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1.) A (Muslim) Brotherhood of torturers — The New York Times’ favorite moderate Egyptian “political” organization apparently runs its own torture chambers, reports TheDC’s Gregg Re:
“The Muslim Brotherhood operates a carefully controlled network of torture chambers designed to violently dehumanize opponents of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, according to a journalist who exclusively toured the facilities this week. Mohamad Jarehi, writing for the privately owned Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, described imposing iron barriers and armed government guards who stand watch in front of the Brotherhood’s central torture facility, which is located in the Egyptian suburb of Heliopolis. … Jarehi claimed to have observed numerous detainees in dire physical condition: Some were unable to speak, while others were covered in blood. Few, Jarehi claimed, received any form of medical assistance during their stay in the torture chamber.”
Remember what the NYTimes’ David Kirkpatrick said of the Muslim Brotherhood last week? That the org is a “moderate, regular old political force.” Yes, just like the Democratic and Republican parties in America, with the small exception that Repubs and Dems don’t run their own torture chambers (unless you, understandably, consider their national conventions torture). Also, not sure that either Repubs or Dems want to turn America into a theocracy. Other than that and perhaps a few dozen other things, American political parties and the Muslim Brotherhood are virtually undistinguishable.
2.) Will there be Wintour in Paris? — We now have an idea of who suggested Anna Wintour for a top diplomatic post, TheDC’s Caroline reports:
“First lady Michelle Obama is reportedly behind the push to award top Obama campaign fundraiser and Vogue editor Anna Wintour with a European ambassadorship — specifically to France — sources have revealed to The Daily Mail. A State Department ‘insider’ told the British paper that Wintour is ‘under consideration’ for a diplomatic post. … ‘Paris is her number one choice. I gather Ms Wintour finds the Paris house and grounds particularly spectacular,’ the insider added.”
If you’re in contention for a diplomatic job shouldn’t you be at least somewhat skilled at being, well, diplomatic? By many accounts, Anna Wintour is decidedly not that. And unless you are aiming to be U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, that seems kind of important.
3.) A Clinton dynasty –“Hillary Clinton 2016” is already picking up steam, reports TheDC’s Jeff Poor reports:
“On Sunday’s broadcast of ABC’s ‘This Week,’ former Bill Clinton adviser James Carville emphasized that most Democrats are hoping for a Hillary Clinton presidential run in 2016. ‘I don’t know what she’s going to do, but I do know this: The Democrats want her to run,’ Carville added. ‘And I don’t just mean a lot of Democrats, I mean a whole lot of Democrats, like 90 percent across the country. We just don’t — we just want to win, we think she is the best person and shut it down. And that’s across the board.'”
Wouldn’t it be something if we got another Bush vs. Clinton presidential race in 2016, except this time it was Hillary Clinton vs. “Access Hollywood” host Billy Bush? Or, if Billy opted out, Jeb Bush?
4.) A nation of stamp collectors — The number of food stamp recipients continues to rise, reports TheDC’s Caroline May:
“Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, reached another high in September, according to new data released by the United Stated Department of Agriculture. The most recent data on SNAP participation were released Friday, and showed that 47,710,324 people were enrolled in the program in September, an increase of 607,559 from the 47,102,765 enrolled in August. The new numbers mean that an estimated one in 6.5 people in America were on food stamps in September. In the 1970s, one out of every 50 Americans was on food stamps.”
5.) Tweet of Yesterday — RainnWilson: Return men in the NFL who are tackled by the kicker should be publically executed.
6.) Today in North Korean News — BREAKING: “Congratulations to Maltese FM”
VIDEO: Newt Gingrich, Lawrence O’Donnell spar over tax hikes