The First Puppy Makes a Big Splash  —  Bo, the Portuguese Water Dog, Is All Over the Web Before His Official Debut  —  Who let the dog out?  —  That's the Washington mystery du jour.  —  The identity of the first puppy — the one that the Washington press corps has been yelping about for months …

The Free World Bars Free Speech  —  For years, the Western world has listened aghast to stories out of Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations of citizens being imprisoned or executed for questioning or offending Islam.  Even the most seemingly minor infractions elicit draconian punishments.

Crisis Altering Wall Street as Big Banks Lose Top Talent  —  The turning point for Stephan Jung came in February, around the time bonus checks were slashed.  A veteran of UBS, one of many banks tarnished by the financial crisis, Mr. Jung realized that the old Wall Street would not be bouncing back any time soon.

MISUNDERSTANDING THE ‘GRASSROOTS’ CONCEPT.... Media Matters' Karl Frisch notes Glenn Beck's role in this week's Tea-bagging events.  It points to a larger truth that often goes overlooked. … While the notion of someone paying $500 to have lunch near Glenn Beck is itself amusing …

Obama half-brother ‘linked to UK sex attack’  —  BARACK OBAMA's half-brother has been refused entry to Britain after reportedly being accused of an attempted sex attack on a 13-year-old girl on his last visit.  —  Samson Obama, who runs a mobile phone shop in Nairobi in Kenya …

Stimulus funds pending as Legislature winds down  —  STATUS-QUO SESSION: Of 419 bills introduced, 9 have passed.  —  scockerham@adn.com  —  JUNEAU — With just one week left before the Alaska Legislature adjourns for the year, the conflict between Gov. Sarah Palin and lawmakers …

Saudi judge upholds man's marriage to 8-year-old  —  (CNN) — A Saudi mother is expected to appeal a judge's ruling after he once again refused to let her 8-year-old daughter divorce a 47-year-old man, a relative said.  —  Sheikh Habib Al-Habib made the ruling Saturday in the Saudi city of Onaiza.

Our Reprimitivized Future  —  The Reuters headline put it this way: “Pirates Pose Annoying Distraction For Obama.”  —  So many distractions, aren't there?  Only a week ago, the North Korean missile test was an “annoying distraction” from Barack Obama's call for a world without nuclear weapons …

Piratics  —  Three thoughts about the pirates: 1) Piracy may or may not be a matter of American national security, but the American people will not for long stand the notion that a captive brave American ship captain risks his life to escape, while formidable American naval power either cannot …

AP: POW benefit claimants exceed recorded POWs  —  Prisoners of war suffer in ways most veterans don't, enduring humiliating forced marches, torture or other trauma that may haunt them long afterward.  In partial recompense, the government extends them special benefits, from free parking and tax breaks to priority in medical treatment.

Somali Pirates Hand Obama Foreign Policy Emergency With No Easy Solution  —  Other foreign threats may pose greater concern for national security, but the problem of Somali pirates is proving just as difficult to address  —  Who would have guessed that one of President Obama's biggest foreign tests …