So Far, 25 States Have Emptied Their Unemployment Funds | Crooks and Liars

So Far, 25 States Have Emptied Their Unemployment Funds | Crooks and Liars:

"You have to love how utterly shameless these Republican oligarchs are. In the middle of a massive recession, a Republican governor is complaining about 'Rolls Royce' unemployment benefits in Indiana. By 'Rolls Royce,' I assume he means anyone who's getting enough money to pay for heat is living too damned high on the hog.

Maximum weekly unemployment benefit in Indiana: $360.

But that's not even news, is it? That the party that so happily poured billions of untracked dollars down the memory hole in Iraq is suddenly so thrifty when it comes to us cannot be a shock to any sentient being:

The recession's jobless toll is draining unemployment-compensation funds so fast that according to federal projections, 40 state programs will go broke within two years and need $90 billion in loans to keep issuing the benefit checks."

Can't disagree with a word of this

INSTAPUTZ: Go Away.

INSTAPUTZ: Go Away.:

"[I]t would be helpful if certain annoying people would fuck off in 2010."

Discuss

Whiskey Fire: The Hole I Dig Is Bottomless

Whiskey Fire: The Hole I Dig Is Bottomless

"Even to the layman it is quite clear that when you ram Large Hardons together at that sort of velocity and with that sort of power, accidents are bound to occur. But where is the information about proper safety precautions? Medical treatment? Notification of relatives (God forbid)? Lubricant? Nowhere! This is enough by itself to suspect wrongdoing, if not outright conspiracy.

Moreover, look at this again: 'The collisions in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are part of an experiment to recreate conditions immediately after the Big Bang at the start of the universe.' Foolishness. If you want to understand any sort of a 'Big Bang,' you need to look at� the state of Large Hardons immediately prior to the event! What do these 'scientists' take us for, anyway? I'd say the project organizers here have egg or something all over their faces right about now."

Dutch sailor found safe in St. Maarten - thestar.com

Dutch sailor found safe in St. Maarten - thestar.com:

"THE HAGUE, Netherlands–Police tracked down 14-year-old Dutch sailor Laura Dekker in the Caribbean territory of St. Maarten, days after she ran away from home leaving her boat behind, Dutch media reported late Sunday.

Dekker made headlines around the world earlier this year when she unsuccessfully went to court as a 13-year-old to fight for the right to set off on a single-handed circumnavigation of the world in her boat, Guppy."

oh yes, absolutely mature enough to sail round the world

Economist's View: Paul Krugman: A Dangerous Dysfunction

Economist's View: Paul Krugman: A Dangerous Dysfunction:

"Back in the mid-1990s two senators — Tom Harkin and, believe it or not, Joe Lieberman — introduced a bill to reform Senate procedures. ... Sixty votes would still be needed to end a filibuster at the beginning of debate, but if that vote failed,... eventually a simple majority could end debate. Mr. Harkin says that he’s considering reintroducing that proposal, and he should. ...
Remember, the Constitution sets up the Senate as a body with majority — not supermajority — rule. So the rule of 60 can be changed. ..."

Of course Lieberman was also for a public option before he was against it. Will be interesting to see if this ever gets to the floor

Daily Kos: First pass at health care vote breaks 60-40

Daily Kos: First pass at health care vote breaks 60-40:

After months and months and months of striving for the holy grail of bipartisanship, it comes down to this. As expected.

That is what strikes me as well. The amount of dithering and watering down of this bill to snag one or two non-democrats shows the folly of this approach. From here on out it is time to bring the hammer down on the Conservadems and Leiberman. If they want to be seen as obstructionist as the GOP then fine, but let them know that if that happens then they are on their own. You don't get committee chairs and you don't get baskets of money from the party if you aren't willing to toe the party line on the stuff that matters.

Anyone with a working braincell knew that this was going to come down to a 60/40 party line vote and it was delusional to think otherwise. Knowing this, the bill should have been crafted to start out somewhere around Medicare Part E and let it be "compromised" down to a robust public option with good cost controls. If I can figure that out then can someone explain to my why Harry Reid couldn't? I would argue that if he didn't realize the way this would go then it is time for someone with a bit more intestinal fortitude to be leading the Senate.

Yeah, I know. I am such a dreamer

Top US General Bans Pregnancies For Soldiers Under His Command | Video Cafe

Top US General Bans Pregnancies For Soldiers Under His Command | Video Cafe:

The Army general of U.S. forces in Northern Iraq has banned pregnancy among military personnel in his command, NBC News reported on Friday.

Anyone who becomes pregnant or impregnates another servicemember, including married couples assigned to the same unit, could face a court-martial and jail time, according to an order issued by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo.

To me, this means that he has effectively banned heterosexual sex unless one partner is sterile since there is no 100% effective birth control method. Good luck with that.