After what feels like years of disgusting tales from the presidential campaigns, here's something heartwarming: Children getting involved in the political process in a cute way, without being forced to play mouthpiece for their parents. We're all for kids learning to love politics at an early age as long as they are open to both sides and not brainwashed into thinking one way or the other (for an example of that, revisit this).

And remember: You can vote however you like today. Just go vote.

The MTV VMAs are finally upon us, and I don't mind being the only one to admit that I'll be watching them from home tonight with my cat and perhaps a cupcake or two. This is good news for you, dear readers, because you can have a life and skip the circus while I liveblog the entire fiasco for your enjoyment. And if you do end up watching, you can suffer right along with me.

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DOING IT FOR THE KIDS "Rapper T.I. has just plead guilty to federal weapons possession charges — and will spend one year behind bars. T.I., real name Clifford Harris, will begin his sentence after completing at least 1,000 hours of community service — talking to kids about the dangers of drugs, gangs and guns. The rapper plead guilty to possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of machine guns and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon."

• A gross amount of guns. [SH]

• Steven Tyler's gross throat. [DListed]

• Josh Hartnett's gross movie. [PS]

• Heidi Montag's gross pleas for attention. [HT]

• A gross leg grossing around after years of its owner being grossed out by food. [INO]

• Nothing gross here. [ICYDK]

• Any number of gross things here. [Yeeeah]

• Lindsay Lohan's bodyguard being gross and copping a feel. [CityRag]

At the source of this photo the second commenter proclaims, "a white person would never do that," to which a whole host of people respond with "LOL." This is undoubtedly a reprehensible statement rendered rather impotent when one considers its author's avatar is a picture of Paris Hilton next to the words "Better Than You," but it raises this question: Is it stupider to say very ignorant shit or to do absurd garbage that gives people the opportunity to say very ignorant shit?

More under here.

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Does anyone else find it eternally frustrating that large gatherings of black entertainers are so often marred by violence? Here's information from the New York Daily News on the latest black on black crime:

According to a witness, a fight broke out between rapper T.I. and Ludacris' manager, Chaka Zulu, around 2 p.m.

"First it was two guys, then it was six guys, then it was 10 guys," said the source, describing how the fight escalated.

"Plates were being smashed, the hotel lost a palm tree. The place got trashed," said the witness.

"T.I. was like a dog in a meathouse. Chaka's shirt got all torn up. As people spilled outside, [onlookers] were asking, 'Who got shot?'"

Likening blacks to animals is not only vestigial, it's also deplorable; unless, of course, one is given reason to.

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