Imagine how hard it would be to get out of bed in the morning if you knew that over half of the people who knew you thought you were an embarrassment? Imagine now that you are a politician with that kind of affection out there for you. Would you bury your head in shame like a normal person? If you’re Rep. Michelle Bachmann, probably the stupidest person to currently hold elected office in America today—and that’s really saying something—you double down!

A new survey of Minnesotans shows that a majority of residents — 56 percent — are embarrassed by Rep. Michele Bachmann. The release of the survey, commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Democracy for America and Credo Action, follows recent high-profile statements by Bachmann that she believes President Barack Obama wants to “annihilate” conservatives, that the U.S. faces a “curse” – and extinction — if it fails to support Israel, and that government must “wean” Americans off of social safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security.

The Bachmann survey results, released exclusively to the Minnesota Independent, measure responses to the question, “Do you think Congresswoman Michele Bachmann does Minnesota proud in Congress or embarrasses Minnesota?” While 56 percent of respondents statewide said they were embarrassed by Bachmann, 29 percent answered that they were “proud” of the Sixth Congressional District Republican, and 15 percent were “not sure.”

Predictably, 87 percent of Democrats polled said they were embarrassed, while only 12 percent of Republicans agreed (58 pecent of Republican respondents said they were proud of Bachmann).

Poll: Majority of Minnesotans ‘embarrassed’ by Bachmann (The Minnesota Independent)

(thx Cory !)

 
“The finest selection of babies with laser eyes on the webernets.”
 
Babies With Laser Eyes
 
(via io9)

 
Just when you thought Mike Kelley achieved all that was possible in the “soft sculptural” realm, here come artist Elisabeth Higgins O’Connor‘s 7-foot teddy bears, or, as she calls them in nightmare-friendly fashion, “No-names.”  O’Connor currently has a show running at LA’s David Salow Gallery.  Here’s a descriptive snip from the LA Weekly:

Imagine an alternate ending in which Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma, the Woodsman and the Big Bad Wolf join forces in a sewing circle to create an army of spawn from the detritus of the urban/industrial world encroaching on their simple way of life, and you might get an idea of what glares at passersby from the window of David Salow Gallery in Chinatown.

“Hey guys, what’s happening? No more manned space fights. Hope you’re cool with that. K thx bye.”

Astronauts flying in space are used to VIP phone calls that don’t always go as scripted, but Wednesday’s conversation was probably one of the most awkward.

President Barack Obama used his chat with the crews of the space shuttle Endeavour and the International Space Station to declare that he sees space exploration as “so important.”

“My commitment to NASA is unwavering,” Obama said. He emphasized “how proud we are of you ... and how committed we are to continuing human space exploration in the future.”

A few weeks ago, the White House unveiled a plan to cancel NASA’s new spaceship, its two new rockets and the NASA program, now five years in the making, to return astronauts to the moon. Though Obama also wants to add an extra $6 billion to NASA’s budget over the next five years, his proposal has thrown much of the space agency into turmoil.

None of the 11 astronauts was rash enough to bring up the outrage felt by many of their colleagues, but they were more candid during media interviews they gave earlier in their mission.

(NYT: Obama’s Awkward Call)

 
Well, I never thought I’d be posting anything Oprah-related, but who knew we’d be hearing again from Jim Jones Jr., the son of Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple founder and engineer of the Jonestown tragedy?  Jim Jones Jr. lost both his wife and unborn child that day, and seeing him in a forgiving mood on Oprah certainly provides a fascinating footnote to what’s been described (pre-9/11) as the single greatest loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster.
 
Part I of the interview follows, with links below to the other two segments.  Never one to shrink from controversy, Oprah follows Jim Jones Jr. with the sister of John Wayne Gacy.  You can watch some lesser-quality video of that segment here.

And if you’ve never seen the excellent Jonestown: The Life And Death Of People’s Temple, YouTube hosts the documentary in its entirety (click here for Part I).

 
Jim Jones Jr. On Oprah, Part: II, III

More disturbing than the Twilight shower curtain, and potentially a good companion to the Twilight dildo, it’s… the full-sized Twilight body pillows!

Have you ever dreamt of sharing your boudoir with a pasty teenage bloodsucker…or Teen Wolf? Your innermost fantasies are now a reality thanks to these Twilight “manllows” on Etsy. Bonus: they’re from the torso up, so everything stays thematically PG-rated!

Need a handsome shoulder to cry on after a long day of being the most middlingly average person at your high school? These Twilight “manllows” (man + pillows) fit the bill quite nicely. If and when they come back in stock on Etsy, you have the choice of Jacob (sans denim cut-offs, natch) or Edward (quasi-abusive emotional detachment not included).

(io9: Bring the Horror Home)

 
RONLEWHORN

 
Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click.Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click.Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Clunk Click. Wear a helmet.
 
(via Everlasting Blort)

 
What the hell, right? Hot mamas toking up for the camera, captured by photographer Richard Kern. See more boobage and doobage over at Vice.
 
Vice:THC & A
 
(via Testspiel)