This might be under your radar, but the looming legislative decision in California on whether to fund Gov. Jerry Brown’s high speed rail project could determine the future of these kinds of projects across the country.

TPM is hiring a Marketing and Ad Operations Associate at our New York Headquarters. We’re looking for an ambitious self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit to work with our advertising and publishing team. The ideal candidate has a fanatical attention to detail and a creative mind, who thrives on working on many projects at one time. This position requires a great design eye and familiarity with Photoshop and Powerpoint. Interested?

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IBM developing lithium-air battery for electric cars that can go 500 miles between charges.

The judge grants George Zimmerman release on a $150,000 bond, with conditions.

Watch George Zimmerman’s apology to Trayvon Martin’s parents.

Another conservative outfit has stepped in to take up the cause of voter ID laws now that ALEC has bowed out. Longtime readers will remember these guys.

I’m generally sympathetic to the political pinch Democratic elected officials in conservative states find themselves in. I’ve lived most of my life in red states, and I get the survival instinct on display when Blue Dogs and similarly situated Dems have to tack against the national party. But what can you say about Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)? The harder he tries, the worse it gets.

With a House vote scheduled for next week, the debate over the cybersecurity bill CISPA is intensifying.

Nick Martin on the surprising twists in today’s hearing in the Trayvon Martin case.

Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), saddled with a new district that has a fraction of his former constituents and with a new California law that eliminated party primaries, is facing his first real challenge since being elected in 1972 election.