BUSH DOESN’T LIKE ROMNEY, because of immigration.

ANN COULTER: No, I’m not kidding about backing Hillary.

A LIBERTARIAN PERSPECTIVE on the Berkeley vs. The Marines showdown.

STRATEGYPAGE: “NATO members are becoming less diplomatic about disagreements over who should do what in Afghanistan. . . . The U.S. is also complaining that NATO members come unequipped for war. There is a need for more air reconnaissance, for example, but few NATO countries have UAVs or recon aircraft. In Europe, getting soldiers killed in Afghanistan, and spending money to send them there, is not popular. Even less popular is the expense of training and equipping troops for these kinds of operations. Many NATO nations, like Germany, do as little as they can get away with in Afghanistan, and that is irritating to the countries that have troops in combat (like Britain, Canada, Australia and the U.S.). . . . On the plus side, the Taliban 2007 offensive was a failure, and growing anti-Taliban violence in Pakistan has diminished the power of the Afghan Taliban.” Let’s hear it for anti-Taliban violence!

THOUGHTS ON Hate Speech.

WHY DOES IT STILL TAKE SO LONG to publish a book? “Technology may be speeding up the news cycle, but in publishing, things actually seem to be slowing down.” Blame the marketers. Though as many authors can attest, despite all that time and attention to marketing, the publisher often fails to have enough books at Amazon and other locations when the book actually comes out.

MO-MITT-UM? An easy win for Romney in Maine, amid high turnout. “Mitt Romney won 53% of the vote, followed not at all closely by John McCain, who won 21% and Ron Paul, who won 19%.” Plus, he’s up 9 in the polls in Missouri. I wonder: Is McCain’s poor showing in the last debate actually making a difference?

LOTS OF STUFF, INCLUDING VIDEO, on the new Macbook Air. I looked at one when I was at the mall yesterday. It’s very cool — jewel-like, thin, and with a great display. I think I’d rather the screen be a bit smaller, and the computer a bit thicker, but it did look nice, and the Insta-Wife liked it.

INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY EDITORIALIZES: “Is it just us, or is there something off about ex-president Bill Clinton using his influence overseas to enrich a pal and then accepting the pal’s big donation to his foundation? This looks like a bribery racket.”

MICROSOFT LIVES UP TO THE STEREOTYPE: To open the Vista box you need instructions?

IS THE ANGRY LEFT DYING? Or do they just smell funny?

ANTI-AGING RESEARCH, SPACE, AND SUPERBOWL TECHNOLOGY — all on this week’s Popular Mechanics podcast. Plus, don’t be a wimp — change your own oil!

NOKIA AND German economic isolationism.

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: “Three unexpected developments have given Republicans a shot this year at winning — once thought impossible, given the normal desire of the electorate for a fresh party after eight years, and worries about Iraq and the economy. All can change, but for now they have a real shot.”

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: “Three unexpected developments have given Republicans a shot this year at winning — once thought impossible, given the normal desire of the electorate for a fresh party after eight years, and worries about Iraq and the economy. All can change, but for now they have a real shot.”

A REAL SOLAR INDUSTRY RISES IN CALIFORNIA. I talked to the folks at Elon Musk’s (he’s the founder of PayPal and SpaceX, and the Tesla Roadster financier) Solar City and they told me they’d have their turnkey solar systems in my area within the year. I just might buy one.

MORE ON THAT NAVY RAILGUN TEST: There’s video here. But what’s all the flame? Plasma generated by the electrical discharge?

CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRESS IN SOUTH DAKOTA:

A bill passed this week by a House committee would guarantee people the right to carry or possess firearms on the campuses of South Dakota’s public universities.

HB1261 would also prevent schools from expelling students or firing employees for having a gun on campus.

I hope that more states — including mine — follow suit. If it saves just one life, it’s worth it.

DEMOCRATS ARE LOOKING AT A SHIFT IN STRATEGY ON IRAQ. Or, to be more accurate, on the politics of Iraq.

OVER AT THE NRO PLANET GORE BLOG, they’ve been debating Bob Zubrin’s flexfuel plan. Here’s Zubrin’s response to some criticisms, and here’s more commentary from Anne Korin of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security.

I MENTIONED THE CANNED CHEESEBURGER the other day. Now here’s a guy who was actually brave enough to eat it. With pictures.

HILLARY CLINTON: A guilty pleasure?

MORE “HELP” FOR HILLARY FROM BILL: “Once again, former President Bill Clinton seems poised to be pitchforked into the headlines right on the eve of a crucial primary vote amid a report that he’s going to ‘repent’ by going to some black churches.”

PAUL VOLCKER ENDORSES OBAMA: After watching Obama shoot down Hillary’s absurd mortgage-freeze idea, I can see why. Then there’s the Austan Goolsbee factor.

UPDATE: Steve Forbes endorses McCain. McCain will need Forbes’ help, as his own instincts aren’t good.

FREE SPEECH IN CANADA? It’s about time.