

This is how an act of senseless violence in Virginia translates in Utah:

Oda said banning guns on campus might do more harm than good. He said people bent on violence might resort to other, perhaps bloodier methods, such as swords.

"A person that's got skill with a sword in a very big crowd could put a lot more people down with a sword than a gun," he said. "They're silent. You'll have people screaming, but nobody knows what's going on."

Utah allows guns on college campuses (AP)

Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better

Ninja Warriors

"...and you want to be my Latex Salesman..."

According to Wikipedia, NASA's 2007 budget is reported to be around $16.2 billion. A huge number by any standard. Smaller maybe when compared to Exxon's profit for half of last year. Miniscule when compared to the $622 billion Bush is asking for in his 2007 budget (war spending included naturally.)

But still you'd think within that 16.2 billion, NASA would find someone a little more stable than say, this:

ORLANDO, Fla. - An astronaut drove 900 miles and donned a disguise to confront a woman she believed was her rival for the affections of a space shuttle pilot, police said. She was arrested Monday and charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts.

Now quick , somebody run and get NASA's reaction to the incident so they can look even more inept:

NASA spokesman James Hartsfield in Houston said that, as of Monday, Nowak's status with the astronaut corps remained unchanged.

For the life of me, how this information ever gets ascertained is beyond me:

When she found out that Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, Nowak decided to confront her, according to the arrest affidavit. Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers so she wouldn't have to stop to urinate, authorities said.

Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.

Even at your lowest point, compelled to try and go after a rival, surely you don't need to reveal to the police your reason for wearing a diaper. This sounds like an episode of Cops than it does a representative of an organisation that landed on the moon.

One final quote:

Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, Nowak boarded an airport bus that Shipman took to her car in an airport parking lot. Shipman told police she noticed someone following her, hurried inside the car and locked the doors, according to the arrest affidavit.

Nowak rapped on the window, tried to open the car door and asked for a ride. Shipman refused but rolled down the car window a few inches when Nowak started crying. Nowak then sprayed a chemical into Shipman's car, the affidavit said.

Crackheads come, crackheads go, but this crackhead is forever. Someone over at Fox right now is greenlighting this as a Melrose Place meets The OC drama ready for midseason replacement, that I have no doubt of.Capt. Nowak, we hardly knew you.

Astronaut charged with kidnap attempt (yahoo! news)

MotM's quite tardy favorite albums list of 2006

Yeah nobody cares, but I've done it the last 2-3 years so might as well keep one thing consistent around here. List but no explanation.

40. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations
39. Beach House - Beach House
38. Ne-Yo - In My Own Words
37. Young And Sexy - Panic When You Find It
36. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers
35. The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love
34. Sway - This Is My Demo
33. Hajime Yoshizawa - Music from the Edge of the Universe
32. Swan Lake - Beast Moans
31. The Game - Doctor's Advocate
30. Be Your Own Pet - Be Your Own Pet
29. Herbert - Scale
28. Various Artists - Brownswood Bubblers
27. Jamelia - Walk With Me
26. Cassius - 15 Again
25. ¡Forward, Russia! - Give Me A Wall
24. Ellen Allien and Apparat - Orchestra of Bubbles
23. Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson In Crime
22. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
21. Various Artists - Kitsune Maison Compilation Vol. 3
20. Junior Boys - So This Is Goodbye
19. Uncut - Modern Currencies
18. Liars - Drums Not Dead
17. The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home
16. Born Ruffians - Born Ruffians EP
15. Rhymefest - Blue Collar
14. Soil & Pimp Sessions - Pimp of the Year
13. The Knife - Silent Shout
12. Klaxons - Xan Valleys EP
11. T.I. - King
10. Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYo
09. Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
08. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
07. CSS - Cansei de Ser Sexy
06. Guillemots - Through the Windowpane
05. Hot Chip - The Warning
04. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
03. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
02. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
01. Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55

2007: It's going to be a long year.

If there was ever a bigger incentive for posting more regularly, it's to ensure this doesn't remain the top post for more than a day or two.