My son’s the opposite; he can’t do spicy at all. His mouth doesn’t burn more than normal, but he’ll be sweating, red-faced and tears pouring with really mild chili.

CW: mention of slavery and rape.

We don’t even have to specify that poor little girl was raped. An 11-year old can’t consent to sex. By definition, her pregnancy could only be by rape.

The bill is one of several that Democrats, now the majority in New York’s state legislature, pushed through after Republicans blocked the bill in previous years. (emphasis mine)

I used to be a barmaid in a remote Australian town that had a large Aboriginal population and was so, so racist. The pub had two bars in separate rooms, connected by an opening behind the bar so the bar staff could move easily between them.

If I hear “I had sex with a black person!” as “proof” the person isn’t racist, I point out many slave owners routinely raped their slaves.  It rarely goes down well.

Are opossums nocturnal, or do they just come out whenever? I’m in Australia, which is lousy with possums, but they’re all strictly nocturnal. You never see one in daylight unless they’re sick or injured. They frequently nest in people’s roofs (particularly in urban areas where there aren’t enough trees), but I’ve…

It would be a cute beach cover-up. For street wear, I prefer something that isn’t see-through enough to clearly display my underwear.

Yeah, Oprah has been responsible for introducing a lot of exploitative bullshit into the mainstream. Dr. Phil. Dr. Oz. The Secret. And that’s just off the top of my head, from someone who doesn’t watch the show.

President Trump is convinced that Kim Jong Un was unaware of the condition of American college student Otto Warmbier prior to his death in 2017.

She sounds more like Trump with better hair.

That’s awful. I don’t know “trafficking” is quite the right word for what your relatives are going through, but it sounds like you’re right that they’re only in sex work because someone is manipulating their vulnerabilities. I hope they’re able to get the help they need and build a happier life.

If sex work is regulated - and if we are truly regulating to protect the workers and not just their customers - we need to craft those regulations very carefully, with input from the workers. (emphasis mine).

If a person is trafficked or otherwise forced into prostitution, they aren’t a sex worker - they’re the victim of a hideous crime. Like any other crime, the victims should be supported and the perpetrators (their pimps or traffickers) should be punished. But because they’re working at an illegal trade, the victims are …

One of the law firms that used to represent him, always sent two lawyers to conferences. So they would each have a witness to what he said. He lied so much that merely taking notes wasn’t enough, they needed an actual live witness.

Oh, that really sucks. I’m so sorry. Your poor niece. Your poor family. What a mess. Lots of Internet love to you all.

If John Lasseter started his own company, then every employee would have been given the opportunity to choose whether or not to give him a second chance. But any Skydance employees who don’t want to give him a second chance have to stay and be uncomfortable or lose their jobs. Shouldn’t it be John Lasseter who has to…

Many years ago, I played in the band for an amateur production of Annie. The memory is very evil.

the australians, in my experience and based on zero facts, are pretty heavy drinkers on average.

This is a nuclear option, but...have you talked to a dr. about having her involuntarily committed? It’s a high bar to clear, but if she’s literally writing suicide notes she may have cleared it. Also, are you or someone else able to care for your niece until things stabilise? You don’t mention her age, but living with…