IN THEIR DEFENSE, IT WAS AN AWESOMELY HOT UNKNOWN SPECIES: Ancient Humans Bred with Completely Unknown Species. “A new study presented to the Royal Society meeting on ancient DNA in London last week has revealed a dramatic finding – the genome of one of our ancient ancestors, the Denisovans, contains a segment of DNA that seems to have come from another species that is currently unknown to science. The discovery suggests that there was rampant interbreeding between ancient human species in Europe and Asia more than 30,000 years ago. But, far more significant was the finding that they also mated with a mystery species from Asia – one that is neither human nor Neanderthal.”

Plus: “What it begins to suggest is that we’re looking at a ‘Lord of the Rings’-type world – that there were many hominid populations.”

IF NATIONAL REVIEW DOESN’T PROPERLY APPRECIATE MARK STEYN, I imagine we could find a place for him at PJ Media.

DAVID KIRKHAM EMAILS:

I got a bummer email from Amazon yesterday–some of our presents weren’t going to arrive on time due to an overload on the system :(

Just heard a knock at the door and saw the Santa Claus UPS driver–on Christmas Day! He delivered our presents (bought through your link on instapundit, of course). Amazon and UPS are AWESOME!

That’s why I’m a member of Amazon Prime! Exceptional customer service from both companies.

I’ve had good luck.

WHAT IF WE OFFERED SOCIALISM AND NOBODY SIGNED UP? Despite well-functioning state exchange, New Mexico has enrolled . . . just 291 people. “The NM HIX did everything right to sell Obamacare. The people are not buying.”

IRA STOLL: I Tried, And Failed, To Sign Up For ObamaCare.

I live in Massachusetts, a state that had, under Governor Mitt Romney, pioneered the “individual mandate” and “universal coverage” that are at the center of Obamacare. You’d think they’d have a functioning Web site for health insurance. And they did, a year or so ago when I window-shopped for health insurance. Since then, however, to become compliant with Obamacare, the state scrapped the old RomneyCare web site and replaced it with a non-functioning Obamacare site.

By “non-functioning,” I mean, “non-functioning.” As in, it really doesn’t work.

Initially, I waited, figuring the site would be fixed by the time I needed to buy insurance. Indeed, there were plenty of signs that the site was being repaired.

“Attention: scheduled maintenance: This site will be unavailable from Wednesday December 11th at 2 p.m. until Thursday December 12th at 5 a.m.,” the home page declared at one point. When I returned another time, there was no time span given, just a sign that said “Maintenance in Progress: Welcome The Massachusetts Health Connector is currently undergoing maintenance. Your health coverage needs are extremely important to us. Please check back soon.”

Obamacare’s defenders like to blame Republican obstructionism for the program’s problems. But Massachusetts has a Democratic governor, Deval Patrick, who is such a pal of the president’s that they regularly have dinner during Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard vacations. Both houses of the state legislature are solidly under Democratic control. One can’t blame the Republicans for this one.

Of course one can. And many will!

BRR: Tens of thousands in U.S., Canada without power days after ice storm.

Posts on what to do when the power goes out here, here and here.

UPDATE: Reader Bill Rickords emails that he’s opting for this whole-house generator. I’m still waffling on that decision, for a variety of reasons. But if I were building a new house, as he is, I’d definitely do it.

WITH A BIOLUMINESCENT TREE: A Merry Microbial Christmas.

CARCHEOLOGY: The 1952 Oldsmobile and the First Automatic Headlight Dimmer.

AT AMAZON, Warehouse Deals in Grocery & Food.

And if you got a new Kindle for Christmas, why not fill it up here?

TAXPROF: The IRS Scandal, Day 230 (Christmas Edition).

MARK RIPPETOE: “You don’t get big and strong from lifting weights – you get big and strong by recovering from lifting weights.”

MERRY CHRISTMAS: O Come, All Ye Faithful.

LARRY CORREIA: Angsty Emo Outrage And Ducks.

MERRY CHRISTMAS: O Come, O Come Emanuel.

AT AMAZON, coupons galore in Grocery & Gourmet Food.

MARK RIPPETOE ON what he likes about CrossFit and what he doesn’t. If you do CrossFit, you’ll be fit.

LAWYER: How A Christmas Carol Shaped My World.

FRANK SINATRA: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

POMPLAMOOSE: Deck The Halls.

TAXPROF: The IRS Scandal, Day 231.

WORLD GIVING INDEX: The U.S. Is Number One.

HAVING SCREWED UP THE ECONOMY SO THAT FEWER PEOPLE CAN SAVE FOR RETIREMENT, some Dems now want higher Social Security benefits.

Ms. Warren gave voice to this new phase when she took to the Senate floor recently with a speech calling head-on for higher Social Security benefits. “Seniors have worked their entire lives and have paid into the system, but right now, more people than ever are on the edge of financial disaster once they retire—and the numbers continue to get worse,” she said. “That is why we should be talking about expanding Social Security benefits—not cutting them.”

As that reference to retirees on the “edge of financial disaster” indicates, one force driving the argument is the fact that a lot of baby boomers saw their retirement cushions deflated by the financial shock of 2007 and 2008. Research by the Employee Benefit Research Institute shows that the share of workers saving for retirement has declined to 57% now from 64% in 2008—and that the share of workers who have more than $25,000 set aside has declined over the same period to 43% from 51%.

What could go wrong?

MERRY CHRISTMAS! Labor Force Participation Rate Continues To Shrink.