News Nuggets 325

Great new close-up images of the sun from NASA. See the Galactic Nugget below.

Haggling Politicians Plus al-Qaeda Losses Equal Progress in Iraq from the Washington Post

"Al-Qaeda in Iraq will probably survive, as it did after the killing of its previous chief in 2006. But there's a good chance that it will be unable to disrupt the political bargaining in Baghdad with spectacular attacks"

Sheik Declares War on Terrorists from Foreign Policy Magazine

"A Pakistani cleric declares jihad on suicide bombers. And the story is just beginning."

It's about time!! This is a very interesting story.

Obama Pulls Out His Boxing Gloves in Calif. (E.J. Dionne) from the Washington Post

"For the first time in Obama's presidency, Republicans are uncertain as to whether resolute opposition to a Democratic idea is in their political interest. There are strong indications that the GOP would prefer to avoid an all-out confrontation over re-regulating the financial system, and several Republican senators are saying that they would like to negotiate with Democrats. Suddenly, it's Democrats -- and, in particular, the often conflict-averse Obama -- who are relishing a fight."

Why the GOP Suddenly Let Up on Financial Reform from TalkingPointsMemo

"Key Republicans, sincere about passing new rules for Wall Street, but intimidated by the notion of blocking financial regulatory reform, let it be known to their leadership that, at some point, they would side with Democrats to break a filibuster."

New Bishop Once Blamed Devil for Abuse Lawsuits from the Washington Post

"A Chicago bishop who once blamed the devil for sexual abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Church and proposed shielding the church from legal damages has been named to lead an Illinois diocese."

Revising History Vatican Style (Thomas Doyle) from the National Catholic Reporter

"The latest Vatican attempt at damage control and image recovery is really an example of history revision. The Vatican has posted to its Web site a short explanation of the 2001 motu proprio, Sacramentorum sancitatis tutela. ... A real surprise, ..., is found in one sentence: “Civil law concerning reporting of crimes to the appropriate authorities should always be followed.” This is the first time the Vatican has publicly agreed that sexual abuse of minors is not only a crime in the secular world, but one that should be reported to civil authorities."

Desertion in the Desert (Markos Moulitsas) from The Hill

"God forbid you are darker-skinned and leave your wallet at home. In modern-day Arizona, that is grounds for jail."

For the GOP, say sayonara to the Hispanic vote for the foreseeable future.

Dems Making Smart Plays (Ben Goddard) from The Hill

"Just over a month ago the general political consensus was that the Republican Party was rising supreme and President Barack Obama’s political legacy was collapsing. The political landscape looks a lot different now."

Conservative Wishful Thinking on Healthcare Repeal (Jonathan Bernstein) from Salon

"Right-wing analyst's "plan" for repealing the landmark law is a fantasy"

Democratic Party, Helped by Wall Street, Outraising Republicans from the Bloomberg News Service

"Democratic Party committees entered April with $22 million more to help their congressional candidates than Republicans, a reversal of four years ago."

Vulnerable House Dems see the Money After Voting for the Healthcare Bill from The Hill

"Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports show the crucial yes votes cashed in between March 21 and the end of the first quarter on March 31. They received big money from Democratic-leaning political action committees (PACs) and fellow Democratic members of Congress."

Analysis: Republican Internal Feud Threatens GOP Fortunes from the Associated Press

"Races in all corners of the country raise the question of whether moderate candidates have a future in a party imposing ideological purity, and whether the GOP can attract moderate voters."

The Tea Party's Exaggerated Importance from Politico

"Part of the reason is the timeless truth in media that nothing succeeds like excess. But part of the reason is a convergence of incentives for journalists and activists on left and right alike to exaggerate both the influence and exotic traits of the tea-party movement."

LOOSE NUKES NUGGET!!

Junkyard Dogs of War (Obama and Luger) from the Washington Post

"Sold on the black market, these conventional weapons could end up in the hands of terrorists or militant extremists anywhere in the world. Donetsk is only one of several ill-secured stockpiles of conventional weapons in Ukraine, a major dumping ground for weapons, and there are perhaps scores more in dozens of countries around the world."

This article from 2005 gives you some sense of what motivates Obama around the issue of loose nukes.

GALACTIC NUGGET!!

NASA Observatory Returns Spectatular Images of the Sun from NASA via Huffington Post

"Researchers showed off brightly colored images and short movie clips of the sun from the Solar Dynamics Observatory in a webcast Wednesday."

HOME & GARDEN NUGGET!!

Converting a Seattle Garage Into a Tiny Home from the New York Times

"SITTING on the couch in her 250-square-foot house — a garage she has transformed into her version of a dream home — Michelle de la Vega, a visual and performance artist, held a pillow in her arms."

Cute!!

EARTH DAY NUGGET!!

Earth Day 2010: America's Amazing Canyons from Huffington Post

"Cartons tumbled out of the Random House warehouse bearing copies of the mini edition of Jon Ortner's stunning "Canyon Wilderness of the Southwest,""

Amazing images!!