As James Fallows points out, S&P is basically making a guess, no more informed or uninformed than any observer of politics. No modeling went into this threatened downgrade. “They’re saying they have an opinion on the state of Congressional-White house dealings on the budget,” writes Fallows. “Fine. Go on a talk show or start a blog.”

So, here’s what this suggests: The government made a plea deal with Khadr’s lawyers (eight more years, but after one year he’d be transferred to Canada, if they’ll take him). Then it had a show trial featuring a frothing psychologist arguing that Khadr would never give up his allegedly Muslim aggression. Normally, defense attorneys could easily exclude such testimony from a trial based on key scientific issues like peer review. But Khadr’s lawyers, allegedly, were put in the position such that if they wanted to preserve Khadr’s eight-year deal, they would have to limit their complaints about Weiner.

I mentioned yesterday afternoon that Syrian protesters, after completing a funeral procession in the city of Homs – the third-largest in Syria – decided to sit down in the main square and not leave until change came to the country. They lasted barely 8 hours before security forces struck in the middle of the night while the protesters slept.

• The 2012 campaign has begun.
• In Libya, the rebellion rages on.
• No, Bobo: Trump soars because the GOP is nuts.
• Meet the wingnuttiest state in the US.
• Going out with a bang.

Spying and FoxNews executives? Hard to believe.

Beatles Cartoon – Taxman & George Harrison & Eric Clapton- Taxman

The idea of literally hearing the music of the past has an irresistible romance.

You would think, based on this poll, at least one of America’s two major parties during this era of deficit hysteria and huge economic pain for the middle class would make the political decision to run on a populist platform of taxing the wealthy and our bailed-out Wall Street firms as the top way to reduce the deficit. It would be wildly popular.

Anyone who thinks that Democrats have suddenly got religion on revenues and the need for tax hikes on the rich (or simply to let the Bush tax cuts expire entirely) should take a look at the Tax Day press release I just got from the Senate Dems.

2011 marks the 30th year HIV/AIDS has been with us. 2011 marks the 30th year HIV/AIDS has been with us. Tremendous strides have been made in treatment and in stemming the spread of the disease. Currently Africa is the continent most affected by HIV/AIDS.

That two pills which cost about 40 cents a day can bring life back to those dying of HIV/AIDS is truly a miracle. Through The Global Fund, financial efforts by world governments (the US leading the way), and innovative private sector funding, medication, health care, testing and counseling are now available to millions people. Through The Global Fund, millions of people across Africa, and around the world, are now on life-saving antiretroviral treatment.