National Geographic has announced the winners in their annual photography contest. The photo above took the grand prize; more are at the link.

An Alabama teenaged white supremacist was arrested yesterday after a teacher found his journal in which he outlined a plan to murder black and gay fellow students. Derek Shrout, 17, was released Monday afternoon from Russell County Jail on a $75,000 bond after he was arrested for allegedly planning to use homemade explosives in a terrorist attack on fellow students …

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has a long track record of vile homophobic statements, has promised to support same-sex marriage if he is returned to power. LGBT groups, unsurprisingly, are skeptical. Via Gay Star News: Monday Berlusconi said: “I’m in favor of granting legal status to couples who live together, including gays, if there is a majority that …

“There is a movement on to normalize pedophilia, and I guarantee you your reaction to that is probably much the same as your reaction when you first heard about gay marriage.  What has happened to gay marriage? It’s become normal — and in fact, with certain people in certain demographics it’s the most important issue in terms of who they …

Wingnut conspiracy theorist Alex Jones appeared on CNN last night to defend his petition to have Piers Morgan deported over his support for gun control. Mediaite provides a recap: Jones said the point of the petition was to bring attention to the fact that United States has a bunch of foreigners bragging about taking away the guns of Americans while …

Texan secessionists will stage a rally today on the Capitol steps in Austin. We are calling on every Texan who supports the freedom and independence of Texas to rally up on the north side. Bring signs, Texas flags and flags from the Texas Revolution to show that we want our freedom and independence and we want the Legislature to answer …

“We no longer have a free nation! We no longer have a functional republic! What choice is there when the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government fail and refuse to take into account the profound grievances of the ‘We the People’ and instead walk off to feather their own corrupt establishment nest? Thus, the profound and moving words and …

Some service members discharged until DADT will finally receive their full separation pay thanks to a class action suit won today by the ACLU.  Windy City Times reports: “There was absolutely no need to subject these service members to a double dose of discrimination by removing them from the armed forces in the first place, and then denying them this …

U.S District Court Judge Michael Ponsor today heard hate group leader Scott Lively’s motion to dismiss the crimes against humanity lawsuit brought by Sexual Minorities Uganda. Ponsor said the lawsuit filed by Sexual Minorities Uganda against the Springfield minister poses a test of Lively’s free-speech protection and the rights of sexual minorities to equal protection under the law. But the …

“Perhaps the biggest story related to Kathy Griffin’s salacious stunt on CNN’s New Year’s Eve broadcast with Anderson Cooper was the almost deadening silence it engendered from any quarter. Does it matter what Griffin did? To put it more generally, does what we see and hear have any effect on our behavior, particularly the behavior of young people? Does it …

Bette Midler returns to Broadway this spring for the first time in over 30 years to star in a new one-woman show about casting agent Sue Mengers titled I’ll Eat You Last. Via press release: Sue Mengers was an American original. She was the first female “superagent” at a time when women talent agents of any kind were almost unheard …

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton returned to her Washington DC office today where her colleagues presented her with a football helmet to protect against future concussions. Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides handed Clinton a box, saying, “As you know, Washington is a contact sport.” “Inside was a football helmet with a State Department seal, lots of good padding and …

UPDATE: The White House press office sends us this statement about Chuck Hagel: President Obama has come to know and trust Senator Hagel over nearly a decade, dating back to their time together in the Senate. Together, they travelled to Afghanistan and Iraq in the summer of 2008, and they share a commitment to end the war in Afghanistan responsibly. …

What could possibly go wrong? Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s armed volunteer posses are set to begin patrolling areas around Phoenix, Ariz. schools on Monday, more than a week after the plan drew national attention in the wake of the deadly mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. Arizona’s 3TV reports that Arpaio’s volunteer force is comprised of …

From the front page of Huffington Post. (Tipped by JMG reader TommyTune)

Just as the president was holding the press conference to nominate Chuck Hagel, Log Cabin interim head Gregory Angelo was on MSNBC to denounce Hagel’s selection.

This week: “An exciting start to the year, with a win and a setback in Illinois. Two brand new marriage bills are on the fast track in Rhode Island. And a Congressional bill to repeal DOMA has picked up two more Republican endorsements, but one of them doesn’t quite count.”

  Hate group leader Scott Lively arrived at the federal courthouse in Springfield today clutching a bible as activists held a press conference outside. Photos by JMG reader Roger.

Gothamist reports that this morning at PATH’s Exchange Place station in New Jersey, hundreds of commuters were riding the escalator when it suddenly reversed direction at high speed. Several dozen people reportedly landed in a pile at the bottom and five injuries are reported. The below clip begins just as the stairs begin to slow down.