“The FBI has opened an investigation into allegations that media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. sought to hack into the phones of Sept. 11 victims, a law enforcement official said Thursday.” [AP/MSNBC]

[Us Magazine]

• PajamasMedia: “Hey Reuters, Anthony Weiner is a Democrat”
• Big Journalism: “Correction Request: Reuters IDs Weiner as ‘Republican'”
• Weasel Zippers: “Reuters Labels Weiner A ‘Republican’ After He Resigns”
• Reuters: “Amid scandal, U.S. Rep. Weiner set to resign”

Wait, what?

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ABC’s “The Note” describes itself as “Washington’s Original and Most Influential Tipsheet”. Let’s find out why!

Congress Mulls Cuts to Food Stamps Program Amid Record Number of Recipients

This, strictly speaking, is true. But half of Congress is controlled by Democrats, the other half by Republicans. Guess which half is Mulling Cuts?

Congress is under pressure to cut the rapidly rising costs of the federal government’s food stamps program at a time when a record number of Americans are relying on it.

Under pressure? By whom? Are a record number of Americans gathering at the Mall to demand that Our Glorious Nation starve them to death?

The House Appropriations Committee today will review the fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill for the Department of Agriculture that includes $71 billion for the agency’s “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.” That’s $2 billion less than what President Obama requested but a 9 percent increase from 2011, which, critics say, is too large given the sizeable budget deficit.

Ah. The House Appropriations Committee. The one run by, y’know, Republicans.

But who are the critics? It’s a mystery!

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[USA Today]

Alabama Football Player’s Death Trivialized by ESPN Insider [Bleacher Report, via Formerly the Starter Wife]

[MSNBC]