has anybody else noticed the small-but-growing wonkette backlash edging in on the blogosphere?

taking advantage of the collective hivemind of the blogosphere...

disconcerting, to say the least, thought not at all unexpected from an administration who only looks favorably on the free press if it agrees to act as their propoganda tool (see: jeff gannon):

The White House, intent on continuing to crank out "video news releases" that look like television news stories, has told government agency heads to ignore a Government Accountability Office memo criticizing the practice as illegal propaganda.

In a memo on Friday, Joshua Bolten, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the lawyers the White House depends on disagree with the GAO's conclusions.

Accompanying Bolten's memo was a letter from Steven Bradbury, principal deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, who said video news releases "are the television equivalent of the printed press release."

...Comptroller General David Walker of the GAO said Monday that his agency is "disappointed by the administration's actions" in telling agency heads to ignore the GAO, the investigative arm of Congress.

"This is not just a legal issue, it's also an ethical matter," Walker said. "The taxpayers have a right to know when the government is trying to influence them with their own money."

We've been enjoying a flurry of technology purchases over here at zunta HQ. I'm sure Catherine will be introducing you all to her new laptop shortly. For my part (and as you've no doubt been irritated to find out if you've seen me in the past few days), I'm the proud owner of a new Sidekick 2.

It's pretty slick -- yeah, it's a little longer than my old color sidekick, but it's also flatter and lighter. And dig that color scheme! Very imperial stormtrooper. Better battery life and reception are on the feature list, but surely most important is the ability to buy useless accessories. I can even get it bedazzled!

Also included is the de rigeur shitty digital camera. It's not too bad in daylight: