In reverse order of importance:
The charity business Instagram ticked off its users by possibly trying to make some money before changing its mind again.
Hawaiian Senator Dan Inouye died. I don’t generally think democratic representatives should serve in powerful political positions for 50 years until they finally give up the ghost, but by all accounts this gentleman was (pardon my English) quite the badass.
South Carolina’s governor appointed Tim Scott to replace Jim DeMint. If you polled Americans on which party now has the only black Senator and the only two Latino women governors, I wonder how many would answer “Republican.”
Scientists claim to have discovered a “potentially habitable” planet “only” twelve light years away.
In a stunning display of legitimate journalism, the New York Times has uncovered a remarkable level of corruption by Wal-Mart in Mexico.
In another stunning display of legitimate journalism, the Washington Post has uncovered that “thousands of criminal cases at the state and local level may have relied on exaggerated testimony or false forensic evidence to convict defendants of murder, rape and other felonies.”
Politicians talked about the “fiscal cliff.” House speaker Boehner tried to schedule a vote on a certain kind of deal that wouldn’t pass the Senate but would make Republicans look good except for the Republicans that thought it would make them look bad. Or something like that. Also, apparently the “cliff” includes outrageous layers of handouts to milk farmers. Next week’s episode should be pretty good.
Indefinite detention… it’s BAAAAACCCCCKKKK!!