8/16 Morning Communiqué

THESE DAYS

Rep. John Kline apologized on Tuesday to U.S. Marines under investigation in the deaths of two dozen Iraqi civilians in Haditha in a statement his office said spared him from a libel lawsuit.

Shipping companies like UPS report that scores of travelers are now opting to ship their suitcases in an effort to ward off possible security checkpoint delays at airports.

Search engine giant Google has fired off a series of legal letters to media organizations, warning them against using its name as a verb.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Links to Vikings stories from national and regional news outlets can be found at Purple Pride.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin, Texas, hosted a (Blanks) on a (Blank) filmmaking competition inspired by Snakes on a Plane. Random animals and random vehicles were doled out to filmmakers to create such masterpieces as Hedgehogs on a Motorboat and Raccoons on a Space Shuttle.

Raiders of the Lost Ark re-enacted in 30 seconds by bunnies

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"They will poop everywhere."

-- Jules Sylvester, head animal trainer for Snakes on a Plane