USATODAY.com:

Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year since Harry Truman's presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data found.

Some conservative political movements such as the "Tea Party" have criticized federal spending as being out of control. While spending is up, taxes have fallen to exceptionally low levels.

Federal, state and local taxes — including income, property, sales and other taxes — consumed 9.2% of all personal income in 2009, the lowest rate since 1950, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports. That rate is far below the historic average of 12% for the last half-century. The overall tax burden hit bottom in December at 8.8.% of income before rising slightly in the first three months of 2010.

He was nominated for the Supreme Court by a popular President. Despite his experience in the federal judiciary, his nomination stirred controversy and national debate. The nominee's political views, which many considered extreme or objectionable, became a focus of the battle over his confirmation. The media attacked the nominee in what his supporters considered a campaign of distortion. Opponents made political attacks, thinly disguised as questions about the nominee's fitness. Finally, the vote in the Senate broke down largely along partisan lines. Thus the Senate rejected John Rutledge for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1795.

From The Intended Role of the Senate in Supreme Court Appointments, by James E. Gauch © 1989.

via Crooks and Liars:

Hannity: I've actually had an idea -- no one listens to little ol' Sean Hannity. But I'm like -- I think the Iraqis, with all their oil resources, need to pay us back for their liberation. Every single solitary penny. Because we really need --

Johnson: I really thought that from the beginning. I thought that that was kind of, part of the equation.

Hannity: It should have been part of the deal.

Johnson: Should have been part of the deal.

Hannity: I think it should be now. I think they owe us a lot for that.

Should we charge by the bomb, or by the number of deaths we caused ? Either way, we'd make out like bandits. And I encourage Sean Hannity to go knock on Mr. Iraq's door and demand payment for services rendered.

Lord Jesus Christ hit by car

Did something this weekend that I should've done years ago; I traded my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for a tiny little practice amp: Fender Vibro-Champ XD.

The Hot Rod put out 40 watts and weighed 45 pounds. It had a gorgeous clean tone, but the overdriven sound never did anything for me - at least at volumes I could use in our house. I could put various pedals in front of it to get a better crunchy sound, but I hate fussing with pedals. And since I never joined a band, or played it anywhere but the bedroom/study in the 14 years I had it, I never turned either of its volume knobs above "1". But after starting married life, I bought it to be a bedroom / practice amp, having traded my giant Fender Super Amp (which also sounded amazing) for it. I figured 40 watts would be just right for a bedroom - much more practical than the Super's 60 watts.

In retrospect, that's like thinking the best car for someone with a 2 mile daily commute is a new 400hp Corvette - hey, it's not as fast as the 660hp Corvette Z1, right ?!

It was totally wasted.

This little Vibro-champ, though, is only 5 watts, so I can turn it up and let the tubes work a little bit (though even 5 watts can put out more than enough volume for my needs). Instead of a big-ass Corvette, this is like a little Triumph Spitfire - it's fun to drive around the block, and sure it'll only go 90mph, but that 90 feels like 160! And, even better, this little thing has built-in amp modeling, so it can sound like 16 different amps - including one or two that sound a lot like the Hot Rod's clean channel, and a few that sound like crunchy chewy awesomeness. So, I can still get my rawk on, but I don't have to shake the drywall loose to do it.

Check out this demo:

(no, that's not me)

Zoo Sign

I haven't been following the UK elections very closely (because I can't make much sense of it all), but I've seen a good bit of coverage. And, I must say, since one of the (now former-) PM candidates is named "Mr. Clegg", I've been surprised by the lack of smart-alecky references to Pink Floyd's "Corporal Clegg":

I hope it just that I've missed it, because this seems like a nice opportunity for jokes. Even if he doesn't have a wooden leg.

No, I can't be bothered to Google.