SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:45 P.M. ET: 

ALL SOCIAL PROBLEMS SOLVED! – This just in from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:  "The second Monday in October will now be referred to as 'Indigenous People's Day,' rather than Columbus Day, on all official city communications in Minneapolis following a unanimous City Council vote on Friday morning.
The resolution brought hundreds of people to City Hall to commemorate the vote, which Native American activists have been seeking for many years.  'It’s been a long time coming,' said Clyde Bellecourt, a civil rights organizer. 'For me, it’s been almost 50 years that we’ve been talking about this pirate.'  The language of the resolution notes that the federal government, state government and city government still recognize Columbus Day 'in accordance with the federal holiday established in 1937.'   City attorney Susan Segal said some ordinances and collective bargaining agreements -- not to mention a few parking meters -- still mention Columbus Day.  But the new holiday will be reflected on city messaging, said city clerk Casey Carl. That includes the official calendar of the City Council and committee meetings."  Do you feel the change?  Do you feel the social improvement?  I'm rushing out right now to buy my first Indigenous People's Day gift.

GETTING TOUGH WITH MOSCOW – From Fox:  "A top Russian official sanctioned by President Obama in the wake of the Ukraine crisis is playing a key role in the Pentagon's space program, and thereby continuing to benefit from a lucrative no-bid contract that the Department of Defense awarded earlier this year, Fox News has confirmed.  Dmitry Rogozin, deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation, was among the senior Kremlin officials targeted by the White House's sanctions announcement of March 17. Included in Rogozin's broad portfolio of duties, by virtue of a special order from Russian President Vladimir Putin issued two years ago, is oversight of the Russian space sector, in which capacity Rogozin supplies sophisticated hardware used in the Pentagon's launches of satellites into space."  Brilliant thinking on our part.  Next we'll allow Russian officials under sanction to educate our children. 

OUR SOCIETY – From the Fayetteville (North Carolina) Observer:  "A teenage girl is in jail after authorities said she poisoned her grandmother's food on Easter Sunday.  Tyt'ana Lisa-Nicole Johnson, 17, of Harrison Street, poured insecticide and termiticide into a cooking pot of collard greens while Gaylon Moody, 51, her grandmother, was at an Easter church service, according to arrest warrants.  In a phone interview Thursday night, Moody said the incident happened because she took away Johnson's cellphone.  'She was on punishment. I had taken her cellphone from her. She got mad because I took her cellphone from her, and she poisoned my food,' Moody said. 'I'll tell you one thing: It ain't good to feel.'  Johnson admitted to Fayetteville Police investigators that she poisoned the collard greens, according to arrest warrants. She was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder."  I think we should try to understand this young girl, who obviously was a victim of Bush and Cheney, and Fox News.

GOVERNMENT NEWS – From The Wall Street Journal:  "Elevated housing costs helped to make the District of Columbia more expensive to live in than any state in 2012 , according to data released Thursday by the Commerce Department."  Of course.  Government is expanding.  Jobs are plentiful.  And they pay better than the private sector.  For those who get in, government is a very good deal.  Not so good for us.

April 25, 204