Links and related lazy, nasty, comments.

Starting with the obvious:

Vanity Fair has obtained confidential documents, since corroborated by sources in the U.S. and Palestine, which lay bare a covert initiative, approved by Bush and implemented by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Deputy National Security Adviser Elliott Abrams, to provoke a Palestinian civil war. The plan was for forces led by Dahlan, and armed with new weapons supplied at America’s behest, to give Fatah the muscle it needed to remove the democratically elected Hamas-led government from power. (The State Department declined to comment.)

I don’t even know what to say any more. 

Speaking of being left speechless, we have this:

Shares of Diebold(DBD – Cramer’s Take – Stockpickr) were soaring Monday after United Technologies(UTX – Cramer’s Take – Stockpickr) made an unsolicited bid to acquire the company for $2.63 billion.

United Technologies, a Hartford, Conn.-based conglomerate whose businesses include Otis elevators, Carrier heating and air-conditioning systems and Pratt & Whitney airplane engines, said it wants to pay $40 a share in cash. That represents a 66% premium to Diebold’s closing stock price on Friday of $24.12.

But wait, I’m confused, because I think “The Street” left something out.  What does UTC do again?

United Technologies Corporation (UTC) (NYSE: UTX) is an American multinational conglomerate based in Hartford, Connecticut, and is the 20th largest U.S. manufacturer.^[1] It researches, develops, and manufactures products in numerous areas, including aircraft engines, helicopters, heating and cooling, fuel cells, elevators and escalators, fire and security, building systems, and industrial products, among others. UTC is also a large military contractor, producing missile systems and military helicopters, most notably the Black Hawk Helicopter.^[2] In 2005, it received over 5 billion dollars in military contracts. George David is the current CEO.

Ah, gotcha.  So: A military contractor is trying to buy Diebold. 

Shall I say that again?

A military contractor is trying to buy Diebold.

Yeah. 

What else, what else.  Oh yes, the House Democrats are hard at work trying to undo the one worthwhile thing they’ve done since being awarded their majority, there’s a guy in Utah that’s torturing his employees–sure that will be more common in the next few years– and–oh yeah, we also torture lots of children too.

So welcome to the new police state!  I have to get back to work. You all can start your revolution anytime though, you don’t need to wait until 5:30.  I won’t be offended.