Open Thread–March 13, 2011

Being 39 for the 24th time feels no different than it did for the 23rd time last year.  I’m up to date on comments, and plan to rest up for a very busy week next week.  I hope your weekend is a great one.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:55 (4:49 average).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Aljazeera: The United States has thrown its weight behind the Arab League’s call for a United Nations no-fly zone over Libya, where government troops backed by fighter jets are battling rebels seeking to remove Muammar Gaddafi from power.

Washington, which would play a leading role in enforcing any no-fly zone, called the declaration an "important step", but it stopped short of commitment to any military action and made no proposal for a swift meeting of the UN Security Council.

The Arab League’s call for a no-fly zone was announced on Saturday by Oman’s foreign minister, Youssef bin Alawi bin Abdullah, at a press conference which followed a meeting of the bloc’s ministers in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

I worry about this.  Establishing a “No Fly Zone” as part of a UN mandate, worries me mush less that the blind unilateral charge favored by McConJob and LIEberman.  But if the US provides the military component, it is imperative that other nations pay the entire cost of carrying it out.

From Crooks and Liars: I don’t always like him, but I always laugh!

From Daily Kos: In honor of Women’s History Month, President Obama this morning devoted his weekly address to women’s rights—most notably pay equity and education issues.

He lamented the failure to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which Republicans blocked this past November, and declared that he’s not planning on letting the matter drop: "I’m going to keep up the fight to pass the reforms in that bill."

I hope he follows through.  Republicans will probably block it again, but having them alienate women works for me.

Cartoon:

What’s up?