Open Thread – 12/3/2010

Yesterday I was tied up for most of the day doing paperwork.  This afternoon and evening I’ll be at Oregon State Penitentiary as a volunteer.  I did reply to comments yesterday, but I may fall behind today.  Also, tomorrow’s articles may be few, short and late.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:23 (average 4:48).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From NPR: Veteran New York Democrat Charlie Rangel was censured by his colleagues in the House on Thursday for ethics violations that include tax evasion and abuse of rent control laws in New York City.

That Republicans have refused to move forward on far more egregious Republican violations, does not excuse Rangel.  He deserved the public humiliation he received.

From LA Times: Senate Republicans showed little sign Thursday that they would support repeal of the law prohibiting homosexuals from serving openly in the military, making it unlikely that Congress will grant President Obama one of his key priorities.

Among advocates of repealing the "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy, action is considered crucial this year because Republicans are due to take over the House and increase their numbers in the Senate in the upcoming Congress. That makes a repeal even more unlikely next year.

Even if they cannot get it past a Republican filibuster, Democrats should force a vote on the Senate floor.

From The Vile Plutocrat: Congressional Tea Party Caucus members have blustered incessantly about their "commitment to cutting government spending. Yet, these ideological retrogrades abused the 111th Congress by requesting nearly a 800 earmarks that added [really redirected, not added] more than 1 billion (tax payer funded) dollars to the federal budget.

Teabuggery most foul!  Hypocrites!!

Cartoon:

TGIF!