Go watch Keith Olbermann’s most excellent response to Bush’s apparent plan for more troops in Iraq under the abusive label of “sacrifice.”  It’s quite excellent and a must see.

Stephen Hawking plans to see space: “Prof Stephen Hawking is planning a space flight. The world’s best-known scientist, who is 65 today, told The Daily Telegraph: ‘This year I’m planning a zero-gravity flight and to go into space in 2009.'”  If anyone deserves to go, it’s Stephen Hawking.

This is just gross.  “The Army said Friday it would apologize to the families of about 275 officers killed or wounded in action who were mistakenly sent letters urging them to return to active duty. The letters were sent a few days after Christmas to more than 5,100 Army officers who had recently left the service. Included were letters to about 75 officers killed in action and about 200 wounded in action.”

The 57th Carnival of the Godless is now available.  This round is quite extensive and covers a lot of territory.

A hero by any definition of the word: “A teenager is being hailed as a hero for saving his aunt from a fire at their house, but he lost his own life when he went back into the burning building to search for the family’s two cats, authorities say.”

Eddie Izzard is one of my favorite comedians.  I have several of his routines on video and often find myself laughing until I cry.  Well, Ed Brayton hunted down several videos on YouTube that you can enjoy.  Even though I’ve seen all of the segments (and the entire routine), I couldn’t help watching them again—and laughing uproariously.  And while I’m on the subject, if you’ve never seen his “Dress to Kill” routine, find it online or in your local video store and watch it.  You won’t be sorry.