Link Me Up, Scotty - Terrorism and Germs Edition

Steven Taylor over at Outside the Beltway asks the critical question, "What Does 'Linked to Terrorism' Mean?" As he notes, terrorism is a tactic, not an organization, and when we conflate "terrorism" with "Muslim extremism," it leads to sloppy thinking and poor analysis.
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A Christian organization erected a billboard in Virginia stating that being gay is a choice by leveraging photos of "identical twins" where one is straight and the other gay. The problem, of course, is that it's all a big, stinking pile of word poop, because the model in question is not a twin, but is in fact, gay.  I am shocked, I tell you, SHOCKED, that a Christian, anti-gay organization would be caught with their pants on fire as it relates to sexual identity. Not. H/T everyone.
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According to actual scientists and registered dieticians, fad cleanses don't actually do anything for your health or weight control program. Surprise, surprise. However, there are studies that show some benefit to actual fasting on a periodic basis. I'm trying to decide if I want to incorporate fasting into my health and fitness plan, but more research (on my part) is needed. H/T Skepchick
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Tree Lobsters takes on the passive aggressive assholery that is "playing devil's advocate."
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NPR reports on a study of the gender wage gap and how it increases during the middle of women's careers. This was not my personal experience, but my career trajectory was very odd, to say the least.  H/T Random Michelle
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NPR takes a look at the possibility of an "Endless Ebola Epidemic." Crap on a cracker, the germs are going to get us yet.
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You know I'm going to link to my Eric Gardner's essay entitled Antonin Scalia, the Government, and Your Butt. Because he's my platonic semi-celebrity boyfriend, that's why.
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Where does fat go when you lose weight? I've always wondered, and now I know.
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Video of the Week: A public service announcement about how many LGBTQ kids are treated by their birth families if they choose to come out. It makes me APOPLECTIC WITH RAGE that some parents would choose to behave in this fashion simply because their kids are honest with them about who they are. And it makes my heart sing to know there are places like the Ali Forney Center who are equipped and ready to help these kids during the worst moments of their lives. Advocacy matters, because no kid deserves this. H/T Queereka