http://www.reflector.com/…

Despite low approval ratings and hard feelings from last year’s elections, Democrats and Republicans in the House are reaching out for an approximately $4,400 pay raise that would increase their salaries to almost $170,000.

As part of an ethics bill in 1989, Congress gave up its ability to accept pay for speeches and made annual cost-of-living pay increases automatic unless the lawmakers voted otherwise.

I wonder what Ron Paul’s position is on this? Keeping up with inflation  wouldn’t be a pay increase really. I’m not sure (and am too lazy ATM to look up) of what the formula is they use.

• H.R. 2362: To reduce the duty on certain golf club components. Is the golf club component industry that competitive we need tariffs on them?
• H.R. 2492: would protect the welfare of consumers by prohibiting price gouging with respect to road transportation fuel or domestic heating fuel during certain abnormal market disruptions. Another price gouging bill. ATM it’s not in the LOC so I don’t know how this one differs from the others.
  
• H.R 2469: Biennial Budgeting Act of 2008 Rep Ed Whitfield of KY wants to move budgeting from an annual to biennial because currently it takes too much of their time. Perhaps if they stopped spending so much on so many things they would have more time.
• S.J. Res. 4: A joint resolution to acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States. This is ridiculous. I’m not guilty for the sins of my father. Besides my family didn’t get to the USA till the 1900’s. All those who were personally involved are long dead.
• H.CON. Res. 152: Relating to the 40th anniversary of the reunification of the City of Jerusalem. Is this necessary? The arab world already thinks we are puppets of Israel.
• H.R. 2448: Emergency Gas Price Relief Act of 2007 Talked about this yesterday. It’s now in the LOC. None of the same sponsors as HR 2460. They want to drop the fuel tax $0.10 the day regular grade goes above $3.00 and raising it back when it drops below $2.50. I fail to see how this fixes anything.
• H.R. 2460: To protect the welfare of consumers by prohibiting price gouging by merchants with respect to gasoline and other fuels during certain abnormal market disruptions. Seems this is meant for president declared emergencies. Thought it’s more vague saying: “The President may issue an emergency proclamation when an abnormal market disruption has occured or is reasonably expected to occur.”
  

http://www.abcnews.go.com/…

If it’s true that these were indeed supposed to be secret, ABC screwed up big here as did whoever told them about this. This is simply not a story which you run without contacting and hearing back from those who are supposed to be involved. I suppose the important question is whether the order was classified. ATM I’m not seeing anything in the stories saying as much.

http://arstechnica.com/…

• DVD, PS1 and PS2 upscaling to 1080p.
• Remote Play on the PSP from anywhere
• PS3 can show content from any DLNA3 device
• Ability to print out images on select USB Epson printers

Nothing else ATM… but this is good enough. Too bad the only PS3 in my house is a Japanese unit… I can count the number of Japanese DVD’s and PS{1,2} games on one hand. :-(

http://www.joystiq.com/…

MP3:C - Aug. 20th.

Luminous Arc - August

Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol - August

Battalion Wars 2 - September

That’s all I really care about ATM. Check out the Joystiq post for more Wii and DS coming releases.