I'm so glad it's the weekend.

In the news: NPR has a new report on "Guantanamo North: Inside Secretive U.S. Prisons" focusing on CMU's (Communications Management Units.) The surveillance and restrictions are over the top.

Guards and cameras watch the CMU inmates' every move. Every word they speak is picked up by a counterterrorism team that eavesdrops from West Virginia. Prison officials budgeted more than $14 million for the snooping operation last year, according to appropriations documents and congressional testimony.

The Center for Constitutional Rights has been representing the inmates in a civil lawsuit. They say:

"6 percent of the national prison population is Muslim, and somewhere in the neighborhood of between 66 and 72 percent of prisoners at the CMUs are Muslim."

Of the 100 inmates NPR was able to identify who have been housed at the units in Terre Haute and Marion, IL, it says 2/3 are American citizens. (John Walker Lindh is at the unit in Terre Haute.) BOP says there are 81 inmates in CMU's.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Busy day at work. I'm posting this from my iPad. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

American Idol has the 12 semifinalist guys tonight. James Durbin rocked the house. I also really like Brett Loewenstern. I said last weeks the guys are much more interesting than the women contestants this year, and I think that's going to hold true for the season. You can vote online this year, but apparently you need a Facebook account. here's how. And here are the numbers if you want to text or phone in your vote.

One of mys least favorites: Paul McDonald who pretty much mimicked Rod Stewart in his version of Maggie May. Jennifer liked his smile but I thought it looked fake. Much better in the oldie re-do department, Brett Loewenstern, who made Light My Fire much more his own. Seems like Jacob Lutz and James Durbin will be in the top all season. Something about Casey Abrams rubs me the wrong way, I think it's his personality. And I don't like his screeching. Physically, he is completely unsexy, no matter what Jennifer says. He kind of looks like Seth Rogan, who may be funny, but sexy he isn't. But he's obviously going far this season. Five men and women will survive this week, the judges will then add their wildcard picks and the final 13 will be set.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd gets a new gig: President of the Motion Picture Association of America.

Another big day for ICE: It announced 678 drug and cartel arrests in Project Southern Tempest, which lasted from December, 2010 through February, 2011.

Christine Aguilera did not have a good night. Her boyfriend was arrested for DUI and she spent the night in custody, because police thought she was too drunk to be released. She won't face any criminal charges, but her record will show the arrest for "public intoxication."

Ohio is now second to Texas for executions. Three more were scheduled today, bringing Ohio's total this year (and it's only March) to ten. [More...]

One more open thread for the day as I'm off to dinner and then just have to watch Bachelor Brad in South Africa. Big changes today in the spoiler department, but I won't put them here.

Whatever's on your mind, here's a place to discuss it.

Is anyone online tonight? If so, here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Prison officials won't let Phil Spector attend his civil trial against attorney Robert Shapiro. Spector wants a refund from the million dollar fee he paid Shapiro who represented him at the beginning of his criminal case and for the first year. Shapiro did manage to get him bond, but at issue is whether the fee was excessive.

He has battled Shapiro for years, contending the lawyer took advantage of him after he was arrested in 2003. Shapiro represented Spector for a year, securing his release on bail.

Shapiro's attorneys deny any wrongdoing and say the producer knew he was paying to have exclusive rights to the lawyer who also helped defend O.J. Simpson at his murder trial.

Shapiro says he turned down interview requests by Robert Blake and Scott Peterson to represent them in their murder trials because of his representation of Spector. He also says that Spector fully understood the fee agreement. The trial begins March 7.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Al Jazeera is in talks with Comcast about being added to the cable lineup. I think it would be a welcome addition.

Is anyone getting the new Macbook Pro with Thunderbolt that came out today? I'd love one, but I think the price tag is way too steep.

American Idol Top 24: Did any of your faves not make it? I think the guys are much more interesting and talented than the women this year.

The DEA and other agenciesarrested 541 people today in a national drug sweep.

Arizona, Atlanta, St. Louis, Denver, Detroit, San Antonio, San Diego, Chicago, Newark and Miami are key areas....Arizona, Atlanta, St. Louis, Denver, Detroit, San Antonio, San Diego, Chicago, Newark and Miami are key areas.... The operation is a joint effort by the DEA, ICE, U.S. Marshals, ATF, Border Patrol, and local agencies.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Criminal Injustice Kos has a good diary today on solitary confinement as a form of torture.

Remember Marvin Booker, the homeless man in Denver jailed on a drug paraphernalia charge, who died after being tasered when he went to retrieve his shoes before going back to his holding cell? The cops won't face charges, but his family announced today they will sue.

Lindsay Lohan got some bad news from the judge today. She has until March 10 to consider her dismal options.

Tonight on TV: Survivor, American Idol, the premiere of the new season of America's Next Top Model, and a new Justified.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Today has been a mess. Sorry for the lack of posting.I know a lot has been going on today, but I just don't have time to get to anything.

Here's an Open Thread.

I'm busy with work and will be until Thursday.

Of interest: Oral arguments today in the Supreme Court over the 10th Amendment.

The Sentencing Project has released a report on the state of sentencing in 2010. It begins with some sobering facts:

Today, 7.2 million men and women are under correctional supervision. Of this total, five million are monitored in the community on probation or parole and 2.3 million are incarcerated in prisons or jails. As a result the nation maintains the highest rate of incarceration in the world at 743 per 100,000 population.

NACDL and the Brennan Center for Justice have submitted an FOIA request for secret documents pertaining to changes in the Justice Department's policy on Miranda Warnings. Are the feds creating a terrorism exception to Miranda?

Looks like Rahm Emanuel is the next Mayor of Chicago. While I feel for Chicago, I'm glad he's off the national radar for a while.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Kevin Drum has been writing some great stuff on unions, Wisconsin, the Democratic Party and income inequality. You should check it out.

Open Thread.