In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: Illness; anti-vaxxing] Yesterday, it was reported that five infants who attend a suburban Chicago day care center were diagnosed with measles, with public health officials warning that more cases are likely. As more outbreaks are reported across the country: "Lawmakers in California, Oregon, and Washington state, which have all had recent measles cases, want to remove exemptions based on personal beliefs, while farther afield, Ohio recently extended a law that covers those entering childcare."

[CN: War; terrorism] In Jordan, thousands of demonstrators rallied in the streets in support of the government's "intensified offensive against the militant group Islamic State. ...The aerial campaign began after the militant group's lightning takeover of large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria, two nations that share long borders with Jordan." I can't imagine how scary it is to know that group is on your borders with the intent to take over.

[CN: Misogyny; MRAs] Yet another article, care of Vox, which humanizes MRAs. I am tired to my very goddamn bones of reading pieces that humanize the sort of men who abuse me, knowing I'd never be humanized like that—even though the routine dehumanization of women, and feminist women in particular, underwrites the abuse. I challenge Vox to publish an equivalent article humanizing a visible feminist who has to put up with MRA abuse.

[CN: Misogyny; abuse; MRAs] Speaking of MRAs: At Buzzfeed, Adam Serwer and Katie J.M. Baker take on "How Mens' Rights Leader Paul Elam Turned Being a Deadbeat Dad into a Moneymaking Movement." And, in news that surprises no one but is nonetheless appalling: "Now, exclusive interviews with Elam's ex-wives and daughter and newly uncovered court records shed light on a man who, they told BuzzFeed News, has depended on and emotionally abused the women in his own life."

[CN: Police brutality] From an article detailing the "scandalous" lack of data on police killings of citizens: "The biggest thing I've taken away from this project is something I'll never be able to prove, but I'm convinced to my core: The lack of such a database is intentional. No government—not the federal government, and not the thousands of municipalities that give their police forces license to use deadly force—wants you to know how many people it kills and why."

[CN: Rape culture; war on agency] Another Republican genius on rape and abortion: West Virginia Delegate Brian Kurcaba, "explaining why he opposed a Democratic-sponsored amendment to add an exception for rape victims" to a proposed 20-week abortion ban, said: "Obviously rape is awful. What is beautiful is the child that could come from this." Fuuuuuuuuuck youuuuuuuuuu.

Republican New Jersey Governor and presidential hopeful Chris Christie is under investigation again: "Federal authorities have launched a criminal investigation into New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, as well as members of his administration, a man at the center of the investigation told ABC News. The U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey has interviewed former Hunterdon County Assistant Prosecutor Bennett Barlyn, who claims he was fired because he objected to Christie officials dismissing indictments against political allies of the governor." Christie sure sounds like a neat guy!

And finally: Here is just a terrific video of a kitten seeing snow for the first time! I remember when Sophie saw snow out the window for the first time, and it looked pretty much exactly the same! Aww.