Today's edition of quick hits:
* Syria is not only blocking U.N. monitors from investigating massacres, today those unarmed monitors were fired upon as conditions spiral further.
* Beijing raises eyebrows: "In a further sign that China's economy is being buffeted by strong head winds, the country's central bank on Thursday announced a cut in its benchmark interest rates to try to spur growth and prevent a sharper than expected slowdown."
* Bernanke: "The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, said on Thursday that the Fed was assessing whether the economy would continue to grow fast enough to reduce the high rate of unemployment without additional action by the central bank. But he gave no indication that the Fed had decided to take such action."
* Someone tell Inhofe: "This spring was the warmest on record across the contiguous U.S., scientists reported Thursday. On top of that, spring was 5.2 degrees warmer than average -- the largest temperature variance for any season on record."
* If Mitt Romney's jobs record was 47th compared to other states, what's President Obama's jobs record compared to other countries? Andrew Sprung takes a compelling look at this.
* Boehner thinks ahead: "Barry Jackson, chief of staff to Speaker John A. Boehner, has left his post to take on the task of managing the epic lame-duck session anticipated at the end of the year. His new title: senior counselor for long-term planning."
* Good tip: "Let's all stop pretending imaginary 'gaffes' are real."
* DOMA took another hit yesterday "when a New York federal judge ruled it unconstitutional, this time because it interferes with the states' right to regulate marriage."
* And some conservatives are outraged that the White House didn't commemorate D-Day with an official statement, but let's not forget that the Bush White House also didn't commemorate D-Day six of the eight years Bush was in office. If they didn't complain then, they shouldn't complain now.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.