Car maker Ford has ended its relationship with the climate-denial lobbyist group ALEC, the Guardian reports, joining tech companies like Google, Facebook, eBay, and Yelp, as well as the energy companies like Shell and BP in distancing themselves from the Koch-funded network.

The day before I went to Detroit, the city imposed a curfew due to fears of violence. The city was also in the process of shutting off water to thousands of its residents. It sounds bad. But as long as you stay inside a sealed corporate bubble the whole time, you'll never even know these problems exist.

Cadillac unveiled its first electric car last month. Apparently afraid that power-lunchers might think they'd gone soft, they rolled out the World's Douchiest Ad to tout the vehicle. Now, Ford has released a video response to Cadillac. That response, basically, is: "Don't be a douche."

There have been several recent reports on rising gas prices, mostly focused on the fact that we're kind of doomed. Obama has admitted that he can't simply make the prices go down, and that none of the "easy solutions" many people are clamoring for would have any effect, now or in the longrun. We may — brace yourselves — have to start thinking in a different way entirely.

Here's some amateur video that was taken today in New York City's Brooklyn Heights neighborhood. Watch as sanitation workers attempt to free a snowbound front loader—and destroy a nearby Ford Explorer in the process. 2010's blizzard claims another!

The 1998 Ford Expedition could very well have been named the Ford Trebuchet. In slow-motion, the unrestrained roll-over trials these dummies endure look almost fun. (Key word: almost.)

The President mentioned in a speech today how good he felt purchasing his first car, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and without naming names, insulted the poor Ford Granada his Grandfather taught him on.

Here's something you didn't see during tonight's highly hyped 60 Minutes interview of Conan O'Brien by Steve Kroft: a possibly-not-legal, but still hilarious, joyride around Los Angeles by the two men in O'Brien's infamous 1992 green Ford Taurus. Video inside.

The Way We Live Now: Absolutely fabulous, thank you very much! When you said "we," you were referring to well-timed Ford investors and university presidents, correct? Oh, you mean everyone. They're all in the garbage business, one way or another.

Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally is a Ford-drivin' man. The humble CEO, who is forced to feed his family on a mere $1/ year salary, announced that rather than taking a private jet like last time, he's going to catch the carpool fever and drive on down to Washington, DC to beg the government for bailout money. Driving himself, in a Ford hybrid car! Has someone been taking our PR advice? We'll say yes! Reportedly, "The Ford road trip would cost about $29, excluding snacks." Cost of snacks: $25 billion. [NYP]

Shares of Ford Motor Company—down nearly 9% today—are now back to their level in April 1983.

As Nas famously proclaimed, hip hop is dead. And last night, we found the murder weapon. Behold the Ford commercial from Wednesday's American Idol. It features your final nine American Idol hopefuls rapping. Not singing, mind you, but rapping.

People don't buy cars to get them from point A to point B. People buy cars for a feeling, dammit! And this car ad inspires some serious feelings: existential torment, lost love, special moments, sheer beauty. It's one of most visually evocative ads we've seen in a long time; a powerful composition. But then you see it's for Ford Fusion, and you're like, "WTF? Isn't that car a piece of crap?" Then you see the tagline at the end and you're like, "Ha, I don't think so." Then you're like, "SO WHAT DID HE SAY TO THE GIRL, YOU BASTARDS?" So, yes, very evocative. The full ad [via Adrants] after the jump.

Insane fundamentalist Christian group American Family Association has declared victory in a two-year boycott against Ford Motor Company and its "significant support of the homosexual agenda." This, despite the fact that Ford says it negotiated no settlement, and is still involved with groups that work in support of gay marriage [Mixed Media]. It's the "Declare victory and go home" strategy, apparently. The AFA is very opposed to any ads "aimed at the homosexual community specifically." Except maybe ads for [jokey regular product with a gay reputation—suggestions?]! But the truth is that auto ads targeting gays have been standard for quite a while now, in America and internationally. After the jump, some of the most obvious examples.