In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop  —  SAN FRANCISCO — They work long hours, often to exhaustion.  Many are paid by the piece — not garments, but blog posts.  This is the digital-era sweatshop.  You may know it by a different name: home.

Obama Campaign: “McCain Is Not A Warmonger”  —  Yesterday evening, Senator Barack Obama dropped by a fundraiser for North Dakota Democrats.  The campaign arranged with the state party to allow a print pool reporter to accompany the senator, but no cameras were allowed, which has been typical at fundraisers …

North Carolina Democratic Primary  —  North Carolina: Obama 56% Clinton 33%  —  In North Carolina, Barack Obama has opened up a twenty-three percentage point lead over Hillary Clinton.  The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that Obama attracts 56% of the vote while Clinton earns 33%.

Colombia to Penn: You're Fired  —  More fallout from the Mark Penn Colombia episode:  —  The Colombian government said on Saturday that it was ending its relationship with Burson-Marsteller, the global public relations firm headed by Mark Penn, who is also Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's pollster and chief strategist.

Analysis: Iraqi PM wins rare support  —  BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's faltering crackdown on Shiite militants has won the backing of Sunni Arab and Kurdish parties that fear both the powerful sectarian militias and the effects of failure on Iraq's fragile government.

I Did Not Make This Up.  —  Hugh Hewitt really wrote this: … The man is completely cracked.  I guess if I were a family member I'd be worried, but since I'm not, I just think it's funny.  —  If you have the time and inclination, I strongly suggest you e-mail Hugh “evidence” and for the love of god, cc me.

Statement by the Family of Charlton Heston  —  Legendary actor, civil rights leader and political activist Charlton Heston passed away today, at the age of 84.  He died at his home with Lydia, his wife of 64 years, at his side.  Mr. Heston was loved by his two children …

MCCAIN, OBAMA, CLINTON, PETRAEUS  —  Gen. David Petraeus' return engagement on Capitol Hill next week will be of particular interest to a few of the senators on committees hearing his testimony: Sens. McCain, Obama and Clinton.  —  McCain, as the AP's Liz Sidoti points out today …

Walls close in on Phelpses  —  Judge orders liens on church building, law office  —  A federal judge in Maryland on Thursday ordered liens on the Westboro Baptist Church building and the Phelps-Chartered Law office.  —  If the case presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett …

“PINK SLIP NATION”  —  That's how the Minneapolis Star Tribune headlined its story on last month's decline in payroll jobs in its print edition: … I'm sorry to see unemployment climb to 5.1%, but by historic standards, that's not exactly a “grim picture.”

British fear US commander is beating the drum for Iran strikes  —  British officials gave warning yesterday that America's commander in Iraq will declare that Iran is waging war against the US-backed Baghdad government.  —  A strong statement from General David Petraeus about Iran's intervention …

Army Worried by Rising Stress of Return Tours to Iraq  —  WASHINGTON — Army leaders are expressing increased alarm about the mental health of soldiers who would be sent back to the front again and again under plans that call for troop numbers to be sustained at high levels in Iraq for this year and beyond.

The Media's defense of McCain's 100-years in Iraq comment  —  It's not surprising that McCain's Media must defend him at every turn.  Here's a typical example from emailer Candice: … We know that wasn't the case, Mr.Williams.  —  Bob Somerby asks: “Are these life-forms actually human?”

The “Moderate” Voice calls Phil Gramm a terrorist  —  At the so-called Moderate Voice, Sean Mullen has an interesting concept of terrorism.  Former Sen. Phil Gramm, now an adviser to John McCain's presidential campaign, is a “terrorist in pinstripes” for his sponsorship of the Financial Services Modernization Act.