In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

Hey, in case you hadn't heard, the Rosetta mission was successful! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!

Good news: United States District Court Judge Richard Mark Gergel in Charleston, South Carolina, has struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage, ruling that the ban "is a violation of individual rights to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment." Woot!

[Content Note: War on agency] Bad news: Following the passage of Tennessee's restrictive anti-abortion Amendment 1, "the Republican-dominated Tennessee legislature will move forward with anti-choice laws as soon as possible, a state GOP lawmaker said. Republican Beth Harwell, speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, said last week that she will use a successful anti-choice ballot initiative as the impetus to back three new anti-choice bills, including one related to waiting periods, one centered around mandatory counseling, and one TRAP (targeted regulation of abortion providers) law creating new abortion facility regulations that have proven medically unnecessary in other states dominated by anti-choice legislators." Goddammit.

[CN: Sexual harassment] First the National Forest Service, and now the National Park Service: "Federal investigators are looking into allegations of discrimination, retaliation and a sexually hostile work environment in the Grand Canyon’s river corridor. A group of 13 former and current Grand Canyon employees sent a letter to the Interior Department in September, alleging at least 15 years of abuses and prompting an investigation by the agency's office of inspector general."

Gallup has found that, following the midterm elections, the Democratic Party has a record low unfavorable rating from the US public. "A record-low 36% of Americans say they have a favorable opinion of the party, down six percentage points from before the elections. The Republican Party's favorable rating, at 42%, is essentially unchanged from 40%. This marks the first time since September 2011 that the Republican Party has had a higher favorability rating than the Democratic Party." How's being Republican Lite working out for you, (a huge percentage of the) Democratic Party?

Meanwhile, Pew has found that "more than 90 percent of Americans feel they've lost control over how their personal information is collected and used by companies, particularly for advertising purposes." Welp.

[CN: Misogyny; fat hatred] Old Navy is using the old "fat lady fabrics cost more!" chestnut, to try to explain why they upcharge women for plus size clothes, but not men. This, after Old Navy took plus size women's clothing out of their stories altogether, making it available exclusively online, lest we fatties sully their precious stores with our monstrous bodies.

A Lebowski themed wedding! Because why not?!

Here is a video of a dog who spent her life in a metal cage at a puppy mill experiencing a soft bed for the first time. OMG.

And finally! All the blubs forever: "The Capital Area Humane Society in Hilliard, Ohio, is pleased that they are now saving the lives of many more cats than before and says more than 500 cats have been spared from euthanasia in the past two months and its live outcome rates for healthy, adoptable cats are now at 93%. Under the new policy, animals brought to the shelter receive an exam, vaccinations, and necessary medications for a nominal fee, which can be waived if the person dropping off the animal can't pay. The person bringing in the animal is then offered support supplies, including food and litter, and is asked if they would consider fostering or keeping the animal. When the adoption floor is full-up with cats, people are asked if they would keep the cat they're dropping off until space opens up. The new police not only saves the lives of cats, it allows people who felt forced to give up their pet due to financial hardship to keep and continue to care for the pet." ♥