In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

At ProPublica, Theodoric Meyer compiles "The Best Investigative Reporting on Campaign Finance Since 2012," and solicits suggestions for other pieces you'd recommend to add to the list.

[Content Note: Illness; alarmism] Ebola debuts on Gallup's poll of "Americans' List of Top U.S. Problems." Terrific.

[CN: Illness; bigotry] Meanwhile, part of the reason people are freaking the fuck out is because they don't know a damn thing about Africa. I guess I shouldn't be, but I've been really shocked by how many people I've seen (including people who should definitely know better) who are surprised to find out both how large and how diverse the continent of Africa is.

[CN: Misogynist terrorism] Laura Hudson on GamerGate: "Although Gamergate has inspired countless think pieces and editorials about the 'end' of gamers, some of the ugliest and most persistent backlash has been reserved for Leigh Alexander, a female games journalist who wrote an essay titled 'Gamers' Don't Have to be Your Audience. 'Gamers' are Over... The vicious response to Alexander's article was rooted not in objective concerns, but in the deep, persistent fear that she was right: that they weren't the be-all and end-all of videogames anymore, that they might not always get to define what it means."

[CN: Disenfranchisement; racism; classism. Please note there are moving GIFs at the link.] Imani Gandy has your GIF-splanation of "What's Up with All These Voting Restrictions." This is a really terrific resource, with history and state-by-state breakdowns of voting laws.

[CN: Homophobia] This Republican bigot is really insistent on dehumanizing people in same-sex relationships and claiming they're going to "destroy our way of life." Dude, if your "way of life" includes vicious, dehumanizing, vile homophobia, then your way of life deserves to be destroyed.

"One of the fastest-growing cosmetic procedures in the UK is repairing stretched earlobes," because people with stretched lobes from large ear gauges are having trouble finding work. I've seen this article linked lots of places, and everyone is sort of laughing about how stupid people are who stretch their ears. But, I dunno, here's a radical idea: Maybe employers could simply ignore a fashion trend that literally has nothing to do with someone's ability to do their job. I know, I know—the customers! Well, I'm sure there were plenty of dudes who didn't like ladies wearing trousers once upon a time, too, and somehow we all managed to survive.

RIP Oscar De La Renta. The Guardian has a gallery of some of his work.

And finally! Here is a terrific video of a cat being fully cat.