Stories to Watch: 4/25/11

Got new banners at two of my blogs. Pretty nifty, huh? That guy's Fighting Bob La Follette, a Wisconsin political hero. I'm not sure those versions are final, though -- the worn paint effect looks too digital to me. I think I'll blow up the text layer, add the lettering and the "grunge" mask, then shrink it down again to let the anti-aliasing soften it out a bit. No rush though, these'll do fine for the time being.

Next project: getting some sort of design over at my Tumblr blog. Seriously, it's like an unpainted wall. Even Drudge Report and craigslist are prettier to look at. That's going to be a bit more work. Now here's the news...


Haley Barbour announces that he won't run for the GOP presidential nomination. Steve Benen points out that this isn't so much a case of deciding against running, as it is the first instance of an actual candidate dropping out of the race.


Leaked documents show us what's inside Gitmo. It's not pretty.


The Supreme Court is in no hurry to look at "Obamacare." They've decided to let it wind its way up through the appeals process normally, despite "a call Monday from Virginia's attorney general to depart from its usual practice and put review of the health care law on a fast track."


"Less than half of GOP voters in Georgia, North Carolina, and Mississippi" think the good guys won the Civil War.


Republican presidential campaign procrastination has Karl Rove nervous.


The latest "Donald Trump's a commie" news: he gave big to Rahm Emanuel's mayoral campaign.


Finally, high oil prices are really, really, really good for Exxon -- and so are all the oil subsidies this "struggling industry" is getting.

Stories to Watch: 1/27/11

Got out and blew off the walk and driveway today. There wasn't much, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with a shovel, so internal combustion it was. When I got inside though, I noticed I was out of breath (the snowblower's not power-assist) and it got me to wondering, was using it really any easier? Oh well, it didn't take as long, so I'll take it as a win. Now here's the news...


It's official, the Illinois Supreme Court puts Rahm Emanuel back on the Chicago mayoral ballot. Early voting begins Monday, so right under the wire.


Biden's communications secretary, Jay Carney, will replace Gibbs as press secretary.


Mike Pence rules out a prez run. Don't worry though, King of the Wingnuts Jim DeMint may take a whack at it.


Sarah Palin says says President Obama "needs to remember that, uh, what happened back then with the communist U.S.S.R. and their victory in that race to space." What happened? Sputnik cost so much money "that it resulted in the inevitable collapse of the Soviet Union." Looks like Sarah and Shelly Bachmann had the same history professor. They should ask for their money back. Also, don't miss a really painful metaphor involving donuts.


Mark Sanford and Evita are at it again. Henceforth, he's barred from using the phrase "sanctity of marriage" ever again.


It's stuff like this that leads me to conclude that Harry Reid is just awful.


Finally, the CBO chief reiterates what the right doesn't want to hear: the healthcare reform law will reduce the deficit.

Stories to Watch: 1/25/11

Day two of my sourdough starter's life. It's what I'd describe as goopy or gloppy -- choose your own Americanism for "having the consistency of a gelatinous blob." And it's already smelling a little boozy. I thought I might wind up going to full five days with this, but it may just be that I can get away with two. We'll see tomorrow. No bubbling, so not ready. Now here's the news...


Mitch McConnell's definition of "bipartisanship."


Not the best news I've heard all day: President Obama nominates former Recording Industry Association of America lawyer Donald Verrilli Jr. to be solicitor general. The problem: Verrilli's job at the RIAA was to be their copyright cop. Now, he'll be the government's copyright cop. Someone explain to me why, since copyright infringement is a matter solved by civil suits, the US government is going to spend money policing private industry's copyrights? There's nothing in it for you, there's nothing in it for me, but it's another free ride for big corporations.

Oh no, don't reach into your own pocket to pay for that lawsuit, Mr. Recording Industry Exec. The taxpayer will get this one. And the next one. And the next one...


Rahm Emanuel is back on the Chicago Mayoral ballot -- for now. Clearly, this is the worst thing ever. Early voting begins Monday.


According to ABC's Jake Tapper, the president will call for "partial budget freeze and earmark ban tonight." Something about that sounds really bad to me. Probably the "partial" part. I'm guessing it's the part that helps average Americans, because Republicans would demand no less. Get other spoilers here.


Finally, CNN and the Tea Party are having a very public affair. CNN will air Michele Bachmann's "response" to the SOTU. All the other networks -- ABC, NBC, CBS, and even Fox -- won't. I guess they want to leave the two lovebirds alone with each other.

Stories to Watch: 1/24/11

Finally broke down and decided to try my hand at sourdough. All the instructions for starter I'd found sounded like a lot of work. And then I found this. Turns out you can force yeast into dormancy by refrigerating it. You can even freeze the starter and wake it up later when you need it. Yeast are hardy little critters. Now here's the news...


RIP Jack LaLanne.


Rahm Emanuel is ordered off the mayoral ballot in Chicago by an appellate court for not meeting the residency requirements. It's actually kind of a bullshit decision -- and that opinion comes from someone who doesn't think much of him.


President Obama's polling bounce is putting possible opponents off their game.


Republicans take credit for job numbers they had nothing to do with.


Hopelessly insane blogger and paid CNN pundit Erick Erickson says "mass bloodshed" may be necessary if something isn't done about Roe v. Wade. Funny how the religious nuts always forget the "pro-life" part of being "pro-life," isn't it?


Michele Bachmann's presidential maybe-campaign is off to a marvelous start as she declaring the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence wonderful, then going on to say "the very founders that wrote those documents worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States." No Shelly, they didn't.


There may be a coming revolt among the 'baggers if Republicans insist screwing with Social Security. In related news, Republicans are eager to screw with Social Security.


Texas Governor Rick Perry is an empty suit.


Finally, Tim Pawlenty has released a campaign ad for his as-yet unannounced presidential bid. It goes way over the top in trying to make the boring Minnesota guy seem inspiring and winds up leaving us wondering it an asteroid is about to collide with the Earth.