The New York Times Gives MoveOn.org a Deep Discount

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Sale Price

So how deep was the discount MoveOn.org got for its famous ad suggesting General Petraeus is a traitor?

The Times tells FOX News that the published rate for a similar ad is a little under $182,000. MoveOn confirms to the New York Post that it paid only $65,000 — a discount of almost $117,000. A Times spokeswoman denies the rate charged indicated a political bias.

Republican Senate Whip Trent Lott told FOX News, "I assume the New York Times gave them the friends and family discount."

Meanwhile, the ad alleges that the Pentagon's claims of reduced violence are false because car bomb deaths are not counted. But The Times own reporting contradicts that. In an article Saturday explaining the Pentagon formula, reporter Michael Gordon writes, "but victims of all car bomb attacks and Shiite and Sunni infighting are included in the overall civilian casualty count."

Where's the Beef?

Scientists in Britain say eating less meat could help slow global warming. The medical journal The Lancet features experts saying that by eating fewer steaks and burgers, there would be less need for livestock, which would decrease the amount of methane flatulence.

Scientists say methane is far more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide and many maintain the meat industry is more dangerous that all forms of transportation. Experts say in the story that cutting meat consumption by 10 percent would result in a cut in greenhouse gases.

Flag Ban

Students at Hobbton High School in Sampson County, North Carolina were prohibited from wearing any likeness of the U.S. flag Tuesday on the anniversary of 9/11, because of a school policy banning the wearing of any flag.

The school's principal said the policy was a reaction to gang members who wore foreign flags as gang symbols. Parents and locals were outraged and the ban made national news.

But Wednesday, the school district superintendent had had enough of the e-mails and phone calls and media reports. He struck down the ban and said that from now on no individual principal could make any changes in the county dress code which does not ban the wearing of flags.

Life Saver?

Fidel Castro says he saved President Ronald Reagan's life by tipping off U.S. officials to an assassination attempt in 1984. Castro made the claim in an essay published Wednesday by a Cuban state newspaper.

Castro says Cuban officials told an American security chief about an extreme right-wing group that planned to kill Mr. Reagan during a visit to North Carolina. Castro says the FBI arrested several people in North Carolina a few days later and that the American security chief expressed his thanks to the Cuban tipster.

So far there has been no confirmation by any American official. The FBI tells a British newspaper that it will take some time to check the veracity of the claim.

—FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.