Links and Minifeatures 01 26 Thursday

The President is actually demonstrating that he "gets it" on something other than the War on Terror: Bush 'Reluctant' to Bail Out Automakers. Of course, the fact that he's never running for anything ever again might have something to do with the fact that he's able to say no.



The president has also called a press conference regarding the government surveillance projects.

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Either the figleaf is off, or Hamas is going to have to grow up fast and start talking peace. Hamas sweeps Palestinian election. Maybe, if we're lucky, the fact that the obvious authority over and responsibility for Palestinian affairs just landed in their laps will force them to improve their attitude towards Israel and also start behaving themselves better. Probably not, but it's a hope.



Dean's World has more that makes sense.



Chris Cam thinks the real story is peaceful transfer of power for Palestinians, and I think he's got a point.



BBC News:

Negotiations with Israel is not on our agenda," he said.



"Recognising Israel is not on the agenda either now."

HT Hugh Hewitt



That dove is listed in critical condition. Outlook not hopeful.



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This is encouraging kidnappers: U.S. Releasing Five Women Prisoners (as demanded by the kidnappers of a Christian Science Monitor reporter). They say it's coincidence. If it's coincidence, well I'm sorry for the inconvenience to these five women but we need to hold them until the situation is resolved, just to make a point. We let them go now, and not only these kidnappers, but future potential kidnappers, will see it as a victory. Better to say, "Well, we were planning to release them, but now we can't let them go until this other situation is resolved." This discourages kidnappers by portraying them as shooting these women in the foot.



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State of Flux makes a good point about real pacifism. Who was the real pacifist: Churchill, who wanted to confront Hitler early, or Chamberlain, who let the situation go until he had built the German Wehrmacht to the point it was able to challenge the rest of europe?



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Tinkerty-Tonk has the goods on Russian documents that show how they trained terrorists for decades.



Actually, I'm not certain who comes out the worse for the known association: Communists of splodeydopes. I'm not happy that a major power trained splodeydopes. But it gives one a certain sense of schadenfreude, given some more recent events.



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ROFASix has an article about an artist worth taking a look at. Especially if you have a need for some painting.



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Carol Platt Liebau sticks a harpoon into the Lesser California Moonbat Senator Feinstein.



Via Daily Kos, John Kerry has officially called for a filibuster of Samuel Alito. Without the Donkeys from the Gang of 14, a filibuster is dead. Guess what John? Can you say "Exercise in futility"? Knew you could. Almost as much so as pretending you wouldn't be among the worst possible choices for President.



Hey, if the New York Times wants it, the voters must all agree, right?



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Oh, those WMD



HT Vodkapundit



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Big Lizards has some worthwhile thoughts on the bribe Google took from China.



I get a good number of hits from Google every day. But their actions in regards to China give it something of an Eeewww! factor now. Not that I think that it's going to do the Chinese dictators any good, but just the principle of agreeing to it.



LGF went out and found a site that will help get around chinese government controls.



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Two tons of pot found inside Mexico-U.S. border tunnel



Is anybody unclear on what else could have used this tunnel? Do I really need to enlighten you?