Thanks to all of you who contributed to our birthday fundraising. I'll be sending individual thank-you emails over the next few days. I'm really excited to be able to get a new laptop, and am headed out now to shop for one.

In the news, here's the transcript of Obama's full speech on immigration policy:

Effective immediately, the Department of Homeland Security is taking steps to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people. Over the next few months eligible individuals who do not present a risk to national security or public safety will be able to request temporary relief from deportation proceedings and apply for work authorization.

[More...]

Where does the time go? Today is TalkLeft's 10th birthday. Little did I know when I sat at the computer one weekend in June, 2002 to create TalkLeft, that I would blog every day for the next decade.

We've grown quite a bit since our first birthday -- from 1 million page views and 625,000 visitors to 82 million page views and 38 million visitors. The average time spent on TalkLeft for each visit exceeds 4 minutes. I guess there's no turning back now.

If you appreciate our coverage, or just want to buy us a birthday drink, here is the the paypal link. It's very easy (and takes credit cards even if you don't have a paypal account.) Or you can use snail-mail.

I'm obviously focused on crime news today -- Zimmerman, Edwards and now Armstrong.

In TV news, why does TNT think Dallas can make a comeback? Michelle Obama is on Restaurant Impossible tonight.

For those of you with other topics on your mind, here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Open Thread.

I'm sort of back, but really not. Works is piled up on my desk. But I'll find something to write about.

Open Thread.

It's 95 degrees in Denver, apparently a record.

Who will be Mitt Romney's running mate? Some say Marco Rubio, while the LA Times gives this list:

Some of the names bandied about most often are Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.

Jeb Bush couldn't be any clearer he isn't interested. Paul Ryan said he's keeping his options. I wouldn't, it's not going to be him.

Who do you think Romney will pick? And does it matter?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Eric Holder is grilled again over Fast and Furious.

You can watch Alan Dershowitz' original comments about prosecutor Angela Corey in the George Zimmerman case here.

Still busy at work today. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

We're on tornado watch here, a big storm is about to unfold.

Some Kim DotCom news: The FBI may have fedexed clones of the MegaUpload computers to the U.S. against the instructions of a New Zealand judge. DotCom's lawyers say the FBI may have "gazumped" the Crown. (Is that like "hoodwinked?"

Also, Judge David Harvey at the Auckland District Court, who is handling the extradition case said in an order last week:

"the US is attempting to utilise concepts from civil copyright context as a basis for the application of criminal copyright liability".

[More...]

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals announced today it won't review its decision on Prop 8. Backers will seek Supreme Court review.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

I spent all my blogging time last night and this morning weeding out objectionable comments on the Zimmerman threads. I'm still not done.

Big Tent Democrat is very busy the next few days with the pre-relaunch of Daily Kos radio, whose official relaunch comes at Netroots Nation next week.

The Supreme Court has ruled Dick Cheney's secret service agents have immunity in a 2006 Colorado lawsuit filed by a protester who was arrested. The Tenth Circuit had ruled the lawsuit could proceed.

“This court,” Justice Thomas wrote for six justices, “has never recognized a First Amendment right to be free from a retaliatory arrest that is supported by probable cause; nor was such a right otherwise clearly established at the time of Howards’s arrest.”

Another example of how much it matters who gets appointed to lifetime positions on the federal courts and Supreme Court.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

I'm tied up today. Open Thread.

Good morning from Owl Farm. This is Jesse the baby peacock. (Bigger version here.)He loves to strut and pose for pictures. He lives indoors. He thought he was going to sleep in this bed last night, he was disappointed. Here's Anita holding him.

Anita wasn't kidding about all the new animals. Here are the roosters and hens. And some llamas from across the road.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.