Quit Your Goddamn Whining, America, Taxes Are How Society Freaking Functions: Most Americans in 2010 paid less in total taxes than they would have 30 years ago.

King County's Independent-Contract Public Defender System to Become a State Agency?: Has been praised as "spiritually separate." Why is it changing? I am confused.

Susan Rice and Africa: The potential Sec of State was part of a move to embrace Africa's leaders as partners since the Rwanda genocide. But is there too much looking the other way at what those leaders actually do?

Israel Calls Palestine Vote "Negative Political Theater": And the U.S. backs. If anybody knows from negative political theater, it's Israel and the U.S. When. Will. This. Change.

The United Nations: Makes highly unfortunate Twitter typos too.

Ireland's Strict Anti-Abortion Laws: Killed this woman.

There Is A Sick, Old Coyote in Volunteer Park: And authorities plan to shoot the coyote.

Snowy Owls Are Here!: "...taking out a seagull in an alleyway brawl on Capitol Hill."

A Day With No Violent Crime: In New York City. (Where Christmas camels go walking every morning.)

How Romantic: A baby girl named Lucy was born on the ferry Tacoma yesterday. Meanwhile, the US birth rate drops to its lowest since 1920.

Egyptian Constitution Being Written: Clause where women can be "held accountable if her public role conflicts with her family duties."

This Weekend in Transgender History: The story of Christine Jorgensen, eventually crowned Woman of the Year by the Scandinavian Society in New York.

Shakeup at Oregon Ballet Theatre: Christopher Stowell (son of PNB founders) resigns mid-season.

Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) was born on this day. She was the first African American woman elected to Congress and the first major-party African American candidate for President of the United States. Here she is. (With that, adios until my next Morning News shift!)