Wednesday, 6 April 2011

Midday open thread

  • We'll be blogging the Wisconsin Supreme Court race results tonight?a race that features incumbent David "I'll complement Scott Walker" Prosser against challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg?starting at 9:00 (EDT). Join us.
  • EMILY's List is set to release their top targets for 2012:
    The targets include New Hampshire Rep. Charles Bass, Minnesota Rep. Chip Cravaack, Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, Nevada Rep. Joe Heck and Florida Rep. Allen West.

    In a statement released Tuesday, the pro-abortion-rights organization outlined the criteria for their targets: ?First, despite short tenures, they?ve already amassed appallingly anti-woman, anti-family records. And second, there is major Democratic female talent waiting in the wings.?

  • To me, this sounds more like a right-winger ginning up some outrage:
    A bloody pig?s foot and an anti-Semitic note addressed to Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) were intercepted at a congressional mail facility on Monday.  [...]

    ?Somewhere in the message it says ?all the babies in America will be named Mohammed,?? the source said. The letter also says ?kiss my black Muslim ass.?

  • It'll go nowhere, but it's nice to see some?any?push back against the Republican agenda:
    Rep. Gerry Connollly (D-Va.) wants to change the title of a bill that would permanently block Environmental Protection Agency climate regulations to the "Koch Brothers Appreciation Act," a reference to the billionaire brothers who are active in Republican politics.

    Connolly has submitted to the House Rules Committee a series of amendments that would change the title of the bill to everything from the "Middle Eastern Economic Development and Assistance Act" to the "Head in the Sand Act."

    Others include the "Protecting Americans from Polar Bears Act? and the "Oil Producing Economy Capitulation Act."

  • Since Republicans in Florida have declared "uterus" to be a dirty word, a group of uterusites has emerged:
    Last week, state Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, suggested that his wife ?incorporate her uterus? in the hopes that it may receive the same kind of privacy and protection businesses in Florida receive. Well, some of Randolph?s colleagues were not so thrilled with Randolph?s suggestion. To be clear, it was not the sentiment behind the suggestion that riled them ? it was merely the use of the word ?uterus.?

    After conservative members of the house reprimanded Randolph, women and pro-uterus advocates are having a lot of fun with their Internet response.

    Among this band of uterus-loving folks: the ACLU of Florida. The ACLU has just launched a website at which women can incorporate their uteri online, thus sending a message to Florida legislators that ?less regulation and government intrusion begins with a woman?s uterus.? The website calls on women to literally make their uterus their own business.  [...]

    As of now, more than 1,650 people have joined the Facebook group and Susannah has asked that women form a ?powerful, secret society known from this day forth as: The Uterati.?

  • Nothing to see here, folks, move along:
    The depletion of the ozone layer shielding Earth from damaging ultraviolet rays has reached an unprecedented low over the Arctic this spring because of harmful chemicals and a cold winter, the U.N. weather agency said Tuesday.
  • Well, this is a real nail-biter:
    Republican Gov. Robert F. McDonnell is considering whether to try to derail proposed regulations developed by his Democratic predecessor that would for the first time allow gay couples to adopt children in Virginia.  [...]

    Eric Finkbeiner, McDonnell?s policy director, said that the governor was considering his options but in general ?supports and encourages? adoption of children by married couples and single parents.

    McDonnell alienated gay rights activists shortly after taking office when he excluded sexual orientation from an executive order that barred discrimination in the state workforce, a break in tradition from his Democratic predecessors.

  • Hopefully they'll get the extra time they're asking for:
    A coalition of 32 groups, including the League of Conservation Voters, the National Wildlife Federation and Audubon Nebraska, have written a letter to Sec. of State Hillary Clinton requesting a longer period for public comment on the Keystone XL pipeline.

    The State Department is in the process of considering the project, which would carry Canadian tar sands crude oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast of the United States. Environmental groups call the plan unnecessary and a threat to sensitive environments along the pipeline?s proposed route.

  • Elon Musk, CEO and founder of SpaceX, announced a powerful new rocket -- with almost half the lifting power of a Saturn V -- that could dramatically lower the cost of manned and unmanned space exploration. From today's official press release on the Falcon Heavy:
    [M]ore than twice the payload, but less than one third the cost of a Delta IV Heavy.The 2012 budget for four Air Force launches is $1.74B, which is an average of $435M per launch. Falcon 9 is offered on the commercial market for $50-60M and Falcon Heavy is offered for $80-$125M. (More at MSNBC)
    ? DarkSyde


Source: http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/515rOvg8Szs/-Midday-open-thread

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