memeorandum: Is Rick Perry dumb? (Jonathan Martin/The Politico)

7:40 AM ET, August 29, 2011

Top Items:

Mental illness rise linked to climate — RATES of mental illnesses including depression and post-traumatic stress will increase as a result of climate change, a report to be released today says. — The paper, prepared for the Climate Institute, says loss of social cohesion in the wake …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Republicans Against Science — Jon Huntsman Jr., a former Utah governor and ambassador to China, isn't a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination. And that's too bad, because Mr. Hunstman has been willing to say the unsayable about the G.O.P. — namely, that it is becoming the “anti-science party.”

Discussion: Prairie Weather, Pajamas Media and Balloon Juice

Caroline May / The Daily Caller:

One day climate change skeptics will be seen in the same negative light as racists, at least so says former Vice President Al Gore. — In an interview with former advertising executive and Climate Reality Project collaborator Alex Bogusky broadcasted on UStream on Friday …

Discussion: Mediaite, Sister Toldjah, Pajamas Media, The Democratic Daily, Wizbang, nation.foxnews.com and Taylor Marsh

The Daily Beast:

A Hurricane of Hype — Irene fell far short of the media's dire warnings even before it was downgraded. Howard Kurtz on the scaremongering by television and local officials.

Discussion: The Mahablog, Hot Air, The BRAD BLOG, Power Line, The Moderate Voice and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »

Toby Harnden / blogs.telegraph.co.uk:
Perfect Storm of Hype: Politicians, the media and the Hurricane Irene apocalypse that never was

Discussion: Gawker, The Other McCain, The Powers That Be, The Gateway Pundit, The Strata-Sphere and The Lonely Conservative

Justin Gillis / New York Times:
Seeing Irene as Harbinger of a Change in Climate

Discussion: GigaOM, The Other McCain, The Strata-Sphere, RedState, LewRockwell.com Blog and Green

Nic Robertson / CNN:

CNN Exclusive: Lockerbie bomber comatose, near death, family says — Tripoli, Libya (CNN) — Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset al-Megrahi is comatose, near death and likely to take secrets of the attack on Pan Am Flight 103 to his grave. — CNN found al-Megrahi under the care of his family …

Discussion: The Politico, Associated Press, YID With LID, Guardian, The Jawa Report, Telegraph, Althouse, Israel Matzav and Jihad Watch

Nic Robertson / CNN:
CNN's Robertson on finding Lockerbie bomber

Discussion: Guardian, Informed Comment, New York Times and Jihad Watch

Associated Press: Libya rebels won't deport Abdel-Baset al-Megrahi

Kerry Picket / Washington Times:

Obama's illegal uncle arrested; ‘Uncle Omar’ hits cop car, tries to call White House — A number of media outlets have already reported that an illegal immigrant from Kenya by the name of Onyango Obama, 67, was arrested last week on Wednesday after he rammed his SUV into a police car in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Marooned In Marin, The Gateway Pundit, iOwnTheWorld.com, The Powers That Be, Pajamas Media, americanthinker.com, Confederate Yankee and PoliPundit.com

Howie Carr / Boston Herald: Deval Patrick laments ‘tragedy,’ fails to take action

Nicole Belle / Crooks and Liars:

George Will Slams Dick Cheney For Not Apologizing For Iraq — Damn it, I hate it when this happens. I actually agree with George Will. As I reel from worlds colliding, let's look at the astonishing admission of wrongness on behalf of a Republican to which George Will wants an apology:

Discussion: Booman Tribune

Lucy Madison / CBS News:

Colin Powell undecided on 2012 choice — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO — Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says there are some “interesting” presidential candidates for the 2012 Republican nomination - but that he's not sure yet who he'll be voting for. — Powell, who served under former …

The Note:
Powell Not Sold on Obama in '12

Discussion: The Reaction, Scared Monkeys, CNN and Michelle Malkin

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill: Powell: Cheney taking ‘cheap shots’ in memoir

Ron Todt / Associated Press:

Va. soldier sought in 4 deaths found dead in Pa. — JAMISON, Pa. — An Army officer suspected of killing four people in Pennsylvania and Virginia was found dead in a wooded area Sunday after a manhunt during Tropical Storm Irene's winds and drenching rains paralyzed residents in this Philadelphia suburb.

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Is Rick Perry dumb? — Another Texas governor who drops his “g's” and scorns elites is running for president and the whispers are the same: Lightweight, incurious, instinctual. — Strip away the euphemisms, and Rick Perry is confronting an unavoidable question: is he dumb - or just misunderestimated?

Discussion: Campaign 2012

Eric Dash / New York Times:

As Fortunes Dim, Banks Confront a Leaner Future — Battered by a weak economy, the nation's biggest banks are cutting jobs, consolidating businesses and scrambling for new sources of income in anticipation of a fundamentally altered financial landscape requiring leaner operations.

Michelle Malkin:

Paparazzi President at work — There's one employee of the White House — other than the Teleprompter of the United States, that is — who never gets a break. — His name is Pete Souza. He's the official presidential photographer. Last week, Souza was hard at work making President Obama look hard …

Discussion: JammieWearingFool and Scared Monkeys