Toby Johnson’s Blog

Here’s a stunning bit of information you’re not likely to see played out too much in the mainstream media. A recent public opinion poll found that by a margin of two to one, most Iraqis are still optimistic about their future and prefer life under the current government to life under Saddam:

One in four Iraqis has had a family member murdered… in Baghdad, the capital, one in four has had a relative kidnapped…. But when asked whether they preferred life under Saddam, the dictator who was executed last December, or under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, most replied that things were better for them today.

Amazing. This poll was conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB), a “respected British market research company that funded its own survey of 5,019 Iraqis over the age of 18.”

“We’ve been polling in Iraq since 2005 and the finding that most surprised us was how many Iraqis expressed support for the present government,” said Johnny Heald, managing director of ORB. “Given the level of violence in Iraq, it shows an unexpected level of optimism.”

Here’s a great YouTube video of the Twirl-A-Squirrel bird feeder, which aims to solve the age-old problem of squirrels stealing birdseed from feeders. The squirrel’s heavier weight sets the gadget in motion, which gently spins the little varmint off, leaving him just a little bit dizzy but none the worse for wear.

Double rebates, making the sales rep happy, getting out of a bad contract — here’s a great post on how to get Cingular to hose you a bit less.