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   Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Gnter Grass still thinks reunification was a bad idea.
 Forty years of writing from Taylor Branch, James Fallows, Katherine Boo, Marjorie Williams, Joshua Micah Marshall, and more.
 With help from Washington, the for-profit college industry is loading up millions of low-income students with debt they'll never pay off.
 The best recent memoir from republican Washington is a hoax. That should tell you something.
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June 30, 2009
TUESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits: * Iraq's "National Sovereignty Day" marred by violence: "At least 26 people were killed Tuesday in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, marring a national holiday declared to celebrate the departure of U.S. combat troops from Iraqi cities after six years and three months of war." * The White House lauded the key transition day in Iraq, but Robert Gibbs told reporters, "I will keep the banner printers from doing anything crazy." * Another tragic plane crash: "A Yemeni jetliner carrying 153 people crashed in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday as it came in for a landing on the island nation of Comoros. Yemeni officials said a teenage girl survived." * A North Korean ship, monitored under U.N. sanctions, reversed course today and headed back toward the south coast of China. * As if the past couple of weeks weren't enough: "Police officers and militia forces crowded the streets of Tehran on Tuesday, setting up checkpoints and making clear that the government had zero tolerance for any further public expressions of defiance to the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a day after the powerful Guardian Council certified his landslide victory." * The United Nations approved a measure today condemning the removal of President Manuel Zelaya from power in Honduras. The U.N.'s move comes on the heels of condemnations from the U.S., the E.U., and a variety of Latin American countries. * Mark Sanford apparently plans to resist calls for his resignation, saying it's God's plan for him to finish his term. * Justice Samuel Alito's perspective in the Ricci case is generating considerable attention, but not in a good way. * Sen. Robert Byrd (D) of West Virginia was released from the hospital today. The 91-year-old senators is reportedly home, "resting comfortably." It's unclear when he might return to work. * This fall, San Francisco will be the first city to require composting. (thanks to doubtful for the tip) * Someone should probably let Joe Scarborough know what "out of touch" means. He seems confused about it. * And finally, Sen.-Elect Al Franken (D), who will be sworn in next week, will apparently be able to hit the ground running. His staff is already in place, and party leaders have reserved spots for him on four committees -- including those tackling health care reform and judicial nominees. Anything to add? Consider this an open thread. —Steve Benen 5:30 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (91)Comments
I wonder if it was part of God's plan for Sanford to cheat on his wife and lie about his trip to Argentina. Posted by: dk on June 30, 2009 at 5:43 PM | PERMALINKGov Sanford's announcement includes this: “A long list of close friends have suggested otherwise - that for God to really work in my life I shouldn’t be getting off so lightly" Sadly, though Mr Sanford is clearly right that G-d doesn't want him to "get off lightly" (G-d made it clear Sanford's already "gotten off" far too much as it is), he appears to have gotten my mail by mistake. I'm the one whom G-d wants to take over the Governor-ship. He told me so last night, speaking from a burning merkin (Boston is a college town, not so much bush available to burn here). Mark Sanford apparently plans to resist calls for his resignation, saying it's God's plan for him to finish his term. There you have it, stupid atheists, this ultimate refuge ain't never available to you. And what a self sacrifice by the governor. Posted by: SRW1 on June 30, 2009 at 6:13 PM | PERMALINKSen.-Elect Al Franken (D), ... tackling health care reform. Show 'em how its done Al. It's about time, and just in time. Posted by: Kevin on June 30, 2009 at 6:15 PM | PERMALINKSanford, proving once again that Christians don't understand irony. “A long list of close friends have suggested otherwise - that for God to really work in my life I shouldn’t be getting off so lightly. While it would be personally easier to exit stage left, their point has been that my larger sin was the sin of pride. Shorter Sanford: A more proud man would step down, but God wants me to finish my term as Governor as an expression of humility. Posted by: inkadu on June 30, 2009 at 6:22 PM | PERMALINKRemind me to avoid flights that use an airbus. Posted by: Jayson on June 30, 2009 at 6:24 PM | PERMALINKDid anyone else notice in NPR's coverage of the US troop pullback, that there were several references to Iraq finally achieving sovereignty? But did anyone notice the so-called "liberal" NPR mentioning that Bush made quite a show of declaring Iraq sovereign again several years back? Yeah, me neither. Posted by: Gregory on June 30, 2009 at 6:28 PM | PERMALINK"Mark Sanford apparently plans to resist calls for his resignation, saying it's God's plan for him to finish his term." *sigh* Never mind the almost-week you left your state without an acting executive officer, Sanford. What if an emergency had happened while you were gone? I hope SC impeaches your ass, you worthless douche bag. "This fall, San Francisco will be the first city to require composting. (thanks to doubtful for the tip)" Not only that, but SF is already *selling* compost to farmers in Northern California, particularly Napa valley and there-abouts. It is, apparently, a modest but dependable money maker for the city. Posted by: Shade Tail on June 30, 2009 at 6:31 PM | PERMALINKsaying it's God's plan for him to finish his term. He wants the meek to inherit the earth, and it's Sanford's job to make South Carolinians as meek as possible. Posted by: Danp on June 30, 2009 at 6:31 PM | PERMALINKAw, Sanford. You're correct, it is God's will that you remain in office, and thus in the public eye, so that we Democrats have fodder for our future political actions. As is said, God works in mysterious ways. Posted by: JWK on June 30, 2009 at 6:42 PM | PERMALINK* Mark Sanford apparently plans to resist calls for his resignation, saying it's God's plan for him to finish his term. God knows we could use the laughs. Posted by: The Answer WAS Orange on June 30, 2009 at 6:43 PM | PERMALINKColeman only conceded because Cheney told him to. Then Cheney called his aircraft mechanics. Posted by: Hank on June 30, 2009 at 6:49 PM | PERMALINKHey San Francisco, you are not the first to require composting. Seattle has beat you to it. Good luck Senator Franken! A politician for the people and a good guy. Posted by: tiredofgreed on June 30, 2009 at 7:15 PM | PERMALINKNow for something fanciful: Reportedly, this and some other devices "scheduled" for completion should provide us with a lot of useful information about practical fusion by the summer of 2012. Posted by: MatthewRMarler on June 30, 2009 at 7:22 PM | PERMALINKIn Shanghai, a 13 story building under construction literally fell over. This could have been the US after another eight years of Republican free-wheeling deregulation. (I found it at democracyarsenal.org, but I don't know how to isolate an article there to link, and frankly, they don't offer any details. But the picture is bizarre.) Posted by: Danp on June 30, 2009 at 7:30 PM | PERMALINKThere you have it, stupid atheists, this ultimate refuge ain't never available to you. You just cracked this atheist up. Seltzer through my little nose.
"Hey San Francisco, you are not the first to require composting. Seattle has beat you to it." Good for Seattle. Here in Boulder we're trying out a different route: voluntary curbside composting. Give it a year or two, and we'll see how it works. It works for me, I put out the composting every other week. And my neighbors are doing it too. May the best plan win. But this is one of the beauties of having a lot of local control. We get a chance to try things on a small scale before we introduce a full-scale plan. Posted by: fostert on June 30, 2009 at 7:55 PM | PERMALINKPer Danp, "In Shanghai, a 13 story building under construction literally fell over." Around these parts, we're calling it "The Ayn Rand Building". Posted by: Zandru on June 30, 2009 at 7:59 PM | PERMALINK"There you have it, stupid atheists, this ultimate refuge ain't never available to you." And you will get one rude awakening when you find out that your refuge is just a delusion. You wasted your entire life believing in it, and at the time of your death, you find out it's not true? That's gonna suck. Too bad you didn't learn how to deal with the reincarnation process. But here's a hint: ask the Tibetans. Posted by: fostert on June 30, 2009 at 8:00 PM | PERMALINKAround these parts, we're calling it "The Ayn Rand Building". - Zandru I can just see Atlas Shrugging as it starts to lean. :) Here is your link to some other shots of the building A billion people malnourished and God is planning out the governorship of South Carolina? Hitchens is right; God is an asshole. Posted by: Virginia on June 30, 2009 at 10:32 PM | PERMALINKWe here in Arlington, VA have required composting of yard waste ever since I have lived here (more than 15 years). But we don't require composting of everything else. Posted by: Barbara on June 30, 2009 at 10:47 PM | PERMALINKYes, I would like to add that with all of the GOP's immorality what will happen to their Tea Baggers protests? Posted by: Chris on June 30, 2009 at 11:07 PM | PERMALINKToronto has curbside collection of waste for compost (aka the "green bin"). Well, it would if the garbage workers weren't on strike. Posted by: mwg on June 30, 2009 at 11:25 PM | PERMALINKSF composting is not just yard waste - it's all kitchen scraps too. Not sure if that's different from Seattle. The trouble is that many folks don't really do a great job of sorting it very well. Tried to have a compostible can at a picnic and everybody put in plastic forks. Posted by: MobiusKlein on June 30, 2009 at 11:39 PM | PERMALINKOh, if we're gonna compare our rotting achievements... In my Lextropolis (officially: Lexington), Virginia, yard waste -- raked leaves, grass clippings, weeds and even tree limbs -- have never, in my memory (36yrs), been permitted in the usual household garbage. Garbage pick up on my street is (very early) Tuesday and Friday morning; yard waste pickup, in a noisy, limb-grinding truck is Monday, around noon. Two totally different things. We don't leave any yard waste on the curb to be picked up; we use it in our garden. Ditto for the kitchen refuse. I came and I shrieked: "how can you have a garden without a compost pit???". Then, my mother came to visit and said: "you have a garden and you throw away all your kitchen bits and your weeds and your grass clippings? I don't see a pig or a goat; you need a compost pit". Then, my father came to visit, and dug the compost pit... Posted by: exlibra on June 30, 2009 at 11:40 PM | PERMALINK"a 13 story building under construction literally fell over." Impossible! This must be a fake. We Americans know that tall buildings always fall neatly into their foundations. Posted by: Hank on June 30, 2009 at 11:56 PM | PERMALINK If getting Al on health care reform and judicial committees is the price of all this brouhaha, it just might have been worth it. Go AL!! Posted by: Cal Gal on June 30, 2009 at 11:58 PM | PERMALINK"my larger sin was the sin of pride." Man, oh man. Is PRIDE on the Ten Commandments? IS IT? Thou shall not be prideful? Cafeteria Christian right there. Farging icehole. Posted by: Cal Gal on July 1, 2009 at 12:02 AM | PERMALINKDeep snark When do we get to hear from Michael's 7th grade algebra teacher? And the absolute best stinging snark of the day: Imagine if the outpouring for the song-and-dance man had been applied to universal healthcare or global warming? There would be no hopeless bottleneck in a Congress owned by big business, no Dianne Feinstein saying that criticism about healthcare legislation from the left "doesn't move her." No calling climate change a "hoax." As Paul Krugman pointed out in his Monday column, "The fact is that the planet is changing faster than even pessimists expected...And according to a number of recent studies, catastrophe — a rise in temperature so large as to be almost unthinkable — can no longer be considered a mere possibility. It is, instead, the most likely outcome if we continue along our present course."Posted by: koreyel on July 1, 2009 at 12:03 AM | PERMALINK Is PRIDE on the Ten Commandments? -- Cal Gal, @12:02 No it's not, and neither is Lust. But both are on the list of the Seven Deadly (also known as "cardinal") Sins. Just as bad :) Here is the list of "Cardinals" to avoid: Around these parts, we're calling it "The Ayn Rand Building". FTW.
Here is the list of "Cardinals" to avoid: Each of these, incidentally, was represented by a particular Gilligan's Island character. No, really. Posted by: shortstop on July 1, 2009 at 8:33 AM | PERMALINKEach of these, incidentally, was represented by a particular Gilligan's Island character. No, really. Pardon me for being thick, but which one was the Professor? "San Francisco will be the first city to require composting". Errr... try getting your head out of the US for once. Most Canadian cities have been doing this for years. Posted by: Polaris on July 1, 2009 at 9:09 AM | PERMALINKCan someone explain the Ayn Rand reference? I have a vague idea but I'd like clarification... Posted by: Kreniigh on July 1, 2009 at 10:16 AM | PERMALINKCan someone explain the Ayn Rand reference? I have a vague idea but I'd like clarification... Ayn Rand and her followers believe, or claim to believe, in total deregulation of business, a market in which the pursuit of profit is the sole consideration. Safety regulations and building codes do not fit into this little worldview. Posted by: shortstop on July 1, 2009 at 10:35 AM | PERMALINKAyn Rand and her followers believe, or claim to believe, in total deregulation of business, a market in which the pursuit of profit is the sole consideration. Safety regulations and building codes do not fit into this little worldview. Not only that, but that safety regulations and building codes are just attempts by the Looters to hobble the Great Titans of Industry, who alone posses the genius to build wonderful buildings. You would have thought thatm say, the sinking of the Titanic would have disabused Ms. Rand of such notions, but nooooo.... So, Lovey is Sloth? So, Lovey is Sloth? Gilligan is sloth, Skipper is wrath, the Howells are greed and gluttony (I forget which is which), Ginger is lust and Mary Ann is envy (of Ginger's sexitude). Don't take my word for it. This has been confirmed by none other that Sherwood Schwartz himself! Posted by: shortstop on July 1, 2009 at 12:00 PM | PERMALINKNow I read at another site that Skipper is both wrath and gluttony, Thurston is greed, Lovey is sloth, ginger is lust, Mary Ann is envy, the Prof is pride. But Gilligan, himself, is Satan, since it's his island and he always wears red. Of course Schwartz produced the show, so I guess we have to go with his version of events. But I do kind of like the image of Gilligan as the devil himself. Posted by: Danp on July 1, 2009 at 12:16 PM | PERMALINKI actually heard Schwartz say this. That story is way too long and weird to tell here. Posted by: shortstop on July 1, 2009 at 12:34 PM | PERMALINKDon't take my word for it. This has been confirmed by none other that Sherwood Schwartz himself! Sherwood Schwartz is just another Clintonista Lib carrying water for the Obamanation and his Socialist Marxist agenda! Sorry, what were we talking about? Posted by: trex on July 1, 2009 at 1:05 PM | PERMALINKGinger is lust That much I figured out. 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