While the Bush régime has been busy illegally spying on Americans and violating our constitutional rights, someone stole 400 pounds of high-tech explosives, including a lot of undetectable C-4.  It’s nice to know that our government is so busy spying on us that they’re missing the really important events that are truly worthy of federal attention.  Oh, and the theft included “250 pounds of undetectable ‘sheet explosives’ – a DuPont flexible explosive material that can be hidden in books and letters.”  All that illegal spying is paying off; I feel safer already.

A federal judge shot down the intelligent design curriculum in Dover, Pennsylvania.  He even went so far as to call its advocates liars for publicly saying they were pursuing science while privately extolling the introduction of religion in public schools.  This is precedent; I hope it holds across the rest of the country.  I strongly suggest you read the judge’s opinion as it’s strikingly intelligent and sensible, not to mention quite harsh on ID proponents for being so dishonest.  See this post at Pharyngula for the best excerpts from the ruling.

Take a look at this photo of Saturn’s moon Rhea hiding behind the rings.  Spectacular.

While we’re talking about astronomy, one of the gas giant’s moons, Enceladus, is creating Saturn’s faintest ring.  How fascinating.

The Hubble space telescope discovered new moons and rings around Uranus.  No, not mine.  I said yours.

The Patriot Act is extended for one month instead of the six months Bush and his cronies were seeking.  The entire thing needs to expire and not be renewed as it violates so many constitutional rights and protections, but I’m happy Congress refused to pass the six-month extension the White House sought.