POLL: Indiana Voters Reject Anti-Gay Constitutional Amendment

As Indiana Republicans say they'll move forward with plans to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage, a new poll shows that a majority of Indiana voters are against such a negative move.

From the Indianapolis Star:

The poll, taken for the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University and WISH-TV, found that 54 percent of those surveyed oppose changing the state constitution to bar gay couples from marrying, while 38 percent support doing so.

...

The Indiana House and Senate voted in 2011 for a proposed amendment that not only bans same-sex marriage but also prohibits civil unions or anything else that is similar to marriage. It must vote to approve the identical language again in either the 2013 or 2014 legislative sessions in order for voters to make their decision in the 2014 general election.

That's a lot of time for a Supreme Court decision or grassroots activism to convince Indiana lawmakers looking championing the discriminatory amendment that they're on the wrong side of history.

Science Can Make You More Productive: VIDEO

While we're on the subject of science, the always inquisitive gents at AsapSCIENCE explain how you - yes, you! - can be more productive, AFTER THE JUMP.

(via BuzzFeed)

NASA Says World Not Ending On 12/21/12: VIDEO

Despite what the Mayan calendar may seem to say or doomsayers claim, NASA remains 100% confident that the world will not end on December 21, 2012.

AFTER THE JUMP, the science team and outside experts explain why you'll live to see 12/22/12. (Unless that's just what they want you to think...)

Scalia's Political Theater Flops When Mixed With Anti-Gay 'Animus'

In case you missed it yesterday, Amy Davidson at The New Yorker offered her thoughts on how Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's clear "animus" toward marriage equality, as seen in his stubborn and indulgent commitment to a comparison of same-sex love and bestiality, completely undercuts his pursuit of political theater:

A few months from now, when the Supreme Court hears arguments in the two same-sex marriage cases it accepted for review last Friday, many observers will likely be in [Princeton Student Duncan] Hosie’s position—listening with some amazement to Scalia as he berates lawyers, fascinated by his animosity, wondering about the point where a cruel note removes any enjoyment one might find in intellectual theatrics.

There haven’t exactly been signs that Scalia is mellowing. His dissent, this year, in an Arizona immigration-law case, was as politicized and angry as ever—and gay-rights cases do not exactly bring out his soft side. For the health-care case, we had broccoli arguments; for same-sex marriage, we will likely be coming back to bestiality.

The Los Angeles Times' editorial board also took on Scalia today, writing, "But the reality — and perhaps this is what so dismayed Hosie — is that the Scalia opinions in question bristle with hostility toward homosexuality and homosexuals."

They went on: "Hosie wondered why Scalia couldn't make his points without offensive implications about gays and the lives they live. But what if those slurs were the point? That's a depressing possibility to contemplate as Scalia and his colleagues prepare to rule on cases involving same-sex marriage."

Dan Savage Wants Christian Left To Get A Bit Louder Now: VIDEO

Author and activist Dan Savage has heard from liberal Christians "we're not all like that" so many times that he refers to them as NALTs (not all like thats), and to NALTs, Savage says they must speak up against the Christian right that has hijacked their religion and made "Christianity" synonymous with "homophobic".

Watch Savage speak the truth AFTER THE JUMP.

(via Joe.My.God)

Golden Globes Nominations Announced For 70th Annual Awards

Hollywood's awards season is officially underway, and the Hollywood Foreign Press joined the party by announcing its Golden Globe nominations for best picture, best actor, best actress and all the other categories among cinema and television's 2012 crop.

The biopic Lincoln garnered seven nominations, making it the leader. Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained received five nominations, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Christopher Waltz against one another for best supporting actor, while Les Misérables has been nominated in three categories, including best supporting actress for Anne Hathaway (congrats, babe!) and best supporting for Hugh Jackman.

In the realm of television, Girls, Modern Family and the underrated Showtime series Episodes were nominated for best comedy, while Downton Abbey, The Newsroom and Breaking Bad are among the dramas singled out for consideration.

I've included the entire list AFTER THE JUMP.

NOMINEES

Movies
Best Picture, Drama:
“Argo”
“Django Unchained”
“Life of Pi”
“Lincoln”
“Zero Dark Thirty”

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy:
“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
“Les Misérables”
“Moonrise Kindgom”
“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
“Silver Linings Playbook”

Best Director:
Ben Affleck, “Argo”
Kathryn Bigelow, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”
Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”

Best Actress, Drama:
Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Marian Cotillard, “Rust and Bone”
Helen Mirren, “Hitchcock”
Naomi Watts, “The Impossible”
Rachel Weisz, “The Deep Blue Sea”

Best Actor, Drama:
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
Richard Gere, “Arbitrage”
John Hawkes, “The Sessions”
Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master”
Denzel Washington, “Flight”

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy:
Jack Black, “Bernie”
Bradley Cooper, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Hugh Jackman, “Les Misérables ”
Ewan MCGregor, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
Bill Murray, “Hyde Park on Hudson”

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy:
Emily Blunt, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
Judi Dench, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Maggie Smith, “Quartet”
Meryl Streep, “Hope Springs”

Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, “The Master”
Sally Field, “Lincoln”
Anne Hathaway, “Les Misérables ”
Helen Hunt, “The Sessions”
Nicole Kidman, “The Paperboy”

Best Supporting Actor:
Alan Arkin, “Argo”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Django Unchained”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master”
Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”
Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”

Best Screenplay:
Mark Boal, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Tony Kushner, “Lincoln”
David O’Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”
Chris Terrio, “Argo”

Best Foreign Language Film:
“Amour”
“A Royal Affair”
“The Intouchables”
“Kon-Tiki”
“Rust and Bone”

Best Animated Feature:
“Rise of the Guardians”
“Brave”
“Frankenweenie”
“Hotel Transylvania”
“Wreck-It Ralph”

Television:
Best Television Comedy or Musical:
“The Big Bang Theory”
“Episodes”
“Girls”
“Modern Family”
“Smash”

Best Television Drama:
“Breaking Bad”
“Boardwalk Empire”
“Downton Abbey”
“Homeland”
“The Newsroom”

Best Actress, Television Drama:
Connie Britton, “Nashville”
Glenn Close, “Damages”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Michelle Dockery, “Downton Abbey”
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”

Best Actor, Television Drama:
Best Actor, TV Drama Steve Buscemi, “Boardwalk Empire”
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Damian Lewis, “Homeland”

Best Miniseries or Television Movie:
“Game Change”
“The Girl”
“Hatfields & McCoys”
“The Hour”
“Political Animals”