HEH. FORMER KENNEDY STAFFER convicted of stealing from the Senate.

IT’S JUST LOBBYING UNDER ANOTHER NAME. The European Commission decided to suspend carbon trading ... after it was found that “cybercriminals were hacking into the national registries where allowances are stored and stealing them to sell on the open market."

NO MORE TIME for California dreamin’. The solution is bankruptcy, not bailout.

JAPANESE CARGO SPACECRAFT docks with the International Space Station. Everyone but us, it seems.

DEMOCRATS sell aviation bill as jobs boon. It’s still a waste of money, but I’d buy the FAA reauthorization bill if it includes the attachment repealing ObamaCare.

JEFF JACOBY on the ‘freedom agenda’: “[S]supporting freedom is the best policy. Not just because freedom is better than stability. Not just because tyranny breeds extremism. But because it is unworthy of a nation as great and free as ours not to promote the values it most esteems. It shouldn't take an upheaval in the Arab street to remind us that it is always in America's interest to promote liberal democracy.”

FAILING TO RAISE THE DEBT CEILING is not a crisis. Except to the Democrats ....

LITTER REMOVAL: Special Nets Could Be Used To Deal With Space Debris.

GUN GRABBER: [NYC Mayor] Bloomberg sending undercover cops to investigate gun shows... in Arizona.

[Y]ou know where you can readily buy a illegal firearms without a background check? The streets of New York.

Did I miss “Law & Order - Tucson” somewhere?

TERRORISM ALERT (from my email).

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have therefore raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated," or even "A Bit Cross."

The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since "The Blitz" in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out.

Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to "A Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

The Scots have raised their threat level from "Pissed Off" to "Let's get the Bastards." They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France 's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.

Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout Loudly and Excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."

The Germans have increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbor" and "Lose."

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels .

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish Navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish Navy.

Australia , meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be alright, Mate." Two more escalation levels remain: "Crikey! I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!" and "The barbie is canceled." So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.

John Cleese - British writer, actor and tall person

LOBBYISTS and 'waivers for favors': “[T]he more government involves itself in the private sector, the more private businesses needs to hire lobbyists to make sure that new laws and regulations don’t put them out of business. Inevitably, the next step involves campaign contributions to key lawmakers, protection money that ensures that the law favors those with the right political connections.”

OF COURSE NOT; it would make the TSA look bad. [TSA Administrator John] Pistole Says TSA Won't Expand Private Screening Program.

HISTORY: Space shuttle Discovery heads back to the pad for its final flight.

'YOU CUT' WORKS. Majority Leader Eric Cantor:

Last week's winning YouCut item, H.R. 359, passed the House in a 239 - 160 vote. This important spending reduction bill will save taxpayers $617 million by eliminating the Presidential Election Fund, including taxpayer financing of political party conventions.

The next three YouCut proposals are now on the YouCut website. Cast your vote. And find out how your Representative voted here.

GLOBAL WARMING CLIMATE CHANGE IS DEAD: House GOP readies bill to ban EPA gas regulations.

OBAMANOMICS CONUNDRUM: He put me out of work, but my retirement accounts are just fine. Related cartoon here.

REHBERG: Hello, I’m a congressional earmarkaholic. In the words of Ronald Reagan: “Trust, but verify.”

LIVE BY THE SWORD; die by the sword. Payback’s a bitch.

SUCKERS? or voters?

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED


But the price is right.