Odds and Ends

Yea, I'm slacking, but Mario Kart doesn't play itself. Here's some news...

President-elect Obama, hearing a lot of progressive criticism of his stimulus proposals, said last week he is open to making changes if he hears better ideas. It seems that has begun, with Obama making concessions to congressional leaders, including plans to "grow the size of an energy-tax incentive package and modify proposed tax credits for individuals and for businesses that hire new employees". An encouraging start.

Also... spoiler alert... the Republican Party has suddenly (and mysteriously!) become budget hawks again. Trillions for war(s) and failed banks? That's fine, but if you start talking about funding 'infrastructure' and 'state governments' and other crazy ideas like that, they will be on your ass like white on rice. So yea, good luck with that, Barry.

Hey, speaking of the bank/Wall Street bailout billions... Obama will be soon be gaining control of what's left of that. He says he intends to "fundamentally change the way the second half... is spent, focusing some of the relief on housing and small businesses." Transparency in this whole mess was also promised, and wouldn't that be an interesting experiment?

For those interested in the FCC and related issues, Obama's chairman choice is revealed.

And after earlier saying that closing the Guantanamo prison would be a "challenge", Obama's people released a statement clarifying that closing it remains an early priority for the President.

Also, please forward this article to Obama: 'U.S. finds Iraq tactics don't work in Afghan war'.

'60 Minutes' had a great report this past weekend on the oil bubble. Recommended.

'Joe' the 'Plumber', the right-wing blogosphere's new international war correspondent (?!!) shares more of his trademark wisdom, insisting that reporters are evil and shouldn't be allowed to report honestly on wars, once again demonstrating that he is the right-wing base's living id.

Finally, '24' is back... and conservatives still seem to think it's a documentary.