Recent Posts

Federal Judge Weakens Patriot Act

Portions of the Patriot Act were struck down as unconstitutional today. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero ordered the FBI to cease issuing the “national security letters” [NSL’s] used to secretly demand customer information from internet providers, banks, and phone companies – demands made without a court order or subpoena. In his 106-page ruling, Marrero says the letters violate both the …

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Feds To Approve New Merck HIV Med

Federal advisers have cleared the way for the FDA to approve Merck’s latest HIV medication, Isentress, which works by attacking integrase, one of the three enzymes used by HIV to replicate and infect cells. Isentress was created for patients who have developed resistance to other drugs and will be the first of a new class of meds called integrase inhibitors. …

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He Means It This Time, Probably

Larry Craig sent word today that he will be resigning after all, this time for real real. His “top spokesman” (hah!) said today, “The most likely scenario, by far, is that by October there will be a new senator from Idaho.” The spokesman also said that the only circumstances in which Craig might try to complete his term would require …

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Open Thread Thursday

What’s your favorite off-the-beaten-path place to take visitors to your town?  I like to walk my visitors around the perimeter of Roosevelt Island.  What’s your favorite free or cheap thing to do with guests? For folks visiting Manhattan, I think nothing beats the Staten Island Ferry.

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Wingnuts: Them Dems Got Good Gaydar

I yoinked the above from WingNutDaily, who are losing their shit that Larry Craig might un-resign. Today Craig’s lawyers delivered a letter to the Senate Ethics Committee saying his arrest was “wholly unrelated to his Senate duties” and therefore they should reject the complaint against him. GOP honchos were caught completely by surprise with Craig’s announcement that he might not …

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U.S. Flies Nukes Cross-Country BY MISTAKE

This has got to be the craziest shit I’ve heard in ages: WASHINGTON (CNN) — Six nuclear warheads on cruise missiles were mistakenly carried on a flight from North Dakota to Louisiana last week, prompting a major investigation, military officials have confirmed. “This is a major gaffe, and it’s going to cause some heads to roll down the line,” said …

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Rep. Paul Gillmor, 68

Holy cow! This has been a tough couple of weeks for the right-wing. This morning 10-term Ohio Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-OH) was found dead in his Washington, DC apartment. Gillmor had a zero rating from most progressive watchdog groups as he supported a ban on gay adoptions, supported a constitutional amendment against gay marriage, supported school prayer and supported the …

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Rev. D. James Kennedy Dies

Rev. D. James Kennedy, head of the Fort Lauderdale-based massive evangelical church, Coral Ridge Ministries, died in his sleep this morning at 76. He had retired as head pastor of Coral Ridge Ministries just last week. Kennedy was one of the most notorious rabidly anti-gay fundamentalists in the nation, regularly ranting against gay rights in his weekly tv and radio …

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Mike Rogers On Hannity & Colmes

Last night, Mike Rogers appeared on Hannity & Colmes to defend his actions. Below is a rerun of a post I wrote when the Larry Craig story first appeared on Rogers’ BlogACTIVE last year. The responses were somewhat varied one year ago. I’d be interested to see how opinions may have changed in light of the latest Craig revelations. Case …

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ENDA Hearings Today

Via HRC’s Backstory: The Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee of the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), H.R. 2015, at 10:30 in 2175 Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill. The hearing will take place in two sections. The first will feature the testimony of Congressman Barney Frank …

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