You must build the Iraqi security force to stop the insurgency from killing the Iraqi security force you must build to stop the insurgency from the killing the Iraqi security force you must build to stop the insurgency from the killing the Iraqi security force. . .

Print this on a Mobius strip and run it through a text reader.

See No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, and/or Catch-22 by Joseph Heller for further instructions.

Inspired by Ntodd of Dohiyi Mir, who may have mentioned that he would like a vote for the Koufax Awards.

To all of my Orthodox and Eastern Rite friends.

Friday Cat Blogging^TM [Kevin Drum]

Welcome wherever she goes, or else. Queen of feral cats.

From the BBC: A new version of the Nigerian 419 e-mails.

An organisation calling itself the Solid Foundation Humanitary Fund Asia has sent e-mails asking for donations by international money transfer.

It originates from Nigeria – where the notorious “419” e-mails came from.

Tired of appealing to greed, now they’re working on compassion. There really isn’t a level in hell low enough for scum like this, unless they room with DéLay.

From the Australian Broadcasting’s news site: Shareholders’ group opposes tsunami donations.

The Australian Shareholders Association has expressed disapproval at companies pledging money to the tsunami relief effort in Asia, saying they have no approval for their philanthropy.

Association spokesman Stephen Matthews says firms should not generally give without expecting something in return.

Unless Australian balance sheets are extremely different than American balance sheets, which I doubt, there is an asset line titled: “Good Will”. For large, long established corporations, this is often a very large amount, and reflects the value of the corporation’s image. This isn’t funny accounting, corporate image is the reason for public relations departments. Does anyone think that WalMart is running ads on NPR because it thinks its customers listen to All Things Considered?

It is easier to explain in the negative: Ford Motor Company will never name another car line “Edsel”, there will never be another “New Coke”.

The corporations who are donating to tsunami relief are getting tax breaks and adding to their “Good Will” account. Corporations may also benefit from renewed interest from socially conscious investors, including some large pension plans.

Australian companies would naturally do a lot of business in the affected region, and companies that don’t donate will be noticed. If Mr. Matthews and his group don’t understand these business realities, they should shift their money to passbook savings accounts.

“The screens may be tiny and the batteries overworked, but the wireless industry is bringing TV to a cell phone near you.”