POLITICAL FACT OF THE DAY: The term “prime minister” originally started as an insult and a term of mockery in Britain, implying someone had improperly climbed above others in the royal circle. ― Hunter S. ThompsonPOLITICAL HAIKU OF THE DAY:Markets lose their lightEmpty pockets, prices climbWinter grips the land– Advertisement –TDB Open Mic is The Daily Blog’s community noticeboard. Each day, the Editor posts a new Open Mic message at the top of the comments. Readers should reply directly to that daily Open Mic comment with links, political chatter, breaking observations, media tips, and what they’re seeing on the ground. Open Mic is moderated.