* Julien’s List friends, Ms. Julien and ‘Bean both noted this article in E&P;, with J saying “This is the beginning of the end..unless something changes mightily in the midterm elections“: Nurse Investigated for ‘Sedition’ After Writing Letter to Editor. We are in deep sh*t; what is happening in this country?

Laura Berg, a clinical nurse specialist for 15 years, wrote a letter in September to a weekly Albuquerque newspaper criticizing how the administration handled Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq Wwr. She urged people to “act forcefully” by bring criminal charges against top administration officials, including the president, to remove them from power because they played games of “vicious deceit.” She added: “This country needs to get out of Iraq now and return to our original vision and priorities of caring for land and people and resources rather than killing for oil….Otherwise, many more of us will be facing living hell in these times.”

The agency seized her computer and launched an investigation. Berg is not talking to the press, but reportedly fears losing her job.

* Eva at Lloydletta and Dump Michele Bachmann dropped me a link about a fundraiser that my senator, The Empty Wig, Elizabeth Dole, is going to be appearing at a St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser for, as Eva calls him — The Empty Suit, Congressman Mark Kennedy (R) of Minnesota. Kennedy was an original co-sponsor of the FMA, btw. He’s running for the U.S. Senate, so Dole’s there in her inept role as head of the National Repug Senatorial Committee. You wouldn’t want to miss (and I’m not kidding) the Shamrock Dinner or the Leprechaun Reception. If you sell ten $150 tickets, you get an upgrade to the Leprechaun reception and a photo of Mark Kennedy and Liddy. Be there or be square.

* Michael Jensen at The Big Gay Picture has a profile and interview with the partner of Laurel Hester, Stacie Andree. You’ll recall that Laurel Hester, a former police officer who is suffering from terminal cancer in Ocean County, New Jersey won, after a long and heinous battle, the right to leave her pension benefits to Stacie.

* Hughes for America has a great post up on the Chris Matthews nonsense. A snippet:

Last Friday, “Hardball” host Chris Matthews repeatedly suggested that liberals or homosexuals might have been responsible for the tragic series of church fires in Alabama. Without warning and without evidence, Matthews pointed fingers, going so far as to ignore evidence to the contrary suggested by his guest, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

While his right-leaning opinions have been well documented, Friday’s baseless assertions represented a new low for Matthews, who flatly accused liberals and homosexuals of politically motivated acts of terrorism. Coming to his defense was a little-known Virginia blog, The Staunton News Leader, which, in addition to spreading anti-gay rhetoric, may be infringing on the copyright of a local newspaper of the same name. Says the online News Leader:

In Chris Matthews defense, it would more likely that liberals are burning the churches then conservatives. I think its very good to point out that there are a lot angry Gays out there, and they’d love to get back at Christians some how. Plus, liberals are just angry people; I’ve never met a liberal that was happy.

* Blender Sarah in Chicago points to a judge’s ruling that LGBT minors were mistreated at a youth correctional facility in Hawaii. The ACLU had filed a suit last September on behalf of the three kids, who alleged abuse and harrassment because of their sexual orientation or gender identity while at The Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility.