Weekend Odds and Ends

I can't believe how lucky my new Governor is to be black and blind. Here's the news...

Merrill Lynch economist David Rosenberg says this recession will be worse than the 1970s. And the White House wants you to know... no comment. Press Secretary Dana Perino says "I’m under strict instructions, and have been from the beginning, to not talk about the dollar."

The EPA takes the super bold stance that smog is bad for the environment.

President Bush weighs in on high oil prices: "You know, I don’t know. You’re going to have to ask the experts that. I’m just a simple president." He then chewed on a tall piece of grass and dusted off his overalls.

House Democrats this week "pushed through a measure Tuesday to create an outside panel to review possible ethical lapses by its members." Members of this new panel "could not be current members, federal employees or lobbyists. Recommendations of censure or punishment, including expulsion, would still rest with the ethics committee." Strong opposition, not surprisingly, came from congressional Republicans who insist that "lawmakers should be able to police themselves."

Capitol Hill also got a rare treat as all three presidential candidates returned to participate in the debate over important earmarks legislation. For what it's worth, Sen. Obama has now released all his earmarks, the other candidates? Notsomuch.

While the Senate debates a bill to send money to fight AIDS and disease in Africa, Republicans insist on keeping an abstinence requirement in. And, right on time, new studies show that shaming people into not having sex doesn't actually work, and that maybe people should use some contraceptives.

Glenn Greenwald checks in with the truly fascinating discussions at the National Review.

Finally, news from elsewhere in the world. In Iraq, things continue to be bad. In Afghanistan, they're not much better. A little further east, Hamas sets it terms for a cease-fire with Israel. And in Africa, Sudanese and Chadian leaders "signed a peace agreement on Thursday meant to end cross-border rebel attacks."