So the Senate bill is passed, and on to Black Eagle for signature. Reconciliation bill is off to the Senate for voting, or further tomfoolery. Open thread to gloat in a mild victory for dirty liberals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHFf7NIwOHQ

LATE ADD: Below the fold, a behind-the-scenes look at the White House. Never talk to Rahm during The Jackal!

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White powder found at IRS building in Ogden, Utah:

Hazmat crews were called to the IRS building in Farr West Monday…

Two people were removed from the building on stretchers.

Details are few right now. Phone calls to the IRS are being directed to the FBI, which has not yet released any information.

Wingnut Facebook celebrations going live in 3-2-1…

Update from MSNBC:

Two people were taken out of the building on stretchers for “medical emergencies,” but their conditions “do not appear to be related to this incident,” said the the FBI, which is leading the investigation. It released no further details.

MSNBC also reports that “several people were subjected to decontamination showers.”

Hazmat called to IRS facility in Farr West [KSL, via ThinkProgress]

Hazmat crews respond to Utah IRS office [MSNBC]

Late update: Whatever the substance was, it was “non-hazardous.” You may now return to your regular paranoia.

News is breaking too fast for us to summarize, so we’ll encourage crowdsourcing in the comments.

Latest updates: Plane crashes into building in Austin, Texas [CNN]

Official: Plane crash into office building ‘a criminal act’ [Austin American-Statesman]

Internet note posted by man linked to plane crash [Austin American-Statesman]

Hey kids!  Illinois voted today!  And guess who has two thumbs and lives in Illinois?  This guy!

Sparse running commentary / Open Thread lies beneath.

1912 (Chicago War Time) — So this morning I voted.  And then I rode my bike (8.5 miles) to work.  Last second thing at said workplace had me there until 1810.  As every Chicagoan knows: dry cleaners close at 7:00 p.m.  Not 7:01 or 7:02, but 7:00 p.m.  Bust my ass to get home, pick up dry cleaning, and write this here post.

I say this for two reasons.  One: I now get to tell my grandkids, “in my day, I biked 8.5 miles to work in the snow.  Both ways.”  Two: the rage inside me when I heard when turnout was “extremely low” in Chicago due to — excuse me — a quarter-inch of SNOW??  Christ, the rage was massive.  We have 275 snowfighting trucks and CONTINUING TEAM COVERAGE, and nobody can roll out of bed and vote?  After Blago?  After Stroger?  Bad day to flake out, people.

Downstate turnout, however, was steady.  This could end really badly. 
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We never paid much attention to the “ACORN Sting” to begin with, so we’re not particularly aroused by news today that the ACORN Stinger was caught in New Orleans trying to bug the office of Mary Landrieu.

But since the Sting is one of those stories that wingnuts accuse moonbats of ignoring, we thought we’d see how wingnuts are handling the news that one of their own has fallen.

Surprise! We’re having a hard time finding anything.

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4:27 p.m. PT, 26 miles off Eureka.

Let’s get you started with the USGS Earthquake Map, which every Californian should have bookmarked.

LA Times, 5 p.m.:

Sandra Hall, owner of Antiques and Goodies in Eureka, said the quake moved her shop in all directions.

Her store is now littered with broken lamps, dishes, and wardrobe items. She said there were at least four people in her store when the quake struck. A couple managed to run out of the store’s main entrance, while two women took cover under a table.

“We’ve been through a lot of earthquakes but I can’t recall there ever being any this bad,” Hall said.

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This was supposed to be Global Warming Week, at least until Droopy distracted everybody:

A senior Obama administration official says the U.S., China, India and South Africa have reached a “meaningful agreement” on climate change.

The official characterized the deal as a first step, but said it was not enough to combat the threat of a warming planet.

Details of the deal with these emerging economies were not immediately clear.

Ah, yes, the First Step. Whereas Kyoto was a slip in the mud.

Source: US, China, India, South Africa reach deal [AP/TPM]

Update: Move along, nothing to see here, citizens…

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