Blog Heap of Links for the day 12 March 2011

President Barack Obama said Friday that the Pentagon has assured him that the Army private who is believed responsible for the largest leak of classified American documents ever is being held under appropriate conditions.

A bus crash in the Bronx killed at least 14 people on its way back from a casino.

The man who sketched a penguin to fame heads to the cinema with 'Mars Needs Moms'

Cartoonist Jimmy Johnson says he's always a little nervous about the Sunday installations of his comic strip 'Arlo & Janis.'

BARTLESVILLE — The sandstone walls of the building at 113 SW Second have been standing since Bartlesville's oil boomtown days. Considered possibly the oldest building in the historic downtown district, the structure will start a new chapter this week. On Sunday, Keller Williams Realty and Auctions By Mary are selling the building to the highest bidder.

A municipal official of the town of Futaba in Fukushima prefecture said: ''More than 90% of the houses in three coastal communities have been washed away by tsunami. Looking from the fourth floor of the town hall, I see no houses standing.'' In one of the worst-hit areas of Fukushima prefecture, people buried under rubble could be heard calling out for help, the Kyodo news agency reported. Four trains running in a coastal area of Miyagi and Iwate prefectures are still unaccounted for. In Ibaraki prefecture, north-east of Tokyo, many homes are still without power and there are queues at the few petrol stations that are open, says the BBC's Chris Hogg.

According to the study, 5,500 women want sperm from complete strangers, but only about 60 men are willing to donate their sperm without recompense. Now who would have seen that coming? Dr. Edward Hughes, the study's main author, is deeply concerned about this situation, and he has a solution: Government action!

Before 39-million viewers, Palin was the first public figure to openly and successfully ridicule the hitherto untouchable Barack Obama. She also was the first American woman to campaign for high office by paying homage, but no ideological dues, to the Sisterhood. This Alaskan small-town huntin', fishin' God-fearin,' abortion-hatin' mom of five showed that a woman can break through any glass ceiling she wants without the imprimatur of the feminist politburo. Richard Johnson/National Post Feminists watching Palin's stunning performance knew a stake was being driven through their movement's heart. They went ballistic.