Patriot act (quietly) extended

Key provisions of the Patriot act have been extended by both the House and Senate.
You might not know this if you get your news from the mainstream media.
There apparently was not a lot of drama in the Senate where it passed 72-23 even though Democrats (who haven't stopped criticizing the act since its inception) have the majority.
In the house, political maneuvering left more than a few bruised egos and reasons to get on their soap boxes to express their ire.
Even with the passage of the extension, parts of the act will expire for a short period of time because they and the President waited so long to act. 

Why Obama pushed for drilling

Obama made a speech about boosting domestic oil production that seemed rather out of character for the man that did everything to stop drilling after the Gulf spill.
Those of us that know him better than the general public knew that he felt safe in making these comments because the rigs needed for drilling had already left the gulf and Alaskan waters to go where the work and money were.
They won't be back anytime soon, no matter what our politicians say or do.

But the President had another reason for feeling safe.
The Congress has to move on legislation to make things happen in a timely fashion and the Senate Democrats will never let that happen while they hold a majority.

Carter's Grandson Elected in Georgia

Jimmy Carter (formerly known as the worst president in living memory) has lived to see a relative get elected to the Georgian State Senate as a Democrat.
Jimmy's celebration may have been more joyous if it was not for the fact of his Grandson taking obvious pains to not remind the voters of who his grandfather is.
Jason Carter did allow Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter to attend some of the last events he was involved in with only two days left before the election.
Jimmy Carter still commands a modicum of respect and admiration in his neck of the woods (maybe they haven't paid attention to what he has been doing since he was a poor president).