AT AMAZON, big holiday markdowns on Blu-Ray.

Also, today only: Shop-Vac 6.5-Peak Horsepower 12-Gallon Wet/Dry Vacuum. As I learned during the unfortunate burst-pipe incident here at Stately InstaPundit Manor a few years ago, it’s really handy to have a shop-vac. Also, a tarp, for when the water is pouring out of the ceiling. . . .

HYPOCRISY: Obama’s Murky Relationship With BP: President has been largest beneficiary of BP money in last 20 years.

QUESTIONS ABOUT BANKRUPTCY: “While I disagree with some of Price’s points it seems to me that he is correct in his key observation, which is that although the presence of a collective-bargaining agreement often does matter in bankruptcy, it doesn’t seem like it explains what is going on with respect to the treatment provided to the Delphi salaried employees and smaller unions in Delphi versus the treatment given to the UAW and Steelworkers.”

Gosh, what could explain that?

IT’S LIKE HE DOESN’T REALLY CARE OR SOMETHING: Report: Obama’s “fiscal cliff” offer to Republicans calls for $1.6 trillion in new taxes and end of debt ceiling in exchange for … nothing, basically. “Even more unbelievable than the ‘offer’ itself is the fact that the our hack media will go on painting Republicans as the unreasonable ideologues in this equation.”

The GOP should demand open negotiations, on C-SPAN, or just walk away.

BUT DON’T WORRY, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO TRUST THEM WITH YOUR HEALTH RECORDS: Gov. Nikki Haley Blames IRS for Massive Data Breach Affecting 6.4 Million South Carolina Taxpayers.

RADLEY BALKO: Despite Evidence From Discredited Medical Examiner, Mississippi’s Jeffrey Havard Nears Execution.

MARK TAPSCOTT: Why Jeff Miller Could Be MVP in Congress.

Oversight is hard and tedious, but it is the most vital work of every senator and representative. It requires time and smart, experienced, bare-knuckles players on congressional staff. Too many members can’t be bothered.

Miller’s eruption was sparked by continued VA evasions about how much it spends on employee conferences like the two Orlando, Fla., events last year that featured an amateurish but tax-paid video parody of Gen. George S. Patton.

The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, which the Florida Republican chairs, has now received three wildly divergent estimates from VA of its total spending on such events, ranging from $20 million to $100 million in 2011.

The third VA figure of $86 million was presented at Wednesday’s hearing. Miller’s exasperation was clearly evident when VA’s No. 2 official, W. Scott Gould, couldn’t explain the variation among the estimates.

Instead of merely venting his anger, Miller responded to the VA obstacles by declaring, “The truce is over. Expect much more oversight from this committee.”

Chairmen across the House should be saying the same thing.

RON WYDEN HOLDS THINGS UP:

Sen. Ron Wyden insists he doesn’t have a grudge against fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California. What he does have, though, is a hold on her two legislative priorities of the lame-duck session — and he has, in fact, placed a hold on every major bill coming out of her Intelligence Committee in the past two years.

Wyden’s moves to block the two latest bills — a spy agency reauthorization measure (S 3454) aimed at cracking down on leaks and an extension of expiring surveillance provisions from a 2008 law — are the newest demonstrations of how the Oregon Democrat has become the Senate’s hardest line to cross on civil liberties issues in the national security arena.

Wyden said he considers Feinstein a friend and that he has more in common with her than not as a member of her committee. And his stances aren’t about liberal versus conservative, he insisted, pointing to a record of working with Republicans on a variety of topics from taxes to health care. Indeed, the update of the 2008 surveillance law (S 3276) is even an Obama administration priority.

Read the whole thing.

THERE’S A LOT OF EYE-AVERTING GOING ON: Media avert eyes from Democratic campaign finance hypocrisy.

OBAMACARE NOT GETTING ANY LESS UNPOPULAR:

A new Gallup poll shows that 54 percent of Americans think it isn’t the federal government’s responsibility to ensure all citizens have healthcare coverage. This is the first time Gallup trends have shown a majority of Americans holding this opinion since 2000, according to Gallup’s Jeffrey Jones.

Should the press start calling it “President Obama’s increasingly-unpopular health scheme?” They should, but they won’t.

NOBODY LOVES THE TSA: GOP fumes as TSA head skips aviation security hearing.

Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee sharply criticized the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for skipping a scheduled hearing on Thursday. TSA Administrator John Pistole was listed as an invited guest for the hearing, which was focused on the aviation security agency’s impact on commerce in the United States.

But when Aviation Subcommittee Committee Chairman Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) called Thursday’s meeting to order, Pistole’s seat was empty.

The long-time Wisconsin lawmaker said Pistole’s absence was unacceptable.

“If we want more government stove piping, separation from one sector and another, the TSA’s attitude and actions regarding this hearing achieved that end,” Petri said as he noted the TSA administrator’s absence.

“But if we want better government and coordination between different government activities, Congress must be able to fill its oversight responsibilities,” he continued.

I say, cut their budget. Better still, abolish them — along with the entire Department of Homeland Security.

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: Belmont Abbey College Helping Burst Private College Tuition Bubble With Tuition Reset To Under $20K For New Students.

Private Catholic College Belmont Abbey today announced it is doing its part to burst the college tuition bubble by reducing its annual tuition cost to $18,500 beginning in fall 2013. This represents an almost $10,000 per year reduction in the College’s published tuition price for incoming freshmen and transfer students.

“Over the past 25 years, average college tuition and fees in the United States has increased more than 440 percent,” said Belmont Abbey College President, Dr. William K. Thierfelder. “At more than four times the rate of inflation, that’s not sustainable for the average American family so it’s time to reverse the trend.”

All is proceeding as I have foreseen.

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: How sex work has replaced a bar job for some students who struggle to pay bills. “Undergraduates have traditionally pulled pints or waited tables to pay their way through university, but a growing body of research suggests that a significant number are now turning to sex work to make ends meet.” Complete with non-exploitative pole-dancing photo.

I MENTIONED the new Dresden Files book, Cold Days, earlier and reader Don Simpson emails: “Cold Days is by far the best of the series. I just finished it and WOW.” I downloaded it, but haven’t started it yet — I made myself wait until I shipped off my Popular Mechanics column tonight.

FIGHTING THE POWER: Tom Spaulding writes: “Gizmodo writer tries to pimp anti-Reagan rap song, gets schooled by the commenters.”

CHANGE: Sorry Kids… Obama Forgot to Tell College Students He Cut Pell Grants Before Election.

SYRIA’S INTERNET GOES DOWN.

AT AMAZON, Top Picks in Video Games.

Also, Gift Cards Galore!

SENATE PASSES anti-indefinite-detention bill.

NICK GILLESPIE: Is John Boehner Dumb Enough to Take $400 Billion in Cuts a Decade From Now in Exchange for $1.2 Trillion in Tax Hikes That Start ASAP?

I’M GLAD THE SOBER FOLKS AT BUZZFEED are above running this demeaning image. Oh, wait . . . .

GO TO LAW SCHOOL, GRADS, BECAUSE WHAT ELSE IS THERE? “A law dean — Lawrence E. Mitchell of Case Western — argues that ‘Law School Is Worth the Money’… because what else are you going to do with the money you don’t have your life?”

AT AMAZON, top deals in Computers & Accessories.

Also, new Christmas Lightning Deals every hour, so keep checking back.

LOOKING FOR YEAR-END CHARITABLE DONATIONS? Consider supporting The Foresight Institute, which addresses all sorts of interesting nanotechnology issues.

I also recommend the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, and the Lifeboat Foundation. And don’t forget the Cato Institute, and the Institute for Justice.

HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA? (CONT’D): Ignore GDP and the Fiscal Cliff, U.S. Is Already in Recession: ECRI’s Achuthan.

There’s another reason to wonder if the GDP numbers tell us as much as we think: Ugly Q3 GDP Confirms Personal Consumption Collapsing; Headline “Growth” Driven By Government, Inventory Accumulation. Oh, well, so long as nobody noticed before the election.