An infographic on Kurt Vonnegut's "shape of stories" concept.
Why more people should blog about illness and death. Because of the fear of the unknown can only be defeated by knowing. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
A good long list of opportunities for writers. Lots of contests and emeritus positions. I suggest double checking some of these in the usual places.
Books-a-Million posts a good profit. Good news.
Bee colonies continue to have population collapses. Considering that most of the things you eat require bees to pollinate something in the chain, this still continues to be a Bad Thing™. (Grokked from Mary Robinette Kowal)
A good article on austerity and the reduction of public employees as compared to previous recessions. Again, a long history of economic responses all tell us that with austerity, we're doing it wrong. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
So, after the GOP figures out they need to change their message, including spending $10 million on paid spokes people to go into urban neighborhoods (which I would contest was the first gaff), they just can't get their ducks to march in a straight line. (Pointed to by Dan)
Looking for some occult references? Here's almost 2000 texts online. Although they have copies of the Necronomicon, so use wisely and with appropriate caution (as in, here there be bullshit, tread lightly). (Grokked from Matt Staggs)
It Came From Mercury. Sounds like a 50s monster movie to me, but actually scientist have confirmed the first known meteorites from Mercury. Is it me or is this the year of the asteroid? (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Coke has mastered the world-wide distribution chain, including to places without phones or safe water. So why not piggyback life saving medicine to places that it would be hard to get to with the Coke? Now that (including the packaging design) is forward thinking. (Grokked from Lisa Morton)
Noted without comment, The Rapture Index. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)
"In a formal complaint… by at least four parents, (the instructor of a class) is chided for using the word 'vagina' during a tenth-grade biology class on the human reproductive system." While the actual complaint contains more damning accusations, it's the word "vagina" that gets them? Seriously? In 10th grade? Sigh. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Jason Sandford deconstructs the "reverse discrimination" myth. Look, angry doesn't look good on anyone. And while there are legitimate reasons to be angry, being made to share the world with everyone else isn't one of them (no matter how much you don't wanna).
Researchers "compared 677 cases in which people were injured in a shooting incident with 684 people living in the same area that had not suffered a gun injury… They found that those with firearms were about 4.5 times more likely to be shot than those who did not carry, utterly belying this oft repeated mantra…" of owning a gun for self-defense. La Pierre is an idiot who is either trying to scare you into keeping his job, or is really disconnected with reality. You know what stops a bad guy with a gun? It isn't a good guy with a gun. Typically the bad guy either finishes what they wanted to do, has their conscience take over, or they lose their taste for violence. The fantasy of the good guy with a gun is the same Ralphie has about Black Bart in "A Christmas Story" and has just as much legitimacy in reality. "Gun aficionados often frame the debate in terms of protection, but it is vital to realize that the vast majority of rape and murder victims are not harmed by nefarious strangers, but by people they know, and often love – friends, family members, lovers." (Grokked from Jay Lake)
Man hunts deer in Wal-Mart parking lot. Thank Grue he had his gun with him when he spotted a 10-point buck in the parking lot (don't watch the video, completely insipid). The only good part from the video is that state police decided to let the game warden prosecute the guy because the charges and penalties through that office would be stiffer than the police charging him (hunting without a license, hunting out of season… etc). So, yea, reckless discharge and endangerment would have been the lighter charges. (Grokked from Matt Staggs)
A North Carolina Senator authors a bill to require counseling, including course on how divorce affects children, and a two year waiting period for filing for divorce. Yea. That's going to work so well. You know, with all the kids who grew up as children of divorce you'd think the culture would have a little more knowledge about these things. (Grokked from Jay Lake)
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