DOJ and Civil Rights to musical scientists...

From American Progress:

Think Fast

The Bush administration has recast the Justice Department's role in civil rights "by aggressively pursuing religion-oriented cases while significantly diminishing its involvement in the traditional area of race." The Department "has transferred or demoted some experienced civil rights litigators" while bringing in "graduates of religious-affiliated law schools...who favor the new priorities."

"Three months into the new U.S. military strategy that has sent tens of thousands of additional troops into Iraq, overall levels of violence in the country have not decreased, as attacks have shifted away from Baghdad and Anbar, where American forces are concentrated, only to rise in most other provinces, according to a Pentagon report released yesterday."

"Responding to shabby treatment of wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center," a bipartisan group of senators yesterday introduced a measure "to boost disability pay to those hurt in combat and improve care for brain injury."

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) announced she would join Rep. Dennis Kucinich's (D-OH) push for impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney. "Before, it was speculated that no one else would support impeachment," Kucinich said. His measure has also gained the support of Reps. Al Wynn (D-MD), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Lacy Clay (D-MO), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).

Fox News Channel (FNC) is parting ways with Gen. Wesley Clark after two years of being an FNC contributor. A Fox source told the Politico that Clark was ditched in favor of new guest contributor former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN), because Fox viewers "tell us they prefer looking at Ford to Clark." Clark will now be joining MSNBC as a military analyst.

In a call yesterday "with a group of liberal bloggers," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "called Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 'incompetent.'"

And finally: Live Earth Antarctica has been announced, living up to the extravaganza's promise to hold concerts on all seven continents. The indie rock band Nunatak -- which is "made up of five scientists aged 22 to 28 who are stationed on the generally unpopulated continent" -- will be the sole performer. Nunatak will be playing to the smallest Live Earth audience -- just 17 people -- but will be broadcast to approximately 2 billion people.

Wrap...