Your Monday Random-Ass Roundup: E-fail

Is it possible that John McCain, G. Gordon Liddy or my mom were responsible for IT in the Bush White House? Sheesh:

efail

Since I’m late as usual, no time for fun. Just randomness:

1. Joe Lieberman has gone into full-on obstructionist mode. First, there were his ever-changing justifications for his opposition to the public option. Now after supposedly saying he was open to considering the latest compromise on a government insurance plan — letting people as young as 55 buy in to Medicare — he went on one of the Sunday shows to emphasize his vehement opposition to the idea. It’s clearly all spite at this point. (G.D.)

2. Matt Yglesias makes the case for injecting moralism in the health care debate in his profile of freshman Democratic Representative Alan Grayson of Florida. (Blackink)

3. President Barack Obama gives himself “a solid B+” for his first year so far. (G.D.)

4. In case you missed it, a federal judge ruled Thursday that U.S. government’s move to cut funding to ACORN was unconstitutional. Glenzilla explains why this is a victory not only for ACORN, but for the Constitution. (Blackink)

5. The Afghan government is having trouble keeping its promises of jobs and other incentives for Taliban fighters who abandon their cause. When the insurgents figure out they’ve been deceived, “the results are predictable. ‘In a lot of cases, they go right back out and pick up their weapons again,’ said Haji Sana Gul, a senior adviser to the reconciliation campaign here.” (Blackink)

6. A Ugandan woman has defiantly outed herself in a local newspaper, despite the threats of imprisonment and violence she faces for doing so. (G.D.)

7. It’s still gonna be a sluggish recovery, but The Big Money’s Daniel Gross says we will start to see modest job growth, and soon. “…The data suggest that the economy, now growing at a rate above its historical trend, may be creating more jobs than are being lost.” (G.D.)

8. Surely, Glenn Beck wouldn’t pitch the virtue of buying gold to his listeners just because he’s getting paid to do it? No, of course not. The man has scruples. (Blackink)

9. Former and current employees of the Wall Street Journal lament its rightward lurch under Rupert Murdoch, but circulation is up. (G.D.)

10. Speaking of the WSJ, one of its reporters talks about going underwater on his mortgage after purchasing a three bedroom-home in Middlesex, N.J. in 2006. The house was once valued at about $339,000. Now it’s worth about $270,000. (Blackink)

11. Pretty. (Quadmoniker)

12. Adam Serwer details an important shift in criminal justice, from mass incarceration to policies that reduce crime and prison crowding. (Blackink)

13. State-sanctioned groups under Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe beat and raped an estimated 2,000 women and girls before last year’s run-off election as part of politically-motivated sexual violence, according to a rape survivors association. Human rights workers have produced a video with testimonies from four of the victims. (Blackink)

14. In the wake of Houston’s historic mayoral election Saturday, Amanda Marcotte points out that Texas is a lot more liberal than outsiders might think. (Jamelle)

15. U.S. News & World Report’s list of the 100 best high schools in the country (Blackink).

16. Billboard ranks the one-hit wonders of the 2000s. Young Dro‘s “Shoulder Lean” kicks things off at No. 39. Lil’ Romeo is also prominently involved. (Blackink)

17. What we know about North Korea, through soccer. (Quadmoniker)

18. On Nicki Minaj and the “lesbian problem” in hip hop. (Blackink)

19. In The Daily Beast, Rebecca Dana ponders why women don’t have sex scandals. (Blackink)

20. Marcotte is not worried about infidelity as a feminist priority. (Blackink)

21. Meet Brian Kelly, the new head football coach at Notre Dame. (Blackink)

22. Justice denied: Turn-of-the-century black heavyweight boxing champ Jack Johnson will not be getting a pardon from the Justice Department. Apparently, it will take too much time or something. Johnson was imprisoned early last century because of his romantic relationship with a white woman. (Blackink)

23. Alabama sophomore running back Mark Ingram was awarded the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, emerging as the winner in the closest vote in the award’s history. Heisman Pundit thinks Ingram’s improbable victory portends well for future seasons. (Blackink)

There’s some other links that I would have included in this roundup but I’m sure you all have Google, your own interests and some common sense.

Enjoy.

Joel

Joel Anderson —blackink —  writes about sports, politics, crime, courts, and other issues far beyond his competence at BuzzFeed. He has worked at media outlets in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Atlanta and contributed to a number of publications, including The Root and The American Prospect, among many others.
  • keke

    I am really at a loss for words when it comes to Lieberman. His role as reform obstructionist is exhausting.

    I remember when Pres. Obama was first sworn in and many on the left wanted Lieberman punished and stripped of his Senate Homeland Security Committee chairmanship position as a form punishment for his behavior during the election campaign. I supported Obama when he advised Senate Democrats that it was best to just move on and leave it alone.

    Yeah, I was wrong. He is a pain. Strip Lieberman of that chairmanship position!

  • Ladyfresh

    Re: #19 leann rimes!?