Politics Plus

For the last several days I have been ill.  The problem is that catching a cold or the flu, severely exacerbates my COPD, and for days or sometimes weeks afterwards, my coughing to clear my lungs is so severe that it makes sleep for more than an hour or two at a stretch impossible.  After a couple days of that, I’m too tired and foggy to do the research needed to write the quality of articles you deserve.  Wednesday night I finally slept well, so I’m back, at least for a day.  I’m current on replies to yesterday’s comments.  Today I have a month’s groceries being delivered.  Unpacking and storing it will take several hours.

Jig Zone Puzzles:

The puzzle for the 14th took me 3:38 (average 5:02).  To do it, click here.  The puzzle for the 15th took me 3:37 (average 5:08). To do it, click here.  The puzzle for the 16th took me 4:22 (average 5:04). To do it, click here.  The puzzle for the 17th took me 4:43 (average 5:29). To do it, click here. The puzzle for the 18th took me 3:43 (average 5:35). To do it, click here.  The puzzle for the 19th  took me 3:45 (average 4:23). To do it, click here.  The puzzle for the 20th took me 3:48 (average 4:28). To do it, click here.  The puzzle for the 21st took me 4:25 (average 4:44). To do it, click here.  Yesterday it took me 3:59 (average 4:27). To do it, click here.  Today it took me 4:44 (average 4:55). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Religious Agony:

Fantasy Football Report:

Here are the results from our league, Lefty Blog Friends, from the first week of our playoffs.

I was knocked out in the first round, wrapping up my worst performance, since I started playing, over ten years ago.

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: Civilians were targeted in bombings across Baghdad that killed 57 people amid an escalation of political infighting in Iraq that has followed the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.

I first said this would happen well over five years ago, when I argued for immediate withdrawal.  The intervening years, loss of life, and tremendous cost failed to prevent this.  This lesson needs to be applied to Afghanistan.

From GovTrack: Numbers confirm what we already pretty much know: Congress this year isn’t getting much done. The number of bills enacted this year is lower than it has ever been in at least 30 years. If you think Congress should be passing fewer laws, then you got your wish this year.

For this we have the Republican Party and the people who stayed home in 2010 to thank.

From Washington Post: The House Committee on Ethics said Thursday that it was extending its investigation into whether Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) was involved in reimbursing employees at several of his car dealerships for donations to his campaign.

The announcement by Chairman Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) and ranking member Linda T. Sanchez (D-Calif.) marks another political challenge for Buchanan, the senior Republican fundraiser in the House who also faces a Justice Department probe into the allegations.

Buchannan must be so guilty that he has become an embarrassment, or the Republicans on the committee would have shut down the investigation.

Cartoon:

Yesterday I was still ill.  I rested and meditated on the Ellipsoid Orb, which blessed me.  I’m current with replies.  Today I have errands I have to run.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:21 (average 5:11).  To do it, click here,  How did you do?

Religious Ecstasy:

Short Takes:

From The Telegraph: The ‘Durban Platform’ will commit all countries to a global deal on cutting carbon emissions by 2015 although it will not come into force until 2020.

The UN marked it as an “historic breakthrough to save the planet”, that makes up for the collapse of the last high profile attempt for a global deal in Copenhagen in 2009.

From what I understand, the agreement falls well short of what is required to prevent as global catastrophe.

From Washington Post: British Prime Minister David Cameron’s rejection of a landmark accord to quell Europe’s debt crisis generated cracks in his cabinet Sunday, sparking sharp criticism from the junior partners in his ruling coalition, the Liberal Democrats.

Cameron, a Conservative euro-skeptic, on Friday made Britain the only nation among the 27-country European Union to reject a summit pact aimed at shoring up the foundations of the euro through a new treaty spelling out, among other things, binding caps on government spending and borrowing.

I don’t pretend to be knowledgeable in this area, but it appears to me that the UK is half in and half out of the EU.

From Kansas City Star: House Republicans banned earmarks, a top symbol of congressional profligacy, after they won control of the chamber last fall in a wave of voter anger over excessive government spending.

But more than half of the amendments to this year’s House Department of Defense authorization bill were earmarks, according to Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, a leading congressional critic of the practice.

Like all other Republican promises, their vow to abide by their own earmark ban is a lie.

Cartoon:

Yesterday I still felt quite I’ll.  I stayed in bed, except for eating and preparing today’s articles.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow I plan to stay down.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:19 (average 5:07).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From CNEWS: More evidence has surfaced of illegal political donations going towards the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta.

A local media outlet reported Thursday money was donated to the PC Lac La Biche St. Paul constituency association by 11 organizations prohibited under Alberta law from donating to any political party.

Are the Tories taking lessons from Gingrich?

From Business Week: Assembly Republicans finally introduced a sweeping bill to streamline Wisconsin’s mining regulations Thursday, unveiling language that calls for state regulators to make a permit decision within a year and limits environmentalists’ challenges.

The measure is designed to jump-start Florida-based Gogebic Taconite’s plans for an iron mine in the Penokee Hills just south of Lake Superior. The bill will almost certainly undergo multiple revisions — Republicans in the state Senate are calling it a starting point — but it’s already triggered one of the fiercest environmental debates the state has seen in more than a decade.

Hurry up with that recall to veto this!

From Raw Story: In Sean Hannity’s world, President George W. Bush succeeded in killing terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The Fox News host on Thursday noted that bin Laden was dead “thanks to George Bush.”

Doesn’t this clarify why Faux Noise Sheeple are less well informed than people with no access to news?

From The Statesman: The U.S. Supreme Court late Friday granted the State of Texas’ motion for a stay of the redistricting maps, possibly throwing a March 6 primary election into disarray.

In blocking the congressional and legislative maps that were drawn by a San Antonio court last month, the high court signaled that it wants to hear from the state and from plaintiffs suing the state about why the maps should or shouldn’t go into effect.

That just in.  I was afraid they would do that.

Cartoon: