In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: Earthquake; death] Oh dear: "Residents picked through the rubble of destroyed buildings in central Chile on Thursday after a magnitude 8.3 earthquake killed eight people and sent powerful waves barreling into coastal areas, forcing more than 1 million people from their homes. Violent aftershocks continued shaking the South American country on Thursday morning and locals said they feared another big quake, although the government lifted its tsunami warning. 'Everything is a mess. It was a disaster, a total loss. Bottles and glasses shattered and the pipes in the bathroom and kitchen burst,' said restaurant owner Melisa Pinones in the city of Illapel, near the epicenter of Wednesday's quake." Please feel welcome and encouraged to leave information about where to direct donations in comments.

[CN: Refugee crisis] The latest from Croatia: "The Croatian government has said that the country cannot take in any more [refugees], as riot police clashed with people entering the EU country from Serbia. Croatia's interior minister, Ranko Ostojić, said Croatia would provide [refugees] with safe passage to reception centres around the capital, Zagreb, but that those not seeking asylum would be considered illegal immigrants. With their path north from Serbia into Hungary—and the EU—blocked since Tuesday, many [refugees] have turned west to the Croatian frontier. Ostojić said 6,500 had entered in the last 24 hours. 'Croatia will not be able to receive more people,' Ostojić told reporters in the town of Tovarnik on Croatia's eastern border with Serbia, where thousands of people gathered on Thursday in and around the train station in blazing sunshine, waiting to board trains and buses. More than 100 riot police were deployed to control the growing crowds and keep them back from railway tracks. Clashes broke out as some people broke through police lines." Goddamn.

Ahmed Mohamed, the 9th grader who was punished for bringing his homemade clock to school, continues to receive lots of support: The White House "invited Ahmed to Astronomy Night at the White House on Oct. 19 to meet some astronauts and government scientists, said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. Retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield also invited Ahmed to a science show in Toronto next month. NASA astronaut Daniel Tani offered Ahmed the shirt off his back. 'Looks like Ahmed might need a new NASA shirt. I can give him one of mine—that flew in space!' And an anonymous donor has paid for him to attend space camp at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. ...In an interview on MSNBC, he called the Massachusetts Institute of Technology his 'dream school.' Host Chris Hayes had a surprise for him. MIT physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein joined the conversation live to invite him check out the school's astrophysics facility. 'I just want to say, you are my ideal student,' she said. 'A creative, independent thinker like you is the kind of person who should be becoming a physicist.'" Blub.

[CN: War on agency] Fuck fuck fuck: "On Wednesday, while most of the country was focused on the second Republican presidential debate, and the candidates' positions on the ongoing controversy swirling around Planned Parenthood, GOP lawmakers quietly made moves toward advancing one of their next major attacks on abortion rights: Cracking down on 'fetal dismemberment.' ...One of the most anti-abortion members of Congress, New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith, officially introduced a bill on Wednesday seeking to 'prohibit dismemberment abortions.' While that bill won't necessarily go anywhere while Democrats maintain control of the White House, its introduction represents the next step in a larger effort to outlaw a specific medical procedure, enshrine junk science into law, and potentially provoke a Supreme Court challenge."

[CN: White privilege] Matt Damon is happy his shitty whitesplaining "started a conversation" on diversity lololol omg. I hope everyone appreciates white people for starting all the conversations on diversity! That reminds me: I've got to write Jonathan Franzen a thank-you note for starting a conversation about feminism. And another one to Nicole Arbour for starting a conversation about fat shaming. We need to institute a Day of Gratitude on which marginalized people thank privileged people for starting conversations with their bigotry. Ahem. It sure is cool how talking about one's oppression is "looking for things to get mad about," but enacting that oppression is "starting a conversation."

[CN: Clergy sex abuse; rape culture] Rage seethe boil: "The Catholic Church has allowed priests accused of sexually abusing children in the United States and Europe to relocate to poor parishes in South America, a yearlong GlobalPost investigation has found. Reporters confronted five accused priests in as many countries: Paraguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru. One priest who relocated to a poor parish in Peru admitted on camera to molesting a 13-year-old boy while working in the Jackson, Mississippi diocese. Another is currently under investigation in Brazil after allegations arose that he abused disadvantaged children living in an orphanage he founded there. All five were able to continue working as priests, despite criminal investigations or cash payouts to alleged victims. All enjoyed the privilege, respect, and unfettered access to young people that comes with being clergy members."

[CN: White supremacy] I'm sure they'll be on the float next to Kim Davis in the Conservative Martyr Parade: "More than 20 students at a Virginia high school received a one-day suspension for wearing clothing displaying the Confederate flag. Montgomery County Public Schools spokeswoman Brenda Drake told CBS affiliate WDBJ the clothing violated Christiansburg High School's dress code. Drake said that the students refused to comply with the dress code after they arrived at the school Thursday. They were given one-day in-school suspensions."

Fuck yeah Monica Bellucci: "Some people take offence at the term Bond girl. Do you? 'I can't say I'm a Bond girl because I'm too mature to be a Bond girl. I say Bond lady; Bond woman. But I'm proud to be a Bond lady, because actually, Bond is the most amazing man. You know why?' Why? 'Because he doesn't exist.'" LOL!

Perfection: "Alex Trebek Said 'Turd Ferguson' on Jeopardy! and People Went Wild."

[CN: Video autoplays at link] And finally! This video is a couple of years old, but I only saw it for the first time today, and it is TOO CUTE not to share: Wally the Squirrel hides his nut in the fur of Jax the Bernese Mountain Dog. Awwww lol!