“Laverne Cox Is Not a Woman.”

The phenomenon of the transgendered person is a thoroughly modern one, not in the sense that such conditions did not exist in the past — Cassius Dio relates a horrifying tale of an attempted sex-change operation — but because we in the 21st century have regressed to a very primitive understanding of reality, namely the sympathetic magic described by James George Frazer in The Golden Bough. The obsession with policing language on the theory that language mystically shapes reality is itself ancient — see the Old Testament — and sympathetic magic proceeds along similar lines, using imitation and related techniques as a means of controlling reality.

“Notice it doesn’t say 100% Canadian beef?”

My motivation to write this came from a recent trip away with friends. Although most of them know of my stance towards A & W, we ended up stopping there for burgers to bring home for one of the husbands. The silence regarding my choice to eat a cookie from my purse instead of a burger made me reflect on how much the general population understands, or even cares about the ‘fear marketing’ that is going on around us at an increasing rate every day.

h/t Al in Cranbrook

“Before I continue, I should explain what a “trigger warning” is.”

Charles issues a fatwa;

If the term “squirrel accord” has you thinking of a bunch of woodland creatures walking around wearing stovepipe hats and discussing what to do about this autumn’s chestnut shortage, then banish the thought and replace it with a vision of members of the royal family and government officials talking about how many cages they would need in order to undertake “targeted and sustained action” against grey squirrels.

h/t Maz2

Hear my prayer. (link fixed, sorry!)
h/t Paul

And that’s why the fate of civilization rests upon middle-aged men in baseball caps. (language advisory)
h/t John Salt

All of it. All of them. Yesterday.

Gawker: Income Inequality Institute Will Pay Paul Krugman $25,000 Per Month

Lacroix, you let this ‘crisis’ go to waste. So much for the much hyped, cuts at CBC.
When my job was eliminated, the percentage of cuts were much bigger and had about 2 months of grace. I feel bad for anyone let go, it sucks. I’m a three time veteran, four if you count the one that was deserved. I’ve found though that usually it’s the best thing that happens.