Hey, remember the week after the Fort Hood shooting, when it seemed like every single conservative on the planet was repeating the same “political correctness is to blame” talking point in perfect 814-part harmony? Well, it turns out they were right about there being a politically-driven communication breakdown after all:

I am so tired of seeing a pair of pants, or a sweater or sweatshirt, or even a passably wearable belt in my closet — only to try to put it on and realize there’s a reason I haven’t worn it in years. I’ve got lots of clothes for a smaller me. Today, they go.

This is the second of a four-part series covering Rhode Island’s Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s keynote address at the recent Brennan Center for Justice’s Second Annual “Living Constitution” event.

This Friday 134 million American lemmings with credit cards will clog roads, parking lots, and cash registers, scurrying and reaching and inching along together to take hold of dead stuff. Then they’ll all reverse course, dragging the dead objects with them. This Friday 134 million American lemmings with credit cards will clog roads, parking lots, and cash registers, scurrying and reaching and inching along together to take hold of dead stuff. Then they’ll all reverse course, dragging the dead objects with them. Most of the objects they’ll burn lots of carbon to acquire travelled to America in huge ships burning lots of carbon (and toxic bunker fuel): manufacturing these objects burnt more carbon.

How else can we spend this Friday?

How did 43% of America’s population end up doing synchronized Anthropocene fire dances on a dangeously warming planet?

The usual suspects: Freud’s nephew and the Philadelphia Police Department.

I’m certain there are people who have thought about this a great deal, but “do you or an organization you work for stand to profit as a result of the actions of this panel” seems a more effective threshold for participation in federal advisory boards.

Because the definition of “lobbyist” seems a bit too flexible to prohibit the biggest of the professional influence peddlers.

Arkansas Times reporter/blogger Max Brantley has a great write-up on Blanche Lincoln and her troubles in Arkansas. As a trusted local source, Brantley has more credibility on Lincoln than any of the national wags trying to claim that she is only “voting her state” by threatening to block health care reform. Tell that to the guy from Arkansas.

When you’re wondering what to get as holiday gifts for the pets in your life, just getting rid of some things may be the best present of all.

Good rule of thumb. When you’re writing admiringly about a total nutter like Jim Inhofe, you’re probably a total nutter yourself.

A recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report found that non-food products and packaging are associated with 37 percent of America’s greenhouse-gas emissions – making it the largest source of greenhouse gases. A similar analysis by PPI puts that number closer to 44 percent when the emissions used to produce imported products are included.

With days before the President will announce his Afghanistan strategy to the nation, a Democrat considered one of the best chances to pick up a seat in the House of Representatives criticized the proposed escalation and characterized it as “more reflective of Bush policy.”