So far in 2008, T.I. has received the sweetheart plea deal of the century and, as of this morning, delivered a brand new baby boy with his girlfriend, Tiny. Considering the fact that in 2007 he was facing 10 years in jail for illegally purchasing machine guns on the day of the BET Hip Hop Awards, things are definitely looking up for him this year. The couple named the baby Major; his big brother is named King. They just might grow up with delusions of grandeur, but as long as they stay away from the machine guns (and drug dealing, etc.) they should be good.

• Beyonce won the appeal in her copyright infringement case. She also supposedly got married to Jay-Z at Giorgio Armani's house. Whatever. [EUR]

• St. Louis firefighters, the white ones, I mean, say that a stuffed monkey, which was found by a black firefighter, hanging from its neck at the firehouse was just ringing out to dry after being found at the scene of a fire. Hmmm. [NYT]

• Along with this story, whose headline reads "Does Obama's Win Show US Is Colorblind," I received about 10 links in my inbox this morning about whether the man's "blackness" is at an appropriate level. So I guess that answers that question. [NW]

• T.I. and Tiny are having a baby that probably won't really get to know its dad until its in elementary school. [People]

• Blacks and Jews in NYC need to band together to stop hate crimes, say community leaders. [NYDN]

• Yung Joc continues trying to have a a hit as big as "It's Goin' Down." [PE]

• Black women in South Carolina struggle to choose their favorite presidential candidates and administer relaxers at the same time. [NYT]

• Jamie Foxx is a sad clown. [SP]

• If Tiny is really pregnant, and I hope she's not, considering her boyfriend's current situation, then whose marijuana and Ecstasy was she carrying when T.I. got arrested? [SR]

• Speaking of T.I. he was just denied bail. Tough break. [AHH]