Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee simply does not care for Google. It dominates the search engine field with near-monopoly power. More importantly, corrupt Barack Obama is friendly with some people at Google. And so Lee wants to conduct "vigorous" antitrust oversight into the corporation, like a socialist.
The search for survivors continues in Japan following the worst earthquake in the country's history, and the monumental damage caused by the quake—and tsunami that followed—remains incalculable. Here are some photos of the scene on the ground from the past 24 hours. [Images via AP]
The Maryland House of Delegates was going to hold its vote on legalizing same-sex marriage this afternoon after a dramatic legislative grind. But Democrats, true to their name, have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The bill was sent back to committee following today's debate, effectively killing its chances for passage in this year's legislative session.
In your waterlogged Friday media column: Fox News chooses Japan over Glenn Beck, Adam Moss can't come up with any good insults, the New York Times knows what you need to read, and everyone's getting into this whole iPad thing.
You hear Tea Party folks and Republicans in Congress complain about the White House's collection of "czars" — appointees with actual departmental jobs who coordinate policy in certain sectors. Supposedly the czar system is an undemocratic way of rewarding cronies and bypassing congressional checks on power. But if that's a problem, and maybe it is, then new Republican Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's bill for appointing "emergency financial managers" to reorganize the state's failing localities should be met with about 100 times more revulsion.
Wal-Mart is currently the subject of one of the biggest workplace discrimination lawsuits in history. Female employees say the company systematically discriminated against them in hiring and business practices. But is a million-person class action suit fair?
One of New Hampshire's new state representatives is 91-year-old Martin Harty, and he's hilarious. This World War II veteran and "retired peddler and market vendor" has admitted that he has no idea how to do his job, although he does manage to advocate for eugenics in conversations with constituents.
Carl Kruger is a Democratic state senator from Brooklyn. His vote against gay marriage last year was crucial in stopping the measure in New York. Funny thing: He lives with his gay lover, who's the bagman in their bribery racket.
In case you've forgotten, the Republicans control the House of Representatives now. Yes, the American one! But do they remember how to greet foreign dignitaries and other fancy people after their four-year exile in power? Not really, so John Boehner had to send a staffer to etiquette school.
In your painful Thursday media column: major layoffs at AOL, reporters in peril in Libya, the latest Katie Couric career rumors, anonymous commenting debated, and Newsday is new, somehow.
Today France became the first country to officially recognize Libya's rebels — under the Libyan National Council — as the legitimate government in the country. A rep for President Nicolas Sarkozy told reporters: "France recognises the National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. There will be an exchange of ambassadors between Paris and Benghazi."
The 76-year-old Dalai Lama today said that he will ask the Tibetan parliament in exile to amend the constitution so that he can leave his post as political leader of Tibet within days. In a speech in India he said: "My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility. It is to benefit Tibetans in the long run." He'll remain the spiritual leader of Tibet. China still hates the Dalai Lama, and today said that he was up to dirty "tricks." [Guardian; image via AP]
