The president's creepy debt-reduction commission failed to win enough support for its final report, so now it won't face a vote in Congress. Oh well. Fuck the debt! Spend more time on that 10% unemployment rate we've had for years.

Just last week, a man was found murdered inside his condo in the creepy Disney town, Celebration, Florida. Then early this morning, after shooting at deputies and barricading himself inside his Disney condo, 52-year-old Craig Foushee killed himself. Damn.

Crooked old Charlie Rangel was censured by his colleagues yesterday, which is pretty embarrassing and whatnot. But say Rangel steps down. Who will replace him? The Daily News hears "speculation" that equally-crooked Governor David Paterson could take over. Great idea!

[A baby giant panda born Nov. 3, has a check up at Zoo Atlanta. Photo via AP.]

The House of Representatives voted 332 to 79 to censure Rep. Charlie Rangel on Thursday for violations of the body's ethics laws. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi read the censure on the floor of the House immediately following the vote.

[It was a winter wonderland in Germany today after the country and most of northern Europe were hit with heavy snow and freezing temperatures. Image via AP]

Incoming House Speaker John Boehner isn't happy with House Democrats' tricky plan to force a vote — expected this afternoon — on extending middle-class tax cuts only. You can tell he's mad when he starts calling things "chickencrap."

Former Bush administration Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, that crony everyone hated several years ago, has enlisted 23 former Cabinet colleagues to help raise money for his endless legal bills. Read their joint letter and contribute here! Or do something else.

Ultra-fancy Miami craft fair Art Basel opened yesterday for private collectors and they're snatching up all the expensive modern art, including plenty of people buying five-figure photography prints as holiday gifts. I'd settle for a pair of gloves!

A proposed repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" enjoys the support of a national majority. The Pentagon has thoroughly studied and endorsed it. It wouldn't bother soldiers. DADT has been ruled unconstitutional, anyway. But John McCain needs more.

Police say that two teenagers who'd been charged in the Bronx gay torture attack were actually victims—meaning there were six total victims, and seven alleged perpetrators. Five men (including David Rivera, pictured) were arraigned yesterday on hate crime charges.

[Russian PM Vladimir Putin talks to Larry King about nukes, Wikileaks, America, and badassery, while denying he's a money-laundering mob boss. Image via AP]

A live interview at the 92 Street Y between actor Steve Martin and writer Deb Solomon was so unsatisfying that the Y refunded ticketholders. The problem? Apparently, Solomon and Martin talked too much about art and not enough about movies.

Incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner just announced a new ladies room in the House chamber that will be as conveniently located as the men's room. Boehner's also announcing a special closet where male legislators can go and weep.

The Republican National Committee is having some trouble paying people on time and has acknowledged a "cashflow challenge" — the challenge being that little cash is flowing, currently. What is wrong with you, America? Donate to your Republican party, now.

Have you seen any instances of the word "Christmas" being replaced by the considerably more ethnic "Holiday"? Sen. Jim Inhofe sure has. And now that his hometown "Christmas" parade is a "Holiday" parade, he'll keep his horse stabled.

All 42 Senate Republicans have signed a very strongly worded letter pledging to block all legislation until George W. Bush's tax cuts are renewed. Suck on that, people whose unemployment insurance expires today! And who will name the post offices?

Unaccountable mercenary firm Blackwater had a big plan to get into the Somali pirate-fighting business a couple of years ago, according to a newly released Wikileaks document. The problem: Blackwater actually sounded worse than the Somali pirates.

[The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City was lit on Tuesday night, bringing Christmas cheer to Christians, and reminding everyone else to pick a movie and a Chinese place for the 25th. Photo via AP.]

[Cars in a flooded parking lot in Palmira, Colombia, where La Niña has caused an exceptionally wet rainy season, bringing with it floods, landslides, and 130 deaths. Photo via AP.]