With Romney’s pick of Paul Ryan, certain rightwing news outlets are now less homophobic

There’s a new GOP darling who’s sending little starbursts into the family rooms of real Americans:

Along with Patrick Gavin at Politico, Fox News is simply ‘over the moon’ about handsome Paul Ryan too.

mediamattersforamerica: “Fox News is positively thrilled about Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan. In the hours since Ryan’s announcement, Fox owner Rupert Murdoch ‘thanked God’ and declared Ryan an “almost perfect choice.” And, Fox figures have celebrated, here’s a taste of what Fox News is saying about Paul Ryan:

  • “He’s Kind Of The Rock Star Of American Politics.”
  • He’s “the future” and “Kennedy-esque.”
  • He’s an “Energizer Bunny.”
  • A pick who has “set the world on fire.”
  • “Paul Ryan is the coolest. Period.”

Sounds like 2008 all over again, doesn’t it? The photo below illustrates what’s happening — but this time there will be more Ayn Rand and less word salad:


image: magimpalor

What climate change?

From Julia Whitty at Mother Jones:

Average national temperature records May 2011 to April 2012: NOAA/NCDC

Record average national temperatures from May 2011 to April 2012: NOAA/NCDC

The last 12 months were the hottest 12 months in US history since record-keeping began in 1895. This according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center‘s latest State of the Climate report.

United States Drought Monitor as of 1 May  2012.: climate.govUnited States Drought Monitor as of 1 May 2012.: climate.gov

The gnarly partner to all this heat is drought. The US Drought Monitor (USDM) map above shows the state of drought in the lower 48 as of 1 May 2012. That’s a lot of dry territory.