Recent news round-up

Good News

• Appeals court: Kansas Constitution protects abortion rights
• LGBT Indians to drive taxis in Mumbai, sign of social acceptance
• Former Oklahoma policeman to be sentenced for raping four women
• Russia Postpones Anti-LGBT Legislation
• Thousands return to Nigerian town after Boko Haram ouster

Bad News

• GOP Lawmakers Want Exemptions for Gay Marriage Opponents
• Teen Protesting Her School's Dress Code Was Forced by Her Principal to Get on Her Knees

Yesterday's news round-up

Good News

• New York Implements Statewide Regulations to Protect Trans People While this is welcome news, we still need a law to protect us.
• Oregon governor calls on feds to act against armed group
• Biden urges U.S. business in Davos to lean on anti-gay states
• Scientists ID new genus of tree frogs long thought extinct
• Zimbabwe's Constitutional Court outlaws child marriage
• Obama Relaxes Rules for Striking ISIS in Afghanistan

Animal headline of the day

Dog loses battle of wits to mimicking chipmunk toy

Yesterday's news round-up

Good News

• U.S. justices reject Arkansas bid to revive abortion law
• U.S. top court rejects new challenge to Obamacare
• U.S. Toughens Rules for Latecomers Trying to Enroll in Health Care Act I think a big factor should be whether they had insurance before and now have a legitimate reason they need to switch. If not, they should have to wait until the next open enrollment period.
• Oregon standoff leader attends meeting, hears chants of 'go'
• Conservation groups demand end to refuge occupation
• Exodus Refugee Ship Flag Finds Safe Haven at Holocaust Museum
• IS halves its jihadists' monthly salaries: monitor Excellent news!
• Experts: Willingness claim unlikely to help "affluenza" teen
• IS confirms death of 'Jihadi John' in Syria drone strike

Bad News

• One in 10 college graduates believes Judge Judy sits on Supreme Court
• Bill would require South Carolina journalists to register In this day and age of the internet and blogs, I'd love to see how this law would try to define journalist. In any event, this is totally unconstitutional.

Animation of the day

A video artist made this series of 30 GIFs to commemorate his November visit to NYC.

NYC Gifathon from James Curran on Vimeo.

Explanations of some of the more obscure ones can be found here.

Today's news round-up

Good News

• Montana Gov. Steve Bullock signs executive order protecting LGBT state employees
• Is There Something Unique about the Transgender Brain?  It seems to be a good summary of the current scientific thinking. (I do think that this is yet another misuse of the word "unique," as well as the term "transgender"--it is not a synonym for "transexual.")
• Sorry, grammar nerds. The singular ‘they’ has been declared Word of the Year.
• Tech at the symphony: Boston orchestra loaning patrons iPads I don't know how well the iPads would work, but I'd love to have a view of the conductor's from the front, instead of just the rear. Views of the soloists wouldn't be bad either.

Bad News

• Four dead in suicide attack at Cameroon mosque
• Six Niger soldiers killed by mine near Nigerian border: reports
• Islamic State offensive raises risk for Libya’s oil sector
• Top Chinese university hacked by IS infiltrator: reports

Animal headline of the day

Dog saves stranded sea turtle on New England beach

Yesterday's news round-up

Good News

• Actor, California lawmaker fight bogus memorabilia
• Pakistan police arrest cleric for inciting boy to cut off own hand
• 600 British jihadists stopped from entering Syria: Hammond

Bad News

• Many 'lost' voters say they have found their candidate in Trump However, I doubt he has the infrastructure to actually get enough of these people to actually vote.
• IS abducts over 400 in east Syria after deadly assault
• Detained Malaysian was hours away from suicide attack At least he was arrested.
• Islamic State 'brand' spreading worldwide: experts

Animation of the day

A few of them are otherwise engaged.

Source