Linkee-poo watched with glee while your kings and queens fought for ten decades for the gods they made

The Longaberger Company headquarters (built to look like their signature basket) is now deserted and looking for a buyer. (Grokked from Dan)

"(Samantha Swords) longsword expert wins the The Longsword Competition at the World Invitationals." While most people have been "OMG a woman won…", me, I'm, "Wait, there's an international tournament for longword?" Squee in either case. (Grokked from Janiece)

"In an ambitious study that represents the latest merger between big data approaches and the quest of conserving the planet, scientists have announced that across a majority of the Earth’s land surface — including some of its most important types of terrain and its most populous regions — the abundance or overall number of animals and plants of different species has now fallen below a 'safe' level identified by biologists." We're boned. Note, the article is very nuanced in it's approach. Also note, the Earth will be just fine, it's if we as humans can successfully survive on a changed Earth. There have been many highly successful species that have gone abruptly extinct. Homo sapiens aren't immune to that. (Grokked from Paolo Bacigalupi)

"With the overwhelming support of the Senate, Dr. Carla Hayden has been approved as the next librarian of Congress." Well, at least they did one thing correctly (albeit five months late).

"But in truth, the decision to subsume (the UK Government's department devoted to climate change) into an expanded business department could be read as either a positive move for climate policy, or a negative one." I'm sure it'll be fine. Everything is fine. We're all fine here. How are you? (Grokked from Saladin Ahmed)

"David Fry –the last man to surrender in the month-long standoff at the Malheur Wildlife Refuge in Oregon–was denied a pre-trial release Wednesday… His lawyer… told the judge, 'he’s stable; he’s emotionally stable,'… But the facade collapsed when U.S. District Court Judge Robert Jones ruled Fry would stay detained until the September trial… 'You’re a bigot, and a liar, and a racist,' Fry shouted as he walked out of the courtroom…" That went well.

Everything old is new again. "On Friday, for a second time in less than a year, the fake image of Jubbal was being circulated online again." Because a lie told once is worth telling a second time. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)

"There is no need for theatrics in grand-jury proceedings." On how you can "run the letter of the law" in a way to obfuscate and stymy justice. In this case, how even after the video of the Tamir Rice shooting explicitly contradicted all police reports about the incident, no officer faced charges. (Grokked from Kelly Link)

Sarah Palin says Ohio is too far away for her to go for the RNC. Dear Sarah, we have airports here in Cleveland. Two of them, in fact (if you don't count the various county airports nearby). I visited Alaska this year. It's really not that far. In other news, thank the gods McCain wasn't elected. Sarah would have been very put out when she realized that the Capital wasn't in Washington State, but Washington DC (where she's visited several times, just in case you can't tell I'm calling bullshit on her excuse).

While Cleveland has its issues, have I ever told you Cleveland is the home of rock and roll? "A billboard depicting Donald Trump and Ted Cruz kissing each other has gone up in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Republican National Convention is set to take place throughout next week. The image appears alongside a caption that reads 'Love Trumps Hate. End Homophobia.'" While a national group put this up, it's very much a Cleveland thing to do. (Grokked from Ellen Kushner)

Nate Silver's running election forecaster. Just in case you need it. (Grokked from Janiece)

Newt Gingrich said "The US should 'test' all Muslims and deport them if they 'believe in Shariah'" (video). So much for your religious freedom. (Grokked from Xeni Jardin)

"… Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) came up with a new reason the Senate shouldn’t be filling empty court seats: It’s not our job… 'What we get are things that have nothing to do with doing our jobs,' he said. 'I’m doing my job today and objecting to these measures so we can actually get back to pressing matters.'" You know, that "religious test" thing doesn't actually extend to, say, something like a high school civics test. I think our elected officials should be able to pass a basic civics course final exam, don't you?

Tweet of my heart: @jonrog1 Conservative leaders shocked at the rise of fact-free nativist Trump are like 2-pack-a-day smokers shocked at the appearance of lung cancer.