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.