WASHINGTON POST: U.S. intelligence mining data from nine U.S. Internet companies in broad secret program.

IRS EMPLOYEES: Carter Hull in Washington Was Calling The Shots On Tea Party Harassment.

WELL, THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY, YOU KNOW (CONT’D): Mind-controlled exoskeleton lets paralysed people walk.

I’M SURE THIS MAKES THEM RACIST SOMEHOW: New York Times: The administration has now lost all credibility.

And check out the Huffington Post’s cover photo:

UPDATE: White House Hunkers Down On Phone Records Program.

IT’S GOOD: Relationship Advice From Gwyneth Paltrow.

NOT A STORY ABOUT ANTHONY WEINER: Sex And Dementia.

AT AMAZON, coupons galore on Health Care.

Also, the TV Deal of the Week: I Dream of Jeannie: The Complete Series Boxset, $59.99 (63% off).

PICTURES: The ghost fleet of Chuuk Lagoon: World’s biggest ship graveyard lies at site of WW2 battle where US crushed Japanese fleet.

MULTIMEDIA: The Lost Forts Of Pittsburgh.

IT’S POTEMKIN VILLAGES ALL THE WAY DOWN: Fake Villages Will Greet President Obama And Other G8 World Leaders. “According to Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTE, local councils have hired workers to paint fake shop fronts stocked with attractive but illusory produce. They have also been contracted to cover derelict buildings with colorful billboards, the better to hide the real economic hardship being felt in towns and villages close to the five star golf resort where G8 leaders will meet this month.”

IS THIS AN EFFORT TO INTIMIDATE PEOPLE WHO RECORD POLICE? N.Y. Senate Passes Bill Making the Harassment of a Police Officer a Crime. “The New York State Senate today passed a bill that creates the crime of aggravated harassment of a police or peace officer. The bill (S.2402), sponsored by Senator Joe Griffo (R-C-I, Rome) would make it a felony to harass, annoy, or threaten a police officer while on duty. . . . The bill establishes this crime as a Class E Felony, punishable by up to four years in prison.”

Me, I’d like for it to be a felony to annoy a blogger. I’ve got a little list . . . Thanks to reader Scott Houston for the tip. And send Joe Griffo a copy of Morgan Manning’s piece.

UPDATE: Or maybe I should have gone beyond the press release. Reader Michael Schueller writes: “Glenn, I just looked up the bill. The text is below. It only applies to physical contact with intent to harass. This _should_ not be able to be used against photographers. Doesn’t mean it won’t be, but it shouldn’t be. I’d say it is one of the less annoying things to come out of Albany this year.” Well, that’s setting the bar kinda low, but . . . .

NEWS YOU CAN USE: 4 Behaviors That Result In Divorce (90 Percent Of The Time!)

LAST NIGHT I MENTIONED ANN ALTHOUSE’S ANGER AT THE ATTEMPTED “CHARACTER ASSASSINATION” OF JUDGE EDITH JONES, and now Above The Law has this: A Tale of Sound & Fury (But No Transcript): In Defense of Judge Edith Jones. Frankly, whenever I see a complaint alleging racism these days, I assume it’s a political hatchet job by political hacks. That assumption is generally borne out.

UPDATE: Much more here.

IMAGES: 6 Photos From The Six-Day War.

WHAT COULD THEY BE TRYING TO HIDE? Illinois DOT Busted Over Red Light Camera Spreadsheet. “The Illinois Department of Transportation’s attempt to keep information about its red light camera program secret by locking an Excel spreadsheet has backfired. The state’s second-highest court last week ruled the move violated the state’s freedom of information laws and ordered the agency pay an anti-camera activist $12,561 in compensation.”

NICE TO SEE THAT MY “HAM SANDWICH NATION” PIECE IS QUOTED IN George Will’s new column on sentencing.

A new, and significantly revised, version of my piece will be published by the Columbia Law Review this month. The message remains the same.

WHAT ENRON AND THE IRS HAVE IN COMMON: Ethical meltdowns are rarely the work of a few rogue workers. They take their cues from toxic leadership.

NOW AVAILABLE FOR INSTANT DELIVERY ON KINDLE: The Insta-Wife’s Men on Strike: Why Men Are Boycotting Marriage, Fatherhood, and the American Dream – and Why It Matters. Buy it now!

NO LEGAL EXCEPTIONS FOR RICE AND PANETTA: “Two incidents yesterday raise a critical issue at the heart of this administration’s problems and sinking credibility: Is there one standard of justice for the administration’s people and one for the rest of us?” Yes. Next question?

MORGAN MANNING IN POPULAR MECHANICS: Yes, You Have the Right to Record the Police: Analysis.

MICHAEL S. GREVE: Mass. Destruction: “Massachusetts v. EPA (2007) created a greenhouse gas exception to every known principle of Administrative Law. It also prompted an improvised EPA climate change regime, which is shaping up as the most convoluted and expensive regulatory regime in history. The Supremes will get another look at this disaster-in-the-making, and not a moment too soon.”

HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA? (CONT’D): Guy who asked Obama about employment in October debate still looking for a job.

ROGER SIMON: Israel Day #6: Face-to-Face with the Enemy (soft of).

ON NRA NEWS, my former student Sara Ellis talks about her 52 Weeks, 52 Things blog. Just click the tab with her name on the right.

And here’s the blog.