Link Me Up, Scotty - Science FTW Edition

It appears that that an experimental vaccine used at the end of the last Ebola outbreak is 100% effective. It hasn't yet received regulatory approval, but the initial results are so encouraging that an emergency stockpile of 300,000 doses is now in place. The ingenuity of humanity when we face dire straits (and the passion with which it's applied), never fails to humble and awe me.

(NYT: Mainstream Media source with minimal partisan bias)
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A pictorial essay of the "war on drugs" taking place in the Philippines. The title is They are Slaughtering Us Like Animals. This is what normalizing bad behavior in our politicians ultimately looks like. Parental guidance is suggested.

(NYT: Mainstream Media source with minimal partisan bias)
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Uncle George on our places in the upcoming resistance. "Be ready, be strong, and be vigilant." Good advice at any time.

(The Advocate: A left-leaning LGBT magazine with an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment.)
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Uncle George on our places in the upcoming resistance. "Be ready, be strong, and be vigilant." Good advice at any time.

(The Advocate: A left-leaning LGBT magazine with an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment.)
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As we move into 2017 with courage and conviction, it behooves us to examine what good a Trump presidency may do for our country.

(WaPo: Mainstream media source with minimal partisan bias)
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Ah, the Trump/Obama transition. What could possibly go wrong?

H/T Steve

(Politico: A center rated political journal that focuses on United States and international politics and policy.)
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Moyers & Co. on how progressives can manage a Trump presidency over the next four years.

(Moyers & Co.: A reputable left-leaning source of news)
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Secretary of State John Kerry is speaking his mind on the status of peace in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, and the behavior of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in light of the the recent UN Security Council vote. I'm one of those people who think both sides of that dispute have valid points and that both sides have also behaved very badly, indeed, and I think more and more people are coming to that point of view. I wonder how long it will take the Israeli government to realize this?

(NYT: Mainstream Media source with minimal partisan bias)
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Vera Rubin, the astrophysicist who found evidence of Dark Matter, has passed away at the age of 88. Vera Rubin was a total bad-ass, a woman who was in the forefront of the continuing sea-change regarding women in science. She was also never awarded the Nobel Prize for her amazing discoveries, in spite of being a favorite in the field since the 1980s.

Fair winds and following seas, Vera.

(NPR:  Mainstream Media source with minimal partisan bias)
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And I thought I was a lover of books. In the 1800s, the European upper classes fell victim to  “bibliomania,” a dark pseudo-psychological illness. Symptoms included a frenzy for culling and hunting down first editions, rare copies, books of certain sizes or printed on specific paper.

H/T Brother Juan

(Atlas Obscura: A collaborative project exposing esoteric and interesting stories from around the world.)

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, my True Love Gave to Me...

My platonic musical boyfriend, Leslie Odom, Jr., singing Winter Song from Simply Christmas.




Whatever you celebrate this holiday season, enjoy the day and count whatever blessings you have in your life.

♡

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, my True Love Gave to Me...

Voctave, singing This is my Wish/Let There be Peace on Earth. This group has the best soprano choral singer I've every heard (the shorter blonde). Simply remarkable.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas, my True Love Gave to Me...

Trans-Siberian Orchestra singing This Christmas Day from Christmas Eve and Other Stories. 

Link Me Up, Scotty - Tradition FTW Edition

The U.S. Navy has decided to overturn their September decision to get rid of its 241 year tradition of job ratings (such as "Boatswain's Mate," "Hospital Corpsman," and "Yeoman"). These job titles were supposed to be replaced by a numerical classification system (MOS, for those of you familiar with the Army and the Marine Corps).

The outcry was vociferous enough, and went on long enough, for the CNO to change his mind. This is a good thing, as I'll be a Radioman until the day I die regardless of what the CNO says, and most sailors feel the same way about their own rate.

(Business Insider: Mainstream media source with minimal partisan bias concentrating on business)
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I found this meme about children and consent to be very thought provoking. I made this mistake on a somewhat minimal basis with the twins, and now wish I had not. Children need to understand, early and often, that they have the right to withhold consent for physical affection, regardless of who's asking.
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The 2017 Pirelli calendar features women of all ages, and all of the photographs are untouched. I love that Pirelli is continuing to explore new themes for their iconic calendar other than T&A.
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My favorite Christian Pastor writes an open letter to Hillary Clinton.
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The families of the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting have decided to sue Facebook, Twitter, and Google because they provide the medium for perpetrators to coordinate their efforts.

No one has more empathy for these families than me. No one. But it appears this lawsuit has very little legal merit, and the Communications Decency Act has always protected tech companies in the past against actions like this. I can't help wonder if the legal team behind this suit isn't taking advantage of the families, on this, their first holiday season without their loved ones. I know I wasn't thinking very clearly the first year after we lost Moe. I'm just very, very lucky that I had people who loved me and looked out for me when I was most vulnerable.

(WaPo: Mainstream media source with minimal partisan bias)

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, my True Love Gave to Me...

The incomparable Tori Amos singing Jeanette Isabella from Midwinter Graces. 

On the Eigth Day of Christmas, my True Love Gave to Me...

Pentatonix singing Little Drummer Boy. This is probably one of my favorite arrangements from PTX.