links for 2010-12-27

So long 100-watt incandescent light bulbs — California is ordering them off store shelves starting Jan. 1 in an energy-saving move.
For now at the Home Depot in Redding, Calif., the bright orange shelves carry a wide selection of light bulbs. Compact fluorescent (CFL), halogen and light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs — the energy-efficient choices — dominate the aisle, but some incandescent light bulbs still linger.
On Jan. 1, the 100-watt incandescent light bulb will start to be phased out in California. By the beginning of 2012, they will be gone from store shelves.
Three years ago, the federal Energy Independence and Security Act was enacted to phase out the incandescent light bulb by 2014. Australia, Ireland and Cuba have banned the bulb while many other countries are phasing them out

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More Big Government telling us what is good for us..

The Obama administration confirmed on Monday afternoon that the president, in a call with the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, expressed gratitude for the team's decision to give a second chance to quarterback Michael Vick.

But the nexus of the call, spokesman Bill Burton told The Huffington Post, was on the team's plans to use alternative energy sources at their stadium. And while the president was thankful that Vick was given a career do-over, he still thought that the actions committed by the QB — the orchestration of an illegal dog-fighting ring, the killing of animals and the deceiving of investigators looking into the matter — were condemnable.

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Another Gaffe: And, then the triangulation

Good Grief.

Now that Bristol Palin has left Alaska for Arizona, where she has just purchased a $172.000 five-bedroom home for cash, friends of the family are asking how much longer momma Sarah will call the great state home?

"Sarah has been looking at homes in Arizona, too," an insider tells me. "She wants to be close to her daughter and only grandchild."

Bristol was working as a receptionist in a doctor's office before her mother ran for vice President and Bristol was cast on 'Dancing With The Stars.' Now they have both made so much money they can live anywhere they want to.

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Doubtful…..but why not have a winter home in Arizona?

TPM reports congressional Republicans plan to use an obscure authority provided by a 1996 law called the Congressional Review Act to evaluate executive branch regulations.

"House Republicans will have carte blanche next year, and will be able to pass as many of these 'resolutions of disapproval' as they want. The key is that a small minority in the Senate can force votes on them as well, and they require only simple-majority support to pass. If they can find four conservative Democrats to vote with them on these resolutions, they can force Obama to serially veto politically potent measures to block unpopular regulations, and create a chilling effect on the federal agencies charged with writing them."

Said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): "I think that's one of many tactics that will be used."

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the GOP will force Obama to make very unpopular vetoes – setting him up for defeat in 2012

The intuitive argument is that Congressional redistricting will benefit Republicans, since it will shift the allocation of representatives into G.O.P.-friendly states.

The counterintuitive argument, which some very smart people are making, is that this isn’t necessarily the case. Instead, the argument goes, redistricting will help the Democrats in some cases because of the creation of new majority-minority districts, which will be required in some states according to most interpretations of the Voting Rights Act. In Texas, for instance, which is subject to the Voting Rights Act’s preclearance process, as many as three of the state’s four new districts could be Hispanic-majority ones, according to former Representative Martin Frost.

Time for the counter-counterintuitive argument.

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Read it all.

Advantage GOP despite the arguments contrary

Hispanic Leaders for Saul, a group of leaders who are proud Americans, proud Republicans, and proud of their Hispanic heritage, realize that the Republican Party needs a Chairman who can not only provide visionary leadership and strong day-to-day management, but who will also strengthen relationships with the Hispanic community. 

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Not necessarily a reason to vote for Saul Anuzis