Flap’s Links and Comments for July 27th on 14:23

These are my links for July 27th from 14:23 to 15:29:

• White House ‘rickrolls’ Twitter critic – Tensions may be high in Washington amid a stalemate in talks to raise the US debt ceiling but the White House is keeping a sense of humor.
  White House officials were replying to questions on Twitter on Wednesday when a Tennessee man named David Wiggs complained that the discussion was "not nearly as entertaining as yesterday's."
  The White House quickly fired off a reply to @wiggsd on its Twitter feed, @whitehouse.
  "@wiggsd Sorry to hear that," the White House said. "Fiscal policy is important, but can be dry sometimes.
  "Here's something more fun: tinyurl.com/y8ufsnp."
  The link is to a video by pop star Rick Astley singing his 1987 chart-topper "Never Gonna Give You Up."
  "Rickrolling" is an Internet phenomenon begun several years ago whereby an unwitting user who clicks on a link is directed to the video of Astley's song.

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  Glad they have the time to do this on the taxpayer's dime.

• Will Janice Hahn Run For The "Black" Seat After Redistricting? – Newly minted Rep. Janice Hahn faces a tough choice if she wants to stay in Congress for more than a year. By the looks of the latest redistricting maps, she will be drawn into a coastal district that also includes Rep. Henry Waxman.

  Waxman has been in Congress for 36 years, and is as close as it gets to an immovable object. So that leaves Hahn with one other option: run for the "Gardena-Compton" seat.

  The problem with that is it's supposed to be a "black" seat — and Hahn is not black.

  The idea that she would run for the seat — and cut L.A.'s black representation in Congress from three seats to two — is already stirring anger among the black political community.

  In an email making the rounds today, activist Basil Kimbrew accuses Hahn of having "disrespected and betrayed the black community." Kimbrew claims that Hahn told him she will run for the Gardena-Compton seat, which also includes Hahn's home in San Pedro.

  Kimbrew goes on to say that African-Americans who worked to elect Hahn in her special election were "duped" and "tricked" — and would have been better off supporting Secretary of State Debra Bowen.

  Also running for the Gardena-Compton seat are Assemblyman Isadore Hall and Rep. Laura Richardson. Hahn represented Watts on the L.A. City Council and has enjoyed strong support in the black community, in part due to the legacy of her father, Supervisor Kenneth Hahn.

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  Janice Hahn should enjoy her time in DC and hope to get a job in the second term of the Obama Administration.