Even Jim Henson had to pay the rent, and in 1963 he helped keep the landlord at bay with this short film, produced for the Bell System to show at a data-communications seminar for business owners. If you’d like to try imagining the audience’s frame of mind, pretend that The Jetsons is a first-run prime-time cartoon.

1963 was more notable in Henson’s life — and everybody’s — for another reason: That was the year he hired Frank Oz.

[via Nerdist]

Mike Lee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK9PUJEbnkE

“At the outset, it’s important to note that there is no one in America who has less stature to claim that someone else shows “blatant and egregious disregard” for the Constitution than Mike Lee. Lee believes that federal child labor laws, FEMA, food stamps, the FDA, Medicaid, income assistance for the poor, and even Medicare and Social Security violate the Constitution.”

[ThinkProgress]

[Facebook]

“People close to Paul’s operations said he was deeply involved in the company that produced the newsletters, Ron Paul & Associates, and closely monitored its operations, signing off on articles and speaking to staff members virtually every day.” [WaPo]

Our guest columnist is Tony Perkins of the creepy house behind the Bates Motel Family Research Council.

In a new Star Wars game, the biggest threat to the empire may be homosexual activists!

Hello, I’m Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. In a galaxy not so far far away, Star Wars gamers have already gone to the dark side. The new video game, “Star Wars: The Old Republic”, has added a special feature: gay relationships.

Read more »

“Edward Davies, Mitt Romney’s militantly atheist father-in-law, was indeed posthumously converted to Mormonism by his family, despite the fact that when he was alive he regarded all religions as ‘hogwash.'” [Gawker, via Political Wire]

To our taste, it was a draw — a very entertaining draw — but the consensus among the Chatterers seems to be that last night’s debate was a resounding victory for the International Man of Mysterious Swiss Bank Accounts. And why not? Newt needed a blowout win — in practical terms, a YouTube Moment — and that was not forthcoming. So, with the polls now trending in Mitt’s direction, tie goes to the frontrunner.

In which case, time to unload a photo we’ve been sitting on all week. In it, we see Mitt Romney enjoying a private moment with the members of his Blind Trust.

[via @anamariecox]