Daily Blend: 03/15/10 – Catholics, pot, kooks and rainwater

T’is all in the name of a good blend of not-always-so-good news.

Obama’s healthcare reform gains an unlikely ally
If even anti-abortionist Catholic hospitals choose to back President Obama’s much-beleaguered healthcare reform, it ought to tell you that there may be something for everyone in that bill, should it finally pass.

More states embrace legalization of marijuana
Well, technically, more and more states are open to the idea of lowering penalties, rather. But still, a good start at ending the ridiculous pressure against pot.
(via @todayspolitics)

Shady URLs
Not something I’d get a kick out of, but hey, if your sense of humor is as twisted as a politician’s backbone, then this is for you. (Said I good-naturedly.)

Texas BoE wingnuts screwing history (and us) over: worse than previously thought?
I previously noted on how the reality-denying kooks and cranks at the helm of the Texas State Board of Education were screwing up educative standards through such mind-blowingly stupid things such as removing mentions of Thomas Jefferson from the Age of Enlightenment, refusing to teach about the Establishment Clause, and so on. Well, turns out things may get far worse still – Phil Plait at Bad Astronomy has the details. Once again: if you have kids in Texan schools and their education means anything to you, get the hell outta there.

Another law that makes you wonder if these clowns are ever serious
In Utah, it is illegal to collect rainwater unless you purchase a “standardized container”. ’Nuff said.
(via @todayspolitics)

Hey, my globe doesn’t look anything like this
A different and strange version of what might have been, had history gone down a bit differently.
(via @todayspolitics)

As always, if you have any story suggestions, feel free to send them in.