Tag Archives: news

Friday Links (powerful jedi edition)

blogging, , ,

(Click to embiggen)
(Click to embiggen)
Thank goodness it’s Friday. Already the second Friday of the new year and I still haven’t finished my year-in-review post or got up on my goals check-ins. I’m such a slacker. Or maybe just trying to keep up with things at work. At least my husband’s doctor says his broken bone has healed nicely; he won’t need surgery or physical therapy and he’s graduated to a cane. Yay!

Anyway, here are links to some of the interesting things I read on the web this week.

Link of the Week

50 Wonderful Things From 2015. Several people shared this this week, all saying they don’t normally like end-of-year lists, but this was better than most. And it is. For one thing, it isn’t a slide show that you have to click, and click, and click. Just an article to scroll through.

Failing to learn from history

A ground zero forgotten: The Marshall Islands, once a U.S. nuclear test site, face oblivion again.

This week in All Generalizations Are Bad

Shhh! Keeping Quiet May Help You Achieve Your Goals.

GOALS: TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE?

This week in Geek

Twitter Isn’t Raising the Character Limit. It’s Becoming a Walled Garden.

George III’s huge map collection digitized.

This week in Health

Dogs thwart effort to eradicate Guinea worm: Epidemic in dogs complicates push to wipe out parasite.

This Week in Diversity

The Marriages of Power Couples Reinforce Income Inequality.

Hoist Your Nerd Colors, Ladies: How I Learned to Take Pride in My Nerdiness.

Aziz Ansari on Acting, Race and Hollywood.

THE IMPORTANCE OF AN ORIGIN STORY: LOOKING FOR MY MULTIRACIAL FAMILY.

Missouri Bill To Ban Racial Profiling Draws Attention For Including Gays: Legislation Inspired By Michael Brown’s Murder Covers Race, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity.

A gay “Star Wars” hero could save lives in this galaxy: Why the lip bite that launched a thousand ‘ships matters.

This week in Evil People

Gay cult? ISIS leader who raped boy is excused while raped 15-yr-old is executed.

News for queers and our allies:

How Starbucks Helped Me Be OK With Being Gay.

Transgender people in Washington state to use restrooms based on identity, not anatomy.

A Christian Father’s Plea to Dads of LGBTQ Kids.

Many truths about bisexuality in adorable graphs!

Science!

Picking Your Narrative Matters: Kids Were Terrified of Getting MRIs. Then One Man Figured Out a Better Way.

How Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s words were freed from old floppy disks.

New research suggests sun’s magnetic field may soon change. The headline ought to be “…sooner than the billions of years previously thought…”

NuSTAR Bringing the High Energy Universe into Focus.

Energy Drinks Are Basically Poison Says Science, Common Sense. There was any doubt?

6 Absurd Ways Modern Medicine Fails Because Of Sexism.

Turtle Fossils Shed Light On Rise Of Andes Mountains.

Huge Jurassic cliff landslide exposes hundreds of prehistoric fossils from 65 million years ago.

Marks of the Anthropocene: 7 signs we have made our own epoch.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculation!

In defense of ‘Star Wars’ and other childish things.

…you want to see in the world.

Why does the misogynist & homophobic man behind ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘Sherlock’ still have a job?

Mary Robinette Kowal quotes from the requests sent by 83 of the 100 people she and other donors gave supporting memberships in the 2015 Worldcon. It’s really amazing to read these!

Star Wars hero Poe Dameron: is Disney brave enough to make him gay?

No, Rey From ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Is Not A Mary Sue.

5 MARVEL HEROES FROM THE GUTTER OF OBSCURITY THAT MADE IT.

This Week in Hateful Fans

What We Talk About When We Talk About Lying Crazypants Liars Who Lie.

Sad Puppies: since gaming the hugo awards failed, let’s try goodreads.

This week in Writing

The Ugly Truth of Publishing & How BEST to Support Writers.

It Was Twenty-Two Years Ago Today.

This Week in History

Even in 1907, Seattle Couldn’t Handle the Snow.

Culture war news:

So Now Muslims Can Be Fired for Praying?

State Senator Proposes Law That Would Criminalize Transgender Bathroom Usage.

2015: Year of the Arsonist.

Muslims, Homosexuals, Christians and Terrorists.

Dear Mormonism: Your LGBTQ Members Are Still Hurting, So What Happens Next?

Armed takeover of building in Oregon puts feds in tough spot.

Stolen Valor: Militiaman Working As Cliven And Ammon Bundy’s Bodyguard Was Never A Marine.

Georgia Republicans Want To Gay-Bang The Gays With Exciting New Religious Freedom Laws.

Florida Professor Who Cast Doubt on Mass Shootings Is Fired.

Oklahoma Wesleyan University President Says He is “Proud” to Discriminate Against Transgender People.

Georgia Republicans Don’t Want Anything to Do With Their State’s “Religious Liberty” Bill.

Godless New York Punishes Chick-fil-A With Health Code Violations.

FedEx Takes Needlessly Cruel Swipe At A Grieving Lesbian Widow.

Ten Women Sue Duggar Family Homeschooling Guru Bill Gothard For Rape And Sexual Abuse.

Alabama probate judges should obey US Supreme Court on gay marriage, federal prosecutors say.

Anti-Gay Marriage Dude Tries to Mansplain the Supreme Court to Megyn Kelly.

This Week in the Clown Car

Cruz & Trump could crater the GOP: A history lesson for a party on the brink of disaster.

Ben Carson’s new campaign chairman speaks out against women, LGBT troops.

The Feud Between Donald Trump and Samuel L. Jackson Is Even Weirder Than You Can Imagine.

Huckabee: Hate Groups Won’t Endorse Me Because They Know I’ll Put Them Out Of Business by Giving Them Everything They Want.

Rubio Tries To Out-Jesus Everybody In New Ad.

This week in Other Politics:

Hillary Clinton says therapy to turn gay kids straight must be banned.

This Week in Racism

America’s real racial double standard: How the law — and white people — turn “race-neutral” into “pro-white”.

As a gay black ex-detective, this is what I think when I’m asked if black people should join the police.

‘Where White People Meet’ dating site billboard turning heads in Utah.

This Week in Hate Crimes

US Marine convicted of killing transgender Filipino appeals.

This Week in Misogyny

‘he had a remarkable gentleness and courtesy in his dealings with women’ – the Sherlock Christmas special.

Silence, exile and coming second: women writers get same raw deal as in theatre.

Farewells:

Natalie Cole, Singer of ‘Unforgettable’ and ‘This Will Be,’ Dies at 65.

Wayne Rogers, Trapper John on ‘M.A.S.H.,’ dies at 82.

Jason Wingreen, The Original Voice Of Boba Fett In ‘Star Wars’, Has Passed Away At Age 95.

Things I wrote:

Scarves, socks, and “man” colors.

“Finn heroically saving him…”.

Bikini armor madness.

Videos!

Much Ado Nothing About Something:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

India’s First Transgender Band Just Released Their First Song And It Will Leave You Speechless – Hum Hain Happy – 6 Pack Band:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Craig David ‘Love Yourself’ Justin Bieber cover Live Lounge:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

HIGH-RISE – Official Trailer #2 (2016) Tom Hiddleston Movie HD (semi NSFW for obscured naked Tom Hiddleston; it’s an adaptation of one of J.G. Ballard’s more surreal sci fi stories):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Marvel’s Daredevil – Coming Soon, Season 2 – Only On Netflix [HD]:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Friday Links (fire, floods, and giant squids)

blogging, , ,

(Click to embiggen)
(Click to embiggen)
Thank goodness it’s Friday. It’s the first Friday of a new year. Oy! Wait! I didn’t finish everything I meant to do in 2015! Eek!

We had a pretty good Christmas. Okay, I think my husband called it “great” when we were driving back home late the night of the 26th after going to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens with some friends up north.

Anyway, here are links to some of the interesting things I read on the web this week.

Link of the Week

9 times Mister Rogers said exactly the right thing.

It’s the end of the year as we know it…

Fuck Your “Life Hacks” – If you want to change, then change.

After a historic year for LGBT rights in US, 2016 may see backlash and complacency.

This week in Health

How I overcame my fears and saved my life from cancer.

Why Preventing Cancer Is Not the Priority in Drug Development.

How researchers dupe the public with a sneaky practice called “outcome switching”.

This Week in Diversity

What to do when you’re not the hero any more: From Star Wars to Mad Max, a new, more diverse kind of storytelling went mainstream this year – and the backlash shows how much it matters.

A more inclusive military won’t matter if young people won’t include themselves.

How I Unlearned the Bigotry My Father Taught Me.

What the Mainstream Can Learn From 2015’s Queer Indie Cinema.

2015 YEAR IN BLACKNESS REVIEW ACCORDING TO NARUTO.

Diversity report card: The film industry took 1 step forward, 2 steps back.

This week in Difficult to Classify

Dubai: Fire Engulfs 68-story Luxury Hotel Skyscraper.

Midwest flooding kills at least 20, shuts major interstate.

Texas Christian claims she diverted tornado to another neighborhood: ‘God had given us authority over the winds.’ So, god will kill your neighbors if you ask him to? What?

The Radical History of 1960s Adult Coloring Books.

News for queers and our allies:

Marriage Equality Almost Didn’t Happen: The Strange Tale Of How It All Started. “Here is the story of a camel hair coat, a horse meat bait-and-switch, two just-out-of-college conservative activists from liberal Brandeis University, a millionaire anti-gay publisher, a longtime lesbian activist who did not believe in playing by the rules, and a state senator who bluffed about her vote count and stood terrified on the state house floor waiting to see whether her colleagues would render her own family unequal.”

Listen: 90 year old gay man talks of his long struggle with his sexuality.

Why This Gay Man With Cerebral Palsy Is Taking Off His Clothes.

Catholic Newspaper Names Same-Sex Marriage Plaintiffs ‘Persons Of The Year’.

Kelly Clarkson didn’t know a gay couple would get engaged in her video.

THE TEN BEST QUEER FILMS OF 2015.

Science!

Could fast radio bursts be produced by collisions between neutron stars and asteroids?

Weird New Shark Glows in the Dark.

It looks like a worldwide coffee shortage is inevitable.

The Endangered Animal Comeback Stories of 2015.

Tales of the bedbug, one of the world’s most reviled insects.

What’s So Special About the Human Brain?

The Siege of Miami: As temperatures climb, so, too, will sea levels.

Science has answered the question: Why do dogs love to sing?

Year in review: Fluke extinction surprises lab.

Why Some of the Worst Attacks on Social Science Have Come From Liberals.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculation!

William Gibson: how I wrote Neuromancer.

Dune at 50: Good Night, Don’t Let the Sandworms Bite.

The Call of the Sad Whelkfins: The Continued Relevance of How To Suppress Women’s Writing.

10 Rey Star Wars toys and shirts you need in your life.

Did Star Wars: The Force Awakens introduce a gay romance without us realising? If my tumblr or twitter feeds are any indication, millions of us noticed…

WHY IS REY SUCH A GREAT HERO?

BLACK SPECULATIVE FICTION: THE VIEW FROM HERE.

Scalzi: I Ruin Everything But Mostly Science Fiction.

Culture war news:

Here Are 15 Of The Dumbest Things Said About The Queer Community In 2015. I had forgotten a bunch of these…

Yearly reminder Salvation Army turns away the LGBT, some of the most at-risk homeless. Jennifer Gale froze to death on sidewalk outside Salvation Army shelter, turned away because she was trans.

Sweet Cakes Bakers Still Actively Fundraising, Cash Pouring In: A same-sex couple, not the Kleins, were the victims in the Sweet Cakes By Melissa case. The couple has not received a penny, the Kleins are still raking in the dough.

Although the next day: Homophobic Bakery Finally Repays Lesbian Couple.

Federer’s Absurd Attempt to Use Science to Prove Christianity.

Creationism Whistleblower: ‘Academic Freedom’ Is Sneak Attack on Evolution.

This Week in the Clown Car

Ben Carson’s Campaign Is Crumbling, and Completely Victorious. “Ben Carson loses two top aides as his campaign flounders,” reports the LA Times, still operating under the assumption that Ben’s running a campaign for president rather than a get-richer-quick scheme.

This week in Other Politics:

The warning bell tolls for thee DNC.

In the end, 2015 saw no ‘war on cops’ and no ‘national crime wave’.

Meanwhile, The Number of Civilians Killed by Police on the Rise.

Special Report: Pentagon thwarts Obama’s effort to close Guantanamo.

This Week in Racism

Cleveland Officer Will Not Face Charges in Tamir Rice Shooting Death.

White police are killing black kids: The cops get off, because the system protects the lives it values.

This Week in Hate Crimes

Since September, There Have Been 14 Assaults in Dallas’ Gay Neighborhood.

This Week in Stupidity

Here Are 15 Of The Dumbest Things Said About The Queer Community In 2015. I had forgotten a bunch of these…

Farewells:

Robert Spitzer dies at 83; psychiatrist had homosexuality delisted as a disorder.

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 12/26/2015: Boxing Day links.

Hokey Religions and Ancient Weapons – more of why I love sf/f.

Videos!

Panic! At The Disco: Death Of A Bachelor [OFFICIAL VIDEO]:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

A New Year’s Wish:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Giant squid guided back to sea by diver after swimming into Japanese harbour:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Weekend Update 12/26/2015: Boxing Day links

news, , ,

Some explanations of Boxing Day.
Some explanations of Boxing Day, how it is celebrated, and so on. (click to embiggen)
It’s December 26, the Feast of St. Stephen, which most people in this country only vaguely know about because of the song:

“Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night, tho’ the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath’ring winter fuel.”

…which most people think is a Christmas song, but was originally simply a traditional song, and was more likely to be sung at Easter and Lent than Christmas.

Today is also Boxing Day, a confusing holiday for many, including the country of its origin. It used to be a day for wealthy people to give boxes of clothes and such to their servants. Don’t confuse it with the modern concept of a gift, though—the clothes in question where those that had belonged to and been worn by the employers. The servants didn’t necessarily keep the clothes themselves, but rather turned around and sold them. Before cheap mass manufacture of clothing became the norm, clothing was handmade and if you weren’t well off you couldn’t afford new clothes. You purchased hand-me-downs. And the custom of giving cast-off clothing to servants became so entrenched that it was virtually a contractural obligation.

I do like the description of the modern observance I’ve seen of, “You spent Boxing Day at the pub celebrating with your friends because you spent Christmas with the family.” My Boxing Day is going to include driving to another town to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens a second time with a different set of friends. So I guess that counts.

Yesterday I did more-or-less my usual weekly collection of links: Friday Links (Ho! Ho! Ho! edition), and as usual after the post had gone up, I came across a few more interesting stories that either relate to things I posted yesterday, or it doesn’t make much sense to wait until next week to link to them, such as Cards Against Humanity Just Blew Everyone Away With This Open Letter. Wow. Paid time off is something that lots of people in the world never get, even in the alleged wealthiest nation on the planet. It would be nice if more people who have the resources thought about that. It’s nice to see someone at least trying to set an example.

Over the course of several editions of Friday Links I’ve posted a couple of stories about some of the Gay rights organizations that have closed down their operations or re-tooled during the last year. There have been a lot of others. It makes sense, just as the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell five years ago made the mission of organizations that were focused solely on allowing gay and lesbian military personnel obsolete, the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality has left those groups whose only missions was marriage equality redundant. A lot of people have lamented these closures, correctly pointing out that there is still a lot of inequality in the laws, and plenty of legal and cultural battles to fight, yet. While it is true that part of the reason for the closures is that most of their donors figure the fight is won, so why donate, that isn’t all that’s happening: Gay Groups Are Not Shutting Down, They Are Clearing the Way for the New LGBT Agenda.

That headline is a bit misleading on two counts. First, yes, several specific organizations are literally shutting down. I get that what the author means is that most of the people involved are moving on to different groups to focus on the next steps in the fight. The other inaccuracy, IMHO, is that idea of the next steps being a new agenda. Maybe the specific battles seem new and different, but the agenda has been for a long, long time quite simply: full equality regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, et cetera, and nothing less. Marriage equality was a significant step because of the thousands (literally) of legal rights that our society ties to marriage (with no other way to obtain those legal protections), as well as the cultural step of recognizing that queers do love, their love matters, and it is the same love non-queers experience. But it was merely another step toward that goal of full equality. And there is still a way to go, including the simple step of securing the right to marry (and everything it entails) against the attempts to limit that right or take it away outright.

The battle isn’t even really new. As Alvin McEwan has pointed out several times, the lies and the tactics used against us have been the same for decades (at least), they just get tweaked and repackaged as social attitudes shift.

Enough about that! Today is also the third day of Christmas. Though most people think that Christmas is all over, so if I don’t want to wait eleven months to get this two things in, now’s my last chance: The Real Attack on the Spirit of Christmas — 2015. It’s the people who scream mostly loudly about the War on Christmas who are actually trampling all over the religious teachings of the man who they claim is the reason for the season. And: Hank at Vlogbrothers talks about why Christmas (and the Holiday Giving Season) often come under such significant fire (from apparently all sides).

Finally, the band Radiohead has given everyone on interesting seasonal gift: Last year we were asked to write a theme tune for the Bond movie Spectre. Yes we were. It didn’t work out, but became something of our own, which we love very much. As the year closes we thought you might like to hear it. Merry Christmas. May the force be with you. I’ve embedded it below. If that doesn’t work, click the previous link to go to their Bandcamp page and give it a listen.

Happy Boxing Day! May the Force be with us, every one!

Friday Links (Ho! Ho! Ho! edition)

blogging, , , ,

"I've seen your twitter feed. You're getting a dictionary for Christmas."
(Click to embiggen)
Thank goodness it’s Friday. And Christmas! Let this queer taoist wish you and yours a very, merry Christmas! And Happy Solstice! Joyful Kwanza! Happy Holidays!

I got all the presents wrapped last Friday before our big party. I finished my Christmas Ghost Story in the wee hours of the morning Saturday, and that night read the story while dressed as Grandfather Frost. My husband and I and a couple friends saw Star Wars: the Force Awakens on Sunday, and I’ve have a fun week of vacation, including a run down to see a bunch of the family. Given how grueling the previous two weeks at work had been, I’m really glad to have this time off this year!

Anyway, here are links to some of the interesting things I read on the web this week.

Link of the Week

I shared this web site earlier, but it deserves a repeat: Your Holiday Mom: OFFERING OUR LGBTQ YOUTH A VIRTUAL HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

This week in Geek

Winnipeg Free Press: Don’t Ready the Comments?

‘Tis the Season

Speaking to the Soul: Finding Stillness.

Where America’s Christmas trees come from, in one map.

Lunch lady who was fired for giving a poor child a free meal offered job back.

The Real Reason for the Coffee Season.

The Only Holiday Decoration in the Florida Capitol Is a Rainbow Gay Pride Festivus Pole.

This week in Heart-wrenching

Why I Am Probably Going to Send the Drunk Driver Who Killed My Parents a Christmas Card: The 10th anniversary of my parents’ death brings up many emotions. Hate isn’t one of them.

A Christmas Themed Story. “No reindeer. No elves. I think you’ll remember it though. You’ll say “Safe Travels” and you’ll mean it.”

This Week in Diversity

Words that Need to Die in 2016.

6 Reasons Your Discomfort with They/Them Pronouns Reveals Unchecked Cis Privilege.

5 Ways Christian Privilege Shows Up During the Winter Holiday Season.

This week in Evil, Greedy People

Listen: whistleblower story that Marineland threatens to sue journalists for disclosing.

News for queers and our allies:

Scholarship Could Be Ray Of Hope For Rural LGBT Students.

My Day in Court.

Free Gay-Themed Holiday Indie Film: ‘Red Lodge’.

US drops lifetime ban on gay men donating blood.

Obama Commemorates Fifth Anniversary Of ‘Dont Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal.

Anti-Transgender Ballot Initiative Fails in California.

Science!

Astronomers Find New Object, Possible Super-Earth In Our Solar System.

Record heat hit East Coast on Christmas Eve.

HIV antibody curbs virus in trial: Dramatic reduction in circulating HIV produced in those not receiving antiviral drugs.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculation!

How Bad Is the 1978 ‘Star Wars’ Holiday Special? (Even though I was around and a big fan when this aired, I refused to watch it, suspecting rightly that it would be awful)

George Lucas nearly wrote a perfect prequel trilogy. He just didn’t notice.

Tales From The Four Color Closet: By The Force, Let Poe Dameron Be Gay.

TOLKIEN, THE FORCE AWAKENS, AND THE SADNESS OF EXPANDED UNIVERSES.

Culture war news:

Waivers Allowing Christian Schools To Ban LGBT Students Spike In 2015. Only two schools applied during the entire Bush administration, but 60 have applied in the last two years!

The Winner of The Stranger’s Design a Christian Starbucks Cup Contest!

Most U.S. Christian groups grow more accepting of homosexuality. 54% of all U.S. Christians (including a majority of Evangelicals under the age of 35!)!

Atheist Display Will Force Removal of Nativity Scene. The headline is very misleading: the state allowed all groups to sign up for time periods when their holiday display will be up on public ground. This is the time period the Christian group signed up for, and their turn is now over, so the next group goes up.

Mennonite minister loses U.S. appeal of kidnapping case conviction. “…upheld the conviction of a Mennonite minister accused of helping a woman flee to Nicaragua with her daughter to evade court orders giving her former lesbian partner visitation rights.”

Texas Gov. censors Bill of Rights; uses fake quotes and fraudulent history to claim atheists ‘promote ignorance and falsehood’.

Liberty Counsel: We Lost Every Legal Battle to Try to Stop Gay Rights, But Send More Money.

Home Arrests Texas Football Player Gets 20-Years In Prison For Killing Transgender…Girlfriend? [Video].

This Week in the Clown Car

Ted Cruz Vows To Break Up Historic Climate Change Agreement If Elected President.

Blood, Sweat and Trump.

Ted Cruz Can’t Decide: Is Gay Marriage a Threat to Democracy, or Not a Priority?

Carson suggests campaign shake-up is coming.

Jeb Abandons Jeb! Trademark.

Donald Trump Signals Support for Vilest Anti-Gay ‘Religious Freedom’ Bill of Our Time: WATCH.

If Trump wins the nomination, prepare for the end of the conservative party. For the first time in a long time George Will has a couple of correct points. But his primary conclusion has a major flaw: the Democrats are the Conservative Party in the U.S., the Republicans are Radical Authoritarians, not Conservatives.

Back to Carson and Trump… and other ideal men!

Ronald Reagan’s Daughter Goes On Tirade Against GOP.

Marco Rubio Doesn’t Like Being Called A Bigot For Acting Like A Bigot.

This week in Other Politics:

The Tunnel-drilling Machine Stuck Beneath Seattle for Two Years has Finally Moved–A Teeny Tiny Bit. The Real Test Will Be When the Machine Breaks Out of Its Access Pit and Into Seattle Soil Next Year..

The Justice Department just shut down a huge asset forfeiture program.

Many U.S. Citizens Will Have to Get a Passport to Fly Domestically. Only 22 states have complied with the post-9/11 Real ID act, and Homeland Security is starting to crack down.

The Thing The Atlantic Didn’t Mention In Its Profile of Nick Hanauer.

Hillary Clinton Seizes on Donald Trump’s Remarks to Galvanize Women.

Farewells:

George Clayton Johnson, co-writer of Logan’s Run and many science fiction TV scripts, has died.

Things I wrote:

Hang your stockings and say your prayers….

Past Christmas or Christmas Past?

Christmas Presence.

Not Yet Christmas.

Videos!

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” MUSIC VIDEO – Steve Grand:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

I Am NOT Black, You are NOT White:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Bernie Sanders explains Trump’s irrational reaction to learning that women go to the bathroom:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Sean Hayes Gets a Sugar High and Lip Syncs Barbra Streisand’s ‘Jingle Bells’:

Embedding doesn’t work except on Facebook, so click here.

Whitney Houston (and Bobbi Kristina) – Little Drummer Boy (HD):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Collection:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Billy Idol – 2007 – Winter Wonderland:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

The Christmas Can Can:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Snoopy’s Christmas:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Friday Links (holiday frenzy edition)

blogging, , ,

CUX4n3rUAAAtN-kThank goodness it’s Friday. Especially this Friday, because I’m on vacation now, and after the last few weeks I really, really need some time off! Christmas is only a week away, and even though I’m a gay taoist married to a bi wiccan, our house has a big tree covered with ornaments (this year lots of otters, seals, penguins, polar bears, mermen, and starfish) and lights. We’re cooking today for a big holiday party we’re hosting this weekend. And I’m still trying to finish my Christmas Ghost Story in time to read it at the party! Eek! And I have a gazillion presents yet to wrap. Where has the month gone?

Anyway, here are links to some of the interesting things I read on the web this week.

Link of the Week

The “War on Christmas” Cries Overshadow The Daily War On Christ—By Christians. ‘Frankly, I’m tired of annual demands to “keep Christ in Christmas” by Christians who don’t seem particularly interested in keeping Christ in their Christianity the rest of the year (you know: caring for the poor, protecting the marginalized, alleviating suffering, shunning greed, championing equality). I think lots of people are.’

This week in Evil, Greedy People

The 4 worst patents of 2015.

Turing’s reviled Martin Shkreli arrested for alleged securities fraud. This is the jerk who bought a life-saving drug and raised the price 5000%…

How the Las Vegas Review-Journal broke news about its own sale.

This week in Topics Most People Can’t Be Rational About

We Asked A Mass Shooter Why The Hell This Keeps Happening.

This week in Difficult to Classify

Atlantic Challenge: Four men, three legs and 3,000 miles.

The Elf on the Shelf is preparing your child to live in a future police state, professor warns. The article is from last year, and it isn’t a crazy conspiracy, the academic paper referenced is talking about the very real psychological effects the Elf on the Shelf concept has on children. I thought they were creepy before…

Seattle’s 4.5-Foot-Wide ‘Spite House’ Up For Sale.

News for queers and our allies:

Calgary parents update mom’s tattoo to support their transgender son.

This is the story behind that weird gay Robert Dyas Christmas ad.

30 Moments That Made Us Proud In 2015.

LGBTQ: ‘There’s a Real Shift Happening’ in Christianity.

10 Superheroes Who Need to Come Out Right Now.

Happy News!

We Are Gay Atheists, and We Love Christmas.

Science!

Town rejects solar farm for many dumb reasons, including fear the solar panels are stealing energy from nearby trees and gardens.

DEBUNKING THE “CRIMINALS DON’T FOLLOW LAWS” MYTH 2.0: WHY GUN CONTROL WORKS. The problem, these studies show, isn’t that criminals don’t follow laws, but rather that criminals aren’t dissuaded by weak laws.

18 Hybrid Animals That Are Hard To Believe Actually Exist.

The ancestry of a 21st century multi-racial American family.

Butterflies remember a mountain that hasn’t existed for millennia.

Debunking the myth that evolution can’t explain eyeballs.

Smithsonian Scientists Name New Species of Sperm Whale.

Could a Human Not in Our Species Still Exist?

Sail-Backed Dinosaur Fossil Found In Spain.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculation!

Can we talk about Susan Pevensie for a moment?

And another take on the same thing (using the same quote for the title on the web page, but it is a different article) There comes a point where Susan, who was the older girl, is lost to Narnia because she becomes interested in lipstick..

The Quiet Gender Glass Ceiling in Fantasy.

C.S. Lewis Was a Secret Government Agent.

5 Things ‘Star Wars’ Fans Don’t Understand About ‘Star Wars’. A better title might have been: “You can love something while still understanding it’s a product.”

This week in Writing

Sad Puppies and The Goosebumps Rap: The Best and Worst Things to Happen to Literature in 2015.

ScrivenerVirgin Blog: Keeping track?

Red Pen is the home of writers who wish to polish their words ready for exposure to the world.

Writers–Give Yourselves a Break.

Culture war news:

Outrageous story about adopted baby taken from a lesbian couple and given to alleged child abusers.

Parishioners Terrified as Men Interrupt Catholic Masses by Shouting Religious Messages — and It’s All on Video. Note: these are Christians invading another Christian denomination’s service and shouting this slogans.

Austinites turn out in droves for anti-gun ‘mass farting’ protest.

WTF????? Homeless Women and Children Booted by ‘Christian’ from Shelter to Keep Them From ‘Tempting’ Men.

Border Agents Detain U.S. Citizen For 3 Hours For Sketching In Her Notebook.

Unbelief As A Belief System: Core Tenet For Christians’ Fight For Religious Rights.

This Week in the Clown Car

Trump’s brazen rhetoric and willingness to run as an independent may be proof that he was bullshitting us all along.

Finished: Fiorina Iowa Town Hall Event Draws Only 14 People.

Trump Audience Member Yells Nazi Salute as Protester Removed From Las Vegas Rally.

Donald Trump supporter wants to burn a black man alive: “Light the motherf**ker on fire”. And Trump was egging the crowd on…

FACT CHECK: Do Tax Cuts Grow The Economy?

This week in Other Politics:

Deconstructing Israel’s “Self-Defense” Claim and Its Campaign Against the ICC.

You’re more likely to be fatally crushed by furniture than killed by a terrorist.

This Week in Racism

White America’s toxic ignorance: Abigail Fisher, Antonin Scalia and the real privilege that goes unspoken.

Things I wrote:

Weekend update 12/12/2015: Man(un-)splainin’.

Getting nerdy as f— about things we love.

Of course Han shot first!

Videos!

Alton Brown reviews Amazon’s dumbest kitchen gadgets (a lot of people have been sharing this, many arguing with it; I figure I have no room to criticize other people because I have owned numerous unitaskers: coffee maker, coffee grinder, krumkake iron, waffle iron, and so to a lot of people…):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

BEST NEWS BLOOPERS 2015 (I won’t point out that we still have a few weeks of the year to go…):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

The Christmas Song with BLAKE and Dame Shirley Bassey:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Santa Baby – Christmas Charity Single – Out of the Blue:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Weekend update 12/12/2015: Man(un-)splainin’

news,
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant (http://www.courant.com)
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant (http://www.courant.com)

Yesterday I posted a link to some racist comments Supreme Court Associate Justice Scalia made about student admission policies of colleges. There is much that could be said, but this writer puts it best: Dear Justice Scalia: Here’s what I learned as a black student struggling at an elite college. It always amazes me how blind people can be to the ongoing social, economic, and educational effects that generations of racism has baked into the system. And how blind so many of us who aren’t people of color can be to the many advantages, encouragements, and other boosts we have received at every step of the way. But Miss Betty Bowers put it best:

In other news: A few weeks back I included in the Friday Links an article about the Associated Press’s investigation into cops who lost their badges because of sexual misconduct: AP Investigation Finds Approximately 1,000 Officers Lost Their Licenses During the Last Six Year for Rape, Sodomy and Other Sexual Assaults. It you haven’t read that article or a related one a couple of highlights beyond the headlines: only 41 states were able or willing to answer the AP’s questions about this. A few states don’t have a central repository for tracking which people are authorized to act as police or those who have had that license taken away. A few states that do claimed that there had been no such cases in the last six years, but then the AP turned up news stories in those states reporting specific cops who had been drummed out of the force for rape.

Anyone paying attention to police misconduct cases knows that there’s a tendency for the other cops to cover up or excuse even the most egregious behavior of their comrades, so it shouldn’t surprise us that some states claim they haven’t had this problem when there is clear proof that they had. Still, the most amazing thing happened this week: a jury actually convicted a cop of 18 of the 30-some charges of rape or related crimes filed against him: Sobbing Former Cop Daniel Holtzclaw Appears to Mouth ‘How Could You Do This’ at All-White Jury That Convicted Him of 18 Counts of Rape. Note that his defense is that the 13 women who testified against him are all lying. Never mind the DNA evidence, he’s a cop and we shouldn’t believe these women and girls.

He literally told the 17-year-old before he raped her the first time that no one would believe her because she was black and had a juvenile criminal record!

That’s enough of the bad news: I want to end this on a positive note. And here’s one: Calgary parents update mom’s tattoo to support their transgender son. Go look at the before and after pictures of the tattoo! And read the story. It’s so wonderful when parents are supportive of their trans kids!

Friday Links (epic trolling edition)

blogging, , ,

Where's Luke Skywalker? (Click to embiggen)
Where’s Luke Skywalker? (Click to embiggen)
Thank goodness it’s Friday. Even if I’m not really ready for the year to nearly be over! I’m certainly ready for this week to be over. Or at least for the last remnants of this cold to go away…

Anyway, Decorating Season is in full swing, and we’re counting down days until Christmas. We’re still behind, but making progress. I’m trying not to panic about my Christmas Ghost Story. But, meanwhile here are links to some of the interesting things I read on the web this week.

Link of the Week

The absolutely epic trolling letter Jeb Bush’s leadership PAC sent to Donald Trump’s lawyer. Seriously, this thing is hilarious!

This week in Geek

Dictionary.com chooses word of the year.

This Week in Diversity

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT BIRACIAL BLACKNESS.

15 things I learnt about Islam and British values being a gay boy living opposite a mosque.

News for queers and our allies:

I Can’t Keep My Gay Kid Safe.

RainbowMan: Of Blackmail, Section 377 and Being Sexual Beings.

Carol and What It Was Really Like to Be a Lesbian in the 1950s.

Gay Superhero Joey Joins The Team On “Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

No Reason to Exclude Transgender Medical Care.

Family of former Victoria Police officer says homophobia contributed to suicide.

‘No, seeing a transgender person is not a reason to call the police,’ writes the American Civil Liberties Union.

Happy News!

There are more museums in the U.S. than there are Starbucks and McDonalds – combined.

Science!

Why Are There Gay Men?

Study: Homophobes May Be Hidden Homosexuals. I know this is nothing new, but it’s yet another study confirming previous results.

The Bugs in Our Mindware – Many obstacles lie on the path to rational thought.

Fly Over Pluto’s Craters, Mountains, and Plains … at 80 Meters Resolution!

Concussion expert says children shouldn’t play football until they turn 18.

Am I Just Not Attractive Enough To Date?

Science Says It’s More Than How You Look that Makes You Attractive.

‘tis the Seasoning: Bright Spots on Ceres Are Very Probably Salt.

“Resurrection plants” could offer hope as climate change decimates crops.

Fit to burst: Black holes can’t gobble up more than 50bn suns, scientist says.

Magician to Scientists: Don’t Assume Infallibility.

Novel Chemical ‘Washes Away’ Alzheimer’s Plaque in Mice.

Surprise: School That Is Tolerant of Anti-Vaxxers Suffers Massive Chickenpox Outbreak.

Shocking Maps Show How Bad U.S. Sex Ed Is.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculation!

The case for Hayley Atwell to star in ‘Doctor Who’.

Best science fiction and fantasy books of 2015.

How Isaac Asimov Went from Star Trek Critic to Star Trek Fan & Advisor.

Newly discovered WEB Du Bois science fiction story reveals more Afrofuturist history.

‘X-Men’ Star Shawn Ashmore Wants To Play Iceman As Gay. The character finally came out in the comics…

This week in Writing

FOREIGNERS, ACCENTS AND BROKEN ENGLISH.

Culture war news:

What Happened to Bullying?

These Pranksters Read Bible Passages to People, Telling Them It Was the Qur’an; They Were Shocked.

Human rights victory bittersweet, say parents of Toronto transgender boy.

Charlotte attorneys challenge law that allows magistrates to avoid performing same-sex marriages.

District 211 keeps deal on transgender student after heated debate.

Dear Media: Stop Using the Term ‘Radicalized’ Unless You Apply It to White Christian Extremists, Too.

Colorado Clerk’s Anti-Gay Marriage Sign Condemns Those Who “Choose to Violate God’s Written Word.”

Australia: God’s warriors are locked in a barbaric, futile battle against marriage equality.

This Week in the Clown Car

"I miss the days of Sarah Palin being the scariest Republican candidate in history."
“I miss the days of Sarah Palin being the scariest Republican candidate in history.” (Click to embiggen)
Rubio: No-Fly List ‘Shouldn’t Be Used As Tool To Impede 700K’ From Getting Guns. He’s right, but for the wrong reasons.

After Making Enemies, Ted Cruz Tries to Make Friends.

Trump calls for ‘total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States’.

The Latest Embarrassing GOP Attacks on Climate Change Science.

Trump Supporter Busted For Lying On CNN About Her Own (R) Political Career.

GOP preparing for contested convention.

White supremacist groups see Trump bump: ‘He has sparked an insurgency,’ Stormfront founder says.

Members Of Donald Trump’s Christian Denomination Are Trying To See If They Can Kick Him Out.

This week in Other Politics:

Obama Offers Honest Words About Hard Truths: The president doesn’t have any magic solutions for defeating ISIS. And neither does anyone else.

This Week in Racism

Trump’s Anti-Muslim Rants Undermine the Foundational Principles of American Democracy, And I’m Taking it Personally.

When a Mass Killer Is a White Christian, He’s a Lone Lunatic, but When He’s Muslim, He Represents All Muslims: The Logic of Prejudice and How It Works.

Scalia: Affirmative Action Sends Blacks To Schools Too Advanced For Them.

Farewells:

Transgender Warhol Superstar Holly Woodlawn Dies at 69.

Holly Woodlawn was a transgender inspiration. We mustn’t forget her achievements.

Are You Being Served? actor Nicholas Smith dies aged 81.

Things I wrote:

Making a list and checking it….

On our third anniversary….

Presents under the tree.

Videos!

Undies & Onesies: Holiday Spectacular (w/ CoCo Peru):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Stephen Reveals How To Defeat ISIS:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Macy Gray – All I Want For Christmas (Lyric Video):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Phoenix – Alone on Christmas Day:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Long Lost track: The Beach Boys – Alone On Christmas Day / 1977 Outtake (Correct Speed) Mike Love:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Friday Links (British dessert edition)

blogging, , ,

(Click to embiggen)
(Click to embiggen)
Thank goodness it’s Friday. Wait… is it really the first Friday in December? The year is nearly over? Oh, wow!

Anyway, Decorating Season is in full swing, and we’re counting down days until Christmas and I spent a gazillion hours working on two novels last month, and no time working on my annual Christmas Ghost Story, so I’m just in another world of panic, here. But, meanwhile here are links to some of the interesting things I read on the web this week.

Link of the Week

C.S. LEWIS’ GREATEST FICTION: CONVINCING AMERICAN KIDS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TURKISH DELIGHT.

This Week in Food

British desserts, explained for Americans confused by the Great British Baking Show.

This Week in Diversity

The False Promise of Meritocracy.

Clementine Ford: Why I reported hotel supervisor Michael Nolan’s abusive comment to his employer.

This week in Topics Most People Can’t Be Rational About

(Click to embiggen)
(Click to embiggen)
Most Americans want gun owners, but not Muslims, to submit to a government registry.

KING: How would the U.S. react if the Planned Parenthood shooter was not a white male?

Sorry, Fox News, Pretty Sure Domestic Terrorism Was Already Political.

This week in Difficult to Classify

Indianapolis woman’s car exploded twice in three months in suspected bombing attacks .

Retailers That Forced Employees To Work Thanksgiving Experienced Disappointing Sales.

Man held at Guantánamo for 13 years a case of mistaken identity, say officials.

This week in Heart-wrenching

Japan to kill 333 whales “for science” despite UN court ruling.

News for queers and our allies:

U.S. Marine found guilty of killing transgender woman in Philippines.

Mom of Transgender Child Says She Was ‘Obsessed with Death’ Before Her Transition.

What It’s Like To Be a Gay Little Person.

These two gay divers have dated and supported each other since the U.S. Championships.

The Dishonest Dodge From Dominionists.

Imperial Court marks 50 years of outreach, activism.

These Federally Funded Religious Schools Received Title IX Waivers to Discriminate Against LGBT Students.

Science!

Cosmic Cryptology.

60 Years Ago Today: The Day a Meteorite Hit Ann Hodges.

Science Guy Bill Nye’s radically simple blueprint for ending climate change.

The last stand of the climate change deniers.

Two-Thirds Of Americans Want Binding Deal At Climate Change Conference In Paris.

Scientist have discovered new clues about the earliest known Americans.

MARS TO TRADE ITS MOON PHOBOS FOR A RING.

Apollo 16 Booster Crash Site Reportedly Located on Moon.

The little-known world of endangered plant poaching.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculation!

AN OPEN LETTER TO J.J. ABRAMS.

characters for an epic tale UPDATED now with bunnies!.

No, J J Abrams – Star Wars was never “a boy’s thing.”

Marvel’s First Lesbian Tells All: Carrie-Anne Moss on Leaving ‘The Matrix’ with ‘Jessica Jones’.

Some Thoughts on Jessica Jones.

Gollancz Signs Stephen Baxter to Write Sequel to H.G. Wells’ THE WAR OF THE WORLDS. As one person commented: when you’re a straight white man of a particular class and you write fanfic, it’s called “art.”

Another Word: On Reading, Writing, and the Classics.

Peter Jackson to Turkish court: Smeagol and Gollum are not the same.

This week in Geek

Here’s How Much Data The Internet Generates In Just One Minute.

This week in Writing

Say what you mean….

Five Ray Bradbury Stories That Tell Us Everything We Need to Know About Writing.

The Real Reason We Need to Stop Trying to Protect Everyone’s Feelings.

Culture war news:

Antigay Activists Are Running Out Of Homophobic Places To Holiday Shop.

The right’s destructive anti-choice propaganda war: Why it’s time to fight back & how we can do it.

New York Times Decides Not To Use the Word ‘Gentle’ To Describe the Planned Parenthood Shooter, After All.

“Gentle loner” or “rabble-rouser”? Just don’t call them terrorists.

The Terrorists Among Us: Forget Syria. The most dangerous religious extremists are migrants from North and South Carolina.

Rachel Maddow delivers a somber history of abortion clinic terror attacks in the U.S..

Why providing health care to women is dangerous.

Wisconsin School Cancels Book Reading About Transgender Teen After Lawsuit Threat.

Man arrested near hospital after he threatened to shoot surviving Planned Parenthood attack victim.

The other mass shooting that happened Wednesday in the United States.

This Week in the Clown Car

(Click to embiggen)
(Click to embiggen)
Senator Reid Blasts Trumpification Of GOP: Republicans Have Turned To The Politics Of Hatred.

Jeb’s new Iraq war: Continuing the family tradition of bloody Middle East quagmires.

Donald Trump May Not Be a Fascist, But He is Leading Us Merrily Down That Path.

New Indictment Renews Charges Against Ex-Ron Paul Aides.

Trump boasted about endorsement from 100 Black pastors for days. In the end, he got only one.

Republican Candidates, Emboldened by Trump, Are Telling Bigger Fibs than Ever.

Rubio’s slippery obfuscation: It’s becoming impossible to know what he really believes: On several different issues, Marco Rubio believes all things, and nothing, at the same time.

This week in Other Politics:

The Republican Donor Class Is Abandoning Its Opposition to Gay Rights. Will the Base?

Things I wrote:

Weekend Update 11/29/2015: You’re kidding me, right?

To absent friends….

Editing is not about understanding the semi-colon and similar arcana.

Grandma’s houses… and other things.

Videos!

[Official Video] That’s Christmas To Me – Pentatonix:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Joy to the World Motown Christmas Cover ft Von Smith & Tambourine Guy:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

!!! – And Anyway It’s Christmas:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Weekend Update 11/29/2015: You’re kidding me, right?

news, , ,

Pastor Manning's church sign last August after a judge found the church guilty of five zoning citations. Note the church didn't win, they lost, lost, lost, lost, and lost. But Manning has never been known for speaking truth of any kind.
Pastor Manning’s church sign last August after a judge found the church guilty of five zoning citations. Note the church didn’t win, they lost, lost, lost, lost, and lost. But Manning has never been known for speaking truth of any kind. (Click to embiggen)
I’ve written more than once about Pastor David Manning and his frequently homophobic, hateful, lying, and violence-advocating church sign in Harlem. He’s in the news this week for a couple of reasons. There was a Love Not Hate protest outside his church, and he and some of his supporters came out and kept yelling incoherently about faggots. Seriously, it’s like he has a form of Tourette’s Syndrome that forces him to say “faggot” and other anti-gay slurs multiple times in every sentence. He and his church are also in the news because of zoning violations that have now added up to more than $11,000 in fines. And yes, the church sign is part of the issue, but it is only one of five violations.

The pastor’s church building is covered by a Historic Landmark Preservation Ordinance. As such, any renovations, remodels, or alterations have to be approved by the Landmark’s Preservation Commission. The church has never, ever applied for such permission, and in the last several years has erected the sign upon which they keep posting hateful messages, they removed ornamental ironwork from another part of the building, they removed a second floor balcony, they added an exterior door, and they added a marble fence. Not only did they fail to apply to the Landmark Preservation Commission, they didn’t attempt to get ordinary building permits for any of these alterations.

Way back in May of 2013, the Landmark Preservation Commission issues a warning letter about the violations. The church ignored it. Last March, after many attempts for nearly two years to get the church to respond, the city issued a citation. The church ignored that. The church continued to ignored numerous notices until finally last August when the pastor presented his defense to a judge. Said defense consisted of the claim that other churches have broken the same law, but no one cites them because they don’t put homophobic messages on their sign. He’s being persecuted for his beliefs, you see. The judge didn’t care, found them guilty of five violations, ordered the church to pay $1,850 in fines, and ordered them to work with the appropriate agencies to bring the building into compliance.

The church then changed their sign (as pictured above) to read: “We won, we won! Have a nice day you damned homos.” They didn’t win. Not one of their arguments was accepted. The judge ruled against them on every count. I guess that because he didn’t order a wrecking ball to destroy the whole building that very day, they decided that meant they won. I don’t know.

Because they haven’t made any effort to even discuss how the building would be brought into compliance, the city has issued new citations. But since the church wouldn’t pay the $1,850, I don’t think they’re going to cough up the $11,500 any time soon. The pastor claims that the church simply doesn’t have the money for the fines. Now, given how easy it was for a pizza parlor that wasn’t even facing a boycott or fines to get anti-gay people to crowdfun hundreds of thousands of dollars (let alone the money that bakeries, wedding venues, and other businesses run by homophones have been able to raise), I find it very difficult to believe Atlah World Missions couldn’t get donors to kick in for these amounts that are quite small by comparison. I think it’s fair to conclude that they have no intention to pay, and clearly no intention to fix the building.

But they can sure spew the hate, can’t they?

Spewing hatred is what a lot of people who claim to be Christian do: . It should come as no surprise when their followers act on that hatred: Here’s What We Know About The Suspect In The Planned Parenthood Shooting And then they get all defensive when any of us point out that said rhetoric inspires people to violence: Mike Huckabee: The Anti-Abortion Movement Has No Responsibility For “Domestic Terrorism”.

And just to be clear, Planned Parenthood Shooting Wasn’t the First — And It Won’t Be the Last, “Mass shootings at Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health clinics might not be common, but violence and harassment are.”

But that’s not the only acts of terror that so-called Christians have performed in the last few weeks: Armed protesters intimidate mosque in Irving, Texas.

And: Bomb hoax and molotov cocktails thrown at Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Virginia. “It’s enough that it would lead a reasonable person to believe, given the location of where he was, given the time, he was there at three in the morning … what he said … It would lead you to believe that this guy is doing this because we are of this religious denomination or ethnicity or combination of both.”

And also: Five arrested in plot to bomb synagogues and black churches, btw, the headline of that report says three, but this follow-up, Federal, state weapons investigations lead to five local arrests report details the subsequent arrests.

There’s also: SHOTS FIRED AT CONNECTICUT MOSQUE HOURS AFTER PARIS ATTACKS AS MUSLIMS FACE BACKLASH.

And of course: White supremacists shoot five at Black Lives Matter rally in Minneapolis.

We mustn’t forget: Dallas neighborhood on “lock-down” after 12 antigay hate crimes or Homicides of transgender individuals in U.S. reach alarming high.

So, pardon me if I have trouble feeling much sympathy for some members of the religious rightwing who claim that we are using violent tragedies to confirm a “narrative.” No, we’re too busy being victims of all this violence you’re encouraging to be worried about a narrative.

Friday Links (post-food coma edition)

blogging, , ,

(Click to embiggen)
(Click to embiggen)
Thank goodness it’s Friday. It is the final Friday in November. That means, at least here in the states, that yesterday was Thanksgiving. Which means that here at our house, we are finally officially into Christmas season. I can list to Christmas music! I can start decorating! Yay!

The last few weeks the links list has been a bit shorter than usual because of how much time I’m spending on NaNoWriMo. Then this week with the holiday, traveling, and family time, my news reading time was even more restricted. Anyway, here is a collection of some of the things that I ran across over the course of the week which struck me as worthy of being shared. Sorted into categories with headings so you can skip more easily:

Link of the Week

Your Holiday Mom: OFFERING OUR LGBTQ YOUTH A VIRTUAL HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. This is so wonderful.

This Week in Diversity

Muslim student nearly run over by man who called her a terrorist: ‘I’m terrified to cross the street now.’

CDC: Marriage Rates Up in 2014, Divorce Rates Down. “Remember how religious conservatives insisted that allowing same-sex couples to marry would destroy the institution of marriage? Yeah, no: The CDC says more Americans married in last year and fewer married couples divorced. The numbers are small—tiny uptick in the marriage rate (reversing a 15 year trend), tiny downtick in the divorce rate—and this CDC report covers 2014, the year before the Supreme Court made marriage equality the law of the land. But same-sex couples were already marrying in a majority of states in 2014.”

Cinema company that banned Lord’s Prayer advert lashed by many tongues.

The Kaleidoscope Society: America’s hurtling change is inverting our oldest national motto.

This week in People Doing Good Things

Speaking to the Soul: the world is big enough.

News for queers and our allies:

National Organization for Marriage Violates Federal Law, Refuses to Release Tax Forms.

All Out Launches Crowdfunded “Gay Cure Watch” Site. A new online tool to fight gay “cures”

Arkansas Judge Rules Against Ban on Gay Parents Being Named on Birth Certificates.

The Upcoming Film About Black Trans Activist Marsha P. Johnson Looks Absolutely Legendary.

Queen tells CoE to learn art of peacemaking amid splits over sexuality.

Trans* Women Are Not Freakshows and Drag Queens: The Problem With the Transgender Umbrella.

Marriage Equality Must Be Truly Equal.

Vietnam law change introduces transgender rights.

Science Fiction, Fantasy and Speculation!

Sleeps With Monsters: Some Initial Thoughts Upon Finishing Marvel’s Jessica Jones.

This week in Geek

Write your passwords down to improve safety. A counter-intuitive notion leaves you less vulnerable to remote attack, not more.

This week in Writing

The Running Novelist: Learning how to go the distance.

Culture war news:

Hate crimes against transgender people in America tripled last year.

If our free speech isn’t in jeopardy, then why won’t my TA let me spend all of class yelling “FUCK BRIAN” at Brian?

Expert Says Ohio’s Vote Against Pot Legalization Was ‘Statistically Impossible’.

Pew: White Christians no longer a majority.

How America’s Demographic Revolution Reached The Church.

Texas GOP Governor Abbott Hypocritically Tramples On Religious Freedom.

Meet the little-known religious group that turned Kim Davis into a right-wing superstar. And that is just a teeny part of the anti-gay hateful activity.

PHILADELPHIA: Judge Rules Alleged Basher Kathryn Knott’s Anti-Gay Tweets Can Be Used Against Her.

North Carolina school suspends all clubs after parents complain about LGBT club.

Salt Lake City Elects Gay Mayor, While Utah Exports Anti-Gay Hate.

Here’s How Authorities In The Mid-20th Century Tried To Ruin Queer Lives.

This Week in the Clown Car

Mike Huckabee: ‘There Will Be No Abortion’ When I’m President. Impossible to make happen and a Constitutional Crisis all in one!

Ted Cruz Touts Endorsement Of Extreme Anti-Gay, Anti-Choice Activist Flip Benham.

Twitter Erupts Into Hysterics When Carson Says 9/11 Video He Remembers Was Of ‘Middle East, Not NJ’.

You’re more likely to be fatally crushed by furniture than killed by a terrorist.

Donald Trump tells Fox News he merely retweeted a tweet from an “expert.” Let’s meet this “expert”.

Kasich ambushes Trump in Ohio.

Rubio says same-sex marriage ‘not settled law’.

Donald Trump mocked a reporter with a disability at a South Carolina rally.

This week in Other Politics:

George R.R. Martin: My Position On the Syrian Refugees.

Watch: Sarah Palin Had No Idea There’s A Refugee Screening Process, So Seth Meyers Had To Explain It.

This Week in Racism

Prosecutors: Cop Who Killed Laquan McDonald Fired 16 Shots And Was Reloading, But Told To Stop.

Five people were shot near Black Lives Matter protest site.

Jersey City Mayor Slams Trump’s “Hate Campaign.”

Emails reveal racists plotted confrontation with Black Lives Matters activists days before shooting. Interesting to note that their on-line discussions include several slang terms originated by so-called Men’s Rights Advocates…

Five people shot at Black Lives Matter protest in Minneapolis: Police.

This Week in Misogyny

Why Do Gay Men Perpetuate Sexism?

Dismissing popular things that women like doesn’t require some special kind of bravery. It happens all day, every day – especially in literary criticism.

Things I wrote:

Quality vs quantity is a false dichotomy.

Oppressed Oppressors, part 4.

It’s an old family recipe….

It is about being thankful, after all.

Videos!

Sainsbury’s OFFICIAL Christmas Advert 2015 – Mog’s Christmas Calamity (this is really, really good!):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Pennies (HBO):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

The Civil War Begins – 1st Trailer for Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War”:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

A friend sent me a link to this video, which is a response to the recent decision by a UK cinema company to not allow religious groups to purchase advertising time in the theatres, Reimagining The Lord’s Prayer:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Adele – Hello (a different take):

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)

Tuesday, 3:00 am / Nita Whitaker:

(If embedding doesn’t work, click here.)