Wow

See the super high resolution version over at NASA's site. Read More......

So did anybody catch Prince's musical malfunction?

UPDATE: A far more controversial thing happened at the Superbowl last night. The Snickers ad. Sure, the ad was homophobic, but it didn't bother me THAT much. Then I checked out the Web site associated with the ad. It basically promotes violence against gays. Check out our reporting on that here.

Okay, it was fairly obvious to everyone at our Superbowl party (and this was a room full of straight guys, no less), that Prince's half-time show at the Superbowl tonight featured a kind of shadow-theater in which he used his guitar to make it look like he was, well, really hung.

UPDATE: One of you came through, thanks.



I can't wait for the religious right to flip out on this one. Read More......

Open Thread

Even John and I are watching the Super Bowl... Read More......

Conservative GOP Senator calls McCain "intellectually dishonest"

Though I'm not sure it's fair to call someone intellectually dishonest if they're too crazy to know the difference.

[Senator Chuck] Hagel [R-NE] said Warner's resolution strikes a careful balance for a majority of senators who oppose a troop buildup but differ on the appropriate response.

He called McCain's proposal meaningless because it offers benchmarks but does not spell out what the U.S. government will do if the Iraqi officials fail to meet them.

"What are the consequences? Are we then going to pull out?" Hagel asked. "Are we going to cut funding? Now, that falls more in the intellectually dishonest category."

Read More......

Superbowl team, Indianapolis Colts, appears to endorse homophobic hate group

Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy will be the guest of honor next month at a major fundraiser for one of the lead homophobic organizations in Indiana, the Indiana Family Institute. The IFI is affiliated with super homophobe James Dobson and his extreme right, anti-gay Focus on the Family.

But what's even worse, the Colts appear to have endorsed the fundraiser, apparently permitting their logo to appear on the event's official flyer, and permitting the coach to appear in the flyer in uniform and on the job.

Yes, in America you have the right to be a homophobic bigot and lend your name to help intolerant anti-civil-rights groups raise money. But that doesn't make it right. I seriously hope Tony Dungy and the homophobic Colts won't be popping up in any commercials for any companies any time soon, or there will be hell to pay.

More from Huff Post, OutSports, AOL Sports Blog, and Pam's House Blend. Read More......

McCain: If you disagree with Bush's Iraq strategy you hate the troops

Straight talk? Try crazy talk. The man just accused the overwhelming majority of the American people of hating the troops. When in the end, they're simply going to hate John McCain.

"This is a vote of no confidence in both the mission and the troops who are going over there," [McCain] said.

It is absolutely a vote of no confidence in the mission and the commander in chief, and nutjobs like John McCain who think that genuflecting to a disaster will somehow make it better. As for dissing the troops, no one does that better than John McCain, George Bush and Joe Lieberman. You three are sending American troops to die for a lie, for a lost war, for your mistakes, FOR NOTHING. Sending someone to face sure disaster and die for your ego and your presidential ambitions is about as big a vote of no confidence in our troops as I can imagine. So spare us the "you hate the troops" crap, crazy man. Because j'accuse. Read More......

I've created an AMERICAblog facebook group

Why? Boredom, I guess. Was surfing around Facebook and realized we didn't have a group for my grad school alums. Then thought, why not make one for the blog. No clue if it will accomplish anything, but I thought it might be fun to try and see. So here you go, you can find the AMERICAblog Readers group here.

UPDATE: What is Facebook?

Facebook is an English-language social networking website, popular among college students. It was originally developed for university students, faculty and staff, but has since expanded to include everyone, including high school, corporate and geographic communities.

Read More......

1,000 dead in one week

All for a war of convenience. Read More......

Sunday Talk Shows Open Thread

Here's the line up. ABC has the leaders of the GOP factions. Is that intra-party battle considered a civil war? And, let's see how many times McCain contradicts himself:

ABC's "This Week" _ Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.; Sarah Ferguson, the duchess of York.

___

CBS' "Face the Nation" _ NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

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NBC's "Meet the Press" _ Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C.

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CNN's "Late Edition" _ White House budget director Rob Portman; former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack; former Lebanese President Amin Gemayel; Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; consumer advocate Ralph Nader.

___

"Fox News Sunday" _ Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C.

Webb vs. Graham isn't a fair fight. Webb vs. any GOPer isn't a fair fight. The Democrats need to put him out there more. Read More......

Cloneburgers to be the new mystery meat

Why should consumers have to know anything about what they are eating? Telling me that "government scientists" say there is nothing to be concerned about is not exactly reassuring considering what the Republicans have do to food safety and consumer protection. Even years ago, remember when we were told that doping up cows would never impact humans? Consumers have a right to know. Read More......