Here's what I'd tell my younger self: You become stronger as you get older, but you also become more forgetful. You stop cataloguing everyone's crimes against your self-esteem.

I have a lot of insane travel stories - breaks going out while careening down a mountain side, near misses with leopards, almost being arrested for smuggling what they thought was cocaine but was actually a soap stone fish - but I'll just go with one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. It happened in Egypt in…

There are links on where to donate in the article - in addition to MSF, the Red Cross is in need for funding.

that's definitely true. I think the definition I am talking about is how the term is used in the media and news organizations in The US - this article fits that bill. But it's true that the way it is discussed (including in my case here) is often terribly US centric.

I appreciate this comment because it made me genuinely laugh. Words change based on use. The way racism is used in popular culture references systemic racism. But go ahead and hold on to your OED.

you're talking about different things. Racism, sexism, religious discrimination, etc are all unique entities. I have power because I'm white and straight but am discriminated against because I'm a girl and a Jew. Whether my privilege or my discriminated traits are more dominant depends on the setting. Having one…

A systemic imbalance in power is what takes prejudice and stereotyping to the next level It's what makes those things racism. So no, there aren't really exceptions.

she's talking about systemic power, not individual.

Stay tuned. I'm organizing a march on Washington

go rent American Mary

It's a wonder babies ever turn into functional adults, what with all the sin sucking.

I love that blurring out her nipples is enough to make that video television approved. NIPPLES.

I'm dying to know how they explained this to the kids in the ad.

I have such mixed feelings about it because I have dealt with so many slumlords that I realize renters need protection. But that's renters. Who pay and should have rights. Not people who just set up shop. I can't believe the law doesn't seem to see a difference (I'm not a lawyer, so there may be a nuance I'm…

A friend of mine's ex refused to move out after they broke up (she owned the apartment) and stayed by squatters rights. He holed up in her house for months before the court was able to push it all through and then after she won the case he was still allowed to stay for 30 more days. When he finally moved out he…

Not oral, but sometimes they put it down the nose by NG tube to colonize the whole gut. So it's not like you're actually eating it but it has a way higher "oh dear god" factor than going in the other end.

In the piece I wrote on this I linked to the requirement but the exact wording is

Both probably but definitely on the latter!

My favorite part of this is that one of the moms, who applied for religious exemption only after she was denied medical exemption, was quoted as saying

.