MELTDOWN: “Arlen Specter infuriated Senate Republicans when he bolted from their party last week. Now he’s alienated just about everybody in the Senate Democratic caucus, too.”

Some Republicans are saying “Come back home, Arlen.” But can he pull off a re-rat?

THE SHINE IS ALREADY OFF ARLEN SPECTER. He had shine?

PARIS, CITY OF LIGHTS OUT.

IT’S NOT JUST DUCT TAPE: A guide to the world of tape.

NEW FROM SILICON GRAFFITI: Beam Me Up, Barry!

A ROUNDUP OF law school commencement speakers.

THE RUSH TO RATIONING HEALTH CARE. Like the stimulus, they’ll try to slam that stinker through before people can figure out what’s in it. And, like the Chrysler bailout takeover, I predict that who gets a new liver will be controlled by politics, not whatever rules are ostensibly in place.

SCIENTISTS UNVEIL CHOCOLATE-FUELED RACE CAR: “The car runs on vegetable oils and chocolate waste that has been turned into biofuel. The steering wheel is made out of plant-based fibers derived from carrots and other root vegetables, and the seat is built of flax fibre and soybean oil foam. The body is also made of plant fibers.” But does it attract ants?

JUSTICE GINSBURG SPEAKS: “Surprisingly, Justice Ginsburg did not share any circulated draft opinions in the cases, but then it may be that none were yet circulated.”

REVELATIONS.

MORE ON Bussard / Polywell Fusion.

TORTURE HYPOCRISY AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT: “Investigate Bush lawyers’ torture analysis one day, cite it favorably the next.”

NICK GILLESPIE is at it again.

SAY IT AIN’T SO: Plug-In Hybrids: More Hype Than Hope?

Having racked up some 17,000 miles, the plug-in Prius hybrids are averaging just 51 mpg. That’s raising uncomfortable questions about the value and effectiveness of plug-in technology, even as President Obama pledges to have 1 million of them on the road by 2015.

“Getting 51 miles per gallon sounds fine compared to most gas cars,” railed Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat. “But it’s a black eye for a technology that trumpets it will get twice that.”

Perhaps the enthusiasm is getting ahead of the engineering.

AUTOBLOG: Chrysler and Fiat: A merger of equally unreliable product?

Plus, what will become of the Dodge Viper?

THE JUGHEAD-HAT MYSTERY, explained! (Via Volokh, where a commenter observes: “The real question is: Betty or Veronica?” Another commenter provides the obvious answer.)

VOTING WITH THEIR TRAILERS: Comparing Texas with Californa U-Haul fees. (Via Gus Van Horn).

GAY MARRIAGE: Now legal in Maine!

HELPING HOOF: Food vouchers for horse owners. More here.

FOUR STONE HEARTH is an anthropology blog carnival.

COOKING UP MILLIONS OF VIRUSES for a new flu vaccine. Be sure to get this one right!

OUTSIDE MY PRICE RANGE, and that’s just the beginning of why I’m not interested: Patrons sip $25 cup of joe made from digested beans.

THE COUNTRY’S IN THE VERY BEST OF HANDS: Just 3 of 10 members show up for stimulus oversight meeting. “Absent were Democratic Reps. Steven R. Rothman of New Jersey, Lincoln Davis of Tennessee, Charles A. Wilson of Ohio, Alan Grayson of Florida and Bart Gordon of Tennessee. Republican Rep. Ralph M. Hall of Texas also skipped the session, while Rep. Brian P. Bilbray of California dropped by for the final hour of the nearly three-hour hearing.”

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STATES call for a Constitutional Convention?

IOWAHAWK: Gay Marriage Opponent Topless Photos Leaked. Heh.