I can't believe it's not a democracy!

Looks like Harry Reid just ran out of excuses:

Franken declared Senate winner, Coleman concedes. Al Franken is the 60th democratic senator. No doubt Harry is not pleased that he can no longer claim that he is unable to get a fucking thing done without 60 democratic votes. Then again, the real number always was 51. You see, Harry et al. whined about needing 60 votes to defeat republican filibusters, but that was always a ruse to get the base enthused to vote for democrats while having a ready made excuse for not delivering the goods. Well, Harry, your excuse is gone. Good fucking luck.

Madoff gets 150 years for massive investment fraud. Part of the reason for the "harsh" sentence? U.S. District Judge Denny Chin stated: "I simply do not get the sense that Mr. Madoff has done all that he could or told all that he knows." My thought (primed by some things I've read on the news sites and blogs) is that Bernie was helpful to people who wanted to hide and transfer money. Namely, mob money, people in illegal weapons sales, wealthy bastards hiding their funds from taxing authorities, etc. And maybe other players? In any event, he's not talking. I hope that the forensic accountants and investigators can unravel his trail.

And my friend John sends me this post by Jon Taplin, a Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California, at his blog: Madoff and the Mafia. Taplin writes that his suspicions that Bernie Madoff's business was laundering money for the mafia appeared to be confirmed by Harry Markopolos, the man who tried to warn the SEC about Madoff years ago, who speculated that some of Madoff's "silent victims" probably included investors of dirty money. But another interesting thing that Taplin adds is a lovely photo of Richard Grasso, then president of the New York Stock Exchange, metting with a Columbian FARC commander. WTF?

This is something the WHO and national public health agencies are concerned about:

Denmark finds 1st case of H1N1 resistance to Tamiflu. the article has assuring language from the WHO that this isolated case doesn't pose a threat to public health or change recommendations for the use of Tamiflu. That said, the swine flu still exists and, fortunately, has the WHO's attention. This winter will be telling.

Enough!

5-Day Forecast for New York City: 

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday

81° F | 67° F

79° F | 65° F

79° F | 65° F

81° F | 67° F

79° F | 67° F

T-storms 70% chance of precipitation

Chance of T-storms 40% chance of precipitation

Chance of T-storms 20% chance of precipitation

Chance of T-storms 30% chance of precipitation

Chance of Rain 50% chance of precipitation

And the extended forecast adds three more days where the change of rain is 40-50%.  This is not normal.  

And here's your proof that, yes, we have had more rain that usual this June: NYC Current Reservoir Levels. I know this is better than, say, drought, but I can't help but think that what we are seeing is a real change in our weather and not an anomaly.

Finding it difficult keeping up with recent republican sex scandals?

TPM makes it easier for you to keep track with its: Interactive Guide to Recent Republican Sex Scandals. Because there are too many scandals to remember, that's why.

Update: And Tengrain makes his own flow chart that is beyond fabulous: Affairs To Remember: A Handy Cut Out And Keep Guide. Tengrain's is more inclusive and includes chicks and democrats. Because he's a fucking liberal, that's why. Bless him.

Man, those republican politicians know how to cry on a dime:

South Carolina Governor Sanford admits extramarital affair.

A couple of things: 1) Unlike Spitzer, McGreevey, Vitter, et al., Sanford's wife was not by his side. I'm guessing that wasn't his choice. 2) He must have pissed off a lot of folks in South Carolina, because if he was liked--or truly powerful--we would never have heard about this "disappearance." 3) The tears flowed as he apologized to his family, friends and staff. Don't believe it. He was crying the tears of a man who knows his political career is dead. No Mr. President for you, Mr. Can't Keep His Dick in His Pants. 4) No surprise: Fox News identified Sanford as a democrat (put a D next to his name). They've done this too often for it to be a mistake. I would be angry if maligning the democrats was something worth getting angry about. But it isn't. Not these democrats.

I didn't go with the obvious headline--Don't Cry for Me Argentina--but the lyrics to that song are bound to be worked over to reflect Sanford's fall from grace. I expect competing versions by midnight.

Not quite "I did not have sex with that woman," but close:

Berlusconi denies paying for sex. You see, Berlusconi is offended that anyone would claim that he, a 72-year old scumbag, would actually have to pay these much younger women for sex. Said Berlusconi: "I have never paid a woman," adding, "I've never understood what satisfaction there is other than that of conquering [a woman]." Nice. Only Berlusconi could make Bill Clinton and most republicans look like princes.

Thanks to Jim for the link.

Some people will do anything for attention:

North Korea threatens US as world anticipates missile. I know North Korea puts a lot of their resources into building missiles and trying to develop its nuclear arsenal, but this is a country whose biggest asset is millions of starving North Koreans. I believe this threat is what psychiatrists call a gesture.

Elizabeth Warren tells the truth:

Banking "broken," consumers need help: U.S. watchdog. Naturally, she will (continue to) be ignored. Because Tim Geithner and Larry Summers Rock, that's why. Change we can believe in, my ass.

If she were a liberal, she would lose her job:

'View' co-host Hasselbeck is accused of plagiarism. But she isn't so she won't--even if the case is proved beyond a reasonable doubt. At least the author can sue her rightwing ass.