The call for submissions

Are you participating in a “Tea Party” rally in your hometown . . . or, do you have plans to attend a counter-rally? Will you brave the lines at your local post office or do you plan to hit the send-button for e-filing just before midnight? What are your views as this year’s tax deadline arrives: do you think taxes are a burden to pay, or the patriotic duty of every citizen?

Share your personal experiences of Tax Day 2009 on video with C-SPAN. It’s simple:

1. Upload your video to your favorite video sharing web site (YouTube is preferred, but we also support Viddler, Vimeo, Qik, Facebook and several others).

2. Revisit this page after 12 noon ET on Tax Day (Wednesday, April 15th) and send us the link to your video.

Videos don’t need to be dazzling Hollywood productions. We want your authentic, creative voice – a video that demonstrates your views and personal experiences on Tax Day 2009. Some of the videos submitted may be shown on the networks of C-SPAN on cable.

Michelle Malkin has an excellent rundown on the movement and your options for independent coverage of the events.

More information is available at TheyThinkYouAreStupid.com

Updates are also being posted on Twitter at FlyNavy.

Somali pirates are pretty crafty but they’re no match for the SEALs:

The American captain of a cargo ship held hostage by pirates jumped overboard from the lifeboat where he was being held, and U.S. Navy SEALs shot and killed three of his four captors, according to a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the situation.

Capt. Richard Phillips was helped out of the water off the Somali coast and is uninjured and in good condition, the official said. He was taken aboard the USS Bainbridge, a nearby naval warship.

At the time of the shootings, the fourth pirate was aboard the USS Bainbridge negotiating with officials, the source said. That pirate was taken into custody.

Maersk Line Limited issued a statement saying it was informed at 1:30 p.m. by the U.S. government that Phillips had been rescued. John Reinhart, president and CEO, called Phillips’ wife, Andrea, to tell her the good news.

The ship’s crew was “jubilant” when they received word, the statement says.

There’s more on the new CD at Queensryche’s site. Music site JAMSBIO has developed a very cool community driven site for the album that allows their users to share their own stories and honor friends and family who’ve served.