ENGAGING WITH “MODERATE ISLAMISTS:” Melanie Phillips thinks the Bush Administration’s strategy is a mistake.

SO IF YOU CRITICIZE NEWS REPORTING, you might as well be shooting reporters?

A LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENED TO BRITAIN UNDER BLAIR: I suspect America under a Hillary administration would fare similarly.

YES, THERE DOES SEEM TO BE A GROWING POLITICAL CONSENSUS in favor of shutting up the hoi polloi.

TROUBLE FOR LAMAR ALEXANDER? The possibility of real opposition looms.

THE UNITED NATIONS AND GLOBAL WARMING: Ed Driscoll notes an irony.

A HIGHLY EFFICIENT LIGHTBULB that lasts practically forever. (Via the Speculist).

INDEED: “While it isn’t my job here to make a moral pronouncement, in my half a century on the planet I have detected a significant moral shift. I can remember when living off government money without working was considered less than morally optimal, and being on the government payroll carried with it no special moral authority. Nor should it. Yet I have seen a growing tendency in some circles to see tax eaters (of all varieties) as morally better than the people whose taxes pay them. This makes no sense.”

JAIL TIME FOR NIFONG?

Beleaguered and disbarred former District Attorney Mike Nifong, who prosecuted the Duke University lacrosse rape case, could wind up in jail if a motion is granted asking that criminal charges be filed against him, FOX News has learned.

The three Duke lacrosse players falsely accused of rape by a stripper plan to file the motion Friday against the ex-Durham County district attorney who built the case against them.

If the motion asking for criminal sanctions against Nifong is granted, the prosecutor could land in prison.

The players, who have been exonerated, are also asking for financial reimbursement.

This has got to be bothersome to prosecutors everywhere. Of course, if they’re innocent of Nifongesque conduct, they have nothing to fear. Right?

THIS MORNING I LINKED MICHAEL YON’S LATEST POST on the battle for Baqubah, but he just sent this followup email: “It’s Friday evening 22 June. Operation Arrowhead Ripper continues to unfold. The operation is going very well. This looks like it will become a serious problem for al Qaeda.” Let’s hope.

RICK LEE PHOTOGRAPHS the world’s greatest sidewalk artist.

MAKING ROCK INTO BIOFUEL: Tyghe Trimble looks at the state of clean coal technology.

Plus, Jay Leno gets wind power: Hope he doesn’t live close to Ted Kennedy!

CARS OF THE UNITED NATIONS: “Not a Prius in sight.”

HEY, I’VE GOT TRACTION: “Daylife, the much-hyped online news aggregation site which launched for public consumption in January but hasn’t gained much traction as of yet, has raised $8 million in second round of funding, according to SEC filings.” And I aggregate news, too! Where’s my $8 million?

JESSE WALKER has good news for low-power radio.

LARRY SUMMERS on China , taxes, and growth.

MORE ON BOYS, DANGER, AND FUN. Plus, a reader suggests Backyard Ballistics as another source of summer fun. On the other hand, many parents will shy away from Backyard Rocketry: Converting Model Rockets Into Explosive Missiles, which I haven’t read, but which is certainly something we did when I was a kid. Judging by the reader reviews, though, there’s reason to shy away.

A 72 DOLLAR PC. “With antiquated components flooding the surplus-parts market and free operating systems only a click away, building a fully functional computer has never been such a bargain.” Well, the price is right!

MISERABLE FAILURE: A Chinese sedan gets a crash test.

TAX COURT HITS NURSE WITH ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX, Rejects Argument that Congress Did Not Intend AMT to Apply to “Nonwealthy Working Class.” I think the AMT creep could wind up being a big issue if it’s not addressed soon.

EXTREME MORTMAN, unknown blogger.

JOHN TAMMES ROUNDS UP news from Afghanistan. Don’t miss it.

HOWARD KURTZ: “Should Nader get in, it raises an interesting question for the press: Do you spend much time covering the guy–who can be very colorful in trashing his rivals–for the sheer entertainment of it?”

HELPING THE POOR BY HELPING YOURSELF: I’m clearly in the wrong business.

I think there are two Americas: Those who manage to enrich themselves by exploiting legal technicalities, and those who do not.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS COMES TO sex toys.