In The News

Here is some stuff in the news today!

Republican Senator Mike Lee says that "he and other congressional Republicans would be willing to shut down the federal government in order to block further implementation of" Obamacare. Neat!

[Content Note: Homophobia] RNC Chair Reince Priebus isn't into gay tolerance. I also don't like the word "tolerance," but not for the reasons Reince Priebus doesn't!

In other news: "52% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents think the GOP leadership is talking the party in the wrong direction."

[Content Note: Rape culture] 11-year-old Yemeni Nada Al-Ahdal, who escaped from her parents and an arranged marriage with her uncle's help: "I'm a human being and I'd rather die than get married at this age."

Townhall.com is a cesspool of conservative nightmares saying terrible things, but this is low even by their garbage standards: "Conservatives Should Point and Laugh as Detroit Dies." It's also pretty ironic, given that institutional neglect is the centerpiece of conservative ideology. HA HA POINT AND LAUGH AT WHAT THE WHOLE COUNTRY WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE INSTITUTED CONSERVATIVE POLICY ACROSS THE BOARD.

Pakistan has a dangerous shortage of water reserves.

[Content Note: Rape culture] The University of Southern California and Dartmouth College in New Hampshire are under investigation by the the US Department of Education for the mishandling of sexual assault cases.

[Content Note: Sexual harassment] A sexual harassment suit has been filed against San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who recently agreed to be the keynote speaker at a benefit for sexual assault victims.

The world's biggest art player is now a woman, specifically 30-year-old Qatari Sheika al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Japanese officials say radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima power plant is leaking into the ocean. Fuuuuuuuck.