We're having a Thundersnow storm ...about 5 minutes after getting home from court the skies turned dark and snow began falling. Then you could hear thunder. It's going to snow through the night, clear tomorrow and then snow again on Saturday. Rush hour will be a mess. The local news reporter just said the only thing we haven't had yet is locusts and pestilence, but the day isn't over yet. Lots of accidents.

More local news: The Ward Churchill wrongful termination case against the University of Colorado went to the jury this morning. From his lawyer's closing: [More...]

The Guardian is providing coverage of the G20 protests on Twitter. In a related article, it reports:

Twitter switch for Guardian, after 188 years of ink

• Newspaper to be available only on messaging service
• Experts say any story can be told in 140 characters

Happy April Fools' Day. [More...]

I don't know if Conflicker is a real or over-hyped threat, but I'm not taking chances. I've updated two laptops and a desktop tonight, and now I'm going to back them all up.

Let's hope it's just an April Fool's joke. If not, and it knocks you out, here's CNEt's site with how to get rid of it.

American Idol, Dancing With the Stars and Biggest Loser all overlap tonight. If you are watching any of them ... or anything else tonight, here's a place to comment.

Here's the open thread for other topics.

Before I turn my attention to American Idol, DWTS and Slumdog Millionaire (which arrived from Netflix today), there's more news to comment on today:

• Ford and GM are offering to make car payments for buyers who lose their jobs.

• The DEA is sending 80 agents to Afhanistan to fight in the drug war. And Iran wants in on the drug war action in Afghanistan -- it's offering to help fight the Taliban drug lords -- but it doesn't want our military troops there.

• There's movement in the Coleman-Franken Minn. senate race -- it favors Al Franken.

• The House passes a bill tripling the Americorps program. It will go to Pres. Obama for signature when he returns from Europe. The bill is H.R. 1388.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

How could you pick just one Linda Ronstadt song to showcase her incredible talent and career?

Yesterday, she and other performers testified before a Congressional Committee on funding for the arts. Rep. Mike Simpson gave it a royal try: [More...]

Dancing With the Stars and 24 are on tonight.

If you're looking for something more topical, check out PBS's "expose" on Sheriff Joe Arapio. It aired Friday night and is now available for instant viewing on your computer.

One of the most controversial figures in the illegal immigration debate is Joe Arpaio, the longtime sheriff of Arizona's Maricopa County, whose aggressive hard line on local crime has received national attention. But has Sheriff Arpaio, who's made the most of federally-granted authority to enforce immigration laws, crossed the line when it comes to serving and protecting his community? Some critics have accused him of racial profiling.

It's a "look at what Sheriff Arpaio was — and wasn't — doing in the name of law enforcement." I haven't seen it yet, but PBS says most of the view reaction to the show was negative.

What are you watching tonight?

Looks like all we'll be hearing about for the next few days is the death of the American car industry.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Denver journalist and author Dave Cullen has scored a coup with his new book on Columbine. It's getting raves all over. From Newsweek today:

The definitive account, however, will likely be Dave Cullen's "Columbine," a nonfiction book that has the pacing of an action movie and the complexity of a Shakespearean drama. "Columbine" opens four days before the shooting, at a school assembly where the principal, Frank DeAngelis, admonishes his students—ominously, it turns out—to be safe during prom weekend. Cullen has a gift, if that's the right word, for excruciating detail. At times the language is so vivid you can almost smell the gunpowder and the fear.

[More...]

The article is here. I have nothing to say about it because it says next to nothing; the Media is incapable of actually addressing issues. But there it is.

It is noteworthy I suppose that Krugman is on the cover of Newsweek. But what is more important is what Krugman is saying, right or wrong, and Newsweek chose not to write about that with any understanding. Stupid article.

Speaking for me only

Adam Lambert on American Idol tonight.

We're waiting for the snowstorm of the season here in Denver ...more than 15 inches are expected, it's the only thing on the news.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Tonight's contestants on American Idol all will be singing Motown in honor of the record label's 50th Anniversary. Who would you like to hear them sing? My list: [More....]