Last night David Letterman tried to clear up his tasteless joke about Sarah Palin's daughter being impregnated by Alex Rodriguez. In a bizarre defense of his comments, Letterman suggests that his jokes were above board because they were in reference to Palin's 18 year old daughter Bristol (who recently had a baby) rather than her 14 year old daughter Willow, the one who actually attended the Yankees game with her mother. "These are not jokes made about her 14-year-old daughter. I would never, never make jokes about raping or having sex of any description with a 14-year-old girl," Letterman told his viewers last night. "I mean, look at my record. It has never happened. I don't think it's funny. I would never think it was funny. I wouldn't put it in a joke....All right, so there, I hope I've cleared part of this up. Am I guilty of poor taste? Yes. Did I suggest that it was OK for her 14-year-old daughter to be having promiscuous sex? No."

So it's OK to make jokes about a girl hooking up with a much older baseball star just because she accidentally got pregnant to her long term high school sweetheart and she's of legal age? Somehow that makes her a valid target for jokes implying unprotected promiscuity (keeping in mind that she's hit the media circuit to preach abstinence)? Letterman is right to admit to poor taste here, but your Gaggler doesn't think that's sufficient. His comments reek of a misogyny that relegates women to roles as either virgins or sluts. Poor taste indeed Mr. Letterman, but perhaps vulgar and unnecessary are better descriptions.

Our favorites this morning from around the web:

Seriously, don't trash San Francisco
After a vote by the San Francisco city council, recycling becomes no longer an option. Throwing orange peels, coffee grounds and grease-stained pizza boxes in the trash will be against the law in the city by the bay, and could even lead to a fine. (SF Chronicle)

Parts of Hawaii to return native control
The Hawaiian islands -- other than playing home to paradise-seeking visitors and tour operators -- could soon be governed, at least in part, by a native Hawaiian government (similar to how Native Americans control designated lands). Former administrations have opposed the prospect but Obama, who was raised on the islands and has vowed to sign the measure, has native Hawaiians exceedingly hopeful. (AP)

Elsewhere in the Pacific...
The island of Palau has graciously offered to take some of America's most dangerous detainees formerly held at Gitmo. Where is Palau? What's it like? Time takes a good look. There's more beyond the perfect weather of paradise. (Time)

Let the American democratic analogies begin
The presidential election in Iran is far from a straight-shot democratic exercise. Foreign Policy produces an excellent digest of the candidates and potential scenarios, including one projecting an almost certain extension of the contest after voting day -- a la Florida in 2000. (Foreign Policy)