In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: Racism; police brutality] The lengths to which this cop went in order to cover up his crime: "The police officer who shot Walter Scott radioed in to claim that Scott had 'grabbed my Taser', six seconds after firing his final shot, despite video suggesting the unarmed man was not in possession of the stun gun at any point, a Guardian analysis has shown." Fucking hell.

[CN: Weapons; sanctions] Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public comment on Iran's nuclear deal being negotiated last week in Lausanne, Switzerland, and "demanded that all sanctions on Iran be lifted at the same time as any final agreement with world powers on curbing Tehran's nuclear program is concluded." Khamenei is not generally a man I'd describe as reasonable, but that seems like a very reasonable request to me, frankly.

[CN: Conversion therapy] In a statement posted by Senior Presidential Advisor Valerie Jarrett, the Obama administration has officially signaled its support of a ban on sexual orientation and gender identity conversion therapies: "As part of our dedication to protecting America's youth, this Administration supports efforts to ban the use of conversion therapy for minors." GOOD.

[CN: Misogyny; racism; violence against women] The BBC has a major feature on the alarming number of murdered or missing First Nations women in Canada. It's not a perfect piece of reporting, but it's definitely worth reading if only to listen to the First Nations women who participated in the article: "They just think no one is waiting for us, that nobody cares about us, that we're disposable."

[CN: Misogyny] Travis Waldron has written a terrific piece on the state of women's football/soccer in England: "'What's the fastest growing sport in England, or the UK, or Europe, or the world?' [Lord David Triesman, who chaired the Football Association from 2008 to 2010] asked me. He didn't wait for an answer. 'Cut the cake however you like, the answer is women's football.'"

Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul's rapport with the media continues to be amazing: "Paul grew testy when pressed in the interview on the question of [abortion] exceptions. 'I gave you about a five-minute answer. Put in my five-minute answer,' he said."

[CN: Transphobia; self-harm; carcerality] Cosmo profiles Chelsea Manning, and her fight to transition, and to grow her hair, while behind bars for leaking US government documents. Through a series of letters, Manning also talks about her personal history, her current life, her dreams, her correspondence with other people who are trans. Please note that Manning's birth name and an image of her as a child are included in the story.

Congratulations to Munira Khalif, a senior at Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota, who "was accepted into all eight Ivy League schools. She's one of only two students in the nation to accomplish that this year. 'I was completely surprised,' Khalif said. 'It took a couple of days for the news to sink in.' Khalif also got into Stanford, the University of Minnesota and Georgetown. In addition to an outstanding academic record and ACT score, the 18-year-old state speech champion also founded a social justice club at school." Blub. I love this girl. ♥

Heads-up if you buy/eat Sabra Hummus: "The presence of potentially deadly listeria in several samples of hummus has prompted a national recall by Virginia-based Sabra Dipping Co. of 30,000 cases of Classic Hummus."

Cool: "According to the 'giant impact hypothesis,' the moon formed about 4.5 billion years ago, when a planet-like object about a tenth of Earth's current mass slammed into our planet. Simulations and recent studies of moon rocks suggest that the moon should be mostly made from the remains of the impactor, nicknamed Theia. This would explain why the moon seems to be made of material that looks a lot like Earth's mantle, as seen in rock samples and mineral maps."

"One Kitten, One Family, Six Million Adoptions." Awwwww. I have my issues with PetSmart stores, but the PetSmart Charities really do great work with rescue. Their grant program is pretty great. Anyway, the picture of that guy with his tiny kitten! AHH! :)