We're headed to 100 degrees today and I have to go to the dentist.

The Barefoot Bandit is deported after pleading guilty to illegally landing a plane and paying a $300 fine. (Updated, original version of CNN article said he was sentenced to three months in prison or fined $300.) The NY Times has more on the deportation.

John Wyma, whose information led to the Blagojevich wiretaps, is testifying today. The prosecution seems close to resting and the judge may delay the trial a week for Blago to begin his defense. His lawyers say they will argue lack of criminal intent and reliance upon advice of counsel and others.[More...]

In Brooklyn, the cops are using a program called "Stop, Question, Frisk." They made 52,000 arrests last year. The ACLU today says Brooklyn Women Knew Their Rights and You Should Too.

The NYCLU offers this updated palm card (or iPhone app) walking you through what to do if you’re stopped by the police.

The palm card not only apprises people of their rights, it helps them defend those rights. For instance, it informs people how to proceed if they are unjustly arrested.

A word to the wise: learn the laws in your state. In New York, police can't make you identify yourself if they don't reasonably suspect you of a crime, but that is not the case in some other places. So check out the ACLU’s national know-your-rights card...

An iPhone App -- what could be simpler? If you don't need it, e-mail it to your kids or someone who might. [More...]

BTD is in hearings and I'm busy at work. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome. Please keep it civil.

I'm cheating a little bit this morning - working while keeping an eye on Stage 8 of the Tour de France, which has a mountaintop finish in the Alps.

Later, I'll be watching the World Cup final. Full preview post around noon.

Open Thread.

Today is Saturday, just two more working days until Monday for me.

Open Thread.

I missed the news today due to work, and my new i-Phone 4 arrived today and I'm about to set it up. (I'll let you all know how it goes and what's good and bad about it when I'm done. So far, it's still in the box.)

If you've got something to say, here's a place, all topics welcome. Please let me know if I missed anything big.

iPhone update below: [More...]

Big Brother 12 begins tonight. There's a saboteur this season. (Update: I hope the female sheriff is the first to go. After that, the mensa guy.)I guess most people are watching LeBron make a decision.

The Emmy Award nominations are out (list of major awards here). I'm glad to see that Breaking Bad is up for Best Drama Series, Best Actor (Bryan Cranston) and Best supporting actor (Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman). And I'm really disappointed Mary Louise Parker and others from Weeds didn't get a nod. It should have gotten best comedy over Nurse Jackie. Nurse Jackie isn't funny, it's depressing, and the episodes are repetitious. Edie Falco can only do so much, and she can't carry the whole show.

Damages and the Good Wife picked up a few, and while I like Damages more, I have to say Archie Panjabi for best supporting actress in the Good Wife (the private investigator role) is a much better pick than Rose Byrne in Damages. Juliana Margolies is probably a shoo-in in best actress, particularly since Glenn Close didn't have much of a part this season in Damages, but Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad way deserves to win over Martin Short for Damages.

Jimmy Fallon will be host for the Aug. 29 show.

This is an open thread, all topics (tv related or not) are welcome.

TalkLeft has been going down intermittently all day. We're working on it and will probably re-boot the server shortly, so if you get an error message, check back. Hopefully we'll get it resolved soon. If not, I'll post at our backup site here.

In other news, Manuel Noriega has been sentenced to 7 years in France.

The U.S. has added new defendants and charges to the Najibullah Zazi New York terror case. The DOJ press release is here.

President Obama has scored his first guilty plea at a Guantanamo military commission hearing.Sudanese-born Ibrahim al-Qos, bin Laden's former cook and driver, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and providing material support for terrorism. Sentencing will be in August.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome. Our apologies for the site problems.

The Iman who pleaded guilty to lying to authorities about Najibullah Zazi has self-deported, as required by his plea agreement. He's headed to Saudi Arabia. His attorney says:

"Imam Afzali is did his best to assist authorities when they asked for his help," said Kuby, who claimed Afzali was the victim of a turf war between the New York Police Department and FBI over the terrorism investigation.

"For his part, he leaves the United States with great sadness and no bitterness," Kuby said. "The United States is the only home that he knows; this country remains home to his parents, his children, and his brothers."

The Swiss now won't say when a decision in Roman Polanski's case is due. Yesterday, news reports had a Swiss official saying it was imminent. The officials also note he can appeal an adverse decision.

Joran Van der Sloot will undergo psychological testing tomorrow to assist the Judge in determining his mental state at the time of the alleged murder of Stephany Flores.

Tourism is down in Arizona. The boycott is having an effect. [More...]

Open Thread.

Another holiday weekend arrives. Anyone have any special plans?

Paris Hilton has been cleared in South Africa of possessing a joint. It looks like it will be a slow news weekend, a good time to kick back and do something different. But what?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

World Cup -Brazil v. Netherlands this morning. Should be a great game. I like Brazil.

Wimbledon - Berdych v. Djokovic as we speak. Nerdych up a set. Later, Nadal v. Murray. A match to watch.

Tour de France - Prologue time trial tomorrow morning from Rotterdam (temporarily moved to France this year.) Stages 1 through 3 will take the peloton through the Netherlands and Belgium - cobbles and the Ardennes. After heading back to France, through the Alps and the Pyrennees, the Tour finishes on the Champs Elysees July 25.

Open Thread.