Beggars Can Be Choosers: Pssst...Wanna know how to reduce your tax bill? Simple..become rich.

State of the Day: A Veteran Speaks

the demoprotestant: Ralph Nader, Green party activist or suicide bomber?

Carbon Paper: Remember the lies. GWB is a liar and an idiot.

'L.A. Times' Afghan Horror Story Confirmed by NBC

That's great news. It seems like she was treated her OK, but being kidnapped is terrifying in itself. Jpod makes a fool of himself.

"It's wonderful that she's free, but after watching someone who was a hostage for three months say on television she was well-treated because she wasn't beaten or killed-- while being dressed in the garb of a modest Muslim woman rather than the non-Muslim woman she actually is -- I expect there will be some Stockholm Syndrome talk in the coming days."

Way to go Podman! Why is it that if someone doesn't agree with his politics-they are attacked after going through something like that?

The Christian Science Monitor has more...

Update: More embarrassing reactions from Little Green Footballs:

"She says the terrorists treated her well. Her interpreter, murdered during the kidnapping, was not available for comment."

Would Charles Johnson feel better if they murdered her too?

Liberal catnip has more...Think Progress has Imus's producer going off the wall...

According to this report, Jill Carroll was under pressure from the group that kidnapped her while taping the interview:

"Jill Carroll's kidnappers reportedly warned her before her release that she might be killed if she cooperated with the Americans or went to the Green Zone, saying it was infiltrated by insurgents."

"Bergenheim said Friday that Carroll's parents, who spoke to her about the video, told him it was "conducted under duress.-When you're making a video and having to recite certain things with three men with machine guns standing over you, you're probably going to say exactly what you're told to say," Bergenheim added."

I hope that clears up a few things for the likes of "Little Green Footballs" who attacked her immediately upon her release. Here's some comments that are approved by Charles Johnson about Jill:

"I've been watching this traitor bitch fawn all over her captors this morning. "Nice furniture, safe, nice clothes, they NEVER threatened me". I'm very glad you were so comforatble while working to undermine our efforts in Iraq. Now, wipe that muslim DNA from your face and confess to pre-planning this?"

"She's probably coming home with a suitcase full of cash (her kickback) and a dose of the clap."

No wonder advertisers are scared away because of the "Constitutionally protected hate speech" found there.

Maybe this will answer some of Kurtz's questions from his column today since he too found her statements a little odd. Aaron emailed me and nominated Howard to take Ben's place:

"Read your column today with interest, particularly the insinuation that "odd" behavior by a woman just released from 3 months as a hostage was somehow unusual. Enjoyed how you passed off the smear of Jill Caroll as un-American or a terrorist sympathizer: since, after all, "that's what people are talking about." Way to tamp down the intemperate political discourse! After this bravura performance, I think Mr. Brady's choice for a right-wing blogger to balance out Dan Froomkin is obvious. He wouldn't even need to pay a cent more! Your column can simply be labeled, "Opinion: Media Notes." I'm sure the browbeating from the White House would stop."

Update: Apparently Charles is still unhinged:"Note that all of these statements seem to come from the family, not from Carroll herself."

Jonah Goldberg follows suit. No Jonah, if anyone that was for this war was captured and returned safely-I would be celebrating their release. That's something you obviously can't comprehend.

Jesus General says: After all, we can't expect ChuckJohnson to do all of our journalism for us. It interferes with hisfirst love: promoting genocide.

In another great Cafferty moment-Jack connects the dots and wonders why the new lobbyist reformer that replaces a corrupt leader rents an apartment from a lobbyist?

Cafferty: These guys are either arrogant or stupid and neither of those is a good thing if you're going to be the House majority leader--am I missing something here? Where's the reform part? I wonder how long this guy is going to last.

Download | play -WMP Download | play -QT (rough transcript)

Wolf: You did hear Ed Henry say that it is a basement apartment which is not necessarily all that desirable---

Cafferty: Yea...and pigs fly upside down and the moon is made of green cheese and there's no quid pro quo from a lobbyist who is also your landlord. Do I look like I just fell out of the back of a vegetable truck to you?

Wolf: No, you look like Jack Cafferty...

I have to believe that Wolf is purposefully playing the straight man at the end. I mean he couldn't be serious, right?

The Carpetbagger Report: Hacks, cronies, and Michael Brown-like incompetents

You know things are bad when Newt Gingrich starts squawking about "cronyism"and "corruption." Is he kidding?

Gr8 Gol4: George Washington VS George Bush

The Green Knight: Miracles and the Press

: Remember the Anthrax scare?  What happened?  Any arrests?  Are we safe now? 

American Autumn: It's the privacy, stupid!The Bulldog Manifesto: Remember the Anthrax scare? What happened? Any arrests? Are we safe now?

American Autumn: It's the privacy, stupid!

Last month Goodman, an 81-year-old retired University of Kansas history professor, received a letter from his friend in the Philippines that had been opened and resealed with a strip of dark green tape bearing the words “by Border Protection” and carrying the official Homeland Security seal. He said he was shocked and amazed that the letter -- which he received last month from another retired history professor with whom he has corresponded for 50 years -- had been screened...read on

dubya D40: Bush crime family in violation of the Constitution and War Powers...and there's really nothing to stop him from seizing absolute control of U.S. government.

The Green Knight: Playa hata

la'ikoa: Alito's views on torture and eavesdropping

The Daily Background: What I did to one fallen soldier's family

: Controversial rebuilding outrages NOLA residents.  Former Mayor Marc Morial is speaking out.

Pensito Review: Cheney Secretly Underwent Cardiectomy

Farce Report: Controversial rebuilding outrages NOLA residents. Former Mayor Marc Morial is speaking out.

Pensito Review: Cheney Secretly Underwent Cardiectomy

Petrelis Files: Stars & Stripes..."War based on a lie."

DAYS: Pro football player exposes Bush as a punk, and every single commenter on Little Green Footballs for the intolerant dumbsh*ts they are.

The Sardonic Sideshow: Dubya, Dubya, Dubya Dot Victory

Capital Eye: Defense Contractors Haven’t Just Doled to ‘Duke’

Media in Trouble: alerts us to an interesting debate on NPR

Whiskey Bar: Land of Lincoln

Anonymous sources told me that my father wants a green sweater for Christmas. Others have reported that he just looked at the sweater and thought the collar was too tight around his neck. In all fairness I have to tell you that I've known my father for over forty years and he is a kind and good man. He's the type of man that wouldn't hurt a fly. When I questioned my sister about what my father really wanted for Christmas, she told me that her sources thought he really liked the red one.

WNEW-TV5:

"Syndicated controversial talk show host Bill O'Reilly said on his radio show: "In Saginaw , Michigan , the township opposes red and green clothingon Anyone, In Saginaw Township they basically said anybody, we don't want you wearing red or green. I would dress up from head to toe in red to green if I were in Saginaw Michigan "-Bill O'Reilly. WNEM TV-5 Talked to Saginaw Township supervisor Tim Braun who says O'Reilly's comments are flat out not true. Braun goes on to say the township hall has red and green Christmas lights adorning the building at night.

On December 12th the Fox News Channel which broadcasts O'Reilly's Cable TV show-The O'Reilly Factor told TV5 it was a radio issue and had nothing to do with the Fox News Channel. TV5 is contacting O'Reilly's radio producers for their side of the story.

(Update): Media Matters has more...