In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

[Content Note: War; airline disaster; death] "Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 crashed as a result of a Russian-made Buk missile, the Dutch Safety Board says. The missile hit the front left of the plane causing other parts break off, it said in a final report into the July 2014 disaster, which killed 298 people. The West and Ukraine say Russian-backed rebels brought down the Boeing 777, but Russia blames Ukrainian forces. The report does not say who fired the missile, but says airspace over eastern Ukraine should have been closed." Well fuck.

[CN: Misogyny; racism; antisemitism] That's your liberal media! "So far, the campaign for the Republican presidential nomination has focused on exciting issues like the merits of Carly Fiorina's face, the height of the new wall between the United States and Mexico, and whether the Jews were responsible for the Holocaust. The Democratic debate scheduled for Tuesday night, meanwhile, is expected focus on issues like climate change, criminal justice reform, and zzzzzzzzzzz… Major media outlets would like you to know that it will probably be a snooze-fest. The Washington Post reports that the Republican debates have been 'appointment television' featuring lots of personal insults and attacks. Meanwhile, the Democratic debate will focus on 'substantive' issues like 'how each would pay for his or her higher-education overhauls.' It's possible, the Post warns, you will be 'bored senseless.' This is because the Democratic candidates have avoided 'direct, personal attacks that have been so prominent in the Republican race.' This leaves them, according to the Post, 'downright predictable.'"

[CN: Racism; police brutality; prosecutorial misconduct] Yep: "Attorneys for the family of Tamir Rice, who was killed by police officer Timothy Loehmann while holding a pellet gun in a park in Cleveland in November last year, said the pair of external reports had 'tainted the grand jury process' that is considering criminal charges against Loehmann. 'It's clear to the Rice family that these so-called experts were selected to present a point of view to defend the officer's conduct,' said Subodh Chandra, an attorney for the family. Chandra said the unusual decision to request and publish the external reports by Timothy McGinty, the Cuyahoga County prosecutor, was 'an unprecedented thing for a prosecutor to do on behalf of someone potentially facing a murder charge.'"

[CN: Police brutality; racism] A Texas police school resource officer was caught on camera slamming a 14-year-old boy to the floor by the throat, and: "No one was arrested, but Gyasi said that he is on suspension until Tuesday and also landed two Saturday detentions." I don't even know what to say anymore.

Okay: "As part of a redesign that will be unveiled next March, the print edition of Playboy will still feature women in provocative poses. But they will no longer be fully nude." Lest you imagine this is because of something resembling decency: "Its executives admit that Playboy has been overtaken by the changes it pioneered. 'That battle has been fought and won,' said Scott Flanders, the company's chief executive. 'You're now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free. And so it's just passé at this juncture.'"

In presidential news: "On Tuesday Rand Paul will become the first candidate to live stream an entire day on the campaign trail." Cool. Can't wait to keep not watching that all day!

[CN: Rape culture; misogyny] Good grief, this family: Michelle Duggar thought now is the perfect time to write a piece about how the best marital advice she ever got was to be sexually available to her husband 24/7. The grossest. The absolute fucking worst.

Johnny Depp says he never wants to win an Oscar. "No problemo!"—the Academy.

And finally! "Footage of Whales Swimming Under the Northern Lights Is Simply Majestic." It certainly is.