Thanks to Vodka Pundit for overcoming its reluctance to give us a link. TalkLeft is settling in quite nicely on VP as a "Cosmopolitan" - we couldn't have picked a better category! As the VP points out, we bought our link with our offer (see below under "Reluctant Link?") of a martini or a brew at his choice of pub on his next trip to Denver.

Welcome, VP--your link is up now on TalkLeft as well.

PS Our link on VP is in the name of the author of this weblog, rather than TalkLeft, so don't get confused.

We got a mention today from Vodka Pundit, but so far, no link. Seems that the VP, while agreeing with our position on matters concerning the Bill of Rights, objects to our mention this past weekend of an LA Weekly interview with Gore Vidal.

VP complains we are taking Mr. Vidal seriously. Actually, what we called the interview with Vidal was "an interesting read." We stand by that. Mr. Vidal certainly has a different take on September 11 and Oklahoma City than the rest of the world.

We hope VP keeps reading TalkLeft and decides we do deserve a link--like Altercation and Maxspeak have given us. As soon as he does, we'll buy him a martini or a brew at his pub of choice on his next trip to Denver from his home town of Colorado Springs. And, of course we will set up a nice link to him here.

Following Maxspeak's lead yesterday, Talkleft is proud to become today's site of the day at The People's Republic of Seabrook. We were advised to take it in stride as most of the readers over there "tend to be heavily medicated and/or deeply disturbed." That's okay, if they can read, we'll take them and we appreciate the recognition.

TalkLeft is finally going mainstream and creating a blog on its perennially "under construction" chat page. The intent is to create a home for thoughts, as opposed to links, on crime, politics and injustice.

We don't like Attorney General John Ashcroft's May 30 guidelines on warrantless monitoring of conversations (it shouldn't be allowed at all); on the use of confidential informants; on undercover FBI operations; and on crimes in general and RICO (organized crime) and Terrorism in particular.

If you're interested in reading them, you can find direct links on the CrimeLynx Research Page under "US Attorney's Manual and Other Documents"

It has become readily apparent that this Administration is not interested in preserving our rights, only in convincing a fearful public that it is fighting terrorism.

We really like the way the ACLU has jumped on Mr. Ashcroft and the administration since Sept. 11.

We think the FBI has no business engaging in domestic spying. Not after all its past abuses.

It seems like progressive and liberal websites and blogs are sprouting daily. Hopefully it will be in time to cause a major defeat for the Republicans in the 2002 elections.