Politics
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What’s Happening in Egypt?
Let me say at the outset here that I don’t really know. This is a developing story and there are some conflicting reports coming out of an area that isn’t exactly known for its love of a free and independent…
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Tried as an Adult?
“Will an 11-year-old get life in prison for murder?” The stunning case of Jordan Brown. (via MeFi)
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Conversations with Writers Braver Than Me: Nick Flynn
Flynn and I discussed his approach to writing the memoirs—as well as the advantages of having Protestant parents—over coffee in the West Village.
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This Is Why We Keep Slavoj Around
“Through actions like the WikiLeaks disclosures, the shame – our shame for tolerating such power over us – is made more shameful by being publicised.” — A little light Zizek for your morning reading pleasure. (via)
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Washington D.C. Real Estate Advice
At the end of a CNBC post about how U.S. home values have fallen 26% since the 2006 peak, surpassing the drop experienced from 1928 through 1933, there is a link to the Zillow page for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, in…
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Crows and Taxis: Writing to the South Sudan
Crows circle, straight out of a novel by Kenya’s Nobel-nominee Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Only, the crows are circling the hotel pool, not the bush.
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Sovereign Citizens, Mental Health, and Violence
Note: I have a personal policy to not name people who engage in these types violent acts, since one of the big motivators seems to be a desire for fame. I refuse to help them in that cause. The big…
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Lavender Panthers 4 EVA
Check out this absolutely insane 1973 Time story about the Lavender Panthers, a gay vigilante group who went around San Fransisco stopping hate crimes. Led by Rev. Ray Broshears, the Lavender Panthers were experts in “judo, karate, Kung Fu or…
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RedState ♥s Donald (Not Really)
“Doofuses,” “goofballs,” “self-aware parasites,” and “political pornographers.” The folks over at RedState use some pretty fun words to describe Donald authors Stephen Elliott and Eric Martin (as well as the book’s publisher, McSweeney’s) in a rather rant-y post about the…
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An Essay Not to Miss
“The esteemed Steve Almond delivers the best take – and best-written essay – I’ve seen on the Giffords shooting.” David Sirota praises Steve Almond’s “Surely Some Revelation Is at Hand.” (via TruthDig, who also gave Steve’s essay love. Thanks TruthDig!)
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Surely Some Revelation Is at Hand
(Yet Another) Rumpus Lamentation: It’s a sunny winter day in Tucson, Arizona. There’s an event being held in the parking lot of a supermarket called Safeway.
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USAF and Medusa
The only problem with naming your new weapons system “Gorgon Stare” as the Air Force has done: Medusa’s lapidogenic vision was actually used against her. In fact, it was classic asymmetrical warfare: the vastly more powerful Gorgon’s Stare against mortal little Perseus and…