STRATFOR: Strategic Divergence: The War Against the Taliban and the War Against Al Qaeda.

POSSIBLE? Shadegg Requesting Review Of Possible TARP Favoritism.

TRYING TO bulldoze free speech? “What happens if those with disproportionate power and influence come to use it not only to engage in economic development takings, but also to silence those who question how they wield that power? In two other cases–one in Clarksville, Tenn., and one in Renton, Wash.–real estate developers and even public officials have sued citizens for libel when they protested eminent domain actions in their communities.”

CHARLES RANGEL UPDATE: Welch gives back $20K from Rangel. “Rep. Peter Welch (Vt.), a new Democratic member of the House ethics committee, gave back nearly $20,000 in donations he received from Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), who is under investigation by the panel for an array of ethics charges. . . . Bob Rogan, Welch’s chief of staff, said his boss decided to return the money to avoid any appearance of impropriety when Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) named him to the panel, along with four other new Democratic members of the ethics committee. The check was sent Monday.”

But it’s not keeping the money that determines if there’s a too-close relationship. It’s getting the money in the first place. Jeez, guys, read the book.

TOM MAGUIRE: Old Dogs, New Tricks, All Change.

TAX REVOLT: New York Has A Tea Party. “This doesn’t do much to put to rest talk of a coming generational war as boomers retire and the young have to pick up the tax burden of that, as well as from the incredible spending we are seeing from government today. It’s their trillions of dollars government is burning today, unfortunately.”

AN ANALOGY FROM READER MICHAEL ALEXANDER: The rushed Obama Stimulus Package = The Patriot Act of 2009. “Obama wants it out of the House ASAP. Do any of the liberals championing this remember the way the last rushed stimulus package turned out? Do any of the liberals championing this package of pork remember the outrage of their liberal constituents and the way they had to run for cover after it was revealed they passed the Patriot Act without reading it? The cop-out – they said, they were not given enough time to do so???”

Hmm. It does kinda fit. And I was against the Patriot Act, too . . . .

Meanwhile, there’s ReadTheStimulus.org.

THE GEITHNER CONFIRMATION: “Tacit permission for everyone to cheat on taxes.”

UPDATE: Bernie Kerik plays the Geithner defense.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Feel like a chump?

PROPOSING A NEW national civil rights bill. I’m for it.

ASSOCIATED PRESS: Obama chooses Arab network for first TV interview.

UPDATE: Comments here.

ROBERT BYRD on Tim Geithner: “Had [Geithner] not been nominated for Treasury secretary, it’s doubtful that he would have ever paid these taxes.”

ROGER KIMBALL: A tale of two headlines.

ONLY IN WASHINGTON: Nonexistent CBO Report Turns Out to be Partially True.

Okay, actually a nonexistent report that’s partially true is probably better than average . . .

PHILIP K. HOWARD: How Modern Law Makes Us Powerless. “But there’s a threshold problem for our new president. Americans don’t feel free to reach inside themselves and make a difference. The growth of litigation and regulation has injected a paralyzing uncertainty into everyday choices. All around us are warnings and legal risks.”

Howard has a new book out, too.

OPRAH, BLAGO, BLAGO, OPRAH.

NORMALIZING FAST: Has Barack Obama’s popularity already plunged by 15 points? Plus, what’s in the genes.

BOB WOODWARD PREDICTS more scandals in the Obama Administration.

Sounds ominous — but, really, isn’t that a safe prediction at the beginning of pretty much any administration? Or, for that matter, the middle, or the end?

ANNOUNCING THE Newbery and Caldecott Award winners. Including Neil Gaiman.

UPDATE: And, for grownups, the Critics Circle Award Nominees.

TALKLEFT: Supreme Court restricts more rights. Apparently, they weren’t persuaded by my thoughts on official immunity.

UPDATE: More here.

GORDON CROVITZ: We need to know what’s mucking up the financial system.

WHO CREATES the value of labor?

SO, SHOULD I BE WORRIED? My historian-brother sent me a link to this book on surviving hyperinflation.

UPDATE: Reader Joseph Gautier emails: “Inflation? I don’t think so. It’s $2.35 off list price.” Heh. It’s the inflation-fighting miracle of the Internet!

WHEN THIS HAPPENS, boo loudly. Then buttonhole them unpleasantly later and complain about “insensitivity.” Don’t worry what they think about you, or whether you actually convince them of anything, just make sure the interaction is personally unpleasant enough that they’ll want to avoid such in the future. That’s how this sort of thing is done . . . .

SENATE CONFIRMS GEITHNER. So I guess that whole “I forgot” thing works after all! Thank you, Steve Martin!

A CALL TO boycott Greg Gutfeld.