How's the week been for you guys?
Yeah, me too. The apparent unwillingness of the Democrats in the Senate to embrace the PO (that's Public Option) has led progressives to embrace an entirely different kind of PO (that's Pissed Off). And with all the other crap going on, my GOSmeter (that's Give A, er, Poop) is pinned.
But the week's over, and now it's the weekend! Time to start a two-day orgy of kicking back, and what better way to start than with a nice hot mug of hot chocolate and a plate of tasty, sticky ITEMS!
ITEM! The Afghanistan campaign in one simple chart, here.
Also, this story describes the problems that the US faces in trying to recruit Afghans to hold up the Karzai regime.
ITEM! The Iraq insurgency (remember them?) has a new objective: embarrassing the government in time for the elections.
ITEM! "I have no living friends in Iraq now." Read about the toll of the war in one man's life here.
No, I'm not going to get on Obama's case to get the troops out faster. He's keeping on track to end combat operations by mid-2010, and have troops out by late 2011, in keeping with the Bush plan. As far as I'm concerned, that's more than I expected, and enough to satisfy my anti-Iraq War sentiments. Besides, getting our troops out won't end the insurgency. It'll just mean that American soldiers aren't in the crossfire.
ITEM! Tony Blair confirms what everyone already knows about the Iraq war. More here.
ITEM! FiveThirtyEight.com's Nate Silver has his final thoughts on the health care reform effort -- including the on-again-off-again PO ditch -- here. In summary: Jane Hamsher and her followers are apparently going ballistic over a trifle.
ITEM! Kathleen Parker on why Obama's Nobel lecture should make the whining right STFU here. Not that they won't stop whining any time soon, nope.
ITEM! Via Keith418, an explanation of how "media bias" really operates for teabaggers and other assorted idiots.
BABY MICE!
ITEM! The manifesto of the Vigilante Philanthropist League, here.
ITEM! "Wow, this software is quite complex! Where's the documentation?" Read the rest here.
What's unresolved in this tiny drama: is the documentation non-existent? Or is there silent despair at the fact that the documentation is in the form of IBM Red Books?
ITEM! Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) kicking ass:
BTW, check out the hilarious comments on this video!
ITEM! It's not your last chance to buy my wife's artwork for the holidays -- you can do that here and here -- but it is your last chance to attend one of her sales!
Hip Happening Holiday Sale
Sellwood Masonic Lodge
7126 SE Milwaukie Ave
Portland OR 97202
(Just south of Bybee on Milwaukie, East side of street.)
Opens 11AM, closes at 6.
Map here
Vendors, live music, and a visit from Santa will grace the day!
And now, a word from our sponsor.