Odds & Ends

On the big story of the day, I'll let Jared Bernstein explain President Obama's latest proposal on taxes and spending.

In an interview with Karen Tumulty, Senator Elizabeth Warren sums us why she's not interested in running for President.

“I’ll always be an outsider. That’s how I understand the world,” the Massachusetts Democrat said in an interview. “There’s a real benefit to being clear about this. I know why I’m here."

The previous Congress couldn't pass reform of NSA's surveillance activities. The idea that this new Republican Congress will do so is not even remotely possible. And so once again, President Obama will go it alone.

Defying conventional wisdom, Dylan Matthews says we should "Ignore the headlines. The world is getting safer all the time."

Crime rates in the U.S. have dropped about 22% from 2004 to 2013. The Movoto Blog has put together an animated map showing the trends on a state-by-state basis.

Stevie Wonder is working with NBC to produce a mini-series musical about the Underground Railroad.

Finally, I'd like to introduce you to 6th grader Esther Yu. There is no reaction to this other than "WOW!" But I also love the expressions on the face of the girl behind Esther. It's almost as if she can't believe what she's hearing either.

Odds & Ends

When an Al Jazeera headline includes the phrases “ISIL is Losing” and “Iraqis Optimistic,” you know it’s an important story.

Pope Francis continues to rattle cages. This time by naming 15 new cardinals from 14 countries (including places like Tonga, New Zealand, Cape Verde and Myanmar) as well as seeking the abolition of nuclear weapons.

On its 92nd anniversary, Denise Oliver Velez asks us to both remember and contemplate the lessons from the massacre that occurred in Rosewood, Florida. 9/11 was certainly not the first time that terrorism reached our shores.

Remember the time when Republicans used to complain about “judicial activism?” These days - not so much. As a matter of fact, they are increasingly turning to the courts to aid their agenda. Don’t you just love how Republicans always stand on principle…except when they don’t?

Speaking of Republicans, looks like Mike Huckabee is the second to throw his hat into the ring for the 2016 presidential nomination. And Laura Ingraham is the first to say she’s not impressed.

For those of you who’ve been concerned about the news that the world is running out of chocolate, the University of Reading is on it!

Finally, a few years ago Jim Wallis told Jon Stewart that comedians like him often played the role of prophetic court jesters. Here is John Oliver doing just that on an issue I wrote about earlier today.

Odds & Ends

Ben Geman has written a must-read profile on John Podesta’s year in the White House driving the “go-it-alone” climate strategy.

Due to the lack of public trust in District Attorney’s handling of the Michael Brown and Eric Garner shootings, the City of Cleveland has probably made a good call in handing off the probe into the Tamir Rice case to a county sheriff’s office.

Michael Memoli reports:

President Obama is heading back to Washington on Saturday after a two-week holiday visit to Hawaii, but he won’t stick around for long.

Eager to stay on the offensive as new Republican majorities are seated in Congress, the president plans to take a more bullish economic message on the road next week in something of an early test drive of his State of the Union message.

Would it surprise you to learn that the Senate’s 46 Democrats got 20 million more votes than it’s 54 Republicans?

In health news, scientists find that most types of cancer are caused by “bad luck.” No, it doesn’t have anything to do with black cats or broken mirrors. It’s all about random gene mutations that occur when stem cells divide.

You’ve probably read about how Jeb Bush is breaking up with corporate boards and investments in order to prepare for his 2016 presidential run. But Andy Borowitz reports on the one break-up that would probably do him the most good: Jeb Bush Resigns as George W. Bush’s Brother.

Finally, since I started the day out with Eva Cassidy, I think I’ll end it with her gorgeous cover of this classic blues tune.

Odds & Ends

Speaking of Gitmo detainees, today the Obama administration announced it was releasing four more who are going back to Afghanistan.

In spite of all the pearl-clutching on both the right and the left about bank bailouts, the TARP program has officially ended - leaving taxpayers with a $15.3 billion profit.

It's probably too soon to celebrate, but the good news is that - backed by U.S. airstrikes - the Kurds have recaptured a large swath of territory from ISIS.

Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced that civil rights laws that provide workplace protection apply to transgender workers.

Having watched the bold moves President Obama has made over the last couple of months, a lot of people are trying to guess where the next one will come from. Some see a possible sign in the recent move initiating NLRB vs McDonalds.

Rand Corporation senior defense analyst Bruce Bennett screened the movie The Interview before all the commotion created by North Korean hackers. His take is that the depiction of Kim Jong Un would have created a problem for him with the elite in his country.

Finally, when I first heard Paolo Nutini sing, my thought was "Boy, he's an old soul" (as the saying goes). Paolo burst on the scene with a couple of cd's and then pretty much disappeared for four years. My initial assessment of him was affirmed when earlier this year he released "Caustic Love." Here's an incredibly relevant track off that cd titled "Iron Sky."

P.S. If you can't place the origin of the speech in the middle of the song, here's one ginormous hint.

Odds and Ends

The big scoop of the day goes to Eric Lipton at the New York Times, who reveals that attorney generals in at least a dozen states have formed secret alliances with energy companies.

Uruguay's President Jose Mujica has agreed to accept six detainees from Guantanamo. That leaves 172 still there, over half of whom have been cleared for release but have nowhere to go.

I'm not sure what to make of this story: the U.S. military in Afghanistan has handed over three Pakistani prisoners to Islamabad. The AP reporters, Rebecca Santana and Ishtiaq Mahsud, say its a sign of improving relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. In any case, I'm sure we'll hear soon from Sen. McCain about this latest outrage.

Redditt Hudson tells us what its like to be an officer with the St. Louis Police Department. And yes, its as bad as we thought.

Do you remember this one: "How many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb? One. But they've got to really want to change." That's what I thought about when I read this article on research suggesting that meditation can short-circuit reflexive racial bias.

As a southpaw, I wasn't happy to see this headline: Left Handed? Prepare to Earn Less. But I'll console myself with the fact that my mother was left-handed too...which seems to make a difference.

Finally, if events over the last few weeks have you looking down, take a listen to B.B. King.

Odds & Ends

The big story of the day is that American Luke Somers - who was being held hostage by al Qaeda in Yemen - was killed during a U.S. special forces rescue attempt. Here's President Obama's statement on that.

Michael Cohen does a good job of debunking conservatives who suggest that President Obama's foreign policy is one of retreat from the global scene.

The United States and France just reached an agreement to pay reparations to American survivors of the Holocaust who were deported to Nazi death camps in French trains. Apparently negotiations on this have been underway for a year.

Another memoir by a former member of the Obama administration will be released in February. This one is by the President's "body man," Reggie Love titled Power Forward: My Presidential Education.

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And you can learn computer coding by tracking his activities from now to Christmas Day. How cool is that?!

For some humor, check out Andy Borowitz writing about a new proposal to provide grand juries with eyes.

And finally, this one goes out to all the people who are making their voices heard lately (featuring Rodrick Dixon with Three Mo' Tenors).

Odds & Ends

Here are some stories that caught my eye today.

One of the most frustrating things about Republicans over the last few years is their adoption of "post-policy" positioning." That's why Kimberly Strassel's op-ed is revealing. She's having some fun positing that if President Obama can claim the kinds of powers she identifies, why not the next Republican president too? And then she unleashes what the agenda would be. Holy cow!!!! Suffice it to say, "Social Security? What Social Security?"

All I can say is...please Bibi, don't do it!

The good news of the day is that the incoming Nevada House Speaker Ira Hansen has decided to step down after his racist/sexist remarks were made public.

While everyone is distracted, slowly but surely the Obama administration is transferring detainees out of Gitmo.

Unfortunately for the Republicans, their 2016 field of hopefuls is not as popular with the general public as they are with their base.

And finally, we can now replace all the other things we've been told to freak out about lately. The truly terrifying news of the day is that the earth is running out of chocolate.