Today's edition of quick hits:
* No good will come of this: "After 11 days of occupying a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon, a group of U.S. militiamen have brought in some 'Constitutional' back up to help hold local officials accountable. According to the Oregonian, self-proclaimed U.S. Superior Court Judge Bruce Doucette (not a real judge) arrived in Harney County Tuesday and is readying militiamen for a big old trial."
* Wait awhile before checking on the status of your 401k: "U.S. stocks sold off Wednesday in a sign that investors are still fretting low oil prices and are jittery after watching stock markets get off to a rocky start for the year."
* Europe: "Across Europe, the refugee crisis that has engulfed the Continent since the summer is provoking new levels of public anxiety after the New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Cologne, Germany, where witnesses and the police described predatory gangs of mostly foreign men, including some refugees, groping and robbing young women. The Cologne police are also investigating allegations of rape."
* Wasting time on veto-bait: "The House voted Wednesday to overturn a contentious rule from the Environmental Protection Agency that asserts federal authority over small waterways. The House passed the resolution 253-166 Wednesday, with 12 Democrats supporting it. Rep. Chris Smith (N.J.) was the only Republican to vote against the measure."
* Vice President Biden published an item today fleshing out his plan for a "moonshot" on combating cancer: "From my own personal experience, I've learned that research and therapies are on the cusp of incredible breakthroughs. Just in the past four years, we've seen amazing advancements.... [T]he goal of this initiative -- this 'Moonshot' -- is to seize this moment. To accelerate our efforts to progress towards a cure, and to unleash new discoveries and breakthroughs for other deadly diseases."
* Rohit Chopra: "A former federal regulator and Elizabeth Warren acolyte who has repeatedly questioned the Obama administration's treatment of student loan borrowers just took a job with the Department of Education."
* Media shake-up: "Al Jazeera America, the network founded in 2013 as a sober, thoughtful alternative to traditional cable news, will shut down in April, company executives told employees Wednesday."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.