Just shy of eight months after Election Day, the Minnesota Senate race between Al Franken and Norm Coleman has finally been decided. The state Supreme Court upheld Franken’s win today and Colemen conceded defeat. Gov. Tim Pawlenty was set to sign the certificate of election this afternoon and Franken will be heading to Washington next week.

In a 5-4 decision, SCOTUS has reversed the Ricci case that has become a talking point for those opposed to Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination. Those in favor were Justices Kennedy, Alito, Scalia, Thomas and Chief Justice Roberts. The crux of their decision, per Justice Kennedy:

Bernie Madoff has been sentenced to 150 years. Unless Madoff has Nicholas Flamel as one of his co-conspirators, that’s going to be a life sentence.

Target Ovarian Cancer, a UK charity group, surveyed 400 GPs (general practitioners) and 1,000 women about their knowledge of ovarian cancer. The results were not promising. Of the GPs polled, only 51% identified “increased abdominal size” as the “most important symptom” and a scant 2% identified “difficulty eating” or “feeling full” (other common symptoms). 93% of the GPs acknowledged that diagnosis is often delayed.

Paul Krugman charted the average annual global temperatures since 1880 to show that while there are fluctuations, the overall temperature trend is very much on the increase. That line is going to keep curving upwards until we start to take global warming seriously.The curve is also going to be happening faster, meaning that actions need to be taken now rather than later.

Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) went AWOL for a week, forcing his staff to scramble to cover for him, and then had to admit that he was out of the country to see his mistress and had charged the trip to the taxpayers. The infidelity part of the story is irrelevant as they were consenting adults and it is disappointing to see outlets like TPM publish exerpts of private communications between the lovers.

Where does one go with cigarette advertising as…

If you’re considering a run for presidency, the campaign for which would start in less than two years, maybe it isn’t prudent to disappear for a number of days while leaving conflicting reports in your wake. Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) apparently didn’t get that memo.

Amy Perrotti’s art is bright, bold and often cheerful. There’s also a slight kitsch factor via the inclusion of subjects like Russian dolls. The prints would be great for rooms with a lot of sunlight or a place where you’re likely to be stressed.

Posting has been light from all of us for a variety of reasons.  For my own part, no, I did not forget the vow I made a mere three weeks ago to post more regularly.  I’ve been traveling for work and am just back in from the Dominican Republic this weekend, and spent most of yesterday recovering from the exhaustion and sicknesses that traveling often entails (for me, anyway.)
I’ll be posting more about my trip later this week, and about other things after I catch up on the news.  For …