Ugh, my supposedly final dental procedure was a failure, so it’s a new temporary bridge, another soft-food regimen, and another trip to the dentist in 10 days or so. I am reminded of Dave Barry’s adage that you think about your gums more every day after turning 40 than you did all the previous years combined. Enjoy your choppers, young invincibles.
Anyway, here are some soft-food news/views treats from this morning.
* Adam Serwer reviews SCOTUS oral arguments over presidential recess appointment powers and predicts Court will uphold lower court ruling that it’s unconstitutional. Good thing that Nuclear Option pursued.
* With Muslim Brotherhood boycotting vote and government strongly backing “yes” ballots, two-day Egyptian referendum on new constitution may be foregone conclusion, but government still nervous.
* Matt Yglesias discusses long-term research showing government assistance to poor has long-range beneficial effects.
* Amidst so many positive assessments of Ariel Sharon’s legacy based on his late-life diplomatic and political manuevers, Gershom Gorenberg looks at the whole unpleasant picture.
* At The Atlantic, Derek Thompson attributes low workforce participation rates to aging population and deferred school-leaving–neither of which has anything to do with Obama.
And in non-political news:
* Bad timing: 20 million DirecTV customers lose Weather Channel after parties fail to resolve fee dispute.
As we break for lunch, here’s more of The Supremes from their pre-“Diana Ross and” days: performing “Baby Love” on Top of the Pops in 1964.
