In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: War; terrorism] After having launched nearly 200 strikes against ISIS in Iraq so far, the US has now begun a campaign of airstrikes in Syria, against both ISIS and a second group, a "little-known al Qaeda cell" known as the Khorasan Group. "While the United States is still 'assessing the effectiveness' of the bombing campaign against ISIS, which included up to 20 targets, the Pentagon believes 'that we were successful in hitting what we were aiming at,' Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said. ...Many of the targets were in and around Raqqa, Syria, believed to be an ISIS stronghold, a defense official said Monday." Believed to be? Well, this is encouraging. We are bombing targets we believe to be part of an ISIS stronghold, and, while we're at it, bombing some other folks, too. Who wants to make two trips to the grocery store?

[CN: Misogyny; sexual assault; harassment] Immediately after giving a speech on feminism at the UN, Emma Watson has been threatened by 4¢hɐn: "Online perpetrators have created a website called Emma You Are Next with a countdown clock ticking down to something happening in about 4 days. While the message doesn't say what happens when time is up, it was posted on 4¢hɐn, the same image-sharing site that leaked nude celebrity photos on Saturday, and earlier this month. The words 'Never Forget, The Biggest To Come Thus Far' appear on the page below a picture of Watson apparently wiping away a tear." What heinous fuckers.

[CN: Stalking; threats of violence] Last Friday, a 42-year-old former military sniper named Omar Gonzalez managed to get past the Secret Service and break into the White House with a knife. Yesterday, prosecutors disclosed that "a search of his nearby car uncovered 800 rounds of ammunition, a machete, and two hatchets." Something is deeply wrong with the Secret Service, y'all.

Dylan Scott at TPM: "If You Listen, Hillary Is Trying To Tell You What Her 2016 Message Will Be." Scott's piece is really terrific counterpoint to this garbage. Of course, expecting people to listen to a woman is always a radical proposition!

[CN: Rape culture; police brutality] What in the shit is wrong with this guy? "An Oklahoma Highway Patrol official reportedly told women that the best way not to get raped by an officer was to 'follow the law.' In recent months, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol officer and an Oklahoma City Police officer have been accused of repeatedly raping women, often during traffic stops." So Captain George Brown told Tulsa NBC News affiliate KJRH that "the best tip that he can give is to follow the law in the first place so you don't get pulled over." Not only do I love, ahem, the idea that it's women's responsibility to not get pulled over to avoid being raped by a police officer, rather than police officers' responsibility to not rape people, but I love, ahem, the idea that a rapist cop would never pull over a woman unless she's actually broken the law. What an asshole.

[CN: Guns] This is terrifying and I am so glad I am not a parent and I am sorry for those of you who are parents and have to navigate this horseshit with your kids: "Legally gun-owning adults are now allowed to carry guns in public schools in more than two dozen states, from kindergarten classrooms to high school hallways. Seven of those states specifically allow teachers and other school staff to carry guns in their schools. A News21 examination of open records laws in those states found that those who do choose to carry their firearm into their classrooms are not required to divulge the information to principals, other teachers, students or parents. Only five of those states have completely open access to concealed carry permit information through public records requests. Some states' laws completely seal off those records and others are silent on the issue. That means there is no way of telling how many teachers are taking advantage of the option to be armed. ...There is no record of who has a gun in any school in any state." Emphasis mine.

In better news: This David Bowie exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art sounds really neat!

Welp: "State Farm drops ad starring Rob Schneider over anti-vaccine views." An arguably even better reason to have dropped the ad is because Schneider is reprising his "Makin' Copies" character that's so old it still uses a rotary phone.

Did anyone watch the Sunday premiere of Madam Secretary, starring Téa Leoni? I finally watched it last night, and I liked it all right. This review by Tim Goodman is fairly reflective of my impressions. I liked how many of the other characters borrowed biographical details from real life folks—the president was a former CIA chief, like George H.W. Bush; Leoni's Secretary of State was a professor, like Condoleezza Rice; etc. I wasn't thrilled that the premiere episode centered on the new Secretary having to save two nice white American boys from the clutches of swarthy enemies. (Come on now.) I'll stick with it for awhile and see where it goes, because I really like Leoni.

And finally! Photos show a manatee appearing to keep a dog company while it struggles to get out of a river in Florida. Officers safely rescued the pup, and the manatee went on its way. ♥