White House announces compromise on contraception

Update 11:20 AM CDT: The President is speaking now, saying a compromise has been worked out where the insured will have access to contraception by going straight to the health insurance companies without putting their employers in the loop. If so that sounds to me like a perfectly reaosnable solution which addresses the concerns of everyone. Which is to say the right will hate it and some on the left are hastily writing about the Caver in Chief. Note: headline above slightly altered.

(USA Today) — “Under the rule, women will still have access to free preventive care that includes contraceptive service no matter where they work,” Obama said. “That core principle remains. [Read more…]

Saudi fundies clamor to kill one of their own for tweeting blasphemy

A young journalist fled his home nation for his life after seemingly moderate tweets about the prophet Mohammed infuriated his country men. He was detained in Malaysia and is said to be awaiting extradition to the fundamentalist shit-hole kingdom also known as Saudi Arabia on the charge of religious blasphemy. If found guilty he could be sentenced to death. What kind of awful things could he have posted? [Read more…]

Ancient Antarctic lake said to be reached: samples coming this year

Schematic of subglacial lake in Antarctica, image courtesy RT, click for more info

Russian researchers working feverishly at the height of Antarctica’s brief summer say they have successfully pierced the ancient vault of a sub-glacial lake sealed under ice for millions of years. But it’ll be awhile before we know the answer to the big question, can microbial life of some kind still exist in the alien environment of Lake Vostok? [Read more…]

Let’s all go to the lobby: Santorum sweeps!

Rick Santorum, famed detractor of evolutionary biology and gaff prone with bestial similes (Thus giving rise to his cryptic nickname, Man-on-dog Santorum) swept to victory last night in both the Republican MN and CO caucuses and the Missouri primary. The latter is non-binding, the actual number of delegates Santorum will receive from last night won’t be enough to put him in the lead for nominee. But because of last night’s victories Rick Santorum has now won more states than the purported front-runner, Mitt Romney. [Read more…]

Let’s all go to the lobby: Primary and cauci

Results: CNN (CO, MO, MN) | Google (CO, MO, MN) (Sign up here to have the Daily Kos Elections Digest emailed to you every weekday morning). As of 11:00 PM CDT Santorum is projected to win Minnesota (MN) and Missouri (MO) big, as in HUGE, only Colorado (CO) remains. This means Santorum has now won as many states as Romney, and we are looking at a possible Santorum sweep tonight potentially giving him a one state edge. It’s starting to look like it doesn’t matter who wins CO, significant PR damage to Romney has been done.

In MO it’s Romney 25% Santorum 54% Gingrich 0% Paul 12%
In MN it’s  Romney 16% Santorum 46% Gingrich 11% Paul 26% 
In CO its’s Romney 29% Santorum 42% Gingrich 16% Paul 13% ..  17% reporting [Read more…]