{"id":9877,"date":"2013-01-24T05:30:34","date_gmt":"2013-01-24T13:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=9877"},"modified":"2013-01-24T05:30:34","modified_gmt":"2013-01-24T13:30:34","slug":"open-thread1242013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2013\/01\/24\/open-thread1242013\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–1\/24\/2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday was a zoo.  I had my computer corner broken down by 8:00 AM, and the repairman arrived at around 9:00 AM.  He started in the other apartment with a bad radiator, on the floor above mine and on the other side of the building.  I guess that apartment is badly infested with bugs, and the repairman freaked out.  He refused to do any work in the building and left.  I wish he had started with me, because the radiator is still not fixed, and I have no idea when a repairman will be coming to do it.  My computer corner is shaped like an L, and the radiator was at the intersection of the two tables.  When I put it back together, I changed it. so the radiator is at the end of the short table, so I can now provide access to it in ten minutes, without having to tear it down.  Needless to say, I am pooped, and this mess will likely set back my return for a few days.  I\u2019m current with replies.<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig-Zone Puzzles<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Yesterday\u2019s took me 3:37 (average 4:36).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  Today\u2019s took me 4:44 (average 5:34).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

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

From NY Times<\/a>: <\/font>Senate Democratic and Republican leaders are nearing an agreement on new limits to the filibuster, an effort to speed action in the often-clogged chamber by prohibiting senators from using a common tactic to slow the legislative process. ..<\/p>\n

…The changes will surely disappoint reformers who were pushing for more sweeping revisions to rein in the filibuster, once a rarely used legislative tool. It will not include, for instance, a requirement that senators be present on the Senate floor when they want to block a bill from coming to a vote, continuing the practice of allowing them to filibuster in absentia. And opponents would still have the opportunity to filibuster a final vote on any legislation, thwarting its passage without 60 votes.<\/p>\n

If that damn leg-hound caves-in, I’m going to scream!<\/font><\/p>\n

From MSNBC<\/a>: <\/font>Projection on Spending<\/font><\/p>\n

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Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news<\/a>, world news<\/a>, and news about the economy<\/a><\/p>\n

As always, wastrel Republicans are projecting their own spending problem onto responsible Democrats. The lies and the blackmail come down to the Republican agenda to give our earned Social Security benefits to Wall Street, give our earned Medicare Benefits to Big Insurance, and convert Medicaid to a GOP governors’ slush fund for millionaires. How then, would they pay for their excessive spending on billionaires? Their plan is to raise the taxes paid by the poor and middle classes.<\/font><\/p>\n

From YouTube<\/a>: <\/font>Full Clinton-Paul Exchange from the Benghazi Hearing<\/p>\n