West Palm Beach put in red-light cameras a while ago.

...In West Palm Beach, overall accidents at the camera intersections decreased to 26 compared with 38 a year earlier, and damage cited in police reports fell below $96,000 from more than $113,000. But rear-end collisions climbed almost 30 percent to 17 from 13, and recorded injuries rose....

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 11:51 AM | Comments (125)
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It strikes me that it's not really fair to criticize the TSA without giving them guidance as to our thinking on airport security needs. So here, in the spirit of outreach to those who molestprotect us, is a short list of things we wanted to see, compared to what the TSA gave us:

Imagine a screening process where you don't have to take your laptops & liquids out, where you don't take your shoes off, and where your friends and family can accompany you to the gate. Air travel would be fast, convenient, and fun. Improved detection technology is supposed to make that happen, not make our trips even more painful.

But we, unfortunately, live in a Napolitano world.

UPDATE: Per Purple Avenger's suggestion in the comments (the relevant stuff starts 48 seconds in):

Posted by: Geoff at 11:43 AM | Comments (58)
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BREAKING: Cha-Ching! Maffei concedes; NY-25 another pickup for the Republicans! (Edit: The newspaper has since rewritten the article with a more "nuanced" narrative. Maffei is behind, but he can still request a recount.) (h/t Bomber© in the comments.)

So there I was, all set to compose and post my first awesomeish weekday MOOT, but then Comcast was all like

and I was stuck all day peering through the window instead of attending the party. Story of my life, let me tell you. I mean, I love you guys, but not enough to hand-code 175 lines of HTML on an iPhone.

Anyway, speaking of great timing: The elections are over, the thrill is gone. Thanksgiving is still two days away, and you're stuck reading this. In short, you must be bored. So hey, why not pay a visit the beautiful Korean DMZ? South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has introduced new mascots who would love for you to stop by and and engage in some "ecological tourism", which I believe is PR-speak for "there's not much there; hope you like plants."

They introduced these cute little critters to the world ... yesterday.

Left to right: Didi, Jiji and Mimi the happy DMZ butterfly family. Not pictured: Uhoh the Stuxnet-infected centrifuge.

Says the Yonhap News Agency:

The butterflies, named Didi (dad), Mimi (mom) and Jiji (their child) and with blue, pink and green wings, respectively, symbolize a family from an alien planet making their visit to Earth to find its natural charms.

Above: Natural charms.

More fun after the jump than if Don Rickles was your TSA agent. more...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 10:40 AM | Comments (104)
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UPDATE:

Sorry to interrupt all the Open Blog fun but I thought I'd repost this. I've bumped it up because commenters added a lot of great organizations in the comments for you to consider. Just something to consider as we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Original Post:

I was going to try my hand at podcasting this week but I'm a technical incompetent and it didn't work out. My plan was to interview Mark Seavey of The American Legion, Vets For Freedom and This Ain't Hell about Staff Sgt. Giunta being awarded the Medal of Honor. Since Mark is so active in veteran and military support issues, I thought it would also be a good chance to highlight what those of us back home could do to help bring a bit of cheer to the men and women fighting for our freedom during the holidays.

My inability to record a phone call shouldn't stop me from at least asking that question, so here's the information...

Naturally given his work with the Legion, Mark mentioned that local legion posts often hold events either to raise money or collect supplies to send out to the troops. You can find your local post on the Legion's site and contact them directly.

As always, there's the great group Soldiers' Angels. Mark is on their board and says there are currently 1,300 soldiers waiting to be adopted. That's way too many. I know times are tight but I'm sure Team Moron can put a dent in that number.

Soldiers' Angels also holds their annual Project Valour-IT fundraiser to provide voice activated laptops to wounded warriors who due to their injuries need special equipment to use a computer.

If you want to see what a difference these contributions make, check out Mark's recent visit with some wounded heroes at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX.

The news from Afghanistan and Iraq has been pushed aside recently but that doesn't change the fact that brave men and women are fighting and dying far, far from home for us. As I said, I know times are tough but just a few bucks from enough of us (and tell your non-blog friends too!) and we can really make a difference.

Posted by: DrewM at 10:26 AM | Comments (62)
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You can imagine my shock that I saw this during this mornings Intel brief. Ace sure knows how to vacation right. Go overseas, get a little sun, embed with some troops and get some live-fire action and Taliban scalps (do Ewoks do that?). So not only are we getting main battle tanks into theater, we are getting some top notch Ewok insurgent experience from Endor for the 'Stan. Either that or he was just lookin' for some puddin'.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:44 AM | Comments (86)
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I know there are a lot of history buffs like me that read this blog. Well I was purusing Instapundit when I saw this link to a Guardian UK article.

Apparently Margret Thatcher threatened to nuke Buenos Aires during the Falkland Island's War. Thatcher's threat was aimed at the French who refused to give her the disarmament codes to French missles which had been sold to the Argies.

President Francois Mitterand explains:

"Excuse me. I had a difference to settle with the Iron Lady. That Thatcher, what an impossible woman!" the president said as he arrived, more than 45 minutes late, on May 7 1982. "With her four nuclear submarines in the south Atlantic, she's threatening to unleash an atomic weapon against Argentina if I don't provide her with the secret codes that will make the missiles we sold the Argentinians deaf and blind." He reminded Mr Magoudi that on May 4 an Exocet missile had struck HMS Sheffield. "To make matters worse, it was fired from a Super-Etendard jet," he said. "All the matériel was French!"

Who knew Maggie Thatcher was the inspiration for Jack Bauer?

"Give me those codes guv'na"

I should also point out obviously the French surrendered the codes.

Photo of Mitterand below the jump.

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Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:04 AM | Comments (85)
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From Gerard Van der Leun at American Digest comes this painful, yet fascinating reminder of what happened in Seattle Portland two years ago when the roads became coated with snow and ice:

Watching it, I kept thinking of the Obama Administration's handling of just about every major issue over the past few years. What are your nominees?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 08:16 AM | Comments (144)
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Joe Miller has filed suit in the state court to stop them from using discretion in determining voter intent on write in ballots.

more...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 06:37 AM | Comments (145)
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Some interesting financial headlines today:

Teamsters/Unions using "It's for the Children" Battlecry to get their way? I'd say yup.

Gold Bubble? I need me some Monty to put me some knowledge on this.

The Truth About California This guy brings up some good points but I think he's smokin' some of Cali's number one crop.

Sorry I can't post more, gotta get back to work! CDR M, out.

Update
Revised 3rd Quarter Estimates from Hot Air. Revised upward to 2.5% from 2%.

Home Sales drop more than expected Tip from rdbrewer

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:59 AM | Comments (42)
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Government is the great fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 04:48 AM | Comments (72)
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