(via reddit)
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Miss Cellania's Links
The priceless work of university presses. To save a pittance, Kentucky governor Matt Bevin is scrapping our premiere publishing house.
Julie D'Aubigny was a 17th-century bisexual French opera singer and fencing master who killed or wounded at least ten men in life-or-death duels, performed nightly shows on the biggest and most highly-respected opera stage in the world, and once took the Holy Orders just so that she could sneak into a convent and bang a nun. If nothing in that sentence at least marginally interests you, I have no idea why you're visiting this website. (via Metafilter)
On Black Panther, Black Leopard and the Politics of Being a Black Superhero.
PJ McQuade's geeky pop culture Valentines are available now!
The Future Is Now: 20 Visions of Dystopian Cinema. Why is our concept of the future depicted as so depressingly bleak?
Netflix's New National Lampoon Movie Has an Extremely Subtle Mad Men Crossover. A Futile And Stupid Gesture is a biopic about the company's founder, set in the 1970s.
Erasing Native Americans From U.S. National Parks. People lived in the Yellowstone and Yosemite areas for thousands of years before they were set aside as pristine wilderness.
The Extinction of the Early Bird. As Baby Boomers retire to Florida, they don't want to be reminded that they're old.
How to Get Ahead of Tax Day. It's not such a chore if you prepare and sort as the forms arrive.
Tweet of the Day
My husband won't let me pick up wood at Home Depot because he doesn't want it scratched or bent but I can take care of his children daily.— bubble girl (@JessObsess) June 20, 2017
(via Buzzfeed)
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Cops Will Pull You Over for Literally Any Reason
Blue lights flashing in your rear view mirror will always make you nervous, even if you've done nothing wrong. This young lady had to roll her eyes, because it's probably happened to her before. Will she get a ticket this time? There are some things about living in a small town that you just can't get away from, until you get away completely. (via reddit)
Something I Noticed About the Weather Forecast
This is the forecast for my town for the next ten days. You might notice that there is only ONE day that's predicted to be sunny, and that day is February 2, otherwise known as Groundhog Day. So, the local groundhogs will come out of their hibernation holes, see their shadows, and go back in for other six weeks. The legend says that means six more weeks of bad weather. And that's where the actual forecast from the National Weather Service shows us heading. Sigh.
What's It Like to be Bipolar?
Like many human conditions, medical, psychological, or otherwise, bipolar disorder was at first little-known (then called manic-depressive disorder), then described poorly in pop culture, then evolved in the collective mind to mean something different from what is it. Many folks display symptoms that might lead you to believe that you're "just a little" bipolar, but while there's a spectrum of symptoms we all experience at one time or another, people who suffer from bipolar disorder suffer greatly, and should seek help. (via Laughing Squid)
Miss Cellania's Links
What Does It Mean to Die? Jahi McMath's case challenges the very nature of existence. (via Metafilter)
When New York Rioted Over Macbeth. It was class warfare, played out at the Astor Opera House.
Religion Isn't an Enemy of Science: It's an Inspiration. The two have been closely entwined throughout most of our history.
Look at the High-Tech Gear Olympians Will Be Wearing. Gadgetry, texture, color, and even camouflage can give athletes an edge.
Cow Runs Away From Farm To Join Herd Of Wild Bison. They seem to have accepted her as part of the herd.
The Lost Art of Looking at Plants. The amazing science of plant morphology and genetics is starting to make a comeback.
The myth of America's immigration problem. It's not a problem.
Yes, There Is Gravity in Space. The sense of weightlessness is a tug-of-war between difference forces.
An ER visit, a $12,000 bill — and a health insurer that wouldn’t pay. A new insurance policy expects patients to diagnose themselves. (via Digg)
Tweet of the Day
Chicken nugget math problem. Source: https://t.co/tjv4dsGyhP pic.twitter.com/Zt28rT5MYK— Cliff Pickover (@pickover) January 10, 2018
Monday, January 29, 2018
Never Bet Your Money On Another Man's Game
He's a 44-year-old man from Austin, Texas. His wife and his friends made fun of him, and that led to a bet. He bet that he could put out a legit hip-hop song and make at least ten dollars from it. He took the name Spinach Dippa. Here he is, rapping' about eating at Applebee's, his German mechanic, and running up his credit cards. You can buy the song (for 99 cents) through his website, and half the proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. The other half will go toward fulfilling his bet. (via Tastefully Offensive)
160 Characters
Victoria Mapplebeck found her old Nokia phone and charged it up to see what data it contained. There were 100 texts from a man she dated for some time. Those, along with a Christmas card, two emails, a set of baby pajamas, and a paternity test were all she had left of her son's father. So she made a short film with the texts piecing the story together.
“It felt like a digital hit and run,” Mapplebeck said. “I began this project with a personal story, but perhaps it also explores a universal story—one in which we increasingly expect more from technology and less from each other.”Read more about the film at The Atlantic.
Miss Cellania's Links
The Ethical Pain of Separating Conjoined Twins. Goldstein said the separation surgery, knowing one twin would die, was the first time he cried in the operating room. (via Damn Interesting)
The 1% grabbed 82% of all wealth created in 2017.
Visit a Beard That Killed Its Owner. Hans Steininger's beard was over four and half feet long, and you can still see it 450 years later.
The Greatest Movie Villains Of All Time. A truly great villain has some kind of charm that gives you the willies, because good and evil aren't as simple as we'd like to think. (via BroBible)
12 Idioms That Get Lost in Translation. Check out the tomato glasses, singing apples, and cooked carrots (and what they mean).
The Troubling Origins of the Skeletons in a New York Museum. Should victims of the Herero genocide be reburied or displayed to tell their story? (via Metafilter)
Why Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story Remake Is an Important Opportunity.
Keep Up With Super Bowl Ads With the Super Bowl LII Ad Tracker. See the best part of the game before the game without having to watch the game.
The Rise and Fall of the Pop Star Purity Ring. Corporate backing make it happen.
Tweet of the Day
"I just woke up. Give me a minute." pic.twitter.com/HNB5GJF7l8— Luv Kittens Daily (@LuvKittensDaily) January 15, 2018
(via Everlasting Blort)
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Tweet of the Day
yall consider this a date pic.twitter.com/xoo54UbQBi— persephone (@couturetits) July 6, 2017
(via Buzzfeed)
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Cab Calloway's Jitterbug Party
Some hotshot razzmatazz from 27-year-old Cab Calloway, at the Cotton Club in 1935.
Tweet of the Day
So after 20 years of growing her dreads my mom wanted to cut off her hair. She wasn’t sure how my dad would react tho....but this is how he did. ðŸ˜ðŸ¤§ pic.twitter.com/Nih3jH2qSb— praizekirkwood (@praizekirkwood) January 13, 2018
(via reddit)
Friday, January 26, 2018
That One Lightsaber Fight with Music
Rey & Kylo Ren fighting the Praetorian Guards to "Mr Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra pic.twitter.com/tA2xUEkvTR— you’re not alone in everything✨ Saw TLJ x4 (@rachlikesbands) January 23, 2018
There's a whole bunch of these with maybe a dozen different songs in a Twitter thread. (via FanFare)
Miss Cellania'sLinks
The female price of male pleasure. "At every turn, women are taught that how someone reacts to them does more to establish their goodness and worth than anything they themselves might feel." (via Metafilter)
The First Ice Skates Weren’t for Jumps and Twirls—They Were for Getting Around. Blades were invented to help you slide on ice in only one direction at a time.
Golden Kingdoms: Luxury and Legacy in the Ancient Americas. What remains of the Inca and the Aztecs is just a taste of their historic glory.
Why Menu Translations Go Terribly Wrong. Often what a dish has always been called doesn't really describe it to someone who is unfamiliar with it.
Poles of Inaccessibility: the Remotest Places on Earth. See the spot on each continent that is furthest from any ocean. (via TYWKIWDBI)
5 Famous People Who Are Pure Madness On Social Media. Follow them, and your feed will not be what you would expect.
The Internet Is Enabling a New Kind of Poorly Paid Hell. Piecework can pay as little as a penny to "independent contractors."
43 Celebs You Totally Forgot Appeared On Law & Order: SVU.
Remember the story of the Polish doctor picked up by immigration officials? He is not only sorely needed at his hospital, he may actually be an American citizen.
What If Your Airplane Door Burst Open Mid-Flight?
It's something you think about every time you get on an airline flight. What if the door opens while we're flying? What if something were to affect the structural integrity of the plane? Our paranoid thoughts go to that one plane, you know the one. There was only one fatality because the passengers had their seatbelts on, but a flight attendant got sucked out of the plane at an altitude of seven miles. That's the nightmare, but it's only the worst of the bad things that can happen if your plane pops open.
According to AsapSCIENCE, the good news is that it's not likely to happen. And as usual, they tell us we are safer flying than driving. That's honestly not much comfort, because most of us have experienced our share of auto accidents already. You can't help but wonder if your number will come up while you're too far from the ground to survive. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Tweet of the Day
BOSS: is your make up tattooed on?— Rads (@FeelingEuphoric) September 29, 2017
ME: yeah it's exhausting to have to put it on every single morning
BOSS: why a clown though
(via The Obscure Gentleman, where you can see the comic this inspired)
Thursday, January 25, 2018
Whopper Neutrality
The average person who uses the internet for a sensible part of their day has little understanding of what Net Neutrality is and why we need it. Burger King produced an ad that illustrates the concept of Net Neutrality using the Whopper. It's a bit strange. It has the right idea, although quite simplified, but they only showed the mess from the customer's side. There's also a problem of all the small websites you love, like this one, which doesn't have the power or money to "negotiate" their way onto all the various ISP's tiers. It's only a matter of time before they all disappear under the crush of runaway capitalism, unless we get Net Neutrality restored soon. You could sign the petition mentioned in the video, or better yet you can call your representative in congress, or both. Or maybe you really want to pay more to get your Whopper first. (via Tastefully Offensive)
Vitim River Bridge
Would you drive across this bridge? It's one lane wide with no railings whatsoever, too narrow to allow for the slightest variance from the path. The surface is not at all smooth, and the wooden planks can get slippery when frost settles. This is the Vitim River Bridge in Siberia. It once carried trains, which explains why it's so narrow. Not many drivers try it, but if you cross it successfully, you can join a Facebook group for those who have accomplished the feat.
Miss Cellania's Links
Democrats, it's time to fight like Superman for truth, justice, and the American way.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flatulence. This will have you in stitches from laughing, but do not play it at work. (via reddit)
Star Wars: Episode IX Can Fill Leia’s Absence By Embracing Its Forgotten Queen. However improbable that is, it's a loving tribute to Padmé Amidala.
Facebook Begins Its Downward Spiral. Vanity Fair explores the latest trouble for the social media giant.
Four Olympic Stadiums With Unexpected Afterlives. They became a prison, a church, and entertainment centers.
We’re Not Done Here. How the MeToo movement became a feminist sexual revolution.
Honest Posters for Oscar-Nominated Movies. Fan art is where you get the real scoop.
The Secret History of the World's Priciest Spice. Saffron can cost as much as $16 a gram, for good reason.
Polish Doctor Living in the U.S. for 40 Years Detained by ICE. He had a legal green card, but was arrested 25 years ago as a teenager.
Tweet of the Day
i ask my toddler what's in the box she's holding. "chaos!" she replies. "chaos! chaos!" i know she's trying to say "crayons," but it's not like she's wrong.— rachelle mandik (@rachelle_mandik) January 9, 2018
(via Buzzfeed)
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
The Making of The Shape of Water
Here we have a look into the visual effects of the Guillermo del Toro film The Shape of Water. There's no explanation, just a peek at the layers of awesome digital water, which is a real breakthrough for filmmakers. Oh yeah, and the creature that reminds one of the Black Lagoon. The downside is that after watching this, I feel as if I've seen the entire movie and there's no need to sit down for the feature length version. In other words, this is full of spoilers. The Shape of Water was nominated for 13 Academy Awards. (via Mental Floss)
Miss Cellania's Links
How the president's immigration policy evolved from idiot symbols to lazy viciousness.
Rian Johnson Explains Why the Reveal of Rey’s Parents Was Crucial. Oh yeah, this is about Star Wars.
When Barbie Went to War with Bratz. How a legal battle over intellectual property exposed a cultural battle over sex, gender roles, and the workplace.
Facebook Just Created Its Own Unit of Time. The "flick" is very short, but divides nicely into different video frame rates.
How Well Do You Know World Geography? Take a quiz from the Department of Geography at Ghent University in Belgium and help them study the effects of map distortion. (via Metafilter)
5 Surreal Realities Black Children Face. All are easy to ignore or downplay ...if you're white.
Putting Ancient Recipes on the Plate. Baking a a panis quadratus from a 2000-year-old recipe takes study, experimentation, and guesswork.
The Fraught History Of America’s Most Pervasive Brand. Images of Native Americans are still used to sell anything and everything.
How Do They Train Drug Sniffing Dogs? A precise procedure gives us pooches that can find anything.
Tweet of the Day
Me: I'm glad I got married. Everyone needs a sidekick.— James Breakwell (@XplodingUnicorn) March 22, 2017
Wife: Good point, Robin.
(via Buzzfeed)
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
A Lesson in Fire Safety
Lesson number one: don't do this. Here we have an illustration of the immaturity of teenage boys, possibly influenced by the action movies they've seen and stunts performed by professionals with a staff ready for any contingency. These guys have an idea, but no contingency plan and little foresight. The second part is a lesson in what not to do when you are on fire. Of course he wants his pants off, but the procedure is stop, drop, and roll, which works better when you're not soaked in gasoline. An alternate method is to smother the fire with a blanket or something. They didn't have a blanket, but his buddy eventually did the only thing he could, and smothered the fire with his body. This happened quite a few years ago, so we are pretty sure they are okay. (via reddit)
An Honest Trailer for Get Out
Jordan Peele's horror film Get Out was nominated for four Academy Awards today: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Actor for Daniel Kaluuya. Coincidentally, Screen Junkies had the Honest Trailer ready to go. Maybe they knew something, like how the movie deserves the nominations. They don't so much denigrate the film, but celebrate it for the strange story it is.
Miss Cellania's Links
Maybe Men Will Be Scared for a While. But maybe to fear women is to begin seeing them as people.
When Artificial Intelligence Gets into Birding. After studying a list of 32000 existing bird names, a neural network comes up more more -and they're glorious. (via Metafilter)
If You Find Aliens, Who Do You Call? Various officials reveal how they pass the buck on such calls.
The 20 Most Important Pop Culture Moments of the Last Ten Years.
Meet the Murderous Viking Princess Who Brought the Faith to Eastern Europe. Game of Thrones could learn a thing or two from Saint Olga.
Star Wars and the Strategic Use of Chasms. No real spaceship or space station will ever have that much elbow room.
The Story of Hyperchess, a 3D Chess Game Inspired by Star Trek. Max Chappell worked for twenty years to get it right.
In the 16th century, Dutch Renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder painted a village scene filled with people doing nonsensical things. Netherlandish Proverbs illustrates over a hundred old Dutch proverbs. (via Strange Company)
The Slash: The 20-Foot Clearing That Stretches 5,525 Miles Across World's Longest Border. You can see it in satellite images. (via Digg)
Tweet of the Day
Carrie would be SO proud! Resist. Register. VOTE! 👊#WomensMarch2018 #MyReSIStanceSISters pic.twitter.com/1RxywiY0rd— @HamillHimself (@HamillHimself) January 21, 2018
Monday, January 22, 2018
Miss Cellania's Links
45 Clever Signs From The 2018 Women's March.
The Y Chromosome Is Slowly Disappearing. At this rate, the male sex has only a few million years left.
Why Brigham Young University Had a Secret Cola Vending Machine. The Mormon prohibition against certain drinks leaves a lot of room for interpretation.
How Your Worst Fears Stack Up Against Reality. Select your top three fears, and the app will explain what your odds of dying from each one are.
London, 1682 vs. Today. The Morgan Map has been overlaid with aerial views of the modern city for comparison purposes.
A Roundup Of The Strangest Moments Of Trump's First Year In Office.
The Boy Who Stayed Awake for 11 Days. A science fair project led to a world record that still stands.
When Nixon Said “Sock it To Me” on Laugh-In. His 1968 appearance opened the door for presidents on entertainment shows.
Jason Windsor finally gives us a sequel to his classic 2003 video “End of Ze World.” With NSFW language.
Sunday, January 21, 2018
Are You a Millennial?
Millennials don't want to be lumped into a group. And they don't want to be labeled -or do they? These folks don't hesitate to tell you how they are special and different, and they'll take a label as long as they get to choose it -and as long as it isn't Millennial. Not wanting to be seen as a Millennial is the most Millennial thing there is. I can't really blame them. Generations weren't as labeled and pigeonholed when we Boomers were young and lumped together. (via Tastefully Offensive)
Lucas the Spider is Captured!
Former Disney animator Joshua Slice has captured the hearts of the internet with his animations of Lucas the Spider, voiced by his nephew Lucas. In the latest episode of the spider's adventures, he finds himself captured. He was playing hide and seek, and tagged the wrong player! Will this be the end of Lucas? Of course not. (via Tastefully Offensive)
The Doctor Says
Comedy pretty much writes itself these days. Saturday Night Live opened with the press conference about our president's annual checkup. If you watched the actual press conference, you know how easy this skit was. Here's the short version.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Not a Plot Hole
I don't even recall where I got this, but it was soon after seeing The Last Jedi, and I found it to be the funniest joke about the movie yet. But because of spoilers, I only sent it to people who already saw the movie. It's been a month now, so here it is.
Time to Get Fat and Sassy
Winter weather means you sometimes just have to stay at home inside the house. WCCB in Charlotte, North Carolina, talked to one delightful lady who has the right idea about it. There is an upside to bad weather in winter! I bet she makes good soup. (via reddit)
Tweet of the Day
sometimes. the human gets sad. and i don’t know why. but if i jump. in their lap. and stay there. i can usually fix it— Thoughts of Dog (@dog_feelings) January 15, 2018
Friday, January 19, 2018
Little Donny's First Year
The Daily Show compiled some clips to celebrate Trump's first year in office. No wonder our president hates the press. They report what he says and what he does.
Miss Cellania's Links
The Oral History of Breaking Bad. The people behind the groundbreaking show tell its story to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its premiere.
Why We Didn’t See the Knights of Ren in The Last Jedi. Director Rian Johnson explains that there's nothing nefarious about their absence.
The Little-Known History of Seafaring Pets. Sailors have been accompanied on voyages by dogs, cats, pigs, chickens, rabbits, and other animals—and not all of them were for dinner.
A Neopets Romance. This married couple met online when they were 10 and 12 years old.
How Americans of the 1960s Really Felt About Nuclear Fallout Shelters. Michigan State University surveyed 3,514 adults about their feelings regarding preparedness for a nuclear war.
Why Paris’ Greatest Art Nouveau Metro Stop Is No More. The Bastille station was the greatest of 141 metro stations designed by Hector Guimard at the turn of the 20th century.
Your Coworkers are Not Your Friends. A bit of formality is appropriate among people who did not choose who they spend all day with.
The End of the Awl and the Vanishing of Freedom and Fun from the Internet.
Pornhub Traffic Affected by Missile Alert.
Tweet of the Day
THIS IS MY FAVORITE GIF EVER pic.twitter.com/VDMjJBhN4l— SABRINA! (@lgbtjbarnes) January 14, 2018
(via Uproxx)
Thursday, January 18, 2018
Cats, Music, and Dancing in Fantasia dei Gatti
Grammy-winning violinist Augustin Hadelich wrote a little story about a violinist (himself) who plays music for a cat, which draws all the street cats out to listen. He plays Caprice No. 17 by Nicolò Paganini. The cats are so impressed, they start to dance. They aren't very good at the beginning, but as they lose themselves in the music, they get better. Oh, and stay for the twist ending.
Hadelich, who is a cat person as well as a musician, called his story Fantasia dei Gatti, or Fantasy of the Cats. Tam King did the animation. The music is from Hadelich's album Paganini: 24 Caprices. (via Laughing Squid)
Liberal Thought
An open letter to friends and family who are/were shocked to discover I'm a liberal...
This is going to be VERY long, so: TL;DR: I'm a liberal, I've always been a liberal, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does.
Some of you suspected. Some of you were shocked. Many of you have known me for years, even the majority of my life. We either steadfastly avoided political topics, or I carefully steered conversations away from the more incendiary subjects in the name of keeping the peace. "I'm a liberal" isn't really something you broadcast in social circles where "the liberals" can't be said without wrinkling one's nose.
But then the 2016 election happened, and staying quiet wasn't an option anymore. Since then, I've received no shortage of emails and comments from people who were shocked, horrified, disappointed, disgusted, or otherwise displeased to realize I am *wrinkles nose* a liberal. Yep. I'm one of those bleeding heart commies who hates anyone who's white, straight, or conservative, and who wants the government to dictate everything you do while taking your money and giving it to people who don't work.
Or am I?
Let's break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: Not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines.
1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.
2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow that's interpreted as "I believe Obamacare is the end-all, be-all." This is not the case. I'm fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it's impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws, but I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes "let people die because they can't afford healthcare" a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I'm not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.
3. I believe education should be affordable and accessible to everyone. It doesn't necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I'm mystified as to why it can't work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.
4. I don't believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don't want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this. Ever. I just have a massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can't afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their share would go a long way toward alleviating this. Somehow believing that makes me a communist.
5. I don't throw around "I'm willing to pay higher taxes" lightly. I'm self-employed, so I already pay a shitload of taxes. If I'm suggesting something that involves paying more, that means increasing my already eye-watering tax bill. I'm fine with paying my share as long as it's actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.
6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multibillion dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn't have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.
7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is - and should be - illegal) All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I'm not "offended by Christianity" -- I'm offended that you're trying to force me to live by your religion's rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia on you? That's how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on me. Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don't force it on me or mine.
8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe we should have the *same* rights as you.
9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally.). I'm not opposed to deporting people who are here illegally, but I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).
10. I believe we should take in refugees, or at the very least not turn them away without due consideration. Turning thousands of people away because a terrorist might slip through is inhumane, especially when we consider what has happened historically to refugees who were turned away (see: MS St. Louis). If we're so opposed to taking in refugees, maybe we should consider not causing them to become refugees in the first place. Because we're fooling ourselves if we think that somewhere in the chain of events leading to these people becoming refugees, there isn't a line describing something the US did.
11. I don't believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It's not that I want the government's hands in everything -- I just don't trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products/practices/etc are actually SAFE. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they're harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.
12. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I'm butthurt over an election, but because I've spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.
13. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege -- white, straight, male, economic, etc -- need to start listening, even if you don't like what you're hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that's causing people to be marginalized.
14. I believe in so-called political correctness. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you're using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person? Your refusal to adjust your vocabulary in the name of not being an asshole kind of makes YOU the snowflake.
15. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. Sorry, billionaires. Maybe try investing in something else.
I think that about covers it. Bottom line is that I'm a liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn't mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.
So, I'm a liberal.
-Lori Gallagher Witt
What would I add? This.
Miss Cellania's Links
Death as Entertainment at the Paris Morgue.
11 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of TV Meteorologists.
The 19th-Century Sham Medicine That Saw Oracles in Orifices. "Orificial surgery" was supposed to cure what ails ya, but reading about it might make you cringe.
10 Misconceptions About U.S. Immigration. Every wave of newcomers has encountered resistance from those already here.
Donald Trump to sweep his own Dishonesty and Corruption in the Media Awards.
How Montana Gold Rushers Literally Threw Away a Fortune in Sapphires. Yogo Gulch still produces some the finest sapphires in the world.
New Details Emerge About Solo: A Star Wars Story. Including an official synopsis.
The Starbucks Logo Has A Secret You’ve Never Noticed. She was too perfect to be real before a small design change.
Recipes from around the world all have their distinct flavors ...and problems.
Russian Military Marching Song
They really like the Spongebob Squarepants theme! Come to think of it, most of these young soldiers and sailors probably grew up with the show. (via Neatorama)
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
An Honest Trailer for It
The movie It based on the novel by Stephen King was a big hit in 2017. So it's about time for Screen Junkies to give it the Honest Trailer treatment. Watching this, it became clear that the producers just assumed everyone knew what It was about. I saw no trailers or any other marketing that really explained what happens in the film. I just knew there was a killer clown from a Stephen King novel that was scarier than Tim Curry's TV version. And now I know all I need to know about It.
Miss Cellania's Links
A review of every sale of a Trump-branded condominium in the United States provides the first comprehensive look at how many went to unidentified buyers who paid cash, an indication of possible money laundering.
The 1969 Easter Mass Incident. Do not read while drinking liquid. (via Metafilter)
Sarah Silverman’s response to a sexist tweet is a much-needed ray of hope. And a discussion of the larger issues illustrated.
Snow Rollers: Nature’s Winter Treat. Snow can naturally form into wheels, carpet rolls, or big boulders.
Liam Neeson, World's Worst Traveler. The Commuter is the latest of a long line of films in which the action star ruins transportation for everyone.
How an Immoral Bet Created Africatown, Alabama. Timothy Meaher managed to import African slaves 50 years after the practice was made illegal.
Hollywood Movies Renamed for Japanese Audiences. Some are funny, and some are better than the English title.
Ladykillers: Murder Ballads and the Country Women Who Sang Them. The underappreciated who sang about the unacceptable eventually became hidden treasures.
Why Is It So Hard for Americans to Get a Decent Raise? Because there are fewer (bit bigger) companies competing for labor.
Tweet of the Day
Just seen a guy call his wife on FaceTime cause two cute dogs were nearby & he wanted to show her. I need someone to love me like this.— Noah (@Noahasf) December 24, 2017
(via Buzzfeed)
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
How That False Alarm Happened
Saturday
morning, residents of Hawaii received an alert of incoming missiles,
with a tag that "this is not a drill." Panic ensued, and it was 38
minutes before the news followed that it was a false alarm. How did it
happen? The explanation was that an employee pushed the wrong button.
There is speculation that it was an option in a drop-down menu. The
video above is an easy explanation, because it's happened to all of us. (via reddit)
Second Honeymoon
Gilbert and Grace Caldwell were married in 1957. They had reservations for their honeymoon at the Mount Airy Resort in Pennsylvania, but were turned away when the management saw they were black. A group of young students decided that it's not too late to do the right thing, even 60 years later. (via Bits and Pieces)
Cats Stealing Stuff
Cats have a firm sense of private property. A cat sees something, it will take something. "I found it, it's mine now!" You know, like the seagulls in Finding Nemo, just quieter. Enjoy this compilation of all kinds of cats taking all kinds of things for themselves. (via Tastefully Offensive)
Miss Cellania's Links
Donald Trump’s Racism: The Definitive List. (via Boing Boing)
Found: The Real Bullitt Mustang That Steve McQueen Tried (and Failed) to Buy. The '69 sports car had been in private hands since after the movie wrapped. (via Metafilter)
The Mysterious Origins of the First Scandinavians. The tools they left behind suggested that migration may have come from two directions.
When Quackery on the Radio Was a Public Health Crisis. From magic bracelets to goat gonad transplants, medical marketers got rich.
How Women Broke Into the Male-Dominated World of Cartoons and Illustrations. First off, pretend you're a man.
The Skillet. Susannah Nesmith beautifully chronicles the legacy of her great-great-grandmother's iron cookware. (via Metafilter)
Gary Lee tells a great story for his first Twitter thread. (via Madam Jujujive)
An image of a Marine feeding a two-week-old kitten with an eyedropper offered a tender moment in a brutal war, and was published in over 1,700 newspapers in 1953. (via Strange Company)
6 Signs That Disney Is Trying To Take Over The World.
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