News Nuggets 300

A capybara, the largest species of hamster in the world. They live in Latin America. I had not seen one of these critters for ages! Some of you may remember the children's author Bill Peet who had a wonderfully illustrated story about one, "Cappyboppy," that was published in the 1960s.

A first for this blog: A poem. I'm not a big poetry fan. Never have been. But this one captured a certain boundless sense of possibility in just about everything. It is by Ursula Leguin. I found it on Andrew Sullivan's blog at the Atlantic. So -- in honor of our 300th installment of the News Nuggets, here it is.

Please bring strange things.

Please come bringing new things.

Let very old things come into your hands.

Let what you do not know come into your eyes.

Let desert sand harden your feet.

Let the arch of your feet be the mountains.

Let the paths of your fingertips be your maps

and the ways you go be the lines on your palms.

Let there be deep snow in your inbreathing

and your outbreath be the shining of ice.

May your mouth contain the shapes of strange words.

May you smell food cooking you have not eaten.

May the spring of a foreign river be your navel.

May your soul be at home where there are no houses.

Walk carefully, well loved one,

walk mindfully, well loved one,

walk fearlessly, well loved one.

Return with us, return to us,

be always coming home.

Back to our regularly scheduled nuggets:

Without a Teleprompter (Michael Sherer) from Time Magazine

"We knew president Obama would give a speech today to House Democrats. We didn't know it would be this good of a speech. ... You can view the whole thing here."

I completely agree with Sherer her -- the speech was GREAT! Check it out!

Closing Arguments:Making the Case for Health Care, One Last Time from the New Republic

"The most remarkable thing about the demonstration was how little it had to do with health care. The signs said “Stop socialism,” “A government of laws, not men,” “Respect our constitution--preserve our republic.” Nobody talked about death panels. Instead, one speaker--a Chicago radio host, I believe--attacked the First Lady’s obesity initiative. “Michelle, keep your hands off my kids’ lunchbox!” Yet another protest sign seemed to capture the mood perfectly: “This isn’t about health care. This is about control.”"

Health Care and History (Joe Klein) from Time Magazine

"Rove's eruption ended any lingering doubts I might have had about the political effect of this bill: if Rove, who only thinks in political terms, has gone off his meds about this legislation, it must mean that it will have benign effects for the Democratic Party."

What Are We About to Pass? from the Daily Beast

"The Democrats appear to have held off enough "no" votes to pass historic health-care legislation. ... Will pre-existing conditions be covered? What's the fine for not having insurance? Which states got sweetheart deals? A crib sheet to the health-care bill the House will vote on today."

Health Care Reform: The Return of Interposition (Andrew Cohen) from the Atlantic

"Fifty years after its last high-water mark in American life, the dubious doctrine of interposition is back in vogue. Once offered up in vain by desperate southern leaders as a legal justification for blocking federal civil rights initiatives, including Supreme Court rulings, it is now being used by opponents of health care reform as they marshal their forces with an eye toward post-passage litigation challenging the constitutionality of the new legislation."

Heroine of the Hour: Nancy Pelosi (Sean Wilentz) from the Daily Beast

"No House speaker in modern times performed as powerfully as Nancy Pelosi has in bringing health-care reform to the brink of passage. Sean Wilentz on Pelosi's historic performance."

The Drama of Health Care Reform: Viewed from Within and Abroad from the Atlantic

"Last week I was traveling in Spain, Italy and France, where my novel is being released in translation. Inevitably, I was asked about the health care drama in America. It's such a compelling story to me, and I was delighted to find it being closely followed in Europe. "

Vote on Health Bill Today Caps a Journey Back from the Brink from the New York Times

"In a series of impassioned conversations, over the telephone and in the Oval Office, Pelosi conveyed her frustration to the president, according to four people familiar with the talks. If she and Harry Reid, the Senate Democratic leader, were going to stick out their necks for Mr. Obama’s top legislative priority, Ms. Pelosi wanted assurances that the president would too. At the White House, aides to Mr. Obama say, he also wanted assurances; he needed to hear that the leaders could pass his far-reaching plan."

Thousands in Russia Protest Gov't in "Day of Wrath" from the Washington Post

"The coordinated demonstrations, which opposition leaders dubbed a "Day of Wrath," occurred in dozens of cities and towns across 11 time zones, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Irkutsk and Vladivostok. Though turnout appeared limited, the string of protests hinted at widespread frustration with Russia's most serious economic downturn in more than a decade."

Can't say that I knew folks there were really upset about anything. It seemed to me most people there really liked the dictatorship-lite that Putin was trying to establish. Who knew?.

Leftists Defeat Sarkozy's Conservatives from Raw Story

Sounds like his party got their asses kicked.

"President Nicolas Sarkozy's party took a severe drubbing from French voters Sunday in nationwide regional elections that were his last big national test before he seeks re-election in 2012."