Putting the Dip in Diplomacy

Or putting the "Lo" in Diplomacy? Fran Drescher, the Queens-born, unfortunately voiced star of the 90s sitcom "The Nanny," has been named a Public Diplomacy Envoy by the State Department. From a State Dept. Press Release:

Ms. Drescher will join Cal Ripken, Jr. and Michelle Kwan as Public Diplomacy Envoys. “The Nanny” star is a Golden Globe and Emmy nominee, cancer survivor and founder of non-profit organization the Cancer Schmancer Movement. She will support U.S. public diplomacy efforts, including working with health organizations and women’s groups to raise awareness of women’s health issues, cancer awareness and detection, and patient empowerment and advocacy. Ms. Drescher’s first trip in her new role will be in late September and include stops in Romania, Hungary, Kosovo and Poland.

i'm in ur dojo, PUTIN down ur sensei

Apparently Putin can lay down more than a verbal bitchslap. Time Magazine's Person of the Year took some time off from basking in his own awesomeness to help shoot an instructional video on judo.

But your feeble constitution is no match for Megalon!

According to Japan's Minister of Defense (who also seems to be in charge of Sci-Fi/Fantasy Affairs), the country's strictly pacifist constitution might provide some leeway if men in rubber suits or shitty action directors with Ferris Bueller in tow were to descend on Tokyo. “'If Godzilla attacked, that would probably be a natural disaster relief operation,'” making it legally permissible, he said."

Dodgin' ur queschuns

"Until these inquiries are complete, until the oversight’s finished, then I will be rendering no opinion from podium.”

NYT recaps another fun-filled Bush presser.

In related news, it turns out the cause of yesterday's fire was actually Dana Perino's head exploding.

I'm in ur iowa, ruinin ur primary

Via Reuters: AFFABLE BAPTIST MAKES PRIMARIES SLIGHTLY LESS BORING

Bonus: Christopher Hitchens zings Huckabee, orders fourth pre-lunch Scotch

Stand Down, Dawg

Reuters , via Wonkette . Blackwater reaches comic-book levels of villainy; Michael Vick encouraged by post-prison employment prospects.

informed speculation

The Washington Post unfortunately neglects to address how that Dick Cheney and David Addington were lighting each other's farts at the OEOB when things got a little out of hand. Oh, and they were farting on super-secret CIA tapes.