Rooftop Report has the scoop.

Veterans Mostly Support Bush, National Poll Finds

Despite Kerry’s courting, veterans say they trust President Bush more than Kerry as commander in chief, 56 percent to 38 percent, according to a report released yesterday by the University of Pennsylvania’s National Annenberg Election Survey.

For example: “Nazi” and “Holiday": German Government to Auction Off Nazi Holiday Camp

Revenge Is Indeed Sweet, Study Finds.

I mean, gee whiz, if you are going to do the research, you should answer the tough questions.

Iraq Rebels Leave Najaf Shrine, Hand in Weapons:

Shi’ite fighters left the holiest shrine in the Iraqi city of Najaf Friday and began turning in their weapons, after tens of thousands of pilgrims celebrated a peace agreement that ended a bloody rebellion.

The phrase that was used on NPR this morning, in regards to the Mehdi Army was “disarming, but not disbanding.” And quotes like these tend to bolster that view:

“We will support whatever Ayatollah Sistani and Sayyed Moqtada have agreed. But we will still slit the throats of the Americans,” said one militiaman, Hussein Taama.

Another held an AK-47 rifle which he said was his personal weapon that he would not give up: “I will keep this warm and wait for Sayyed Moqtada’s order.”

To be honest, in such a negotiation, I am not sure that there is an exception for “personal weapons.”

Regardless, one guess that this is far from the last violent episode involving Sadr. The real question is: what will Sistani and the Iraqi government do the next time Sadr foments violence?

Protests Come Early, and So Do Arrests

In one event yesterday, several members of Act Up blocked traffic, naked, on Eighth Avenue in front of Madison Square Garden, the convention site, to protest the Bush administration’s record on AIDS.

Sure, it gets attention, but does it get the right kind of attention? Indeed, aside from getting to be a blip on the news, and maybe getting tossed in jail, what does this kind of nonsense accomplish?

Traces of Explosives Said to Be Found in Wreckage of Russian Jet

Traces of explosives have been found in the wreckage of one of two Russian airliners that crashed nearly simultaneously earlier this week, the Federal Security Service said Friday, a day after a top official acknowledged that terrorism was most likely behind the crashes.

A Web site known for militant Muslim comment, meanwhile, published a claim of responsibility for downing the two planes, connecting the action to Russia’s fight against separatists in Chechnya.

The story notes that the explosive found is called Hexogen and is the same substance used by Chechen terrorists in a 1999 bombing of an apartment building.

The tests are preliminary.

Still, this is looking very much like a terrorist attack.

“If you’re listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you’re a bigger moron than they are. Why are we rock stars? Because we’re morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around reading the Washington Journal."-Rock star, Alice Cooper.

Hat tip: The American Mind

A student, noting the presence of a Yoda quote on my courses page, forwarded me a link to the Benedict College story about giving points for effort.

Clearly Master Yoda, who famously stated “[T]ry not. Do, or do not…there is no try” would not have been abe to get tenure at Benedict.

Maybe that’s why he had to hang out in that swamp.

In practically every high profile (and even low profile) campaign, the challenger dares the incumbent to frequent debates. History repeats itself again: Kerry challenges Bush to weekly debates.

1) That’s simply too many debates–they wouldn’t hold the public’s attentiont.

2) This is largely a ploy so that when Bush turns down the offer (which Kerry knows full well he will do) Kerry can then say that Bush doesn’t want to face him.

3) More debates are almost always to the advantage of the challenger, as the incumbent can make his or her own news without any help, while the challenger is constantly fighting to get into the public eye. As such, it is almost never in the interest of the incumbent to accept this kind of arrangement.

4) Wouldn’t it be nice if the public knew all of this, and made silly maneuvers like this unnecessary?

Mike Willaims took a gamble and lost.

The smart thing to have done would’ve been to have stayed at USC in the first place. Still, it is unclear to me what harm would have befallen college football if he had been allowed to return.

McCain ’sick and tired of re-fighting’ Vietnam War

Sistani Secures Iraq Peace Deal After Bloody Day

Iraq’s most revered Shi’ite leader persuaded a rebel cleric Thursday to accept a deal ending a three-week uprising in Najaf, after returning to the holy city amid bloody clashes that killed at least 74 people.

Judge Strikes Down Partial Birth Abortion Ban

A federal judge on Thursday ruled against the government’s ban on so-called partial birth abortions, saying the measure was unconstitutional because it failed to provide an exception to protect a mother’s health.

I am unaware of the “Women’s Health” (or anyone’s health, for that matter) clause in the constitution. Too bad there is no “health of the baby” clause.

Between classes and meetings yesterday and my folks are visiting as of today, the light blogging continues.