Funny how it seems like many republicans talk about how much they hate earmarks, but they were never able to even pass simple steps like this, banning earmarks to for-profit companies, which will eliminate no-bid contracts like those to halliburton in the past.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/11/us/politics/11earmark.html?hp

A good example of our irrational fear of disease driving costs and increasing suffering while not significantly reducing the problem.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10Ablin.html

Now if only they could get backwards states to agree on teaching of evolution and climate change...

"The European Parliament defied the EU executive today (10 March), casting a vote against an agreement between the EU, the US and other major powers on combating online piracy and threatening to take legal action at the European Court of Justice.

This is how I feel sometimes...

"Unable to rest their eyes on a colorful photograph or boldface heading that could be easily skimmed and forgotten about, Americans collectively recoiled Monday when confronted with a solid block of uninterrupted text.

Dumbfounded citizens from Maine to California gazed helplessly at the frightening chunk of print, unsure of what to do next. Without an illustration, chart, or embedded YouTube video to ease them in, millions were frozen in place, terrified by the sight of one long, unbroken string of English words. "

"A joint resolution on Transparency and State of Play of ACTA negotiations from virtually all party groups in the European Parliament was tabled earlier today.  It will debated tonight and faces a vote on Wednesday.  If approved, the resolution marks a major development in the fight over ACTA transparency.  It calls for public access to negotiation texts and rules out further confidential negotiations.  Moreover, the EP wants a ban on imposing a three-strikes model, assurances that ACTA will not result in personal searchers at the border, and an ACTA impact assessment on fundamental rights

More great quotes from Beck:
"I'm begging you, your right to religion and freedom to exercise religion and read all of the passages of the Bible as you want to read them and as your church wants to preach them . . . are going to come under the ropes in the next year. If it lasts that long it will be the next year. I beg you, look for the words 'social justice' or 'economic justice' on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!"

State Sen. Roy Ashburn (R-Calif.), the fierce opponent of gay rights who was arrested last week for drunk driving after leaving a gay nightclub, confirmed in a radio interview Monday that he is gay.

"I'm gay," Ashburn told local radio host Inga Barks before returning to the Senate for the first time since his arrest. "Those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/08/roy-ashburn-im-gay_n_490297.html

The latest trend on Fox is to demonize lawyers who defended Gitmo prisoners... what happened to "innocent until proven guilty?" Are they saying that the accused aren't entitled to representation?  Is it enough for a state to make a claim that someone should be sent to prison or death?