Weekend Odds and Ends

Just got back from San Francisco. Fox News was wrong, it wasn't so scary. Here's the news...

Is Sen. Craig staying or going? Nobody seems to know anymore.

More shitty news for Congress... Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-OH) was found dead on Wednesday.

Insert right-wing rant about activist judges here... "A federal judge struck down a key part of the USA Patriot Act on Thursday in a ruling that defended the need for judicial oversight of laws and bashed Congress for passing a law that makes possible 'far-reaching invasions of liberty'." The provision in question had to do with internet records.

Meanwhile, at a congressional hearing on FISA yesterday, there were no new revelations, but this quote from FISA critic Robert Turner stood out... "When you hold a hearing, you tell our enemies how our system works." Democracy in action!

Nuclear safety first! From the Army-Times: "A B-52 bomber mistakenly loaded with five nuclear warheads flew from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., on Aug. 30, resulting in an Air Force-wide investigation." That's a helluva mistake.

Speaking of bombs, Syria says Israel dropped some on them. This news leads nowhere good.

Finally, climate change is making things interesting for map-makers. In the bad way.