Yesterday, much of the Western world was rocked by three distinct events: (1) Apple's announcement of a poorly-named e-book reader; (2) the POTUS' SOTU; and (3) the cancellation of long-suffering dramedy Ugly Betty. The last two may be more intertwined than you'd expect: Ugly Betty's demise was almost foretold with Obama's election.

● Historian and activist Howard Zinn died at 87, as if the left wasn't dead enough already. [Boston Globe] ● An MTA employee brought a wild chicken on the subway where he proceeded to grope it and make everyone uncomfortable. [Gothamist] ● Brittany Murphy's husband Simon Monjack plans to file a wrongful death suit against Warner Bros., alleging that losing a role in Happy Feet led to her heart attack. And apparently his delusions? [TMZ] ● Something, something Apple iPad... [Just Kidding!]

New York magazine sent readers of all stripes into a fits of hysteria by claiming that both Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton set women back a few decades by reinforcing reductive stereotypes -- specifically, the ditz and the bitch. But similar pundits are also waxing philosophical on the link between Barack Obama's election and the potential upswing for more diversity on TV. So if television is indeed the window into the American psyche (and let's be honest, who can contest otherwise?), then what sort of change are the ditz/bitch forces of Palin and Lady Clinton supposed to embody?

Take that, fashion beeotches! We knew she had it in her. Those "Ugly Betty braces" and Coke-bottle glasses couldn’t obscure the glamour gal smoldering just below the surface. An icon of empowerment, on the show and off, America Ferrera is fully owning her golden moment. Be sure to check out our behind-the-scenes gallery from America's photo shoot.