Charlie Sheen is getting a $100 million payout from Warner Brothers, in settlement of his lawsuit over his television show (that I've never seen), Two and a Half Men. $25 million will be paid in two weeks, the rest over time.

Apple stock prices closed at an all-time high today, $411 a share, with a new record-high market valuation of $381.62 billion, which even beats Exxon Mobile.

Let the mega-rich pay more in taxes. Leave Medicare alone. They may have more money, but there's millions more of us and we vote. Our votes can lead to electoral victory. Who cares if they pout?

After a full day of clemency hearings for Troy Davis, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles has delayed its decision on his execution, now set for Weds. at 7pm. More than 1 million signatures have been collected asking for clemency. [More...]

The FBI annual crime report is out. There were 1.6 million drug arrests. 82% were for possession only. 46% were for possession of marijuana. More than 50% of all arrests were for marijuana.

NORML has more.

LEAP (Law Enforcment Officers Against Prohibition): That's one drug arrest every 19 seconds.

"If we legalized and taxed drugs, we could not only create new revenue in addition to the money we'd save from ending the cruel policy of arresting users, but we'd make society safer by bankrupting the cartels and gangs who control the currently illegal marketplace."

The War on Drugs is an expensive failure that needs to stop.

John Judis, a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. writes the cover story for the October 6, 2011 New Republic on the economy and President Obama. It's called Doom: Our Economic Nightmare is Just Beginning. TNR has provided me with this pass-through link so non-subscribers may read it. It's long, but very interesting, particularly from a historical point of view. (Although the parts about the world monetary system were way over my comprehension abilities.)

It starts out by saying our current recession is not just similar to the 1929 depression, it is the 1929 depression redux. It then recaps economic history since then and politicians and nations' responses. Shorter version: Obama shouldn't fall prey to Republicans clamoring for deficit cuts and decreased Government spending. Austerity is not the answer and to recover, we need more, not less, Government spending. [More...]

Jose Padilla, the al-Qaeda suspect held in military detention for more than three years before being transferred to federal court where he was tried, convicted and sentenced to 17 years, got off too easy according to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

The three-judge appeals panel voted 2-1 to reject the lower-court judge’s opinion that Padilla will be too old to pose a threat upon his release from prison. “Padilla poses a heightened risk of future dangerousness due to his al-Qaeda training,” the appeals panel wrote. “He is far more sophisticated than an individual convicted of an ordinary street crime.”

I find the opinion (available here) demeaning in tone to the trial judge. It reads like a parent scolding a child when the parent thinks it knows best and the child should know better. [More...]

At the airport. Blogging tomorrow.

Open Thread.

President Obama took a stand for Democrats and seniors today. I'm canceling his pink slip notice.

Obama's plan to cut the nation's deficit is already being attacked by Republicans. The plan is in line with Democratic values. Why should those who make more than a million dollars a year pay tax only at the rate of 15%, when so many of us who earn far less are taxed at 35%? The Bush tax cuts should have been repealed a long time ago.

The plan also calls for $1 trillion in cuts for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. Most importantly:

The plan doesn't touch Social Security, and there is no proposed increase in the Medicare eligibility age -- a cost-saving plan the president was willing to agree to earlier in the year, to the dismay of liberals.

[More...]

I so hope this is true:

The plan includes no changes in Social Security and does not include an increase in the Medicare eligibility age, which the president had considered this summer.

If it's accurate, I'm withdrawing my pink slip to President Obama. I'll even thank him.

Update: Obama Deficit Plan Aimed at Democratic Base.

Stay tuned.

Update: Worst and most boring Emmys I've ever seen. I'm switching to watch the new episode of Breaking Bad.

What a lame opening to the Emmys. I don't like Glee and I sure don't want to watch Jane Lynch for 2 hours. Did Julianne Margolies swallow too many Xanax? She's so subdued. And the top of her dress looks like a plastic cup.

***************

First, the biggest question about the Emmys: Why are there no nominations for AMC's Breaking Bad? Simple answer, according to AMC: It was not eligible for this year's competition because it wasn't telecast during the Jun. 1, 2010-May 31, 2011 awards year. The first three seasons, AMC aired Breaking Bad in the Spring, which made it eligible for Emmy nominations the same year in which it aired. Next year, Breaking Bad will be eligible again because the fourth season premiered July 17. Also missing for the same reason, not airing new episodes during the eligibility season: Damages.[More...]

Dominique Strauss-Kahn gave his first French interview today. He called the French writer's claim against him "imaginary", saying there was no act of aggression or violence.

For those of you not planning on watching the Emmy's Red Carpet or the Emmys, here's an open thread for all other topics.

Eleanor Mondale, daughter of former Vice President Walter Mondale, has died of brain cancer at age 51.

Eleanor was considered a "wild child" back in the day. I remember when she was dating Don Henley. According to news reports, she also dated Warren Zevon . Her friendship with Bill Clinton made Monica Lewinsky jealous.

In addition to her parents and brother, she is survived by her third husband, rock musician Chan Poling, whom she married in 2005. [More...]

The New York Times has the details of the economic plan President Obama will introduce on Monday. It's mostly about taxes -- a minimum tax for millionaires. But then there's this:

Mr. Obama, in his plan, will call for more than $300 billion in 10-year savings from Medicare and Medicaid but not for changes in Social Security.

The increased taxes may not pass be accepted by Republicans. So what's the point?

The Obama proposal has little chance of becoming law unless Republican lawmakers bend. But by focusing on the wealthiest Americans, the president is sharpening the contrast between Republicans and Democrats with a theme he can carry into his bid for re-election in 2012.