OBAMA FAULTED AS indifferent on stocks.

JONATHAN ADLER: Elena Kagan Advances Without Answering Questions.

HMM: N. Korea warns intercepting ‘satellite’ will prompt counterstrike. We had an interesting discussion in my space law class last week about the legality of shooting down a North Korean satellite. If it’s really a satellite, and not a warhead, shooting it down is probably a violation of the Outer Space Treaty, which provides that “Outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, shall be free for exploration and use by all States without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law, and there shall be free access to all areas of celestial bodies.” Note that there’s no limitation as to parties — the statement is universal. Of course, such considerations are unlikely to be determinative. Still, it’s an interesting question as to what degree of reasonable suspicion is required to justify a shootdown as self-defense.

Some technical background here.

OBAMA CRITICIZES ERIC HOLDER: Attorney general chided for language on race. “President Barack Obama has chided his attorney general, Eric Holder Jr., for describing America as a ‘nation of cowards’ when discussing race, wading into a tumult that flared over Holder’s indictment of the way this country talks about ethnicity.”

If you want to talk “Nation of Cowards,” perhaps someone should send Holder this essay instead.

IT’S A DIVERSITY PROBLEM: Left-Wing Preponderance in Academia.

WHAT HAPPENS IF CITIGROUP FAILS? “The short answer is that no one quite knows, and that’s the problem.”

“SMART DIPLOMACY:” Russian media teases Clinton over ‘reset’ button.

LOTS MORE TEA PARTY PROTEST NEWS rounded up here. Meanwhile, Tom Blumer complains of insufficient media coverage.

I suppose he’s got a point, but these protests are being well-covered in local media around the country. In terms of influencing Congress, I’d rather have a few hundred people march in each district than have a hundred thousand march in Washington, DC, even if the latter got a lot of coverage. Believe me, Green Bay congressman Steve Kagen knows there are people in his district who are upset, now. Getting 1,200 people who don’t usually protest to turn out and march on a Congressional office makes a point.

Meanwhile, here’s a blog report from Green Bay. And some more pictures.

UPDATE: Robert McManus emails: “How long . . . before the tea parties become yet another manifestation of America’s indelible racism? they seem to be getting a little traction, so it can’t be long.”

I don’t know. Let’s ask her:

ANOTHER UPDATE: Some readers suspect that this is just a lame excuse to include a protest-babe pic. They are, of course, entirely correct . . . .

A BLOG REPORT on the Lafayette, Louisiana tea party protest. And here’s a Flickr gallery.

EVERYTHING’S COMING UP Brownies.

DISSENT: Formerly, the “highest form of patriotism,” now the preserve of “domestic terrorist wannabes.” Boy, things sure change with an election!

UPDATE: Plus, if you don’t support Obama’s economic plan, you’re a traitor. Ah, for the good old Bush days, when it was wrong to question people’s patriotism. . . .

THE MUDVILLE GAZETTE: Obama Marines video is a cheap shot at Obama.

UPDATE: Reader Jared Males writes:

Just backing up the Mudville Gazette. I’m a former naval officer, and that’s exactly what I saw in that video. Marines at attention in one part, Marines at ease in the other. Nothing more should be read into it as far as the military attitude goes.

Now as commentary on how little your average news media member understands the military, there’s maybe something there. And I’m wondering if there is a difference in the White House prep for such things. I’ll bet the President has some input into whether or not the room gets called to attention.

If anyone thinks to ask.

PATRICK HYNES: Will Mobile kill the website?

HERE’S A REPORT on the Monterey, California tea party protest:

A present-day version of the Boston Tea Party revolt took place at Monterey’s Window on the Bay Saturday, taking aim at the massive federal stimulus spending plan.

Demonstators brought American flags, tea bags, and even pig costumes to voice their anger over the stimulus plan, saying it is laden in pork-barrel spending and could trigger inflation. . . .

The watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense released it’s latest review of the spending plan earlier this week. In it, Central Coast congressman Sam Farr is listed as being a part of nearly $24 million dollars worth of earmarks, with more than $8 million credited to Farr alone.

More here. And here’s a blog report, with photos.

Plus, video:

DAVID FRUM: The New Minority?

THE MUDVILLE GAZETTE: An Iraq drawdown scam?

DEAL OF THE DAY: 400 bucks off a treadmill.

IF YOU’RE AT TODAY’S TEA PARTY RALLY ON MAUI: Well, mostly I’m just jealous. But send me some pics and a report if you can. . . .

TEA PARTY UPDATE: I’ve already mentioned Harrisburg and Fullerton, but now here’s a news report from Green Bay:

Hundreds of protesters gathered Saturday afternoon outside Titletown Brewing Co., replacing Boston Harbor with the Fox River for a Green Bay tea party to rally against government programs and federal bailouts. . . . Speakers at the rally included Marc Savard, who is running for the 8th Congressional District (to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Appleton) and WTAQ talk show host Jerry Bader.

Though coined as a taxpayer rally, taxes aren’t the only issue at hand, Bader said, it’s also about having a government that allows citizens to be self-reliant.

“Conservatism is based on I’ll take care of me, you take care of you. … This is often translated to mean we’re not compassionate — nothing could be further from the truth,” Bader said.

“Picking my pocket and deciding what’s compassion, is not compassion. When you are forced to be compassionate at the barrel of a gun, we have a word for that, it’s robbery.”

The mass of protesters marched into downtown Green Bay to bring their message to Kagen at his office at 700 E. Walnut St.

Michael Litscher has posted a photo set on Flickr. Here’s one. “Don’t Spread My Wealth: Spread My Work Ethic.”

Plus, video:

UPDATE: This report from WBAY says there were 1,200 people protesting.

WELL, DANG: Venture capitalists say algae biofuels not ready. Faster, please.

WHO KNEW IT WAS SO SIMPLE? How to get your family out of a financial crisis.

IN THE MAIL: From Eric Flint, Worlds.

WHEN ENGINEERS have pets.

CHRIS DODD UPDATE: A Pardon For A Friend, A Good Deal For Dodd.

It takes considerable political skill for a U.S. senator to win a presidential pardon for a friend without the traditional review by the Justice Department. Sen. Christopher Dodd moved the furtive levers of power in 2001 for Edward R. Downe, convicted of tax and securities fraud eight years before. A man will do a lot for a former real estate partner. . . . A presidential pardon is a rare possession, especially when the man pardoned, Downe, still owed millions to the Securities and Exchange Commission for his violations.

Rarer still, however, is the real estate developer, like Kessinger, who appears to have left hundreds of thousands of dollars in appreciated value on the table for his minority-share partner. Dodd appears to have latched onto one — and, on paper, has turned a profit like the Wall Street pirates he once loved but now disdains.

Read the whole thing.

LOTS OF CITIZEN REPORTING FROM THE FULLERTON TEA PARTY PROTEST, where many thousands — 8-15,000 depending on the estimate — showed up for the biggest crowd so far.

UPDATE: A reader emails: ‘I’m just wondering if 8-15 thousand at Fullerton is enough for doom sayers like Rick Moran and others to deign to join in.”

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader Antoinette Aubert writes:

The Fullerton Tea Party was promoted on the John and Ken radio show in Los Angeles all last week. John and Ken have a very popular show out here with a lot of listeners hence the large turnout. John and Ken by the way are not Republican by any stretch of the imagination or even conservative. They are very much a “pox on both your houses.” The success of their rally makes me wonder why conservative talk show hosts are not pushing this more. If a local station can get 8 -15,000 people imagine what Hugh Hewitt or Sean Hannity could pull off, never mind Rush Limbaugh.

Indeed.

UPDATE: A blog report.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Little Miss Attila isn’t that impressed with John & Ken.