Bits and Pieces for the Week of October 31 - November 6

I know about different standards, but seriously, non-American, chairman, CEO, owner of Fox News, Rupert Murdoch, can donate 2 million dollars to the Republi-con party, while Keith Olbermann gets suspended without pay for donating $7,200.00 to 3 Democratic candidates. (7 of 6)

I'm sure his sentence would have been much worse if the victim had been white.(Mike)

Current social mores will result in a continued increase in the percent of fat Americans. (Mike)

Lets make sure China speeds ahead of the U.S. in all areas of progress. Two republi-con governors-elect, vow to stop federally funded work on high speed rail projects in their states: John Kasich of Ohio, because as we all know Ohio certainly doesn't need 8,000 new jobs or a way to travel between their major cities; and Wisconsin's Scott Walker, ridiculous when you think it was part of the "...$810 million... stimulus grant..." (7 of 6)

The man who apologized to BP, Joe Barton, will now be in charge of the Energy and Commerce Committee. I can't help but laugh out loud! (7 of 6)

Pay attention people! "In fact 94% of the rest of the Progressive Caucus also won (compared to only 47% of the Blue Dogs)." - Jim Dean, Democracy for America (7 of 6)

All State of California election results are HERE. Propositions results are on page 37. (Mike)

Enough election news. Let's see how well a crash-proof motorcycle works. (Mike)

Californians might be clueless enough to elect Arnold Groperzenegger twice, but at least yesterday rested their celebrity-worshiping brain cells to pass a sanity-driven proposition that will change the requirement from 2/3 to Simple Majority Vote by the Legislature to Pass Annual State Budget (Mike)

We have to tax the super rich. "David Stockman, Ronald Reagan's budget director who once preached tax cuts, is now in favor of putting a one-time surtax on the rich." (7 of 6)

This opening minute of a newscast is funnier than watching a teabagger try to spell two-syllable words on a poster. (Mike)

Election day quote: "Impress upon children the truth that the exercise of the elective franchise is a social duty of as solemn a nature as man can be called to perform; that a man may not innocently trifle with his vote; that every elector is a trustee as well for others as himself and that every ...measure he supports has an important bearing on the interests of others as well as on his own." - Daniel Webster (7 of 6)

Congratulations... San Francisco! (7 of 6)

Study: Alcohol more lethal than heroin, cocaine. "But experts said it would be impractical and incorrect to outlaw alcohol." Amazing, the study doesn't even count prescription drugs. (7 of 6)

Meanwhile... 10 more service members were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. (7 of 6)