(no subject)

* Tibicina found, "The Game Changed in Venezuela Last Night - and the International Media Is Asleep At the Switch:" http://caracaschronicles.com/2014/02/20/the-game-changed/

This is at least as bad as what was happening in Ukraine and very likely much worse, but there is very little coverage.

* "Racializing Politics: We don’t say “Slav” Democracy troubled in Ukraine, why Talk about “Arab” Failures?:" http://www.juancole.com/2014/02/racializing-democracy-failures.html

* In Arkansas Republicans are moving to 100,000 kick people off their private health insurance because that is just how much they hate the working poor. After all, Republican politicians get free health insurance from the government, so why should they care how many people they kill for their ideology. They are holding health coverage for children, the elderly, and the disabled hostage, promising to steal all their health coverage too if this incredibly cruel theft of coverage for a hundred thousand of the working poor doesn't pass.

* "Social Identity Markers are NOT a proxy for left wing social policies:" http://www.ianwelsh.net/social-identity-markers-are-not-a-proxy-for-left-wing-social-policies

* "US cheerleader shot dead after prank:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-26250162

* "Apparently Jesus Will Return With an AR-15 in Hand:" http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/bateman-jerry-boykin-jesus-assault-rifle-tape-022014

* More Republicans lying about history. "DeLay: Americans Have Forgotten That God Wrote The Constitution:" http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/delay-americans-have-forgotten-god-wrote-constitution

* More Republicans lying about history. "Bevin: Same-Sex Marriage Will Lead To Parent-Child Marriage:" http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bevin-same-sex-marriage-will-lead-parent-child-marriage

* "Kitties teach scientists a thing or two about genetics:" http://www.statecolumn.com/2014/02/kitties-teach-scientists-a-thing-or-two-about-genetics/

* "Why Mount Hood's next eruption will be like a big blob of toothpaste (+video):" http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2014/0218/Why-Mount-Hood-s-next-eruption-will-be-like-a-big-blob-of-toothpaste-video

* "The Arctic Ice "Death Spiral" Continues:" http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/02/20/global_warming_old_arctic_ice_is_melting_away.html

* "Looks of early European revealed:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25885519

* "How women's wisdom was lost:" http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/26/women-wisdom-papyrus-female-belief-ancient-geopolitics

* "The world's oldest handbag?:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-26288958

* "Could bubonic plague strike again?:" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25916296

* "Vive la revolution! How grand opera influenced French political upheaval:" http://phys.org/news/2014-01-vive-la-revolution-grand-opera.html

* "200-Year Old Douche Discovered Under NYC City Hall:" http://gizmodo.com/200-year-old-douche-discovered-under-nyc-city-hall-1525930237

* "Study: Homophobia Takes Years Off of Your Life" http://www.psmag.com/navigation/health-and-behavior/homophobia-takes-years-life-75062/

* "GOP Lawmakers Want To Define Anti-Gay Discrimination As 'Religious Freedom':" http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/religious-liberty-bills-idaho-kansas-tennessee

* "Religious Liberty Or Anti-Gay Animus?:" http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2014/02/19/religious-liberty-or-anti-gay-animus/

"So it also seems to me that the one demand we should make of such a defense of religious freedom is that it be consistent. For me, with devout Catholics, the acid test is divorce. The bar on divorce – which, unlike the gay issue, is upheld directly by Jesus in the Gospels – is just as integral to the Catholic meaning of marriage as the prohibition on gay couples. So why no laws including that potential violation of religious liberty? Both kinds of marriage are equally verboten in Catholicism. So where is the political movement to insist that devout Catholics do not have to cater the second weddings of previously divorced people?"

* Nothing makes me feel quite as much as a lapsed Johnnie as sorting and shelving my books.

* Since Mache died, Hector has been sleeping in her spot when he isn't sleeping actually on me. Last night, he moved back to his own spot.

* I was not planning to say anything about Sochi that didn't have to do with LGBTQ rights, but given how big Mr Plushenko's sudden withdraw and retirement is in the skating world, I feel I need to comment.

Here's my take on Evgeni Plushenko. ( Cut for length and extended geekery: )

* "Comet Lovejoy over The Great Wall:" http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140220.html