Has Congress Grown a Spine at Last? -- More Fraud in Iraq -- Drive by Heartburn --- Teacher Strike in LA.

The newly Democratic-controlled House passed a package of bills late Thursday that would reopen the federal government without paying for President Trump’s border wall, drawing a swift veto threat from the White House and leaving the partial shutdown no closer to getting resolved.

by Werner, Paletta, and Kim for the Washington Post

Fresh lawmakers grew a new spine;

no longer are they so supine.

To Trump they do say

we'll do things OUR way

(which won't change the old bottom line.)

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The company responsible for providing food and water for deployed U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has been formally suspended after its former chief executive was charged with fraud in relation to an $8 billion troop supply contract, a U.S. official confirmed Thursday.

by Aaron Gregg for the Washington Post

U.S. troops must be well fed.

No more beans and moldy bread.

If it takes a billion, cash,

to keep them from eating hash

then I say a little fraud

with our troops who serve abroad

ain't a major crime, okay?

Long as all the loot will stay

in the hands of USA.

But if furriners do reap,

we must have a thorough sweep!

Patriots deserve their graft;

outsiders must get the shaft!

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General Motors Co.’s self-driving car unit, Cruise, and DoorDash Inc. plan to provide food deliveries via autonomous vehicles, the latest attempt to use driverless technology to improve the shipment of goods.

by Beckerman and Colias for the WSJ

I ordered a pizza one night.

Imagine my heady delight

when came to the door

my driverless score --

and I didn't have a tip fight!

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If teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District go on strike Jan. 10 as planned, about half a million students won’t find their teachers, nurses, counselors and librarians at school.

by Sonali Kohli for the LATimes

Kids will find an empty school

quite a charming learning tool.

Raiding teacher's desks to find

homework that was not assigned.

Skateboarding down silent halls.

Turning on the shower stalls.

In the lunchroom frozen meat

will be thrown through plate glass sheet.

Kids will overwhelm the staff

that is left, for just a laugh.

Striking teachers, change your tack;

students do not want you back! 

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