Recognize that the very molecules that make up your body, the atoms that construct the molecules, are traceable to the crucibles that were once the centers of high mass stars that exploded their chemically rich guts into the galaxy, enriching pristine gas clouds with the chemistry of life. So that we are all connected to each other biologically, to the earth chemically and to the rest of the universe atomically. That’s kinda cool! That makes me smile and I actually feel quite large at the end of that. It’s not that we are better than the universe, we are part of the universe. We are in the universe and the universe is in us.

- Neil deGrasse Tyson

Rove says the allegation that the Bush administration lied about weapons of mass destruction "is a pernicious political attack launched by cynical and hypocritical individuals."

I wonder if he said that with a straight face.

Both sides of the aisle have their crazies, but only one side thinks their crazies are sane.

- Steve Benen

(via)

What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think people would love to see an expose like that.

- Michelle Bachman in an October 2008 interview

Pro-America? Anti-America? I shudder to think what her criteria would be for being "anti-American."

It’s hard to believe that anyone takes this woman seriously. I’ve seen her talk on numerous occasions and she really seems clueless. The last speech of hers that I heard (a "Call to Arms") was filled with misinformation, alarmist rhetoric (based on misinformation), and just flat out errors (maybe lies, but I don’t know if they were intentional or not). She’s hopelessly bible-bound, anti-intellectual, and bigoted.

It saddens me that there are enough people in this country for her to be elected in the first place.

There is a fight in Congress now, not between Republicans and Democrats, but between those who want to help and those who say, ‘Thank God we’re not helping.’

- Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.)

(via)

NASA’s equipment is some pretty powerful stuff. But astronomy also depends on the curiosity and contribution of amateur astronomers. [...] If they can discover something great, so can any of you other students who are here tonight. All you need is a passion for science.

- President Barack Obama during the White House Star Party

(via)

[Debating Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey was like] “debating a pyromaniac in a straw man factory.”

- Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)

(via)

Though boys throw stones at frogs in sport, the frogs do not die in sport, but in earnest.

- DougJ of Balloon Juice