Open Thread–2/23/2011

Last night I smoked a cigarette, sort of, in the middle of the night.  A package mysteriously appeared in my hands.  I opened it and found two packs of Kent cigarettes, I brand I never smoked, and a lighter.  I lit one and was thoroughly enjoying it when I woke up.  ARGH!!  Even my dreams are not safe!  I’m up to date on comments.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:44 (average 4:31).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From NY Times: Rahm Emanuel, a former congressman who worked for two presidents, was elected mayor of Chicago on Tuesday, marking a new path for a city that has, for 22 years, been led by a singular, powerful force, Richard M. Daley.

Mr. Emanuel, who will take office in May, won 55 percent of the vote against five other candidates.

Poor Chicago!  From Daley to Rahmbo!!

From Salon: Glenn Beck said something stupid about Jewish people, today. Just FYI. On his radio program, while discussing George Soros, Beck says Reform Judaism is "almost like" "radicalized Islam."

Glenn Beck has called Soros a Nazi collaborator and claimed that the man is bent on world domination, and now he is claiming that Reform Jews are not real Jews, because many of them tend to be liberal.

And Batshit Bachmann, Republican presidential hopeful, wants to put this loon in charge of the budget.

From USA Today: New York Republicans have tapped Jane Corwin, a state assemblywoman, as their choice to replace Chris Lee, who abruptly resigned from Congress this month amid a sex scandal.

But a Tea Party group immediately denounced the choice by the GOP chairs of seven western New York counties in the 26th Congressional District, and suggested it would seek a candidate to run against Corwin and whoever is picked by Democrats as their nominee.

The area tends to be conservative, but Democrats could steal the seat if Teabaggers revolt and we make it a referendum on Republican misuse of power.

Cartoon:

Happy hump day!