{"id":6555,"date":"2011-12-27T00:01:37","date_gmt":"2011-12-27T08:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=6555"},"modified":"2011-12-27T00:01:37","modified_gmt":"2011-12-27T08:01:37","slug":"open-thread12272011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2011\/12\/27\/open-thread12272011\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–12\/27\/2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I felt quite tired and walking 3\/4 mile did not help, so when I returned home, I slept most of the day.  It was another slow day for news.  I\u2019m current with replies.  Today is a catch-up day for tasks too long neglected.<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig Zone Puzzle<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Today it took me 4:54 (average 5:41).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Short Takes<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

From CNN<\/a>: <\/font>A political crisis that threatens more sectarian strife in Iraq took another twist Monday as the bloc loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for the dissolution of Parliament and early elections.<\/p>\n

Iraq\u2019s misery would have been over long ago, if we had taken out Saddam with a drone strike instead of the Republican war for oil and conquest.  Obama is wrong to continue the other Republican war.<\/font><\/p>\n

From NY Times<\/a>: <\/font>I [Paul Krugman] got my wish, in the form of new Environmental Protection Agency standards on mercury and air toxics for power plants. These rules are long overdue: we were supposed to start regulating mercury more than 20 years ago. But the rules are finally here, and will deliver huge benefits at only modest cost. <\/p>\n

So, naturally, Republicans are furious.<\/p>\n

Would a Republican President have done this?<\/font><\/p>\n

From Huffington Post<\/a>: <\/font>Dondero goes on to relay another display of Paul’s "discomfort" with gays, years later at a Surfside Beach party: <\/p>\n

\n

"Bobby," a well-known and rather flamboyant and well-liked gay man in Freeport came to the BBQ. Let me stress Ron likes Bobby personally, and Bobby was a hardcore campaign supporter. But after his speech, at the Surfside pavilion Bobby came up to Ron with his hand extended, and according to my fellow staffer, Ron literally swatted his hand away.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Cenk has more.<\/font><\/p>\n