1974: Police stop Wilbur Mills, an Arkansas Democrat and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, for speeding. His passenger, a stripper with the stage name "Fanne Fox, the Argentine firecracker" jumps out of his car and into the capital's Tidal Basin

1976: Rep. Wayne L. Hayes, an Ohio Democrat and chairman of the House Administration Committee, resigns after a scandal broke involving his giving a raise to his mistress, secretary Elizabeth Ray

1980: Rep. Robert Bauman, a leading Republican conservative from Maryland, pleads not guilty to soliciting sex from a 16-year-old boy and charges are later dropped after he agrees to treatment for alcoholism

1983: The House reprimands Illinois Republican Dan Crane and Massachusetts Democrat Gerry Studds for having sexual affairs with congressional pages

1987: The Miami Herald reports on a jaunt between Democratic Colorado senator and presidential candidate Gary Hart and a 29-year-old Miami model named Donna Rice on a yacht called "Monkey Business" in the Caribbean resort of Bimini

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> "The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching."

"I stand strongly with the universal principle that people's voices should be heard and not suppressed."

"We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost."
-- President Barack Obama, United States

> "[We] urge the Iranian authorities to ensure that all Iranians are granted the right to assemble and to express themselves peacefully."
-- European Union summit statement

> "It is for Iran now to show the world that the elections have been fair."

"We are with others, including the whole of the European Union unanimously today, in condemning the use of violence, in condemning media suppression."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, United Kingdom

> "The extent of the fraud is proportional to the violent reaction. It is a tragedy, but it is not negative to have a real-opinion movement that tries to break its chains."
President Nicolas Sarkozy, France

> "Germany is on the side of the Iranian people, who want to exercise their rights of freedom of expression and free assembly."
Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany

> "The violent actions security forces are taking against demonstrators must be brought to an end."
Deputy Foreign Minister Reinhard Silberberg, Germany

> "The Iranian people deserve to have their voices heard. The violent crackdowns by Iranian security forces, including the use of lethal force, is wholly unacceptable."
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, Canada

> "We demand the immediate end to maneuvers to intimidate and destabilize the Islamic Revolution."
President Louis Chaves, Venezuela

> North Korea's President Kim Yong-Il congratulated Ahmadinejad in a message saying he "sincerely wished him success in his responsible work to frustrate pressure and interference of outsiders."

General Motors filed for bankruptcy protection Monday morning, and will be split over time into "new" and "old" companies with billions of new dollars in support from the U.S. government as well as the governments of Canada and Ontario.

GM CEO Fritz Henderson said at a press conference that the company would be leaner and more customer-focused when it comes out.

"We intend to offer you nothing less than best-in-class cars and trucks," Henderson said. "We look forward to the chance to win your business, and win back your trust."

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> Sept. 16, 1908: General Motors Company founded by William C. Durant, incorporating Buick Motor Co. Oldsmobile joins GM in November

> 1941: GM market share grows to 41 percent

> 1942: Civilian auto production halted and plants turned to war effort

> 1954: GM's U.S. market share reaches 54 percent. Company makes 50 millionth car

> 1979: GM's U.S. employment peaks at 618,365, making it the largest private employer in the country. Worldwide employment is 853,000

> 1985: Company forms new Saturn Corp. subsidiary. GM acquires Hughes Aircraft Co. for $5 billion. GM makes $4 billion

> 2007: GM loses $38.7 billion, including $39 billion third-quarter charge for unused tax credits. It's the largest annual loss in auto industry history

> May 26, 2009: UAW agrees to job cuts, 14 plant closures, and a 20 percent equity stake in the company to cover retiree health care costs

[Source: A brief history of General Motors Corp., Associated Press, May 28, 2009]

Compact fluorescent lights are supposed to save you money (they're longer lasting!) and protect the environment (they're so green!)

But what happens if one breaks?

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> Click here for the CPC's Web site

> With 77 members, the liberal bloc is the largest ideological subgroup in a famously fractious [Democratic] Caucus

[Source: Roll Call, "Liberals Feeling Slighted," 26 March 2009.]

> Click here for list of members

Ideology

> The Progressive Caucus has promoted the most liberal agenda in the House since its founding in 1991

[Source: Information taken from CQ Weekly: In Focus, "Trying to Put 'Popular' Back in Populism," March 16, 2009]

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Strange tax and fee proposals for 2009:

> Tattoo parlor inspection fee (Nassau County, N.Y.): Fees for the annual inspection of tattoo parlors have gone up to $120, from $110.

> X-ray equipment inspection fee (Nassau County, N.Y.): Fees for X-ray equipment inspections -- required every two, three or five years, depending on the piece of equipment -- have risen to $525 from $475.

> Lifeguard certification fee (Nassau County, N.Y.): Fees to get certified as a lifeguard have climbed to $35 from $30 for a three-year certification.

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"It's time these modern-day pirates meet the same people who ended the tyranny of their predecessors: the few, the proud, the United States Marines."

What do you think? Is it time to send in the Marines to deal with Somali pirates? Post your comment below:

Think international piracy isn't a problem?

Think again...

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The Big Three aren't the only automakers who are struggling. Russia's auto industry is also hurting and Vladimir Putin and the Russian government have a plan to save it: bailouts -- Russian-style.

Sound familiar?

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