OUCH: Franken pays $70,000 in back taxes and penalties in 17 states. No rest-room groping charges yet, though, so I’m not sure he’s ready for the U.S. Senate.

IT’S FINAL EXAMS AT THE LAW SCHOOL, and I’m already grading. Luckily, I only have papers — no exams — this semester. Grading papers is much less of a chore than grading exams. Students are studying, as you can see.

Click “read more” to see photos.

PROFESSOR THREATENS CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT AGAINST STUDENTS, for criticizing her in course evaluations. That’s gonna make people more willing to pony up the big-bucks Dartmouth tuition . . . .

HEY, MAYBE PHOTO ID REQUIREMENTS REALLY DO HURT MINORITY VOTERS: Reader Matt Szekeley sends this about the Texas Democratic Caucuses. Local Obama supporters get tripped up by the Texas Two-Step:

One bitter point of contention involved the verification process. Each participant needed to provide photo identification and a stamped voter card, proving that they’d cast a ballot in the Democratic primary. Attempting to follow the guidelines in the packet, Gonzalez pointed out that anyone in line without a stamped card needed to be marked “Provisional.” If the person in question supported Clinton, Gonzalez says she’d find herself bombarded with complaints from Clinton volunteers.

But it all evens out: “Perhaps because the caucus system worked so well for Obama at the statewide level, campaign reps don’t seem too eager to investigate local irregularities.”

WELL, YES: “An international group of food scientists says countries should not use food crops to produce biofuels during a world food crisis. . . . Instead of using grains, the international group is calling on the U.S. and other countries to shift biofuels production to nonfood crops such as switchgrass.”

But, actually, as some critics are trying to tar all biofuels as if they are made from corn, this is a point worth stressing. Crop-based biofuels are just votebuying from farmers, but others are worth pursuing.

UPDATE: In response to questions, switchgrass grows on marginal lands that aren’t really suitable for food crops. And Bob Zubrin says it’s possible to make enough ethanol and methanol to replace OPEC’s output using only agricultural waste.

NEGATIVE COATTAILS: Obama looking like a down-ticket drag?

IF YOU’RE READING THIS, YOU PROBABLY NEED THESE: Exercises To Avoid Pain While At Your Computer.

UPDATE: David Chappell emails: “Actually I’m reading it on my phone on the DC metro.”

I did say “probably.”

OKAY, THIS GADGET LOOKS PRETTY COOL: But wouldn’t it be a distraction, on a motorcycle?

UPDATE: Most readers say no: “Lots of riders are using GPS these days. It’s a wonderful tool when exploring, and a lot easier to use on the fly than a paper map. It’ll also show you where to find gas’food, and how to get back where you came from if you’ve just picked roads at random.”

“BMW is a big fan, offering these as an accessory to their M/Cs. And as a former M/C rider, I can assure you having a Garmin read directions into your ear would be a lot less distracting than checking a paper map on your tank bag as you drive down a country lane…” You could come to a stop, you know.

“Personally, I use the Garmin StreetPilot 2610, but do not use the audio inputs to my helmet. I find the visual cues to be sufficient. I ride without the use the audio inputs which I find distracting. Still others have employed elaborate communication systems wherein they normally listen to either an iPod/MP3/Satellite radio but the navigation system has priority for ‘turn-by-turn-navigation.’ For the people that I ride with, the emplyment of the Garmin/music mix doesn’t seem to be any more distracting to them while they’re on a motorcycle than it is when they’re in their cars, and none of them impress me as bad vehicle drivers. I think it really comes down to an individual case. Some of my friends seem not to be distracted by the additional input, I can’t handle the ‘distraction’.”

RICK MORAN on the Obama press conference. “Obama has credibility issues with Wright as well as his other problem associates Ayers and indicted Chicago political fixer Tony Rezko. In each and every case, Obama has first downplayed his connections to these political hot potatoes. Wright was a ‘crazy uncle.’ Ayers, a ‘neighbor.’ Rezko, just ‘one of thousands of contributors’ to his campaign. Only when these associations have reached a critical political mass has Obama tried to put out the fire.”

UPDATE: “I never had sexual relations with that pastor.”

ANOTHER UPDATE: “Obama on Wright: He Really Means It This Time.”

AMY ALKON NOTES a choice bit of idiocy.

ADVICE TO OBAMA SUPPORTERS, from Michael Silence: “Quit splitting hairs. You’re only making the story drag on. Most of us will not be basing our votes on who the candidate’s preacher is/was. We will, however, be basing our votes on a candidate’s forthrightness and candor. And the latter has taken a beating lately.”

LARRY KUDLOW: Bush Whiffs on the Dollar. But how much can Bush really do?

MORE DUMB DOOR-CRASHING BY POLICE:

Brooklyn Park police were looking for a meth lab, but they found a fish tank and the chemicals needed to maintain it.

And a few hours later, when the city sent a contractor to fix the door the police had smashed open Monday afternoon, it was obvious the city was trying to fix a mistake.

Read the whole thing. If it were me, I’d not only sue the police, but the “informant” who thought the smell of vinegar meant drugs.

BOLD ACTION on clean energy? Well, possibly.

RUNNING TO FEEL YOUNGER! Er, or something: “I’m now hobbling like an old man. Every part of my lower body hurts.”

IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T VISITED IN A WHILE, Freeman Hunt is back to regular blogging.

MENACING THE IRANIAN MULLARCHY with Barbie, Harry Potter, and Spider Man.

Plus, leaving George Clooney in the erotic dust.

WAS THE JEREMIAH WRIGHT APPEARANCE arranged by the Clinton camp? Or not?

Barbara Reynolds is no relation.

UPDATE: I can’t get away with anything: Why is Glenn Reynolds going out of his way to deny that he is related to Barbara Reynolds? Photos on blogs don’t lie!

ERIC SCHEIE: “We hear a lot about ‘choice,’ and we tend to think of it as an individual thing. At least, I’ve always thought of it that way. I’d hate to think that choice is being redefined as a choice of herds.”

OBAMA “OUTRAGED AND SADDENED” about Jeremiah Wright: “His comments were not only divisive … but I believe that they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate . . . . Whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed as a consequence of this.”

Too little, too late, and too lawyerly (“whatever relationship I had”?). And as I said yesterday, I don’t see that Wright has changed. People are just noticing. But is Obama just now noticing?

UPDATE: Jim Geraghty: “You buy that?”

ANOTHER UPDATE: TalkLeft: “Obama throws Wright under the bus.”

And here’s more on the “too lawyerly” front. And, from the comments: “Discussion of this issue might abate, and Obama’s supporters might confuse that for successful management of the problem, but the reality is, the damage has been done and it can’t be undone.”

MORE: Somebody’s polling Wright in North Carolina.

STILL MORE: Here’s a transcript of Obama’s remarks.

MORE STILL: Obama’s statement was good enough for Andrew Sullivan: “It makes me want to see him succeed more than ever.” (Via Political Wire).

THE NEW CAFE RULES STINK, according to AutoBlog: “A company that sells more large footprint vehicles would have a lower hurdle to jump. One that sells predominantly smaller cars would have to get better mileage. As a result a company like Porsche or Ferrari who sell relatively small sports cars would have to meet a higher standard than Ford or General Motors who sell more large trucks. The entire premise of this rule is absurd.”

Plus, why the whole enterprise is dumb anyway: “The only saving grace here is that, overall, as fuel prices continue to climb, buyers are likely to migrate to more efficient vehicles regardless of the footprint.” Indeed.

MORE PROTEST AGAINST FOX’S NEW SHOW, BAD DADS. “Bad Dads singles out fathers for shaming, when U.S. Census data shows that noncustodial fathers are more likely to pay their child support than noncustodial mothers.” But women are the ones who watch TV and buy things from advertisers.

THERE’S NO BUSINESS like race business.

THE LATEST GRAND ROUNDS IS UP!

MORE ON THAT DNC AD from J.D. Johannes.