(sigh)  The controversy about the Harvard professor and the cop is not about race.  OK, maybe in the mind of Dr Gates.  But, I continue to be stunned that this became a 'teaching moment' about race, rather than about the rights of the people to be secure in their houses, papers, and possessions against the arbitrary intrusion of the authorities. 
The cop was wrong.  Not in responding to the call.  Not in demanding ID.  Not in asking the professor to step onto the porch.  But, at whatever point it was established that Gates was lawfully in his own home and there was no crime in progress, the policeman should have retired.  End of story.  What happened is that Mr. Crowley let the situation get personal.   He decided that his being respected was the paramount issue of the moment.  He blew it.  He ceased being a professional.  He lost his cool.  It doesn't matter how rude, cruel, abusive, or 'stupid' Dr. Gates was.   His disrespect is not criminal.  The policeman is trained.  The policeman is armed.  The cop was wrong.  He should have walked away.  That's his job. 

My property taxes just increased because my local school district will pay 8% more for health insurance this year.  This was the only line item that increased in the budget and increased despite the fact that the number of employees decreased.
I just shopped car insurance.  Most of my coverage is for medical expenses for me and others.  Likewise, my home owner's insurance covers medical expenses incurred from property related accidents.
I have to believe that a single-payer system would reduce all of these costs to me, but no other plan under consideration is projected to reduce costs at all, as far as I can see.
If people understood the drag that these companies are on our personal and national economies, for producing nothing of value, they would insist on single-payer.
But, these evil companies don't have to die out.  I could see dividing the country into half a dozen or a dozen regions, each with its own 'single-payer.'  Then we could put each region out for bids and these companies could compete for the contract.  Of course, it would be highly regulated, but they would be private companies doing what they already know how to do: transfer payments to providers. 

So, after two weeks in which the major knock on Sotomayer is that she would bring her life experiences to her job - they put the firefighters on the stand to show the real life consequences of her high-falutin,' rule of law precedenting, objective, judicial mindset. 
That's a good thing.  How else would this wise latina possibly be able to relate to a dyslexic white guy who studied real hard?

Coincidence.  The timing of Michael Jackson's literal, and Sarah Palin's political, demise causes one to reflect on the lure, power, and blowback of the pursuit of fame.
MJ was not just a brilliant entertainer, he sought to craft a public image of the unique, gifted genius, whom none of us but the faithful could understand.  He was beyond the rest of us. His celebrity is part of his art.  The costumes and outlandish behavior were fully contrived, if not fully controlled.
Likewise, SP has sought to guide her image, more than guide her journey.  She seems genuinely surprised that the broader public has a very different picture of her than the small group of allies and sycophants she travels with.  The folksy populist fills the air with words and deprives it of ideas.  She is not the 'politics as usual,' she's the politics of 'you betcha'.
Both Jackson and Palin jumped into the fire of their own accord.  But, neither was really able for the ride.
Michael, of course is the past.  His music will fade a bit in the next few weeks, leaving the 'free credit report dot com' song to echo in my brain once again.
Sarah, of course, remains.  Watching her is like watching a strong, but riderless horse.  She needs direction.  She needs help.  Being a People Magazine pol will not be fulfilling, even if she gets a good Fox News gig.
If the Republicans had a stronger bench, we would never hear from her again.
It's not her fault anymore than it was Jackson's.  It's our fault.  I blame society.

One thing that I have not heard mentioned about the unrest in Iran is that it takes place at a moment when Iran doesn't have Iraq to worry about as a menace.  There was a whole week awaiting the Supreme Leader's Friday comments where the regime just let things be.  This would have been less likely if Saddam Hussein were able to threaten.
I would liken it to how the collapse of the Soviet Union allowed the election of one US president with no foreign policy experience, Clinton, and one complete knucklehead, W.
Without an existential threat, Iranians may find the space to reorganize their political order.  The mullahs broke the deal.  The deal was that the clerics get to pick who runs for office and the people get to choose from the list.  Whatever happens in the near term, there will ultimately be an Iranian New Deal.

So, Max Baucas of Montana, Chair of the Senate committee debating health care, has decided to put Single Payer back on the table!  Hoo-ray!  Now, if we can convince our senators to give it a fair hearing, we may be able to get something other than a giveaway to the insurance industry in the inevitable compromise this summer.
Can you imagine a business model in which the tax payer provides for your most costly customer segment (Medicare) and gives you money directly for those who can't can't afford your product (subsidizing the uninsured?)
It is a matter of who is in charge around here! 
Bumper sticker talking point : "Insurance is NOT Health, Health Care, or all that Healthy!"

Someday, I hope some kid  writes his/her masters thesis on how, as late as the 21st century, giving politicians money directly to influence them and calling it a 'campaign contribution' was not considered an illegal bribe.

I am glad that Admiral Joe is entering the race.  In a state as large and diverse as PA, there are very few people with broad enough name recognition to take on Arlen Specter.  I really don't think the White House support will be as effective as it may appear at the moment.  Remember who votes in primaries- the die hards!  Most of them have spent years trying to get rid of Specter and don't feel any particular debt to him for switching sides from RINO to DINO.  Sestak is not well known but has a good resume for Western PA, and is from the eastern burbs.  Specter is 79 in an election that is still resonating 'change.'  Note to White House : Arlen can Go - Time for Joe!

Now, this is truly chilling.  If it turns out that the reason for torturing prisoners was more to extract the Saddam - Bin Laden smoking gun than to find the next attack, we are left with two equally disturbing possibilities.  Either our leaders were truly as ignorant of the players involved as they purported to be (come on, Bin Laden in bed with the secular Baath party?!) or, worse, that the torture was meant not to reveal the truth, but to extract the false confession.
If this story line holds, it may turn out that water boarding is just an updated form of witch dunking.
I didn't think it was possible to feel any worse about Americans torturing prisoners.  Guess I was wrong.