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* "Sea slug's 'disposable penis' surprises:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21431678

* I had been planning to write about the mislabeled horse meat scandal, but Sparkindarkness does it beautifully. "Horses, Foxes and Shenanigans:" http://www.sparkindarkness.com/2013/02/there-be-foolishness-in-news.html

* "AP bans use of words “husband,” “wife” for legally-wed gay couples:" http://americablog.com/2013/02/ap-bans-use-of-words-husband-wife-for-legally-wed-gay-couples.html

They sent their employees a memo requiring them to lie about people's martial status because bigotry is a more important value for reporters than accurately reporting the news. O.o

* John Stewart on the President's speech:

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* Stephen Colbert on the Rubio Rebuttal:

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* A Love song for Valentine's Day. This is the song that I still think best captures the sensation of falling in love. I miss the people and the time it represents for me, so these days it is as much about mono no aware and the beauty of impermanence:

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* And another, because I am apparently in the mood to stab myself in the heart:

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* As is the custom, my Anti-Valentine's Day song

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* The election in Kenya is tuning out fascinating. First there was the thing with gangs destroying villages so as to make it impossible for the inhabitants to vote for a rival party. Then there was their first ever televised debate, which focused on actual issues. Then there's the fact that two candidates are in the Hague on war crimes charges. The High Court just decided they haven't authority to intervene on the whole war criminals running for office issue. I'm going to be watching this one closely.

* 400-500 people have been injured as a result of a dramatic meteor crash in the Urals, that reigned down debris onto a number of towns in Western Russia causing some explosion, blowing out windows and generally causing damage. If you haven't seen the footage of the sky pyrotechnics, I strongly encourage you to google it.

* The Republicans decide to filibuster a Cabinet post for the first time in US History rather than debate and vote on the grounds that political point scoring against the President is vastly more important than National Security while we are at war and the world is in crisis:

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* The numbers on why universal pre-school is a good idea:

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* "Massive Police Shootout in Cleveland Despite Lack of Criminals:" http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/02/massive_police.html

* "You Say 'Elitist' Like It's A Bad Thing:" http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2013/02/you-say-elitist-like-its-bad-thing.html

* Re: Carnival Cruise Stranding. 1. Carnival Cruise is a an unethical company notorious for it's terrible treatment of employees and it's practice of skimping on maintenance. I figure it's sale at your own risk when you deal with a famously crap company. 2. My first college decided to turn ff all the running water to campus for a week with no warning. They did not provide us with any alternative sanitary arrangements, not even plastic bags to shit in. The toilets were overflowing with waste in about a day. Similarly, we were fucked for any other attempt to compensate, such as clean water sources for drinking, bottled water etc.. We were not offered nice comfy outdoor sleeping accommodations under awnings, but had to live with the smell. We got no apologies or compensation like the folks on the cruise ship got. This happened more than once, though only that one time did it last a whole week. Sure a cruise is expensive, but so is college tuition, and I, like most students hadn't the money to go stay in a hotel, so was essentially trapped with those conditions. Yes, it sucks to have your vacation ruined and I feel for the people with medical conditions for whom this was particularly awful, but again, see point number one.

* Happy Lupercalia!

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* "100 Abandoned Houses:" http://www.behance.net/gallery/100-Abandoned-Houses/196639

* The first of these looks like something out of faerie, "30+ of the most beautiful abandoned places and modern ruins I’ve ever seen:" http://blogof.francescomugnai.com/2013/01/30-of-the-most-beautiful-abandoned-places-and-modern-ruins-ive-ever-seen/

* Get yourself in a lather: http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/01/27/what-seems-gay/

* Creepy Vintage Valentines: http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/02/13/shifting-cultural-sensibilities-and/

* My friends are $75.00 short on their Kickstarter.http://www.behance.net/gallery/100-Abandoned-Houses/196639 Come on folks! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sheilaruth/rekindling-the-fire-rathas-creature-graphic-novel

* Why Republicans want to outlaw gay sex: http://www.asofterworld.com/index.php?id=932