Obviously I was being hyperbolic. But I think Caylee Anthony is a perfect example of the phenomenon I’m describing: how many children of color go missing or are murdered without it becoming national news? There are clearly different standards for how children are perceived, and race, gender, and socioeconomic status…

Absolutely. I have no idea what happened in this particular case, and am not trying to suggest that I do. I just feel like people want simple narratives and easy blame, which doesn’t always line up with life as we actually live it. Because abuse and domestic violence have a way of repeating across generations, so a…

It’s also entirely possible that their relationship was toxic and there was a mutually destructive cycle of abuse in which they both participated. I am not suggesting that I know (or even think) this is the truth, only that I have seen relationships where both parties were abusive. And the addition of drugs/alcohol…

Yes! It’s also possible for both parties in a relationship to be abusive. My stepfather would gaslight my mom, tease and taunt her mercilessly, cheat on her and lie about everything, and generally just drive her crazy till she’d lose her shit. Then she would yell/throw something/threaten to stab him/rage like a…

I am a yellow dog Democrat, and I doubt I could bring myself to vote for Grayson in any circumstances. He is just the worst.

Agreed. As I said upthread, if the kid had been a blonde, blue-eyed girl, the rejoicing would go on for weeks. It frustrates the hell out of me that the “news” will obsess about a missing prom queen for weeks, but treat a black boy murdered by cops like it ain't no thang. I see a lot of the same dynamics here.

That Venn Diagram looks very much like a circle, so the rage is extra focused.

Could not agree more. No one would be bitching if they’d shot a whole family of gorillas to save a 20 yr old blonde sorority girl (of the type that always seem to go missing in the summers). Only certain people are allowed to fill the role of “helpless victim.” Anyone who doesn’t look the part, fuck ‘em.

That's exactly what I was getting ready to post when I saw this! The Who, no question.

I should have said “I wouldn’t have ...” rather than “I don’t have ... .” Yes, I know that he’s not the father - I meant to say only that I wouldn’t have been shocked if he were. Like, I’m not at all surprised that he and the brother were both considered potential candidates. It’s gross as hell, but that's exactly the…

I just posted about my mom wearing tons of white pants. My theory is that she's post-menopausal and celebrating. I'm not going to ask her, though.

I’m 41, and that period thing still happens to me. I have endometriosis, so I’m going to be in “junior high” mode till menopause.

I dated a painter who made rent money doing faux finishes and upkeep painting for a fancy hotel. White jeans, especially coupled with a white tee, especially on a dude, ALWAYS make me think “(house)painter.”

I see. My husband’s family is from Louisiana, and they were displaced for months afterward. I think Treme was exceptional, and real without being exploitative. I don’t see ACS as a great vehicle for handling what is still an open wound for some people I know. And focusing on the time during the storm seems even like…

I don’t have any trouble believing that the father molested her, or even that Caylee was his. That whole family had a fucked up dynamic, and Casey had to have gotten her crazy from somewhere. I am NOT trying to excuse her or justify her actions, just saying that I think that this was a multi-generational problem.

I doubt he can top Treme, at any rate.

I know it's old fashioned, but vagina dentata has always been good enough for me.

Five (the newest version) is infinitely better than the version that preceded it. I don’t play much these days, but my kid is a major tabletop gamer, so I played some D&D v4 with him. Ugh. Way too grindy and not fun at all. He assures me that the current version is way, way more fun and more like the “old days” when I…

Oh my god. Just when I thought this concept couldn't get any better. You nailed it.

I hear you, I really do. But we cannot control all outcomes. Some people will choose to abort a child with Down Syndrome, and that’s their right. I’m not saying that I don’t intellectually understand that choice. I’m saying that if there were a “cure” for Down Syndrome magically available tomorrow, I would be sad that…