We Must Defend.  —  It's true.  Ben Domenech is Augustine.  And I stand behind him 100%.  He has said nothing filled with racism or hate, or bigotry.  In fact, Ben has been a leader in keeping those he dubs the "evilcons" off RedState.  Unbeknownst to all of you, RedState continually self-polices …

The widow's mite  —  All the remaining members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams held hostage in Iraq were rescued by multinational forces.  In a statement describing their release the organization said: … According to the BBC the three were rescued by … Comments

Afghan Judge in Convert Case Vows to Resist Foreign Pressure  —  KABUL, Afghanistan, March 23 — Despite growing international concern, the judge presiding over the prosecution of an Afghan man facing the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity said today that international pressure …

Two Quick Notes  —  Two clarifications for the many folks who have risen up in force to attack the existence of this blog (I appreciate the attention, by the way).  —  Some people have taken issue with an old two-line comment of mine on RedState.com where I referred to Coretta Scott King as a Communist on the day after her funeral.

U.S. Hiring Hong Kong Co. to Scan Cargo  —  WASHINGTON - In the aftermath of the Dubai ports dispute, the Bush administration is hiring a Hong Kong conglomerate to help detect nuclear materials inside cargo passing through the Bahamas to the United States and elsewhere.

Former first lady's donation aids son  —  Katrina funds earmarked to pay for Neil Bush's software program  —  Former first lady Barbara Bush donated an undisclosed amount of money to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund with specific instructions that the money be spent with an educational software company owned by her son Neil.

Down with stability  —  Three years ago, in the weeks before the invasion of Iraq, it fell to the then prime minister of Canada to make the most witless public statement on the subject by any G7 leader.  —  "Your president has won," Jean Chretien told ABC News in early March 2003.

Carbon: too much, not too little  —  Like Henry George's theory of land taxation, Peak Oil seems to be one of those ideas, reasonable enough in itself, and modest in scope, that attracts a cult following in which it becomes the answer to all kinds of questions.

"Diversity," the ABA, and the law schools  —  The issue of faculty governance has been in the air lately, with even some liberal deans rebelling against excessive ABA/AALS interference in admissions and hiring policy, and a move to strip the relevant organizations of their accreditation power.

Breaking the Silence  —  A prominent former insider is criticizing the administration's handling of Iraq's reconstruction.  And there's more to come.  —  Marwan Naamani / AFP-Getty Images  —  Bremer reviews Iraqi troops in 2003  —  March 22, 2006 - Andrew Natsios has taken a lot of flak over his role in Iraq.

NOW says it will back challenger to Casey in U.S. Senate bid  —  WASHINGTON — Two women's rights groups yesterday endorsed Philadelphia lawyer Alan M. Sandals for U.S. Senate, warning that abortion rights supporters may stay home this November if state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr. gets …

Report: Cosmetics firm using remains of executed Chinese  —  A Chinese cosmetics company has been using skin taken from the bodies of executed convicts to develop beauty products for sale in Europe, a London newspaper reported.  —  An agent for the company informed customers it is developing collagen …

To All the Girls I've Rejected  —  A FEW days ago I watched my daughter Madalyn open a thin envelope from one of the five colleges to which she had applied.  "Why?" was what she was obviously asking herself as she handed me the letter saying she was waitlisted.  —  Why, indeed?