Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200

Interesting to see the Democratic Party continue to pile on Martha Coakley as the primary factor in losing the special Senatorial election up in Massachusetts, and thereby losing the filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate.  Sure, she was a bad candidate and didn't campaign well, but there might be a bigger picture here.  A larger message about the party in power, and the way Washington governs.  First things first, though, the Republicans who are crowing like it's an affirmation of the GOP way of life and a portent for the huge upcoming Republican revolution, well, stop patting each other on the ass, and just shut the hell up and sit down.   Noone likes you.   Bragging now is like congratulating yourself for not getting wood on your wedding night.   You can rationalize it all you want, but all you did was "not lose."  Show some dignity and decorum, for once.  Please.

Comcast and NBC Announce $30 Billion Merger; Ask Boards of Directors to Be Available Between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM on Friday

Merger Announced -- Washington Post

Not sure that I'm cool with this.  Under the proposed plan, Comcast will end up owning one out of every five television viewing hours.  In addition to the NBC network and the Universal Pictures movie studio and theme parks, NBC Universal currently owns 34 TV stations, including WRC (Channel 4) in D.C.  Its other holdings include the Spanish-language network Telemundo, and 13 cable networks, the biggest of which are USA, CNBC, MSNBC, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen. Comcast will contribute its cable-network group to the marriage, including such channels as E! Entertainment Television, Style, Versus, the Golf Channel, the Major League Baseball channel and 10 regional sports networks.