GOP finds solid ground on Iraq war

RICHMOND, Va. - Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has cut off state funding for abstinence-only sex education programs, making Virginia the 14th state to refuse to support abstinence-only education. As part of a cost-cutting plan, Kaine submitted plans last month to eliminate a $275,000 matching grant for a federal program that provided funds for 14 nonprofit groups that taught abstinence only. (Snip) but the governor wants to see us funding programs that are evidenced-based,"
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1291460

Investors ride cheerful news to 320-point Dow gain

NEW YORK — Wall Street shot higher Tuesday, lifting the Dow Jones industrials nearly 320 points after reassuring news from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. quelled some of the market's worst fears about the credit crisis and the economy. A plunge in the price of oil gave investors further incentive to buy.Goldman Sachs heartened investors with word that it didn't expect a significant hit from the subprime mortgage turmoil.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/5298838.html

What's with the title slot?

[toon insert below]

[toon insert above]

UC weighs raises of 33% for all 10 chancellors
University of California regents are weighing a proposal to increase their top executives' pay by an average of 33 percent over the next four years, beginning with salary hikes this year of between 13 and 17 percent. The plan, which will be discussed in a >closed< committee meeting today, is drawing fire from critics who question the propriety of such increases in a tight budget year for the state. The full Board of Regents is expected to vote on the proposed raises Thursday at their meeting in Los Angeles.
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/487389.html

Breaking News: Lee Hughes doesn't like any of the naming suggestions from SAH

In a case of extreme brevity, Mr. Huges replied to SAH's ongoing efforts to find the perfect nmn-jtg news letter title by respond with the message of

'uck'

No further 'advice' or ideas were forthcoming. SAH was overheard to mention something about good help being hard to find...

State Dept. Bringing 'Worst of America' to Iraq

One of Washington's most prominent lawyers, sent to Iraq to help the fledgling democracy develop its legal and judicial institutions, has charged in a blistering memo to U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker that the State Department and Foreign Service have "brought to Iraq the worst of America — our bureaucrats" and become "an albatross around the neck of the Coalition command."

"The American people would be scandalized to know," Miranda continued, "that, throughout the Winter, Spring and Summer of 2007, even while our Congress debated the Iraq question and whether to commit more troops and more funds, the Embassy [in Baghdad] was largely consumed in successive internal reorganizations with contradictory management and policy goals....The fact that over 80 people sit in Washington, second-guessing and delaying the work of the Embassy, many who have been to Baghdad, is an embarrassment alone."

While lamenting the absence of a central information system that could prevent redundancy in the projects the Embassy undertakes, Miranda also accused Embassy leaders of "intentionally" withholding vital information from the White House, Petraeus, key State Department officials in Washington, allied nations and relevant international organizations.

"The dysfunctional failure to communicate and share information is beyond anything that can be imagined,"

Miranda wrote.

[there's a reason it's called Foggy Bottom]

READ MORE