Around the blogroll and elsewhere

Here is your required reading for today:

Cernig reports on high-level FBI intervention to exonerate Ann Coulter from, yes, actual, real-live voter fraud prosecution. Friends of the Bush Administration get FBI intervention, people who make honest mistakes get prosecuted and jailed. That's America under Republican rule.

Every day Mike Gravel makes me wish he were a viable candidate. Pam has another reason why.

John Batiste has been fired as a military expert for CBS news following his appearance in this ad:

This of course means he's free to talk to the recipient of the first Molly Ivins Award.

C&L has a clip of James Sensenbrenner participating in a hearing about the politicization of the Justice Department by advocating politicization of the Justice Department. Also, check out the Canandian Quarters of Mass Destruction.

Ah, the hell with it. To counteract Spiidey's unique take on cat blogging, here's another Kute Knut fix:

Here's what Knut is missing:

(Maybe he's better off being hand-raised...)

Terrance on why Marriage Means Something. Which reminds me: yesterday my place of employment sent out a notice that as of this month, same sex spouses will be eligible for the same health insurance, life insurance, and long-term care insurance as opposite-sex spouses. Which means that I work in what is now officially the Coolest Workplace Not Involved In the Arts.


Watertiger has one from the "God, I hope this isn't real" files. (WARNING: Do not consume food or beverages after clicking the link.)

At HuffPo, Rahm Emannuel's brother defends his buddy Chris Albrecht. As Curmudgette says at My Left Wing, "Sure he beat up his girlfriend, but he's a really good at spotting talent!" Sure, I loved Six Feet Under and The Sopranos as much as the next guy, and I recognize that without those shows there's no Dexter and no The Tudors but that doesn't mean I think he gets a pass on domestic abuse.

Stephen at The Thinkery calls hate crimes what they are: terrorism.

Demosthenes on The Overton Window and porn.

And if any of you are left who haven't clicked on the above just because it contains the "P" word, Driftglass has a peace treaty for the New Iraq.

(CORRECTION: The first video above is not of Knut, it is Ittybitty, a cub of about the same age at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. Insert your own Chicago Cub joke here.)