Sorry, another work call and another delayed lunch. But hey, it’s Friday.

Here are some slightly warmed-over midday news/views treats:

* Obama rejects XL Keystone Pipeline permit. More about that later.

* National uninsured rate hits new low under Obamacare.

* Local writer named Ed Kilgore gets interviewed at local NPR station about his new (sic!) book. Interview was actually taped last spring. There is a cool picture of me blogging by the ocean.

* At TNR Brian Beutler lays down marker that if conservatives don’t reject Ben Carson for his West Point lie, they are indicting themselves.

* At the Prospect, Harold Meyerson says evidence of rising white working class death rate shouldn’t be surprise after decades of economic decline.

And in non-political news:

* Two dams burst in Brazilian iron ore mine, killing at least two and injuring 30; casualties very likely to rise.

As we break for lunch: no Funk Metal Friday is complete about something from Atlanta’s Mother’s Finest, so he there are with “Funk-a-while.”

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Ed Kilgore is a political columnist for New York and managing editor at the Democratic Strategist website. He was a contributing writer at the Washington Monthly from January 2012 until November 2015, and was the principal contributor to the Political Animal blog.