A links post
I seem to have inexplicably switched to primarily posting links on Facebook and a few days ago realized that doing so likely amounts to spamming people there so am trying to switch back to LJ where it's a bit easier for readers to opt in or out. Links, most shamelessly stolen from other people, (and some duplicates of things I posted to FB a couple of weeks ago) are sorted and labeled.
U.S.-Focused
I don't have much to say about Arizona SB1070, which effectively encourages police officers to racially profile and forces anyone who could potentially be mistaken for Latino or otherwise not of U.S. origin to have to carry I.D.
Meanwhile, Tim Wise's piece on "Imagine if the Tea Party was black" has been making the rounds. It's well done (it clearly comes from someone who's used to speaking), though probably preaching to the choir for most of the people who read my LJ.
U.S. military's response to PTSD
Study Casts Doubt On the 'Boy Crisis'.
The (Greater) Middle East
Meanwhile in the Middle East, a few rockets were fired from Sinai towards Eilat for the first time in a few years, and one of them hit Jordan instead.
And it's kind of sad that this story about Jerusalem officials investigated for accepting bribes in exchange for approving new Jewish construction actually made me happy because it suggests that the most blatant of the land thievery isn't consistent with officials' actual sentiment (since they apparently had to be bribed to approve it).
Remember in 2008 when a member of Israel's legislature said that earthquakes are divine retribution for failing to criminalize gay sex? Well, officials in Iran apparently have a slight correction: earthquakes are actually due to immodest female attire! A student at Purdue decided to put the latter claim to the test today in what has been termed 'boobquake'. Incidentally, regardless of whether one goes by the Israeli or the Iranian religious ideologues' claims, what does it say that a meteor fell on a sex-segregated (religious) beach in Tel Aviv?
Queer
Apparently in order to fight GLB folks' right to marry Texas is...forcing them to stay married (the state thinks granting them a divorce would involve implicit legitimization of the marriage). Somehow I can't help but think of Wanda Sykes' bit on how the best way to protect the sanctity of marriage isn't to ban same-sex marriage but to ban divorce (and, having had both a divorce and a same-sex marriage, she should know).
In the meantime, a San Francisco gay softball league is discriminating against bi. players of color. Aside from "Wow, that's messed up" all I can really say is that I'm glad that in this case a lesbian org. is not only not involved in the bi. phobia (and racism) too common in monosexual-dominated orgs. but is actually providing the players' lawyers.
In happy queer news, the Philipino gay party was approved and gay swans set up nest at the world's only swannery. Lastly, have a sweet clip of Ivan Coyote doing spoken word: To all of the kick ass, beautiful fierce femmes out there...
Science(ish)
A three-decade dispute over control of an island in the Bay of Bengal was recently resolved - the island was submerged by rising sea levels.
Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits. I still think that when I want a hot beverage I'll stick with hot water with fresh mint, sage, and sugar or hot water with lemon and honey...
In case you hadn't realized that octopuses are mad smart, now there's video proof.
Many new laptop models have mini-seismometers built in (to detect falls and thereby turn things off to protect against damage) and if you have one you can download a program to help researchers and even send out early warnings to surrounding areas.
Russians generated element 117.
New fuel cell technology to be commercially available in the near future?
Other Fun Stuff
Scrabble is going to allow proper nouns.
Yiddish Dr. Suess.
Lastly, I couldn't resist also posting KittehRoulette (an alternative to ChatRoulette for those of us who like pussies).
U.S.-Focused
I don't have much to say about Arizona SB1070, which effectively encourages police officers to racially profile and forces anyone who could potentially be mistaken for Latino or otherwise not of U.S. origin to have to carry I.D.
Meanwhile, Tim Wise's piece on "Imagine if the Tea Party was black" has been making the rounds. It's well done (it clearly comes from someone who's used to speaking), though probably preaching to the choir for most of the people who read my LJ.
U.S. military's response to PTSD
Study Casts Doubt On the 'Boy Crisis'.
The (Greater) Middle East
Meanwhile in the Middle East, a few rockets were fired from Sinai towards Eilat for the first time in a few years, and one of them hit Jordan instead.
And it's kind of sad that this story about Jerusalem officials investigated for accepting bribes in exchange for approving new Jewish construction actually made me happy because it suggests that the most blatant of the land thievery isn't consistent with officials' actual sentiment (since they apparently had to be bribed to approve it).
Remember in 2008 when a member of Israel's legislature said that earthquakes are divine retribution for failing to criminalize gay sex? Well, officials in Iran apparently have a slight correction: earthquakes are actually due to immodest female attire! A student at Purdue decided to put the latter claim to the test today in what has been termed 'boobquake'. Incidentally, regardless of whether one goes by the Israeli or the Iranian religious ideologues' claims, what does it say that a meteor fell on a sex-segregated (religious) beach in Tel Aviv?
Queer
Apparently in order to fight GLB folks' right to marry Texas is...forcing them to stay married (the state thinks granting them a divorce would involve implicit legitimization of the marriage). Somehow I can't help but think of Wanda Sykes' bit on how the best way to protect the sanctity of marriage isn't to ban same-sex marriage but to ban divorce (and, having had both a divorce and a same-sex marriage, she should know).
In the meantime, a San Francisco gay softball league is discriminating against bi. players of color. Aside from "Wow, that's messed up" all I can really say is that I'm glad that in this case a lesbian org. is not only not involved in the bi. phobia (and racism) too common in monosexual-dominated orgs. but is actually providing the players' lawyers.
In happy queer news, the Philipino gay party was approved and gay swans set up nest at the world's only swannery. Lastly, have a sweet clip of Ivan Coyote doing spoken word: To all of the kick ass, beautiful fierce femmes out there...
Science(ish)
A three-decade dispute over control of an island in the Bay of Bengal was recently resolved - the island was submerged by rising sea levels.
Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits. I still think that when I want a hot beverage I'll stick with hot water with fresh mint, sage, and sugar or hot water with lemon and honey...
In case you hadn't realized that octopuses are mad smart, now there's video proof.
Many new laptop models have mini-seismometers built in (to detect falls and thereby turn things off to protect against damage) and if you have one you can download a program to help researchers and even send out early warnings to surrounding areas.
Russians generated element 117.
New fuel cell technology to be commercially available in the near future?
Other Fun Stuff
Scrabble is going to allow proper nouns.
Yiddish Dr. Suess.
Lastly, I couldn't resist also posting KittehRoulette (an alternative to ChatRoulette for those of us who like pussies).