Billion with a ‘B’: did Menendez provide special favors to HookerGate donor? “Depending on how strongly reporters follow up on the hooker angle, we may be just weeks away from Menendez’s resignation.” Well, the guy who bequeathed Menendez the seat, Honest Jon Corzine, is available…

Retail workweek hits 3-year low in ObamaCare shift. “Firms with at least 50 workers face fines based on the number of employees who receive ObamaCare subsidies, which are only available to people who lack affordable coverage from an employer. But those fines… won’t apply for part-time workers, which the law defines as 30 hours per week.” It’s a bad omen when your “signature” legislation is too big to fail and too stupid to succeed.

Obama blames Economy on “bad decisions”. He didn’t suggest any in particular but two really lousy ones come immediately to mind.

IRS: Cheapest Obamacare plan will be $20,000 per family? “In a final regulation issued Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) assumed that under Obamacare the cheapest health insurance plan available in 2016 for a family will cost $20,000 for the year.” The assumption “…is found in examples the IRS gives to help people understand how to calculate the penalty they will need to pay the government if they do not buy a mandated health plan.” Yeah, it could be just that they like using round numbers in examples – if so, why didn’t they use $10K or $1K since ObamaCare will be driving the cost curve across town or something. Maybe they know something they’re not telling? More here.

In a continuing indictment of Obamanomics, another bad jobs number showing the “New Normal” of high unemployment. Hey, maybe what we need is a Paycheck Fairness Act, lifetime job guarantees or some other Euro-style nannycrat interventions… that’ll make employers wanna run right out and hire!

“Paycheck Fairness Act” would would require employers to show pay disparity is related to job performance. And encourage increased use of robots, outsourcing to China and/or moving the whole company to Mexico. Whenever legislation has “fairness” in its title, it’s a sure sign something stupid this way comes.

Jobless claims jump most since Sandy, now flat for 13 months. “For 13 months, we have meandered around a flat-line initial claims number in the 365k range – and we remain there.” Oh, yeah… unexpectedly!

DHS report: Mass shooters prefer handguns, not likely to be veterans. “This is what a mass killer looks like, according to a Department of Homeland Security analysis. He works alone. He uses a semi-automatic handgun. He’s a he. And he probably didn’t serve in the U.S. military.” Don’t bother us with data, we’ve got a political street theatre thingy to put on.

Menendez rushes to pay private-jet tab after FBI raid. “WNBC-TV4 in New York City reported Wednesday that Sen. Menendez (D-NJ) recently wrote a $58,500 check to the jet’s owner, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen.” For trips he took 3 years ago. After the FBI raided Melgen’s office. It’s not corruption when Democrats do it. BTW, Menendez is in line to become chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after John Kerry (D-Ketchup) begins leading from behind at State.

U.S. GDP contracts 0.1% in 4th quarter. Unexpectedly! No, we’re not even in the Arab Spring yet, there’s another Summer of Recovery coming! What DIFFERENCE does it make at this point, senator? There musta been a tsunami or earthquake someplace that we don’t know about…

Al Gore: Why no, I’m not a hypocrite for selling Current TV to oil emirs. “Lauer asks Gore not once but twice how he can square his accusations that other news organizations are bought by Big Oil and then sell his to Qatari oil emirs.” Gore’s response? Jazzy is a really great bunch of journ0lists and their climate change coverage is awesome, dude. And if you ask me again, I’ll repeat it in slightly different words. About 4:00 in if you can’t stay awake thru the whole thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVfaZzPCSFs

Steve Kroft on Obama: “I think he knows that we’re not going to play gotcha with him”. Gotcha, no… Post Office, Spin the Bottle, Strip Poker, yeah. Maybe you two should just get a room. [Video at the link.]

Algeria, Mali & Al Qaida: Obama’s Libyan chickens coming home to roost? “Obama triumphalism over Gaddafi’s overthrow looks comic after the disastrous consequences in Mali and Algeria.” The writer is from India, not one of our excellent journ0lists. What difference does it make what the non-credentialed think?

California still hasn’t bought land for bullet train route. “Construction is supposed to start in July.” Damn landowners… China has the right idea. Hey, how ’bout a song? Train, train, train! Train of fools!

Brawl erupts at Food Stamp office. “A dispute over a spot in line at a food stamp office downstate escalated into a full-fledged brawl.” To paraphrase the late Rodney Dangerfield, “I went to a fight and a food stamp line broke out.” [Video at the link.]

Journalist accosted by security over Mayor Bloomberg gun control question. “Mattera approaches Bloomberg and asks, ‘In the spirit of gun control, will you disarm your entire security team?’ Bloomberg’s reply: ‘Uh, you, we’ll get right back to you.'” “Security” then follows Mattera down the street, harrassing him. Funny how asking pols tough questions used to be “speaking truth to power” or something. Times sure have changed.

Why employment is dead in the water. “For most businesses, overhead costs 50% to 100% of total employee compensation–wages plus benefits and payroll taxes. So adding another employee to gross 20% more doesn’t make it worthwhile–it actually generates a loss once overhead costs are paid.” Profits? Costs? Overhead? This is a foreign language to academics and politicians, to whom money apparently grows on trees along with the unicorn steaks.

Maher shockingly blasts “takers”: “We have 23.5% dirt bags in America”. “Like the Octomom. California pays, we pay to, you know, feed and cloth and spay and neuter her children. And she’s not giving back to society.” Sounds like another Obama supporter has noticed the effects of higher tax rates on his paycheck. Video at the link, but in the meantime, here’s an oldie but goodie….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtksJEj2Keg

Sandy victims left out in the cold during arctic blast. “Mary Lou Foley tries to stay warm in her Hurricane Sandy ravaged house in Breezy Point. She has been staying here for the past month without heat, sleeping on a comforter on the floor but she has remained optimistic and says she is ‘happy.'” Pols fiddle while Rome burns – same as it ever was.

Experts argue caring for smokers, the obese may be too costly: “Why not just let these health sinners die?” You knew this was coming once the gubbermint started providing “free” healthcare. Let’s just cut to the bottom line: only skinny Democrats from reliable blue states will be treated.

“We need to hire grown-ups to cover the President”. Kirsten Powers: White House press corps is “juvenile and amateurish” in how they cover Obama and swoon over his every move. Andrea Tantaros asserted that “the media created the problem” by giving Obama “a God-like status.” “Newsweek made him look angelic on the covers. Then they believed their own hype. … So now they are drunk with their own nonsense.” Finally catching up with what we knew in 2008; what’s the hurry, he’s gonna be Putter-In-Chief at least ’till 2017. [Video at the link.]

How to debate Paul Krugman: “Ask questions like a child”. “Explain to me how increases in paper pieces can possibly make a society richer. If that were the case, explain to me why is there still poverty in the world? Isn’t every central bank in the world capable of printing as much paper as they want? Please explain to me how a piece of paper can make society richer.” Well, outside of the minor flaw of being useless, the concept is perfectly sound…

Rand Paul to John Kerry: If it was wrong to bomb Cambodia without Congress’s approval, why is bombing Libya without approval okay? “…squirms through a few minutes of how the two bombing campaigns are different because they just are.” Ummm, Cambodia – Republican, Libya – Democrat. Just come out and say it, the media will eat it up. With ketchup.

NY gun owners flip the bird to “assault weapons” registration law. “Assault-rifle owners statewide are organizing a mass boycott of Gov. Cuomo’s new law mandating they register their weapons, daring officials to ‘come and take it away.’” According to the story, pols realize these laws will be flouted, so what’s the point? Ask the guv once he’s finished posturing, after the 2016 Dem convention.

Derek Jeter interupts rehab on his ankle to talk climate change in Davos. Jeter – invited by Pepsi – said he hopes climate change would be discussed: “I was in New York for Hurricane Sandy… It’s something that needs to be addressed because we’re seeing more and more natural disasters each year, it seems like. Something has to be causing it.” Maybe that something is celebrities jetting around the planet talking about climate change. BTW, that’s DJ’s mansion below.