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.

How are you spending the holiday? Michelle Obama and the First Daughters are skiing in Vail. Michelle ate at Kelly Liken's restaurant last night (remember Kelly from Top Chef? She made it pretty far.)

The first lady went to Restaurant Kelly Liken in Vail Village on Saturday night, dining on a pickled pumpkin salad with arugula and a braised ancho-chile short rib with hominy wild mushrooms and sauteed kale.

Check out Sasha's cool boots.

Al Gore spent the weekend addressing global warming in Aspen. Veep Joe Biden spent it in Key Largo.

And the President? He was at home, and coached Sasha's basketball team in Maryland, even though she was skiing in Vail.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Open Thread.

Enjoy the day! (And then the night.)

Open Thread.

More thread.

I will have time to write a substantive post this afternoon. Any topical requests?

Open Thread.

Busy.

Open Thread.

Survivor Redemption Island begins tonight, and Russell is back. American Idol is having Hollywood Week.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Open Thread.