Like Some Bizarro Good-Cop-Bad-Cop Routine

1. Cheney makes surprise visit to Pakistan — …President Bush has decided to send a tough message to Musharraf, warning him that the Democrat-controlled Congress may cut off funding to Pakistan unless it gets more aggressive in hunting down al-Qaida and Taliban operatives in its country. — From the use of the Bushism OFFAL bumblespeak, “Democrat;” to the schoolyard my-Dad-can-beat-up-your-Dad “tough” talk, this has to be one of the weirdest news quotes of Your Montag’s recent memory.
2. REAL ID ACT must be repealed not delayed — Congressman Tom Allen would repeal the Real ID Act. Good on him. Support H.R. 1117!
3. After Guinness nod to Indian chili, woman to set record eating it — Anandita Dutta Tamuly wants the world record for ghost chili pepper eating.
4. Oh, yeah, there was also this thing I read about the U.S. pumping “a great deal of money, without congressional authority …” for covert operations in the Middle East … to “stop … the Shiite influence.” … funds have ended up in the hands of “three Sunni jihadist groups” who are “connected to al Qaeda” but “want to take on Hezbollah.” — Connected to what?! — Hersh: U.S. Funds Being Secretly Funneled To Violent Al Qaeda-Linked Groups — Ummmm, what?! —