Link round-up for 14 May 2011

Kenyan? Bah. Obama is a four-headed leopard from the sea.

What will become of the world's most famous hat? Already a meme -- and a German cupcake -- it will be sold for charity.

I knew it! Bin Laden had a huge porn stash.

Serves you right for kicking that dog (I challenge anyone to not chuckle at this).

The ant zombie apocalypse is coming.

James Lileks looks at Art Frahm, an artist of the 1950s obsessed with underwear mishaps and celery.

Mitt Romney is haunted by his one terrible deed.

Okjimm uses Eric Hoffer as a guide to Republicans.

Check out the SF/fantasy art of Daniel Xiao (found via Mendip).

PZ Myers reviews the new Thor movie.

Here's a case of asinine law enforcement.

Richard Dawkins has the perfect answer to end-of-the-world crap (but PZ Myers suggests party plans).

MRA "activism" is just a pretext for whining (I made a similar point here).

Teachers have a right to personal lives.

Religion has problems with critical thinking (found via Soul Hole).

Goddess worship may actually be an obstacle to women's equality.

The birthers clutch at straws (found via Preliator pro Causa) as they lose ground.

Atheist Oasis looks at the Christian Right's hate-filled anti-gay agenda. Their totalitarian goals should concern straights too.

The latest Republican pretext for banning abortion is competition from China (see my comment on the post, though).

The ACLU wins another important victory for free expression, as Derek Fenton achieves full legal vindication.

If this ad is too controversial for some "progressive" Christians -- well, Dan Savage nails it.

Andrew Sullivan looks at some reactions to Gingrich's Presidential run.

The AFL-CIO will fight less for the Democratic party and more for its own agenda.

Though I give him points for avoiding social issues, Mitch Daniels isn't so moderate in other areas.

Obama's approval rating is still rising, now 8 points above that of Reagan at this point in his term.

The struggle for gay marriage in New York state heats up as NOM goes on the attack.

Socialized medicine has delivered the goods in Massachusetts.

Medical costs in the US are far higher than in other countries with equal or better outcomes and universal coverage.

The Coathanger State launches another attack on abortion (this didn't work out so well last time).

The haters have a problem with Toy Story's "Woody" appearing in an anti-suicide ad.

It's too bad Trump is losing Republican support; he embodies what the party stands for.

Sorry, Republicans, there's no knight in shining armor coming to rescue you (found via Oliver Willis).

Which America would you want to live in (found via Republic of Gilead).

Courageous young people in Mississippi are trying to form that state's first formal Secular Student Alliance.

High-school authorities in Wasilla tried to ban the school choir from performing a song because the song-writer was bisexual -- but students got legal help to reverse the decision. More here.

More students stand up against prejudice.

At this Christian college, alumni give a hand (found via Republic of Gilead).

17-year-old Zack Kopplin fights creationism in Louisiana schools. Here's his blog.

Many rank-and-file Republican voters aren't as anti-gay as the Christian Right (and most Republican politicians).

Bloomberg explains Republican errors about the economy.

Senate Democrats keep up the pressure on oil-company subsidies.

Like the cigarette industry decades ago, the oil industry funds fake science.

Indiana rolls back privacy rights -- to before 1215.

For once Texas is ahead of the curve, trying to rein in the abuses of the TSA.

Obama has greatly strengthened enforcement on illegal aliens, but using this as a pretext for amnesty is probably doomed by public opposition.

Facing a dreadful choice, authorities will flood Louisiana's Cajun country to drain off water threatening New Orleans.

An animated map depicts the shrinkage of lands held by American Indians, decade by decade.

I can hardly believe this racist TV skit was made as recently as 2009, but it's apparently an internet hit.

In Cornwall, May is time for the Helston furry dance, a surviving pagan ritual perhaps inspired by a meteor.

Johann Hari makes the case against monarchy.

Frightened religionists in Canada resort to vandalism.

The EU isn't facing up to reality on the Greek crisis. More here.

Germany (population 83 million) now exports almost as much as China (population 1,340 million).

The new Canadian government doesn't "get" the internet.

Sigh, here we go again -- a bunch of religious crazies declare themselves "offended" over nothing and start burning flags, and we're all supposed to take it seriously.

Rebellious women in Saudi Arabia have radical demands, like the right to work and study without male permission, or even the right to drive.

In a power struggle within the Iranian regime, several political figures have been arrested and charged with sorcery.

Religious "morality" in action: a 14-year-old Bangladeshi girl is whipped to death as punishment for being raped.

Three Pakistani legislators offer prayers for bin Laden (I've heard that two-thirds of Pakistanis support his death, though).

Orac looks at the mental tricks used by quacks and conspiracy nuts to evade reality.

If you think superstition is harmless, read this.

These "mysteries" were solved long ago (found via Preliator pro Causa).

By 63% to 29%, Americans favor alternative-energy development over more fossil-fuel production.

Marie Curie wasn't the only one.

Global warming is already damaging food production, though so far not by much.

Researchers right here in Oregon announce a major step toward an AIDS vaccine.

Aggressive use of even current anti-AIDS drugs can prevent virus transmission.

We already have a miracle drug against cancer.