In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

WaPo: "Republican contest for 2016 race is heating up quickly." Translation: Here are a bunch of the same white dudes as always jockeying for position to be the absolute worst. Welcome to the year of our lord Jesus Jones two thousand and fifteen!

Congratulations to Madhu Kinnar, who was just elected India's first transgender mayor. May her tenure be productive and safe.

RIP Stuart Scott. [Video may autoplay at link.]

[Content Note: Racism] Over our winter break, it was revealed that House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-Acist) had spoken at a white supremacist shindig in 2002. And it turns out lots of people have a problem with that! GO FIGURE! But Republicans are digging in and defending him, because of course they are. It was just a big WHOOPSY, anyway. "In 2002, Scalise, then a state legislator, gave a speech about taxes in September 2002 before the European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO), an organization founded by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. After the speech was reported this week, Scalise apologized, saying he was not aware of EURO's platform when he spoke, and he certainly wouldn't endorse the activities of such a 'hate group'." Scalise is a busy man. He doesn't have time to learn how to use newfangled technologies like Google.

[CN: Police brutality] Does the NYPD even understand that protesting the protests of their brutality in the form of not policing poor communities by harassing people constantly over ever little thing, i.e. "work stoppage," is actually maybe not the effective demonstration they'd hoped?

Meanwhile: "Pittsburgh police chief angers officers with pledge to challenge racism." Got that? He pledges to challenge racism within his department, and his officers get offended. Perfect.

[CN: Terrorism] Jury selection is underway for the trial of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. "Over the next three days, about 1,200 people will be called to federal court to be considered as potential jurors. The first 200 were given initial instructions Monday by [Judge George O'Toole Jr.]. Twelve jurors and six alternates are to be selected. The judge said the trial will begin on Jan. 26 and will last three to four months."

[CN: Terrorism] Boko Haram continues to terrorize Nigeria: "Boko Haram militants stormed a key multinational military base in Nigeria, killing an unknown number of people and seizing weapons and vehicles as soldiers fled, a local senator said Monday."

This woman who got dumped the week of her wedding dealt with it (partly) in pretty much the most amazing way possible. "I can't even describe how liberating and cathartic the experience was for me." Right on!

And finally! Here is a video of some very proficient snuggling between an adorable cat and an adorable dog!