Stories to Watch: 2/4/11

After blogger's post editor ate two consecutive blog posts, I decided it was maybe time to find some sort of HTML editor. I liked Scribefire for Firefox a lot, but the version for Chrome was just awful. I tried a Chrome extension and uninstalled it again after one post -- it added a whole bunch of pointless, useless code to everything. I finally went with Kompozer. We'll see how that holds up. I actually had to go online to see how to get it to spellcheck. Can't believe that's not the default. Otherwise, good so far. Now here's the news...


Gallup finds that Barack Obama is more polarizing in year two than in year one. The most polarizing president in history? Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush.

In a move that's going to really tick off a lot of the neocons who'd convinced themselves he was the greatest, Sen. Rand Paul calls aid to Israel "welfare" and says we ought to cut it out.


After Mubarak's staged "counter-protest" turned violent, Egyptians go right back to calling for him to leave office. Hundreds of thousands say they won't leave Tahir Square until he's gone.


The right is trying the same bullshit they pulled on ACORN with Planned Parenthood.


She-who-shall-not-be-named-in-February fails to get that unmentioned name trademarked. Expect a poorly thought-out Facebook post attacking the US Patent Office.


Finally, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' conflicts of interest deepen every day.

Stories to Watch: 1/25/11

Hey, you want a Google Chrome theme? I was goofing around today and I came up with this. Pretty nifty and patriotic, huh? I think the white marble frame was a nice touch. Now here's the news...


Cutting right to the chase: what everyone thought of the SOTU.


While most of the stories about Michele Bachmann's response feature her staring blankly into space, Media Matters takes the time to look at what she said -- and finds it (not surprisingly) all wrong.


On the same subject, Steve Benen compares Shelly's unofficial response to Paul Ryan's official one and finds them pretty much the same, substance-wise. "Paul and Bachmann struck different tones, but they were making the same argument, and both were equally ridiculous," he writes. Joan Walsh has a nice critique of Ryan's rebuttal, while Krugman tears him up.


And yes, Michele Bachmann is a "balloon-head."


Egypt's seeing some unrest. Is Tunisia contagious? Juan Cole has the skinny.


Finally, AP explains to GOPers nationwide why their efforts at "nullification" of the healthcare law aren't as constitutional as they might think. Republicans and 'baggers love the Constitution a lot less when they know what's actually in it.

Stories to Watch: 1/20/11

OK, now Chrome's starting to piss me off. The add-ons are mostly junk, there's no sidebar, and half of Google's services that are designed to work with their toolbar don't work with their own browser. Seriously, try to import Google Bookmarks with Chrome. It can't be done. This strikes me as extremely absurd. Chrome's been out for how long now? Still, it's lightweight and fast, so I'm mostly liking it -- idiotic Google-to-Google incompatibility aside. In any case, it's not IE, so there's that. Now here's the news...


House GOP have a plan to cut $2.5 trillion in spending. The rightwing blogosphere is super-excited. They shouldn't be. It's not going anywhere and the $2.5 trillion figure is pretty sketchy anyway.


The rightwing God Squad disses Mittens Romney.


Obama wins 2012.


Rick Santorum continues to be a dick.


Today's most meaningless poll.


Tremendous cache of fire arms fails to protect wingnut blogger from government oppression. Wingnut blogosphere is silent on the story.


Americans would rather have jobs than worry about the deficit.


Things may get very, very stupid in the healthcare reform repeal fight.


Finally, after beating people over the head with her for months and months, CNN examines the causes of "Palin fatigue." Yes, when people are sick of hearing about Sarah Freakin' Palin, it's the Fourth Estates job to wonder why -- and, in the meantime, talk about Sarah Freakin' Palin. It's all very postmodern and meta.