Back in DC, back to blogging

I'm back in Washington DC after a couple restful and rejuvenating weeks with my family in Michigan, and ready to re-enter the stream of current events. Backtracking stories that have come and gone while I have been absent is untenable so rather than delve into that avalanche of stories I'll be picking up coverage with today's top stories.

Of course, if I've missed anything *really* important it wouldn't help to remind me....