On April 4, 1967, Martin Luther King Junior delivered a famous speech at Riverside Church in New York City, his first to overtly tackle the Vietnam war. This was exactly — to the day — a year before he was shot and killed. He didn’t like the direction in which America was heading, and today we celebrate his birth by letting a bunch of people take days (you) or half-days (me) off from work. So maybe ponder these words from Riverside as you watch another Dr., like Dr. Phil, on the teevee. As you kill the day:

It is a sad fact that because of comfort, complacency, a morbid fear of communism, and our proneness to adjust to injustice, the Western nations that initiated so much of the revolutionary spirit of the modern world have now become the arch anti-revolutionaries…. If we will make the right choice, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our world into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. If we will but make the right choice, we will be able to speed up the day, all over America and all over the world, when justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Now go plant a tree, or maybe build a friendly fence. Just leave the Internet for the afternoon. When you come back, it will be as it always was.

Three of the worst things in the world — Paultards, New York City and Republicans — combined Tuesday in a digital fantasy world known as the “Metropolitan Republican Club” to vote in the New York State Republican Straw Poll. The results were announced yesterday, and it’s clear that some alien spambots must have hacked into the voting system. MORE »

Remember that crazed dipshit of a New York City Councilman, James Oddo? You know, the one who kept telling a Norwegian comedian to get the fuck out of his office after she made a few jokes. Well Oddo never told us that he was quite the jokester himself! Try this kneeslapper: He wants to put pigeons on birth control! MORE »

• Reliable Source: First daughter Jenna Bush is leaving Washington for a teaching gig in Latin America; twin sis Barbara Bush recently landed a job in educational programming at New York’s Cooper Hewitt Museum. [WP]

• Heard on the Hill: Sen. Mel Martinez autographs photos of himself while presiding over the Senate debate on the flag-burning amendment. [Roll Call]
• Under the Dome: Big Connecticut unions have endorsed Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) in primary battle against Ned Lamont, but they’re not exactly huge fans of the senator. [The Hill]
• Rush & Molloy: Loews CEO Jonathan Tisch is contemplating a run for New York mayor. [NYDN]

As one of you aptly noted, “DHS is serious about this ‘internet’ thing.” Here’s a little more on why Homeland Security cut New York’s antiterrorism funding: MORE »

* Something about Bush just oozes envy of guys like Romeo Dallaire, and really, that’s the scariest thing of all. [DCeiver] MORE »

* Greenpeace kids should know that with just one little “free” sign, all that trash becomes a donation to the community. Viva Trotsky! [Princess Sparkle Pony] MORE »

* Names & Faces: Anna Nicole Smith’s case arrives at the Supreme Court tomorrow. [WP]
* Inside Politics: Justice Antonin Scalia: “I used to travel on the subway from Queens to Manhattan with a rifle. Could you imagine doing that today in New York City?”. . . Sen. Reid (D-Nev.): “If elections were held today, we’d pick up five seats. The Senate would be 50-50.”. . . Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) was expecting a “legit” reporter when he sat for an interview with “The Daily Show.” [WT]
* Page Six: Judith Miller is reduced to wearing all black and reading the New York Post on the subway. [NYP]

• Remember, Santa has a list! So be good for goodness’ sake, and do something nice, like helping out with some area plans to send a massive care package to the troops in Iraq. [DC Blogs] MORE »

• Good night, New York City. We sure hope you’ve arranged alternate travel plans. [Gothamist] MORE »

In Crawford last week: