Blumenthal's Words Differ From His History  —  At a ceremony honoring veterans and senior citizens who sent presents to soldiers overseas, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut rose and spoke of an earlier time in his life.  —  Multimedia  —  Enlarge This Image

More Muslims In Bikinis Please — UPDATED  —  Did the new Miss USA from “Dearbornistan” win because of politics?  I don't really care.  Have you seen the pictures?  —  If you haven't.  Check her out.  She's gorgeous.  And she's not wearing a burqa.  —  She's in a bikini.  And she's not wearing a burqa.

White House bracing for Arlen Specter loss?  —  If this is true, it's significant: CBS chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer is now saying that he has it on good authority that the White House is privately bracing for Arlen Specter to lose tomorrow.  —  Schieffer, to my knowledge, has not said this on national TV yet.

Press Freedom, Sure.  But No Questions.  —  There was some rich irony at the White House today — President Obama signed the Press Freedom Act, and then promptly refused to take any questions.  —  The new law expands the State Department's annual human rights reports to include a description of press freedoms in each country.

Saudi woman beats up virtue cop  —  Incident follows a wave of challenges to religious authorities.  —  Talkbacks (16)  —  Make JPOST.COM your Home Page  —  Iranian Threat  —  Jewish World  —  Local Israel  —  Arts & Culture  —  Français  —  Classifieds  —  Israel  —  Middle East

Supreme Court Upholds Commitment of Sex Offenders  —  WASHINGTON — In a broad endorsement of federal power, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Congress has the authority under the Constitution to allow the continued civil commitment of sex offenders after they have completed their criminal sentences.

Interior official who oversees offshore drilling for MMS resigns  —  The top Interior Department official who oversees offshore oil and gas drilling for the Minerals Management Service will retire on May 31, The Washington Post has learned.  —  Chris Oynes, who oversaw oil and gas leasing …

Pawlenty budget a GOP model  —  Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's final budget, completed early Monday morning over the protests of angry Democrats and passed in a special session of the state legislature later in the day, positions the 2012 Republican presidential hopeful as the embodiment …

Is it time to blow up the leaking Gulf oil well?  BP doing its best to keep that option under wraps  —  Shepard Smith had a fascinating segment on the catastrophic Gulf oil spill today, featuring an interview with a former nuclear-sub captain who argued persuasively that it was time …

Dems prepare to pass war funding bill without Republican support  —  House Democrats are preparing to pass an Afghanistan war-spending bill on a party-line vote as Republicans balk at extra provisions the White House wants in the measure.  —  Passing such a spending bill through the lower chamber …

The President & Vice President's Financial Disclosure Forms  —  Today, the President and Vice President released their 2009 financial disclosure reports.  —  The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 requires high-level federal officials to publicly disclose their personal financial interests.

Obama's aunt given OK to stay in United States  —  President Barack Obama's paternal aunt, Zeituni Onyango, is shown leaving federal immigration court at the John F. Kennedy building in downtown Boston this February.  (Globe Staff/Photo Jonathan Wiggs)  —  A Boston immigration judge …

What spill?  Rig owner approves $1 billion dividend to shareholders  —  Five days after appearing before Congress to testify about its responsibility in one of the worst oil spills in US history, the Swiss company that owned and operated the oil rig that sunk into the Gulf of Mexico announced …

Woody Allen says President Obama should be granted dictatorial powers (seriously)  —  Woody Allen and wife Soon-Yi Previn.  (AP)  —  Woody Allen has a strange take on the democracy that allowed him to become rich and famous.  —  The “Scoop” director said it would be a cool idea …

The Revenue Limits of Tax and Spend  —  Whether rates are high or low, evidence shows our tax system won't collect more than 20% of GDP.  —  The Greeks have always been trendsetters for the West.  Washington has repudiated two centuries of U.S. fiscal prudence as prescribed by the Founding Fathers …

Politics as Entertainment  —  One of the most disturbing trends in American politics has been the increasing rise of conservative pundits who I don't think are honestly mistaken or lying for tactical political advantage, but rather just making stuff up because they don't really care …

The Great Consolidation  —  This feels like a populist moment.  Americans are Tea Partying.  Greeks are rioting.  Incumbents are being thrown out; the Federal Reserve is facing an audit; Goldman Sachs is facing prosecution.  In Kentucky, Ron Paul's son might be about to win a Republican Senate primary.

Too Far?  Family Guy's Vietnam Veterans Memorial ‘Joke’  —  It's not a secret that Family Guy is famous for its offensiveness and tendency to cross the politically correct line.  That said, I suspect they may be called upon to issue some sort of apology after tonight's episode (not that they will …

Why Does Academia Treat Its Workforce So Badly?  —  A piece on adjuncts in Inside Higher Ed has been attracting a lot of attention among academics of my acquaintance.  Its description of academic life is shockingly brutal—shocking even to me, who knows enough PhDs to be acquainted with the dismal facts:

Birthers v. Truthers, Again — By: Jonah Goldberg  —  As I wrote last year, I find it amazing that the “Birthers” are considered more dangerous and evil than the “Truthers.”  The Birthers believe that an ambitious man who travelled a lot as a kid has concealed the circumstances of his birth so he could be eligible for the presidency.

Public option is alive and well, but hidden  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wasn't kidding when she famously said Congress had to pass Obamacare “so you can see what's in it.”  And now as more people find out what's in the 2,700-plus pages of the law, a steadily lengthening list …

Israel Roiled After Chomsky Barred From West Bank  —  JERUSALEM — A fierce debate broke out in Israel on Monday amid finger pointing and hand wringing over the country's refusal a day earlier to permit Noam Chomsky, the linguist and icon of the American left, to enter the occupied West Bank from Jordan.

Texas teacher singles out Latino student during SB-1070 discussion, says Mexicans always ‘expect handouts.’  —  The San Antonio News reports that a Jefferson High School English teacher has been “removed from the classroom” for singling out a Latino student wearing a Mexican soccer jersey and publicly insulting him.