Saturday morning roundup

It's hard to get anything right with regard to Egypt, but there are some less bad ways ahead.

Australia's asylum conundrum.

What the hell is wrong with people?

You're an idiot if you go to Russia expecting a better life.
 
Will the G20 act on reforming global tax loopholes?

I wholeheartedly appreciate the racial perspective on the Zimmerman-Martin case, as well as open discussion of it as a society--the "but" ahead is not to detract from that, but to add to it--but it bears introducing another perspective: that of honoring one's fears and instincts. This "but" is entirely unrelated to the case at hand--if you're afraid, you don't follow someone in your car--but to the larger discussion of crossing streets and clutching purses. I acknowledge that African-American men are sent the message that they're distrusted, but I will add that women are sent the message that it's not cool to convey distrust (regardless of race), and this puts a lot of women in a lot of bad situations. Read "The Gift of Fear." And to honor the "regardless of race" aspect of this, I would encourage women to be equal-opportunity skeptics: if someone makes you feel uncomfortable, by all means, cross the street. Don't let fear of offending someone--whether it's because you're afraid of coming off as racist or just mistrustful--compromise your safety. Do what you need to do to protect yourself.

I have not yet read this excerpted chapter on whether humans should eat meat. Nor have I read this article about shaking up the social sciences.

On forensic linguistics.

That is an adorable, otherworldly frog.

Maybe instead of looking for a weedwacker I should sharpen my scythe. With that, I leave you to get started on my yardwork.