Bits and Pieces for the Week of October 2 - 8

This is huge and 2 1/2 long years overdue. Reid triggers ‘nuclear option’ to change Senate rules, end repeat filibusters. "In a shocking development Thursday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) triggered a rarely used procedural option informally called the “nuclear option” to change the Senate rules... Reid and 50 members of his caucus voted to change Senate rules unilaterally to prevent Republicans from forcing votes on uncomfortable amendments after the chamber has voted to move to final passage of a bill... Reid’s coup passed by a vote of 51-48, leaving Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) fuming... The surprise move stunned Republicans, who did not expect Reid to bring heavy artillery to what had been a humdrum knife fight over amendments to China currency legislation... “Just wait until they get into the minority!” one GOP staffer growled." Poor babies! (7 of 6)

"...researchers "pitted a group of stockbrokers against a group of actual psychopaths in various computer simulations and intelligence tests and found that the money men were significantly more reckless, competitive, and manipulative." Even more striking, the researchers note that achieving overall success was less important to the stock speculators than the sadistic drive "to damage their opponents." I guess as long as they tell themselves, "We didn't break any "real" laws," they can sleep soundly at night. (7 of 6)


VERY bad news for sufferers of chronic pain, AIDS and certain other ailments. (Mike)

"Welcome to Australia, the petri dish of climate change..." "...the prosperous nations of the world have failed to take action to reduce the risk of climate change, in part because people in prosperous nations think they're invulnerable... one need only look at Australia, a prosperous nation that also happens to be right in the cross hairs of global warming." (7 of 6)

Obama Announces He’s Going To Gut The GOP’s War On Voting. I hope he does... time for President Obama to start fighting back... he has the people on his side if he just fights, welcome the rightwing hatred! (7 of 6)

First electric motorcycle to go over 200 MPH. and the coolest looking motorcycle based on the movie "TRON". Put them together, and create some cars... (7 of 6)