In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: Shooting] "One person was killed on Monday in a shooting at a North Carolina community college that was locked down as authorities searched for a gunman, officials said. 'There have been shots fired on the campus of Wayne Community College,' said Kim Best, spokeswoman for the city of Goldsboro, where the school is located. 'There has been one fatality, and there is one shooter.' The shooter was not in custody, she said. She would not say whether the man was still on campus." Further details are not available at the moment.

[CN: Police brutality; death; racism] Another death by Taser: "Incident reports show [Natasha McKenna, who may have had mental illness] died after being subdued with a stun gun at the Fairfax County jail [and] was restrained at the hands and legs when she was shocked four times. ...Documents show McKenna initially cooperated and agreed to be handcuffed. But she then began trying to fight her way out. Six officers in full biohazard suits then placed McKenna into full restraints. The reports show McKenna wouldn't bend her knees to be placed into a chair, so an officer shocked her four times with 50,000 volts." What the absolute fuck.

[CN: Sanctions] I don't even know: "As the United States and Iran come closer to a historic nuclear deal, many U.S. states are likely to stick with their own sanctions on Iran that could complicate any warming of relations between the long-time foes. In a little known aspect of Iran's international isolation, around two dozen states have enacted measures punishing companies operating in certain sectors of its economy, directing public pension funds with billions of dollars in assets to divest from the firms and sometimes barring them from public contracts. In more than half those states, the restrictions expire only if Iran is no longer designated to be supporting terrorism or if all U.S. federal sanctions against Iran are lifted—unlikely outcomes even in the case of a final nuclear accord. Two states, Kansas and Mississippi, are even considering new sanctions targeting the country. The prospect of unwavering sanctions at the state level, or new ones, just as the federal government reaches a landmark agreement with Iran risks widening a divide between states and the federal government on a crucial foreign policy issue."

[CN: Misogyny] In somewhat good news: "Chinese police have freed three women's rights activists who were held for more than a month, in a case that sparked an international outcry. A lawyer for Wei Tingting, Wang Man and Zheng Churan said they were not charged but their release was conditional. The women, who were detained shortly before International Women's Day on 8 March, had planned protests against sexual harassment on public transport. The fate of two other women arrested at the same time is not yet clear." Let us hope the conditions are lifted and that the other two women are promptly released.

I did not realize this: "This would make Hillary's campaign the first major presidential campaign ever to make combating climate change a central issue."

[CN: Carcerality] I ♥ John Legend: "John Legend has launched a campaign to end mass incarceration. The Grammy-winning singer announced the multiyear initiative, FREE AMERICA, on Monday. He will visit and perform at a correctional facility on Thursday in Austin, Texas, where he also will be part of a press conference with state legislators to discuss Texas' criminal justice system. 'We have a serious problem with incarceration in this country,' Legend said in an interview. 'It's destroying families, it's destroying communities and we're the most incarcerated country in the world, and when you look deeper and look at the reasons we got to this place, we as a society made some choices politically and legislatively, culturally to deal with poverty, deal with mental illness in a certain way and that way usually involves using incarceration.'"

Neat! "For the first time, scientists believe they have evidence of liquid water on Mars. It's only a tiny bit, and only in certain seasons, but this salty water makes the hunt for past life on Mars all the more exciting."

[CN: Body policing] Pink responds to body policers in a terrific way: "I can see that some of you are concerned about me from your comments about my weight. You're referring to the pictures of me from last night's cancer benefit that I attended to support my dear friend Dr. Maggie DiNome. She was given the Duke Award for her tireless efforts and stellar contributions to the eradication of cancer. Unfortunately, my weight seems much more important to some of you. While I admit that the dress didn't photograph as well as it did in my kitchen, I will also admit that I felt very pretty. In fact, I feel beautiful. So, my good and concerned peoples, please don't worry about my. I'm not worried about me. And I'm not worried about you either:)…I am perfectly fine, perfectly happy, and my healthy, voluptuous and crazy strong body is having some much deserved time off. Thanks for your concern. Love, cheesecake." My favorite part is: "And I'm not worried about you either." Perfect.

[CN: Hostility to consent; white privilege] Madonna planted a nonconsensual kiss on Drake last night at Coachella, and of course the conversation has largely centered around how she's "old" and "gross," rather than the fact that she sexualized a black man without his consent.

[CN: Animal neglect] Kids today: "Texas Teenagers Save the Life of an Abandoned, Dying Dog." Blub.

And finally! FROLICKING PIGLETS! True Fact: Frolicking makes piglets soooo hungry!