News Nuggets 311

A rescued baby wombat in Australia - from the Globe and Mail [of the UK]. See the wombat nugget below. Looks a lot like a baby pig -- except for the talons.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Obama! (Frank Rich) from the New York Times

"Fifteen months after arriving at the White House, Obama remains by far the most popular national politician in the country, even with a sub-50 percent approval rating. And yet he’s also the most enigmatic. While he is in our face more than any other figure in the world, we still aren’t entirely sure what to make of him."

Is President Obama Fulfilling Clinton's Promise? (Peter Baker) from the New York Times

"While they are very different presidents and not personally close, at least some of the unfinished agenda items left from the Clinton administration have found their way to the top of the Obama priority list. And the 44th president is arguably profiting from the work, and the setbacks, of the 42nd president."

While true, in my view it in no way mitigates the fact that the Clintons (largely by their own hands) blew the opportunity they had to be truly transformational.

Justice Stevens Says He'll Retire in Obama's Term from the Associated Press

"Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens says he "will surely" retire while President Barack Obama is still in office, giving the president the opportunity to maintain the high court's ideological balance."

John Paul Stevens Retiring? Top Picks to be the Next Supreme Court Justice from the Huffington Post

"The Huffington Post interviewed a host of constitutional law professors and other legal cognoscenti. Here's a look at the candidates that have emerged as leading contenders for Justice Stevens' seat on the bench, with more reporting about each potential new Justice below."

More Evidence Emerges That Pope Benedict Helped Shield Pedophiles Before He Became Pope from the Associated Press via Huffington Post

"Documents reviewed by The Associated Press show that as a Vatican cardinal, the future pope took over the abuse case of the Rev. The details of the two cases come as other allegations emerge that Benedict – as a Vatican cardinal – was part of a culture of cover-up and confidentiality."

I Believe You've Killed the Church, Holy Father (Andrew Sullivan) from the Times [of London]

"Only a morally bankrupt Pope could call news of his role in a child abuse cover-up ‘petty gossip’."

Pretty brutal commentary from Mr. Sullivan. I'm not there yet. But the Vatican DEFINITELY needs to transform how they are dealing with this crisis.

Devil of a Scandal (Maureen Dowd) from the New York Times

"The exorcist also said that the abuse scandal showed that Satan uses priests to try to destroy the church, “and so we should not be surprised if priests too ... fall into temptation. ...” Actually, falling into temptation is eating cupcakes after you’ve given them up for Lent. Rape and molestation of children is far beyond what most of us think of as succumbing to worldly temptation. This church needs a sexorcist more than an exorcist."

Election Season Tests Tea Party's Ideals from the Boston Globe

"Some tea party activists say Fincher, a Republican candidate in Tennessee’s Eighth Congressional District, isn’t “pure’’ enough to deserve the backing of a movement built on the idea that government must spend less. But others have pledged their support, highlighting a division over what constitutes orthodoxy in the amorphous cause — and who gets to decide."

Your Take: Why Black Folks Won't Drink the Tea (Party) from The Root

"I have joined my fellow black conservatives in an effort to make black America politically diverse. We believe that the full liberation of black America will never come as long as the liberal trend in our community continues its 50-year run. However, I understand the common point made about the Tea Party Movement and its lack of diversity. Black conservatives today must avoid the pitfalls that the Republican Party has incurred for decades."

Crist Requests Probe of GOP 'Mess' in Florida from the Miami Herald

And Crist expects Republicans to vote for him?! WHAT has happened there?! Is the race there turning in a new direction that I have not heard about?

"Gov. Charlie Crist asked federal authorities Friday to investigate the Republican Party of Florida amid growing concerns about secret deals and misspent money. ``It's a mess,'' he said. ``This thing stinks.''"

EASTER NUGGET!!

The Big Question: Why Do We Celebrate Easter, and Where Did the Bunny Come From? from the Independent [of the UK]

"The Easter bunny or rabbit comes from the hare, another ancient, pre-Christian symbol of fertility associated with spring."

Always a good question about the rabbit there.

WOMBAT NUGGET!!

Meet Orphaned Karmann, the Waving Wombat Nursed Back to Health by Humans from the Globe and Mail [of the UK]

"She may only have a tiny heart - but luckily for Karmann the orphaned wombat, she was rescued by an animal lover with a large one. The helpless little creature owes her life to a driver who rescued her from the pouch of her dying mother, who had been run over in East Gippsland, Australia in early March."

ANCIENT ROME NUGGET!!

How Two Brothers Spent Ten Years Creating 47ft Replica of Largest Roman Mosaic Ever Found in Britain from the Globe and Mail [of the UK]

"Two brothers today revealed a painstaking reconstruction of Britain’s largest Roman mosaic that took them ten years to complete. Bob and John Woodward used 1.6 million tiny pieces to produce their copy of the Orpheus pavement."

What an AMAZING job these guys did!!

HOMEOWNERS' NUGGET!!

Struggling Homeowner's Guide to Credit Score Consequences from the Atlantic

"Credit scoring tends to be a very mysterious black box, leaving many homeowners unsure what option is best for their credit. But a conversation with one of FICO's principal scientists, Frederic Huynh, revealed some helpful information that could help struggling borrowers to understand how various decisions might affect their credit score."

URBAN CRIME NUGGET!!

Praising Cory Booker for Newark's Murder-Free Milestone from the Atlantic

"When no one is murdered in Newark, New Jersey that's big news. When it stays that way for an entire month, it's a milestone. The city just achieved its first homicide-free month in over 40 years."

We live in an age when the idea that big city mayors (such as Booker) actually ACCOMPLISH anything in office seems rather novel. As the article says, this is a big deal -- not just for long-suffering Newark, but for all of America's big cities.