Gwen Ifill Calls Out Russert, Brooks For Their Silence On Imus  —  This morning on NBC's Meet the Press, PBS anchor Gwen Ifill directly called out host Tim Russert and fellow guest David Brooks for failing to speak out against Don Imus' offensive remarks.  —  "There has been radio silence …

Gonzales: U.S.A. Review Should Have Been "More Rigorous"  —  The Justice Department has released Alberto Gonzales' written statement for Tuesday's hearing, which was provided today to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  We've posted the entire section concerning the U.S. attorneys below.

Case Closed  —  Tax cuts mean growth.  —  It's that time again, and I was thinking of the old joke about paying your taxes with a smile.  The punch line is that the IRS doesn't accept smiles.  They want your money.  —  So it's not that funny, but there is reason to smile this tax season.

Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?  —  Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious 'colony collapse' of bees  —  It seems like the plot of a particularly far-fetched horror film.  But some scientists suggest that our love of the mobile phone could cause massive food shortages …

American radio icon Don Imus disgraced, fired after threat to reveal 9/11 secrets  —  Source:  —  Pages: 12  —  In a clear sign of its intent to reign in dissident American media personalities, and their growing influence in American culture, US War Leaders this past week launched …

Firewall Fairy Is A Nappy Ho  —  Rich: … No, it's not possible and if you think Imus took full responsibility and didn't try to blame anybody for his "lynching", then you aren't paying attention, you crack-smoking honky.  —  ntodd  —  [Update: Atrios is also a nappy ho for never linking to me.]

Taking a Bat to Prejudice  —  Like many New Yorkers leaving home for work on April 15, 1947, he wore a suit, tie and camel-hair overcoat as he headed for the subway.  To his wife he said, "Just in case you have trouble picking me out, I'll be wearing number 42."

YOU FIND YOU'RE BACK IN VEGAS WITH A HANDLE IN YOUR HAND:  —  The sordid story of Muhammed Shahwani takes a new turn.  Shahwani, you'll recall, is the  —  Iraqi intelligence chieftain, surviving since the halcyon days of Iyad Allawi's tenure as premier.  His credentials as a survivor …

McCain draining war chest  —  Sen. John McCain has spent nearly two-thirds of the money he raised for his presidential campaign this year, leaving him with less than half the cash his major opponents have in the bank.  —  McCain, an Arizona Republican who raised less money than former Massachusetts …

Gen Musharraf Refuses US Military Help  —  President General Pervez Musharraf has rejected 'absolutely and totally' the prospect of a joint US-Pakistan military operation to pursue retreating insurgents inside Pakistan, reports The Pakistan Tribune.  —  " 'The whole population of Pakistan …

FDL Book Salon: Feldman Frames the Debate  —  (Please welcome author Jeffrey Feldman to the FDL Book Salon in the comments — JH)  —  Some people may say that Iraq is the most important issue of the day, others may say it is energy, or civil rights, or more abstract issues such as globalization.

"There was the risqué;, sexually offensive, sometimes racially offensive, satire, and then there was this political salon about politics and books."  —  NBC chief White House correspondent David Gregory has good insight into Imus (in this really well-done Newsweek piece by Weston Kosova):

Republicans Wish You A Painful Tax Day  —  So here's a pretty nice policy idea from John Edwards: if the IRS already has all the information it needs to do your taxes, as it does for about 50 million Americans, why don't we spare you the trouble and have the IRS do your taxes by itself?

Blogging and threats  —  I don't disagree with anything Lindsey wrote.  I disagreed with using a bloggers threats as an excuse to foist upon us all a "Blogger Code of Conduct".  —  That's what I was saying.  1) There are a**holes that will 2) email stupid s**t to any public figure …