Iran frees American hikers after two years – The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/iran-frees-american-hikers-after-two-years/2011/09/21/gIQAFZYAmK_story.html

Glad these folks are free, hate to see them being used as pawns by Ahneedanewjacket.

UPDATE 2-U.S. House unexpectedly defeats spending bill | Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/21/usa-congress-spending-idUSS1E78K24Y20110921

The bill would have funded the government at an annual rate of $1.043 trillion, in line with a bipartisan agreement reached in August. Many conservatives want to stick with the lower figure of $1.019 trillion that the House approved in April. Republican leaders got little help from Democrats, who objected to a $1.5 billion cut to an electric vehicle loan program. Republicans included the cut to offset the cost of increased disaster aid.

Long story short, the derpers wanted the lower figure, hoping to hold FEMA hostage.  The Senate said no, that’s ridiculous, we already have a deal.  The almost sane House Republicans (who don’t have a majority) tried to get a few House Dems to turncoat and sacrifice the hostages.  They refused, whereas the Tea Party in the House wants more hostages, so the whole thing crashed in Boehner’s face…again.

*THIS IS EXACTLY WHY S & P DOWNGRADED THE U.S.*  playing politics instead of implementing sane policy is causing unneeded hiccups in the recovery.