What Caught My Eye Today

Armageddon - The United Nations will shortly be asked to take on a new and unfamiliar mission - to save the Earth, not from drought, war or disease, but from the cataclysm that could occur following a direct hit by an asteroid. A group of former astronauts and cosmonauts is warning that at least one asteroid already identified in outer space is on a path that could indeed see it colliding with our planet in 2036. An asteroid named Apophis risks passing very close to Earth on 13 April, 2036. Astronomers warn that as of now, there is a 1 in 45,000 chance of a direct hit. Its impact would be enough to wipe out a country as large as England. Now that would suck. I have friends there. Guess I better start collecting on those outstanding IOUs.

Gay Marriage - Hundreds of gay couples were granted the same legal rights, if not the title, as married couples Monday as New Jersey became the third state to offer civil unions. The civil unions, which offer the legal benefits but not the title of marriage, were granted automatically to the hundreds of gay New Jersey couples who had previously been joined in civil unions or married in other states or nations. Shh. No one say anything to Tim Hardaway. He's already riled up enough about the gay population. This could push him over the edge.

Iran - This time it isn't about the U.S. Iran has rejected claims by Russian officials that it has failed to meet payments for work on the Bushehr nuclear plant in southern Iran. Under the Bushehr deal, Russia would have started the fuel shipments by March, launched the plant in September and begun to generate electricity by November. Russia's Federal Nuclear Power Agency spokesman Sergey Novikov said the "launch schedule definitely could be affected" by the reported delay in payments. An unnamed Russian official told Associated Press Iran was blaming "technical reasons" for the delay. Do you think a bounced check really qualifies as a technical reason. Sounds like a bit of a stretch to me.

Trump - Donald Trump and World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon will pick a wrestler to represent them in the ring April 1 at Wrestlemania 23. If their pick is beaten in the "Battle of the Billionaires," the loser will get his head shaved after the match. Is it just me, or is this guy completely nuts?

NASCAR - Kevin Harvick wins the season opening Daytona 500 by 0.02 seconds over Mark Martin. How cool was that finish? But like the rest of the week leading up to race day there was a bit of controversy. Sunday's Daytona 500 was Mark Martin's to win, and according to some, he should have won. NASCAR should have thrown the caution flag immediately upon the start of the mega-wreck on the final lap of the race. NASCAR issued a postrace statement that only made the finish even murkier.

"When the 07 [Clint Bowyer] went sideways on the track, the yellow came out," said NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston. "At that time, the 29 [Harvick] was ahead of the 01 [Martin] and was declared the winner. The vehicles that were involved earlier in the incident [the wreck that preceded Bowyer's] were already off the track and on the apron" and therefore didn't merit a caution.

Perhaps, but let's applaud Mark Martin's class in handling the whole thing. And let's not forget that we still have 35 more races to go.

Cycling - America's premier cycling event (yes there is one), the Tour of California kicked off its first stage today, a 97 mile journey from Sausalito to Santa Rosa. Prologue winner, and Santa Rosa native, Levi Leipheimer crashed late in the stage along with most of the rest of the pelaton but kept the overall lead.