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The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, aka BART, has been shut down by a workers' strike that started at midnight. That means that the system's 400,000 daily riders have to find alternate ways to get to work. Naturally, a lot of them are driving. San Francisco already has some of the worst traffic in the country, and now things have gotten a lot worse. Here's what the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge looked like early this morning: [CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE PHOTO]

A new policy issued by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice Department (DOJ) providing new "safeguards" and "enhanced protections" against deportation and detention for illegal immigrants with "serious mental disorders" is already having an impact. The new policy is described by the Justice Department as "a new nationwide policy for unrepresented immigration detainees with serious mental disorders or conditions that may render them mentally incompetent to represent themselves in immigration proceedings." ICE Director John Morton also announced the new policy in a staff memo.

Anzor Tsarneaev, the father of the suspected Boston terrorists Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarneaev, reportedly warned that "all hell will break loose" if his son, who is still at large, is killed.

I checked first, thinking this was some April Fools joke, it appears legit. (h/t to Tom Nelson and Skiphil)Climate Alarmist Jim Hansen leaving NASA on Wed. to devote himself to legal and political activism:Hansen retiring from NASA to press legal and activist efforts At the same time, retirement will allow Dr. Hansen to press his cause in court. He plans to take a more active role in lawsuits challenging the federal and state governments over their failure to limit emissions, for instance, as well as in fighting the development in Canada of a particularly dirty form of oil extracted...

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg expressed concern that private jet owners could clog up the city's homeless shelters. “You can arrive in your private jet at Kennedy Airport, take a private limousine and go straight to the shelter system, walk in the door, and we’ve got to give you shelter,” Bloomberg said, speaking on the radio. “That’s what the law is. I didn’t write the law,” Bloomberg added. The New York Post claims he was referring to a law related to homeless shelters signed by Ed Koch. "He was referring to a decree signed by Mayor Ed Koch 30...

Guy needs to get his bread and milk!

These are photos of Jared Lee Loughner (Gabby Gifford's shooter), James E. Holmes (Colorado movie theater shooter), and Adam Lanza (Connecticut school shooter)

Legislation introduced Tuesday would give about 400,000 undocumented immigrants in California the same rights as citizens to unemployment benefits and various other government services.

It's not the first time we've heard fantastical news from North Korea's state news agency. And if you thought the "peculiar natural wonders" would be buried along with the Dear Leader, my were you mistaken. Today, the Korean Central News Agency said that archaeologists from the History Institute of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea "reconfirmed" the "lair of a unicorn" that was ridden by King Tongmyong. Via the Japan-based Korean News Agency, which distributes KCNA news, here's a bit more of the breaking development: "The lair is located 200 meters from the Yongmyong Temple in Moran Hill in Pyongyang...

Despite being under investigation for “suspicious activity” regarding his congressional finances and being absent from Congress for months while being treated for mental illness at the Mayo Clinic, Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr (D-Ill) seems bound for reelection. Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn (D) insisted that “neither his prolonged absence from his post nor his potential criminal indictment should be construed as disqualifying him for office. The job of a Representative is to represent his constituents. Who’s to say that he doesn’t represent the people of his district?” In support of his position, Quinn pointed out that “many of those elected to...

A swarm of right-wing loyalists with intimidation on their minds can be expected to descend on polling places in minority neighborhoods this November, two public interest groups warned government officials Monday. In a new report titled, “Bullies at the Ballot Box,” Demos and Common Cause describe campaigns by conservative groups—particularly the tea party-affiliated True the Vote—to train and deploy as many as 1 million persons to police the polls. Demos, based in New York City, and Common Cause, based in Washington, D.C., are public interest groups that have targeted right-wing voter law revision and monitoring efforts. “As we approach the...

Appearing on Sean Hannity’s radio program for the second time in as many days, Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin attacked the GOP’s presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, for joining a chorus of Republicans asking him to withdraw from the race. Akin said that Romney had blown the controversy out of proportion and implied that he had done so for his own political gain. Hannity asked Akin, given the number of prominent Republican politicians asking Akin to drop out including Romney, if he is even pausing to consider leaving the Senate race in Missouri. “Let me ask you this,” Akin began....

President Obama spoke to women supporters at a Denver event today. "...I wanna make sure that when she's working she is getting paid the same as men, I gotta say that First Ladies right now, they don't, even though that's a tough job!"

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi on Thursday defended the health care reform law, tying it to the promises written in the Declaration of Independence. The Affordable Care Act is “about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the American people,” Pelosi told reporters on Capitol Hill. She said it “unlocks” them from a job to pursue happiness without the threat of losing their health insurance. Pelosi blamed the health care reform law’s poor public support on opponents who have misrepresented the legislation.

What a difference 48 hours makes in the barren wasteland known as Ed Schultz's mind. Back on May 29, Schultz warned of giant flaming acorns falling from the sky if Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker prevailed in a June 5 recall election against Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who was defeated by Walker in the 2010 gubernatorial race. (audio clips after page break) Here's Schultz sounding the alarm that a Walker victory could foreshadow President Obama's defeat in November, which in turn would usher in an era of permanent GOP control of the White House (audio) -- They are trying to set...

MSNBC host Chris Matthews is using President Obama's old "evolving" motto for his gay marriage stance against black Bishop Harry Jackson (and relgious leaders in general), who stands firmly against marriage that isn't between one man and one woman. "I hope you evolve." (Video at link)

Oh man, this is classic. McCain totally referred to Romney as “President Obama” and went on for a few seconds before Gov. Haley corrected him. Hilarious!

President Barack Obama sat for an extensive interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes” last week, though it appears the portion of the interview actually broadcast on TV left out a statement where Obama essentially declared himself the fourth best president in terms of his accomplishments. The statement was only made available online as part of the full interview on “60 Minutes Overtime.” According to a transcript posted on the “60 Minutes” website, Obama said he would hold his accomplishments so far as president against those of Lyndon B. Johnson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. “I would put our legislative and...

"The unemployment insurance extension is not only good for individuals. It has a macroeconomic impact. As macroeconomic advisers have stated, it would make a difference of 600,000 jobs to our economy," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said at a briefing on Capitol Hill. Video

SeaWorld's orcas have been illegally enslaved for years and should be freed under the Constitution's 13th amendment, asserts a lawsuit that will be filed Wednesday in San Diego. The legal action, which is being taken by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) following 18 months of preparation, specifically seeks a legal declaration that the five killer whales that perform at SeaWorld's San Diego and Orlando parks are being held as slaves in violation of the 13th amendment's ban on slavery. Further, the lawsuit asks that they eventually be released into their natural habitat under the supervision of...