Natalie B.

What strikes me about this piece is they all seem to be searching for a woman to take care of them, but because they know women hate and fear them, believe that the way they get this is to own and dominate one. A tremendous blend of self-hatred and Id.

Extremely charming, and such a good decision to reference his earlier Spanish-ad outtakes video

Zohran Mamdani caught lying that he understood Plato’s allegory of the cave, yet when asked to explain it, he seemed to instead explain Baudrillard’s theory of Simulacra and Simulation where reality has been replaced by symbols and signs, which seems similar to Plato’s theory but is not the same

"This is not the same thing as persuading people that the thing itself matters: they usually know it does. The task is to persuade people that they matter: they know they usually don’t."

haven't seen it said better than @alybatt.bsky.social says it here

Hebrew calligraphy in dark green stretches in lines across the image. Negative space makes room for a simple representation of an inflatable frog costume with a blue bandana. That shape consists of the English translation of the Hebrew, in a lighter green, and in much smaller text. -- Famously, the Egyptian tyrant causes Egypt to be overrun with frogs because he refuses to free the Hebrew people, but there are additional details that make this a fun one to ponder. For one, the Hebrew says "the frog came up" - ONE frog - even though the rest of the time it says "frogs." So there are a few explanations rabbis have come up with to explain this. One is that a single frog multiplied to create swarms. A more creative explanation is that there was a singular giant frog who traveled and brought destruction. Jewish social media was sharing videos of the Portland Frog protester with the caption, "One Big Frog! One Big Frog!" Of course the frog protesters did multiply, and many were seen in crowds all over the world on "No Kings" Day. This calligraphic work takes the verses addressing the frog plague and combines them to form a simple rendering of the Portland Frog protester. The frog figure itself is made up of the English translations of the Hebrew around it. At the bottom left my signature is in the shape of a lily pad.

"Tzefardea Tzedek" (Frog of Righteousness)

As soon as the Portland Frog became a meme, Jewish social media blew up with jokes about the 2nd Passover plague - tzefarde'a (frogs) - and the Rabbinical commentary around it. I knew I had to make a calligraphy piece encompassing all of it. (more in alt.)

As Toni Morrison said, "the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work." But she also reminded us never to lose our capacity to be shocked.

Part of my conversation on @ayman.msnbc.com earlier today.

a photograph of the interior of a church. Several people are visible sitting in pews. In the pew immediately in front of the photographer, a black human-sized cardboard cutout in the outline of a woman is visible, as though a shadow is sitting in the pew in front of you.

Went to a prayer service tonight at St. Mary of the Lake, where they have cardboard cutouts throughout the church representing parishioners afraid to come to Mass because of ICE.

This man on the train is pontificating to the women he’s with and she just said, “stop getting on like you’re the salmon of knowledge,” and I am so using this the next time a man tries to talk down to me.

A cat is seen riding a bus. They are standing up and have their front paws on the back of the front seat.

this is what will happen if mamdani makes bus rides free

The Rt Rev’d Craig Loya, 10th Bishop of Minnesota, speaking outside the federal building—named for his first predecessor—where the Secretary for Homeland Security was making an announcement about increased immigration enforcement in Minnesota. This is what moral clarity looks like!

“What you do makes a difference; you just have to decide what difference you want to make.”

— #JaneGoodall

Meme showing nine illustrations of medieval lions with humorous/whimsical expressions and poses, labeled 1 to 9, with the caption “On a scale of medieval lion how are you feeling today?”

Today I am definitely a nine.

Image: screenshot of letter in newspaper. Text reads: Bishops’ decisions on LLF process From the Revd Dr Clare Herbert Madam, — I have spent my working life in ministry in the Church of England, as parish worker, deaconess, deacon, and priest. I am now in my seventies. I can, therefore, remember, at the very start of my ministry, the cry of the late Dr Una Kroll, which she hurled from the gallery of the General Synod, when in 1978 progress towards the ordination of women to the priesthood was halted. Her cry was of rage and beseeching: “We asked for bread, and you gave us a stone.” So, I recognised the cold, hard stone in my own heart when I read this week that the House of Bishops (News, 17 October) had decided that there should be no immediate change to the current rules that bar the clergy from being in same-sex civil marriages. It is that stone in the pitof the stomach which is formed by the pain of knowing that a cry for equality has gone unheard. On 31 May, I married my partner of 35 years. Surrounded by joyful witnesses to our enduring love, my partner became my wife in a Quaker marriage ceremony. In retirement, I have become a “Quanglican”: that is, one who gladly attends Anglican services and Quaker meetings for worship. My wife is a Quaker, and, in the Religious Society of Friends, I have experienced a profound sense of freedom, affirmation, and openness such as I have never known before. My personhood and closest relationship were celebrated that day in a fullness to which I continue to respond with gratitude, joy, love, and the desire to continue serving the God who made me. We in the lesbian and gay community may choose to pick up and live with the heavy, joyless stones imposed on our heads and hearts by an unresponsive Church. But it is important to recognise that we do not have to do so in obedience to God. I have discovered the God who is a Giver of Bread.

Powerful letter from Clare Herbert in today's Church Times

A picture of the garden in front of the east wing of the White House. A mix of colorful flowers and small trees

NEW: NBC News confirms that the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, on the east side of the White House, has been destroyed as part of the demolition of the East Wing.

(📸 Getty Images)

Is Shell to blame for a ‘super typhoon’? Philippines survivors to sue oil giant in legal first Typhoon Rai killed more than 400, displaced nearly 3.2 million, and destroyed more than a million homes in 2021

A very significant climate litigation story, and great to see these cases continuing to grow in scale and sophistication. Attribution science will be critical to the success of this suit.

From A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year, ed. Jane McMorland Hunter

Thursday #morningread

Here’s what I said to our teenager and some other young folks who were around at the match: there’s a difference between a demonstration and a protest, and you need both because people are at different places in their engagement with a movement, and there are different kinds of power.

If your ADHD or autistic friend is really in it and you can tell they're struggling? Becoming emotionally transparent is one of the biggest ways you can help. Literally say what you feel, completely honestly, because then we're not guessing, and it immediately removes a worry. It's so helpful.

Desparately need a "My friend went to the Louvre and all I got was these lousy crown jewels" t-shirt.

a guardian article that says "‘Six-seven’: what does the latest slang mean (and should parents be worried)?" with a stock photo of a kid

so this is what old age feels like

When we say “everyone should mask” we don’t actually expect people will. We know how selfish people are. But we say it because:

1) it’s factually true

2) if even a few people listen to us that’s a few more lives saved and, as the Talmud says, every life is a universe.

Yesterday's No Kings protests were apparently the largest since the first Earth Day in 1970

The NYT covered that story with a six column headline across the top of the paper and two full pages inside

Today, two small pics below the fold and a story on page A23

They constantly let America down

An interior wall, painted black, against which are around 30 hi-fi speakers, some are highlighted in blue, red, yellow or green paint.

Out for a meal last night and encountered this display of speakers #SundayPixStack

Frogs against fascism sign

#nokings

Let’s talk about why #NoKings is so important. Also, let’s go over some ways to make the day as meaningful as possible. #NoKingsDay

I once asked a friend the gender of a mutual's newborn, and he responded "it's a lady baby." I have been thinking about that for a decade.

My friend who is very Business-y who also has a baby described a play date by saying “we’re meeting with other babies” earlier and it has been cracking me up all day

The Pope tweets: "The poor are not there by chance or by blind and cruel fate. Nor, for most of them, is poverty a choice. Yet, there are those who still presume to make this claim, thus revealing their own blindness and cruelty. #DilexiTe" Someone replies: "I was so hopeful I could be a Catholic again after the disaster that Francis was, guess we just get Francis 2.0 now and I am heartbroken. How do I stay a Catholic now...I don't want to lose faith but I am. You belong to someone else, not God."

heartbroken to learn the pope sympathizes with the poor. how can i continue to believe in god

😂

Me: Darling, last week the swimming teacher said you did 10/10 listening. Do you think you could do that again this week?
The Preschooler [proudly]: I’m going to do ten out of NINETEEN!