The Morning Blog

As protests begin to encircle Tripoli, Qaddafi calls out his dogs for what is hopefully, a last stand. It's a pretty scary situation. Many of the forces Qaddafi is relying on at this point are mercenaries from all over Africa. They can't be expected to have significant interest in the desires of the Libyan people and I would expect, will not be significantly moved by protest.

In the event you find yourself in the market for a mercenary...

Meanwhile, the United States is scrambling to get its nationals out of Tripoli. Currently there are some 35 diplomats with their families in addition to 600 private citizens waiting for the seas to calm down enough to permit a ferry to take them to Malta. This has understandably restrained the administration from making direct condemnations or threats towards Qaddafi. It would be preferable to NOT give him reason to seize hundreds of American hostages during what's shaping up to be a civil war.

Does it strike you as strange that not only are there still maoist rebels, but not a single group of them seems interested in fighting against the capitalist regime in China?

Good News: The Justice Department has concluded that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. Federal lawyers will no longer be defending inequality in the courts.

Bad News: (Sent by the always sharp Girlfriend) A bill in Georgia would have police investigating miscarriages. I'm sure a visit by detectives is exactly what a woman wants to deal with after an unfortunate event like that.

Theresa Bait: What do you get when you cross privatization with space tourism?

Arizona has gone completely out of its collective mind. Its crackdown on illegal immigrants is frankly becoming increasingly fascistic. In addition to denying citizenship to babies born in the state to undocumented immigrants (something that flies in the face of that Constitution thing the Republicans seem so interested in), it also proposes the following:

The measures would compel school officials to ask for proof of citizenship for students and require hospitals to similarly ask for papers for those receiving non-emergency care. Illegal immigrants would be blocked from obtaining any state licenses, including those for marriage. Landlords would be forced to evict the entire family from public housing if one illegal immigrant were found living in a unit. Illegal immigrants found driving would face 30 days in jail and forfeit the vehicle to the state.

Papers, please? It is appalling.

Funny, I was watching "The Godfather" on TV yesterday. Apparently, someone else was too.

Because archaeology is awesome.

And so are spies.

Speaking of spies: The Real George Smiley.

Population controls in China have become even more draconic! Now they've introduced a one dog policy! Dirty communists!

In opposition to communism, I wish to present a minor bit of bling.

Libya will just have to make one last appearance on today's post: Qad Libs.