In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: War; violence; death] In Israel and Gaza: In the past week, more than 800 homes in Gaza have been either damaged or destroyed; nearly 20,000 people have fled Gaza; 172 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died; more than 1,000 people have been injured; 36,000 Israeli reservists have been called up to report for duty; and dozens of people have been arrested protesting in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Last night: "Israeli warplanes and naval gunboats struck over 200 targets overnight, while armed groups in Gaza fired about 20 rockets into Israel." This morning: Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said that Israel "is continuing to pound Hamas and its infrastructure. The damage to Hamas and to other terror organizations in the Gaza Strip is severe." It doesn't sound like Israel is "pound[ing] Hamas and its infrastructure" as much as it is just devastating the population of Gaza. Which I know we're meant to treat as synonymous with "Hamas and its infrastructure," but isn't. Children are not "Hamas and its infrastructure."

[Please note: If you misrepresent expressions of concern for Palestinian civilians as a blanket endorsement of Hamas, you will be shut the fuck down.]

[CN: Environmental disaster] Over the weekend, Oklahoma was shaken by seven small earthquakes in fourteen hours, "part of an increase in earthquakes across Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas that some scientists say could be connected to the oil and gas drilling method known as hydraulic fracturing, and especially the wells in which the industry disposes of its wastewater."

[CN: War on agency; war on drugs] Tennessee Mom Arrested Under New Pregnancy Outcome Law: "A Tennessee woman was arrested Tuesday under a new state law that criminalizes drug dependent mothers. The Tennessee measure, signed into law by Governor Bill Haslam in April, prohibits 'the illegal use of a narcotic drug while pregnant, if [the] child is born addicted to or harmed by the narcotic drug.' The new mother was arrested and charged with simple assault just two days after giving birth. The infant tested positive for amphetamine, which is not a narcotic according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. There have also been no reports that the newborn was addicted to the drug or harmed by exposure." This law is garbage. It's a disincentive for pregnant women to seek healthcare and treatment for addiction; criminalizing addiction isn't actually a solution to addiction ever; and separating parents from children to imprison parents, instead of using the cost of incarceration to facilitate wellness, does no one any fucking good.

Here is the story of President Obama fist-bumping for gay rights. "As the president approached, Webb threw his hand down and slapped the counter dramatically. 'Equal rights for gay people!' 'Are you gay?' the president asked. 'Only when I have sex. That's when he laughed and said: Bump me.'"

[CN: Racism; police malfeasance] It's a real mystery why many people of color might be inclined to mistrust the police: "The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is expected to release the details of an investigation into two former Fruitland Park police officers who may have ties with the Ku Klux Klan." Jesus Jones.

This is just a terrific story about lots of people turning up for an 8-year-old boy's piano recital on his front porch. Not because he's a virtuoso (he's not), but because he advertised a recital, and so they provided an audience.

RIP Tommy Ramone.

[CN: Misogyny] Why do the showrunners on so many shows I like have to be fucking shitlords? "As for those who criticized the first season [of True Detective] for not having substantial female leads, Pizzolatto said that it 'affected me a little bit in my conception of season 2, but then not at all. I realized I was listening to things I didn't agree with and taking cues from the wrong places. I just put it out of my mind.'" Terrific.

And finally! A Magical Miniature World of Snails. I love snails. They are the cutest!