Turns out the Republicans' spin machine doesn't extend outside our borders.

Ever been concerned with whether your employer's reading your email or text messages? Good news — the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided yesterday that if your employer uses a third party service for email or text messaging (email is commonly run internally, but just about all text messaging is done by third parties), the employer cannot see your messages without your permission even if they are the ones paying for the service.

The first real blow against predatory short-term lenders in the United States looks like it may be coming from Ohio.

The California Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision today that a law prohibiting gay marriage was unconstitutional, even if it allowed for "civil unions."

One of my favorite sayings has always been Hanlon's Razor: "Do not blame on malice what can properly be explained by stupidity." Paul Kiel at TPM Muckraker is having some trouble deciding which of the two is rearing its ugly head when it comes to a key figure in rooting out corruption in Iraq being forced to live here penniless as an illegal immigrant.

The Associated Press is calling the Mississippi special election tonight for Democrat Travis Childers over Republican Greg Davis for the remainder of Republican Roger Wicker's House term.

Six men were facing trial yesterday before a military tribunal for involvement in the September 11 attacks. But only five will be prosecuted. The sixth? He was one of the detainees subjected to torture.

Finally, there is some movement on the FISA domestic surveillance bill.

Following Pastor Jeremiah Wright's media tour over the past few days explaining his controversial statements at the pulpit, Senator Barack Obama is more aggressively distancing himself from his embattled pastor, saying he "might not know him as well as I thought."

Four Michigan Democrats, including Senator and Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, have signed their name onto a compromise plan to seat Michigan delegates to the Democratic national convention.