Open Thread – 3/16/2010

Yesterday I managed to catch up on comments and return visits, but rather than initiate visits, I got bogged down in record keeping chores.  Today I have errands to run and have to install a new OS in my smart-phone.  That looks like a two hour process all by itself.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:29.  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Lindsey Graham: "They’re scrambling to round up the votes and Nancy Pelosi, I think, has got them all liquored up on sake and you know, they’re making a suicide run here,"  What a jerk!

From the Minnesota Independent:Tim Pawlenty has diverted funds from the “Support Our Troops” license plate program to his Governor’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, an office that works to connect religious organizations with state funds.

Betzold says that $30,000 from the license plate program was supposed to go to the Department of Military Affairs and the Department of Veterans Affairs, but instead paid for a position at the faith-based office which is part of the Pawlenty’s office. The funds, writes Snyders, “by law, were supposed to go to the Department of Military Affairs and the Department of Veterans Affairs.”

Just like a Republican to take money from our vets to proselytize for Supply-side Jesus.

Republicans are making a big deal of using a self-executing rule to deem the Senate Bill passed in the reconciliation bill.  From the Daily Kos: When Republicans took power in 1995, they soon lost their aversion to self-executing rules and proceeded to set new records under Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.). There were 38 and 52 self-executing rules in the 104th and 105th Congresses (1995-1998), making up 25 percent and 35 percent of all rules, respectively. Under Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) there were 40, 42 and 30 self-executing rules in the 106th, 107th and 108th Congresses (22 percent, 37 percent and 22 percent, respectively). Thus far in the 109th Congress, self-executing rules make up about 16 percent of all rules.  What hypocrites!

Cartoon:

What happing in your world?