I knew Mr. Smith; Mr. Smith was a friend of mine …

Senator, you are no Mr. Smith: Tea party conservative Sen. Ted Cruz staged an old-fashioned talking filibuster in an attempt to block a vote on a spending bill, with the goal of defunding Obamacare, even though the bill he’s blocking would strip funding for the health care reforms from the budget.

Fortunately for Cruz, R-Pretzel Logic, should he strain his tongue or his brain during the gabfest, his taxpayer-supplied health insurance will cover any needed medical care.

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Quit while you’re ahead: Forty attorneys general are asking the FDA to regulate electronic cigarettes in the same way it regulates other tobacco products.

Among the new regulations being considered is a warning on the packaging for e-cigarettes that reads: “Smoking e-cigarettes increases the likelihood that you’ll look like a complete idiot.”

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Don’t know much about history: On this day in 1690, one of the first American newspapers, Publick Occurrences, published its first and last edition in Boston.

Despite being the only issue published, readers wrote the editor angrily correcting his spelling of “publick” and wondering if he had a proofreader.

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