'No more confirmations of Bush high court nominees'  —  New York Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a powerful member of the Democratic leadership, said Friday the Senate should not confirm another U.S. Supreme Court nominee under President Bush "except in extraordinary circumstances."

U.S. Set to Offer Huge Arms Deal to Saudi Arabia  —  The Bush administration is preparing to ask Congress to approve an arms sale package for Saudi Arabia and its neighbors that is expected to total $20 billion over the next decade at a time when some United States officials contend that the Saudis …

Obama goofed by not including caveat  —  One in an occasional series on presidential candidates' views about Latin America.  —  I was not terribly surprised when Sen. Barack Obama said in the Democratic presidential debate Monday that he would sit down with Cuba's Fidel Castro and Venezuela's Hugo Chávez if elected president.

Aide: Iraq PM relations with Petraeus poor  —  BAGHDAD — A key aide says Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's relations with U.S. commander Gen. David Petraeus are so poor the Iraqi leader may ask Washington the withdraw the well-regarded U.S. military leader from duty here.

Kos: Tillman Murdered for Chomsky Admiration, Antiwar Views  —  It's about time someone finally connected Noam Chomsky to Pat Tillman's death.  Another Kos diarist goes off the deep end.  This time with help from the AP which leads yet another story about the tragic death of Pat Tillman with this:

Democrats as victims?  —  There's an interesting meme of Democratic victimology developing here...  In addition to former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, saying that media attention on his hair stems from powerful interests who "want to shut me up", it should be noted that Sen. Hillary Clinton …

Chickenhawk Congressman Smears Military Expert  —  Center for American Progress military expert Lawrence Korb testified before the House Armed Services Committee this morning, challenging escalation proponents to have the courage of their convictions and call for a draft if they would like the surge to continue indefinitely.

Frederick of Hollywood and the Tiny Silicone Penis  —  I have been reading a fascinating book called "The Wimp Factor " by Stephen J Doucat that thoroughly examines the strange phenomenon of anxious Republican masculinity and the way it's informing our politics.

School Stops Scheduling Class Time For Muslim Prayer  —  SAN DIEGO — A San Diego school that drew international attention for setting aside time for Muslim students to pray in the classroom will no longer do so, it was reported Friday.  —  Instead, Carver Elementary's schedule will be reconfigured …

As U.S. Rebuilds, Iraq Won't Act on Finished Work  —  Iraq's national government is refusing to take possession of thousands of American-financed reconstruction projects, forcing the United States either to hand them over to local Iraqis, who often lack the proper training and resources to keep …

Rich Man, Boor Man  —  We live in an age of great wealth—and lousy manners.  —  So we are agreed.  We are living in the second great Gilded Age, a time of startling personal wealth.  In the West, the mansion after mansion with broad and rolling grounds; in the East, the apartments with foyers in which bowling teams could play.

DEAR WORLD  —  1. Scott Thomas Beauchamp's story is now in the hands of his superiors.  They know him and his overall worth as a soldier and will decide his immediate future.  If you are fortunate enough to be someone other than one of those superiors (or his wife) you are officially relieved …

Scientists' Tests Hack Into Electronic Voting Machines in California and Elsewhere  —  Computer scientists from California universities have hacked into three electronic voting systems used in California and elsewhere in the nation and found several ways in which vote totals could potentially be altered …

Update on The New Republic's 'Man in Iraq'  —  Below is a correspondence I had with PVT Scott Thomas Beauchamp's Co. 1SG.  I e-mailed him via AKO and did not expect him to have the time to answer, but I'm proud to say he did.  Looks like The New Republic's representative lackey has alot of explaining to do.