Break-Out

I've been purposely avoiding politics as a little break for myself until the beginning of the new year.

But I read this and I couldn't agree more.

I wouldn't mind one bit if Reid lost his reelection bid in 2010.

FiveThirtyEight.com: Politics Done Right: On Making Mitch McConnell Wet His Pants:

"I don't imagine the culture of the Senate changing in the new Congress so long as it's under Reid's direction, and Reid is highly unlikely to be replaced. There is some chance, however, that Obama rather than Reid will dictate the tone, particularly if Joe Biden is dispatched to Capitol Hill fairly often."
......
The bottom line, however, is that the Republicans are filibustering more and more often because they can get away with it. If Reid can't get them to pay a greater public price, then the Democrats ought to find somebody else who can.

_______

Good read.

Fear and loving - the last years of Hunter S. Thompson - Times Online:

"“Most people don't associate Hunter with Candle in the Wind,” agrees 36-year-old Anita Thompson today, reflecting on a relationship that ended in February 2005, when her famously eccentric husband sat in the Owl Farm kitchen and shot himself in the head. “But we both worked hard to create this conducive atmosphere, and get him in the mood to write. He was very productive when I knew him. I used to say to him, ‘You should be writing!' And he'd say, ‘You are right!' Then he'd pull out his typewriter and get to work.”"

_______

Oh, man, was I ever an Atari kid. I was a member of the Atari Club. I had posters and t-shirts and I remember calling everybody I knew the first time I cleared all of the blocks in Break-out for the first time.

Good times.

Atari blasts back from the past with new game plan:

"LONDON (Reuters Life!) – For many gamers Atari is a blast from the past or just a logo on retro T-shirts but the company that dates back 36 years is looking to reclaim a stake of the video game landscape."

_______

Real Santas.

Secret Santas in 3 states spread cheer, $100 bills :

"ST. LOUIS – At a suburban Goodwill store on Friday, Theresa Settles selected a large, black comforter to warm her family until she can raise the money to turn the gas heat back on. A petite woman approached, her face obscured by dark sunglasses and a wrapped winter scarf, and handed Settles two $100 bills stamped with the words 'secret Santa.' 'The only condition,' she said, 'is that you do something nice for someone. Pass it on.'

'I will,' Settles said, the only words she could get out of her mouth.

The secret Santa was a protege of Kansas City's undercover gift giver, Larry Stewart, who died of cancer nearly two years ago. Stewart roamed city streets each December doling out $100 bills to anyone who looked like they might need a lift."

_______
_____
___