Midday Open Thread

• Those threatening messages allegedly from Iran to a US Naval ship in the Persian Gulf now appear to be the work of Filipino Monkey, a notorious ham radio heckler who has been pestering ships in the Persian Gulf for 25 years.
• Citigroup announced it may write down $24 billion dollars and lay-off 20,000 employees.  Worse yet, they are looking to a Saudi Prince and the Chinese Bank to bail them out.
• Very sad news:

  Will Daly set out with a college freshman's idealism to fight bigotry.

  Now the victim of what some consider a hate crime, he has left Stetson University. His bequest: a high-profile lecture by the mother of a murdered gay college student in Wyoming 10 years ago -- set for Jan. 23.

  As a freshman, Daly came up with the idea of getting Matthew Shepard's mother, Judy, to bring to Stetson her message of tolerance and understanding toward gay people.

  But Daly, a business major, will no longer be a student at the DeLand school. After a vandal, likely using a key or knife, carved the word "FAGS" on his metal dorm room door Nov. 11, he decided to transfer to a culinary school in New York.

  Daly said the incident -- and how the university handled it -- are the main reasons for his departure. Students and faculty, just now returning to campus for the spring semester, are stunned.

  - Plutonium Page

• Thanks, World Bank.  Amazon deforestation is just what we need:

  The World Bank has emerged as one of the key backers behind an explosion of cattle ranching in the Amazon, which new research has identified as the greatest threat to the survival of the rainforest.

  Ranching has grown by half in the last three years, driven by new industrial slaughterhouses which are being constructed in the Amazon basin with the help of the World Bank. The revelation flies in the face of claims from the bank that it is funding efforts to halt deforestation and reduce the massive greenhouse gas emissions it causes.

  - Plutonium Page

• Rudy 9iu11ani knows no bounds when it comes to pandering.  Yesterday, he made a stop at an Evangelical Hispanic church in Miami.  Excuse me while I get on my boots and wade in to find the money quote:

  "I'm not coming here to ask for your vote ... I'm asking you for your prayers," the former New York mayor told a crowd of about 7,000 at a Hispanic evangelical church outside Miami, The Palm Beach Post reported.

  Speaking in English with a Spanish translator at El Rey Jesus Church, Giuliani told congregants to "fear not, be strong and of good courage."

  "That is the way to provide real leadership. That's what I've strived to do all my life," he said.

   Right.  He would never come there asking for their votes.....only their prayers.  So humble.  So honorable.

• Michigan is another tough-to-poll state... Crossover votes from indies and Dems will decide things tomorrow for the Republicans. But rather than focus on the horse race, focus on this from Zogby:

  "About half of McCain's and Romney's supporters describe themselves as very strong and definite -- but another 46% for each man say they are "strong but could change" their minds. Eight percent of McCain's supporters say their support is weak or very weak, as do 4% of Romney's..

  "The top issue is the economy, cited by 47%, followed by the war in Iraq (18%), abortion (9%), immigration (8%), and the war on terrorism (6%).

  Immigration is a loser, even for Republicans. And the national race remains volatile (NY Times).

  The findings underscored the extraordinary volatility in the Republican race and suggested that the party was continuing to search for a nominee to rally around. Nearly three-quarters of Republican primary voters said it was still too early for them to make up their minds "for sure," meaning that they could shift their allegiances yet again if one or more of Mr. McCain’s rivals breaks through in the two Republican primaries this week, in Michigan and South Carolina.

  - DemfromCT