Well hats off to Senator Byron Dorgan, who read about the Treasury’s proposed “Humor In The Workplace” presentations for Bureau of the Public Debt employees, called the Department to complain, issued a few grandstanding words about Wasting Taxpayers’ Money, and got the events canceled. Good for you, asshole. Two 3-hour presentations from a fun clown at $15 an hour. You just saved the American taxpayers a whole $90, aimed at bringing some levity to what must be one of the government’s most soul-crushing office environments. You’re a hero, Byron Dorgan. And if money’s the problem, your Wonkette editors will gladly and patriotically lead these presentations for free. Intern Riley is good at drawing and stuff. [The Hill]

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: We are the Treasury Department. We deal with government funds. There are not many government funds. One of our divisions is the Bureau of the Public Debt. There is much public debt. Employees in the Bureau of the Public Debt analyze statistics about the public debt. They read and write forms about the public debt. They are losing productivity. There is just so much debt. They do not enjoy their lives. We seek (Solicitation Number: RFI-BPD-09-0028) to contract a professional clown to provide Humor In The Workplace seminars to Bureau of the Public Debt employees. The clown will draw comical cartoons to teach the employees about the benefits of humor. MORE »

* Something called Resistance Theater presents SIR! NO SIR! The Untold Story of the GI Movement to End the War in Vietnam at the Black Cat. $5 at 9PM. [Black Cat]
* Michael Lowenthal discusses Charity Girl, a novel in which he explores a “WWI-era US government practice in which young poor women suspected of being infected with venereal disease were tracked down and sent to detention centers to prevent them from infecting soldiers.” At Politics & Prose. Free at 7PM. [P&P]
* Collecting painting and $culpture is one of the most energizing, intellectually $timulating, and fulfilling of pa$times, but getting $tarted can seem overwhelming and even intimidating. In this evening $eminar, learn how to make your collecting dream$ a reality… di$cern your taste, di$cover what medium you like and under$tand what will keep you happy for the long term. At the Smithsonian. $35 at 6:30PM. [Smithsonian]