Last Round Up for 2008 (Wizbang)

It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. Sam Adams

So much going on, so little time to cover it all.

The Middle East is up first:

Iranian students want to attack Israel. Tehran, Iran - Hard-line Iranian student groups have appealed to the government to authorize volunteer suicide bombers to leave Iran and fight against Israel in response to the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip. (Via CBS News)

Hundreds of Iranians storm British embassy. Iranian radicals stormed the British compound in Tehran last night, replacing the Union flag with a Palestinian one in protest against Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip. British officials will be assessing whether the security breach, unprecedented in recent years, was an isolated incident or presages further violent demonstrations.A hardline Iranian news agency said that protests against Britain and Egypt, whose embassy was also targeted, would continue. (Via Times Online)

Jordanian Embassy attacked in Tehran The Jordanian Embassy in Tehran was attacked with explosives, at midnight Tehran time, last night. The Embassy spokesman has confirmed this report. Several Jordanian citizens were inside the embassy during the attack; no one however sustained any injuries. The spokesman also said that he was not certain about the identity of those responsible for the attacks. (Via Gateway Pundit)

20,000 Iranians Register to Fight Israel TEHRAN (FNA)- A number of almost 20,000 people in different Iranian cities on Monday started enrolling their names in the list of volunteers to fight against Israel while thousands more are joining the campaign today. [snip] The registration came a day after Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious decree saying whoever dies in fight with Israel and in defense of Gaza would be a martyr. (Via Fars News)

And back to the 'other' news floating around out there:

My favorite subject At long last, as in the Manhattan Declaration last March, hundreds of proper scientists, including many of the world's most eminent climate experts, have been rallying to pour scorn on that "consensus" which was only a politically engineered artefact, based on ever more blatantly manipulated data and computer models programmed to produce no more than convenient fictions. (Via Telegraph)

Top 10 things global warming caused in 2008. Global warming was blamed for everything from beasts gone wild to anorexic whales to the complete breakdown of human society this year -- showing that no matter what it is and where it happens, scientists, explorers, politicians and those who track the Loch Ness Monster are comfortable scapegoating the weather. (Via Flopping Aces)

Misery loves company? Why We're Still Happy [in a slumping economy] Frankly If I'm laid off and my husband is laid off, I would not be happy! Nor would I be worried that someone has more money than I do. I'd be more worried about how we'll pay our next mortgage payment! (Via NYT)

Denver gun buy-back collects 15 weapons. 40 people show up with 120 guns so what gives? Or, rather, didn't. (Via Denver Post)

The New Deal would have worked if... Liberal-progressive-socialists again eagerly anticipate returning to the disastrously failed economic policies of Franklin Roosevelt.The standard liberal-progressive-socialist litany is that socialism, in the New Deal and subsequent years, would have succeeded, if only the government had spent more money for a longer time. Many liberals lament that the New Deal didn't go far enough in socializing the economy. (Via Intellectual Conservative)

Hey Oregonians! Say good bye gasoline tax....hello mileage tax! [snip] ...Kulongoski proposes to continue the work of the special task force that came up with and tested the idea of a mileage tax to replace the gas tax. The governor wants the task force "to partner with auto manufacturers to refine technology that would enable Oregonians to pay for the transportation system based on how many miles they drive." (Via Albany Democrat Herald)

A Bush Victory in Court Judge Agrees With Bush in Ruling on 2 Detainees' Status. A federal judge in Washington ruled Tuesday that the government was properly holding two Guantánamo detainees as enemy combatants, the first clear-cut victories for the Bush administration in what are expected to be more than 200 similar cases. (Via NYT)

Obama pledges schools upgrade in stimulus package. The estimated price tag for this . . . investment. They're calling it an investment now.$225 Billion. (Via MSNBC)

Mediapocalypse Now. When the economy sneezes, the media business catches pneumonia. The problem for the media business in 2008 was that the economy caught pneumonia. When the economy gets pneumonia, the media business gets it too--then someone knocks it across the back of the head with a shovel. Or several shovels. Advertising is cratering. (GM is essentially a media-funding company with a carmaker attached.) The audience is fragmenting. (Via Time)

Russia Says Ukraine Threatening Europe's Gas Supply In the latest chapter in a row over money Ukraine owes Russia for gas deliveries, a Gazprom spokesman accused Ukraine of threatening Europe's gas supply on state television. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials entered last-ditch talks in Moscow to avoid a gas supply cutoff on January 1. (Via Deutsche Welle)

Obama's leadership approval rating as high as Bush's after 9/11. Whatever. (Via CNN)

Vicki Iseman sues NYT. Washington lobbyist Vicki L. Iseman has filed a $27 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times for a February article about Iseman and her relationship with Sen. John McCain. (Via Patriot Room)

Here's a good laugh for the end of 2008. (Via Patriot Room)

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year's Eve.
~Melissa

Comments (18)

"Obama's leadership approva... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by RETIREd military | December 31, 2008 8:18 PM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

RETIREd military:

"Obama's leadership approval rating as high as Bush's after 9/11."

It is easy for someone to say they approve of the job you are doing when umm you arent doing any job.

Posted on December 31, 2008 20:18

I wonder if Kulongoski is g... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by epador | December 31, 2008 8:43 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

epador:

I wonder if Kulongoski is going to tax Scooter mileage too? I suspect PH won't stand for it!

Posted on December 31, 2008 20:43

Looks like it's time for so... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by GarandFan | December 31, 2008 9:27 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

GarandFan:

Looks like it's time for some Iranians to be shipped home in boxes. If they do show up in Gaza, perhaps the Israeli's can find a way to cut costs and kill 'em on their own ground.

Posted on December 31, 2008 21:27

The global warming/ climate... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by bryanD | December 31, 2008 10:23 PM | Score: -4 (6 votes cast)

bryanD:

The global warming/ climate change controversy is your "favorite subject"?

Oh, I've got the cure for that!

Posted on December 31, 2008 22:23

BryanD, sweets, ya gotta wo... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Melissa | December 31, 2008 11:30 PM | Score: 4 (6 votes cast)

Melissa:

BryanD, sweets, ya gotta work on that linkage lol.

I've been around long enough to wonder why the cure for global warming is the same as the cure for global cooling 30 some odd years ago?

The things that make you go hmmmmmmm. . .

Posted on December 31, 2008 23:30

lol, RETIREd, my sentiments... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Melissa | December 31, 2008 11:32 PM | Score: 3 (5 votes cast)

lol, RETIREd, my sentiments exactly

Posted on December 31, 2008 23:32

Heck, the American People w... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by Herman | January 1, 2009 11:27 AM | Score: -6 (6 votes cast)

Herman:

Heck, the American People who lived through the New Deal thought it worked well enough, electing a Democrat president for five straight elections. And who's portrait do you find on the dime? (Hint: it's not St. Ronnie of Iran-Contra fame).

And what of this so-called "Bush Victory in Court"? That after several years of BRINGING SHAME UPON AMERICA the torture-loving Bush Administration that the Republicans are responsible for TO THEIR EVERLASTING SHAME has confirmed that it did indeed pick up 2 enemy combatants? THAT'S 2 OUT OF HOW MANY?

Posted on January 1, 2009 11:27

Mandatory installation by s... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by John S | January 1, 2009 1:42 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

John S:

Mandatory installation by state government of tracking devices in every car in Oregon? I guess no level of high-tech oppression is unconstitutional in the Obama Era. I hope Oregon residents kept those lead-lined film bags we used to use to protect film from government x-rays at the airport. Wrap the GPS antenna with one of those and it won't be reporting your mileage (and whereabouts) to Gov. Kulongoski.

Posted on January 1, 2009 13:42

What could Americans do at ... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by MPR | January 1, 2009 1:44 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

MPR:

What could Americans do at the time but, endure the New"Great Depression" Deal? If the war hadn't come along it would have lasted longer. Obamalala is going to emulate Roosevelt's business squelching, tax dollar spending government programs. Obamalala apparently doesn't know nothing comes back out of a "Black Hole".
Talk about shame. 60% of liberals think Israel shouldn't be defending itself from Hamas' daily rocket barrages. I'm not surprised they elected Obamalala with his Hamas sympathies.

Posted on January 1, 2009 13:44

The standard liberal-pro... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by Brian | January 1, 2009 1:47 PM | Score: -2 (6 votes cast)

Brian:

The standard liberal-progressive-socialist litany is that socialism, in the New Deal and subsequent years, would have succeeded, if only the government had spent more money for a longer time.

Hmm, sounds like the standard Republican litany that Vietnam would have succeeded if only we had stayed there for a longer time.

Posted on January 1, 2009 13:47

It is easy for someone t... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by Brian | January 1, 2009 1:56 PM | Score: -3 (7 votes cast)

LOL! So someone who's doing nothing is considered to be just as effective as Bush. Yeah, good talking point... you go with that!

Oh, except that Obama's approval rating is even higher than Bush's was when at the same point in his transition.

Oops, there goes your spin!

Posted on January 1, 2009 13:56

You mean the war the Democr... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by MPR | January 1, 2009 2:01 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)

You mean the war the Democrats started with a let's say a less than honest(Gulf of Tonkin) statement. And then pulled the legs out from under South Vietnam. Liberal whine doesn't get better with age.

Posted on January 1, 2009 14:01

I dont wish death to any... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by MF | January 1, 2009 2:15 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

MF:

I dont wish death to anyone but looks like Hamas only understand their language=violence ... good Israel got one of the Hamas leaders.

Posted on January 1, 2009 14:15

Thanks for the links Meliss... (Below threshold)

14. Posted by Bill Dupray | January 1, 2009 2:35 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Bill Dupray:

Thanks for the links Melissa. Love your site. 8-)

Posted on January 1, 2009 14:35

You mean the war...<... (Below threshold)

15. Posted by Brian | January 1, 2009 3:16 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)

You mean the war...

Yes, that's the one. And Republican whine does get better. Or at least more entertaining.

Posted on January 1, 2009 15:16

Brian = change the subject<... (Below threshold)

16. Posted by boqueronman | January 1, 2009 3:46 PM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)

boqueronman:

Brian = change the subject

Posted on January 1, 2009 15:46

boqueronman = ... (Below threshold)

17. Posted by Brian | January 1, 2009 4:35 PM | Score: -1 (3 votes cast)

boqueronman =

Posted on January 1, 2009 16:35

Ignore Brian, he thinks tha... (Below threshold)

18. Posted by Melissa | January 3, 2009 6:36 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)

Ignore Brian, he thinks that all of the subjectlines/titles and accompanying blurbs come from me when they're actually taken directly from the articles themselves. Occasionally I *might* make my own blurbs/commentaries, but they're rare.

It's much more fun to watch the libs on this site spin their own version of what they think I said about the article. You know what they say about giving them enough rope...

I save my own observations/commentary for my own blog.

Posted on January 3, 2009 18:36