Online story: "WASHINGTON -- Signaling new movement in "fiscal cliff" talks, House Speaker John Boehner has proposed raising the top rate for earners making more than $1 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said. President Barack Obama, who wants higher top rates for households earning more than $250,000, has not accepted the offer, this person said * As part of a broader budget deal, Boehner is still seeking more spending cuts than Obama has proposed, particularly in mandatory health care spending. Boehner has asked for a long-term increase in eligibility age for Medicare and for lower costs-of-living adjustments for Social Security." -- Republicans need to replace Boehner now, not after the next Congress is seated! Boehner has backed himself into a corner where he's raising taxes AND pushing 'grandma' over the cliff!

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Once again, if the ACLU has any use, any value, it must file a suit against Congress for failing to protect the interests of the taxpayers by not letting government punishing one segment of citizens for being successful. It's out-and-out class warfare.

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Online headline: "Hillary Clinton Benghazi Testimony Postponed After Secretary Of State Sustains Concussion" -- Yeah, she bumped her head while baking cookies for Santa.

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If the new military manuals are pointing out ways not to offend our Muslim 'friends' by avoiding issues like the Taliban and women's rights issues, why are we sending over female ambassadors/Secretary of State as government representatives?

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To HELL with protocol in Connecticut! Release the children's bodies now so families can deal with reality as far from Christmas as they can. The only reason for delaying the process is for bureaucrats to "CYA" themselves.

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Stupid, stupid TV commentators! They sit around all day talking about why there's such an influx of tragic shootings at schools without realizing that it's more than likely another psycho viewer is feeling he could get that same infamy for himself.

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"Brilliant" analysts are saying the Connecticutt killer should have been in some sort of institution because now people are saying the psycho was weird. Like that's going to happen in our state of anti-stereotyping! We can't even let non-muslim, 90 year old wheelchair bound, diaper wearing grandmas or 4 year old children to be exempt from TSA friskings because we can't just pull bearded Jihadists aside and check'em out because they perfectly fit the profile of every other known terrorist.

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Online headline: "Obama working to reduce deductions for charitable giving" -- Oh, pot-US Obluster has determined it's OK for him to force us to pay more in taxes so government can give aid to anyone government sees fit, but it's not OK for us to give to organizations that address the needs of the truly in need?

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Online headline: "Barge Spills Fuel Oil Into NYC Waters" -- Whew! That'll probably help clean up the Hudson and East Riveres!

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Online headline: "Mystery Of Mass Squid 'Suicides' Possibly Solved" -- Ooops, my bad. Thought Massachusetts voters had 'buyers' regrets' for the November elections.

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Online story: "AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas put up $3 billion in taxpayer money and promised cancer breakthroughs. But a criminal investigation, widespread rebuke from scientists and the resignations of embattled state officials came faster than medical discoveries. * The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas launched in 2009, flaunting the second-biggest trough of cancer research dollars in the country. Nobel laureates eagerly took jobs with the agency and celebrity Lance Armstrong lent visible and then-coveted support. It was an unprecedented state-run battle against a worldwide killer. * Three years later, it's become unhinged by suggestions of politics and personal profit and is on the ropes." -- Oh. NO, Mr Bill, uh, Governor Perry, don't tell us that people receiving government grants put themselves first over whatever the program is supposed to do! DOH!!!!

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Online headline: "Obama Calls For More Action 'Regardless Of The Politics' After Tragedy" -- "action regardless of the politics'? DOH! The only 'action' IS politics!

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Has the bowl schedule sunk in yet. Remember when the Big bowl games, the Cotton, Gator, Sugar, Orange and Rose Bowls were all played on Jan 1st? This year those games should be renamed the Cotton-Blend, the Crock, the Corn-Syrup, the Tang, and the Petunia Bowls.

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Online headline: "Report: Kerry To Be Nominated For Secretary Of State" oh, going from a woman to a wimp will reinforce our allies' confidence, and send terrorists back into their caves?

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Online headline: "NFL Teams Planning Tributes to Connecticut Victims" -- By doing what, locking up all the players except during games?

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L-E headline/story: "Friday is last day to participate in Holiday Help * It’s the last week to help. * This Christmas season, Ledger-Enquirer readers have picked up more than 105 Holiday Help letters to assist those in need" -- Only the L-E would wrap up its 'help' before the weekend before Christmas. Charitable organizations worth supporting will be working straight through Christmas and (credit to Buzz Lightyear) "to infinity and beyond"!

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Speaking of 'helping', is the Committee to End Homelessness (in 10 years) on schedule?

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L-E story: "Starting this week anyone out on the Chattahoochee River between the North Highlands Dam and the Columbus Trade Center must wear a life vest or “personal flotation device.” -- Well, if the "Committee to Pave, uh, Save the Chattahoochee" has any say-so in this, the vests will be required to be made of concrete.

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United Way.... I prefer direct donations to the entities you feel make the most difference in people's lives, but that's a choice we make, but two things that always escape being reported is about 15% of the UW pledges are never completed, and what are the salaries/expenses for the year round staff. If pledges from organizations are going to be reported so companies look 'participatory', then it should be reported when the pledges are not kept. Things have been tough for the past 4 years... how about reporting all the salaries and raises over the past 4 years or so.

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L-E's "Thought for Today": “Somewhere in the world there is an epigram for every dilemma.” — Hendrik Willem Van Loon, Dutch-born journalist and lecturer (1882-1944). -- And if it's a government or military dilemma, there's an acronym for it as well.

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L-E's "Late laughs": "SINCE JANUARY of 2000, NFL players have been arrested 624 times on different charges. In fact, the number one defense scheme now in the NFL — the plea bargain." - Jay Leno -- Well, if the NFL used instant replays with a substitute ref, the number of arrests would be 'zero'.

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From L-E's "Looking Back" 50 years ago feature: "Has anybody got $8,000 to help prolong the lives of 13 Columbus victims of a progressive muscle-wasting disease? This is the sum needed to provide muscular dystrophy victims here with a year’s supply of the first-known drug to arrest the disease. " -- Even if you expanded the $8,000 into today's inflated dollars, that $8,000.00 would be like peeing into the ocean in today's healthcare costs.

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Leonard Pitts is on Christmas vacation... I'm more than surprised that he owns up to Christmas, but it's really every reader who is benefiting from his vacation from his vitriol.

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L-E story: "CAIRO — Polarized Egyptians voted Saturday on whether to accept a controversial, Islamist-backed constitution that, while expected to pass, only hardened divisions between those who believe ratifying the document will bring stability and those who think it will further divide an already fragile nation * Preliminary results released immediately after the polls closed showed that voters approved the constitution by 65 percent, according to parties supporting the constitution and monitors counting the vote." -- Hmmm, 2/3rds are supporting Muslim sharia law. Why are we, well, pot-US Obluster and Company supporting Egypt?

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L-E "headlie": "Secretary of state faints, sustains concussion" -- Hmmm, the headline should really read, "Secretary of state FEINTS, sustains concussion".

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L-E headline: "Jarvis Jones mulls whether to enter NFL draft or stay at UGA, graduate" -- Whatta choice..... "Class...or No Class"?

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L-E headline: "DISNEY OPENS NEW FANTASYLAND" -- Hmmm, and the address must be 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.