In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today!

[Content Note: Injury; death] A devastating earthquake in Pakistan has injured at least 350 people and killed at least 327 people. "The quake—initially recorded at magnitude 7.8—hit 145 miles southeast of Dalbandin, in the remote province of Balochistan—which is near the Iranian border. It was felt as far away as New Delhi, the Indian capital, some 740 miles away." I have not yet found information about how to help or contact information to connect with survivors; please feel welcome and encouraged to leave info in comments if you find it.

[CN: Sexual violence] Senator Kristen Gillibrand's amendment to the annual national defense authorization bill, which would "remove the responsibility for the prosecution of rape, sexual assault and other criminal cases from the chain of command and hand it to independent military prosecutors," now has support from three retired generals: "Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, the first woman to reach the rank of three-star general, and brigadiers general Loree Sutton, formerly the highest-ranking psychiatrist in the US army, and David McGinnis, a former principal deputy to the assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs."

[CN: War] The US Army has instituted a new regulation "that prohibits fresh recruits from showing tattoos while in uniform." The first comment on the article observes: "My guess is that this rule will be relaxed when a new round of cannon fodder is needed to defend some far flung corporate interest." Yeah.

Congratulations to Rep. Patricia Todd, Alabama's first openly gay legislator, and her wife Jennifer Clarke, on their marriage in Massachusetts!

Speaking of marriage, Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul says marriage is easy! Sometimes it is!

Did you follow the inscrutable Twitter account @Horse_ebooks and/or the inscrutable YouTube channel Pronunciation Book? I didn't! But apparently they are A Thing, and it turns out there are real people behind them. So that might interest you! Or not!

Popular Science is shutting down its comments section. Because shit-stirrers are exhausting and moderating is hard work! Please take a moment to say thank you to Shakesville's volunteer moderators, who are literally some of the best people on the planet. I haven't met everyone on the planet, but I feel extremely confident that, even if I did, I would still think the Shakesville mods are among the best of billions.