Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) introduced yesterday H.R. 4789, a bill amending the Social Security Act Title XVIII, Health Insurance for the Aged and Disabled (Medicare). If we won't get a public option through reconciliation, if the public polls are showing overwhelming support for a public option, and if we want to avoid creating a new agency, then let's open up Medicare in its own act and make some progress regardless of what happens with the HCR mess.

Daniel Pipes writes:

"...my mood about Iraq could variously be described as depressed, despairing, despondent, dejected, pessimistic, melancholic, and gloomy.

It was astonishingly difficult, but my first novel is now up at Amazon for the Kindle. Due to my "social networking", I've managed to generate about 50 hits on the page since launch (this, too, is by no means as easy as blogsites claim), but these have only resulted in a sale or two. I've been advised that this is due to the fact that when people get there, there have been no reviews to read.

Feels like spring and Monday can't change that.

Then he took the thread, gave it to his disciples and said, 'Take this, all of you, and post.'

John Hawkins has five ugly truths, and they are:

(1) Entitlements must be cut.
(2) Our military is going to weaken.
(3) Taxes are going up.
(4) Economic growth is going to stagnate.
(5) We will have a world where the United States isn't a super power.

I take issue on #5, because I think we'll have a world where the US isn't the only super power. The first four sound about right.

Well, the wheels of right-wing publication may or may not grind exceeding fine, but there's no doubt that they grind exceeding slow.

And I'm sick of waiting for people to get back to me - so here's my "Reply to Unz," in all its final, conclusive, devastating glory:

I hadn't noticed until yesterday afternoon, but the medals they handed out in Vancoover looked as if they'd been run over by a Zamboni (or maybe a Fauxboni) and then left out overnight on the radiator.

Shrinky Dinks.

Vancouver Olympic Medals.

There's more to hockey goaltending than positioning and quick reflexes. Here's Ryan Miller's analysis of the game winner that got by him:

While trying to better understand the Taliban, David Rohde of the New York Times put himself at risk and was kidnapped by Taliban insurgents. He was held hostage for eight months, then escapted. His experience puts him in a unique position, as seen in his review of two books on the subject. Here are some of his observations:

Foxconn has been in the labour news for awhile.

China Labour Watch, thus.

Governor Paterson of NY has "decided"(like he had any other realistic choice) not to run for reelection.

With him, the last remnants of this disastrous term started by Eliot Spitzer will be gone. This is easily the most failed administration of any executive I have ever voted for. Together, Spit and Pat made Republican George Pataki look like a wise statesman, though in truth he was rather mediocre, on a good day.

Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine.

Please don't abuse it.