I was glued to my TV in 1980 when the U.S. pulled off one of the greatest upsets in all of sports history. C&Lers know I love the sport and I'm interested to see what happens this year. The U.S. women's hockey team has a great shot to win the gold, but the men are still the underdogs.

Canada is the favorite to win it all, with Russia right there at 2-1 odds. They both have incredible teams while Sweden sets out to defend their 2006 gold medal and they do have Henrik Lundqvist as their net minder so they still are a factor.

Canada will be devastated if they don't win the gold on home ice. The crowds will be rocking because hockey is like football, baseball and basketball all in one to the Canadians. Heck, over 12 million people watched the IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal hockey in January.

An astounding 12.3 million viewers – or more than one in three Canadians – tuned in to some part of the IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal hockey game on TSN between Canada and the U.S.A.

Over the course of the entire game, ratings agency BBM Canada reports that an average of 5.3 million Canadians were watching the game at any one time making it the most-watched program on Canadian television since 2005.

That's as big as the Super Bowl rating are here in America. The Olympics mean an awful lot to the international stars of the NHL. Alexander the Great told Gary Bettman to f*&K off if he thinks he's stopping him from playing in 2014.

It appears as though Capitals' Russian superstar Alexander Ovechkin has drawn a line in the sand with the NHL in terms of Olympic participation. ESPN.com is reporting that the reigning Hart Trophy winner plans on participating in the Olympic hockey competition at the 2014 Winter games in Sochi, Russia, stating that he will risk suspension to play for his country even if the NHL is not formally involved.

"Nobody can say to me you can't play for your country in the Olympic Games," Ovechkin told ESPN.com.

"I don't care," Ovechkin continued. "I'll go play in the Olympic Games for my country. If somebody says to me you can't play, see ya."

We have a ton of hockey fans on C&L, so tell me what you think -- and let the games begin!

The situation in Iran is still tense as demonstrators clash with government forces who reportedly kill the nephew of Mir Hussein Mousavi:

TEHRAN -- Security forces opened fire at crowds demonstrating against the government in the capital on Sunday, killing at least four people in the heaviest clashes in months, witnesses and websites linked to the opposition said.

The nephew of the opposition's political leader, Mir Hussein Mousavi, was allegedly killed, according to Parlemannews, a Website managed by a faction in the Iranian parliament which supports the opposition. "Ali Mousavi, 32, was shot in the heart at the Enghelab square. He became a martyr," the Rah-e Sabz Website reported.

Fierce battles erupted as tens of thousands of demonstrators tried to gather on a main Tehran street, with people setting up roadblocks and throwing stones at members Special Forces, under the command of the Revolutionary Guard Corp. They in turn threw dozens of teargas and stun grenades, but failed in pushing back crowds, who shouted slogans against the government, witnesses reported.

Fights were also reported in the cities of Isfahan and Najafabad in central Iran.

The protests coincided with Ahsura, one of the most religious festivals for Shiite Muslims. The slogans were mainly aimed at the top leaders of the Islamic republic, a further sign that the opposition movement against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed June election victory is turning against the leadership of the country.

At the Yadegar overpass, protesters shouted slogans such as "Death to the dictator" and "long live Mousavi." They fought running battles with security forces until a car filled with members of the paramilitary Basiji brigade drove at high speed though the make shift barriers of stones and sandbags that the protesters had erected.

About a dozen members of the Revolutionary Guards fired paintball bullets, teargas and stun grenades. When reinforcements arrived, they managed to push back the hundreds of protesters gathered at the crossing.

Similar scenes could be seen at several crossings of the central Azadi and Enghelab streets, witnesses reported. Large clouds of black bellowing smoke rose up as people honked their cars in protests.

"This is a month of blood. The dictator will fall," people shouted, referring to the mourning month of Moharram. Young men erected a flag symbolizing the struggle of the Shiite's third Imam Hussein, whose death was commemorated Sunday.

Update from Juan Cole:

The Mousavis are putative descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, a sort of caste in Muslim societies called 'sayyid' or 'sharif.'

In fact, in the Constitutional Revolution of 1905-1911, one of the complaints of the crowd was that the Qajar monarchy had had sayyids beaten. So if beating a scion of the House of the Prophet can help spark a revolution, what about shooting one? And, oppositional film maker Mohsen Makhmalbaf maintains that Mousavi was killed by a death squad that came for him in a van rather than just falling victim to random police fire.

Killing a sayyid is a blot on any Iranian government. Doing so on Ashura, the day of mourning for the martyred grandson of the Prophet, Imam Husayn, borders on insanity.

Think Progress caught Fox News using old campaign footage of a McCain/Palin rally from 2008 to make it appear like the crowds she's drawing on her book tour are larger than they are.

Think Progress:

This afternoon, Fox News host Gregg Jarrett proudly announced that Sarah Palin is “continuing to draw huge crowds while she’s promoting her brand new book. Take a look at — these are some of the pictures just coming into us.” But the pictures that the network chose to display on-air appeared to be old file footage of Palin rallies from the 2008 presidential campaign. Individuals in the crowd are seen holding McCain/Palin signs, and others are holding pom-poms and cheering wildly. “There’s a crowd of folks,” an enthused Jarrett observed, referring to the old footage.

Media Matters followed up that report with more facts to support the claim, which in my mind should be called a HOAX.

Earlier, Think Progress caught Fox News showing what was clearly footage of 2008 Sarah Palin campaign rallies but claiming that it was video of "huge crowds" attending Palin's book tour.

But in case the McCain-Palin campaign signs and tee-shirts clearly visible in the footage Fox aired aren't enough to make Fox apologize, here's further proof.

Here's a screenshot of the footage of one of the rallies that Fox's Gregg Jarrett showed today and claimed was "just coming into us" as part of the book tour:

And here's a photo posted last year by Florida TV station CFNews 13 of a November 1, 2008, Palin rally in Ocala, Florida:And here's a video of that same rally that TPM posted way back in 2008 -- when it actually happened.

Fox News is not operating like a news organization. It was busted by Jon Stewart of the Daily Show when Sean Hannity used the same technique to make it seem like a tea party rally was bigger than it actually was. And you know Hannity was told to apologize by "legal" over the "Hoax" he tried to get away with. Inadvertent footage doesn't end up on a network show. That's a bogus explanation.

Please email any fake news segments you find to C&L.

I think it's time we started to take action and the first step is to file an FCC report here. Please join me.

I'm on Twitter too: http://twitter.com/JohnAmato

Via Raw Story, news that police use of this weapon is even closer - and more portable, so use will be widespread. I was writing about this in 2006. And no, it's more than "burning sensations" - when they did the tests, they banned metal buttons and zippers because they caused burns, and they also banned contact lenses because they could become fused to the eyeballs.

What brave Congress member will introduce legislation to stop this? Bueller? Bueller?

A powerful hand-held weapon being developed by the Pentagon could end up in police hands, says a report in a UK science journal.

The Pentagon's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate has been developing the Thermal Laser System since 2005, with the purpose of developing a weapon that could disperse crowds or incapacitate individuals by causing them to experience burning sensations in their skin.

According to NewScientist magazine, the weapon has evolved into a rifle-mounted instrument, and there are plans for a hand-held model that could be used by police forces.

News of the possibility that police departments could obtain the burn weapon will likely concern civil-liberties advocates, who have been watching with alarm as the Taser conducted-energy weapon has gone into regular use in police forces across the United States.

The Amazing Atheist: "Tell The Truth!" (h/t DU)

I've been in a funk this weekend. It's hard to look at the coverage of the 9/12 protests and not come to the conclusion that this country is seriously--and possibly irretrievably--messed up. I'm not even sure that half the country even knows what the truth is any more, or could recognize it if it was standing in front of them. I don't know if it's an unfortunate byproduct of the rough and tumble internet age, but the uninhibited rage scares me. And where is our media now? Trying to temper misinformation and out-and-out lies? Surely, you jest.

As per usual, the Sunday shows will give those out-of-touch-with-reality, anger-management-needing conservatives plenty of air time to confuse Americans. Rep. Joe "The Heckler" Wilson will get to lie some more on Fox News Sunday, Newt Gingrich (yes, again) will be on Meet the Press to spin away, Gang of Six Queen Olympia Snowe will be on Face the Nation and Tenther Gov. Tim Pawlenty will be on This Week. A single intellectually honest discussion of issues to be had? Surely, you jest.

ABC's "This Week" - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and Mary Landrieu, D-La.; Gov. Tim Pawlenty, R-Minn.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - David Axelrod, White House senior adviser; Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and John Cornyn, R-Texas; Howard Dean, former national Democratic Party chairman; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.

NBC's "The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Helene Cooper, Howard Fineman, Joe Klein, Ceci Connolly. Topics: Has President Obama regained control in the health care debate? What is behind the venom President Obama has faced? Meter Questions: Was the anti-Obama venom unavoidable? YES: 6 NO: 6; Has Obama Got Command Back? YES: 12 No: 0.

CNN's "State of the Union" - White House press secretary Robert Gibbs; Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va.

CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - This week - an in-depth look at Afghanistan. The election, the war, the country as a whole. All riddled with problems. What can the U.S. and the world do? We'll speak with two of the Afghan presidential candidates, with Michael Ware who spent a week in the heartland of the insurgency, and with a panel of experts debating the options.

"Fox News Sunday" - Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.; Sens. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union.

Viewer note: Barack Obama will make his third appearance on 60 Minutes tonight, talking health care. But until then, what's catching your eye this morning?

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(h/t CSPANjunkie)

I caught this on Tuesday and it's not shocking. I mean, the Secret Service agent's reaction to the psychos is not shocking. It's sane. Remember sanity?

CNN's Rick Sanchez had on a former Secret Service agent named on his show to talk about the psycho gun-toting teabaggers showing up at presidential events. You would never see this behavior under a Republican president because: A) They like Republicans. B) The Republicans would never allow it. You needed to sign loyalty oaths just to go to Bush/Cheney events.

Joseph Petro explains that this is insane behavior and it's an intimidation tactic by these yahoos, plain and simple.

Digby:

Former USSS officer: If the police have to go out and deal with these foolish gun nuts with exposed weapons in public crowds, they are being taken awy from activity that is much more important and that is to keep our president safe and to kep the public safe.

Rick Sanchez: In all your years as a Secret Service agent have you ever seen anything like this? Ten to twelve people yesterday were walking around this venue where the president was, walking outside, and they were packing. Have you ever seen a situation like that?

USSS: No, I've never seen or heard of anything like that. And I think it's, you know, I think all of us should be concerned about this. What's the next step? Are they going to ride around in pick-up trucks with automatic weapons? it would be like Somalia.

We're a democratic country. And we should be better than this. And what's the point? What's the point of them carrying these things? It's intimidation. Why hsould we tolerate that?

Sanchez: It's free speech and their point is that "we've got a right to come out and show everybody that we're for a constitution that gives us a right to bear arms.

USSS: It's probably also not against the law to bring a can of gas and a match into an event. Is that a good idea? No.

Having exposed weapons at public events, and it's not just presidential events, I would say this at any public event, particularly where people are disagreeing, it's really a formula for disaster.

Why does the picture of a bunch of yahoos driving around in pick-up trucks with automatic weapons not sound all that far fetched to me? And when you add the gasbags shrieking about liberals being the enemy all day long, this doesn't seem so far-fetched either.

People are going to either get hurt or die and the media still will whiff on this because they act like cowards.

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I meant to post this when it broke but the news has been furious the last few days. I guess like the fact that Shanna didn't bow down to another conservative whiner. Shanna joined Norah on MSNBC the other day and told us why she quit.

Moakler: I don't get paid to do this pageant because I love it and I enjoy it and after I lost control of my pageant, my title holder and instead of getting the help that I really needed my titleholder basically got rewarded for her actions and I can't stand by that.

Norah asked her why she didn't say this during the presser and she said that everything happened very quickly, it was a whirlwind and she thought maybe it could work, but when she say her on the Today show lying abut what happened she had enough.

Norah: What was it Shanna that she wasn't complying with in her contract? The nude photos?

Moakler: The fact that you can't go and work for organizations. She became a spokesperson for NOM organization by doing PSA's, by doing telemarketing for them, appearances, she was neglecting her Miss California responsibilities. She breached her contract by numerous levels and plus continuing to lie, but to answer your original question, I went back to my hotel, I really thought about everything that was taking place and I was upset that in the press conference it wasn't addressed and she needed to take responsibility for those actions and then the next day I saw her on the TODAY Show and she was continuing to lie about some of the photographs and for me it just got petty. It's very difficult for me when someone is lying. I would respect her if she just said I was modeling, I was young, I should have brought it to your attention, I didn't, I'm sorry, but she's pointing fingers to everybody but herself and I cannot take that.

Shanna Moakler didn't buy into Donald Trumps garbage and resigned her post from the pageant. Good for her. The Donald's presser was ridiculous, but Carrie's whining, blame everybody first follow up to him was even worse.

Former Miss USA Shanna Moakler resigned as co-executive director of the Miss California USA pageant Wednesday after her boss Donald Trump allowed Miss California Carrie Prejean to keep her crown.

Continue reading »

Rachel Maddow appeared on"Countdown" last night to talk about John McCain's joke(?) about entering his wife in a topless beauty contest, and hit on an important point: in order to compete with Barack Obama's rock star appeal, the McCain camp has decided to find places where large people gather for other reasons and bask in the unwarranted limelight.

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OLBERMANN: Also, maybe a somewhat serious point contained in all this malarkey; on stage at Sturgis, he referred to the—preferring the roar of the 50,000 Harleys to 200,000 Germans cheering in Berlin. But in doing that, did he not underscore the fact that those 200,000 Germans in Berlin actually showed up to hear Barack Obama speak, but the 50,000 bikers on the roar of their Harleys, they had shown up at Sturgis not to see John McCain, but to see Kid Rock, Kelly Pickler and a bunch of female wrestlers and other women not wearing tops?

MADDOW: This is a critical and basic difference between the John McCain campaign for president and the Barack Obama campaign. Barack Obama creates large crowds when he gives speeches. John McCain‘s campaign has just figured out to find out where there‘s going to be a large crowd for another reason and to hope to slip their candidate in between other acts.

I guess you can't really blame McCain. When your opponent draws tens of thousands of people who genuinely want to hear him speak, and you have trouble filling the dining room of a Sausage restaurant, you have to find ways to compensate. It's just ironic that they attack Obama's celebrity appeal yet try to emulate it any way they can.

Download | play Download | play (h/t Heather and Mark H.)

What if we had a weapon that could control, subdue and or disperse crowds without causing death or permanent harm? Well, according to David Martin and 60 Minutes, the Pentagon would be wary about using it in a combat arena like Iraq in favor of traditional (and lethal) methods. But we have such a weapon, one that the Pentagon has no problem demonstrating its use on groups like peace protesters. Hmmm....what are we supposed to take away from that?

Pentagon officials call it a major breakthrough which could change the rules of war and save huge numbers of lives in Iraq. But it's still not there. That because in the middle of a war, the military just can't bring itself to trust a weapon that doesn't kill.

The full report and video available at the 60 Minutes site.

Bush is certainly lining up his propaganda arm of the media.

If there is one thing about President Bush that is different in private from his public persona, it is probably intensity. Before big crowds he is folksy and self-deprecating. Before the hostile press, he is a bit wary. But in our setting -- a meeting with half a dozen conservative columnists in the Oval Office on Sept. 12 -- he was intense. The president called the meeting to let us know directly how he views the war on terror. Some of what he said was a reprise of his televised speech of the evening before -- that our struggle against the extremists is the ideological war of the 21st century, and that only two outcomes are possible, either we will be victorious or what the president calls the "Islamoradicals" will.

When Mona Charen says " the hostile press," what she means is a press that tries to get at the truth--occasionally. Has anyone heard the term "Islamoradicals" before?