Ben Affleck, an actor who's won an Academy Award for pretty much everything but acting, is joining the Live Below The Line challenge, which aims to raise awareness about global poverty. As a part of the challenge, Affleck and other participants will only be allowed to spend $1.50 a day on food and drink from April 29 to May 3. That is not a lot of money!

Ever dedicated to public service, Gawker thought of some ways that Affleck can get by on the $1.50 a day that is considered the benchmark of extreme poverty worldwide.

Sam's Club Samples

Perhaps Ben doesn't know, because he is a very famous movie star with millions of dollars and probably a personal assistant or whatever, but buying bulk isn't just something Ann Romney pretends to do to seem grounded. It can be very cost-effective!

But truly the greatest thing about shopping at Sam's Club is the samples. On a good day, in nearly every aisle, someone is cooking up something delicious and it's all completely free. Spend a few hours wandering around, picking up samples and enjoy real America.

Netflix Family Plan

The video streaming service announced this week that it will introduce a "family plan" which will allow users to stream up to four videos at once. The company is also reportedly cracking down on the 10 million people currently using Netflix by just borrowing someone else's password.

This is great news for Ben! If Jennifer Garner foots the bill, Ben can enjoy all the movies he likes completely free of charge and saving anywhere you can is definitely a smart idea when you only have $1.50 to spend per day.

May we suggest Ben watch his own movie Armageddon, which Michael Bay is absolutely not sorry for, no way, no how.

Film a Movie

There may be limits to how much Ben can spend, but there are no limits to how much Ben can earn. (There are no limits to how much any of us can earn. This is America, if you can dream it, you can do it.)

Take a movie role real quick! Ben is a two-time Oscar winner, surely someone will let him be in their movie; Katherine Heigl is still getting roles after all. It's easy: just show up on set, memorize a couple lines and then, boom, make a beeline for the craft services table. A feast awaits, and better yet, it's completely free.

Participants in the Below The Line challenge are asked to tweet their experience as they go, so be sure to check here for updates on Ben Affleck's hungry tummy.

[image via AP]

If Politico is to be believed, there is trouble brewing at the New York Times. The story by Dylan Byers, "Turbulence at The Times," focuses on resentment amongst the newspaper's staff over executive editor Jill Abramson's leadership.

The exposée begins with an anecdote — a fight between Abramson and managing editor Dean Baquet — that spills into the newsroom. It goes on to recount numerous tales of bruised egos and dangerously low morale from anonymous staffers at the country's newspaper of record. Quotes from Times staffers paint Abramson as a tyrant repeatedly.

“Every editor has a story about how she’s blown up in a meeting,” one reporter said. “Jill can be impossible,” said another staffer.

Abramson has been notably absent — or “AWOL,” as several staffers put it — at key periods when the Times required leadership. “The Times is leaderless right now,” one staffer said. “Jill is very, very unpopular.”

This depiction of Abramson is notably different than coverage when she was named the newspaper's first female editor a year and a half ago. She was hailed as the newspaper's savior, the New York Observer even depicting her as the Grey Lady's patron saint. But, taking a look back, The New Yorker's profile contains some foreshadowing:

Abramson had previously been the paper’s managing editor, and many in the newsroom considered her to be intimidating and brusque; she was too remote and, they thought, slightly similar to an earlier executive editor, the talented but volcanic Howell Raines, who had also begun the job right after Labor Day, in 2001. After less than two years, Raines was forced out, and his memory is still cursed.

That comparison still exists, and makes its way into Byers' story:

“It’s beginning to reach Howell Raines-like proportions,” one staffer said, referring to the former executive editor who, from 2001 to 2003, is reported to have ruled the paper through humiliation and fear before being forced to resign after the Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal.

But how much of the story is true and how much is exaggerated? The job of a newspaper reporter is certainly not an easy one; a recent study named newspaper reporter the absolute worst job to have. And most of stories in the article seem more to depict a tough boss than an absolute tyrant. Morale has not been very good at the Times for a while now either. So it's a bit hard to tell how much of this is Abramson's fault at all.

Whether or not her leadership skills leave something to be desired, Abramson is certainly doing something right: the Times was awarded an impressive four Pulitzers just last week.

[image via Getty]

Ah, kids. They're born, they do some cute stuff and then they become obnoxious teenagers.

So goes for NASA technology, it appears. The twin Mars Exploration Rovers were launched nine years ago (they grow up so fast when they're left to fend for themselves on a maybe desolate planet) for the purpose of learning more about the red planet. Like your average angsty teens, they have taken to drawing giant penises all over everything.

[image via Reddit, NASA]

This is Rep. Stella Tremblay. She is a Republican elected to New Hampshire's House of Representatives and she believes the government planned the bombing at the Boston Marathon last week that killed three people and injured more than 150 others.

Tremblay posted on Glenn Beck's Facebook wall last week, saying that the search for the suspects was going exactly as he'd suggested it would. She then goes on to suggest that the U.S. government planned to whole thing, but for what reason she does not specify. The message was posted Friday morning, before Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was arrested, for some context.

Just as you said would happen. Top Down, Bottom UP. The Boston Marathon was a Black Ops "terrorist" attack. One suspect killed, the other one will be too before they even have a chance to speak. Drones and now "terrorist" attacks by our own Government. Sad day, but a "wake up" to all of us. First there was a "suspect" then there wasnt. Infowars broke the story and they knew they had been "found out".

In her post, Tremblay also posted a link to a video of another radio host, Alex Jones, explaining why he believes the government is behind last week's attack.

Here is where things get, incestuous, one might say. In addition to hosting a radio show, Jones also runs the site Infowars, which reportedly was a favorite of deceased suspect and supposed ringleader Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

Tremblay has previously made headlines for claiming that President Woodrow Wilson was sympathetic to Adolf Hitler's cause, as well as forwarding a doctored video that claims to show President Barack Obama admitting he was not born in the United States to other New Hampshire House members.

Speaking with the Foster's Daily Democrat Tuesday, Tremblay confirmed her belief that the Boston Marathon bombing was a government plot, saying: "It was one of my constituents that sent me an email, and it went to a site where a, I think it was a major retired marine was speaking, and then he said, 'Please go to Infowars,' and they had pictures of, what is it, black ops? With black backpacks. They show them at the scene, so they knew something was going on."

Not surprisingly, New Hampshire's Democratic Party is requesting the state's Republican Party condemn Tremblay's accusations.

"Even for the New Hampshire Republican Party, which has become synonymous with the tea party and radical extremism, Representative Tremblay's claims are a new low," state Democratic Party spokesman Harrell Kirstein said in a statement. "She is an embarrassment to the New Hampshire House of Representatives, to her constituents, and to the entire state of New Hampshire."

Meanwhile, a lawyer representing Katherine Russell, the widow of suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, urged in a news conference Tuesday that she had no idea what her husband was planning. Amato DeLuca also told reporters that Russell has spoken to law enforcement officials and is cooperating with their investigation, flatly stating: "It is pretty evident that she didn't know anything."

DeLuca also said Russell, who has a 2-year-old daughter with the elder Tsarnaev, is shocked that her husband would do such a thing.

"She cries a lot," DeLuca said. "She can't go anywhere. She can't work."

[image via YouTube]

You had a nice Valentine's Day didn't you? Anyway we sensed that you were feeling too much love and how are you supposed to feel the highs without the lows? Exactly. So without further ado, here are some very low lows: the most bizarro emails you sent us this week.

I think he's looking for this guy. I'll refer you to this.

Subj: attn Richard Gawker

Hey Richard,
I thought sindce youve suppressed my bio and made a laughing stock of
me amongst the superstars and the media that you should check out
these
files on SoundCloud. Any Chance I could get a naked meeting and or
casting in a bed with Katy Perry or any of those ultra fine movie
stars supposedly on my jock? I will be on LA Casting again soon.
Thanks Alot
Your Favorite Tipster

White triumphalism

Subj: With or Without Sentencing

If you are so concerned about racial inequities, why don't you hire
black writers to write about black issues. Oh, thats right! White
people are better equipped to handle the struggle of the black man per
your lazy, self focused and semi-plagarized "article" that is nothing
more than a link to WSJ article written by yet another white man. You
are wildly lazy, and racist in your own right.

[Image by Jim Cooke]

The human resources department at Fox News has certainly been busy the last few weeks. After dumping former Bill Clinton campaign manager-cum-conservative blowhard Dick Morris and Real Housewife of Wasilla Sarah Palin, Fox has signed on a slate of brand new contributors to wax political on the news of the day. Let's get to know them.

Herman Cain

Fox News announced today that it was adding Herman Cain to its panel of contributors. Cain is of course the former Republican presidential hopeful, whose campaign was derailed by numerous accusations of sexual harassment and extra-marital affairs; as well as, you know, some completely unrealistic ideas about our tax codes. But before any of that, Cain was the CEO of Godfather's Pizza for a solid decade.
Activities: Slap and tickle, founder of Cain TV
Quote: "Life can be a challenge, life can seem impossible, but it's never easy when there's so much on the line." - Pokémon: The Movie 2000

Scott Brown

Brown served less than three years as a senator from Massachusetts, elected following the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy. He lost his seat last November to Elizabeth Warren. Brown was widely expected to run again for Senate, this time to fill the seat vacated after John Kerry's confirmation as Secretary of State. Instead, Brown was hired by Fox News as a contributor; he made his first appearance during Hannity on Wednesday night to address President Obama's State of the Union.
Activities: Nude modeling, drunk tweeting
Quote: "Bqhatevwr" - Scott Brown

Dennis Kucinich

Kucinich marks Fox News' other "token hire." Before redistricting forced Brown and Rep. Marcy Kaptur to compete in a primary — which Kucinich lost — he served as a Democratic Congressman representing Ohio from 1997 until this year. Kucinich was also a candidate for president in 2004 and 2008 and 2016, probably. His job at Fox will essentially be the equivalent of punching bag.
Activities Running for president, avoiding olives
Quote "I am suspending my campaign for president, effective today." - Dennis Kucinich

Erick Erickson

Erickson left a job at CNN to come to America's "fair and balanced" cable news network. He held elective office for apx. thirty seconds there in the late aughts as a Macon, Ga. city councilor, however he resigned his office in 2011 to pursue a career as a media whore. While in office, Erickson threatened to dissolve the city's police department when officers tried to unionize. He is also the managing editor of RedState.com.
Activities: Selling endorsements, griping about paying taxes
Quote: "Turned on Twitter today and there was a barrage of angry feminists upset with me telling them to get in the kitchen and learn to cook." - Erick Erickson

Though it may not be immediately obvious, each of these four new hires has something in common. They all represent extremes of their political party. Cain, Brown and Erickson all have ties to the Tea Party and Kucinich was often referred to as the most liberal member of Congress.

Let's all give a warm welcome to the freshman class of Fox News. Keep the hazing to a minimum.

[Images via AP and Flickr]

After a meteorite crashed into Russia early this morning, you may have thought we'd reached our terrifying, Deep Impact-esque space shit quota for the week. Well, you'd be wrong because an asteroid is set to bypass the Earth today.

NASA assures us the asteroid, which weighs 130,000 metric tons and measures 150 feet across, will not make Contact with Earth. It will, however, get as close as 17,200 miles from the planet. This means it will blast through a ring of communications satellites orbiting 22,300 miles away. So will the asteroid hit one and take down our cell reception or television signal? Unlikely, say the experts.

"Scientists have determined that it is very unlikely — but not impossible — that television signals, any other form of communication, or any weather data will be impacted by the asteroid," CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said.

Just in case this is the sort of thing you're into, NASA has set up a livestream to watch as space taunts us with near destruction, just because it can. It is supposed to be at its nearest at 2:00 p.m. EST.

[Image via AP]

Mistakes. We all make them, it's understandable, forgivable, a part of human nature even. But when there's a particular irony to said mistake, it makes it nearly impossible not to mock that mistake, and there's nothing more ironic than an institution of higher learning misspelling its own damn name.

Missouri State University (er, Univeristy) in Springfield, Mo. handed out thousands of canvas bags to students last month, proudly bearing a typo that switched the "s" and second "i" in "university." According to the Springfield News-Leader, a total of 17,800 bags were ordered; the typo appears on nearly half (about 8,500) of the bags. MSU spent $70,844 on the bags and since the error was the school's fault, none of the cost can be recouped.

Furthering the beautiful irony, the bags were given to students free of charge when they picked up their books for the new semester. The error went unnoticed until a student (who deserves all A's this semester for outsmarting the school) brought it to the attention of bookstore employees. Rather than limit the chances of a potentially embarrassing story getting out, bookstore employees decided to keep handing out the bags because, why not?

Bookstore staff then made the decision to continue to hand out the bags, already filled with orders, without consulting interim bookstore management or any MSU administrator, [MSU vice president of student affairs Earle] Doman said.

The university would have preferred they had consulted someone. Doman said the university would have immediately decided to stop handing out the "univeristy" bags.

"We would have come up with an alternative," Doman said. "We would have come up with plastic bags had we learned of it. We have talked about those things in the past. It is just not worth it."

As it turns out, the bookstore at MSU was already in a bit of hot water before its latest fuck up. It's already facing a university audit, after $500,000 went missing from the bookstore's accounts and $81,000 cash was found in now former MSU bookstore director Mark Brixey's desk. The misspelled logo design that was sent to the vendor who made the bags was approved last August, before Brixley's resignation.

[Image via Springfield News-Leader]

For the first time since 1944, the Pentagon has created a new combat-related medal to award drone pilots. Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced today that the Distinguished Warfare Medal will be given to those who have a direct impact on combat relations, but don't risk their lives to do so.

It's another strong vote of confidence from the military that drone strikes are the wave of the future, despite the nation's strongly divided opinion of their use. Drones have played a major part in the killing of several of America's greatest enemies, however, they've also been solely responsible for the deaths of even more innocent civilians. in fact, a New York Times op ed from 2009 alleged that drone attacks have killed 50 civilians for every one terrorist.

"I've seen firsthand how modern tools, like remotely piloted platforms and cyber systems, have changed the way wars are fought," Panetta said today. "And they've given our men and women the ability to engage the enemy and change the course of battle, even from afar."

The medal will rank slightly higher than the Bronze Star, but lower than the Silver Star. Since the Pentagon makes a policy of keeping its acts of cyberwarfare secret, it's unclear whether or not the awarding of this medal will, too, be private. When an unknown hacker is awarded the Distinguished Warfare Medal, the public might be curious what for.

The medal itself will be made of brass. It will show a laurel that circles a globe with an eagle in the center. The two-inch medal will hang from a red, white and blue ribbon. Pretty.

[Image via AP]

Libby Phelps Alvarez is the granddaughter of Fred Phelps, leader of the Westboro Baptist "Church." She left the Topeka, Kansas-based congregation, famous for picketing the soldiers of American soldiers killed in action, holding signs bearing slogans like "god hates fags" in 2009.

Wednesday she appeared on Anderson Live to talk about her decision to leave the church into which she was indoctrinated as a young child. Alvarez said she began picketing with the other members of the church (most of whom are related in some way to Phelps) when she was eight. Though she was raised to believe the church's beliefs and was never exposed to other ways of thinking, it's still hard to feel sorry for Alvarez on account of the terrible things she's said and done in the past, including revealing earlier this year that she'd prayed for people to die. She vaguely expressed regret for her actions to Cooper, saying, "I do regret if I hurt people, because that was never my intention."

During the show, Cooper also introduced Alvarez to Sherry and Randy Wyatt, whose son Sterling was killed in Afghanistan, his funeral was picketed by members of the Westboro Baptist Church. Sherry Wyatt had this to say to Alvarez, and to the Westboro congregation as a whole:

Our son died to ensure freedom of assembly, to ensure freedom of speech, to ensure freedoms for those that are white, black, gay, straight, rich, poor ... All that we get from your actions is just a show of absolute hate. We had thousands stand shoulder to shoulder in 105 degree heat, we had businesses bringing in water, we had our American Legion Auxiliary cooking hot dogs, we had people setting up health stations because of the heat. That is community, that is church.

The New York Post is known for its always subtle, never offensive covers. Today is nothing new; the morning after President Obama's fifth State of the Union and Christopher Dorner's death, the most important story the Post had to tell was about some clothes designer John Galliano wore.

The story, full of the Post's classic puns ("who Jew kidding"), comes from a paparazzi image shot of the "provocative fashion pariah" as he was headed to Oscar de la Renta's design studio. The combination of his hair — fashioned into traditional sidelocks — the long coat and the hat is reminiscent of the garb worn by Hasidic Jews.

"Who is he mocking?" added Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind. "The way the socks look, the jacket, the peyos . . . My question is, who's he laughing at?

"If it was just anyone else, I wouldn't know what to say. But considering who this guy is, considering his background and what he's said in the past, let him explain it to all of us: Are you mocking us?"

To the Post's credit, Galliano has exhibited his fair share of anti-Semitism in the past. In 2011 he was found guilty of hate speech, fined $8,500 and fired from his job at Dior after he was caught on video proclaiming "I love Hitler" ahttp://nymag.com/thecut/2013/02...nd telling a woman "People like you would be dead. Your mothers, your forefathers, would all be fucking gassed" at a bar in Paris. It is illegal to make public anti-Semitic statements in France. However, a crazy outfit worn by a man known for crazy outfits is hardly cause for outrage.

Or is it?

"He just better not step in our streets or come to our synagogue," sad one furious Williamsburg resident after seeing a picture of Galliano's garb.

Yes, "one furious Williamsburg resident" and definitely not "a New York Post reporter who needed a punchy quote for a manufactured article."

Update: It's important to note that this is how Galliano always dresses. As The Cut notes:

...Galliano has been wearing this exact outfit for ages, right down to the ringlets in his hair - which are definitely not peyos, as they circle his whole head. The exaggerated bowler hat, baggy cropped pants, and long jacket are such well-known components of his uniform that Bill Gaytten, Galliano's successor at his namesake line, modeled an entire menswear collection on them for spring 2012. Indeed, the hat Galliano wore yesterday looks to be one of Gaytten's recent designs.

Though it's been years since the last book's release, Harry Potter is getting itself a little makeover.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the publication of the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Scholastic is releasing a box set of all seven books this September. The books will all feature brand new covers, but only the first cover has been released. The new artwork is by Kazu Kibuishi, author of the graphic novel series Amulet.

"The Harry Potter covers by Mary GrandPré are so fantastic and iconic," said Kibuishi. "When I was asked to submit samples, I initially hesitated because I didn't want to see them reinterpreted! However, I felt that if I were to handle the project, I could bring something to it that many other designers and illustrators probably couldn't, and that was that I was also a writer of my own series of middle grade fiction. As an author myself, I tried to answer the question, 'If I were the author of the books - and they were like my own children - how would I want them to be seen years from now?' When illustrating the covers, I tried to think of classic perennial paperback editions of famous novels and how those illustrations tend to feel. In a way, the project became a tribute to both Harry Potter and the literary classics."

It's hard to believe Harry Potter is 15 years old, huh? Though it seems a little young to me for cosmetic work, no judgement here, we all do what we have to to feel good about ourselves.

[Image via Scholastic]

From the Associated Press today, a bizarre memo that specifies the terms "husband" and "wife" are to be used to refer to heterosexual couples only. The initial memo, posted first by Romanesko Romenesko, reads:

From: AP Standards
Sent: Mon 2/11/2013 2:45 PM

STYLE WATCH

SAME-SEX COUPLES: We were asked how to report about same-sex couples who call themselves "husband" and "wife." Our view is that such terms may be used in AP stories with attribution. Generally AP uses couples or partners to describe people in civil unions or same-sex marriages.

Tom Kent
Dave Minthorn

Then later, the AP issued another memo intended to clarify the first, that does nothing of the sort:

SAME-SEX COUPLES: We were asked how to report about same-sex couples who call themselves "husband" and "wife." Our view is that such terms may be used in AP content if those involved have regularly used those terms ("Smith is survived by his husband, John Jones") or in quotes attributed to them. Generally AP uses couples or partners to describe people in civil unions or same-sex marriages.

Gay marriage, in which people are pronounced husband and husband or wife and wife, is now legal in nine states in the U.S. In addition, same-sex marriages from other states are recognized in Rhode Island and California (sort of). Gay marriage is also legal in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Sweden. Both the United Kingdom and France are on their way to legalization. But these legally-wedded couples are not to be called husbands or wives by the Associated Press.

Why does it matter? The Associated Press remains the leading authority worldwide on journalistic style. While most publications, including Gawker, deviate occasionally from the AP's ordained "proper" style, it does serve as a guide for nearly every word of journalism you'll read either online or in print. This particular style choice makes a jarring "separate but equal" standard for married couples. As we learned with segregation, a separate standard is inherently unequal.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Not satisfied with their first try, the film industry has decided to give it another go at a Liz Taylor biopic.

This time, it's a BBC4 film starring Academy Award-nominee Helena Bonham Carter as Lindsay Lohan and The Wire star Dominic West as that guy attached to Liz Taylor's mouth.

The as-yet-untitled film will focus on Taylor and Richard Burton reuniting in 1983 — one year before Burton's death — to play divorced couple Amanda and Elyot in a Broadway revival of Private Lives by Noël Coward. It was very much stunt casting, as Taylor and Burton themselves were twice-divorced at the time and much of the buzz surrounding the show focused on the turbulent relationship between Taylor and Burton, rather than the actors' performances.

Speaking about the film, Bonham Carter told the Daily Mail, "It's about this sliver of their lives together. They were huge stars and they'd never been on stage together before."

There's no word yet when Liz & Dick 2.0 will air. Also no word on Lindsay Lohan's reaction to today's news.

[Image via AP]

On tonight's World News with Diane Sawyer, ABC will air several interviews with victims of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre, as well as graphic video showing the chaos in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. The video is incredibly disturbing, and shows bodies of the dead and injured scattered across the floor, pools of blood everywhere. What the victims have to say is equally impactful.

In the interview, Sergeant Kimberly Munley, who was hailed as a hero for bringing down accused shooter Major Nidal Hassan, claims to have been "betrayed" by President Obama.

"Betrayed is a good word," former Sgt. Munley told ABC News in a tearful interview to be broadcast tonight on "World News with Diane Sawyer" and "Nightline."

"Not to the least little bit have the victims been taken care of," she said. "In fact they've been neglected."

Munley was seated next to Michelle Obama at the 2010 State of the Union address just a few months after the shooting had taken place. President Obama himself made a promise that the victims would be taken care of. However, the shooting has since been classified as a "workplace violence" rather than a terrorist attack or "combat related." To those who were shot, this means fewer financial benefits than other soldiers who received combat-related injuries, less access to medical care and no chance of receiving a Purple Heart or other decorations given to fellow military members hurt on the job.

Dozens of victims of the massacre, including Munley, have now filed suit against the military, demanding it reconsider the attack's "workplace violence" designation.

"Basically, they're treating us like I was downtown and I got hit by a car," Shawn Manning, who was shot six times at Fort Hood, tells ABC in tonight's report.

The Army has denied any neglect of the Fort Hood victims, citing ignorance:

"If a soldier feels ignored, then we need to know about it on a case by case basis," [Secretary of the Army John] McHugh told ABC News. "It is not our intent to have two levels of care for people who are wounded by whatever means in uniform."

As for the lack of awards given to the victims, McHugh tells ABC that awarding Purple Hearts would have a "profound effect on the ability to conduct the trial [against Hassan]."

In addition to accusing Obama of betraying the victims, Munley also tells ABC she believes she was used by the President when she was seated with the First Lady at the State of the Union. Asked whether she was hesitant about speaking out against Obama, she said no.

"We got tired of being neglected. So this was our last resort and I'm not ashamed of it a bit," she said.

[Screengrab via ABC]

An emergency alert interrupted Montana television viewers as they watched the Steve Wilkos Show Monday, and calmly informed them that "dead bodies are rising from their graves."

The (clearly) bogus alert was quickly pulled off air and replaced with an apology from KRTV — the station that broadcast the message — both on air and online reading:

Someone apparently hacked into the Emergency Alert System and announced on KRTV and the CW that "dead bodies are rising from their graves" in several Montana counties.

This message did not originate from KRTV, and there is no emergency.

Our engineers are investigating to determine what happened and if it affected other media outlets.

While several questions remain (Who did this? How? Was it viral marketing for The Walking Dead?) one is definitely clear: the dead of Great Falls, Montana are still dead and plan to stay that way for some time, something I think we can all agree is good news.

Americans for Responsible Solutions, the Super PAC founded by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, has released its first ad called "Let's Get This Done." The ad is narrated by Giffords, who is seen standing by her husband; it also shows pictures of memorials from several recent mass shootings, including the one that nearly killed Giffords.

The copy of the ad itself is fairly short:

We have a problem, where we shop, where we pray, where our children go to school. But there are solutions we can agree on. Even gun owners like us. Take it from me, Congress must act. Let's get this done.

The ad will apparently be shown in the Washington, D.C. television market both before and after President Obama issues the State of the Union Tuesday night. It will also be playing in markets where constituents of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) live.

Giffords and Kelly founded Americans for Responsible Solutions in order to get stricter gun control laws passed. President Obama proposed several measures in order to keep guns out of the hands of potential criminals, though it remains unclear whether or not Congress will act on the suggestions. Gun control is expected to be a major topic of the President's State of the Union.

Since coffee is for pussies and tea is way gay, PepsiCo's Mountain Dew has a new morning soda to start your day off right. It's called Kickstart and it sounds delightful.

Kickstart is a "sparkling juice beverage" that contains only 5 percent real juice and 95 percent only god knows. Not quite an energy drink, not yet a soda, it comes in "energizing orange citrus" and "energizing fruit punch."

"Our consumers told us they are looking for an alternative to traditional morning beverages – one that tastes great, includes real fruit juice and has just the right amount of kick to help them start their days," said Mountain Dew Vice President Greg Lyons in a PepsiCo employee newsletter. "We heard them loud and clear and created a completely new offering with Kickstart to give them exactly what they asked for."

Is "Morning soda" something that anyone's asked for?

For the record, Kickstart has 92 milligrams of caffeine in a 16-ounce can. A 16-ounce "grande" of Starbucks has 330.

Kickstart will slam into a store near you Feb. 25.

[Image via AP]