Blog Heap of Links for the day 26 May 2009

Mexican authorities have arrested 27 high-ranking officials suspected of collaborating with drug-trafficking gangs in the state of Michoacan. They include 10 mayors, a judge and an aide to the governor of Michoacan.

North Korea launched an additional short-range missile from its east coast Tuesday night.... Officials here believe the missile launches are partly aimed at preventing South Korean and U.S. reconnaissance planes from nearing the communist state to verify its claimed nuclear test....

North Korea is reported to have fired another missile, despite US warnings it would "pay a price" for nuclear and missile tests in recent days. The launch of the missile coincides with efforts to secure a UN Security Council resolution condemning the country's nuclear programme.

A Nielsen Co. report found unlimited texting plans offered by wireless carriers have sent U.S. teens on a messaging spree, sending and receiving an average of 2,272 texts per month, more than double the amount from a year earlier. Physicians said all the texting is causing anxiety, distraction in school, falling grades, repetitive stress injury and sleep deprivation among teenagers.

accused of throwing hot coffee at a neighbor's dog.... Police said they could smell coffee on the dog's fur....

Police have issued an Amber Alert for a 9-year-old girl who they believe is may be in the trunk of a sport utility vehicle with her mother after being carjacked in suburban Philadelphia.

Director Mike Judge's new animated television series "The Goode Family" is a send-up of a clan of environmentalists who live by the words "What would Al Gore do?" Gerald and Helen Goode want nothing more than to minimize their carbon footprint. They feed their dog, Che, only veggies (much to the pet's dismay) and Mr. Goode dutifully separates sheets of toilet paper when his wife accidentally buys two-ply. And, of course, the family drives a hybrid.

China's official foreign exchange manager is still buying record amounts of US government bonds, despite Beijing's increasingly vocal fear of a dollar collapse, according to officials and analysts.

STROUD, OK -- The countdown is on as a popular Route 66 restaurant is about to reopen after being nearly destroyed by a fire. On May 20, 2008, the Rock Cafe nearly burned to the ground, tearing apart a piece of Oklahoma history. Rock Cafe owner Dawn Welch has been putting the puzzle back for a little more than a year.

A judge ruled Tuesday afternoon that 13-year-old Daniel Hauser's parents could have custody of their son as long as they agree to treat his cancer with chemotherapy. Colleen and Anthony Hauser now say they understand their son needs chemotherapy. A doctor's exam showed the tumor, which is located in his chest, has grown and is pushing against his trachea, causing pain.

Psystar, maker of the the Open Computer, has filed for bankruptcy protection. ... "Debtor sales have been greatly affected by the decrease in consumer spending. The financial crisis has also caused creditors to tighten up their terms and become more demanding for immediate payment," the company said in a court document. Psystar also blames its partner vendors' own financial problems, which resulted in Psystar having to pay higher prices on parts. At that point, Psystar was unable "to turn a significant profit in each sale."

questions about her temperament, her judicial craftsmanship, and most of all, her ability to provide an intellectual counterweight to the conservative justices, as well as a clear liberal alternative. ... The most consistent concern was that Sotomayor, although an able lawyer, was "not that smart and kind of a bully on the bench...."

Already, a few Republicans have cast doubt on Sotomayor's objectivity. And her history of decisions and opinions surely will raise more questions. ... Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, in a written statement, said Tuesday he's concerned Sotomayor has shown "personal bias based on ethnicity and gender...." Sotomayor has a record of being rebuffed by the high court. Of the six decisions she was a part of that came before the high court, five were reversed. In the sixth, the court disagreed with Sotomayor's reasoning.

Four states are ordering people to wipe the grins off their faces in their license photos. "Neutral facial expressions" are required at departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) in Arkansas, Indiana, Nevada and Virginia. That means you can't smile, or smile very much. Other states may follow.

President Obama is expected to announce late this week that he will create a "cyber czar," a senior White House official who will have broad authority to develop strategy to protect the nation's government-run and private computer networks, according to people who have been briefed on the plan.

Berkeley Elliott Challis took sudden leave from our planet on Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Berkeley was born on May 17, 1982 in Oklahoma City to proud parents, Michael Challis and Elizabeth Hansel Challis. ... Berkeley will be remembered by his amazing willingness to be of service to those in need. He was a true friend and always ready to lend a hand. He was a skilled automotive technician, a carpenter, a gardener, and the best cook in the family. ...The Mansions on High now have a dedicated servant as he continues his Paradise ascent to find the satisfactions of eternal service. ...