Mysteries of Saturn: New Photos From the Cassini Spacecraft

A fascinating piece, at London's Daily Mail, "Mysteries of Saturn revealed: Nasa probe captures clearest views of planet's rings - and the tiny 'mini-moons' swimming inside them."

Also at Independent UK, "A ringside seat to see Saturn and her moons."

Israelis Targeted in Tour Bus Attack in Bulgaria

Blazing Cat Fur reports, "Suicide Bomber Attacks Israelis In Bulgaria - 3 Dead."

And at Telegraph UK, "At least seven dead in Bulgaria tourist coach bomb."

'Settle Down': No Doubt's First Single in 10 Years

These guys are cool. Of course, they're from the O.C., so natch.

At London's Daily Mail, "The return of No Doubt: Gwen Stefani and co. release new music video after decade away from pop scene."

More at Metro UK, "Gwen Stefani looks better than ever in No Doubt's new video Settle Down."

And at MTV, "'Settle Down' Video: Five Key No Doubt References!"

No Doubt are back and they sound hella good. Watching the SoCal band's latest entry into the world of music videos, the colorful clip for the Diplo-produced "Settle Down," it's clear that the ska-infused quartet just doesn't age. They also haven't lost the spunk that made them global superstars after the release of 1995's Tragic Kingdom.

Suicide Attack Kills Syrian Defense Minister in Damascus

The New York Times reports, "Blast Kills Core Syrian Security Officials":

BEIRUT, Lebanon — A suicide bomber killed at least three top aides to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria on Wednesday including the defense minister and Mr. Assad’s powerful brother-in-law, state television and opposition activists reported. The attack in Damascus, after three days of fighting in the capital, hit at the very military structure that has been directing the harsh repression of the 17-month-old uprising against Mr. Assad’s rule.

Also at Telegraph UK, "Syria: Assad's brother-in-law killed in bombing," and the Wall Street Journal, "Massive Bomb Strikes at Assad's Inner Circle."

Woman Tries to Ride Wheelchair on Escalator

Seems to me that's the first safety tip a wheelchair user would learn: never attempt to ride on an escalator. Apparently this lady didn't get the message:

The Boston Herald has the full video at the link: "MBTA warns: Wheelchair, escalator mix will flip you out."

Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer Calls for Limits on First Amendment Free Speech Rights

Although the Brett Kimberlin affair is fading from the limelight, at least temporarily, I continue to stand by my argument that the battle is indeed partisan. Recall my earlier entry: "Will People STFU About How Brett Kimberlin Affair is 'Non-Partisan'? This is an Epic Partisan Battle Over How 'Free Speech' Will Be Defined."

The key point, again, is that left and right define free speech differently. Democrats are now advocating limits on political speech, which has nothing to do with yelling fire falsely in a theater. But here's Sen. Schumer, in a late-night Senate debate on the Democrats' "DISCLOSE Act". See Rob Bluey, at Hot Air, "Schumer calls for “limits on First Amendment rights” during Senate debate."

Bluey has the transcript at the link.

I personally don't remember any instance where the First Amendment was argued to protect equality, but that's the rationale Schumer's proposing, that limits on free speech are needed to protect equality. Only radical progressive make such arguments. They make them when the attempt to shut down conservative speech. So I can't stress enough how it behooves those of us on the right to fight the progressive anti-speech effort with everything we've got. A successful push to amend the First Amendment is the real threat to equality, the equality of an open marketplace for political speech.

John Sununu Apologizes For Slamming Obama as Un-American

Picking up where I left off yesterday, the New York Daily News reports on John Sununu's apology: "Top Romney surrogate John Sununu, the fomer N.H. Gov., apologizes after charging that Obama needs ‘to learn how to be an American’."

Actually, I think Sununu's doing just fine.

PREVIOUSLY: "Romney Surrogate John Sununu: Obama Was 'In Hawaii Smoking Something'."

Romney Surrogate John Sununu: Obama Was 'In Hawaii Smoking Something'

At The Hill, "Obama Was 'In Hawaii Smoking Something'" (via Memeorandum).

BONUS: At Astute Bloggers, "THE REAL OBAMA: an effeminate privately schooled cocaine user who seemed completely white who defended Communism."

NRCC Hits Back: 'If You've Got a Business — You Didn't Build That'

Heritage had this yesterday, "Obama Tells Entrepreneurs “You Didn’t Build” Your Business."

And now here's this, from the National Republican Congressional Committee, via Ed Morrissey, "Video: NRCC hits Obama over small-business comments":

Added: From Weasel Zippers, "RNC Mocks Obama’s Belief That American Entrepreneurs “Didn’t Build” Their Businesses Without Government Help…"

Victoria's Secret Angel Barbara Palvin

Well, perhaps this is an improvement over Pauline Potter.

At Guyism, "Whoa… Barbara Palvin Works for Victoria's Secret." And the Sun UK, "Who's Hungary for Bra-bara Palvin?"

Pauline Potter, World's Heaviest Woman, Takes Off the Pounds With Marathon Sex

Dlisted has the story, "The World's Fattest Living Woman Is Sexing the Pounds Off" (via Linkiest).

Actually, this is say it ain't so territory.

More at London's Daily Mail, "'I've lost 7st thanks to marathon sex sessions!': World's heaviest woman has found a new way to slim down with husband who says her weight gain makes her MORE attractive."

ZOMG! Teresa Heinz Kerry Released the 'First Two Pages of Her 2003 Tax Return' — How Dare You Deflect Attention, Mitt Romney, How Dare You?

I guess it's working, a little bit, at least. Recall my report yesterday, "Mitt Romney Hits Back Against Obama's Shameless Dishonest Attacks." Romney mentioned that John Kerry's wife, Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira Heinz Kerry, one of the worlds richest women, never released her taxes in 2004. Well, here's the correction to that, at the Boston Globe, "John Kerry’s office blasts Mitt Romney over inaccurate claims about tax returns" (via Memeorandum):

In an interview on Fox News Channel Monday morning, Romney -- under pressure from not only the Obama campaign but also some in his own party to release additional tax returns -- suggested he is the victim of a double standard.

“John Kerry ran for president; you know, his wife, who has hundreds of millions of dollars -- she never released her tax returns,” Romney said. “Somehow this wasn’t an issue.”

In fact, Heinz Kerry’s reluctance to release tax returns, which she files separately from her husband, was a major story line during the 2004 presidential race. She eventually made public the first two pages of her 2003 return, which showed she earned $5.1 million that year, almost all of it from interest and dividends on investments. She paid $627,150 in federal taxes in 2003, only 12.3 percent of her total income.

Well, blow me down!

The first two pages! Neener, neener! Mitt Romney liar, liar pants on fire!

And checking back over at Memeorandum, the progs are all over this like it's the biggest scandal since Monica Lewinsky serviced Big Bill. And they're lying about it, at the aptly titled Crooks and Liars, for example:

While Romney is correct that Teresa Heinz Kerry declined to release any tax returns when her husband, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), ran for the White House in 2004, a candidate's wife is not usually held to the same standard as the candidate.

Oops! Not true, sorry. John McCain was under vicious pressure to release his wife's returns, and the Soros-backed Media Matters used the same lame Teresa Heinz Kerry comparison, "Several media outlets advanced comparison between Cindy McCain's and Teresa Heinz Kerry's release of tax info, ignoring key distinction." And Media Matters even deleted some of its smears, but the cached version of this one's still available, "Double Standard for Candidate Spouses."

Not such a double standard after all, it turns out. Ultimately, the McCain campaign released Cindy McCain's full 2006 tax returns, not just the first two pages: "Campaign releases 2006 tax filing for Cindy McCain."

Maybe some of the progs can set record straight? And kudos for Mitt Romney on turning back the left's false narratives. It's just a start though, so Team Romney better get cooking.

PHOTO CREDIT: Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira Heinz Kerry via Wikimedia Commons.

Presidential Attacks Seek to Demobilize Opponent's Supporters

Attack ads are essentially demoralizing. But they work, so campaigns keep using them. I do think this year we're seeing a new low on the Democrat side, but that's politics. Frankly, Romney needs to go negative in a big way, or get out.

In any case, the Los Angeles Times notes that both camps are seeking to demobilize support for the other's campaign, but since it's Obama that's been mostly on the attack, clearly the left's desperation factor is at the tipping point. See, "In Bain Capital campaign fight, key voters are the prize":

With the economy still sluggish, Obama has little likelihood of greatly increasing his support between now and November among voters who disapprove of his performance. But by portraying his rival as an unacceptable choice, he may be able to reduce the number who turn out to vote for Romney.

Romney, for his part, doesn't generate huge enthusiasm among voters, but has been counting all along on getting people to vote for him because they've decided to fire Obama.

As a result, a big part of the campaign right now is a contest to determine which man those voters dislike less. Both sides have been fairly open for months about how they planned to accomplish that goal.

Again, while the Times piece is pushing the "both sides do it" angle, the Obama campaign is out with yet another round of attacks this morning, at the video above and at CNN, "Obama ad continues to hammer Romney over taxes." (Via Memeorandum.)

RELATED: From Da Tech Guy, "Demoralized as Hell: the Obama Prevent Defense Edition":

They aren’t spending their money in the middle of summer in the hopes of defining Romney to an audience that isn’t paying attention, they are spending the money NOW to keep their poll numbers from collapsing prior to the fall campaign season. This isn’t about getting ahead, it’s about treading water long enough for something ANYTHING to come along and save them.

Via Instapundit.

New Video Shows Rebels Abusing Muammar Gaddafi's Body After Death

Blazing Cat Fur has the headline: "New Video Shows Love For Charlie McCarthy Shared by Libyan Rebels & Muammar Gaddafi."

And at London's Daily Mail, "Shocking new video shows Gaddafi's body 'being used by rebels as ghoulish ventriloquist's doll'":

A gruesome new video which appears to show Muammar Gaddafi's dead body being abused by rebels has surfaced online.

In the shocking clip, which was posted to YouTube on Monday, high-spirited demonstrators apparently use the Libyan dictator's corpse as a ventriloquist's doll.

The footage came to light after a Syrian activist linked to it on Twitter, aiming a threat at Syria's leader Bashar Al Assad.

Google Executive Marissa Mayer Named President and CEO of Yahoo!

At Business Week, "Marissa Mayer Is Yahoo's New CEO."

And at the New York Times, "A Yahoo Search Calls Up a Chief From Google" (via Memeorandum):

Marissa Mayer, one of the top executives at Google, will be the next chief of Yahoo, making her one of the most prominent women in Silicon Valley and corporate America.

The appointment of Ms. Mayer is consider a coup for Yahoo, which has struggled in recent years to attract top talent in its battle with competitors. One of the few public faces of Google, Ms. Mayer, 37, has been responsible for the look and feel of some of the search company’s most popular products.

Despite her background, Ms. Mayer — who will be Yahoo’s fifth chief executive in less than a year, two of them interim — will face a daunting challenge.

A pioneering Internet company that helped shape the industry in the 1990s, Yahoo is trying to remain relevant after failing to adapt to changing innovations like sophisticated search technology and social media tools. As Google and Facebook have emerged as Web giants, Yahoo has struggled to create a distinct strategy, even though its audience remains among the largest on the Internet. Now, the company is moving to lay off thousands of employees, in the face of slumping profits and a lackluster stock.

The big question is whether Ms. Mayer — or anyone — can help Yahoo regain its former stature.

Also at WSJ, "New Yahoo Chief Seen Reinvigorating Company's Product Offerings."

And the biggest angle is the Mayer's pregnant. See Fortune, "New Yahoo CEO Mayer is pregnant" (via Memeorandum).

And this is interesting, from Lisa Belkin at HuffPo, "Marissa Mayer: The Most Powerful Pregnant Woman In America":

So what value and obligation does Mayer have to working mothers? (And she does have one. As long as women with children are the exception at the top they are, willingly or not, role models.) It is to be aware of what she has that others need. To create a culture where jobs are as flexible as possible, so all parents can mold them around their family needs. To understand that a pregnancy doesn't diminish a woman's brain cells, or her worth. And that being a parent makes you a better, more committed, more focused worker, not a lesser one.

I wonder if Amanda Marcotte's down with that?

The Amazing Creativity and Productivity of the Free Market

An excellent essay from Andy Kessler, at the Wall Street Journal, "The Incredible Bain Jobs Machine":

The productive use of capital is not an automatic process ... It is all about constant experimentation. And it is never permanent: Railroads were once tremendously productive, so were steamships and even Kodachrome. It takes work, year in and year out—update, test, tweak, kill off. Staples is under fire from Amazon and other productive online retailers. Its stock has halved since its 2010 peak and is almost at a 10-year low. So be it.

With all the iPads and Facebook and cloud-computing growth, why is unemployment still 8.2% and job creation stalled? My theory is that productivity is always happening but swims upstream against those that fight it. Unions, regulations and a bizarre tax code that locks in the status quo.

In good times, no one notices. But in slow-growth economies, especially in the last 10 years, regulations and hiring rules and employer mandates and environmental anchors have had a cumulative dampening effect on productivity.

How can government do the right thing to help productivity and the employment it fosters? Get out of the way. Every government-mandated low-flow toilet, phosphorous-free dishwasher detergent, CFL light bulb, and carbon-emission regulation is another obstacle on the way to a productive, job-creating economy that produces things consumers really want.

RTWT.

Obama's ‪#WarOnWomen‬: 80% of the 2.6 Million Net Jobs Created Since '09 Have Gone to Men

Well, it's not like Romney's hurting for attack material. This economy's a freakin' disaster for women. See the Los Angeles Times, "Newly Created Jobs Go Mostly to Men":

Even as women have moved up the economic ladder and outpaced men in earnings growth over the last decade, they are lagging behind in a crucial area — getting new jobs.

Since the recession ended in June 2009, men have landed 80% of the 2.6 million net jobs created, including 61% in the last year.

One reason: Male-dominated manufacturing, which experienced sharp layoffs during the recession, has rebounded in recent years, while government, where women hold the majority of jobs, has continued to be hit hard.

But there's something else at work. Men are grabbing a bigger share of jobs in areas, such as retail sales, that typically have been the province of women, federal data show.

That's not necessarily good news for women or men. So-called women's work often pays less and offers skimpier benefits and less opportunity for advancement than the jobs men previously held.

Paul Cordova and his wife, Betty Mowery, a 40-something San Francisco couple, found that out in short order. Three days after Cordova lost his job managing facilities at a San Francisco law firm in April 2009, Mowery was laid off as a customer service representative at an air freight company.

Cordova got a new job working as a clerk in a grocery store, but, at $9 an hour, it paid much less than his previous job. Mowery couldn't find any job and finally stopped looking. She went back to college this year to retrain for a career in mental health.

"It's a huge step down," Mowery said of their family income, close to $100,000 before the start of the recession at the end of 2007.

Postcards from the Obama Depression.

Elton John Admits It's 'Heartbreaking' for Son Zachary to Grow Up Without a 'Mummy'

Every now and then some top celebrity utters the brutal truth about the radical homosexual rights agenda. A few months back Cynthia Nixon admitted that homosexuality is a choice (an admission that didn't go over too well with the homosexual extremists at Towleroad).

So here comes Elton John confessing that it's "heartbreaking" that his son Zachary won't have a "mummy." At London's Daily Mail, "It will break my son's heart to realise he hasn't got a mother, says Elton as he reveals he'd like Zachary to have a sibling."

And remember, John doesn't back homosexual marriage, or at least he didn't in 2008, saying that:

"I don't want to be married. I'm very happy with a civil partnership. If gay people want to get married, or get together, they should have a civil partnership," John says. "The word 'marriage,' I think, puts a lot of people off.

"You get the same equal rights that we do when we have a civil partnership. Heterosexual people get married. We can have civil partnerships."

Right.

Also, John admits he wasted much of his life with drug abuse, not something that the left's brain dead pro-pot cult wants people to talk about: "'I wasted a big part of my life': Sir Elton John confesses he squandered some of his best years due to drug addiction."

Pentagon's Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO)

This is cool.

At USA Today, "Drones fight IEDs in Afghanistan."

Plus, two JIEDDO clips from last year:

Theo's Monday Hotties

More lovelies.

See, "Monday Mopsies...", and "Bonus Babe..."

Plus, "Bedtime Totty..."